JP2024079856A - Swinging vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a rocking vehicle that can achieve both accelerator operation using an accelerator pedal and convenience during low-speed driving.
[Solution] In a swinging vehicle (1) that has an accelerator pedal (30) operated by a driver (R) with his/her foot and that turns by swinging left and right, the vehicle is provided with an accelerator lever (24) that can be operated by the hand of the driver (R), and the degree of acceleration accompanying operation of the accelerator lever (24) is smaller when the vehicle speed exceeds a predetermined vehicle speed than when the vehicle speed is below the predetermined vehicle speed. The vehicle is provided with a throttle body (71) that houses a throttle valve (74) that adjusts the amount of intake air into the combustion chamber of a power unit (P), the throttle body (71) is provided with a bypass passage (77) that bypasses an intake passage (72) that is adjusted by the throttle valve (74), and is provided with an adjustment valve (78) for adjusting the flow rate of the bypass passage (77), and the adjustment valve (78) changes its opening depending on the operation of the accelerator lever (24).
[Selected Figure] Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a rocking vehicle, and in particular to a rocking vehicle equipped with an accelerator pedal for operating the accelerator of the vehicle's power source with the foot.

Conventionally, rocking vehicles equipped with an accelerator pedal for operating the accelerator of the vehicle's power source with the foot have been known.

Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which an accelerator pedal is provided near the front of a scooter-type motorcycle with a low floor between the steering handlebars and the seat.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 58-139824

Generally, motorcycles are designed so that the accelerator and front wheel brake are operated with the right hand, but as this can be difficult for drivers who are not accustomed to it, the possibility of arranging the controls separately is being investigated.

For example, if the accelerator is operated with the foot as in Patent Document 1, the right hand can concentrate on the front wheel brake, and it is expected that even inexperienced drivers will find it less difficult.

However, in vehicles that sway from side to side when turning, such as two-wheeled or three-wheeled vehicles, the driver may move with his or her feet out in preparation for touching the ground when driving at low speeds, such as immediately after starting or before stopping, and this poses a challenge in terms of balancing this with accelerator pedal operation.

The object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the conventional technology and provide a rocking vehicle that can operate the accelerator pedal while being convenient when driving at low speeds.

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a swinging vehicle (1) that has an accelerator pedal (30) operated by the driver (R) with the foot and swings left and right to make turns, and is equipped with an accelerator lever (24) that can be operated by the hand of the driver (R), and the first feature is that the acceleration caused by the operation of the accelerator lever (24) is smaller when the vehicle speed exceeds a predetermined vehicle speed than when the vehicle speed is below the predetermined vehicle speed.

The second feature is that the acceleration caused by the operation of the accelerator lever (24) becomes zero when the vehicle speed exceeds the predetermined vehicle speed.

The third feature is that the control unit (40) adjusts the required throttle opening amount according to the amount of operation of the accelerator lever (24).

The fourth feature is that the throttle body (71) houses a throttle valve (74) that adjusts the amount of intake air into the combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine that constitutes the power unit (P), and the throttle body (71) includes a bypass passage (77) that bypasses the intake passage (72) that is adjusted by the throttle valve (74), and an adjustment valve (78) for adjusting the flow rate of the bypass passage (77).

The fifth feature is that the bypass passage (77) is a mechanism for changing the amount of intake air during idling operation when the power unit (P) is cold and when it is hot.

Furthermore, the sixth feature of the rocking vehicle (1) is that it is configured to be accelerated by a motor (M), and the motor (M) is controlled by the accelerator lever (24).

According to the first feature, a swinging vehicle (1) that has an accelerator pedal (30) operated by the driver (R) with his/her foot and turns by swinging left and right is provided with an accelerator lever (24) that can be operated by the hand of the driver (R), and the degree of acceleration associated with the operation of the accelerator lever (24) is smaller when the vehicle speed exceeds a predetermined speed than when the vehicle speed is below the predetermined speed. Therefore, by having an accelerator lever that allows sufficient acceleration operation at low vehicle speeds of, for example, 10 km/h or less, the accelerator can be operated by hand in the low speed range where one would like to place one's feet on the ground, making it possible to achieve both accelerator operation and foot placement. In addition, the acceleration associated with the operation of the accelerator lever weakens when the vehicle speed exceeds the predetermined speed, encouraging the operation of the accelerator pedal, and the brake operation and accelerator operation are separated, making it less difficult to operate.

According to the second feature, the acceleration caused by the operation of the accelerator lever (24) is zero when the vehicle speed exceeds the predetermined vehicle speed. Therefore, when the vehicle speed exceeds the predetermined vehicle speed, the vehicle does not accelerate even if the accelerator lever is operated, and the driver is prompted to operate the accelerator pedal.

According to the third feature, a control unit (40) is provided, and the control unit (40) adjusts the required accelerator opening amount according to the amount of operation of the accelerator lever (24). This makes it easier to use the system in a limited manner, such as only being effective at or below a certain vehicle speed, compared to a mechanical structure using a cable.

