Tipping safety device for electric locomotives

Abstract

This invention relates to a tipping safety device for electric motorcycles, comprising a first controller, a second controller, and a motor controller. The first controller receives at least one of a wheel speed signal, a vehicle speed signal, or a motor speed signal. The second controller provides a tipping signal to the first controller when it determines that the electric motorcycle is tipping. When the first controller receives the tipping signal and determines that the electric motorcycle is still being ridden based on the wheel speed signal, the vehicle speed signal, or the motor speed signal, the first controller ignores the tipping signal to avoid misjudging a tipping and causing a traffic accident. When the first controller receives the tipping signal and determines that the electric motorcycle is not being ridden, the first controller does not send a torque command to the motor controller, and the motor controller cuts off the power to the motor, causing the motor to stop operating, thereby ensuring driving safety.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a control technology for electric motor vehicles, and more particularly to a device that automatically controls the electric motor vehicle to perform a safety response operation when it is determined that the electric motor vehicle has tipped over. Prior Technology

[0002] To meet the design concept of intelligent electric motorcycles, the intelligent control functions of existing electric motorcycles are increasingly being added, including multi-faceted protection mechanisms such as power protection, battery temperature protection, and vehicle anti-theft protection. One of these is a tipping power-off protection mechanism designed for situations where the vehicle tipps over. This mechanism works by immediately cutting off power to the motor upon receiving a tipping signal. The purpose of this protection is to prevent secondary accidents caused by the user accidentally activating the handlebars while the motorcycle is still running after it has tipped over, potentially causing the vehicle to lurch forward or lurch violently. Therefore, this tipping power-off protection prevents such secondary accidents.

[0003] However, if the electric motorcycle is not accidentally tipped over, such as when the vehicle is tilted while turning or the tilt sensor is malfunctioning, and the electric motorcycle's controller still automatically cuts off the motor power immediately upon receiving a tipping signal, the entire vehicle will lose power and cause a driving accident because the electric motorcycle is still being ridden. Summary of the Invention

[0004] [The technical problem that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] The existing tilting power-off protection mechanism immediately stops the motor when a tilting signal is detected while the user is riding the electric motorcycle, causing the vehicle to lose power and become difficult to control, which may lead to a traffic accident. The main purpose of this invention is to provide a "tilting safety device for electric motorcycles" that can take into account the current state of the electric motorcycle as a whole and avoid inappropriate motor power-off, so as to protect the safety of the rider and other road users.

[0006] [Technical means to solve the problem]

[0007] To achieve the aforementioned objectives, the "tipping safety device for electric locomotives" proposed in this invention includes:

[0008] A first controller receives at least one of the following: a wheel speed signal, a vehicle speed signal, or a motor speed signal of the electric locomotive;

[0009] A second controller, connected to the first controller, provides a tipping signal to the first controller when it is determined that the electric locomotive has tipped over;

[0010] A motor controller is connected to the first controller and one of the motors of the electric locomotive, and provides the motor speed signal to the first controller; wherein,

[0011] When the first controller receives the tipping signal and determines that the wheel speed signal is greater than a preset wheel speed value, the vehicle speed signal is greater than a preset vehicle speed value, or the motor speed signal is greater than a preset motor speed value, the first controller ignores the tipping signal.

[0012] When the first controller receives the tilting signal and determines that the wheel speed signal is not greater than the preset wheel speed value, the vehicle speed signal is not greater than the preset vehicle speed value, or the motor speed signal is not greater than the preset motor speed value, the first controller executes a safety mode. In this safety mode, the first controller does not send a torque command to the motor controller, and the motor controller cuts off the power to the motor, causing the motor to stop running.

[0013] The present invention further proposes a "tipping safety device for electric locomotives", comprising:

[0014] An integrated controller receives at least one of a wheel speed signal, a vehicle speed signal, or a motor speed signal from the electric motor vehicle, and sets a tilting flag from a first state to a second state when it is determined that the electric motor vehicle is tilted. A motor controller is connected to the integrated controller and one of the motors of the electric locomotive, and provides the motor speed signal to the integrated controller; wherein, When the tipping flag is in the second state, and the integrated controller determines that the wheel speed signal is greater than a preset wheel speed value, the vehicle speed signal is greater than a preset vehicle speed value, or the motor speed signal is greater than a preset motor speed value, the integrated controller ignores the tipping flag.

