JP3903530B2 - Operation part of small vehicle with driving assistance - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Technical field to which the invention belongs]
The present invention relates to an operation unit such as a handle provided in a small vehicle with driving assistance that generates auxiliary driving force according to an operation force of an operator and assists transportation by human power.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, some small transport vehicles used for transportation by manpower are equipped with a battery power supply, an electric motor, etc., and assist the operation by human power to reduce the labor of the operator. Some of them are designed to output a dynamic driving force.
[0003]
In this type of small vehicle, the output of the auxiliary driving force is controlled according to the state of transportation by the vehicle. For example, the operating force to be applied to the vehicle differs between when the small vehicle is pushed up while going up an uphill and when the small vehicle is pushed on a flat road. Therefore, an operator's operation force applied to an operation unit such as a steering wheel of the vehicle is detected, and an auxiliary driving force corresponding to the operation force is generated. For example, when moving forward on an uphill, the operator strongly presses the operation unit, so that a large auxiliary driving force corresponding to a large operation force is generated.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, since the ratio of the auxiliary driving force to the human operating force is a predetermined value of 1 or less, it is necessary to accurately detect the operating force. On the other hand, since the vehicle travels with a human operating force, an operation unit such as a handle on which the operating force acts needs to be configured to be strong. In particular, when climbing over the unevenness of the running surface, the vertical force is also applied to the operating portion when the vehicle is lifted, so it is necessary to provide an operating portion that can withstand the vertical force. However, if the operation unit is made strong, there is a problem that it becomes difficult to detect the operation force and becomes inaccurate.
[0005]
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an operation unit of a small vehicle with drive assistance that can accurately detect an operation force applied by an operator, can withstand various operation forces, and has a simple structure. .
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The invention according to claim 1 of the present invention that solves the above-described problems extends from a main body frame that supports a small vehicle that generates an auxiliary driving force in accordance with an operation force generated by an operator's push-pull operation. A connecting member located at the center, a first pedestal attached to the connecting member and provided with a bearing portion, and a shaft portion located below the bearing portion of the first pedestal for pivotally supporting a first pedestal. An L-shaped member having two pedestals, a first arm portion supported by the bearing portion so as to be swingable in the front-rear direction, and extending vertically upward from the bearing portion; and a second arm portion extending in the front-rear direction from the bearing portion; The L-shaped member is provided between the handle that extends in the left-right direction from the distal end of the first arm and is pushed and pulled by an operator, the second arm, and the first pedestal. A first biasing member biasing the swinging neutral position; A second urging member provided between the first pedestal and the second pedestal and holding the left-right posture of the first pedestal in a neutral position; and the first urging force by an operator's operating force applied to the handle. A rocking amount detection unit that detects a rocking amount of the L-shaped member that rocks in the front-rear direction against the member, and an operation force of an operator applied to the handle against the second urging member. And a turning amount detection unit for detecting a turning amount of the first pedestal that turns.
[0007]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the second pedestal is provided between the second pedestal and the third pedestal, the third pedestal supporting the front and rear end of the second pedestal in a vertically swingable manner, A third urging member that holds the vertical position of the second pedestal in a neutral position, and a turn of the first pedestal that swings against the third urging member by an operation force of an operator applied to the handle. There is further provided an attitude detection unit that detects at least one of lifting or depressing of the vehicle.
[0008]
[0009]
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, an overall configuration of a small vehicle with driving assistance (hereinafter referred to as “small vehicle”) according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The small vehicle 1 includes a vehicle main body 2 covered with a vehicle body cover 5, a main body frame 3 that supports the vehicle main body 2 and the like, and an operation unit 4C including a handle 6 and the like.
[0011]
The vehicle body cover 5 is a member for covering the equipment provided in the small vehicle 1 such as an electric motor and its control device, and for partitioning the storage portion. It is a stand. The vehicle main body 2 is provided with a first drive wheel 11 and a second drive wheel 12 on the side close to the handle 6 and in the left-right direction perpendicular to the traveling direction, and can turn freely on the side away from the handle 6. One or two wheels 13 are attached. Electric motors 15 and 16 are connected to each of the first and second drive wheels 11 and 12 through a speed reduction mechanism, so that an auxiliary driving force is applied.