According to the fourth feature, the power unit (P) includes a throttle body (71) that houses a throttle valve (74) that adjusts the amount of intake air into the combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine. The throttle body (71) includes a bypass passage (77) that bypasses the intake passage (72) that is adjusted by the throttle valve (74), and an adjustment valve (78) for adjusting the flow rate of the bypass passage (77). The adjustment valve (78) changes its opening depending on the operation of the accelerator lever (24). Since the intake passage in which the amount of intake air that flows in is changed by the throttle valve is separated from the intake passage for very low speeds, the mechanism for moving the throttle valve can be simplified.

According to the fifth feature, the bypass passage (77) is a mechanism for changing the amount of intake air during idling operation when the power unit (P) is cold and hot, so that the accelerator can be operated at extremely low speeds using the existing bypass passage.

According to the sixth feature, the rocking vehicle (1) is configured to be accelerated by a motor (M), and the motor (M) is controlled by the accelerator lever (24), making it easy to control the driving force during low-speed driving.

1 is a right side view of a motorcycle according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the configuration of an accelerator lever according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a front view showing the configuration of an accelerator lever according to the embodiment. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an accelerator device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a right side view of a motorcycle 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Motorcycle 1 is a small scooter-type vehicle that is provided with a low floor 12 as a footrest on which the rider places his/her feet between a seat 6 and a steering handlebar 5. Motorcycle 1 is also a swinging vehicle that turns by swinging left and right. A steering stem shaft 4 is rotatably supported by a head pipe F1 that constitutes a vehicle body frame F. A steering handlebar 5 is fixed to the upper end of the steering stem shaft 4, and a pair of left and right front forks 2 that rotatably support a front wheel WF are fixed to the lower end of the steering stem shaft 4.

The main frame F2, which is connected to the rear of the head pipe F1, extends linearly downward and rearward before curving sharply and extending rearward. A pair of left and right rear frames F3, which extend upward and rearward, are connected to the rear end of the main frame F2.

A unit swing type power unit P, which is an integrated internal combustion engine and continuously variable transmission, is supported so that it can swing freely at the rear end of the main frame F2. In addition to starting the internal combustion engine and generating electricity, the power unit P houses a motor M that can generate driving force at low speeds. A rear wheel WR, which serves as a driving wheel, is supported so that it can rotate freely at the rear end of the power unit P, and the rear portion of the power unit P is suspended from the rear frame F3 via a rear cushion 10.

The front of the head pipe F1 is covered by a front cowl 3, and the rear of the head pipe F1 is covered by a rear panel 14. A pair of left and right under covers 15 are connected to the left and right ends of the low floor 12. A storage space capable of storing a helmet 7 etc. is provided below the seat 6, and a fuel tank 8 is disposed behind it. A body cover 11 that covers the outside of the storage space is disposed below the seat 6, and the left and right sides of the fuel tank 8 in the vehicle width direction are covered by seat covers 9. A pair of left and right tandem steps 13 on which a passenger in the rear seat can place their feet are disposed near the rear end of the under cover 15.

The accelerator pedal 30 operated by the driver R with his/her right foot is located near the front of the low floor 12 on the right side in the vehicle width direction. A footrest 31 is located behind the accelerator pedal 30, on which the heel of the driver R places his/her right foot when operating the accelerator pedal 30. An accelerator lever 24 (see Figures 2 and 3) operated with the thumb of the right hand is located on the steering wheel 5 on the right side in the vehicle width direction.

Figure 2 is a plan view showing the configuration of the accelerator lever 24. Figure 3 is a front view showing the configuration of the accelerator lever 24. A hydraulic master cylinder 20 for the front wheel brakes is fixed to the handlebar 5a on the right side of the steering handle 5 in the vehicle width direction. A brake lever 23 is pivotally supported by a pivot shaft 21 on the hydraulic master cylinder 20 so that it can freely pivot.

A handlebar switch 22 is disposed on the handlebar grip on the inside in the vehicle width direction, and an accelerator lever 24 is attached to the handlebar switch 22 and is operated by the thumb of the driver R's right hand H. The accelerator lever 24 is pivotally supported by a swing shaft 25 so that it can swing freely. When pressed forward by the thumb, the accelerator opens, and a spring or the like is applied with a biasing force so that the lever returns to its initial position when the pressure is released.

Figure 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the accelerator device according to this embodiment. The ECU 40, which serves as a control unit, receives inputs of the operation amount of the accelerator lever 24, which serves as an auxiliary accelerator operator, the vehicle speed measured by the vehicle speed sensor 50, and the representative engine temperature measured by the oil temperature sensor 51.

The throttle body 71 houses a freely swinging throttle valve 74 that adjusts the amount of air taken into the combustion chamber by changing the cross-sectional area of the intake passage 72 formed in the main body 73. On the other hand, the throttle body 71 is provided with a bypass passage 77 for idling operation, and by opening an idle air control valve 78 as an adjustment valve, it is possible to perform smooth idling operation when the engine is cold. The idle air control valve 78 is automatically opened by an actuator 79 in response to the outputs of the vehicle speed sensor 50 and the oil temperature sensor 51, and is configured to automatically close when the power unit has finished warming up and is in a state where stable idling operation can be continued. The adjustment valve is an electric type driven by a solenoid valve, a stepping motor, or the like.