[0015] When the tilting flag is in the second state, and the integrated controller determines that the wheel speed signal is not greater than the preset wheel speed value, the vehicle speed signal is not greater than the preset vehicle speed value, or the motor speed signal is not greater than the preset motor speed value, the integrated controller executes a safety mode. The safety mode is that the integrated controller does not send a torque command to the motor controller, and the motor controller cuts off the power to the motor, causing the motor to stop running.

[0016] [Benefits of the Invention]

[0017] This invention, upon determining that an electric motorcycle has tipped over, further determines whether the wheel speed signal, vehicle speed signal, or motor speed signal meets preset conditions to confirm whether the vehicle is not in a stationary state. If it is not in a stationary state, the power to the entire vehicle will not be cut off to prevent accidents such as rear-end collisions, thereby protecting the safety of the rider and other riders. Conversely, if the wheel speed signal, vehicle speed signal, or motor speed signal meets the preset conditions, the power to the electric motorcycle will be cut off. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0018] Figure 1: Circuit block diagram of the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2: Circuit block diagram of the second embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3: Circuit block diagram of the third embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4: Schematic diagram of the tilt sensor of the present invention detecting the tilt angle θ of one of the electric locomotives. Figure 5: Schematic diagram of the installation position of one of the second controllers of the present invention. Figure 6: Schematic diagram of another installation position of the second controller of the present invention. Implementation

[0019] Please refer to Figure 1, which is a circuit block diagram of the first embodiment of the "tipping safety device for electric locomotives" of the present invention. It includes a first controller 10, a second controller 20, and a motor controller 30, wherein the first controller 10 is electrically connected to the second controller 20 and the motor controller 30.

[0020] The first controller 10 is the vehicle control unit (VCU) of the electric locomotive, but is not limited thereto; the first controller 10 may also be an independent controller. The first controller 10 receives at least one of a wheel speed signal S1, a vehicle speed signal S2, or a motor speed signal S3.

[0021] The wheel speed signal S1 can be provided to the first controller 10 by one of the wheel speed sensors 40 of the electric locomotive.

[0022] The vehicle speed signal S2 can be provided to the first controller 10 by one of the instruments 50 of the electric locomotive. The instrument 50 is connected to the wheel speed sensor 40. The instrument 50 calculates a corresponding vehicle speed value based on the wheel speed signal S1, thereby generating the vehicle speed signal S2 to the first controller 10.

[0023] According to another embodiment of Figure 2, after receiving the wheel speed signal S1, the instrument 50 not only calculates the vehicle speed signal S2 based on the wheel speed signal S1, but also outputs the wheel speed signal S1 to the first controller 10.

[0024] In the third embodiment of Figure 3, the first controller 10 receives the wheel speed signal S1 and the vehicle speed signal S2 from the anti-lock braking system (ABS) controller 60 of the electric motor vehicle. The anti-lock braking system controller 60 is connected to the wheel speed sensor 40 to receive the wheel speed signal S1 and calculates a corresponding vehicle speed value based on the wheel speed signal S1, thereby generating the vehicle speed signal S2.

[0025] The motor controller 30 is responsible for controlling one of the motors 32 of the electric locomotive and provides the motor speed signal S3 to the first controller 10.

[0026] The second controller 20 can be integrated into the first controller 10 to form an integrated controller, that is, the integrated controller can perform the functions described in the first controller 10 and the second controller 20 of this invention. Alternatively, the second controller 20 can be a separate controller, separately configured from the first controller 10 and electrically connected to it via wiring. The second controller 20 includes a microprocessor 21, a tilt sensor 22, and a Bluetooth module 23, wherein the microprocessor 21 is connected to the tilt sensor 22 and the Bluetooth module 23.

