Foldable, remotely controllable passenger transport vehicle

Abstract

TITLE: Folding Passenger Transport Vehicle with Remote Control The present invention relates to a three-wheeled vehicle (1) with two coaxial rear drive wheels (12, 13) and a steerable front wheel (14). This vehicle includes handlebars (140) for steering the front wheel, and a first control unit, mounted on the vehicle and operable by a passenger, which controls the rotation of the rear drive wheels (12, 13) at the same speed. Advantageously, this vehicle also includes a second control unit, operable when there is no passenger on the vehicle, which controls the rotation of the rear drive wheels (12, 13) at the same speed, or at different speeds to change the vehicle's orientation. The front wheel (14) behaves as a free-spinning wheel when the handlebars (140) are not held.This vehicle (1) can be used as a stable golf cart, thanks to the spacing of its rear wheels, and can be folded compactly to fit in a car trunk. (Shorthand diagram: Figure 7)

Description

Title of the invention: Foldable, remotely controlled passenger transport vehicle. Field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a light vehicle enabling the transport of a passenger and / or luggage.

[0002] It relates in particular to a vehicle that can be used on golf courses, for the transport of a player's golf bag and, where appropriate, the transport of the player himself.

[0003] The invention relates in particular to such a vehicle which is foldable, in particular to allow its easy transport in a motor vehicle. Previous art

[0004] The practice of a sport such as golf requires the player to travel long distances, carrying relatively heavy equipment.

[0005] To facilitate the transport of this equipment, it is common to place it on a cart, which may, in some cases, be motorized. Such a motorized cart can be controlled by the player, either via controls located on the cart itself or remotely. Various methods of remotely controlling such a cart are known. In particular, the user can directly control the cart's movements using a remote control, or the cart can be programmed to follow the user remotely.

[0006] Solutions are also known that allow golfers to move around the course in small motor vehicles. A range of vehicles specifically designed for golf exists. Although small, these vehicles are still relatively heavy and bulky. Consequently, they generally cannot be transported in the player's car. Instead, they usually belong to the golf course operators, who make them available to the players. Furthermore, such vehicles must be piloted to move. Therefore, they do not allow players to choose, on different sections of a golf course, whether they want to walk or be transported by a vehicle.

[0007] Intermediate vehicles have been devised to try to combine the advantages of motorized golf carts and golf vehicles. For example, document ES2600453B1 describes a remote-controlled golf cart that includes a seat allowing the user to be carried while controlling the cart's movement via the remote control. This cart can therefore be used either as a conventional golf cart alongside which the user walks or as a The vehicle is foldable and compact. However, such a cart does not offer secure stability for the passenger. Furthermore, its remote control is tricky, imprecise, and unintuitive, thus creating a risk of falling. Description of the invention

[0008] The present invention aims to overcome these drawbacks of the prior art.

[0009] In particular, the invention aims to provide a lightweight vehicle enabling a user, at their discretion, to easily transport their golf equipment while walking or to be carried by the vehicle under safe conditions.

[0010] A particular objective of the invention is to provide such a vehicle whose piloting by a passenger is particularly simple and intuitive.

[0011] Another objective of the invention is to provide such a vehicle which can be efficiently steered by the user, both when the user is walking near the vehicle and when the user is being carried by the vehicle, on golf courses with uneven terrain.

[0012] Another objective of the invention is to provide such a vehicle which can be folded compactly, in particular to be transported in a car trunk.

[0013] Yet another objective of the invention is to provide such a vehicle which is robust and reliable, and which is simple to manufacture.

[0014] These objectives, as well as others which will become clearer later, are achieved using a three-wheeled vehicle, including two coaxial rear drive wheels and a steerable front wheel; this vehicle including a handlebar allowing its front wheel to be steered, this vehicle including a first control equipment, placed on the vehicle so as to be operable by a passenger carried by the vehicle, capable of controlling the rotation of the two rear drive wheels at equal speeds.

[0015] According to the invention, this vehicle also includes a second control equipment, operable in the absence of a passenger carried by said vehicle, capable of controlling the rotation of the two rear drive wheels at equal speeds, or at different speeds to cause the change of orientation of the vehicle, the front wheel being configured to behave as a freewheel, when the handlebar is not held.

