JP2022083251A - vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a vehicle which can obtain an excellent running controllability and which can be readily utilized.SOLUTION: A vehicle 100 includes: a front wheel 1 and a rear wheel 2; and a vehicle body 101. The vehicle body 101 includes: a main frame 10 that extends in the back-and-forth direction at the center part of the vehicle 100 in the horizontal direction; a pair of right and left steps 15 which are placed at the right and left sides of the main frame 10, respectively, and on which the right and left feet of an occupant are placed, respectively; and a front arm 11 and a rear arm 12 which are supported by the main frame 10 so as to be swingable in the horizontal direction, and which support the pair of right and left steps 15.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a foldable vehicle having front wheels and rear wheels.

Conventionally, a standing three-wheeled vehicle having a single front wheel and a pair of left and right rear wheels has been known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the vehicle described in Patent Document 1, a pair of left and right steps on which the feet of the occupant are placed are provided on the upper surface of the connecting member extending in the left-right direction to support the left and right rear wheels.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-310254

However, since the vehicle described in the above patent document cannot swing in the left-right direction, there is room for improvement in running maneuverability such as turning.

One aspect of the present invention is a vehicle including front wheels, rear wheels, and a vehicle body, wherein the vehicle body has a frame member extending in the front-rear direction at the center of the vehicle in the left-right direction and left and right sides of the frame member. It has a pair of left and right mounting portions on which the left and right feet of the occupant are mounted, and a support member that is swingably supported by the frame member in the left-right direction and supports the pair of left and right mounting portions. ..

According to the present invention, good running maneuverability of the vehicle can be obtained.

The perspective view which shows the whole structure of the vehicle which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The plan view of the vehicle which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The side view of the vehicle which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the main part structure of the brake device provided in the vehicle which concerns on embodiment of this invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line V-V of FIG. The rear view in the neutral posture of the vehicle which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The rear view in the lean posture of the vehicle which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the deformation of the arm in the lean posture of the vehicle which concerns on embodiment of this invention, and is the figure when it is assumed that the arm is a rigid body. It is a figure explaining the deformation of the arm in the lean posture of the vehicle which concerns on embodiment of this invention, and is the figure when the arm is not a rigid body. The perspective view of the vehicle which shows the modification of FIG. FIG. 5 is a side view showing an example in which the vehicle of FIG. 8 is in a bent posture and an upright posture.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9. The vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention is a three-wheeled vehicle having a single front wheel and a pair of left and right rear wheels, and is configured to allow a user to ride in a sitting posture, for example. It is also possible to ride in a standing position.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view (viewed from diagonally above) showing the overall configuration of the vehicle 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are a plan view and a side view, respectively. Hereinafter, for convenience, the vehicle 100 is defined in the front-rear direction (length direction), the left-right direction (width direction), and the up-down direction (height direction) as shown in the figure, and the configuration of each part will be described according to this definition.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the vehicle 100 has front wheels 1 and rear wheels 2 and a vehicle body 101, and the entire vehicle 100 has a center line CL1 (FIG. 3) passing through the center in the left-right direction of the vehicle 100 as a whole. It is configured symmetrically. More specifically, the front wheels 1 are arranged along the center line CL1, and the left and right rear wheels 2 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center line CL1. The front wheel 1 has the same diameter as the rear wheel 2. The front wheel 1 may have a smaller diameter or a larger diameter than the rear wheel 2. The vehicle body 101 can be leaned in the left-right direction, but FIGS. 1 to 3 show a neutral posture in which the vehicle body 101 is not lean.

The vehicle 100 has the same overall dimensions as a bicycle or the like, and is compact and lightweight. Therefore, it is easy to handle, can be easily used for short-distance or medium-distance movement, and is particularly convenient in a crowded city. The vehicle body 101 has a frame constituting the skeleton of the vehicle 100. More specifically, it has a main frame 10 extending from the front wheels 1 to the rear wheels 2, and a vertical frame 20 erected above the front wheels 1. The main frame 10 and the vertical frame 20 extend along the center line CL1 respectively.

The main frame 10 has a front inclined portion 10a extending diagonally from above to the rear and downward of the front wheel 1, a horizontal portion 10b extending substantially horizontally from the rear end of the front inclined portion 10a to the rear, and a horizontal portion 10b. It has a rear inclined portion 10c extending diagonally rearward and upward from the rear end portion, and a horizontal portion 10d extending substantially horizontally from the rear end of the rear inclined portion 10c. The horizontal portion 10d is located above the horizontal portion 10b, more specifically, at substantially the same height as the upper end portion of the rear wheel 2. The left and right rear wheels 2 are rotatably supported from the left and right side frames (left side frame 13 and right side frame 14 described later) of the main frame 10 via a rotation shaft 2a extending in the left-right direction. ..

