All-terrain vehicle and cargo bucket safety control method thereof
By introducing controllers and sensing systems into all-terrain vehicles, the speed at which the cargo bed tilts and the warning signals are changed, the risk of items or users being crushed during cargo unloading is eliminated, thus improving safety and unloading efficiency.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202510918563.7
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2024-10-31
- Filing Date
- 2025-07-03
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-01
AI Technical Summary
During the unloading process, there is a high risk that items or users may be crushed in the cargo bed of an all-terrain vehicle, which is difficult to avoid effectively with existing technology.
Introducing a controller into all-terrain vehicles can improve safety by sensing the degree of cargo bed tipping and adjusting the tipping speed or issuing a warning signal when a certain threshold is reached. This, combined with obstacle sensing and display screen prompts, enhances safety.
It effectively reduces the risk of goods or users being crushed by the cargo bin, and improves the safety and efficiency of the unloading process.
Smart Images
Figure CN121947320A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Safety control methods for all-terrain vehicles and their cargo beds Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of all-terrain vehicle technology, and more specifically, to an all-terrain vehicle and a method for controlling the safety of its cargo bed. Background Technology
[0002] All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are vehicles capable of traversing terrains such as grasslands and mudflats. Some models are equipped with a cargo bed for carrying goods. To facilitate unloading, ATVs typically have a control switch in the driver's cab that can be used to tilt the cargo bed, allowing the goods inside to slide out automatically under their own weight.
[0003] In related technologies, when the cargo hopper is unloading and tilting downwards or backwards, there may be a risk of insufficient attention leading to items or users being trapped or crushed underneath the hopper. Summary of the Invention
[0004] In view of this, this application provides an all-terrain vehicle and a safety control method for its cargo bed, wherein when the cargo bed of the all-terrain vehicle is tilted downwards, items or users are not easily crushed.
[0005] An embodiment of this application provides an all-terrain vehicle, including a frame, a body panel, a running system, a power system, a cargo bed, and a controller. The body panel at least partially covers the frame; the running system is at least partially disposed below the frame; the power system is supported by the frame and connected to the running system to provide driving force for the running system; the cargo bed is supported by the frame, and a drive component for driving the cargo bed to tilt is connected to the frame; the controller is connected to the drive component, and the controller is at least used to control the drive component to tilt the cargo bed; when the tilting degree of the cargo bed is greater than or equal to a first degree threshold, the controller controls the drive component to change the tilting speed of the cargo bed; or the all-terrain vehicle also includes a warning component, and the controller also controls the warning component to issue a warning signal when the tilting degree of the cargo bed is greater than or equal to the first degree threshold; wherein, the tilting degree of the cargo bed includes at least one of the following: the tilting stroke of the cargo bed, the movement or rotation of the output end of the drive component.
[0006] In some embodiments of this application, the controller controls the drive unit to change the folding speed of the hopper, specifically by the controller controlling the drive unit to stop the hopper from folding; and when the controller receives a restart command after the hopper has stopped folding, the controller controls the drive unit to drive the hopper to continue folding.
[0007] In some embodiments of this application, when the controller stops the hopper from tumbling and the stopping time is greater than or equal to a preset stopping time, the controller controls the drive unit to drive the hopper to continue tumbling.
[0008] In some embodiments of this application, the folding speed of the cargo bin when the folding degree is less than a first degree threshold is less than the folding speed of the cargo bin when the folding degree is greater than or equal to the first degree threshold and the drive unit re-drives the cargo bin to fold; the ratio of the first degree threshold to the total folding degree ranges from 0.33 to 0.66.
[0009] In some embodiments of this application, when the degree of descent is greater than or equal to a first degree threshold, the controller controls the drive to increase the descent speed of the cargo bin.
[0010] In some embodiments of this application, when the degree of folding is greater than or equal to a second degree threshold, the controller controls the drive to reduce the folding speed of the hopper.
[0011] In some embodiments of this application, the ratio of the first degree threshold to the total downslope ranges from 0 to 0.1, and the ratio of the second degree threshold to the total downslope ranges from 0.66 to 1.
[0012] In some embodiments of this application, it further includes an obstacle sensor, which is communicatively connected to the controller. The obstacle sensor is used to sense whether there is an obstacle within a preset range. When the obstacle sensor detects an obstacle within the preset range and the degree of tilting of the cargo bin is greater than or equal to a first threshold value, the controller controls the drive to stop tilting the cargo bin.
[0013] In some embodiments of this application, a display screen is also included. The display screen is communicatively connected to the controller and is used to display the travel status information of the cargo bin. The travel status information includes at least whether the degree of descent during the descent process of the cargo bin is greater than or equal to a first degree threshold.
[0014] This application also provides a cargo bed safety control method, which is applied to the all-terrain vehicle provided in any of the above embodiments. The cargo bed safety control method is executed by a controller. The cargo bed safety control method includes: determining whether the degree of the cargo bed tilting process is greater than or equal to a first degree threshold; when the degree of the cargo bed tilting process is greater than or equal to the first degree threshold, controlling the drive component to change the tilting speed of the cargo bed, and controlling the warning component to issue a warning signal; wherein, the degree of the cargo bed tilting process includes at least one of the following: the tilting stroke of the cargo bed tilting process, the movement amount or rotation amount of the output end of the drive component.
[0015] In the all-terrain vehicle and its cargo bed safety control method provided in this application, when the cargo bed tilts to a first threshold, its tilting speed changes, and a warning signal is issued by a warning device to remind the user of the current tilting degree of the cargo bed and reduce the risk of items or the user being crushed by the cargo bed. Attached Figure Description
[0016] Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of an all-terrain vehicle provided in an embodiment of this application.
