WO2010103665A1 - Electrically assisted vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

An electrically assisted vehicle which has a compact structure permitted to drive on sidewalks, with which the rider can exercise in an easy attitude, and which can maintain and restore the rider's ability to exercise. The electrically assisted vehicle (10) includes a frame (12) extending in the front-rear direction, a pair of front wheels (14a, 14b) mounted at the front end of the frame (12) so as to be next to each other in the left-right direction, and a pair of rear wheels (16a, 16b) mounted at the rear end of the frame (12) so as to be next to each other in the left-right direction. The frame (12) is provided with a rotation mechanism (64) including a rotating shaft (68) penetrating through a bearing member (66) in the left-right direction, a pair of cranks (70a, 70b) mounted to the rotating shaft (68), and a pair of pedals (72a, 72b) mounted to the cranks (70a, 70b). The position of the rotating shaft (68) is set such that the distance (S1) in the front-rear direction between the center of the rotating shaft (68) and the center of the front wheels (14a, 14b) is less than the distance (S2) in the front-rear direction between the center of the rotating shaft (68) and the center of the rear wheels (16a, 16b).

Description

Electric assist vehicle

The present invention relates to an electrically assisted vehicle, and more specifically, to an electrically assisted vehicle having a size that allows traveling on a sidewalk.

Conventionally, many vehicles for supporting the lives of elderly people, disabled persons, injured persons, etc. whose athletic ability has declined have been proposed, and an electric vehicle as an example is disclosed in Patent Document 1.
An electric vehicle such as Patent Document 1 is generally called a “senior car” and is compactly configured so as to be able to travel in a small turn even in a hospital or rehabilitation facility. In addition, traveling on a public sidewalk is indispensable to support the lives of elderly people and the like. For example, in Japan, the size of a vehicle permitted to run on a sidewalk is determined by the Road Traffic Act and Cabinet Office Ordinance to be 1200 mm or less in total length, 1090 mm or less in overall height, and 700 mm or less in overall width. Also from this point, the electric vehicle of patent document 1 is comprised compactly.
The electric vehicle of Patent Document 1 does not require human power other than operation, and is very convenient for a passenger who has reduced exercise ability such as an elderly person. On the other hand, if relying too much on the electric vehicle of Patent Document 1, the exercise ability will be further reduced. Thus, for example, Patent Document 2 discloses an electrically assisted vehicle that aims to maintain / recover the exercising ability of the occupant by requesting the occupant to exercise (driving force). The electric assist vehicle of Patent Document 2 travels by assisting the driving force generated by depressing the pedal with an electric motor.
JP 2007-62669 A JP 2008-18885 A

However, the movement required of the passenger in the electrically assisted vehicle of Patent Document 2 is only the depression of the pedal. The exercise of depressing the pedal is effective for maintaining / recovering the muscular strength to bend the knee even though it is effective for maintaining / recovering the muscular strength to stretch the knee. Further, since the stepping motion can be performed without bending the ankle, it was difficult to maintain and restore the flexibility of the ankle. As described above, in the electrically assisted vehicle of Patent Document 2, it is difficult to sufficiently maintain and recover the occupant's exercise ability. On the other hand, if an attempt is made to cause the occupant to exercise using various muscle strengths in an electrically assisted vehicle having a compact configuration that is permitted to run on the sidewalk, the occupant is forced to take an unreasonable posture. As a result, the burden on passengers such as elderly people increases.

Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to enable the passenger to exercise in an easy posture even with a compact configuration that allows running on the sidewalk, and to sufficiently maintain and restore the exercise ability of the passenger. It is to provide an electrically assisted vehicle.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrically assisted vehicle of a size that is allowed to run on a sidewalk, a frame extending in the front-rear direction, and a pair of frames arranged side by side in the left-right direction at the front portion of the frame Drive at least one of the front wheels, a pair of rear wheels arranged in the left-right direction at the rear of the frame, a seat provided on the frame between the pair of front wheels and the pair of rear wheels, and the pair of rear wheels Therefore, a rotation shaft provided on the frame so as to extend in the left-right direction, a pair of cranks provided on both sides of the rotation shaft so as to extend in a direction substantially orthogonal to the rotation shaft and in opposite directions to each other, and one of the pair of cranks And a rotation mechanism including a pair of pedals attached to the other, and an electric motor that drives at least one of the pair of front wheels, the radius of the front wheels is set to be equal to or less than the rotation radius of the crank, The position of the rolling shaft is in front of the front end of the seat and above the center of the front wheel, and the distance between the center of the rotating shaft and the center of the front wheel is the front and rear of the center of the rotating shaft and the center of the rear wheel. There is provided an electrically assisted vehicle that is set to be smaller than a direction interval.

