WO2021137203A1

WO2021137203A1 - Pod vehicle

Info

Publication number: WO2021137203A1
Application number: PCT/IB2021/051670
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ho Keung Tse
Original assignee: Ho Keung Tse
Priority date: 2020-03-01
Filing date: 2021-03-01
Publication date: 2021-07-08
Also published as: CN116133906A; WO2021137069A1; AU2020416664A1; JP2023521548A; JP3242228U

Abstract

A vehicle with a pod separable from a chassis therein, and it has a control system which causes the pod to be detached from the chassis, and further, to move the pod partly or completely out of the vehicle, in hazard escaping or pod transfer. Thereafter, the control system activates a device for preventing another vehicle from intruding into the chassis.

Description

Pod Vehicle

Cross Reference To Related Applications

This patent document claims priority to UK patent application GB2007051.2 and PCT application PCT/IB2020/061837 (“the prior applications”), and their entire content is incorporated by reference as part of the disclosure of this patent document. And, if there is a deviation in this patent document from their entire content, it should be considered as a more desirable alternative over a less desirable but acceptable one.

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a vehicle, and particularly, to a vehicle with a separable pod for carrying humans or goods.

Brief Description of the Invention

Conventionally, passengers in a vehicle are protected by airbags in a collision, however, serious injuries, or losses of lives/properties are still unavoidable.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a better protection, by separating and protecting a pod which is used for carrying humans or goods, from a chassis of a vehicle, in an accident. It is therefore another object of the present invention to enable the pod to be moved away from the chassis, in an accident or pod transfer.

Brief Description of the Drawings

FIG.1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle, with a pod separable from a chassis therein.

FIG.2 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle, with a support plane 4 for raising up a pod thereon.

FIG.3 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle with a battery pack 7.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle with a battery pack 7 being raised up from the chassis bottom 8, by a support plane 4.

Note that the above figures may not be in proportional, and for instance, in Fig.1 , the gaps between the pod and the chassis are greatly exaggerated to avoid confusion.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiments

According to the present invention and referring to Fig.1 , in the present vehicle, a pod is detachably secured to a chassis directly or indirectly, by an attachment device which may be a multi-point electro-mechanical locking system.

When a hazard detector under control of a control system, detects or anticipates a hazard which may be a collision, or a fire takes place on the chassis, the control system causes the attachment device to detach the pod (“detached pod”) from the chassis.

Note that the control system may be any conventional computing system comprising one or more than one processing units installed in the chassis or the pod, or partly in the chassis and partly in the pod, or partly or completely cloud based.

According to the first embodiment, referring to Fig. 2, the control system enables horizontal (i.e. , lateral and/or longitudinal) movement of the detached pod on support plane 4, by causing support plane 4 to be raised up by telescopic driving devices 5, from the chassis floor, to a level above any upward protruding part above the chassis floor (if cushions 6 are not inflated to raised up the pod, otherwise a lower level would be acceptable).

Then, the control system causes the pod to escape or move away from a collision impact, in a direction according to the information of a collision provided by the hazard detector.

The driving mechanisms as disclosed by the “prior applications”, or any conventional driving mechanisms, can be used for raising up support plane 4 and moving the pod horizontally.

The present vehicle may not have support plane 4. Referring to Fig.1 , the vehicle has an upward protruding head 1 and tail 2, and if without support plane 4, the pod can only be moved laterally.

The present vehicle may have a flat surface skateboard chassis instead, and the road-running wheels will be the only upward protruding parts, unless their diameters specially designed to be reduced and/or they are attached to the chassis at a very low level, and if so, support plane 4 is not necessary.

The support plane 4 may be replaced with cushion device(s) disposed in the chassis, which if caused to be inflated by the control system, will occupy a space above the chassis floor, for pushing up the detached pod, as disclosed by the “prior applications”.

According to the second embodiment, referring to Fig.2, cushions 6 which may be conventional airbags, are disposed in the pod and when inflated, will occupy a space below the pod.

In hazard escaping, cushions 6 may be inflated by a specific signal from the control system, when the pod is caused to move out of the chassis, by the above-mentioned driving mechanisms and/or an external impact. Specifically, the control system determines or continuously determines, before the detached pod is dropped from the chassis floor 3 (or support plane 4 instead, if it exists), and hits ground, which part of the pod has been moved out of the chassis, and accordingly, causing those cushions 6 for protecting the surface(s) of the bottom of the moved-out part, which may not be inflated at all, or partially/partly inflated before being moved out, to be all inflated to their full extent, or full operational extent. The control system may use any traditional methods, such as laser distance sensors, for determining the position of the pod relative to the chassis, thereby determining which part being moved out.