[0016] The vehicle according to the invention can thus be controlled in two distinct ways: - by a passenger carried by the vehicle, who controls the rotation of the rear wheels via the first control equipment and acts on the handlebars to steer the vehicle, or - in the absence of a passenger carried by the vehicle, by the second control equipment, which controls the rotation of the rear wheels and steers the vehicle by the differential rotation of these rear wheels, the front wheel behaves like a free-spinning wheel in the absence of action on the handlebars.

[0017] Advantageously, the rear wheels are spaced more than 100 cm apart, and preferably more than 110 cm apart.

[0018] Such a distance between the coaxial rear wheels makes it possible both to ensure good stability of the vehicle, and to ensure efficient orientation of the vehicle by differential rotation of the rear wheels.

[0019] Preferably, the second control equipment includes a remote control that can be operated remotely from the vehicle.

[0020] The vehicle can thus be controlled remotely, for example by a user wishing to walk on the golf course while his golf bag is carried by the vehicle.

[0021] According to another possible embodiment, the second control equipment includes means for autonomous vehicle control.

[0022] The vehicle with autonomous driving capabilities can, for example, be configured to remotely follow the user, or to travel in a completely autonomous manner.

[0023] Advantageously, this vehicle includes a control device configured to transmit to the rear drive wheels the commands from the first control equipment, in preference to the commands from the second control equipment, in case of conflict between commands coming simultaneously from the first and second control devices.

[0024] This control device thus makes it possible to prioritize commands coming from the passenger carried by the vehicle, in order to ensure the safety of this passenger.

[0025] Preferably, the front wheel is mounted pivotally, relative to a support, around a first substantially horizontal axis, and is orientable by rotation of this support around a second axis, orthogonal to the first axis, these first and second axes being distant.

[0026] Such a configuration is well known, in itself, for the mounting of wheels behaving like free-spinning wheels.

[0027] Preferably, each of the rear wheels is carried by a support arm, these support arms being movable, relative to the vehicle, between a deployed position and a folded position.

[0028] It is therefore possible to fold the vehicle into a very compact folded configuration, facilitating its storage or transport.

[0029] Advantageously, each of these support arms consists of a deformable parallelogram, the deformation of which allows the wheel to move between a deployed position and a folded position.

[0030] According to a preferred embodiment, the vehicle includes a saddle carried by a seat post, said seat post being movable, relative to said vehicle, between a deployed position and a folded position, said seat post coming into contact, in its deployed position, with said support arms in the deployed position so as to prevent the movement of said support arms towards their folded position.

[0031] Such a vehicle can be folded into a very compact configuration. It is also secured against accidental folding, as the support arms cannot fold while the seat post is in its deployed position. Description of the figures

[0032] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following description of preferred embodiments, given by way of simple figurative and non-limiting example, and accompanied by the figures, among which: - [Fig.1] is a perspective representation of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention, in its deployed position; - [Fig.2] is a side view of the vehicle in [Fig.1]; - Fig. 3 is a cross-section, along a horizontal plane, of a part of the vehicle of the [Fig.l]; - [Fig.4] is a perspective representation of the vehicle in [Fig.1], in an intermediate position between its deployed and folded positions; - [Fig.5] is a perspective representation of the vehicle in [Fig.1], in its folded position; - [Fig.6] is a cross-section, along a horizontal plane, of the vehicle of [Fig.1] in its folded position represented by [Fig.5]; - [Fig.7] is a perspective representation of the vehicle in [Fig.1] in its deployed position, equipped with a bag support and carrying a golf bag. Description of the implementation methods

[0033] Figures 1 to 6 represent a vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention. This lightweight and foldable vehicle is particularly suited to the practice of golf.

[0034] Figures 1 to 3 show this vehicle in its deployed position, or operating position. As these figures show, this vehicle 1 is a tricycle, the structure of which carries two coaxial rear wheels 12 and 13, and a front wheel 14. The structure of this vehicle 1 also carries a saddle 15, suitable for carrying a passenger.

