JPH02254085A - Offset load and parallel link type wheel supporting mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve turning performance by a method wherein a member to support wheels on both sides vertically rockably supported by means of link mechanisms (bank arm) on both sides extending in the direction of the width of a car, and the inner end part of the link mechanisms on both sides are supported to a car body through a cushioning device. CONSTITUTION:A strut type suspension is formed by coupling the lower end of a cushioning device 5, having a spring and a damper, with an arm 7 for cushioning protruded from a car body. The inner end parts of bank arms 3 and 6 being parallel links are pivotally supported to the both sides of a cushioning device 5, and the outer ends thereof are pivotally supported to support members 2 each having a lower part to which a wheel is supported through an axle. Both ends of the bank arm 3 are coupled to a car body through a hat-shaped radius rod 8, and the radius rod 8 is supported to the car body through a mounting shaft 10, pointing in an advancing direction, by means of fixing unit 9. This constitution enables banking of wheels and improves turn performance.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] ◎ "Industrial Application Field" Similar to motorcycles, vehicles with three or more wheels that have the maneuverability (bank) of leaning inward during turns, have two wheels lined up side by side. This invention relates to a wheel support mechanism in which the wheels are connected by links, banked and turned at the same time, and the links are fixed so that the wheels can be rotated as a substitute for a motorcycle with legs.

O ``Prior Art'' Two-wheeled vehicles such as motorcycles and scooters are economical, nimble vehicles with good turning ability, but on the other hand, there is a problem in that the rider is exposed and exposed to wind and rain. Furthermore, due to the structure of motorcycles, they cannot stand on their own without the rider's support when stopped, and there is a risk of falling if the rider makes a mistake.

Various attempts have been made to create light and compact vehicles to improve this shortcoming, but since two-wheeled vehicles require footing when stopped, it is impossible to cover the entire vehicle with a cover, and it is impossible to completely protect the rider from wind and rain. Weather resistance cannot be achieved.

Therefore, if the width of the wheels is widened to prevent rollover in a three- or four-wheeled model, it will become no different from a normal car, and if it uses a small engine from a motorcycle, it will not be able to ride in the flow of traffic. No, it becomes nothing more than a poorly made car.

The dimensions of the human body cannot be changed, so if the width of the vehicle is made smaller, the vehicle will need to bank inward to counter centrifugal force when turning, similar to a motorcycle. become.

There are plans to create a vehicle that uses two wheels when running and takes out auxiliary wheels when stopped, but adding a mechanism to take out and put in small wheels just for when stopped is not efficient and would be wasteful during normal driving. It is luggage, and relying on such a mechanism to cover it increases the risk of slipping.

Three-wheeled moped scooters with a roof connected to the center of the body by a Nahalt spring are now common, but the need for one pair of legs has not disappeared.
Due to its structure, it is difficult to increase the size and horsepower, and since Oma's body weight is used to hold down the body when banking, it is impossible to drive at high speeds.

◎ [Problem to be solved by the invention] As another model, two wheels arranged side by side are connected by a link forming a roughly 'F row quadrilateral, and the two wheels are banked at the same time, similar to a motorcycle. There are ways to make it move. When stopped, by fixing the links, it is possible to stand on its own without having to put out one foot to support it, and even in the event of a slip, the foot function of this link can be used to prevent falls while remaining in the running state. It is possible to ensure safety by maintaining the same dynamic characteristics as a two-wheeled vehicle, eliminate the need for footrests, and create a weather-resistant vehicle that is entirely covered.

However, adding a cover to a small vehicle also poses problems such as stability against crosswinds, and it is not worth the increased cost of increasing the number of wheels and adding banking links just for when the vehicle is stopped. This model is not currently being attempted.

Since the primary purpose of a vehicle is to run, it is economical if the performance is improved enough to justify the increase in cost, or if it has some features that cannot be obtained with two-wheeled models. It also becomes possible to put it into practical use.

◎ [Means to solve the problem] This idea is to have a special effect when driving. Figures 1 and 2 explain the principle of this link mechanism. Figure 2 shows the wheel in a banked shape, and the diagrams on the side show the movements of the respective connecting shafts of the wheel and its support member.

Left and right members 2 supporting two wheels 1 (grounding points E, P)
(A-a, B-b) are connected by a bank arm 3 (A-C-B and a-c-b) parallel to the road surface, and a member 4 (A-C-B and a-c-b) that supports the load of the vehicle body is installed in the center of the arm. C-c) is attached, each connection point is connected with a bottle, etc., and the link mechanism that moves freely in a plane perpendicular to the direction of travel is a parallel link! ! 1 structure)
If the car body banks, the support member 4 of the car body
(C-c) together with the wheel support member 2 (A-a, B-b
) also banks in the same way and has the same maneuverability as a two-wheeled vehicle.