As an alternative, a conventional free fall detection device (U.S. patent 9,076,471 is incorporated herein by reference, it provides illustrative, non limiting examples) may be used to detect the free fall of the pod from the chassis, and issue a free fall signal to the control system, which in response thereto, causes cushions 6 for protecting the bottom of the moved out part (and the part not being moved out yet, alternatively), to be inflated to their full extent, or full operational extent, in the above-mentioned manner.

According to the third embodiment, in hazard escaping, the control system will cause the detached pod to make a preferred manner of movement, which may involve, raising up and/or tilting the pod with support plane 4, if it exists, and/or moving the pod horizontally, and/or starting the movement sooner or later.

And, the control system determines a manner of movement for the pod as preferred, if it would lead to a lesser loss, (including loss of lives, and/or loss of properties, and/or injuries, etc.), when compared with what loss would be resulted if making no movement of the pod.

Desirably, the control system should find the preferred manner of movement, out of more than one possible manners, for e.g., moving the pod partly or completely out of the chassis, laterally and/or longitudinally, through comparisons of their respective anticipated losses. The more possible manners, and the more comparisons done, the better. The preferred manner of movement may be no movement.

As an improvement, the preferred manner of movement may require the vehicle to move, by, for e.g., autonomous driving. Specifically, the preferred manner of movement may require the vehicle to decelerate to a lower speed, and/or has reached a new position, before the pod may be detached from the chassis, and may similarly also require the vehicle to decelerate to that slower speed and/or move to that new position, or to decelerate to an even lower speed and/or has further reached another new position, before the pod may be caused to move partly or completely out of the chassis, for reasons such as, avoiding the pod from impacting or being impacted by an external object.

In order to determine the above-mentioned losses, the control system is capable of detecting and identifying objects external to the present vehicle, such as, human beings, animals, vehicles, on the adjacent path, lane, nearby areas, or the like, and may include techniques used in conventional lane change assist and/or autonomous driving, for achieving this capability.

According to a fourth embodiment, there are barrier plate(s) hinged to one or more than one sides of the chassis floor 3 (or support plane 4 instead, if exists), under control of the control system, and can be moved from a horizontal or vertical down position, that is, non-barrier position, for allowing horizontal pod movement, to a vertical up position, that is, barrier position, for preventing horizontal pod movement, by using conventional techniques, for instance, power operated car tailgate techniques, and U.S. patent 6,357,813 is incorporated herein by reference, as illustrative, non-limiting examples.

In hazard escaping or pod transfer, the control system selectively cause the barrier plate(s) to be in the barrier position, to prevent the pod from moving to unpreferred direction(s) inadvertently, by an external impact or the like.

The control system may further cause cushion(s) for protecting the side(s) of the pod facing the erected barrier plate(s), to be inflated, to prevent the pod from crashing against the barrier plate(s). The cushion(s) may be disposed in the pod or barrier plate(s).

The above-mentioned innovative approach for determining the preferred manner of movement, is also used for determining the unpreferred direction(s), that is, the movement direction(s) which would lead to a greater loss. Alternatively, the unpreferred direction(s) may simply be the direction(s) which would lead the pod to face the detected/anticipated impact directly or more directly.

Note also that the barrier plates can be replaced with other conventional controllable barriers. And with such barriers, the above-mentioned driving mechanism for moving the pod horizontally in hazard escaping becomes not very necessary, can be eliminated to save costs, but it is still desirable.

According to a fifth embodiment, any pod movement caused by an external impact and/or the above-mentioned driving mechanism(s), will leave a space in the chassis which originally occupied by the pod itself when detachably secured to the chassis. The control system determines the dimensions of the space so left, or the space currently occupied by the pod, by using the above-mentioned technique for determination of pod position relative to the chassis, or by using a pressure sensor to detect if the pod is moved completely out of the chassis, then causes conventional devices for preventing an external object, such as, another vehicle, from intruding into a vehicle (may also include the above- mentioned barrier plate(s), support plane 4, telescopic driving devices 5, with or without attaching or connectiing with additional impact resisting/absorbing material and/or structure.), to extend/move to a position such that they occupy partly or completely of the space left, or even extend/move outside the vehicle, but cannot extend/move into the space currently occupied by the pod, as this will cause a crash with the pod.