[0035] Preferably, this vehicle 1 also includes a support suitable for carrying a golf bag. Thus, [Fig. 7] shows this vehicle 1 equipped with a bag support and carrying a golf bag.

[0036] The structure of this vehicle includes a substantially horizontal beam 11 which, in the embodiment shown, is equipped with plates 111 intended to receive the passenger's feet.

[0037] Each of the rear wheels 12 and 13 is carried by a rear wheel support arm, respectively 121 and 131, which extends substantially horizontally between the rear wheel 12 or 13 and the beam 11. These rear wheel support arms 121 and 131 extend symmetrically to the right and left of the beam 11, forming an angle of approximately 120° with the direction of this beam 11.

[0038] Advantageously, these two rear wheel support arms 121 and 131 have a length chosen so that the two rear wheels 12 and 13 are separated from each other by a distance greater than 1 m, and preferably greater than 1.10 m, and preferably on the order of 1.20 m. Such a separation of the rear wheels 12 and 13 gives the vehicle 1 a high degree of stability.

[0039] The front wheel 14 is supported by a fork 142 forming the lower end of a steering column 141, which is assembled to the beam 11 near its front end. This steering column 141 is pivotally mounted relative to the beam 11, about a substantially vertical axis. The upper end of this steering column 141 carries a handlebar 140. An action by the user on the handlebar 140 thus allows the orientation of the front wheel 14 to be changed.

[0040] As shown in the side view of [Fig. 2], the axis of rotation of the front wheel 14, carried by the fork 142, extends in a direction orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the steering column 141, these two axes of rotation being far apart. This configuration allows the front wheel 14 to behave like a free-spinning wheel when the handlebar 140 is not held by the user, naturally orienting itself in the direction in which the front of the vehicle 1 is moving.

[0041] The saddle 15 is supported by a seat post 151, which extends substantially vertically from the beam 11. Advantageously, this seat post 151 is assembled to the beam 11 near the point of assembly on this beam 11 of the rear wheel support arms 121 and 131. In the embodiment shown, the seat post 151 serves as a support for a removable battery 21.

[0042] Preferably, the vehicle 1 is also equipped with a support specially designed to receive a golf bag. Thus, [Fig. 7] shows this vehicle 1 equipped with such a support 16, which is advantageously fixed by fitting into a housing 112 forming a rectangular vertical hole in the beam 11, at the rear of the seat post 15. In [Fig. 7], this support 16 carries a golf bag 161.

[0043] The vehicle 1 is advantageously foldable, so that it can be stored and transported in a very compact configuration. This folding can be carried out after removing the saddle 15 and the removable battery 21 from the seat post 151, as well as, where applicable, the golf bag support 16 and the golf bag 161 that can be carried by this support 16.

[0044] Folding the vehicle involves folding against the beam 11 the seat post 151, the rear wheel support arms 121 and 131 and an upper part of the steering column 141. [Fig.4] thus represents the vehicle 1 in an intermediate position between its deployed position and its folded position, and figures 5 and 6 represent this vehicle 1 in its folded position.

[0045] The seatpost 151 can be folded against the beam 11 by a double movement. From its extended position, this seatpost 151 can slide upwards, in the direction of the main axis, so that its lower end emerges from a recess provided in the beam 11, into which it is inserted in the extended position. Following this sliding movement, the seatpost 151 can pivot, around a transverse axis carried by the beam 11, between its substantially vertical position and a folded position in which it extends along the beam 11.

[0046] From its folded position, the seat post 151 can return to its deployed position by a double movement comprising a pivoting to its substantially vertical position, followed by a downward sliding, allowing the lower end of the seat post 151 to sink into the housing provided in the beam 11. This sinking blocks the pivoting of the seat post 151, and locks it in the open position.

[0047] The double movement of the seat post 151 relative to the beam 11, during its folding or unfolding, is permitted by an axis carried by the beam 11 and passing through an oblong slot 1511 drilled in the seat post 151.