[0012]
Then, the operation section 4A of the U-shaped handle of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 is a top view of the operation unit 4A, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XX of FIG.
[0013]
In FIG. 1, the operation unit 4 </ b> A includes a connecting member 7 that extends from the main body frame and is positioned on the left and right sides of the rear part of the vehicle, and a pair of left and right slide receiving units 21 and 22 that are fixed to the left and right portions of the connecting member 7 The U-shaped handle 25 having the tip shafts 23 and 24 with respect to the slide receiving portions 21 and 22, the biasing members 26 and 27 toward the neutral position of the tip shafts 23 and 24, and the biasing members 26 and 27 are resisted. Movement amount detectors 28 and 29 for detecting the movement amounts of the tip shafts 23 and 24 that move in this manner.
[0014]
In FIG. 2, the slide receiving portions 21 and 22 are obtained by integrating a cylindrical body 31 on a flange 30. The cylindrical body 31 has a sliding hole 32 having an inner diameter D1, and tip shafts 23 and 24 having an outer diameter d1 are slidable in the front-rear direction. A long hole 33 is machined in the center of the cylindrical body 31, and a pin 34 projecting from the tip shafts 23 and 24 protrudes from the long hole 33. The tip of the pin 34 is engaged with a double ring 35 that is movable along the cylindrical body 31. End rings 36 and 37 are fixed to both ends of the cylindrical body 31, a front pressing spring 38 is interposed between the end ring 36 and the double ring 35, and a rear pressing spring 39 is interposed between the end ring 37 and the double ring 35. It is intervened. These push springs 38, 39 and the like constitute urging members (first urging members) 26, 27 that hold the distal end shafts 23, 24 in a neutral position in the front-rear direction.
[0015]
A bracket for holding the rotary encoder 40 is attached to the flange 30. The swinging detection piece 41 inserted into the shaft of the rotary encoder 40 is urged by a tension spring 42 so as to maintain a contact state with the tip shafts 23 and 24. When the tip shafts 23 and 24 move back and forth, the detection piece 41 swings, and the amount of forward and backward movement of the tip shafts 23 and 24 is detected from the degree of swing. The rotary encoder 40 and the like constitute a pair of left and right movement amount detection units 28 and 29.
[0016]
The operation of the operation unit 4 in FIG. 1 will be described below. It is assumed that the handle 25 is grasped with both hands and pushed forward. Since the operating forces F _R and F _L by the left and right hands are substantially equal, the push springs 26 of the left and right urging members 26 and 27 are compressed, and the left and right tip shafts 23 and 24 move forward by a substantially equal distance. . Then, the potentiometers of the left and right movement amount detection units 28 and 29 rotate by an equal rotation angle. When the operator tries to turn the vehicle, the operating forces F _R and F _L by the left and right hands become unequal. In the case of a sudden turn, the operating force F _R is on the push side, and the operating force _FL is on the pull side. In this case, the handle 25 is inclined by an angle θ. However, as shown in FIG. 2, the gap between the outer shape d1 of the tip shafts 23 and 24 and the inner diameter D1 of the slide receiving portions 21 and 22 causes the inclination of the handle 25. The size is acceptable. Further, when the handle 25 is lifted or pushed down, the force is received by the slide receiving portions 21 and 22 into which the tip shafts 23 and 24 are fitted, and the slide receiving portions 21 and 22 are connected to the main body frame via the connecting member 7. The vehicle body can be lifted and so on.
[0017]
3 and 4 show another operation unit of the reference example of the present invention . 3 is a top view of another operation unit, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line YY of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are the structure of the sliding receiving portion, the mounting position of the movement amount detecting portion, and the like. Parts having the same function are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in FIGS. 1 and 2 and description thereof is omitted.
[0018]
A bracket bent in a concave shape is fixed to each of the connecting portions 7 branched to the left and right ends. A pair of eyebolts 51 and 52 attached to the bracket 50 constitute a slide receiving portion 49. As shown in FIG. 4, the tip shafts 23 and 24 of the handle 5 are fitted into the inner diameters of the eyebolts 51 and 52. The vertical force applied to the handle 5 is transmitted from the eyebolts 51 and 52 to the main body frame via the bracket 50 and the connecting portion 7. The eyebolts 51 and 52 are substituted for the double ring 35 (see FIG. 2) for the push springs 38 and 39.