[0027] The tilt sensor 22 is used to detect a tilt angle θ of the electric motor vehicle. The tilt sensor 22 can be implemented by an acceleration sensor (G sensor), but is not limited thereto. Referring to Figure 4, when detecting the tilt angle θ of the electric motor vehicle, a reference line L1 perpendicular to the ground G is used as the reference for determining the tilt angle θ. The angle between the reference line L1 and a central axis L2 of the electric motor vehicle is the tilt angle θ.

[0028] Regarding the installation location of the second controller 20, please refer to one embodiment shown in Figure 5. The second controller 20 is located between one of the front panels and one of the rear panels of the electric locomotive. The second controller 20 is connected to one of the head tubes 102 of the electric locomotive via a bracket 101. In this way, the second controller 20 is relatively close to the center of the vehicle body, and the tilt angle θ measured by the tilt sensor 22 can better represent the overall tilt degree of the electric locomotive. At the same time, the work of adjusting the tilt sensor 22 can also be reduced.

[0029] Figure 6 shows another installation location of the second controller 20, which is located inside the central cover 103 of one of the electric locomotives. This installation location is below the front end of the seat cushion and is also relatively close to the center of the vehicle body.

[0030] The microprocessor 21 receives the tilt angle θ detected by the tilt sensor 22 and compares it with a preset tilt angle value. When the tilt angle θ is greater than the preset tilt angle value, it determines that the electric motorcycle is in a tilted state and sends a tilt signal S4 to the first controller 10. The preset tilt angle value can be a preset fixed value, such as 35.2 degrees; or a lookup value obtained from a table based on vehicle speed. The faster the vehicle speed, the smaller the lookup value. Specifically, when the microprocessor 21 determines that the electric motorcycle is in a tilted state, it sets an internal flag from a first state to a second state. For example, the flag is set from the first state "0" to the second state "1". The flag used to indicate whether the electric motorcycle is tilted can be defined as a tilt flag.

[0031] The Bluetooth module 23 is used for bidirectional Bluetooth communication with an external mobile device 70, which is a device pre-paired with the electric motorcycle, such as the electric motorcycle driver's mobile phone. An application (APP) is installed inside the mobile device 70, through which it can communicate with the second controller 20 to transmit information. In addition to the Bluetooth module 23, the second controller 20 may also include a mobile communication module, such as a Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication module. Through this mobile communication module, the second controller 20 can directly establish communication with a remote device and transmit messages to that remote device.

[0032] After receiving the tilt signal S4, the first controller 10 of the present invention further confirms whether the vehicle is not in a stationary state based on at least one of the wheel speed signal S1, the vehicle speed signal S2, or the motor speed signal S3 in order to prevent misjudgment, and then selects one of the following driving mode or safety mode to operate, as detailed below.

[0033] [Continue Mode]

[0034] When the first controller 10 receives the tilt signal S4, indicating that the electric motorcycle has tipped over, it will make an auxiliary judgment based on at least one of the wheel speed signal S1, the vehicle speed signal S2, or the motor speed signal S3. If the first controller 10 determines that the wheel speed signal S1 is greater than a preset wheel speed value (e.g., 10 km / h), the vehicle speed signal S2 is greater than a preset vehicle speed value (e.g., 10 km / h), or the motor speed signal S3 is greater than a preset motor speed value (e.g., 1000 rpm), it means that the electric motorcycle is still being ridden. The first controller 10 will ignore the tilt signal S4 and will send a torque command to the motor controller 30 based on the user's operation of the handlebars, causing the motor controller 30 to normally control the operation of the electric motorcycle's motor 32. In this way, the electric motorcycle continues to be controlled by the user and is ridden normally, avoiding the accidental loss of power due to misjudging the vehicle as tipped over, which could lead to rear-end collisions and other accidents, thus protecting the safety of the rider and other riders.

[0035] [Safe Mode]

[0036] On the other hand, if the first controller 10 determines that the wheel speed signal S1 is not greater than the preset wheel speed value, the vehicle speed signal S2 is not greater than the preset vehicle speed value, or the motor speed signal S3 is not greater than the preset motor speed value (such as 1000 rpm), it means that the vehicle has tipped over and is close to being stationary. The first controller 10 executes a safety mode, in which the first controller 10 will not send torque commands to the motor controller 30. Even if the rider accidentally turns the handlebars, no torque command will be generated to prevent secondary accidents of the electric motorcycle. The motor controller 30 will also disconnect the power to the motor 32, causing the motor 32 to stop running.