In the present invention, the rotation shaft of the rotation mechanism is arranged in front of the front end of the seat and closer to the center of the front wheel than the center of the rear wheel, so that the passenger can have a comfortable posture even in a compact configuration. The pedal can be rotated (revolved) along the rotation path of the crank. When the pedal is rotated along the crank trajectory, the occupant uses his / her legs to pull the pedal toward his torso from the lowest position to the last position. It will be. Therefore, it is possible to maintain and restore not only the muscle strength for stretching the knee but also the muscle strength for bending the knee. Further, in order to rotate the pedal along the track of the crank, ankle flexibility is required rather than a simple stepping motion. Therefore, it is possible to maintain and restore athletic ability from this point. In this way, even with a compact configuration that permits traveling on the sidewalk, the passenger can exercise with a comfortable posture, and the exercise ability of the passenger can be sufficiently maintained and recovered. In addition, by setting the position of the rotating shaft above the center of the front wheel, the distance between the rotating shaft and the front wheel in the front-rear direction can be reduced, and a compact configuration can be achieved. Even when the radius of the front wheel is set to be equal to or less than the rotation radius of the crank, the distance between the rotation shaft and the front wheel in the front-rear direction can be reduced, and a compact configuration can be achieved. Further, by setting the radius of the front wheel to be equal to or less than the rotation radius of the crank, it is possible to prevent interference between the passenger's foot and the front wheel even in a compact configuration.

Note that the “front part of the frame” includes not only the front end of the frame but also a position slightly behind the front end of the frame. The “rear part of the frame” includes not only the rear end of the frame but also a position slightly forward of the rear end of the frame.

Preferably, the radius of the rear wheel is set to be greater than the rotation radius of the crank. In this case, the driving force of the rear wheels is increased, and traveling performance can be improved.

Also preferably, the position of the rotating shaft is set above the upper end of the front wheel. In this case, the space | interval of the front-back direction of a rotating shaft and a front wheel can be made smaller, and it can comprise more compactly. Moreover, even if it is a compact structure, interference with a passenger | crew's foot | leg and a front wheel can be prevented more reliably.

Further preferably, the position of the rotation shaft is set so that the lowest position of the crank rotation trajectory is substantially the same height as the center of the front wheel. In this case, the space | interval of the front-back direction of a rotating shaft and a front wheel can be made smaller, and it can comprise more compactly. Moreover, even if it is a compact structure, interference with a passenger | crew's foot | leg and a front wheel can be prevented more reliably.

The “crank rotation trajectory” refers to a circular trajectory drawn by the center of the pedal support shaft when the crank is rotated about the rotation axis.

Preferably, the position of the rotation shaft is set so that the entire rotation path of the crank is positioned in front of the front end of the seat. In this case, even if it is a compact structure, a passenger | crew can rotate a pedal along the rotation track | orbit of a crank with a more comfortable attitude | position.

Also preferably, the position of the rotating shaft is set above the center of the rear wheel. In this case, the space | interval of the front-back direction of a rotating shaft and a rear wheel can be made small, and it can comprise compactly. Moreover, even if it is a compact structure, interference with a passenger | crew's foot | leg and a rear wheel can be prevented.

Further preferably, the distance in the left-right direction between the centers of the pair of pedals is set to be larger than the width of the pair of front wheels and smaller than the width of the pair of rear wheels. In this case, even if it is a compact structure, interference with a passenger | crew's leg | foot and a front wheel can be prevented more reliably. Further, the distance between the centers of the pair of pedals in the left-right direction is set to be smaller than the width of the pair of rear wheels.

The “width of a pair of front wheels” refers to the distance in the left-right direction between the outer surface of one front wheel and the outer surface of the other front wheel. Similarly, the “width of a pair of rear wheels” refers to the distance in the left-right direction between the outer surface of one rear wheel and the outer surface of the other rear wheel.

Preferably, at least a part of the electric motor is disposed between the pair of front wheels. In this case, even if it is a compact structure, it can prevent that another member, a passenger, and an electric motor interfere.

Also preferably, it further includes a front wheel holding unit that holds a pair of front wheels so as to be swingable in the vertical direction about the swing shaft. In this case, the followability to the road surface of the pair of front wheels can be improved. Therefore, even if the pair of front wheels have a small diameter and the pair of front wheels has a small width, for example, one front wheel can be prevented from floating during steering (turning), and the driving force can be reliably transmitted to the road surface. That is, traction (drive force transmission to the road surface) can be improved, and running performance can be improved.

Further preferably, the battery further includes a secondary battery that is provided in the frame in front of the front end of the seat and stores electric power supplied to the electric motor. In a compact configuration in which traveling on a sidewalk is permitted, the seat is positioned above the rear wheel, and weight distribution is rearward when the passenger is seated on the seat. Therefore, by providing a heavy secondary battery on the frame in front of the front end of the seat, the weight distribution can be made closer to the front and rear, and traveling stability can be improved.

The above object and other objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiments given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

It is a left view which shows the electrically assisted vehicle of one Embodiment of this invention. It is a right view which shows the electrically assisted vehicle of one Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the positional relationship of a flame | frame, a pair of front wheel, and a pair of rear wheel. It is a rear view which shows the arrangement | positioning aspect of the pipe in the rear-end part of a flame | frame. It is a front view which shows a front wheel holding unit. It is a side view solution figure which shows the state of a passenger | crew's leg when a pedal is the highest. It is a side view solution figure which shows the state of a passenger | crew's leg when a pedal is in the foremost position. It is a side view solution figure which shows the state of a passenger's leg when a pedal is in the lowest position. It is a side view solution figure which shows the state of a passenger | crew's leg when a pedal exists in the last position. It is a top view solution figure which shows the arrangement | positioning aspect of a passenger | crew's leg when one pedal is in the foremost position and the other pedal is in the last position.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Electric assist vehicle 12 Frame 14a, 14b Front wheel 16a, 16b Rear wheel 34 Front wheel holding unit 40a, 40b Electric motor 58 Seat 64 Rotating mechanism 68, 80 Rotating shaft 70a, 70b Crank 72a, 72b Pedal 90 Secondary battery O Rotating track