In the case of this offset load parallel link, the connection point C of the support member 4 of the vehicle body is not on the connecting point A-B, which connects the support members 2 of the left and right wheels, but is located in a triangle at a position shifted in the vertical direction. It is characterized by being connected by bank arms 3 forming ABC. (The upper arm abc is also a triangular connection in the same way.) ◎ "Action" By setting the link fil 37i of such a triangular arm, the locus of movement of the center of gravity G when banking is
The intersection point f of the wheel support member B-b and a line drawn parallel to the road surface EN-F from the center of gravity G does not rotate around the wheel grounding point F, but rather connects the connection points C and B of the bank arms. The intersection point f between the connected line and the parallel line becomes the same trajectory as rotation around the grounding point F.

This means that the bank will be centered around H, which is h below the road surface N by the offset of the triangular arm ABC (g-f length) from the height G-N of the center of gravity G. Due to the shape of bank arm ABC, effective center of gravity height G
-H can be set freely.

It is also conceivable that either the upper or lower bank arm is not integrated but divided, and the same function can be obtained with this configuration. (Fig. 3) ◎ [Effect J: By changing the dimensions of the bank arm of this parallel link mechanism without changing the overall layout or other parts of the car body,
By setting the offset/amount of lR, the effective center of gravity height can be freely changed.

In the case of a motorcycle, unlike a four-wheeled vehicle, it is not necessarily the case that the center of gravity is lower; in terms of direction, the lower the center of gravity is, the better the vibration motion during acceleration and braking will be suppressed, and the stability and braking force will be improved. However, in the left and right direction, if the center of gravity is low, there is a tendency for the vehicle to slump over, resulting in restless and difficult to control maneuverability.If the center of gravity is high, the speed at which the vehicle collapses is slow. This means that motorcycles that run while maintaining balance from side to side can increase stability.

This parallel link mechanism is capable of setting the effective height of the center of gravity in the left-right direction independently of the geometric height of the center of gravity in the front-rear direction. As for actual maneuverability.

Although it is not straightforward due to the combination of settings such as caster angle and trail, the removal of restrictions on the height of the center of gravity has increased the degree of freedom in design, allowing for both maneuverability and stability. We can expect a high performance product with better movement characteristics.

◎ [Suspension configuration] Two wheels arranged side by side are supported by this parallel link fi, but in addition, the suspension mechanism including &I [i function is designed to maintain the dynamic characteristics that bank the vehicle body In this case, the entire parallel link including the wheels is moved up and down with respect to the vehicle body, and the shock absorbing link is a link that operates within the plane of the traveling direction independently of the lateral movement of the parallel link. It will be coupled to the load axis C1c.

In this case, the joint axis between the i link facing the traveling direction and the horizontal parallel link requires axis movement in two directions,
Since they are connected only at two points above and below the center, a radius rod is required to restrict the rotation of the parallel links in the horizontal plane.

In addition, in parallel links with offset loads, since the line connecting the load axis and the joint axis of the wheel support member is separated, movement in the front direction around the load axis occurs, so positioning is also necessary. come.

(Figure 4.5) ◎ "Link fixing method J (Claim 2) As a method of fixing parallel links instead of having legs, there is also a method of attaching a fixing mechanism to the link part, but a mechanism that uses this radius rod also serves as a method. is reasonable.

As shown in Fig. 5, the left and right radius rods 8 are joined together in a figure eight shape, and the center! Near the root tree of arm 7 for aW,
It is housed in a member 10 that can rotate on an axis in the traveling direction so as to move in accordance with the bank operation, and has a structure that does not interfere with the movement of the suspension in the plane in the traveling direction but allows positioning in the horizontal plane, and the mounting member is The mechanism is to fix the parallel links by fixing them.

◎ [Example AJ Figure 3.4.5 shows a parallel link that banks the vehicle body]
This is an example of a combination of links, and the front, side, and plan views are shown, respectively.

[The town if fil part is a strut type in which the lower end of the shock absorber 5, which has a spring and a damper, is connected by a shock absorbing arm 7 taken out from the vehicle body, and bank arms 3 and 6 are connected to the sides of the shock absorber 5 in parallel. It is a collection of. In the case of this embodiment A, an example is shown in which the upper bank arm 6 is of a split type.

Furthermore, a figure-of-eight radius rod 8 is connected from the vehicle body to both ends of the bank arm 3, and this radius opening/button is installed in the vehicle body via a mounting shaft 10 facing in the direction of travel, and the mounting shaft is mounted by a fixing unit 9. By fixing 1.0, the parallel links are fixed, and the result is similar to the footing of a motorcycle.