[0019]
The detection piece of the rotary encoder 40 attached to the bracket 50 is an arm 55 with a long hole 54, and the tip of a bar 56 protruding from the base of the tip shafts 23, 24 engages with the long hole 54. Thus, the movement amount detection unit 53 in the front-rear direction is configured.
[0020]
5 to 7 show the operation section Ru with a T-shaped handle for a reference example of the present invention. 5 can detect only the operation force in the front-rear direction, FIG. 5 (a) is a side view thereof, FIG. 5 (b) is a front view thereof, and FIG. 6 is a side view showing an attached state thereof. FIG.
[0021]
In FIG. 6, the main body of the operation portion 4 </ b> C is provided on a connecting member 7 that extends from the main body frame 3 that supports the small vehicle 1 and is located at the center of the rear portion of the vehicle. As shown in FIG. 5, the operation portion 4 </ b> C is supported by the connecting member 7, a pedestal 61 having a bearing portion 60, and a bearing portion 60 so as to be swingable in the front-rear direction, and extends first vertically above the bearing portion 60. An L-shaped member 64 having an arm portion 62 and a second arm portion 63 extending in the front-rear direction from the bearing portion 60, and a handle 6 that extends in the left-right direction from the tip of the first arm portion 62 and that is pushed and pulled by an operator. And a biasing member 65 provided between the second arm portion 63 and the pedestal 61 and biasing the L-shaped member 64 to a neutral position swinging in the front-rear direction, and swinging in the front-rear direction against the biasing member 65. A swing amount detection unit 66 that detects a swing amount in the front-rear direction of the moving L-shaped member 64 is provided.
[0022]
The bearing portion 60 of the pedestal 61 is configured by a bearing plate that supports both ends of the shaft 67 directly below the first arm 62 of the L-shaped member 64. The handle 6 has a T-shape together with the first arm 62. The urging member 65 is composed of vertical springs 68 and 69 with respect to the second arm 63. The swing amount detection unit 66 includes an elliptical member 70 at the tip of the second arm 63 and a potentiometer 71 attached to the pedestal 61 and directed toward the elliptical member 70.
[0023]
The operation of the operation unit in FIG. 5 will be described below. When an operator holding both ends of the handle 6 applies an operating force in the front-rear direction, the handle 6 swings about the shaft 60 as a fulcrum. Then, the second arm 63 of the L-shaped member 64 swings up and down against the biasing force of the tension springs 68 and 69 of the biasing member 65. The degree of the swing is detected by the potentiometer 71 of the swing amount detection unit 66. In order to make the output of the potentiometer 71 zero at the neutral position of the urging member 65 of the L-shaped member 64, the elliptical member 70 may be rotated. Further, when a vertical force is applied to the handle 6, the force is transmitted directly to the base 61 and the connecting member 7 via the bearing portion 60.
[0024]
FIG. 7 shows an operation unit 4C according to the present invention . The operation part of FIG. 7 can detect both the front-rear direction operation force and the turning direction operation force, and the lifted state of the vehicle. FIG. 7A is a top view thereof, and FIG. 7B is a side view thereof. Show. 5 is different from that of FIG. 5 in that the pedestal includes a first pedestal 74, a second pedestal 76, and a third pedestal 78, and a second urging member 81 in the turning direction, a turning amount detection unit 82, and a third attachment in the vertical direction. The biasing member 83 and the posture detecting unit 84 are provided.
[0025]
The operation unit 4C is configured to move the L-shaped member 73 forward and backward by a handle 6 having grips at both ends, an L-shaped member 73 attached downward to the center of the handle 6, and a fulcrum 73a at a bent portion of the L-shaped member 73. The first pedestal 74 having a bearing portion 74a that is swingably supported in the direction, and the second pedestal that pivotally supports the first pedestal 74 with a pin 75 protruding from directly below the bearing portion 74a of the first pedestal 74. 76, a third pedestal 78 that supports the entire second pedestal 76 in a vertically swingable manner by a pin 77 in front of the second pedestal 76, and a fulcrum 73a in the front-rear direction according to the front-rear direction operating force applied to the handle 6. A first urging member 79 in the front-rear direction that holds the posture of the swinging L-shaped member 73 in a neutral position, and a front-rear direction displacement detection means 80 such as a potentiometer for detecting displacement according to the front-rear direction operation force; Second pedestal 76 The second urging member 81 that holds the turning position of the first pedestal 74 in the neutral position, the turning amount detecting means 82 such as a potentiometer for detecting the turning amount according to the operating force, and the second pedestal 76 A third urging member 83 that holds the vertical position with respect to the three pedestals 78 in a neutral position, and a posture detector 84 such as a limit switch that operates when the vertical position changes more than a predetermined amount. The third seat 78 is fixedly coupled to the not shown coupling member.
