Getting-on/off determination apparatus and getting-on/off determination method

• US 8,913,855 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2010
• Issued: 12/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakayama, Takahiro, Mima, Kazuhiro, Yamada, Hitoshi, Kobori, Norimasa
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, ERIC K
• Application Number:
  US13/511,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20120243822A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,572 Days
• Field of Search: 385/13, 701/45
• US Class Current: 385/13
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/16 Single-axle vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/22 by presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/007 Automatic balancing machines with single main ground engaging wheel or coaxial wheels supporting a rider
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/968 using opto-electronic devices
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/94104 using a light barrier

Abstract

A getting-on/off determination apparatus determines rider'"'"'s getting-on/off for an inverted two-wheel vehicle that travels while maintaining the inverted state. The getting-on/off determination apparatus includes an optical fiber laid in a step portion that a rider gets on/off, a light emitting unit that emits detection light and is connected to one end of the optical fiber, a light receiving unit that receives the detection light emitted from the light emitting unit and is connected to another end of the optical fiber, at least one transmitted light varying portion that varies an amount of transmitted light of the detection light passing through the optical fiber in conjunction with a vertical displacement of the step portion that occurs when the rider gets on/off the inverted two-wheel vehicle, and a determination unit that determines getting-on/off of the rider based on an amount of the detection light received by the light receiving unit.

Claims

1. A getting-on/off determination apparatus that determines rider'"'"'s getting-on/off for an inverted two-wheel vehicle that travels while maintaining an inverted state, comprising:

an optical fiber laid in a step portion that a rider gets on/off;

a light emitting unit that emits detection light, the light emitting unit being connected to one end of the optical fiber;

a light receiving unit that receives the detection light emitted from the light emitting unit, the light receiving unit being connected to another end of the optical fiber;

a plurality of transmitted light varying portion that varies an amount of transmitted light of the detection light that passes through the optical fiber in conjunction with a vertical displacement of the step portion that occurs when the rider gets on/off the inverted two-wheel vehicle; and

a determination unit that determines getting-on/off of the rider based on an amount of the detection light received by the light receiving unit, wherein

a plurality of space portions are provided in the optical fiber laid in the step portion, the plurality of space portions being formed by severing the optical fiber in such a manner that ends of the severed optical fiber are spaced by a predetermined distance,

each of the plurality of transmitted light varying portions goes into/comes out from the space portion in conjunction with a vertical displacement of the step portion that occurs when the rider gets on/off the inverted two-wheel vehicle and thereby varying the amount of transmitted light of the detection light,

the light emitting unit, the light receiving unit, and the determination unit are housed inside a box, which is hermitically sealed and located in a place away from the transmitted light varying portion and the space portion,

the step portion is provided in a vehicle main body,

the plurality of space portions are formed in a longitudinal direction in the step portion, and

the transmitted light varying portion is provided so as to correspond to the space portion.

2. The getting-on/off determination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the step portion includes a lower surface member, a side member connected to the lower surface member, and an upper surface member that is connected to the side member and is displaced in a vertical direction when the rider gets on/off the inverted two-wheel vehicle;

the transmitted light varying portion is a downward-protruding convex portion disposed on an under surface of the upper surface member of the step portion;

the optical fiber is laid in the lower surface member; and

the convex portion is formed in such a manner that the convex portion goes into/comes out from the space portion of the optical fiber in conjunction with a vertical displacement of the step portion.

3. The getting-on/off determination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the space portion of the optical fiber is covered with an elastic member.

4. The getting-on/off determination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the space portion of the optical fiber is filled with a resin member.

5. The getting-on/off determination apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the transmitted light varying portion is a grasping member that is disposed in the upper surface member of the step portion and grasps the elastic member, and

the grasping member bends the elastic member in a vertical direction in conjunction with a vertical displacement of the step portion.

6. A getting-on/off determination apparatus that determines rider'"'"'s getting-on/off for an inverted two-wheel vehicle that travels while maintaining an inverted state, comprising:

an optical fiber laid in a step portion that a rider gets on/off;

light emitting means for emitting detection light, the light emitting means being connected to one end of the optical fiber;

light receiving means for receiving the detection light emitted from the light emitting means, the light receiving means being connected to another end of the optical fiber;

a plurality of transmitted light varying means fort varying an amount of transmitted light of the detection light within the optical fiber in conjunction with a vertical displacement of the step portion that occurs when the rider gets on/off the inverted two-wheel vehicle; and

determination means for determining getting-on/off of the rider based on an amount of the detection light received by the light receiving means, wherein

a plurality of space portions are provided in the optical fiber laid in the step portion, the plurality of space portions being formed by severing the optical fiber in such a manner that ends of the severed optical fiber are spaced by a predetermined distance,

each of the plurality of transmitted light varying means goes into/comes out from the space portion in conjunction with a vertical displacement of the step portion that occurs when the rider gets on/off the inverted two-wheel vehicle and thereby varying the amount of transmitted light of the detection light,

the light emitting means, the light receiving means, and the determination means are housed inside a box, which is hermitically sealed and located in a place away from the transmitted light varying means and the space portion,

the step portion is provided in a vehicle main body,

the plurality of space portions are formed in a longitudinal direction in the step portion, and

the transmitted light varying portion is provided so as to correspond to the space portion.

7. A getting-on/off determination method to determine rider'"'"'s getting-on/off for an inverted two-wheel vehicle that travels while maintaining an inverted state, comprising:

emitting detection light from one end of an optical fiber laid in a step portion that a rider gets on/off;

receiving the emitted detection light from another end of the optical fiber;

varying an amount of transmitted light of the detection light within the optical fiber in conjunction with a vertical displacement of the step portion that occurs when the rider gets on/off the inverted two-wheel vehicle;

determining getting-on/off of the rider based on a received amount of the detection light, wherein the light emitting unit that emits the detection light, the light receiving unit that receives the detection light, and the determination unit that determines the getting on/off are housed inside a box, which is hermitically sealed and located in a place away from a transmitted light varying portion that varies the amount of transmitted light,

the step portion is provided in a vehicle main body,

the plurality of space portions are formed in a longitudinal direction in the step portion, and

the transmitted light varying portion is provided so as to correspond to the space portion.