Or Embodiment B" Although it is possible to make four wheels by attaching these parallel links fiIIJ to the front and rear, FIG. The relationship between the suspension is shown and the vehicle body is omitted. The front wheel is this parallel link 1111 structure, and the rear wheel is a motorcycle...
It is combined with a compact swing arm system.

As shown in the figure, the winshbone type TX street arm 7 extends from the vehicle body, and the parallel link bank arm 3 is attached to the end of it.
is installed. Its mounting shaft is a universal joint type, with parallel links l! The horizontal movement of 1ra and the vertical movement of the buffer link are performed on one axis. This parallel link mechanism is used for the front wheels, and in order to perform steering, the connecting shaft with the wheel support member 2 is a ball joint l- or similar, and the steering link 1
4 to control the direction of the wheels. These shafts can also be used in other ways, such as by combining two wheels.

Further, similar to the implementation IJIA, the figure-eight radius rod 8 is connected to both ends of the bank arm 3, and the mounting shaft 10 is connected to both ends of the bank arm 3.
By fixing with the fixing uni-nod 9, a parallel link can be fixed, which can be used as a substitute for a foot plow on a motorcycle.

O ``Effects of the fixing method using radius rods J The advantages of using the radius rod also for fixing parallel links include the following.

(1) If the bank link does not become a completely rigid body when fixed, and the radius rod is made of an elastic member, it will have a role similar to the stabilizer bar of a four-wheeled vehicle, and can be used to control the left and right sides of the road! It will be possible to absorb Also, is there a picture of 1m in the moment when it goes from a free state to a fixed state? It can also be relieved.

(2) By bringing the fixing mechanism to the 11L body side, the weight of the spring r does not increase, which also helps in centralizing the mass.

(3) The transmission mechanism of the fixed i11131 is pure and reliable because it is not affected by the movement of the suspension cylinder.

◎[Radius rod and bank arm combination method 1% type%
) Set the position of the mounting shaft 10 of the radius rod 8 on the vehicle body side to Mf.
If you bring it on the line connecting the mounting axis of the E arm 7 on the vehicle body side and the connecting axis of the bank arm 3 and buffer arm 7, the relative positions of the radius rod and the bank arm will be constant, so these two can be It can be made into an integrated object (hereinafter referred to as radius arm). (Fig. 7) In a link fixing mechanism using a radius rod, when the R-weight distribution of the wheel becomes unbalanced due to the fixed state, the load sharing amount of the radius rod increases, so as shown in Fig. 7, the radius arm 12 is Beam (equivalent to bank arm)
MW that supports the load! It is conceivable that by bringing the mounting to the position y1.5, this radius arm can receive the load of the vehicle body even in normal condition. In this case, the suspension support opening/V-shaped door 11, which corresponds to a shock absorbing arm, mainly functions for positioning.

◎ "Function" The intersection C of the plane formed by the extension of the line connecting the suspension support rod and radius arm connection axis S from the mounting axis R of the radius arm on the vehicle body side and the upper and lower connection axis ABab of the wheel support member is , the triangle ABC formed by the joint axis of the radius arm and the wheel support member corresponds to the bank arm of the offset load parallel link mechanism, and the length between the center M of AB and the intersection C is the offset of the load.
The amount is 1 ton.

To add more information to claim 1, even if the bank arm or the supporting member of the vehicle body is not in the operational plane where the wheel banks, the offset load of the parallel link Wl structure is formed in the positional relationship with the coupling axis with the shock absorbing arm. If you do this, you will have the effect of changing the effective center of gravity height.

◎ [Example, CJ Figure 7 shows the radius rod integrated with the bank arm (
Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the vehicle body, wheels, etc., with the vehicle body and wheels omitted. Also this.

Only the lower arm that receives the load is shown, and the parallel link bank arm attached to the upper part of the wheel support member 2 is omitted. It is also possible to construct the structure by attaching members having a shape similar to that shown in this figure.

A bridge (T-S-U) for attaching the MWI device 5 is provided in the middle of the radius arm 12 formed in the shape of an approximate 'A', and the center (R) of the radius arm is connected to the connecting shaft 10 via a universal joint or the like. Attach it to the heavy body with the link shaft, and bank the wheels at the end of the link at the same time as the vehicle body, with the link shaft facing the direction of travel, and by fixing the link shaft, a foot-holding action is performed. By connecting the supporting rods and arranging the mounting shafts (V, W) on the vehicle body side and the connecting shaft (R) on the vehicle body side of the radius arm in a straight line, it is possible to position the rod horizontally while being able to rotate vertically. .