[0026]
The operation force in the front-rear direction acting on the handle 6 is converted into the front-rear direction swing of the L-shaped member 73 against the front-rear direction biasing member 79, and the degree of the swing is detected by the front-rear direction displacement detection means 80. . The operating force applied to the steering wheel 6 for turning in the left-right direction is converted into turning in the horizontal plane of the first pedestal 74 against the second urging member 81, and the degree of turning is detected by the turning amount detecting means 82. . Accordingly, it is possible to detect the direction and magnitude of the operating force before and after the traveling direction and the direction and magnitude of the left and right operating forces corresponding to the operating force to be turned. When the vehicle body is lifted by pushing and pulling the handle 6 at the time of overcoming the step, the posture detector 84 detects the movement by converting the movement of the second pedestal 76 against the third urging member 83. Thereby, the lifting state of the vehicle body can be detected, and for example, the auxiliary driving force can be turned off in the lifted state.
[0027]
In FIG. 7, the third pedestal 78, the third urging member 83, and the attitude detector 84 may be omitted.
[0028]
FIG. 8 is a typical equipment block diagram of a small vehicle including an operation unit that can separately detect the operation force at both ends of the handle as shown in FIG. In the figure, the control block includes an operation force detection unit 100, a setting unit 110, a calculation unit 120, first and second motor control units 130 and 140, a power source 150, and a tachometer 160 and 161. Configured as
[0029]
The operating force detection unit 100 is divided into a left operating force detection unit 101 and a right operating force detection unit 102 in order to detect the operation force applied to the U-shaped handle at the left and right positions of the handle. These detection units 101 and 102 are composed of potentiometers as described above, and output voltages V _PR and V _PL corresponding to the operation force to an assist ratio calculation unit 121 described later. Assist ratio calculation unit 121 determines the magnitude of the operating force from the magnitude of the output V _PR and V _PL determines the direction in which the operating force is applied from the positive and negative output V _PR and V _PL, the output V _PR and V _PL The state to be turned is determined from the difference between the two. The setting device 110 outputs a signal for setting the ratio of the auxiliary driving force to the detected operation force to, for example, large, medium, and small, to the assist ratio calculation unit 121. For example, in the case of an uphill, the ratio of the auxiliary driving force is set to be large, and in the case of a flat road, the ratio of the auxiliary driving force is set to be small.
[0030]
The calculation unit 120 includes an assist ratio calculation unit 121 and a wheel speed calculation unit 122. The assist ratio calculation unit 121 generates an auxiliary driving force corresponding to ½ of the operating force based on the output related to the operating force from the operating force detection unit 100 and the output related to the setting from the setting device 110, for example. Torque command values τl and τR are output to the left and right subtracters 131 and 141.
[0031]
Since the left and right first and second motor control units 130 and 140 have the same configuration, the first motor control unit 130 will be described in detail. The subtracter 131 takes a difference between the input torque command value τl and an output value of a voltage converter 137 described later. The proportional control unit 132 performs proportional control on the output of the subtractor 131. A PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) ratio conversion unit 133 changes the modulation ratio of the pulse width modulation signal according to the output of the proportional control unit 132.
[0032]
The left motor driver 134 controls the current supplied from the power supply 150 to the first electric motor 15 based on the pulse width modulation signal output from the PWM ratio converter 133. The current direction is determined by the positive and negative values of the previous torque command values τ _l and τ _R , and flows so as to generate forward drive torque if positive and reverse drive torque if negative.
[0033]
The driving force conversion unit 136 detects the current supplied to the first electric motor 15, converts it into a driving force value of the driving wheel, and outputs it to the assist ratio calculation unit 121. The voltage converter 137 converts the voltage according to the driving force value output from the driving force converter 136 and outputs the voltage to the subtracter 131.