A seat pipe 41 that inclines backward with an upward slope is fixed to the horizontal portion 10b of the main frame 10. The lower end of the support pipe 42 that inclines forward with an upward slope is fixed to the horizontal portion 10d of the main frame 10, and the upper end of the support pipe 42 is fixed to the rear surface of the seat pipe 41. A seat 40 is attached to the upper end of the seat pipe 41, and the user can get on the vehicle 100 in a sitting posture. It should be noted that the stay may be projected rearward from the support pipe 42, and a substantially box-shaped basket or the like having an upper opening may be attached via the stay.

The vertical frame 20 has a substantially cylindrical vertical pipe 21 that is inclined and extends so that the upper end portion is located behind the lower end portion, and the vertical pipe 21 is connected to the main frame 10 (front inclined portion 10a). The front end is fixed by welding or the like. The lower end of the handle shaft 22 extending in the vertical direction is inserted into the vertical pipe 21, and the handle shaft 22 is supported by the vertical pipe 21 so as to be relatively rotatable. A handle 23 is attached to the upper end of the handle shaft 22. Below the vertical pipe 21, a pair of left and right front forks 24 are provided so as to be rotatable relative to the vertical pipe 21. The front wheel 1 is rotatably supported by the front fork 24 via a rotation shaft 1a extending in the left-right direction.

The handle 23 extends in the left-right direction, and resin or rubber grips 23a gripped by the user are provided at both left and right ends thereof. The handle shaft 22 is rotated by the rotation operation of the user's handle 23. The rotation of the handle shaft 22 is transmitted to the front fork 24 via a connecting shaft (not shown) in the vertical pipe 21, whereby the front wheel 1 is steered. The handle shaft 22 and the front fork 24 may be provided integrally with the vertical pipe 21, that is, so as not to rotate relative to the vertical pipe 21.

Although detailed illustration is omitted, a traveling motor 4 (in-wheel motor) is housed inside the front wheel 1, and the vehicle 100 is configured as an electric vehicle traveling by driving the traveling motor 4. The traveling motor 4 as an electric motor may be provided not on the front wheel 1 but on the rear wheel 2 (for example, inside the rear wheel 2), or on both the front wheel 1 and the rear wheel 2. Thereby, the traction ability and the climbing ability of the vehicle 100 can be improved.

A brake device (brake unit) 5 is provided on each of the front wheel 1 and the left and right rear wheels 2. The brake device 5 is composed of, for example, a drum brake or a caliper brake. The brake device 5 is operated by operating a brake lever provided in front of the grip 23a of the steering wheel 23, and braking force is applied to the front wheels 1 and the rear wheels 2. Specifically, one end of the front wheel brake cable is connected to one of the left and right brake levers, and the brake device 5 of the front wheel 1 operates via the front wheel brake cable. One end of the rear wheel brake cable is connected to the left and right brake levers, and the brake device 5 of the rear wheel 2 operates via the rear wheel brake cable.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, a connecting portion 5b is connected to the other end of the rear wheel brake cable (inner cable 5a) whose one end is connected to the brake lever. A pair of brake cables (inner cables 5c) are connected to the connecting portion 5b, and when the brake lever is gripped, a tensile force acts on the brake devices 5 of the left and right rear wheels 2 via the pair of inner cables 5c. , The brake devices 5 of the left and right rear wheels 2 operate at the same time. Although the inner cable 5c is inserted into the outer cable 5d, the brake device 5 can be operated by applying a pushing force F to the outer cable 5d. For example, the brake device 5 may be operated by applying a pushing force F from the outside to the outer cable 5d without operating the brake lever. In this case, the brake device 5 can be used as a parking brake.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, at the front end of the horizontal portion 10b of the main frame 10, a front arm 11 extending in the left-right direction is provided in the left-right direction with a swing shaft 31 extending in the substantially front-rear direction as a fulcrum. It is supported so that it can swing. At the rear end of the horizontal portion 10d of the main frame 10, a rear arm 12 extending in the left-right direction is provided above the front arm 11 in the left-right direction with a swing shaft 32 extending substantially in the front-rear direction as a fulcrum. It is supported so that it can swing.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the axis CL31 passing through the center of the swinging shaft 31 and the axis CL32 passing through the center of the swinging shaft 32 have an upward gradient toward the front, that is, predetermined angles θ31 and θ32 with respect to the horizontal line, respectively. Tilt at. The axes (swing axis) CL31 and CL32 are non-parallel to each other, and θ32 is larger than θ31 by a predetermined angle (for example, about 2 to 5 °). Note that θ32 may be smaller by a predetermined angle than θ31.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view taken along the line VV of FIG. 2) schematically showing the configuration of the support portion of the front arm 11 supported by the main frame 10. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, a pair of front and rear brackets 10e are projected upward on the upper surface of the horizontal portion 10b of the main frame 10. A bearing portion 11b provided at the center portion in the left-right direction of the front arm 11 is inserted between the pair of front and rear brackets 10e from above. The bearing portion 11b has a substantially cylindrical shape, and a substantially cylindrical swing shaft 31 is inserted into the bearing portion 11b via a rubber bush 33. The swing shaft 31 penetrates the bracket 10e and is fixed to the bracket 10e integrally, that is, non-rotatably relative to the bracket 10e.