As an alternative, telescopic driving devices which may not be telescopic driving devices 5, may be under internal pressure by pressurized fluid (or by spring action), and therefore whenever the pod is moved away and leaves a space, those telescopic driving devices disposed surrounding the space will automatically be extended into the space by the pressurized fluid.

The fluid pressurizing device is supplied by a fluid pressurizing device under control of the control system, or a container storing pre-pressurized fluid.

As another alternative, support plane 4 may be replaced by a truss of similar dimension (alternatively, frame structure). The support plane 4 or the truss, if being raised up from its lowest level, that is, chassis floor level, to a higher level, would better occupy the space originally occupied by the pod, and will better prevent intrusion by another vehicle.

According to a sixth embodiment, the control system determines if the present vehicle is carrying a pod, by means of the above-mentioned pressure sensor or any other conventional techniques, and if the pod is not there, then the control system will cause the above-mentioned intrusion prevention device(s), or a part thereof, to be activated or to move/extend to a predetermined position. The determination would be unnecessary if the control system itself causes the pod to move out of the present vehicle.

Desirably, the control system has sensors which may be a conventional movement/position detector for determining if the intrusion prevention device(s) is functioning normally, by directly or indirectly detecting if the intrusion prevention device(s), or a part thereof, has moved/extended to the predetermined position. For one instance, a device for detecting the physical position of the intrusion prevention device(s), or a part thereof. For another instance, an electromechanical lock dedicated for locking the intrusion prevention device(s), or a part thereof, in its position when it moves/extends to the predetermined position, and for sending a signal to the control system indicating whether the device(s) is successfully locked or not.

Alternatively, as by visual inspection, one can know if the intrusion prevention device(s), or a part thereof, has moved/extended to the predetermined position, therefore a input device associated with the control system, may be used for receiving user input for indicating the intrusion prevention device(s) is functioning normally or not.

If the intrusion prevention device(s) is determined as not functioning normally, when the present vehicle is travelling from one place to a destination, the control system will drive the present vehicle at a speed, lower than the speed would be permitted if the intrusion prevention device(s) functions normally, to a nearby parking location, if such a location is available, otherwise to the destination.

On the other hand, if the control system receives a request for driving (autonomous or non- autonomous), but the intrusion prevention device(s) is determined as not functioning normally, the control system may deny the request or drive autonomously at the speed or another speed below the permitted speed. Alternatively, the control system may be disabled from receiving such requests directly or indirectly, if the intrusion prevention device(s) is determined as not functioning normally.

The control system will also issue a warning signal to request for a repair, and/or to alert other nearby vehicles of the potential risk. The signal includes information for identifying the present vehicle, such as its position, and information related to the abnormal function of the intrusion prevention device. The information may desirably include information related to speed, direction of the present vehicle, and/or information indicative of what danger may be involved, such as the present vehicle has an oil tank or battery pack on the chassis bottom, and an intrusion may cause an explosion.

According to the seventh embodiment, in pod transfer, a pod is caused to move horizontally, into/out of support plane 4 of the present vehicle which being raised up to a level above at least one upward protruding part, in the above-mentioned manner as disclosed in the first embodiment, to an adjacent platform.

The adjacent platform may be another vehicle with a support plane 4, being raised up to substantially the same level.

The control system of the pod receiver platform will cause its support plane 4 to lower the transferred pod to chassis floor level, and detachably secured the pod to the chassis directly or indirectly by an attachment device.

The movement of pod is under control of the control system of the pod transferor or receiver platform, or both control systems in a cooperative manner.

According to the eighth embodiment, the present vehicle has a battery pack 7, desirably partly or wholly embedded in the chassis bottom 8 for space saving, refer to Fig.3.

And, the control system has a sensor (not shown in Fig.3, 4), which may be a LIDAR, a camera and/or a shock detector for detecting if the chassis bottom is/will be hit by an obstacle below it, which may be a rock on a road.

If such an obstacle is detected, the control system causes support plane 4 to be raised up, and thereby, raising up battery pack 7 detachably secured to the lower surface of support plane 4, to a height which would prevent or at least reduce the damage on battery pack 7, refer to Fig.4.

The height should be determined according to the size and/or height of the obstacle detected, if such information is available.

After the present vehicle has passed over the obstacle, the control system causes support plane 4 to be lowered to chassis floor level. Note that the pod is detachably secured to the chassis indirectly, that is, detachably secured to support plane 4, which is connected with the chassis, throughout the process.