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a left side view showing an electrically assisted vehicle 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a right side view showing the electrically assisted vehicle 10. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the positional relationship between the frame 12, the pair of front wheels 14a and 14b, and the pair of rear wheels 16a and 16b.
In the embodiment of the present invention, left and right, front and rear, and top and bottom mean left and right, front and back, and top and bottom, based on a state in which a passenger is seated on the seat 58 of the electrically assisted vehicle 10 toward the handle 46.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the electrically assisted vehicle 10 includes a frame 12 extending in the front-rear direction, a pair of front wheels 14 a and 14 b arranged side by side in the left-right direction at the front end of the frame 12, and the rear end of the frame 12. A pair of rear wheels 16a and 16b arranged side by side in the left-right direction is included.

The frame 12 includes a head pipe 18, a main pipe 20, and a seat pipe 22. The head pipe 18 extends linearly from top to bottom so as to be inclined slightly forward. The main pipe 20 is bent from a first straight portion 20a extending obliquely downward from the lower end of the head pipe 18, a second straight portion 20b extending obliquely upward from the first straight portion 20a, and a second straight portion 20b. And a bent portion 20c extending upward. The first straight part 20a is set shorter than the second straight part 20b. The seat pipe 22 is connected to the upper end portion of the bent portion 20c and extends linearly from the bottom to the top so as to be inclined slightly rearward.

As shown in FIG. 3, the frame 12 includes a pair of holding pipes 24 a and 24 b for holding the rear wheels 16 a and 16 b in a rotatable manner, and a connecting pipe 26 a for connecting the holding pipes 24 a and 24 b to the main pipe 20. , 26b and a bifurcated pipe 28.

FIG. 4 is a rear view showing the arrangement of pipes at the rear end of the frame 12. Referring also to FIG. 4, the holding pipes 24 a and 24 b are arranged in the left-right direction behind the main pipe 20 and extend linearly in the left-right direction. The connection pipe 26a extends linearly downward and diagonally to the left from the bent portion 20c and is connected to the holding pipe 24a. The connecting pipe 26b extends linearly downward and diagonally to the rear from the bent portion 20c and is connected to the holding pipe 24b. The connecting pipes 26a and 26b are connected to each other by a reinforcing pipe 30 extending in the left-right direction.

As shown in FIG. 3, the bifurcated pipe 28 includes a straight portion 28 a extending obliquely downward from the rear end portion of the main pipe 20 to the rear, and a first connection extending obliquely leftward from the rear end portion of the straight portion 28 a to the rear. It includes a portion 28b and a second connecting portion 28c that extends rearward and diagonally rightward from the rear end of the straight portion 28a, and has a substantially Y shape in plan view. The first connecting portion 28b is connected to the holding pipe 24a, and the second connecting portion 28c is connected to the holding pipe 24b.

As shown in FIG. 2, a steering shaft 32 (shown by a broken line) for changing the vehicle body direction is rotatably inserted into the head pipe 18 of such a frame 12. A front wheel holding unit 34 is connected to the lower end portion of the steering shaft 32 to hold the pair of front wheels 14a and 14b in a swingable manner.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing the front wheel holding unit 34. With reference to FIGS. 2, 3, and 5, the front wheel holding unit 34 includes a connecting member 36 connected to the steering shaft 32, a housing 38 attached to the connecting member 36, and a pair of electric motors attached to the housing 38. Motors 40a and 40b (see FIGS. 3 and 5) are included.

As shown in FIG. 2, the connecting member 36 is bent from the upper plate 36a orthogonal to the steering shaft 32, the front plate 36b that bends from the front end of the upper plate 36a and extends obliquely downward to the front, and the rear end of the upper plate 36a. And includes a rear plate 36c extending obliquely downward to the front, and has a substantially C-shape in side view.

The housing 38 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and is disposed between the front plate 36 b and the rear plate 36 c of the connecting member 36. A swing shaft 42 is fitted through the connecting member 36 and the housing 38. The swing shaft 42 extends from the front to the rear so as to incline downward, and the connecting member 36 is in order of the front plate 36b of the connecting member 36, the front surface of the housing 38, the rear surface of the housing 38, and the rear plate 36c of the connecting member 36. And the housing 38 is inserted. The swing shaft 42 is fixed to the connecting member 36, and supports the casing 38 so as to be swingable in the direction of arrow A (the circumferential direction of the swing shaft 42). The electric motor 40 a is attached to the housing 38 so as to protrude from the left side surface of the housing 38, and the electric motor 40 b is attached to the housing 38 so as to protrude from the right side surface of the housing 38.

As shown in FIG. 5, the front wheels 14 a and 14 b are arranged side by side in the left-right direction so as to sandwich the front wheel holding unit 34. Rotating shafts 41a and 41b of electric motors 40a and 40b disposed between the front wheels 14a and 14b are connected to the front wheels 14a and 14b via a speed reducer (not shown). As described above, the front wheels 14 a and 14 b held by the front wheel holding unit 34 swing up and down around the swing shaft 42 as the casing 38 swings in the direction of arrow A. The casing 38 is provided with a brake (not shown) for restricting the rotation of the front wheels 14a and 14b.