[0017] Figure 2 is a top view of an all-terrain vehicle provided in an embodiment of this application after removing part of its structure.
[0018] Figure 3 is a top view of the rear of an all-terrain vehicle after the cargo bed has been removed, according to an embodiment of this application.
[0019] Figure 4 is a partial structural diagram of the cargo bin after it is raised according to an embodiment of this application.
[0020] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of some components of the cargo bin provided in an embodiment of this application.
[0021] Figure 6 is a structural schematic diagram of the center console of an all-terrain vehicle provided in an embodiment of this application.
[0022] Figure 7 is a top view of the rear of an all-terrain vehicle after some structures have been removed, according to an embodiment of this application.
[0023] Figure 8 is a circuit diagram of a cargo bin provided in an embodiment of this application.
[0024] Figure 9 is an enlarged view of point A in Figure 6.
[0025] Figure 10 is a logic diagram of the cargo bin safety control method in the first embodiment of this application.
[0026] Figure 11 is a logic diagram of the cargo bin safety control method in the second embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation
[0027] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments.
[0028] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application.
[0029] The following detailed description of some embodiments of this application is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the following embodiments and features can be combined with each other.
[0030] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, an embodiment of this application provides an all-terrain vehicle 100, which is an electric UTV (Utility Vehicle). The all-terrain vehicle 100 includes a frame 11, a body panel 12, a running gear 13, and a power system 14. The body panel 12 at least partially covers the outer periphery of the frame 11. The running gear 13 is at least partially disposed below the frame 11. The power system 14 is supported by the frame 11 and is connected to the running gear 13 to provide driving force for the running gear.
[0031] The walking system 13 includes a front wheel 131 and a rear wheel 132, both of which are rotatably mounted on the frame 11. The power system 14 includes a drive motor 141, which is connected to the frame 11 and transmits power to the front wheel 131 and the rear wheel 132 to drive them to rotate. In some embodiments, the all-terrain vehicle 100 may also be a hybrid UTV, in which case the corresponding power system 14 includes a drive motor 141 and an engine, which together drive the front wheel 131 and the rear wheel 132 to rotate.
[0032] For ease of description, this application defines the front, back, left, right, up, and down directions, where the front-back direction refers to the length direction of the all-terrain vehicle 100, the left-right direction refers to the width direction of the all-terrain vehicle 100, and the up-down direction refers to the height direction of the all-terrain vehicle 100.
[0033] The all-terrain vehicle 100 has a front, middle and rear section, which are arranged sequentially along the front and rear direction of the frame 11.
[0034] The all-terrain vehicle 100 includes a steering wheel 15, a center console 16, and a seat. The center console 16 is located at the front of the vehicle, while the steering wheel 15 and seat are both located in the middle of the vehicle, with the seat positioned behind the steering wheel 15. The center console 16 is located in front of the steering wheel 15. Since the center console 16 is situated near the middle of the vehicle's front end, in some embodiments, it can also be understood as being located in the middle of the vehicle.
[0035] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the all-terrain vehicle 100 also includes an electrical system 17, which includes a high-voltage device 171 and a low-voltage device 172. The low-voltage device 172 is located at the front of the vehicle, and the high-voltage device 171 is located at the middle and rear of the vehicle. The high-voltage device 171 and the low-voltage device 172 are electrically connected via a wiring harness. A power motor 141 is located at the rear of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the power motor 141 may also be located at the middle of the vehicle, as long as the power motor 141 and the high-voltage device 171 are located in the same area of the all-terrain vehicle 100.
[0036] In other embodiments, the high-voltage device 171 may be located only in one of the middle and rear sections of the vehicle.
[0037] In other embodiments, the low-voltage device 172 may be located in the middle of the vehicle, and the high-voltage device 171 may be located at the rear or front of the vehicle, or the high-voltage device 171 may be distributed at the front and rear of the vehicle. In other embodiments, some of the low-voltage devices 172 may be located at the rear of the vehicle.
[0038] In some embodiments, the high-voltage device 171 includes a power battery 1711 and a three-in-one module 1712, wherein the three-in-one module 1712 is an integrated structure including a charger, a voltage converter, and a high-voltage power distribution unit. Both the power battery 1711 and the three-in-one module 1712 are connected to the vehicle frame 11. The power battery 1711 is located below the seat cushion. The power battery 1711 is electrically connected to the power motor 141 to supply power to the power motor 141 to drive the power motor 141. In other embodiments, the power battery 1711 may also be located below the vehicle frame 11 or inside the vehicle frame 11 and connected to the vehicle frame 11.
[0039] In some embodiments, the frame 11 is provided with a mounting rod 111, which is located behind the seat and fixedly connected to the frame 11. The mounting rod 111 is located inside the area enclosed by the body panel 12. The three-in-one module 1712 is fixedly mounted on the mounting rod 111 to connect with the frame 11. In other embodiments, the charger, voltage converter, and high-voltage power distribution unit may also be independent structures, and each of them is connected to the frame 11.
[0040] The high-voltage device 171 also includes a motor controller 1713 and a vehicle controller 1714, with the motor controller 1713 electrically connected to the vehicle controller 1714. The vehicle controller 1714 is fixedly mounted on the mounting rod 111, and the motor controller 1713 is connected to the housing of the power motor 141. In some other embodiments, the motor controller 1713 may also be mounted on the mounting rod 111.
[0041] The low-voltage device 172 includes a body controller 1721 and a battery 1722. Both the body controller 1721 and the battery 1722 are connected to the frame 11 at the front of the all-terrain vehicle 100.