Effects of the OF dual use system (1) Since the radius rod and the shock absorbing arm are integrated, the number of parts is reduced, resulting in weight and cost reduction.

(2) Since the bank arm of the parallel link mechanism at the tip of the stroke is omitted, the mass of the suspension is shifted toward the vehicle body, reducing the unsprung weight and improving the cushioning performance of the suspension.

(3) In the fixing method mentioned above, when the parallel link is fixed and the load is applied to one side, the load share of the radius rod becomes large, so in order to maintain strength, it is necessary to make the radius rod as thick as the arm. However, in this dual-use method, the radius arm carries the load even in normal conditions, so there is no waste, and the overlap can be relatively reduced.

Or parallel click! Kiyoshi's feature J This is a parallel link I that banks the left and right wheels at the same time.
I! The purpose was to realize this type of vehicle by inventing a link fixing method to provide new structural effects and practicality.

If this is put into practical use, let's talk about its characteristics compared to motorcycles.

(1) Parallel link F that supports the left and right wheels! By fixing the movement of the four mechanisms, there is no need to take special steps to stop the bike, making it possible to cover the entire car body with a cover, greatly improving the weather resistance that protects the rider from wind and rain.

(2) Even if the wheels slip or lose balance, the risk of falling can be avoided by keeping the feet on the links while the vehicle is still running, thereby increasing safety.

(3) Since there is no need to worry about the legs being attached, there are no restrictions such as individual physique, and for example, even people with short legs can operate large vehicles, and even vehicles with large stacks ( This eliminates the anxiety of so-called ``standing lag,'' which means that if you lose your balance, you won't be able to support yourself.

<4> In the case of the parallel link mechanism, even though there are two wheels on the left and right, only one suspension suspension unit is required as shown in the above embodiment.

(5) Furthermore, by freely setting the effective center of gravity height as a parallel link mechanism with an offset, single load, it is possible to realize a high-performance vehicle with high maneuverability that cannot be obtained with a -wheel motorcycle. I can do it.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1.2 is an explanatory diagram showing the principle. Third. ．． Figure 4.5 is a front view of Example (A), and
A side view and a top view are shown. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the embodiment (B). FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing Example (C). 1, the wheel 2, the wheel support member 3, the bank arm 4, the vehicle body support member 5, and the loose fl! The device 6 includes a divided bank arm 7, a buffer arm 8, a radius rod 9, a fixing unit 10, a mounting shaft 11 on the vehicle body side, a suspension support rod 12, and a dual-purpose radius arm.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] [1] The upper and lower two points of the member supporting the left and right wheels (A-a
and B-b), and the connection points (A-B and a-b) of the horizontal members (bank arms) connected so as to be parallel to the road surface in the upright state are at right angles to the direction of travel. In a link mechanism (parallel link mechanism) that tilts the left and right wheels at the same time as the vehicle body, the axis moves in the plane of , or the corresponding geometric bond axis,
A wheel support mechanism comprising links arranged at positions vertically shifted from a straight line connecting the joint axes (A, B, and a, b) with the wheel support members. [2] A parallel link mechanism that banks the vehicle body in combination with a suspension link mechanism that supports the weight of the vehicle body by connecting a buffer link that operates within the plane of the traveling direction to the load axis at the center of the parallel link mechanism. In order to restrict movement in the horizontal plane that is unnecessary for the operation of the machine, radius rods are provided radially from the car body to both ends of the parallel link, and the left and right sides are integrated into a roughly figure-eight shape, and the radius rods are connected to the car body in the center. A mechanism that prevents the vehicle body from collapsing by fixing the horizontal rotation of the mounting shaft facing the direction of travel, thereby interlocking and fixing the movement of the parallel links. [3] A bridge is provided in the middle of the figure-eight shape of the radius rod in item 2, and a suspension support rod for positioning this member (radius arm) and a shock absorber with a spring and damper are installed in the center (S) of the bridge. In the connected link, the connecting axis (S) is the connecting axis (A, B) between the A-shaped radius arm and the member supporting the wheel, and
It is located below the plane formed by the mounting shaft (R) on the vehicle body side, and is an extension of the line connecting the mounting shaft (R) on the vehicle body side of the radius arm and the mounting shaft (S) of the suspension support rod, and the left and right wheels. The intersection (C) with the plane formed by the upper and lower joint axes of the member supporting the left and right joint axes (A-
A link mechanism that operates in a similar manner by configuring a geometric combination of the parallel link mechanisms shown in item 1 above in space by arranging the link mechanism at a position vertically shifted from the line connecting B).