[0034]
The tachometers 160 and 161 detect the rotations of the first electric motor 15 and the second electric motor 16, respectively. The wheel speed calculation unit 122 of the calculation unit 120 calculates the average vehicle speed of the left and right wheels. For example, when the vehicle speed becomes higher than a predetermined value, the assist ratio (the ratio of the auxiliary driving force to the operation force, which is usually less than 1) The assist ratio calculation unit 121 outputs a command to decrease the number).
[0035]
According to the operation unit capable of detecting the operation force at the left and right positions of the control block and the handle described above, not only the forward or backward auxiliary driving force but also the auxiliary driving force for turning can be generated.
[0036]
【The invention's effect】
According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the bearing portion is provided directly below the T-shaped handle and is fixed to the center of the connecting portion of the main body frame via the base having the bearing portion, Regardless of the force, it is possible to detect the swinging force in the front-rear direction and the operating force in the turning direction, it is possible to accurately detect the operating force, and it is easy to withstand the vertical operating force.
[0037]
According to the second aspect of the present invention Symbol mounting, the bearing portion is provided directly under the T-shaped handle, to fixed to the center of the connecting portion of the body frame via the pedestal with the bearing portion, related to the upper and lower operating force In addition, it is possible to detect the swing of the vehicle in the front-rear direction, the operating force in the turning direction, and the up-and-down operating force, so that the operating force can be detected accurately and easily withstand the up-and-down operating force .
[Brief description of the drawings]
1 is a top view of the operation portion that written in Reference Examples of the present invention.
2 is a sectional view taken along line X-X of the operation portion that written in Reference Examples of the present invention.
3 is a top view of another operating unit that written in Reference Examples of the present invention.
4 is a Y-Y cross-sectional view of another operating unit that written in Reference Examples of the present invention.
5 is a diagram showing an operation portion that written in Reference Examples of the present invention.
6 is a diagram showing a mounting state of the operation unit that written to the present invention.
7 is a diagram showing an operation portion that written to the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a control block of a small vehicle using an operation unit according to a reference example of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Small vehicle 2 Vehicle main body 3 Main body frame 4A-4D Operation part 6,25 Handle 11,12 Drive wheel 15,16 Electric motor 21,22 Sliding receiving part 23,24 End shaft 26,27 1st biasing member 28, 29 Movement amount detection unit 61, 74 First pedestal 60, 74a Bearing unit 62 First arm 63 Second arm 64, 73 L-shaped member 76 Second pedestal 78 Third pedestal 81 Second urging member 82 Swing amount detection unit 83 third biasing member 84 attitude detection unit

Claims (2)

A connecting member that extends from a main body frame that supports a small vehicle that generates an auxiliary driving force according to an operation force by an operator's push-pull operation, and that is positioned at the center of the rear of the vehicle;
A first pedestal attached to the connecting member and provided with a bearing;
A second pedestal that pivotably supports a shaft portion located below the bearing portion of the first pedestal;
Is supported freely longitudinal direction swinging by prior Symbol shaft receiving portion, and the L-shaped member having a second arm portion extending in the longitudinal direction from the bearing portion and the first arm portion extending vertically above the bearing portion,
A handle that extends in the left-right direction from the tip of the first arm part, and is pushed and pulled by an operator;
A first biasing member provided between the second arm portion and the first pedestal and biasing the L-shaped member to a neutral position swinging in the front-rear direction;
A second urging member provided between the first pedestal and the second pedestal and holding the left-right orientation of the first pedestal in a neutral position;
A swing amount detection unit that detects a swing amount in the front-rear direction of the L-shaped member that swings in the front-rear direction against the first biasing member by an operation force of an operator applied to the handle;
A turning amount detection unit for detecting a turning amount of the first pedestal that turns against the second urging member by an operation force of an operator applied to the handle;
An operation unit of a small vehicle with driving assistance. In claim 1 ,
A third seat for supporting the front-rear direction front end of the front Stories second seat freely swing vertically,
Before SL provided between the second seat and a third seat, and a third biasing member for holding the vertical position of the second seat in the neutral position,
There is further provided an attitude detection unit that detects at least one of lifting or depressing of the vehicle from the turning of the second pedestal that swings against the third urging member by the operation force of the operator applied to the handle. The operation part of a small vehicle with driving assistance.

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