[0042] Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the frame 11 is provided with an insulating partition 119. The insulating partition 119 is located above the mounting rod 111 and covers the high-voltage device 171 at the rear of the all-terrain vehicle 100. It can be understood that the three-in-one module 1712, the motor controller 1713 and the vehicle controller 1714 are located below the insulating partition 119.
[0043] Referring to Figures 1 and 4, the all-terrain vehicle 100 also includes a cargo bed 19, located at the rear of the vehicle and supported by the rear frame 11. The cargo bed 19 is situated above an insulating partition 119 (see Figure 3). The insulating partition 119 separates the high-voltage devices 171 located at corresponding positions from the cargo bed 19, reducing the risk of high-voltage electric shock. After the cargo bed 19 is flipped over, the insulating partition 119 continues to provide waterproofing, dustproofing, and isolation for the corresponding high-voltage devices 171. In some embodiments, the insulating partition 119 may be omitted, and the electrical system 17 located below the cargo bed 19 is covered and protected by the cargo bed 19. It is understood that a portion of the vehicle body cover 12 forms the cargo bed 19.
[0044] Referring to Figure 4, the bottom of the cargo bin 19 is rotatably connected to the frame 11, allowing the cargo bin 19 to flip relative to the frame 11. When the front end of the cargo bin 19 rotates upward and the rear end rotates downward, the cargo bin 19 is in the process of flipping down, and the goods inside the cargo bin 19 can slide out of the cargo bin 19 under its own gravity. When the cargo bin 19 needs to be returned to its original position, the front end of the cargo bin 19 rotates downward and the rear end rotates upward.
[0045] Referring to Figures 4 and 5, the all-terrain vehicle also includes a controller 18. The cargo bed 19 includes a drive element 192. The controller 18 controls the drive element 192 to tilt the cargo bed 19, causing one end of the cargo bed 19 to rise or fall (as previously stated in "the front end of the cargo bed 19 rotates upward and the rear end of the cargo bed 19 rotates downward" and "the front end of the cargo bed 19 rotates downward and the rear end of the cargo bed 19 rotates upward"). Optionally, the drive element 192 is a hydraulic cylinder. In other embodiments, the drive element 192 is an electric cylinder or other structural member capable of tilting the cargo bed 19. In some embodiments, the controller 18 may be a vehicle body controller 1721 (see Figure 2). In other embodiments, the controller 18 may be a controller specifically designed to control the movement of the drive element 192.
[0046] In some embodiments, the drive member 192 may be located on the left or right side of the frame 11 to avoid the insulating partition 119 (see FIG3). In other embodiments, clearance holes may be provided in the insulating partition 119 to allow the drive member 192 to be mounted at the middle position of the frame 11 in the left-right direction.
[0047] Referring to Figures 5 and 8, the cargo bin 19 also includes a tilting degree sensor 193 and a warning sensor 194.
[0048] The drive unit 192, the tilting degree sensor 193, and the warning unit 194 are electrically connected to the controller 18. The controller 18 is used to control the drive unit 192 to drive the cargo bin 19 to tilt, so that one end of the cargo box body rises or tilts down (as in the previous "the front end of the cargo bin 19 rotates upward and the rear end of the cargo bin 19 rotates downward" and "the front end of the cargo bin 19 rotates downward and the rear end of the cargo bin 19 rotates upward").
[0049] The tilting degree sensor 193 can be mounted on the frame 11, for example, at the bottom of the cargo bin 19, on the insulating partition 119, or on the drive unit 192. This embodiment does not impose any limitations on this. The tilting degree sensor 193 is used to acquire tilting degree information of the cargo bin 19 and send this information to the controller 18. The tilting degree information includes the tilting degree amount during the tilting process of the cargo bin 19. The tilting degree amount during the tilting process of the cargo bin 19 includes at least one of the following: the tilting stroke amount during the tilting process of the cargo bin 19, the movement amount or rotation amount of the output end of the drive unit 192. It is understood that the tilting stroke amount can be the distance that the front or rear end of the cargo bin 19 moves when it tilts, or it can be the tilting angle of the cargo bin 19. When the driving component 192 is a cylinder, hydraulic cylinder, or electric cylinder, the amount of movement at its output end can be understood as the amount of feed at its output end. When the driving component 192 is a motor, the amount of rotation at its output end can be understood as the number of rotations of the output shaft.
[0050] The greater the degree of downward tilting, the more the cargo bin 19 tilts downward. The degree of tilting information can also include the flipping state of the cargo bin 19, such as being in a tilting state, an up tilting state, a stopped tilting state, or a stopped up tilting state. The flipping state can be combined to determine whether the current degree of tilting is the degree of tilting in the tilting process.
[0051] The controller 18 receives information about the degree of descent and outputs execution information when the degree of descent is greater than or equal to a first degree threshold. The first degree threshold can be set according to actual needs. For example, it can be the degree of descent corresponding to a position where goods are more likely to injure nearby people during the descent of the cargo bin 19. Alternatively, it can be the degree of descent corresponding to the position where goods begin to slide down during the descent of the cargo bin 19. Specifically, the ratio of the first degree threshold to the total degree of descent can range from 0.33 to 0.66, where the total degree of descent is the total amount of goods descent from the highest point to the lowest point of the cargo bin 19. Further, the ratio of the first degree threshold to the total degree of descent can range from 0.4 to 0.6, and even further, it can range from 0.45 to 0.55. The specific ratio of the first degree threshold to the total degree of downward flipping can be 0.33, 0.36, 0.39, 0.42, 0.45, 0.48, 0.51, 0.54, 0.57, 0.60, 0.63, or 0.66.
