Vehicle

• US 8,285,474 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushikikaisha Equos Research
• Original Assignee: Kabushikikaisha Equos Research
• Inventors: Doi, Katsunori
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUYNH, LUAT T
• Application Number:
  US12/227,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20100017106A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,930 Days
• Field of Search: 701/81, 701/37, 701/124, 180/6.5, 180/218, 180/65.1, 180/206.2, 340/467, 340/432
• US Class Current: 701/124
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/04 motor-driven A61G5/06 takes precedence; motor-operated rests A61G5/12; for vehicles with handlebars, equipped with three or more wheels B62K5/003, B62K5/023
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 37/00 Stabilising vehicle bodies without controlling suspension arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/007 Automatic balancing machines with single main ground engaging wheel or coaxial wheels supporting a rider
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/10 with means for inwardly inclining the vehicle body on bends
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0891 specially adapted for land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

Enabled is to lighten the load on a rider and to make the rider senses a turning state at the turning time of a transverse two-wheeled vehicle. A transverse acceleration (a) at a turn controlling time is detected to make a next inclination control in accordance with the magnitude of the acceleration. (a) In the case of an acceleration (a)≦a predetermined threshold (a₀), the vehicle is left uninclined to prevent the vehicle body from being unnecessarily inclined and rocked against a small centrifugal force, thereby to improve the riding comfortableness. (b) In the case of the acceleration (a)>the threshold (a₀), a riding portion is inclined such that the inclination angle θ₁ may become the larger as the acceleration (a) becomes the higher. This can reduce the load on the rider against the centrifugal force. (c) As the acceleration (a) becomes the higher, the riding portion is so inclined the more as to increase the difference between the balanced inclination angle of the vehicle body and the inclination angle of the riding portion, so that the rider can bodily sense the increase/decrease of the centrifugal force.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

two drive wheels arranged opposing each other;

a riding portion for supporting a body weight;

a transverse acceleration acquisition unit which acquires a transverse acceleration as an acceleration component in a horizontal direction with respect to an axle;

a threshold value determination unit which determines whether the transverse acceleration has exceeded a predetermined threshold value;

a sensible acceleration determination unit which determines a sensible acceleration, which is an acceleration component in a horizontal direction with respect to the riding portion, based on the acquired transverse acceleration, and which increases the sensible acceleration along with an increase in the transverse acceleration; and

a riding portion inclination unit which inclines the riding portion based on the determined sensible acceleration, responsive to a determination by the threshold value determination unit that the predetermined threshold value has been exceeded.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a type determination unit which determines a type of the body weight, wherein

the riding portion inclination unit inclines the riding portion in a case where the type determination unit determines that the type of body weight is a human.

3. A vehicle comprising:

two drive wheels arranged opposing each other;

a riding portion for supporting a body weight;

an acceleration acquisition unit which acquires an acceleration with respect to an axle;

a threshold value determination unit which determines whether the acquired acceleration has exceeded a predetermined threshold value;

a sensible acceleration determination unit which determines a sensible acceleration to be applied to the riding portion based on the acquired acceleration, and which increases the sensible acceleration along with an increase in the acquired acceleration; and

a riding portion inclination unit which inclines the riding portion based on the determined sensible acceleration, responsive to a determination by the threshold value determination unit that the predetermined threshold value has been exceeded.