[0037] According to a preferred embodiment, when the first controller 10 determines that the vehicle has tipped over and is nearly stationary, the second controller 20 sends an accident notification message to the application of the mobile device 70 via the Bluetooth module 23, notifying the owner of the mobile device 70 that a vehicle tipping accident has occurred. For example, if the vehicle tipped over due to being hit by another vehicle or object while parked, the mobile device 70 can receive the accident notification message, and the vehicle owner located remotely can immediately know the vehicle's status.

[0038] In another embodiment, after receiving the accident notification message, the application of the mobile device 70 sends a notification message to a remote device 80 or a cloud server 90. The remote device 80 is a mobile device of an emergency contact set in the application, such as a family member or friend of the vehicle owner. The remote device 80 can be a tablet, laptop, or wearable device, etc. When the electric motorcycle overturns, the emergency contact can be notified immediately. If the mobile device 70 sends the notification message to the cloud server 90, the cloud server 90 can record the overturning accident for future reference by the user.

[0039] In one embodiment, when the first controller 10 executes the safety mode, the first controller 10 controls the instrument 50 to display a tipping warning message and start a countdown to prompt the user to prevent a tipping event. The tipping warning message can be a symbol, text, or a dynamic pattern. When the user switches the main switch (power switch) of the electric motorcycle from the original on state (key on) to the off state (key off) within the countdown time, that is, when the power supply of the whole vehicle is switched from on to off, the instrument 50 will turn off the display of the tipping warning message and stop the countdown; otherwise, if the main switch (power switch) of the electric motorcycle is not switched to the off state (key off) after the countdown, the instrument 50 will continue to display the tipping warning message.

[0040] In one embodiment, when the first controller 10 executes the safety mode, the user can right the electric motorcycle from its tilted position while it is still in the key-on state, and operate a button on the instrument panel 50 to clear the tilt flag inside the second controller 20, restoring the tilt flag from the second state to the first state before restarting the motor 32. By clearing the tilt flag before allowing the user to restart the motor 32, the safety of starting the motorcycle can be improved.

[0041] In another embodiment, after the vehicle has tipped over and the motor 32 has stopped operating, the user switches the main switch (power switch) of the electric motorcycle from the key-on state to the key-off state, rights the electric motorcycle from the tipped-over state, and then switches the electric motorcycle back to the key-on state, that is, the power of the entire vehicle is switched on. The user then operates a button on the instrument panel 50 to clear the tipped-over flag on the second controller 20, restoring the tipped-over flag from the second state to the first state, before the motor 32 can be restarted. By clearing the tipped-over flag before allowing the user to restart the motor 32, safety when starting the motorcycle can be improved.

[0042] In another embodiment, when the vehicle has tipped over and the motor 32 has stopped running, if the electric motor vehicle switches from the off state (key off) to the on state (key on), the second controller 20 transmits the battery status information of the electric motor vehicle to the mobile device 70 to remind the user whether the battery has become abnormal due to the tipping accident.

[0043] In the implementation of this integrated controller, the functions described in the first controller 10 and the second controller 20 of this invention can be performed. For example:

[0044] 1. When the safety mode is executed, the integrated controller controls the instrument 50 to display a tipping warning message and start a countdown. During the countdown, if the user switches the power of the electric motor vehicle from an on state to an off state, the instrument 50 will turn off the display of the tipping warning message and stop the countdown.

[0045] 2. In another embodiment, when the integrated controller executes the safety mode, the electric motor vehicle is powered on and righted from a tilted state. The integrated controller restores the tilt flag from the second state to the first state according to the user's operation on the instrument 50, so as to allow the motor 32 to be restarted.