[0048] Each of the two rear wheel support arms 121 and 131 is advantageously formed of two connecting rods of the same length and parallel to each other. Thus, the rear wheel support arm 131, shown in [Fig. 3], consists of a front connecting rod 1311 and a rear connecting rod 1312. These two connecting rods are connected, at one end, to the beam 11 by pivot joints with substantially vertical axes and, at their other end, to a wheel support 132 carrying the wheel 13. These two connecting rods 1311 and 1312 thus form a deformable parallelogram allowing the wheel support to move in a substantially horizontal plane, while maintaining the wheel 13 in the same orientation relative to the beam 11.

[0049] It should be noted that, in the deployed position of the vehicle, represented in particular by [Fig. 3], the contact between these connecting rods 1311 and 1312 prevents the rear wheel support arm 131 from pivoting backwards. The rear wheel support arm 121, which has an identical structure, also exhibits the same properties.

[0050] Furthermore, in this deployed position of the vehicle, the lower end of the seat post 151, which is inserted into its housing in the beam 11, comes into contact with the end of the connecting rod 1311 and prevents the rear wheel support arm 131 from pivoting forward. The deployed position of the rear wheel support arm 131 is thus locked. This lower end of the seat post 151 also locks, in the same way, the deployed position of the rear wheel support arm 121.

[0051] When the folding of the vehicle 1 has been initiated by the upward sliding of the seat post 151, the bottom of the latter comes out of its housing in the beam 11 and no longer comes into contact with the end of the connecting rod 1311. The rear wheel support arms 121 and 131 can then pivot forward into their folded position, represented in particular by [Fig.6], in which they extend along the beam 11.

[0052] The steering column 141 can advantageously be separated into two parts. The lower part 1411 carries the fork 142 and the wheel 14, and pivots about the beam 11 along a substantially vertical axis. The upper part 1412 carries the handlebar 140, and extends substantially vertically when deployed, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. It can fold by pivoting about a horizontal axis, about the lower part 1411, to extend substantially parallel to the beam 11 in its folded position, shown in [Fig. 5];

[0053] In its folded position, the vehicle 1 can thus present a very compact configuration allowing it to be easily stored or transported in the trunk of a car.

[0054] To facilitate handling of the vehicle 1 in its folded position, the beam 11 is advantageously equipped with a handling handle 113 at its front end, and a handling handle 114 at its rear end.

[0055] Advantageously, the vehicle 1 is motorized. It thus has a removable battery 21, carried by the seat post 151, which constitutes an electrical accumulator. This accumulator is capable of electrically powering two electric motors 22 and 23, integrated respectively into the rear wheels 12 and 13 to drive these wheels in rotation relative to the wheel support arms that carry them.

[0056] The operation of these two motors 22 and 23 is controlled by a control device which may conventionally include an electronic control board not shown in the figures. This control device allows the operation of the motors to be controlled according to instructions from two separate control devices.

[0057] According to one possible embodiment of the invention, the control device has a switch for selecting, between the first control equipment and the second control equipment, an active piece of equipment whose instructions are used by the control device to control the operation of motors 22 and 23. The control equipment which is not activated by this switch is then deactivated to avoid any interference in the control of vehicle 1.

[0058] According to another possible embodiment of the invention, the control device does not have a switch for selecting the active control equipment, but gives priority to commands from one of these control equipments in the event of a conflict between commands from the two control equipments. In this embodiment, which is the preferred embodiment shown in the figures, the control device preferentially gives priority to the control equipment that can be operated by the passenger carried by the vehicle.

[0059] The first control equipment includes an actuator 25 fixed to the vehicle 1. In the embodiment shown, this actuator 25 is thus fixed to the handlebar 140. It can take all the forms known for vehicle control actuators: lever, button, twist grip, rotating ring... In a possible variant of the embodiment shown, this actuator 25 can also consist of one or more pedals placed on the plates 111 so as to be able to be operated by the feet of the user seated on the saddle 15.

[0060] Advantageously, in the embodiment shown, this first control equipment allows the simultaneous actuation of the two motors 22 and 23, forward or backward. Thus, a user located in vehicle 1 can, by an action on this first control equipment, command the movement of vehicle 1 forward or backward.