The rubber bush 33 includes an inner ring 331 on the inner diameter side, an outer ring 332 on the outer diameter side, and a substantially ring-shaped elastic body 333 (for example, a rubber material) interposed between the inner ring 331 and the outer ring 332. Has. The outer peripheral surface of the inner ring 331 is integrally fixed to the inner peripheral surface of the elastic body 333, and the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring 332 is integrally fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the elastic body 333. The inner peripheral surface of the inner ring 331 is integrally fixed to the swing shaft 31, and the outer peripheral surface of the outer ring 332 is integrally fixed to the bearing portion 11b of the front arm 11.

In such a configuration, when the front arm 11 swings in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 5, the elastic body 333 is twisted and elastically deformed about the axis CL31. At this time, a restoring force that opposes the elastic deformation (twisting force) acts on the elastic body 333. This restoring force increases as the swing angle of the front arm 11 increases, whereby the swing of the front arm 11 is suppressed. Although not shown, the rear arm 12 is also supported by the horizontal portion 11d via the rubber bush 33 so as to be swingable in the left-right direction, similarly to the front arm 11.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a left side frame 13 extending in the front-rear direction and a right side frame 14 are arranged on the left and right sides of the main frame 10. These side frames 13 and 14 are the horizontal portions 13a and 14a extending substantially horizontally in the front-rear direction on the left and right sides of the horizontal portion 10b, respectively, and diagonally rearward and upward from the rear end portions of the horizontal portions 13a and 14a. It has an extending inclined portion 13b, 14b and a horizontal portion 13c, 14c extending substantially horizontally from the rear end of the inclined portion 13b, 14b.

As shown in FIG. 3, the horizontal portions 13a and 14a are arranged below the horizontal portion 10b of the main frame 10. The inclined portions 13b and 14b are arranged substantially parallel to the inclined portion 10c of the main frame 10 and behind the inclined portion 10c. The horizontal portions 13c and 14c are arranged at substantially the same height as the horizontal portions 10d of the main frame 10. The front and rear ends of the left side frame 13 are connected to the left ends of the front arm 11 and the rear arm 12. The front and rear ends of the right side frame 14 are connected to the right ends of the front arm 11 and the rear arm 12.

As shown in FIG. 1, the upper surface of the horizontal portion 13a of the left side frame 13 and the upper surface of the horizontal portion 14a of the right side frame 14 are plate members having a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view extending in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction, respectively. A pair of left and right steps 15 (foot rests) are fixed. The left and right steps 15 form a mounting portion on which the user rests both feet, and the upper surface (mounting surface) of the step 15 is a horizontal plane parallel to the road surface as shown in FIG. 3 when the vehicle 100 is in the neutral posture. It is composed. In step 15, the length in the front-rear direction and the width in the left-right direction are defined so that the entire sole of the user can be placed.

As shown in FIG. 2, both front and rear ends of the left side frame 13 rotate around the left end portions of the front arm 11 and the rear arm 12 with the axis lines (swing axis lines) CL33 and CL34 extending in the front-rear direction as the center. Possible, that is, the step 15 on the left side is supported so as to be swingable in the left-right direction. The front and rear ends of the right side frame 14 are rotatable around the axes (swinging axes) CL35 and CL36 extending in the front-rear direction to the right ends of the front arm 11 and the rear arm 12, that is, the right step. 15 is supported so as to be swingable in the left-right direction.

Rubber bushes are provided at the connecting portion between the front arm 11 and the left and right side frames 13 and 14 and at the connecting portion between the rear arm 12 and the left and right side frames 13 and 14 at the connecting portion between the front arm 11 and the main frame 10. A rubber bush 33 similar to 33 (FIG. 5) is provided. Therefore, when the step 15 swings in the left-right direction around the axes CL33, CL34, CL35, and CL36, a reaction force that suppresses the swing acts on the step 15 via the rubber bush 33.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a pair of left and right rear forks 16 are projected rearward from the inclined portion 13b of the left side frame 13 and the inclined portion 14b of the right side frame 14, respectively. The left and right rear wheels 2 are rotatably supported by the rear fork 16 via a rotation shaft 2a extending in the left-right direction.

A substantially box-shaped holder 17 extending in a substantially horizontal direction is fixed to the inclined portion 10c of the main frame 10. The rear surface of the holder 17 is open, and the battery 6 having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape is inserted into the holder 17 from the rear through the rear surface. As shown in FIG. 2, the battery 6 is arranged inside the left and right rear wheels 2 and below the rear arm 12. Further, the rear end surface of the battery 6 is located in front of the rear end portion of the rear wheel 2. By covering the periphery of the battery 6 with the rear wheel 2 and the rear arm 12, it is possible to prevent the battery 6 from coming into contact with an obstacle or the like.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a power control unit 45 is attached to the rear surface of the front inclined portion 10a of the main frame 10. The electric power control unit 45 includes an inverter circuit, and the electric power of the battery 6 is supplied to the traveling motor 4 of the front wheels 1 via the electric power control unit 45.