[0052] Warning element 194 is capable of issuing a warning signal in response to execution information. The warning signal is used to alert personnel around the all-terrain vehicle 100. Specifically, warning element 194 may include a buzzer (not shown) capable of emitting a warning sound, which serves as the warning signal. Alternatively, as shown in FIG7, warning element 194 may also include a warning light 1941, which is mounted on the outer wall of the rear end of the cargo bed 19 and is capable of flashing light, which serves as the warning signal. In some embodiments, warning light 1941 may be selected as a turn signal of the all-terrain vehicle 100.
[0053] In this embodiment, when the cargo bin 19 tilts, the tilting degree information of the cargo bin 19 is obtained by the tilting degree sensor 193 and sent to the controller 18. When the tilting degree of the cargo bin 19 is greater than or equal to a first degree threshold, the controller 18 outputs execution information to the warning device 194, causing the warning device 194 to issue a warning signal. The warning signal can alert personnel around the all-terrain vehicle 100, drawing their attention to the cargo bin 19, thereby reducing the risk of items or personnel being crushed when the cargo bin 19 tilts, which is beneficial to improving safety. At the same time, the controller 18 can control the drive device 192 to change the tilting speed of the cargo bin 19.
[0054] In some embodiments, when the degree of tipping is greater than or equal to a first threshold, the controller 18 controls the drive unit 192 to stop the cargo box 19 from tipping. This ensures that personnel around the all-terrain vehicle 100, after being alerted by the warning signal, have sufficient reaction time to leave the danger zone.
[0055] Then, the controller 18 receives the restart information of the cargo box 19 and sends a drive signal to the drive unit 192 according to the restart information. The drive unit 192 is also used to drive the cargo box 19 to continue to stop or continue to tilt according to the drive signal. In this way, when the personnel around the all-terrain vehicle 100 have already attracted the attention of the personnel to the cargo box 19 through the warning signal, the controller can also control the drive unit to continue to tilt the cargo box 19 according to the restart information, and the personnel around can also pay more attention, thereby improving safety.
[0056] The restart information may include the duration for which the hopper 19 stops tilting. Correspondingly, when the duration is greater than or equal to a preset stop duration, the controller 18 sends a restart drive signal to the drive unit 192, and the drive unit 192 drives the hopper 19 to continue tilting according to the restart drive signal. Conversely, when the duration is less than the preset stop duration, the controller 18 sends a stop drive signal to the drive unit 192, and the drive unit 192 drives the hopper 19 to stop tilting according to the stop drive signal. It can be understood that the stop drive signal sent by the controller 18 to the drive unit 192 can be the same signal sent by the controller 18 to the drive unit 192 when controlling the drive unit 192 to stop tilting the hopper 19, so that the drive unit 192 maintains the state of stopping the hopper 19.
[0057] In this embodiment, the controller 18 can start timing when the control drive 192 stops the hopper 19 from tilting down, and continue timing until the preset stop time is reached. Then, the controller 18 sends a restart drive signal to the actuator and clears the timing value to zero, so that timing can be restarted when the control drive 192 stops the hopper 19 from tilting down next time.
[0058] In some other embodiments, the restart information may include a restart command. When the controller 18 receives a restart command, the controller 18 sends a restart drive signal to the drive unit 192, and the drive unit 192 drives the hopper 19 to continue to tumble down according to the restart drive signal. When the controller 18 does not receive a restart command, the controller 18 maintains control over the drive unit 192 to stop the hopper 19 from tumbling down.
[0059] The restart command can originate from an external source. For example, the all-terrain vehicle 100 may also include a remote control (not shown), which is communicatively connected to the controller. The restart command can be generated by the operator operating the remote control and sent to the controller. The remote control and controller can be connected wirelessly or via a wired connection. When the remote control and controller are connected via a wired connection, the remote control can be plugged into the communication device via a communication cable. Furthermore, the communication cable can be plugged into the center console 16 of the all-terrain vehicle 100.
[0060] For example, referring to Figures 6 and 8, the cargo bin 19 may also include an unloading switch 196. The unloading switch 196 is located on the central control panel 16 and is electrically connected to the drive unit 192 and the controller 18. The controller 18 can also control the drive unit 192 to drive the cargo bin 19 to tilt upwards, downwards, or stop tilting based on the operator's operation of the unloading switch 196. A restart command can be generated by the operator's operation of the unloading switch 196 and sent to the controller 18. That is, when the controller 18 controls the drive unit 192 to stop the cargo bin 19 from tilting downwards, the operator can, after confirming the safety of personnel around the all-terrain vehicle 100, operate the unloading switch 196 to generate a restart command to the controller 18, causing the controller 18 to re-control the drive unit 192 to drive the cargo bin 19 to continue tilting downwards.
[0061] In some embodiments, the restart information may further include the duration of the cargo bin 19 stopping its downward tilting and a restart command. Based on this, when the duration is greater than or equal to a preset stop duration or a restart command is received, the controller 18 sends a restart drive signal to the drive unit 192, causing the drive unit 192 to drive the cargo bin 19 to continue tilting according to the restart drive signal. Conversely, when the duration is less than the preset stop duration and no restart command is received, the controller 18 sends a stop drive signal to the drive unit 192, causing the drive unit 192 to drive the cargo bin 19 to continue stopping its downward tilting according to the stop drive signal.