[0046] 3. In another embodiment, when the integrated controller executes the safety mode, the power supply of the electric motor vehicle is switched from the original on state to the off state (key off) and righted from the tilted state, and then the electric motor vehicle is switched back to the on state. The integrated controller restores the tilted flag from the second state to the first state according to the user's operation on the instrument 50, so as to allow the motor 32 to be restarted.

[0047] In addition to the functions listed above, the integrated controller can also perform the functions of the first controller 10 and the second controller 20 in the above embodiments.

[0048] After determining that an electric motor vehicle has tipped over, this invention further assists in confirming whether the vehicle is not in a stationary state based on at least one of the wheel speed signal S1, the vehicle speed signal S2, or the motor speed signal S3. If the vehicle is not in a stationary state, the power will not be cut off to prevent accidents such as rear-end collisions, thereby protecting the rider and other riders' safety. The motor will only be cut off when the electric motor vehicle is determined to meet the conditions for power cut-off.

[0049] 10: First Controller 20: Second controller 21: Microprocessor 22: Tilt Sensor 23: Bluetooth module 30: Motor controller 32: Motor 40: Wheel speed sensor 50: Instruments 60: Anti-lock Braking System Controller 70: Mobile Device 80: Remote device 90: Cloud Server 101: Bracket 102: Head tube 103: Central Cover S1: Wheel speed signal S2: Vehicle Speed ​​Signal S3: Motor speed signal S4: Tilting signal L1: Baseline L2: Central axis G: Ground θ: Inclination angle

Claims

1. A tipping safety device for an electric motor vehicle, comprising: a first controller, receiving at least one of a wheel speed signal, a vehicle speed signal, or a motor speed signal of the electric motor vehicle; a second controller, connected to the first controller, and providing a tipping signal to the first controller when it is determined that the electric motor vehicle is tipping over; an instrument, connected to the first controller; and a motor controller, connected to the first controller and a motor of the electric motor vehicle, and providing the motor speed signal to the first controller; wherein, When the first controller receives the tipping signal and determines that the wheel speed signal is greater than a preset wheel speed value, the vehicle speed signal is greater than a preset vehicle speed value, or the motor speed signal is greater than a preset motor speed value, the first controller ignores the tipping signal. When the first controller receives the tipping signal and determines that the wheel speed signal is not greater than the preset wheel speed value, the vehicle speed signal is not greater than the preset vehicle speed value, or the motor speed signal is not greater than the preset motor speed value, the first controller executes a safety mode. In this safety mode, the first controller does not send a torque command to the motor controller, and the motor controller cuts off the power to the motor, causing the motor to stop operating. When the safety mode is executed, the first controller controls the instrument to display a tipping warning message and start a countdown. During the countdown, if the user switches the power of the electric motorcycle from an on state to an off state, the instrument turns off the display of the tipping warning message and stops the countdown.

2. The tipping safety device for the electric locomotive as described in claim 1, wherein, The second controller includes: a microprocessor having a tilt flag; a tilt sensor connected to the microprocessor for detecting a tilt angle of the electric motor vehicle, providing the tilt angle to the microprocessor, the microprocessor determining whether the electric motor vehicle is tilted based on the tilt angle, and setting the tilt flag from a first state to a second state when the electric motor vehicle is tilted; and a Bluetooth module connected to the microprocessor for Bluetooth communication with an external mobile device.

3. The tipping safety device for the electric locomotive as described in claim 1, wherein, The first controller is connected to a wheel speed sensor and an instrument on the electric motor vehicle; the wheel speed sensor provides the wheel speed signal to the first controller and the instrument; the instrument generates the vehicle speed signal based on the wheel speed signal and provides the vehicle speed signal to the first controller.

4. The tipping safety device for the electric locomotive as described in claim 1, wherein, The first controller is connected to an instrument panel of the electric locomotive; the instrument panel is connected to a wheel speed sensor of the electric locomotive, wherein the wheel speed sensor provides the wheel speed signal to the instrument panel; the instrument panel generates the vehicle speed signal based on the wheel speed signal and provides the vehicle speed signal and the wheel speed signal to the first controller.