Although not shown, the steering wheel 23 is provided with a starter switch for instructing on / off of the main power supply, a turn signal switch for notifying a right / left turn, an accelerator lever for inputting a traveling command, and the like so as to be operable by the user. It is also possible to provide a display unit for displaying vehicle information such as the remaining battery capacity and the set vehicle speed. Below the handle 23, a pair of left and right turn signal lamps that blink by operating the turn signal switch are provided. A headlight is provided at the upper end of the vertical pipe 21. Brake lamps and turn signal lamps are provided at both ends of the rear surface of the rear arm 12 in the left-right direction. Further, a mounting portion 12a (FIG. 6A) for parts such as a license plate is provided at the center portion in the left-right direction of the rear surface of the rear arm 12.

6A and 6B are rear views of the vehicle 100 as viewed from the rear, respectively. Note that FIG. 6A shows the neutral posture of the vehicle 100, and FIG. 6B shows the lean posture of the vehicle 100 (vehicle body 101) leaning in the left-right direction. As shown in FIG. 6A, the line LN1 connecting the swing axis CL31, CL33, and CL35 at the center of the front arm 11 in the left-right direction and both ends in the left-right direction, that is, the straight line LN1 (front arm line) along the front arm 11 is. , A horizontal line extending in the left-right direction. The line LN2 connecting the swing axis CL32, CL34, and CL36 at the center of the rear arm 12 in the left-right direction and both ends in the left-right direction, that is, the straight line LN2 (rear arm line) along the rear arm 12 also extends in the left-right direction. It is a horizon.

The lines connecting the left and right ends of the front arm line LN1 and the left and right ends of the rear arm line LN2, that is, the lines extending along the left side frame 13 and the right side frame 14, are defined as connecting lines LN3 and LN4, respectively. The connecting lines LN3 and LN4 are lines orthogonal to the rotation axis 2a of the rear wheel 2. FIG. 6A corresponds to a stopped state or a straight running state of the vehicle 100, and in this state, the connecting lines LN3 and LN4 extend in the vertical direction, respectively. Therefore, the rear wheel 2 is in contact with the road surface GR perpendicularly and is in a non-lean state. Therefore, the left and right steps 15 are parallel to the road surface GR, and the user can get on the vehicle 100 in a stable posture with both feet resting on the step 15. In this state, the left and right steps 15 are located on the same horizontal plane.

FIG. 6B corresponds to a turning state of the vehicle 100 to the left. In this case, the connecting lines LN3 and LN4 are moved to the left while the front arm line LN1 and the rear arm line LN2 are kept horizontal. Tilt. In other words, the quadrangle obtained by connecting the front arm line LN1, the rear arm line LN2 and the connecting lines LN3 and LN4 constitutes a parallel link. Therefore, when the vehicle 100 turns to the left, the rear arm line LN2 moves forward while keeping the front arm line LN1 and the rear arm line LN2 and the connecting line LN3 and the connecting line LN4 parallel to each other due to the weight shift of the user. It translates to the left of the arm line LN1. As a result, the vehicle 100 can be easily turned to the left. In this state, the left and right steps 15 are inclined with respect to the road surface GR, and although they are parallel to each other, they are not on the same plane.

At the time of leaning of the vehicle body 101 of FIG. 6B, at the connecting portion between the front arm 11 and the main frame 10 and the left and right side frames 13 and 14, and at the connecting portion between the rear arm 12 and the main frame 10 and the left and right side frames 13 and 14. A reaction force that suppresses the swing acts on each of the rubber bushes 33. As a result, it is possible to prevent the vehicle body 101 from collapsing during turning, and stable turning can be performed. In addition, the posture of the vehicle when the vehicle is stopped is stable, and the vehicle 100 can be prevented from tipping over. Furthermore, the vibration during riding can be absorbed, and the riding comfort is improved.

In the present embodiment, the swing axes CL31, CL33, CL35 on the front arm 11 side are parallel to each other, and the swing axes CL32, CL34, CL36 on the rear arm 12 side are also parallel to each other, but the swing axes CL31, CL33. , CL35 and the swing axis CL32, CL34, CL36 are not parallel to each other (FIG. 3). Therefore, when the vehicle body 101 is leaned, the front and rear arms 11 and 12 are elastically deformed, and a reaction force that suppresses the inclination of the vehicle 100 acts on the arms 11 and 12. FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams illustrating this point. Note that FIG. 7A is a diagram assuming that the arms 11, 12, etc. (arms 11, 12, side frames 13, 14, etc.) are rigid bodies.