[0062] Similarly, the controller 18 can start timing when it begins to control the drive unit 192 to stop the hopper 19 from tilting down. The restart command comes from an external source. If the controller 18 does not receive a restart command before the preset stop time is reached, the controller 18 controls the drive unit 192 to keep the hopper 19 stopped tilting down until the preset stop time is reached, at which point the controller 18 controls the drive unit 192 to continue tilting the hopper 19. If the controller 18 receives a restart command before the preset stop time is reached, the controller 18 controls the drive unit 192 to continue tilting the hopper 19 according to the restart command.
[0063] In some embodiments, when the degree of descent of the hopper 19 is less than a first threshold, the controller 18 controls the drive unit 192 to drive the hopper 19 to descent at a first speed. When the degree of descent of the hopper 19 is greater than or equal to the first threshold, the controller 18 controls the hopper 19 to descent at a second speed. The first speed is less than the second speed. In some specific embodiments, when the degree of descent of the hopper 19 is greater than or equal to the first threshold, the controller 18 first controls the drive unit 192 to stop descent of the hopper 19 until the duration of the stop is greater than or equal to a preset stop duration or a restart command is received. Then, the drive unit 192 receives a restart drive signal and descents the hopper 19 again, and the speed at which the hopper 19 descents again is greater than the speed before stopping. Specifically, the operator can first operate the unloading switch 196, causing the unloading switch 196 to output an unloading signal to the controller 18. The controller 18 then controls the drive unit 192 to drive the hopper 19 to begin descent at the first speed according to the unloading signal. When the cargo bin 19 tilts down to a degree greater than or equal to a first threshold, the controller 18 outputs execution information to the warning device 194 and controls the drive device 192 to stop the cargo bin 19 from tilting. The warning device 194 outputs a warning signal based on the execution information, attracting the attention of the operator and personnel around the all-terrain vehicle 100. These personnel can evacuate to a safe area while the cargo bin 19 is tilting, or the operator can remind them to stay away from the all-terrain vehicle 100. Afterwards, having already alerted and evacuated those around the vehicle, the operator can either operate the unloading switch 196 again to generate a restart command to the controller 18, or wait for the cargo bin 19 to remain tilted for a preset duration, at which point the controller 18 controls the drive device 192 to continue tilting the cargo bin 19 at a second speed greater than the first speed. This improves both the safety of the cargo bin 19 tilting after unloading from the all-terrain vehicle 100 and the unloading efficiency.
[0064] In this embodiment of the application, the restart command and the unloading signal can be the same signal or different signals.
[0065] In some embodiments, when the degree of descent of the cargo bin 19 is greater than or equal to a first threshold, the controller 18 controls the drive unit 192 to directly increase the descent speed of the cargo bin 19 without first stopping the descent. In this embodiment, a second threshold is also provided. When the degree of descent is greater than or equal to the second threshold, the controller 18 controls the drive unit 192 to reduce the descent speed of the cargo bin 19. Understandably, the entire descent process of the cargo bin 19 includes three stages: slow, fast, and then slow again. Since the initial and final stages of the descent process of the cargo bin 19 have high attention value, the initial stage mainly reminds the user to start descent to prepare for the subsequent steps. In the final stage, the cargo bin 19 is closer to the frame 11, and the risk of being crushed is greatest in this stage, so it also has high attention value. The process between the above two stages is when the user is aware that the cargo bin 19 has started to descent, but has not yet descented into the danger zone. Therefore, accelerating the descent process in this stage helps to improve the descent efficiency while maintaining high safety. The ratio of the first level threshold to the total number of scroll-down steps ranges from 0 to 0.1, and the ratio of the second level threshold to the total number of scroll-down steps ranges from 0.66 to 1. Further, the ratio of the first level threshold to the total number of scroll-down steps ranges from 0 to 0.08, and the ratio of the second level threshold to the total number of scroll-down steps ranges from 0.7 to 1. Even further, the ratio of the first level threshold to the total number of scroll-down steps ranges from 0 to 0.06, and the ratio of the second level threshold to the total number of scroll-down steps ranges from 0.8 to 1. In one specific embodiment, the ratio of the first level threshold to the total number of scroll-down steps is 0.
[0066] Referring again to Figures 5 and 8, in some embodiments, the cargo compartment 19 may further include an obstacle sensor 197. The obstacle sensor 197 is disposed on the frame 11 or the body cover 12 and is electrically connected to the controller 18. The obstacle sensor 197 is used to sense whether there is an obstacle within a preset range and send the sensing information to the controller 18. The obstacle sensor 197 may be disposed on the frame 11 or below the cargo compartment 19. Its preset range may be the left and right edges of the frame 11 located below the cargo compartment 19, as this is a common location where a user may be crushed by the cargo compartment 19. The obstacle sensor 197 may include, for example, multiple infrared sensors.
[0067] The controller 18 can also be used to receive sensing information and output obstacle information when the sensing information indicates that there is an obstacle below the cargo bin 19. The warning device 194 issues an alarm signal in response to the obstacle information.
[0068] Thus, if a person is located under the cargo bed 19 after the all-terrain vehicle 100 has finished unloading and the cargo bed 19 has been tilted down, the obstacle sensor 197 can sense that there is an obstacle under the cargo bed 19, so that the controller 18 can output obstacle information to the warning device 194 based on the sensing information. The warning device 194 can issue an alarm signal to remind the personnel under the cargo bed 19 and the operators.
[0069] In this embodiment, the alarm signal may be different from the warning signal. For example, when the warning device is a buzzer, and the buzzer provides a warning via voice, the warning signal and the alarm signal may be voices with different timbres or frequencies, or they may be voices broadcasting different texts. As another example, when the warning device is a warning light, the warning signal and the alarm signal may have different brightness levels, different flashing frequencies, or different light illuminations.