Returning to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a stem 44 is attached to the upper end portion of the steering shaft 32 by using a lifting bolt or the like (not shown), and a handle 46 is attached to the stem 44.
As shown in FIG. 3, the handle 46 extends from the stem 44 to the left and right and then obliquely rearward, and has a substantially U shape in plan view. By turning the handle 46 to the left and right, the front wheel holding unit 34 and thus the front wheels 14a and 14b turn to the left and right. As a result, the vehicle body direction can be changed.

Such a handle 46 is provided with a brake lever (not shown) for operating a brake attached to the front wheel holding unit 34. The handle 46 is provided with an unillustrated on / off switch for turning on / off the assist function. Here, the “assist function” refers to a function that assists the traveling by human power by the electric motors 40a and 40b driving the front wheels 14a and 14b.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, an axle 48a connected to the rear wheel 16a is rotatably inserted in the holding pipe 24a, and an axle 48b connected to the rear wheel 16b is rotatable in the holding pipe 24b. Is inserted. That is, the rear wheels 16a and 16b are rotatably held by the holding pipes 24a and 24b.

The electromagnetic brake unit 50a through which the axle 48a is inserted is provided at the left end of the holding pipe 24a. An electromagnetic brake unit 50b through which the axle 48b is inserted is provided at the right end of the holding pipe 24b. By driving the electromagnetic brake units 50a and 50b, the rotation of the axles 48a and 48b and the rotation of the rear wheels 16a and 16b are restricted.

Also, a sprocket unit 52 is provided at the left end of the axle 48b. The sprocket unit 52 includes a one-way clutch 52a through which the axle 48b is fitted, and a substantially hollow disk-shaped sprocket 52b provided on the outer peripheral surface of the one-way clutch 52a.

The one-way clutch 52a transmits the rotational force to the axle 48b when the sprocket 52b is rotated in the arrow B1 direction (clockwise direction as viewed from the right side: see FIG. 2), and the sprocket 52b is counterclockwise as viewed in the arrow B2 direction (from the right side). When rotating in the turning direction (see FIG. 2), the rotational force is not transmitted to the axle 48b. The one-way clutch 52a transmits the rotational force to the sprocket 52b when the axle 48b and the rear wheel 16b are rotated in the arrow B2 direction, and the rotational force is transmitted to the sprocket 52b when the rear wheel 16b is rotated in the arrow B1 direction. Configured not to communicate. Since such a one-way clutch 52a is generally widely used, a detailed description of the one-way clutch 52a is omitted.

1 and 2, a seat unit 54 is attached to the seat pipe 22. The seat unit 54 includes a seat post 56 to be inserted into the seat pipe 22, a seat 58 provided at the upper end of the seat post 56, a backrest 60 provided above the rear end of the seat 58, and left and right so as to sandwich the backrest 60. It includes a pair of handrails 62a and 62b provided side by side in the direction.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a rotation mechanism 64 is provided on the main pipe 20. The rotation mechanism 64 includes a bearing member 66 having a substantially triangular shape in a side view provided on a connecting portion between the first linear portion 20a and the second linear portion 20b, a rotating shaft 68 that fits the bearing member 66 in the left-right direction, and a rotating shaft. 68 includes a pair of cranks 70a, 70b provided at the left end and the right end of 68, and a pair of pedals 72a, 72b provided at one and the other of the cranks 70a, 70b.

Rotating shaft 68 is supported by bearing member 66 so as to be rotatable in the directions of arrows B1 and B2 (see FIG. 2). The crank 70 a is provided at the left end portion of the rotation shaft 68 so as to be substantially orthogonal to the rotation shaft 68. The crank 70b is provided at the right end portion of the rotation shaft 68 so as to extend substantially perpendicular to the rotation shaft 68 and in a direction opposite to the crank 70a. The pedal 72a is rotatably provided at the distal end portion of the crank 70a via a support shaft. The pedal 72b is rotatably provided at the front end portion of the crank 70b via a support shaft.

2 and 3, the rotating shaft 68 is provided with a sprocket unit 74 between the bearing member 66 and the crank 70b. The sprocket unit 74 includes a one-way clutch 74a through which the rotary shaft 68 is fitted, and a sprocket 74b provided on the right side surface of the one-way clutch 74a. The sprocket 74b is provided on the right side surface of the one-way clutch 74a without being connected to the rotating shaft 68 that passes through the sprocket 74b.

The one-way clutch 74a transmits its rotational force to the rotating shaft 68 when the sprocket 74b is rotated in the direction of arrow B2 (see FIG. 2), and its rotational force when the sprocket 74b is rotated in the direction of arrow B1 (see FIG. 2). Is not transmitted to the rotating shaft 68. The one-way clutch 74a transmits the rotational force to the sprocket 74b when the rotating shaft 68 is rotated in the arrow B1 direction, and does not transmit the rotational force to the sprocket 74b when the rotating shaft 68 is rotated in the arrow B2 direction. Configured. That is, the one-way clutch 74a is configured to have a function opposite to that of the one-way clutch 52a. Since such a one-way clutch 74a is also widely used in general, a detailed description of the one-way clutch 74a is omitted.
The sprocket 74 b is connected to a sprocket 78 provided obliquely below the sprocket 74 b through an endless chain 76.

As shown in FIG. 3, the sprocket 78 is attached to a rotary shaft 80 extending rightward from the main pipe 20. In addition, on the rotary shaft 80, a sprocket 82 larger than the sprocket 78 (having a larger number of teeth) is attached between the main pipe 20 and the sprocket 78.