[0061] The user seated in the vehicle 1 can also, moreover, control the vehicle's orientation by turning the handlebar 140 to steer the front wheel 14 in the desired direction. Such a method of steering a vehicle using handlebars is particularly precise, easy, and intuitive. Furthermore, acting on the handlebar 140 allows the vehicle 1 to be steered very easily and precisely, even if the user is not very familiar with driving this particular vehicle.

[0062] The second control equipment, which can be used as an alternative to the first control equipment, is intended to allow the piloting of the vehicle 1 when the pilot is not carried by the vehicle.

[0063] This second control equipment may include a remote control, preferably connected to the vehicle 1 by a wireless link, such as a radio link. Preferably, such a wireless link allows the remote control to operate the vehicle from a distance of more than 100 m.

[0064] It is also possible that this second control equipment includes other known means of controlling an unmanned vehicle. For example, it may This includes means by which the vehicle can identify the position of a user, in order to control the vehicle's movements to follow that user at a desired distance. It may also include means of autonomous driving, using, for example, data from sensors carried by the vehicle, or any other known autonomous driving method.

[0065] According to the invention, this second control equipment is configured to control the rotation of the motors 22 and 23 at different speeds, in order to control both the advancement of the vehicle 1 and its orientation, by differential rotation of its two coaxial rear wheels 12 and 13.

[0066] When the vehicle 1 is not carrying a driver, the handlebar 140 is not held in place. The front wheel 14 then behaves like a free-spinning wheel, naturally orienting itself in the direction of travel, from the front of the vehicle 1. This free-spinning front wheel facilitates the orientation of the vehicle 1 through the differential rotation of the rear wheels 12 and 13.

[0067] The vehicle 1 according to the invention can therefore be very easily piloted using two distinct piloting modes. The first piloting mode, via the first control equipment and the handlebars, is particularly simple and intuitive for the user. The second piloting mode, which can be operated remotely, advantageously offers the vehicle greater mobility. Both piloting modes have the advantage of being very easy to implement.

[0068] The vehicle according to the invention therefore presents a particularly reliable, robust and simple solution to allow piloting by the passenger or remotely.

Claims

Demands

1. Three-wheeled vehicle (1), including two coaxial drive rear wheels (12, 13) and one steerable front wheel (14), said vehicle comprising a handlebar (140) for steering said front wheel (14), said vehicle comprising a first control equipment, placed on said vehicle so as to be operable by a passenger carried by said vehicle, capable of controlling the rotation of the two drive rear wheels (12, 13) at equal speeds, characterized in that said vehicle comprises a second control equipment, operable in the absence of a passenger carried by said vehicle, capable of controlling the rotation of said two drive rear wheels (12, 13) at equal speeds, or at different speeds to cause a change in the orientation of said vehicle (1), and in that said front wheel (14) is configured to behave as a free-spinning wheel, when said handlebar (140) is not held.

2. Vehicle according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said rear wheels (12, 13) are separated from each other by a distance greater than 100 cm.

3. Vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said second control equipment comprises a remote control actuable from said vehicle.

4. Vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said second control equipment comprises means for autonomous piloting of said vehicle.

5. Vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a control device configured to transmit to said drive rear wheels (12, 13) the commands from said first control equipment, in preference to the commands from said second control equipment, in the event of a conflict between commands from said first and second control devices simultaneously.

6. A vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said front wheel (14) is pivotally mounted, relative to a support, about a first substantially horizontal axis, and is orientable by rotation of said support about a second axis, orthogonal to said first axis, said first and second axes being distant.

7. Vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each of said rear wheels (12, 13) is carried by a support arm (121, 131), said support arms (121, 131) being movable, relative to said vehicle (1), between a deployed position and a folded position.

8. Vehicle according to the preceding claim, characterized in that each of said support arms (121, 131) is constituted by a deformable parallelogram, the deformation of which allows the movement of said rear wheel (12, 13) between a deployed position and a folded position.

9. Vehicle according to any one of claims 7 and 8, characterized in that it comprises a saddle (15) carried by a seat post (151), said seat post (151) being movable, relative to said vehicle (1), between a deployed position and a folded position, said seat post (151) coming into contact, in its deployed position, with said support arms (121, 131) in the deployed position, so as to prevent the movement of said support arms (121, 131) towards their folded position.

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