[0070] It is worth noting that if the current flipping level is greater than or equal to the first level threshold, and the obstacle sensor 197 detects whether there is an obstacle within the preset range, then the controller 18 will prioritize controlling the drive unit 192 to stop flipping the cargo bin 19.
[0071] Furthermore, when the sensing information indicates the presence of an obstacle below the cargo bin 19, the controller 18 can also control the drive unit 192 to stop the cargo bin 19 from tipping down. This prevents the cargo bin 19 from continuing to tip down and colliding with the obstacle when it is below. For example, when a person is located below the cargo bin 19, the obstacle sensor 197 can detect this, and the controller 18 can then control the drive unit 192 to stop the cargo bin 19 from tipping down, preventing the cargo bin 19 from continuing to tip down and injuring or crushing the person, further improving safety.
[0072] It is understandable that the alarm signal emitted by the warning device 194 can attract the attention of the operator and the personnel below the hopper 19, allowing the personnel below the hopper 19 to leave in time. After the operator checks that the personnel below have left during the process of the hopper 19 stopping its downward tilting, the operator can operate the unloading switch 196 to generate an unloading signal to the controller 18 again. Then, the controller 18 controls the drive device 192 to drive the hopper 19 to continue tilting according to the unloading signal.
[0073] Referring to Figures 6 and 8, in some embodiments, the central control console 16 is equipped with a display screen 161, which is communicatively connected to the controller 18. The display screen 161 can communicate with the controller via a communication bus (e.g., a CAN bus). When the cargo bin 19 is tilted, the controller 18 also sends tilting degree information to the display screen 161, so that the display screen 161 displays the travel status information of the cargo bin 19 based on the tilting degree information. The travel status information is used to remind the operator of the status of the cargo bin 19, including at least whether the tilting degree of the cargo bin 19 is greater than or equal to a first degree threshold. The travel status information can be an animation of the cargo bin 19 tilting upwards or downwards, progress bar information, or simply displaying the result using text and / or graphics.
[0074] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG7, the cargo bed 19 further includes a wired unloading switch 198, which is used to control the drive unit 192 at the rear of the all-terrain vehicle 100 via a controller 18.
[0075] The unloading wired switch 198 includes a body 1981, which includes a switch body 1981a and a cable 1981b. One end of the switch body 1981a is connected to one end of the cable 1981b, and the other end of the cable 1981b is electrically connected to a controller 18. The cable 1981b and the controller 18 can be either detachably plugged in or always connected. In some embodiments, the cable 1981b and the controller 18 are detachably plugged in. Specifically, the unloading wired switch 198 also includes a socket 1982, which is located at the rear end of the all-terrain vehicle 100 and connected to the vehicle body cover 12. The socket 1982 is electrically connected to the controller 18. The body 1981 also includes a plug 1981c, which is connected to the end of the cable 1981b away from the switch body 1981a. The plug 1981c is detachably electrically connected to the socket 1982. After plugging the plug 1981c into the socket 1982, the main body 1981 can be moved to the outside of the cab, allowing the operator to control the drive unit 192 from a position close to the cargo bed 19 and to constantly observe the position status of the cargo bed 19. In some embodiments, the socket 1982 can also be located in the cab of the all-terrain vehicle 100; for example, the socket 1982 is located on the center console 16. Located in the cab, the socket 1982 is less likely to be damaged by rain, dust, etc. It is understood that the aforementioned remote control with wired communication with the controller can also be replaced by the unloading wired switch 198 in this embodiment.
[0076] Referring to Figures 6 and 7, the frame 11 is equipped with a storage box 118, which is located on the center console 16. After use, the unloading wired switch 198 can be unplugged and placed into the storage box 118 for safekeeping. The storage box 118 can also be used to store keys and other items.
[0077] Specifically, as shown in Figure 8, the cargo bin 19 also includes a first power supply line, a second power supply line, and a CAN bus (not labeled). The first power supply line provides a 30V power supply voltage, and the second power supply line provides a 15V power supply voltage. The first power supply line connects to the controller 18 and the display screen 161, providing a 30V power supply voltage to both. The second power supply line connects to relays 1 and 2, the controller 18, and the display screen 161, providing a 15V power supply voltage to all three. The unloading switch 196 connects to relays 1 and 2 and the controller 18, and the unloading wired switch 198 connects to relays 1 and 2 and the controller 18. When an operator operates the unloading switch 196 and / or the unloading wired switch 198, a relevant operation signal is generated to the controller 18, which can then control the on / off state of relays 1 and 2 based on the operation signal. It is understood that when the cargo bin 19 needs to be flipped, the operation signal generated by the unloading switch 196 and / or the unloading wired switch 198 causes the controller 18 to control the relay 1 and / or the relay 2 to be turned on, and then the controller 18 controls the drive unit 192 to drive the cargo bin 19 to flip.
[0078] Both the controller 18 and the display screen 161 are connected to the CAN bus, thus enabling communication between them. It is understood that when the unloading wired switch 198 and the controller 18 are in a detachable plug-in configuration, the cable 1981b of the unloading wired switch 198 can be connected to the controller 18 via the socket 1982.
[0079] Referring to Figures 6 and 9, in some embodiments, the electrical system 17 (see Figure 2) further includes an integrated switch 174, which is located on the center console 16. The integrated switch 174 integrates multiple switch elements 1741 and is located near the steering wheel 15, so that the driver can easily touch any of the switch elements 1741 of the integrated switch 174.