As shown in FIG. 2, the sprocket 82 is connected to the sprocket 52 b of the sprocket unit 52 via an endless chain 84. The tension of the chain 84 is adjusted by a chain tensioner 86 provided on the reinforcing pipe 30 (see FIG. 3).

The rear wheel 16b is driven by the occupant through the rotation mechanism 64 and the transmission mechanism including the axle 48b, the sprocket units 52 and 74, the sprockets 78 and 82, the chains 76 and 84, and the rotation shaft 80. Specifically, when the passenger rotates the cranks 70a and 70b in the direction of arrow B1 (see FIG. 2) via the pedals 72a and 72b, the rotating shaft 68 and the sprocket 74b rotate in the direction of arrow B1. The force that causes the sprocket 74b to rotate in the direction of arrow B1 is transmitted to the sprocket 78 via the chain 76, causing the sprockets 78 and 82 and the rotary shaft 80 to rotate in the direction of arrow B1. The force that causes the sprocket 82 to rotate in the direction of arrow B1 is transmitted to the sprocket 52b via the chain 84, causing the sprocket unit 52 to rotate in the direction of arrow B1. As a result, the axle 48b and the rear wheel 16b rotate in the direction of the arrow B1, and the electrically assisted vehicle 10 moves forward.

Even if the rotating shaft 68 is rotated in the direction of the arrow B2 by rotating the cranks 70a and 70b in the direction of the arrow B2 (see FIG. 2) via the pedals 72a and 72b, the sprocket 74b does not rotate. 76 and 84 do not move. This is because the one-way clutch 74 a is used for the sprocket unit 74. Thus, when the rotating shaft 68 is rotated in the direction of the arrow B2, troubles such as detachment of the chains 76 and 84 can be avoided by not moving the chains 76 and 84.

Further, when traveling on a downhill or the like and the rear wheel 16b and the axle 48b rotate in the arrow B1 direction without rotating the rotating shaft 68 in the arrow B1 direction (see FIG. 2), the sprocket 52b rotates. The chains 76 and 84 do not move. This is because the one-way clutch 52 a is used for the sprocket unit 52. This also avoids troubles such as the chains 76 and 84 coming off.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the head pipe 18 is connected to a subframe 86a that extends diagonally to the left and then extends obliquely downward to the rear, and a subframe 86b that extends to the right and then extends obliquely downward to the rear. Is done. The rear ends of the subframes 86a and 86b are connected to a protrusion 66a provided on the bearing member 66 so as to extend obliquely upward to the front.

In the main pipe 20, a secondary battery case 88 having an upper surface opening is provided in front of the rotation mechanism 64 and below the pair of subframes 86a and 86b. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a secondary battery 90 is arranged in the secondary battery case 88 so as to extend upward from between the subframes 86 a and 86 b. The secondary battery 90 is a nickel (Ni) -cadmium (Cd) battery or the like, and the electric power stored in the secondary battery 90 is used for driving the electric motors 40a and 40b.

A front car 92 is provided above the front wheel holding unit 34. The front car 92 is attached to an attachment member 94 extending obliquely upward from the upper end portion of the steering shaft 32 and an attachment member 96 extending upward from the upper plate 36a of the coupling member 36.

2 and 4, a rear car 98 is provided above the holding pipes 24a and 24b. The rear car 98 is attached to a substantially C-shaped attachment plate 100 (see FIG. 2) in a side view fixed to the seat pipe 22 and the reinforcing pipe 30 (see FIG. 4). The rear car 98 is also supported by stays 102a and 102b (see FIG. 4) provided on the holding pipes 24a and 24b.

As shown in FIG. 2, a control unit 104 for controlling the electric motors 40a and 40b and the electromagnetic brake units 50a and 50b is attached to the front surface of the rear car 98 via a mounting plate 100. A switch 106 for switching on / off of the electromagnetic brakes 50a, 50b is attached to the lower surface of the rear car 98.

If the above-mentioned on / off switch provided on the handle 46 is on (assist function is on), the control unit 104 detects the rotation of the rotary shaft 68 by a sensor (not shown) to turn the electric motors 40a and 40b on. Drive. The control unit 104 controls the electromagnetic brakes 50a and 50b so that the electrically assisted vehicle 10 does not exceed a predetermined speed (preferably 6 km / h). The electromagnetic brakes 50a and 50b also restrict the rotation of the rear wheels 16a and 16b when the switch 106 is turned on during parking or the like.

In Japan, the size of vehicles allowed to run on the sidewalk is regulated by the Road Traffic Act and Cabinet Office Ordinance. The size of such an electrically assisted vehicle 10 is set to a size that allows travel on a sidewalk in Japan (total length of 1200 mm or less, total height of 1090 mm or less, total width of 700 mm or less). Specifically, in this embodiment, the total length of the electrically assisted vehicle 10 is preferably set to 1185 mm, the overall height of the electrically assisted vehicle 10 is preferably set to 900 mm, and the overall width of the electrically assisted vehicle 10 is preferably set to 650 mm. .