This embodiment is characterized in that it is configured to allow acceleration at low speeds of 10 km/h or less by operating the idle air control valve 78 as desired in response to the operation of the accelerator lever 24.

In this embodiment, the accelerator lever 24 is an auxiliary accelerator operator, and is set so that effective acceleration is possible when the vehicle speed is equal to or less than a predetermined vehicle speed (e.g., 10 km/h), and acceleration becomes weaker when the predetermined vehicle speed is exceeded. In this embodiment, when the predetermined vehicle speed is exceeded, even if the accelerator lever 24 is operated, the degree of increase in the output of the power unit P becomes zero, and the motorcycle 1 is set not to accelerate.

On the other hand, normal acceleration is performed by operating the throttle valve 74 of the throttle body 71 using the accelerator pedal 30 operated by the driver R with his/her right foot. This allows the accelerator to be operated with the right hand in the low speed range where the driver wants to place his/her foot on the ground, making it possible to achieve both accelerator operation and foot placement.

In addition, when the vehicle speed exceeds a predetermined speed, the degree of increase in output associated with operation of the accelerator lever 24 decreases, encouraging the driver to operate the accelerator pedal and making it possible to separate brake operation from accelerator operation. Note that, rather than setting the degree of increase in the output of the power unit P to zero when the vehicle speed exceeds the predetermined speed, the degree of increase can be set to accelerate slightly. In addition, the degree of increase in output associated with operation of the accelerator lever 24 can be set to gradually decrease as the vehicle approaches the predetermined speed, or to gradually decrease over the predetermined speed, rather than switching when the vehicle speed reaches the predetermined speed.

The ECU 40 is also configured to drive the motor M in response to the operation of the accelerator lever 24. As described above, the motor M as a power source is capable of generating driving force at low speeds in addition to starting the internal combustion engine and generating electricity. This makes it possible to drive the motor M in response to the operation of the accelerator lever 24 to accelerate the motorcycle 1 in the low speed range. Even when accelerating using the motor M, the increase in output in response to the operation of the accelerator lever 24 is set to be smaller when the vehicle speed exceeds a predetermined vehicle speed than when the vehicle speed is below the predetermined vehicle speed.

The form of the motorcycle, the shape and structure of the accelerator pedal, the shape and structure of the accelerator lever, etc. are not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible. For example, the accelerator lever may have various structures such as a lever operated by the index finger or a dial rotated by the index finger and thumb, or an accelerator grip may be provided as an auxiliary accelerator operator. The predetermined vehicle speed at which the accelerator lever functions may be a fixed value of 10 km/h, or may be set to be variable within a range of 10 km/h or less depending on the situation. The accelerator lever according to this embodiment can also be applied to a vehicle equipped with an accelerator-by-wire system, and the device operated in response to the operation of the accelerator lever may be the idle air control valve, a motor, or the throttle valve itself. Furthermore, the motor may be a drive motor in an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle, or a starter motor provided in an internal combustion engine. The predetermined vehicle speed is preferably set to a speed higher than the speed at which the driver can drive safely without putting his/her feet on the ground, and is as low as possible, and is set to 10 km/h as an example in this specification. The auxiliary accelerator operator of the present invention is not limited to motorcycles, but can also be used in saddle-type three-wheeled and four-wheeled vehicles.

1...motorcycle (oscillating vehicle), 5...steering handle, 24...accelerator lever (auxiliary accelerator operator), 30...accelerator pedal, 40...ECU (control unit), 71...throttle body, 74...throttle valve, 77...bypass passage, 78...idle air control valve (regulating valve), 79...actuator, M...motor, P...power unit

Claims (6)

In a swing vehicle (1) having an accelerator pedal (30) operated by a driver (R) with his/her foot, the vehicle turns by swinging left and right,
An accelerator lever (24) operable by the driver's (R) hand is provided,
The oscillating vehicle is characterized in that the degree of acceleration accompanying the operation of the accelerator lever (24) is smaller when the vehicle speed exceeds a predetermined vehicle speed than when the vehicle speed is below the predetermined vehicle speed. The oscillating vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the acceleration caused by the operation of the accelerator lever (24) becomes zero when the vehicle speed exceeds the predetermined vehicle speed. A control unit (40),
3. The oscillating vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the control unit (40) adjusts a required accelerator opening amount in accordance with an operation amount of the accelerator lever (24). The power unit (P) includes a throttle body (71) that houses a throttle valve (74) that adjusts the amount of intake air into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine.
the throttle body (71) is provided with a bypass passage (77) which bypasses the intake passage (72) adjusted by the throttle valve (74), and a regulating valve (78) for regulating a flow rate of the bypass passage (77);
4. The oscillating vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment valve (78) changes its opening degree in response to the operation of the accelerator lever (24). The oscillating vehicle according to claim 4, characterized in that the bypass passage (77) is a mechanism for changing the amount of intake air during idling operation when the power unit (P) is cold and when it is hot. The rocking vehicle (1) is configured to be accelerated by a motor (M),
2. The rocking vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the motor (M) is controlled by the accelerator lever (24).

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