It should be noted that the above embodiments/examples/alternatives are given by way of examples only, and it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications on any one or any combination of them, may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

What is claimed is :

1. An apparatus for use in a land vehicle capable of carrying a separable part, and if being so carried, said separable part is being laid on a support part of said vehicle at a comparatively low level, and is detachably secured to said vehicle, comprising : means for resisting/absorbing an impact; control means for activating said means for resisting/absorbing an impact, if said vehicle is not carrying said separable part.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein further comprising means for determining if said vehicle is not carrying said separable part.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said control means also being for ; and thereafter, said control means automatically performs said activation of said means for resisting/absorbing an impact.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein further comprising means for determining if said means for resisting/absorbing an impact is functioning normally after said activation, by detecting directly or indirectly if said at least a part of said means for resisting/absorbing an impact has moved or extended to a position; or means for receiving user determination as to whether after said activation, said means for resisting/absorbing an impact is functioning normally.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein further comprising: means for receiving a request for driving said vehicle autonomously, or by a human driver, and for accepting said request if said means for resisting/absorbing an impact is determined as functioning normally, otherwise denying said request, or driving said vehicle autonomously at a speed, lower than a speed would be permitted if said means for resisting/absorbing an impact is determined as functioning normally; or means for disabling a means for receiving a request for driving said vehicle autonomously, or by a human driver, if said means for resisting/absorbing an impact is determined as not functioning normally.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein further comprising driving means for driving said vehicle autonomously, and for driving said vehicle at a higher speed if said means for resisting/absorbing an impact is determined as functioning normally, and for driving said vehicle at a lower speed if otherwise.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said driving means drives said vehicle to a nearby parking location, instead of a farther away destination, if said means for resisting/absorbing an impact is determined as not functioning normally.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein further comprising means for issuing a signal to draw external attention, if said means for resisting/absorbing an impact is determined as not functioning normally.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said signal including an identity of said vehicle and information related to said abnormal function of said intrusion prevention device.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said signal including information of a hazard may be caused by an external intrusion by another vehicle.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein further comprising means for raising said support part to a comparatively high level; wherein said means for resisting/absorbing an impact comprising said support part and said means for raising said support part.

12. An apparatus for use in a land vehicle capable of carrying a separable part, and if being so carried, said separable part is being laid on a support part of said vehicle at a comparatively low level, and is detachably secured to said vehicle, comprising : raising means for raising up said support part; control means for, if said vehicle is not carrying said separable part, causing said raising means to raise up said support part to a comparatively high level, for preventing another vehicle from intruding into said vehicle.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein further comprising means for determining if said vehicle is not carrying said separable part.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said control means also being for causing said separable part to move out of said vehicle; and thereafter, said control means automatically performs said activation of said means for resisting/absorbing an impact.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said support part is being attached or connected with additional impact resisting/absorbing material and/or structure.

16. An apparatus for use in a land vehicle, said vehicle has a separable part, and said separable part is being laid on a support part of said vehicle at a comparatively low level, and is detachably secured to said vehicle, comprising : means for detecting a hazard event or an imminent hazard event involving said vehicle ; detaching means for causing said separable part to be detached from said vehicle, if said hazard event or imminent hazard event is detected; means for resisting/absorbing an impact; control means for causing at least a part of said means for resisting/absorbing an impact to move or extend into at least a part of a first space left by movement of said separable part, and/or a second space outside said vehicle, but not a third space currently occupied by said separable part which may have moved partly outside said vehicle, and thereby preventing another vehicle from intruding into said vehicle.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein said control means comprising first means for detecting if said separable part is being moved out of said vehicle completely, and/or second means for determining position of said separable part relative to said vehicle; wherein basing on result obtained from said first means and/or said second means, said control means determines dimensions of said first space and/or said third space.

18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein further comprising means for raising said support part to a comparatively high level; wherein said means for resisting/absorbing an impact comprising said support part and said means for raising said support part.

19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein said means for resisting/absorbing an impact being operated under an internal pressure for automatically moving into said at least a part of first space.

20. An apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein said control means also being for causing/enabling a pressurizing means for providing said internal pressure, if said hazard event or imminent hazard event is detected.

21. An apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein said movement of said separable part is caused by a means of said apparatus and/or a collision impact, directly or indirectly; and wherein said hazard event or imminent hazard event is a fire and/or a collision.

22. A land vehicle comprising the apparatus as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 21.