In the electric assist vehicle 10 configured in this compact manner, the position of the rotating shaft 68 of the rotating mechanism 64 should be noted. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the position of the rotating shaft 68 in the front-rear direction is on the front side of the front end of the seat 58 and above the upper ends of the front wheels 14a and 14b (see FIGS. 1 and 2). A distance S1 in the front-rear direction between the center of the shaft 68 and the center of the front wheel 14a (14b) is smaller than a distance S2 in the front-rear direction between the center of the rotation shaft 68 and the center of the rear wheel 16a (16b). 3). Specifically, in this embodiment, the position of the rotating shaft 68 in the front-rear direction is set so that the interval S1 is preferably 365 mm and the interval S2 is preferably 560 mm. Further, the position of the rotary shaft 68 is such that the lowest position (lowermost position) of the rotation orbit O (indicated by a one-dot chain line in FIG. 1) of the crank 70a (70b) is substantially the same height as the center of the front wheel 14a (14b). Is set to be Further, the position of the rotation shaft 68 is set so that the entire rotation path O of the crank 70 a (70 b) is positioned in front of the front end of the seat 58. Furthermore, the position of the rotating shaft 68 is set above the center of the rear wheel 16a (16b).

It should be noted that the relationship between the distance between the centers of the pedals 72a and 72b in the left-right direction and the width of the front wheels 14a and 14b, and the distance between the centers of the pedals 72a and 72b and the width of the rear wheels 16a and 16b. Relationship. As shown in FIG. 3, the left-right distance W between the centers of the pedals 72a and 72b is set to be larger than the width W1 of the front wheels 14a and 14b and smaller than the width W2 of the rear wheels 16a and 16b. Specifically, in this embodiment, the interval W is preferably set to 315 mm, the width W1 is preferably set to 245 mm, and the width W2 is preferably set to 650 mm.

Further noteworthy are the relationship between the rotation radius of the crank 70a and the radius of the front wheel 14a, and the relationship between the rotation radius of the crank 70a and the radius of the rear wheel 16a. As shown in FIG. 1, the radius R1 of the front wheel 14a is set to be equal to or less than the rotation radius R of the crank 70a. Further, the radius R2 of the rear wheel 16a is set to be equal to or larger than the rotation radius R of the crank 70a. Specifically, in this embodiment, the turning radius R is preferably set to 127 mm, the radius R1 is preferably set to 100 mm, and the radius R2 is preferably set to 160 mm.

Needless to say, the relationship between the rotation radius of the crank 70b and the radius of the front wheel 14b and the relationship between the rotation radius of the crank 70b and the radius of the rear wheel 16b are the same.

According to such an electrically assisted vehicle 10, the rotation shaft 68 is disposed in front of the front end of the seat 58 and closer to the center of the front wheels 14 a and 14 b than the center of the rear wheels 16 a and 16 b, thereby achieving a compact size. Even if it is a structure, a passenger can rotate (revolve) the pedals 72a and 72b along the rotation track | orbit O (it shows with a dashed-dotted line in FIG. 1) of the cranks 70a and 70b with a comfortable attitude | position.

FIG. 6 is a side view illustrating the state of the left leg of the occupant when the pedal 72a is at the highest position (uppermost position). FIG. 7 is a side view illustrating the state of the left leg of the occupant when the pedal 72a is in the foremost position (frontmost position). FIG. 8 is a side view illustrating the state of the left leg of the occupant when the pedal 72a is at the lowest position (lowermost position). FIG. 9 is a side view illustrating the state of the left leg of the occupant when the pedal 72a is at the rearmost position (the rearmost position). 6 to 9, it can be seen that the passenger can bend the leg comfortably regardless of the position of the pedal 72a. That is, it can be seen that even if the configuration is compact, the passenger can rotate (revolve) the pedal 72a in a comfortable posture.
6 to 9 show only the left leg of the passenger, it goes without saying that the right leg moves similarly.

When the rotating mechanism 64 is used, the passenger uses the left leg from the state where the pedal 72a is in the lowest position (the state shown in FIG. 8) to the state where the pedal 72a is in the rearmost position (the state shown in FIG. 9). Thus, the pedal 72a is moved toward the torso side. The same applies to right leg exercises. Therefore, it is possible to maintain and restore not only the muscle strength for stretching the knee but also the muscle strength for bending the knee. Further, in order to rotate the pedals 72a and 72b along the tracks of the cranks 70a and 70b, ankle flexibility is required rather than a simple stepping motion. Therefore, it is possible to maintain and restore athletic ability from this point. In this way, even with a compact configuration that allows traveling on the sidewalk, the passenger can exercise with a comfortable posture, and the exercise ability of the passenger can be sufficiently maintained and recovered.

Further, by setting the position of the rotating shaft 68 above the center of the front wheels 14a and 14b, the distance S1 in the front-rear direction between the rotating shaft 68 and the front wheels 14a and 14b (see FIG. 1: 365 mm here) is reduced. Can be configured compactly. The distance S1 can also be reduced by setting the radius R1 of the front wheels 14a and 14b (see FIG. 1: 100 mm here) smaller than the rotation radius R of the cranks 70a and 70b (see FIG. 1: 127 mm here), which is compact. Can be configured.

FIG. 10 is an illustrative plan view showing the layout of the occupant's feet when the pedal 72a is in the foremost position and the pedal 72b is in the rearmost position. By setting the radius R1 of the front wheels 14a and 14b to be equal to or less than the rotation radius R of the cranks 70a and 70b, as shown in FIG. Interference between the foot (indicated by the alternate long and short dash line) and the front wheels 14a and 14b can be prevented.

The radius R2 of the rear wheels 16a and 16b (see FIG. 1: 160 mm here) is set larger than the rotational radius R of the cranks 70a and 70b (see FIG. 1: 127 mm here), so that the rear wheels 16a and 16b Driving force is increased, and driving performance can be improved.