[0080] One of the switching elements 1741 of the integrated switch 174 is a driving mode switch 1742, which is located at the edge of the integrated switch 174. For example, when multiple switching elements 1741 are arranged sequentially in a vertical direction, the driving mode switch 1742 is located at the bottom or top of the integrated switch 174; when multiple switching elements 1741 are arranged sequentially in a horizontal direction, the driving mode switch 1742 is located at the leftmost or rightmost position of the integrated switch 174.
[0081] In some embodiments, the shortest distance between the driving mode switch 1742 and the pivot of the steering wheel 15 is 15-50 cm. Optionally, the shortest distance between the driving mode switch 1742 and the pivot of the steering wheel 15 is 30 cm. In other embodiments, the shortest distance between the driving mode switch 1742 and the pivot of the steering wheel 15 is any one of 15 cm, 20 cm, 32 cm, 40 cm, 46 cm, and 50 cm.
[0082] The driving mode switch 1742, as a commonly used switch 1741 during driving, is positioned at the edge of the integrated switch 174, allowing the driver to quickly and accurately switch driving modes by touch without visual inspection. In other embodiments, the driving mode switch 1742 may also be a separate switch module.
[0083] Referring to Figures 10 and 11, this application embodiment also provides a cargo bed safety control method, which is applicable to the all-terrain vehicle 100 provided in any of the above embodiments and is executed by the controller 18.
[0084] The cargo bin safety control method includes: receiving information on the degree of folding of the cargo bin 19, including the degree of folding during the folding process; determining whether the degree of folding during the folding process is greater than or equal to a first degree threshold; when the degree of folding during the folding process is greater than or equal to the first degree threshold, the controller 18 outputs execution information, the drive unit 192 changes the folding speed of the cargo bin 19 according to the execution information, and controls the warning unit 194 to issue a warning signal; when the degree of folding of the cargo bin 19 is less than the first degree threshold, the controller 18 controls the drive unit 192 to maintain the folding speed of the cargo bin 19.
[0085] The degree of tilting during the tilting process of the cargo bin 19 includes at least one of the following: the tilting stroke of the cargo bin 19, the amount of movement or rotation of the output end of the drive unit 192.
[0086] Referring to Figure 10, in one embodiment, when the degree of descent of the hopper 19 during the descent process is greater than or equal to a first degree threshold, the controller 18 controls the drive unit 192 to stop the hopper 19 from descent. It is then determined whether a restart command has been received after the hopper 19 has stopped descent. If a restart command is received after the hopper 19 has stopped descent, the controller 18 controls the drive unit 192 to drive the hopper 19 to continue descent. The descent speed before stopping is the first speed, and the descent speed during continued descent is the second speed, which is greater than the first speed. If no restart command is received after the hopper 19 has stopped descent, the hopper 19 remains in the stopped descent state.
[0087] The controller determines whether the hopper 19 stops tilting and the stopping time is greater than or equal to a preset stopping time. When the hopper 19 stops tilting and the stopping time is greater than or equal to the preset stopping time, the controller 18 controls the drive unit 192 to drive the hopper 19 to continue tilting. Similarly, the second speed is greater than the first speed. When the hopper 19 stops tilting and the stopping time is less than the preset stopping time, the hopper 19 remains in the stopped tilting state.
[0088] It is worth noting that receiving the restart command is condition one, and the cargo bin 19 stops tilting and the stopping time is greater than or equal to the preset stopping time is condition two. As long as one of the conditions is met, the controller 18 will control the drive unit 192 to drive the cargo bin 19 to continue tilting.
[0089] The controller 18 determines whether the downward tilting degree of the cargo bin 19 is greater than or equal to a second threshold. If the downward tilting degree is greater than or equal to the second threshold, the controller 18 controls the drive unit 192 to reduce the downward tilting speed of the cargo bin 19, and the reduced downward tilting speed is the third speed. If the downward tilting degree is not greater than or equal to the second threshold, the controller 18 controls the drive unit 192 to maintain the downward tilting speed of the cargo bin 19, specifically maintaining the second speed.
[0090] Referring to Figure 11, in another embodiment, when the degree of folding of the cargo bin 19 is greater than or equal to the first degree threshold, the controller 18 controls the drive unit 192 to increase the folding speed of the cargo bin 19. In this embodiment, the changed folding speed is also defined as the second speed, and the folding speed before the change is the first speed. The second speed is greater than the first speed.
[0091] The controller 18 determines whether the downward tilting degree of the cargo bin 19 is greater than or equal to a second threshold. If the downward tilting degree is greater than or equal to the second threshold, the controller 18 controls the drive unit 192 to reduce the downward tilting speed of the cargo bin 19. The reduced downward tilting speed is the third speed. If the downward tilting degree is not greater than or equal to the second threshold, the controller 18 controls the drive unit 192 to maintain the downward tilting speed of the cargo bin 19. Specifically, the maintained downward tilting speed is the second speed.
[0092] This serves as a warning to personnel around the all-terrain vehicle 100 that cargo is being unloaded, urging them to be cautious and reducing the risk of crushing or trapping injuries, thus improving the safety of the unloading operation.
[0093] The controller 18 in this embodiment includes, but is not limited to, a memory and a processor, as well as a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, such as a cargo bin safety control program.
[0094] The processor can be a Central Processing Unit (CPU), or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. A general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor. The processor is the computational core and control center of the controller 18, connecting various parts of the controller 18 via various interfaces and lines, and acquiring the controller 18's operating system and various installed application programs and program code.
[0095] The processor acquires the control system of the controller 18 and various installed applications. The processor acquires the applications to implement the steps in the above-described embodiments of the various cargo bin safety control methods, such as those shown in Figure 10.