As shown in FIG. 7A, since the front and rear swing axes CL33 and CL35 are not parallel to each other, the positional relationship between the front arm 11 and the rear arm 12 when the vehicle body 101 is lean is as shown in the figure. Therefore, assuming that the arms 11 and 12 are rigid bodies, the connecting portion (A portion in FIG. 7A) where the swing axes CL33 and CL34 are located cannot follow the swing, and the arms 11 and 12 swing. It becomes impossible. However, in reality, the arms 11, 12 and the like are not rigid bodies and are elastically deformed as shown by the arrow B in FIG. 7B. As a result, the arms 11 and 12 can be swung. In this case, a reaction force corresponding to the elastic deformation of the arms 11, 12, etc. that returns the vehicle 100 to the neutral posture acts on the vehicle 100 (arms 11, 12, etc.). As a result, it is possible to further suppress the tilting of the vehicle body 101 in the left-right direction.

As shown in FIG. 6B, when the rear wheel 2 is tilted during turning, the main frame 10 is tilted in parallel with the rear wheel 2. This makes it possible to prevent the battery 6 from coming into contact with the rear wheels 2 and the like when the vehicle body 101 is leaning. As shown in FIG. 2, the battery 6 is arranged below the horizontal portion 10 dc of the main frame 10. Therefore, the battery 6 is located behind and below the vehicle 100. As a result, the position of the center of gravity of the vehicle 100 is lowered, and the vehicle 100 is located on the rear side. As a result, the deceleration of the vehicle 100 during deceleration can be increased, the posture of the vehicle can be stabilized, and the vehicle body 101 can be suppressed from collapsing.

According to this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) The vehicle 100 of the present embodiment includes front wheels 1, rear wheels 2, and a vehicle body 101 (FIGS. 1 to 3). The vehicle body 101 is a main frame 10 as a frame member extending in the front-rear direction in the central portion of the vehicle 100 in the left-right direction, and a pair of left and right bodies arranged on both the left and right sides of the main frame 10 on which the user's left and right feet are placed. It has a step 15 and a front arm 11 and a rear arm 12 as support members for supporting the pair of left and right steps 15 while being swingably supported by the main frame 10 in the left-right direction (FIGS. 1 to 3). As a result, the step 15 can be swung in the left-right direction, so that the user can easily move the weight in the turning direction and improve the running maneuverability such as turning.

(2) The vehicle 100 is supported by the main frame 10 so as to be swingable in the left-right direction via the swing shaft 31, and the front arm 11 and the swing shaft 32 that support the front portions of the pair of left and right steps 15. It has a rear arm 12 that is swingably supported by the main frame 10 and supports the rear portion of a pair of left and right steps 15 (FIGS. 1 to 3). By supporting the step 15 via the pair of front and rear arms 11 and 12 in this way, the step 15 can be stably and swingably supported.

(3) The swing shaft 31 and the swing shaft 32, that is, the swing axis CL31 passing through the center of the swing shaft 31 and the swing axis CL32 passing through the center of the swing shaft 32 are arranged so as to be non-parallel to each other. (Fig. 3). As a result, the arms 11 and 12 elastically deform during swinging, and a restoring force that returns the vehicle 100 to the neutral posture acts, so that an increase in the amount of collapse of the vehicle body 101 can be suppressed. Since it is not necessary to separately provide a spring member for suppressing the fall, an increase in the number of parts can be suppressed, the configuration can be simplified, and the weight of the entire vehicle can be reduced.

(4) The swing shaft 31 (swing axis CL31) and the swing shaft 32 (swing axis CL32) are arranged so as to be located on the same plane extending in the front-rear direction (FIG. 2). As a result, the vehicle body 101 can be satisfactorily leaned when turning with the front and rear swing shafts 31 and 32 as fulcrums.

(5) The swing shaft 31 and the swing shaft 32 are on a vertical plane extending in the vertical direction through the left-right center line CL1 of the vehicle 100 when the rear wheel 2 is in a non-tilted state in a neutral position. It is arranged so as to be located (Fig. 2). As a result, the vehicle body 101 can be leaned symmetrically with each other when turning to the left and when turning to the right.

(6) The vehicle 100 includes a left side frame 13 that connects the left portion of the front arm 11 and the left portion of the rear arm 12, and a right side frame that connects the right portion of the front arm 11 and the right portion of the rear arm 12. 14 and further (FIGS. 1 to 3). The pair of left and right steps 15 are supported by the left side frame 13 and the right side frame 14, respectively (FIGS. 1 to 3). As a result, the step 15 can be stably supported by holding both in the front-rear direction.

(7) Each of the left side frame 13 and the right side frame 14 is connected to the horizontal portions 13a and 14a extending horizontally in the front-rear direction and the inclined portions extending in the front-rear direction. It has 13b and 14b (FIGS. 1 and 3). The pair of left and right steps 15 are supported by the horizontal portions 13a and 14a (FIGS. 1 and 3). As a result, the step 15 can be easily supported in the horizontal posture.

(8) The front arm 11 and the rear arm 12 are arranged in parallel with each other, and the left side frame 13 and the right side frame 14 are arranged in parallel with each other (FIGS. 2 and 6A). That is, the quadrangle formed by the front arm line LN1, the rear arm line LN2, and the left and right connecting lines LN3 and LN4 is a parallelogram (FIGS. 6A and 6B). As a result, the connecting lines LN3 and LN4 can be tilted in the left-right direction while maintaining the parallelism between the front arm 11 and the rear arm 12, and the turning running becomes easy.