5. The tipping safety device for the electric locomotive as described in claim 1, wherein, The first controller is connected to an anti-lock braking system controller of the electric motor vehicle; the anti-lock braking system controller is connected to a wheel speed sensor of the electric motor vehicle, wherein the wheel speed sensor provides the wheel speed signal to the anti-lock braking system controller; the anti-lock braking system controller generates the vehicle speed signal based on the wheel speed signal, and provides the vehicle speed signal and the wheel speed signal to the first controller.

6. The tipping safety device for the electric locomotive as described in claim 2, wherein, In this safe mode, the second controller sends an incident notification message to the mobile device via the Bluetooth module.

7. The tipping safety device for the electric locomotive as described in claim 6, wherein, Upon receiving the incident notification message, the mobile device sends a notification message to a remote device or a cloud server; the remote device is a mobile device set up as an emergency contact within the mobile device.

8. The tipping safety device for the electric locomotive as described in claim 2, wherein, When the first controller executes the safety mode, the electric motor vehicle is powered on and righted from a tilted state. The second controller restores the tilt flag from the second state to the first state based on the user's operation of the instrument, so as to allow the motor to be restarted.

9. The tipping safety device for the electric locomotive as described in claim 2, wherein, When the first controller executes the safety mode, the power supply of the electric motor vehicle is switched from the original on state to the off state and righted from the tilted state, and then the electric motor vehicle is switched back to the on state. The second controller restores the tilted flag from the second state to the first state according to the user's operation of the instrument, so as to allow the motor to be restarted.

10. The tipping safety device for the electric locomotive as described in claim 1, wherein, When the first controller executes the safety mode, the second controller wirelessly transmits the battery status information of the electric motorcycle to a mobile device.

11. The tipping safety device for the electric locomotive as described in claim 1, wherein, The second controller is located between the front panel and the rear panel of the electric locomotive, and is connected to the head tube of the electric locomotive via a bracket.

12. The tipping safety device for the electric locomotive as described in claim 1, wherein, The second controller is located inside the central cover of one of the electric locomotives and below the front end of the seat cushion of the electric locomotive.

13. A tipping safety device for an electric motor vehicle, comprising: an integrated controller that receives at least one of a wheel speed signal, a vehicle speed signal, or a motor speed signal of the electric motor vehicle, and sets a tipping flag from a first state to a second state when it is determined that the electric motor vehicle is tipping over; and a motor controller connected to the integrated controller and a motor of the electric motor vehicle, and providing the motor speed signal to the integrated controller; wherein, When the tipping flag is in the second state, and the integrated controller determines that the wheel speed signal is greater than a preset wheel speed value, the vehicle speed signal is greater than a preset vehicle speed value, or the motor speed signal is greater than a preset motor speed value, the integrated controller ignores the tipping flag. When the tipping flag is in the second state, and the integrated controller determines that the wheel speed signal is not greater than the preset wheel speed value, the vehicle speed signal is not greater than the preset vehicle speed value, or the motor speed signal is not greater than the preset motor speed value, the integrated controller executes a safety mode. In this safety mode, the integrated controller does not send a torque command to the motor controller, and the motor controller cuts off the power to the motor, causing the motor to stop operating. The integrated controller is connected to an instrument panel. When the safety mode is executed, the integrated controller controls the instrument panel to display a tipping warning message and start a countdown. During the countdown, if the user switches the power of the electric motorcycle from an on state to an off state, the instrument panel stops displaying the tipping warning message and stops the countdown.

14. The tipping safety device for the electric locomotive as described in claim 13, wherein, When the integrated controller executes the safety mode, with the electric motor vehicle powered on and righted from a tilted position, the integrated controller restores the tilt flag from the second state to the first state based on the user's operation of the instrument, allowing the motor to be restarted.

15. The tipping safety device for the electric locomotive as described in claim 13, wherein, When the integrated controller executes the safety mode, the power supply to the electric motor vehicle is switched from the original on state to the off state (key off) and the motor vehicle is righted from the tilted state. Then the electric motor vehicle is switched back to the on state. The integrated controller restores the tilted flag from the second state to the first state according to the user's operation of the instrument, so as to allow the motor to be restarted.

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