When the position of the rotating shaft 68 is set above the upper ends of the front wheels 14a and 14b, the interval S1 can be made smaller and more compact. Moreover, even if it is a compact structure, interference with a passenger | crew's leg | foot and the front wheels 14a and 14b can be prevented more reliably.

By setting the position of the rotation shaft 68 so that the lowest position of the rotation track O is substantially the same height as the center of the front wheels 14a, 14b, the interval S1 can be made smaller and more compact. Moreover, even if it is a compact structure, interference with a passenger | crew's leg | foot and the front wheels 14a and 14b can be prevented more reliably.

By setting the position of the rotation shaft 68 so that the entire rotation track O is positioned in front of the front end of the seat 58, the passenger can follow the rotation track O in a more comfortable posture even in a compact configuration. The pedals 72a and 72b can be rotated.

By setting the position of the rotating shaft 68 above the center of the rear wheels 16a and 16b, the distance S2 in the front-rear direction between the rotating shaft 68 and the rear wheels 16a and 16b (see FIG. 1, 560 mm here) is reduced. Can be configured compactly. Moreover, even if it is a compact structure, interference with a passenger | crew's leg | leg and rear- wheel 16a, 16b can be prevented.

The distance W between the centers of the pedals 72a and 72b (see FIG. 3: 315 mm here) is set larger than the width W1 of the front wheels 14a and 14b (see FIG. 3: 245 mm here). Even if it is a structure, it can prevent that a passenger | crew's leg | foot and front- wheel 14a, 14b interfere. The distance W between the centers of the pedals 72a and 72b (refer to FIG. 3: 315 mm here) is set smaller than the width W2 of the rear wheels 16a and 16b (refer to FIG. 3: 650 mm here). Can be configured compactly.

By arranging the electric motors 40a and 40b between the front wheels 14a and 14b, it is possible to prevent other members and passengers from interfering with the electric motors 40a and 40b even if the configuration is compact.

By providing the front wheels 14a and 14b so as to be swingable in the vertical direction around the swing shaft 42, the followability of the front wheels 14a and 14b with respect to the road surface can be improved. Therefore, even if the front wheels 14a and 14b have a small diameter and the front wheels 14a and 14b have a small width, for example, the front wheels 14a or 14b can be prevented from floating during steering (turning), and the driving force can be reliably transmitted to the road surface. That is, traction (drive force transmission to the road surface) can be improved, and running performance can be improved.

In a compact configuration in which traveling on a sidewalk is permitted, the seat 58 is positioned above the rear wheels 16a and 16b, and weight distribution is rearward when the passenger is seated on the seat 58. Therefore, by providing the heavy secondary battery 90 on the frame 12 on the front side of the front end of the seat 58, the weight distribution can be made closer to the front and rear, and the running stability can be improved.

Travel performance can be improved by adopting a front and rear wheel drive system (four-wheel drive system) in which the front wheels 14a and 14b are driven by the electric motors 40a and 40b and the rear wheels 16a are driven by the passenger. In particular, by driving the front wheels 14a and 14b by the electric motors 40a and 40b, it becomes easy to get over the steps, and the traveling performance can be improved.

Note that the size of the electrically assisted vehicle of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. The size of the electrically assisted vehicle according to the present invention can be arbitrarily set as long as it is permitted to run on a sidewalk (total length is 1200 mm or less, overall height is 1090 mm or less, and overall width is 700 mm or less).

The position in the front-rear direction of the rotating shaft of the rotating mechanism is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the distance between the center of the rotating shaft and the center of the front wheel is smaller than the distance between the center of the rotating shaft and the center of the rear wheel. Can be set arbitrarily. In order for the passenger to move in a comfortable posture, the distance between the center of the rotation shaft and the center of the front wheel is desirably 0.8 times or less than the distance between the center of the rotation shaft and the center of the rear wheel.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the rotating shaft 68 is positioned above the upper ends of the front wheels 14a and 14b has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. The rotation shaft of the rotation mechanism only needs to be positioned above the center of the front wheel.

In the above-described embodiment, the description has been given of the case where the rotation shaft 68 is arranged so that the lowest position of the rotation track O is substantially the same height as the centers of the front wheels 14a and 14b, but the present invention is not limited to this. The rotation shaft of the rotation mechanism may be arranged so that the lowest position of the crank rotation trajectory is lower than the center of the front wheel.

In the above-described embodiment, the description has been given of the case where the rotation shaft 68 is disposed so that the entire rotation path O is positioned in front of the front end of the seat 58, but the present invention is not limited to this. The rotation shaft of the rotation mechanism may be arranged so that a part of the rotation track of the crank is located on the rear side of the front end of the seat.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the rotating shaft 68 is positioned above the center of the rear wheels 16a and 16b has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. The rotation shaft of the rotation mechanism may be located below the center of the rear wheel.

The rotation radius R of the cranks 70a and 70b, the radius R1 of the front wheels 14a and 14b, and the radius R2 of the rear wheels 16a and 16b are not limited to the above-described embodiment. The rotation radius R of the cranks 70a and 70b can be arbitrarily set within a range of preferably 115 mm to 165 mm. The radius R1 of the front wheels 14a, 14b can be arbitrarily set within a range of 75 mm to 125 mm, as long as it is equal to or less than the rotation radius R of the cranks 70a, 70b. The radius R2 of the rear wheels 16a, 16b can be arbitrarily set within the range of 130 mm to 200 mm, as long as it is greater than or equal to the rotation radius R of the cranks 70a, 70b.