(9) The rear arm 12 is arranged above the rear wheel 2 (FIGS. 1 and 2). As a result, the rear arm 12 can be lengthened while suppressing the increase in size of the vehicle 100, and the posture of the vehicle is stabilized.

(10) The front arm 11 is arranged below the rear arm 12 (FIGS. 1 and 3). As a result, the step 15 can be arranged downward, and the riding posture is stabilized. Further, when the vehicle body 101 is lean, the position of the rear arm 12 in the left-right direction with respect to the front arm 11 shifts, that is, the rear arm 12 moves in parallel to the front arm 11 in the left-right direction (FIG. 6B), and the vehicle turns. It's easy.

(11) The rear arm 12 has a mounting portion 12a for parts such as a license plate on the rear surface (FIG. 6A). As a result, even when the vehicle body 101 is leaned, the license plate does not tilt and a good mounting posture can be maintained.

(12) The front arm 11 and the rear arm 12 extend above the main frame 10 in the left-right direction, and are supported by a bracket 10e provided on the upper surface of the main frame 10 so as to be swingable in the left-right direction. (Fig. 5). As a result, the arms 11 and 12 on which the load from the sole of the user's foot acts can be stably supported by the main frame 10.

(13) The left and right steps 15 are swingably supported by the front arm 11 and the rear arm 12 via the left and right side frames 13 and 14 (FIGS. 1 and 2). As a result, the load from the sole of the user's foot can be satisfactorily applied to step 15, and turning is easy.

(14) The front arm 11 and the rear arm 12 are swingably supported by the main frame 10 via the rubber bush 33 (FIG. 6B). As a result, when the vehicle body 101 is leaning, an elastic restoring force acts on the vehicle body 101 via the rubber bush 33, and the vehicle body 101 can be prevented from collapsing. Further, it is not necessary to separately provide a spring member or the like for suppressing the fall, and the entire vehicle can be constructed at low cost.

(15) The rear wheels 2 are a pair of left and right rear wheels that are arranged on the left and right sides of the main frame 10 and are rotatably supported via the main frame 10 and the side frames 13 and 14 (FIGS. 1 to 3). .. As a result, it is possible to prevent the vehicle 100 from tipping over, and it is possible to stably get on the vehicle 100 even when the vehicle is stopped.

(16) The pair of left and right rear wheels 2 are supported by the arms 11 and 12 (particularly the rear arm 12) via the side frames 13 and 14 so as to be tiltable in the left-right direction (FIGS. 1 to 3). As a result, the rear wheel 2 can be easily tilted during the turning run, and the turning running is easy.

(17) The vehicle 100 further includes a battery 6 and a traveling motor 4 operated by electric power supplied from the battery 6 (FIGS. 1 and 3). As a result, the vehicle 100 can be configured as an electric vehicle.

(18) The rear wheels 2 are a pair of left and right rear wheels that are arranged on the left and right sides of the main frame 10 and are rotatably supported via the main frame 10 and the side frames 13 and 14, and the battery 6 is left and right. It is arranged between the pair of rear wheels 2 (FIGS. 6A, 6B). As a result, the battery 6 can be protected in the event of a collision or a fall of the vehicle 100.

(19) The battery 6 is arranged so that its rear end is located in front of the rear end portion of the pair of left and right rear wheels 2 (FIG. 2). As a result, the battery 6 can be satisfactorily protected even when an obstacle collides with the rear surface of the vehicle 100.

(20) The vehicle 100 further includes a holder 17 that detachably holds the battery 6 so that the battery 6 is detached from the rear (FIGS. 1 and 2). As a result, the battery 6 can be easily attached to and detached from the vehicle 100, and the battery 6 can be charged by using a charging device or the like away from the vehicle 100.

(21) The battery 6 is supported by the vehicle body 101 via the holder 17. In particular, the battery 6 is supported by a member of the vehicle body 101 that is different from the front arm 11 and the rear arm 12, specifically, the main frame 10 (FIG. 6B). This makes it possible to prevent the lean of the vehicle body 101 and the swing of the arms 11, 12 and step 15 from being hindered by the battery 6.

(22) The battery 6 is arranged so that its upper end is located below the upper end of the rear wheel 2 (FIG. 6A). As a result, the position of the center of gravity of the vehicle 100 is lowered, and the traveling posture of the vehicle 100 is stabilized.

(23) The vehicle 100 includes a traveling motor 4 that drives the front wheels 1 (FIG. 1). As a result, the traveling motor 4 is provided on a single front wheel 1 instead of the pair of rear wheels 2, so that the number of parts can be saved. Since the front wheel 1 requires steering, the configuration becomes complicated if the front wheel 1 is made into two wheels, but the front wheel 1 is not two wheels but the rear wheel 2 is two wheels, so that the configuration is easy.

(24) The traveling motor 4 is configured as an in-wheel motor housed inside the front wheel 1 (FIG. 1). As a result, the vehicle 100 can be compactly configured.