[0096] For example, a computer program may be divided into one or more modules / units, one or more of which are stored in memory and retrieved by a processor to complete this application. One or more modules / units may be a series of computer program instruction segments capable of performing a specific function, which describe the process of retrieving the computer program from the controller 18.
[0097] The memory can be used to store computer programs and / or modules. The processor implements various functions of the signal conversion device 10 by running or retrieving the computer programs and / or modules stored in the memory, and by calling the data stored in the memory. The memory may mainly include a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area may store the application programs required for the control system and at least one function (such as sound playback function, image playback function, etc.); the data storage area may store data created based on the use of the vehicle-mounted equipment. In addition, the memory may include non-volatile memory, such as hard disk, RAM, plug-in hard disk, smart media card (SMC), secure digital (SD) card, flash card, at least one disk storage device, flash memory device, or other non-volatile solid-state storage device.
[0098] The memory can be external memory and / or internal memory of the controller 18. Furthermore, the memory can be a physical memory, such as a memory stick, a TF card (Trans-flash Card), etc.
[0099] If the modules / units integrated in controller 18 are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, all or part of the processes in the methods of the above embodiments can also be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. The computer program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, and when the computer program is acquired by a processor, it can implement the steps of the various method embodiments described above.
[0100] Computer programs include computer program code, which can be in the form of source code, object code, accessible files, or certain intermediate forms. Computer-readable media can include: any entity or device capable of carrying computer program code, recording media, USB flash drives, portable hard drives, magnetic disks, optical disks, computer memory, and read-only memory (ROM).
[0101] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of modules is only a logical functional division, and other division methods may exist in actual implementation. Modules described as separate components may or may not be physically separate, and components shown as modules may or may not be physical units, i.e., they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the modules can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.
[0102] Furthermore, the functional modules in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or in the form of hardware plus software functional modules.
[0103] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application and are not intended to limit it. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solutions of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of this application.
Claims
1. An all-terrain vehicle, comprising: Frame; A body panel that at least partially covers the vehicle frame; A walking system, at least partially disposed below the vehicle frame; A power system, supported by the vehicle frame and connected to the walking system, provides driving force for the walking system; a cargo box, supported by the vehicle frame, with a drive component connected to the vehicle frame for driving the cargo box to tilt; a controller connected to the drive component, the controller being used at least to control the drive component to tilt the cargo box; characterized in that, when the tilting degree of the cargo box during the tilting process is greater than or equal to a first degree threshold, the controller controls the drive component to change the tilting speed of the cargo box; or the all-terrain vehicle further includes a warning component, the controller controlling the warning component to issue a warning signal when the tilting degree of the cargo box during the tilting process is greater than or equal to the first degree threshold; wherein, the tilting degree of the cargo box during the tilting process includes at least one of the following: the tilting stroke of the cargo box during the tilting process, the movement or rotation of the output end of the drive component.
2. The all-terrain vehicle as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Specifically, the controller controls the drive unit to change the folding speed of the cargo bin by controlling the drive unit to stop the folding of the cargo bin; when the controller receives a restart command after the cargo bin stops folding, the controller controls the drive unit to drive the cargo bin to continue folding.
3. The all-terrain vehicle as described in claim 2, characterized in that, When the cargo bin stops tilting and the stopping time is greater than or equal to a preset stopping time, the controller controls the drive unit to drive the cargo bin to continue tilting.
4. The all-terrain vehicle as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The tumbling speed of the cargo bin when the tumbling degree is less than the first degree threshold is less than the tumbling speed of the cargo bin when the tumbling degree is greater than or equal to the first degree threshold and the drive unit re-drives the cargo bin to tumble; the ratio of the first degree threshold to the total tumbling degree ranges from 0.33 to 0.
66.
5. The all-terrain vehicle as described in claim 1, characterized in that, When the degree of descent is greater than or equal to the first degree threshold, the controller controls the drive unit to increase the descent speed of the cargo bin.
6. The all-terrain vehicle as described in claim 5, characterized in that, When the degree of descent is greater than or equal to the second degree threshold, the controller controls the drive unit to reduce the descent speed of the cargo bin.
7. The all-terrain vehicle as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The ratio of the first degree threshold to the total downslope is between 0 and 0.1, and the ratio of the second degree threshold to the total downslope is between 0.66 and 1.
8. The all-terrain vehicle as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes an obstacle sensor, which is communicatively connected to the controller. The obstacle sensor is used to sense whether there is an obstacle within a preset range. When the obstacle sensor detects an obstacle within the preset range and the degree of tilting of the cargo bin is greater than or equal to the first degree threshold, the controller controls the drive to stop tilting the cargo bin.
9. The all-terrain vehicle as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a display screen, which is communicatively connected to the controller. The display screen is used to display the travel status information of the cargo bin. The travel status information includes at least whether the degree of the cargo bin's downward tilting process is greater than or equal to the first degree threshold.
10. A safety control method for a cargo bin, characterized in that, The cargo bed safety control method is applied to the all-terrain vehicle as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, and the cargo bed safety control method is executed by the controller; the cargo bed safety control method includes: determining whether the degree of the cargo bed tilting process is greater than or equal to a first degree threshold; when the degree of the cargo bed tilting process is greater than or equal to the first degree threshold, controlling the drive component to change the tilting speed of the cargo bed, and controlling the warning component to issue a warning signal; wherein, the degree of the cargo bed tilting process includes at least one of the following: the tilting stroke of the cargo bed tilting process, the movement amount or rotation amount of the output end of the drive component.