The distance W between the centers of the pedals 72a and 72b, the width W1 of the front wheels 14a and 14b, and the width of the rear wheels 16a and 16b are not limited to the above-described embodiment. The distance W in the left-right direction between the centers of the pedals 72a and 72b can be arbitrarily set within a range of preferably 300 mm to 500 mm. The width W1 of the front wheels 14a, 14b can be arbitrarily set within a range of 200 mm to 300 mm, as long as it is smaller than the distance W in the left-right direction between the centers of the pedals 72a, 72b. The width W2 of the rear wheels 16a, 16b can be arbitrarily set within a range of 500 mm to 700 mm, as long as it is larger than the distance W in the left-right direction between the centers of the pedals 72a, 72b.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the width W1 of the front wheels 14a, 14b is smaller than the distance W between the centers of the pedals 72a, 72b has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. As indicated by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 3, the width of the front wheels 14a and 14b may be set to W1a which is larger than the left-right distance W between the centers of the pedals 72a and 72b. In this case, like a general front-wheel drive four-wheeled vehicle, the suspension / steering device having a support arm, a drive shaft, a tie rod, and the like can hold the front wheels 14a and 14b so that the front wheels 14a and 14b can be driven and their directions can be changed to the left and right. You just have to do it.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the front wheels 14a and 14b are driven by the electric motors 40a and 40b has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a pair of front wheels may be driven using one electric motor, or only one of the pair of front wheels may be driven using one electric motor.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where only the rear wheel 16b is rotated in accordance with the rotation of the rotating shaft 68 in the arrow B1 direction has been described, but the driving mode of the rear wheel is not limited to this. For example, the rear wheels 16a and 16b may be rotated by connecting the axles 48a and 48b. Further, the rear wheels 16a and 16b may be rotated by a transmission mechanism (shaft drive mechanism) using a shaft and a differential gear (differential gear mechanism).

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the electric motors 40a and 40b are arranged between the front wheels 14a and 14b has been described, but the arrangement mode of the electric motor is not limited to this. The electric motor can be arranged at an arbitrary position. In order to prevent interference between the electric motor and other members or passengers, it is desirable that at least a part of the electric motor is located between the pair of front wheels.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the cranks 70a and 70b are provided at the left end and the right end of the rotating shaft 68 has been described, but the positions of the pair of cranks are not limited to this. The left crank may be provided slightly to the right of the left end of the rotation shaft, and the right crank may be provided to the left of the right end of the rotation shaft.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the front wheels 14a and 14b are arranged at the front end of the frame 12 has been described, but the position of the pair of front wheels is not limited thereto. The pair of front wheels may be disposed slightly rearward from the front end of the frame.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the rear wheels 16a and 16b are arranged at the rear end of the frame 12 has been described, but the position of the pair of rear wheels is not limited to this. The pair of rear wheels may be disposed slightly forward of the rear end of the frame.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it is apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. The scope of the invention is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims (10)

1. An electric assist vehicle of a size that is allowed to run on the sidewalk,
   A frame extending in the front-rear direction;
   A pair of front wheels arranged side by side in the left-right direction at the front of the frame;
   A pair of rear wheels arranged side by side in the left-right direction at the rear of the frame;
   A seat provided on the frame between the pair of front wheels and the pair of rear wheels;
   In order to drive at least one of the pair of rear wheels, a rotation shaft provided in the frame so as to extend in the left-right direction, a direction of the rotation shaft extending in a direction substantially orthogonal to the rotation shaft and in a direction opposite to each other. A rotating mechanism including a pair of cranks provided on both sides and a pair of pedals attached to one and the other of the pair of cranks;
   An electric motor that drives at least one of the pair of front wheels,
   The radius of the front wheel is set to be equal to or less than the rotation radius of the crank,
   The position of the rotation shaft is in front of the front end of the seat and above the center of the front wheel, and the distance between the center of the rotation shaft and the center of the front wheel is the center of the rotation shaft and the center of the rotation shaft. An electrically assisted vehicle that is set to be smaller than the distance in the front-rear direction from the center of the rear wheel.
2. The electric assist vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a radius of the rear wheel is set to be equal to or larger than a rotation radius of the crank.
3. The electric assist vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a position of the rotation shaft is set above an upper end of the front wheel.
4. 4. The electrically assisted vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the position of the rotation shaft is set so that a lowest position of a rotation trajectory of the crank is substantially the same height as a center of the front wheel.
5. 2. The electrically assisted vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the position of the rotation shaft is set such that the entire rotation path of the crank is positioned in front of the front end of the seat.
6. The electric assist vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the position of the rotation shaft is set above the center of the rear wheel.
7. 2. The electrically assisted vehicle according to claim 1, wherein an interval in a left-right direction between centers of the pair of pedals is set to be larger than a width of the pair of front wheels and smaller than a width of the pair of rear wheels.
8. The electric assist vehicle according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the electric motor is disposed between the pair of front wheels.
9. 2. The electrically assisted vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a front wheel holding unit that holds the pair of front wheels so as to be swingable in a vertical direction about a swing shaft.
10. The electric assist vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a secondary battery that is provided in the frame at a front side of a front end of the seat and stores electric power supplied to the electric motor.

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