(25) The vehicle 100 is further provided with a seat 40 supported by the vehicle body 101 and on which the user sits (FIGS. 1 to 3). As a result, the user can stably get on the vehicle 100 in a sitting posture with a low center of gravity.

(26) The seat 40 is supported by a member of the vehicle body 101 different from the arms 11 and 12, that is, the main frame 10 (FIGS. 1 and 3). As a result, it is possible to prevent the lean of the vehicle body 101 and the swing of the arms 11, 12 and the step 15 from being hindered by the attachment of the seat 40.

The above embodiment can be changed to various forms. Hereinafter, some modification examples will be described. In the above embodiment, the seat 40 is provided on the vehicle 100 as a seating portion on which the occupant sits, but the seat may be omitted as shown in FIG. 8, for example. In this case, the user can put his / her feet on the left and right steps 15 and get on the vehicle in a standing position, and the vehicle 100 can be configured as a standing vehicle.

The handle shaft 22 of the vehicle 100 may be configured to be rotatable in the front-rear direction. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, when not traveling, the steering wheel shaft 22 is folded via the rotating portion 22a to put the vehicle 100 in a folded posture, and the steering wheel shaft is positioned above the rear wheels 2 so that the front wheels 1 are located above the rear wheels 2. The vehicle 100 may be erected via 22. As a result, the vehicle 100 can be easily stored in a narrow space. In this case, when the handle shaft 22 is rotated via the rotating portion 22a, the pushing force F (FIG. 4) may be applied to the outer cable 5d. As a result, the brake device 5 of the rear wheel 2 can be operated, and the vehicle 100 can be stably held in the upright posture.

In the above embodiment, a pair of left and right steps 15 are configured in a board shape on both the left and right sides of the main frame 10 as a frame member, but the configuration of the pair of left and right mounting portions on which the left and right feet of the occupant are mounted is described above. It is not limited to what you have done. In the above embodiment, the front arm 11 and the rear arm 12 are swingably supported on the main frame 10, and the step 15 is supported via the arms 11 and 12, but the frame member is supported in the left-right direction. Any configuration of the support member may be used as long as it is swingably supported and supports the pair of left and right mounting portions. For example, the support member may be composed of a single arm (for example, a single arm extending in the left-right direction between the front arm 11 and the rear arm 12) instead of the pair of front and rear arms.

In the above embodiment, the front end portion of step 15 is supported by the front arm 11 (front support member) so as to be swingable via the swing shaft 31 (first swing shaft), and the rear end portion of step 15 is supported. , It is supported by the rear arm 12 (rear support member) so as to be swingable via the swing shaft 32 (second swing shaft), but if the front part and the rear part of step 15 are supported, The configurations of the front support member and the rear support member are not limited to those described above. In the above embodiment, the left side frame 13 (left connecting member) connecting the left ends of the arms 11 and 12 and the right side frame 14 (right connecting member) connecting the right ends of the arms 11 and 12 are used to form left and right sides. Although step 15 is supported, the configurations of the left connecting member and the right connecting member are not limited to those described above.

In the above embodiment, the arms 11 and 12 are supported by the bracket 10e (support portion) on the upper surface of the main frame 10 so as to be swingable in the left-right direction. That is, although the arms 11 and 12 as support members are swingably supported above the main frame 10, the support members may be swingably supported below the main frame 10. In the above embodiment, the arms 11 and 12 are swingably supported on the main frame 10 via the rubber bush 33, but the configuration of the elastic member is not limited to this. In the above embodiment, the rear wheel 2 is supported so as to be tiltable in the left-right direction via the side frames 13 and 14 connected to the arms 11 and 12, but for example, the rear wheel 2 can swing to the rear arm 12. May be supported by.

In the above embodiment, the electric power from the battery 6 as the power supply unit is supplied to the traveling motor 4 (motor), but the electric power may be supplied to other devices. In the above embodiment, the battery 6 is detachably provided between the pair of left and right rear wheels 2 via the holder 17 (holding portion), but the power supply portion may be arranged in another portion of the vehicle body 101. .. In the above embodiment, the seat 40 is fixed to the main frame 10, but the seating portion may be supported by another portion of the vehicle body 101.

In the above embodiment, the vehicle 100 is configured to have a single front wheel 1 and a pair of left and right rear wheels 2, but a single front wheel and a single rear wheel, or a pair of front wheels and a single rear wheel. The vehicle can also be configured to have and. The single front wheel also includes, for example, a pair of front wheels provided at one place, that is, a pair of front wheels.

The above description is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications as long as the features of the present invention are not impaired. It is also possible to arbitrarily combine one or a plurality of the above-described embodiments and the modified examples, and it is also possible to combine the modified examples.

1 front wheel, 2 rear wheel, 4 traveling motor, 6 battery, 10 main frame, 10e bracket, 11 front arm, 12 rear arm, 12a mounting part, 13 left side frame, 14 right side frame, 13a, 14a horizontal part, 13b , 14b Inclined part, 15 steps, 17 holder, 33 rubber bush, 31, 32 swing shaft, 40 seats, 100 vehicles, 101 car body

Claims (27)

A vehicle equipped with front and rear wheels and a vehicle body.
The car body
A frame member extending in the front-rear direction at the center of the vehicle in the left-right direction,
A pair of left and right mounting portions arranged on the left and right sides of the frame member and on which the left and right feet of the occupant are mounted.
A vehicle characterized by having a support member that is swingably supported by the frame member in the left-right direction and that supports the pair of left and right mounting portions. In the vehicle according to claim 1,
The support member is
A front support member that is swingably supported by the frame member in the left-right direction via a first swing shaft and that supports the front portion of the pair of left and right mounting portions.
A vehicle characterized by having a rear support member that is swingably supported by the frame member via a second swing shaft and that supports the rear portion of the pair of left and right mounting portions. In the vehicle according to claim 2.
A vehicle characterized in that the first swing shaft and the second swing shaft are arranged so as to be non-parallel to each other. In the vehicle according to claim 3,
A vehicle characterized in that the first swing shaft and the second swing shaft are arranged so as to be located on the same plane extending in the front-rear direction. In the vehicle according to claim 4,
The first swing axis and the second swing axis are located on a vertical plane extending in the vertical direction through the left-right center line of the vehicle when the rear wheels are in a non-tilted state. A vehicle characterized by being placed in. In the vehicle according to any one of claims 2 to 5.
The support member is
A left connecting member that connects the left portion of the front support member and the left portion of the rear support member,
Further having a right connecting member for connecting the right portion of the front support member and the right portion of the rear support member.
A vehicle characterized in that the pair of left and right mounting portions are supported by the left connecting member and the right connecting member, respectively. In the vehicle according to claim 6.
Each of the left connecting member and the right connecting member has a horizontal portion extending horizontally in the front-rear direction and an inclined portion connected to the horizontal portion and extending in an inclined direction in the front-rear direction.
A vehicle characterized in that the pair of left and right mounting portions are supported by the horizontal portion. In the vehicle according to claim 6 or 7.
The front support member and the rear support member are arranged in parallel with each other.
A vehicle characterized in that the left connecting member and the right connecting member are arranged in parallel with each other. In the vehicle according to any one of claims 2 to 8.
The vehicle characterized in that the rear support member is arranged above the rear wheels. In the vehicle according to claim 9.
The vehicle, wherein the front support member is arranged below the rear support member. In the vehicle according to claim 9 or 10.
The rear support member is a vehicle characterized by having a component mounting portion on the rear surface. In the vehicle according to any one of claims 2 to 11.
The front support member and the rear support member each extend in the left-right direction above the frame member, and are supported by a support portion provided on the upper surface of the frame member so as to be swingable in the left-right direction. A vehicle featuring. In the vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 12,
The vehicle is characterized in that the pair of left and right mounting portions are supported by the support member so as to be swingable in the left-right direction. In the vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 13.
The vehicle is characterized in that the support member is swingably supported by the frame member via an elastic member. In the vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 14,
The vehicle is characterized in that the rear wheels are a pair of left and right rear wheels arranged on both left and right sides of the frame member and rotatably supported via the support member. In the vehicle according to claim 15,
The vehicle is characterized in that the pair of left and right rear wheels are supported by the support member so as to be tiltable in the left-right direction. In the vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 14,
Power supply and
A vehicle further comprising a device operated by electric power supplied from the power supply unit. In the vehicle according to claim 17.
The rear wheels are a pair of left and right rear wheels that are arranged on the left and right sides of the frame member and are rotatably supported via the support member.
The vehicle is characterized in that the power supply unit is arranged between the pair of left and right rear wheels. In the vehicle according to claim 18.
The vehicle is characterized in that the power supply unit is arranged so that the rear end thereof is located in front of the rear end portion of the pair of left and right rear wheels. In the vehicle according to claim 18 or 19.
A vehicle further comprising a holding unit that detachably holds the power supply unit so that the power supply unit is detached from the rear. In the vehicle according to any one of claims 17 to 20,
The power supply unit is a vehicle characterized in that it is supported by the vehicle body. In the vehicle according to claim 21,
The vehicle is characterized in that the power supply unit is supported by a member of the vehicle body that is different from the support member. In the vehicle according to claim 21 or 22
The vehicle is characterized in that the power supply unit is arranged so that the upper end portion thereof is located below the upper end portion of the rear wheel. In the vehicle according to any one of claims 17 to 23,
The device is a vehicle characterized by being an electric motor that drives at least one of the front wheels and the rear wheels. In the vehicle according to claim 24
The vehicle is characterized in that the electric motor is housed inside the front wheels so as to drive the front wheels. In the vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 25,
A vehicle that is supported by the vehicle body and further includes a seating portion on which an occupant sits. In the vehicle according to claim 26
The seating portion is a vehicle characterized in that it is supported by a member of the vehicle body that is different from the support member.

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