Moving body

Abstract

To provide a moving body which an occupant can easily get on and get off.SOLUTION: A moving body M comprises a body part 1, a body support part 2 and a control part 101. The body part comprises a seat 11a on which an occupant can be seated, and the body support part comprises left-side and right-side rim parts 2L and 2R arranged in parallel in a lateral direction to nip the body part. Each of the rim parts has a rim main body part 21, and leg parts 22f and 22r respectively connected to the rim body part through hip joint parts HJf and HJr. The control part controls respective attitudes of the moving body at the moving time when the moving body moves and at the getting on / off time when an occupant is seated on the seat or gets away from the seat. At the moving time, the control part sets the moving body in an attitude in a movement mode and maintains a direction of the seat horizontally at the moving time, and sets the moving body in an attitude in a getting on / off mode in which the position of the seat is lower than at the moving time and the seat inclines so that a seating face of the seat points to outside in a longitudinal direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a moving object. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a moving body having a living space where an occupant can sit, and a pair of arms or rims arranged on either side of the living space and formed in an overall arch shape. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2014-234137 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Although the moving body disclosed in the above-mentioned document 1 has a simple configuration, the entire arm portion is formed from a rigid member, so the arm portion itself cannot be deformed, making it difficult for the occupant to assume a posture that makes it easy to get on and off, and the occupant has the inconvenience of having to get on and off from the living area, which is located at a relatively high position.

[0005] In view of the above circumstances, the present invention has an object to provide a vehicle that is easy for passengers to get on and off and that is highly comfortable when getting on and off. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a moving body according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a main body portion, a main body support portion that supports the main body portion on the ground or floor surface during movement, and a control portion, wherein the main body portion has a seat on which an occupant can be seated, and the main body support portion comprises a first rim portion and a second rim portion that is arranged side by side in the left-right direction with respect to the first rim portion so as to sandwich the main body portion between the first rim portion and the second rim portion and is connected to the first rim portion via an axis portion provided along an axis extending in the left-right direction, and each of the first rim portion and the second rim portion extends in the front-rear direction, and comprises a rim main body portion having a first hip joint portion formed at one end side in the front-rear direction and a second hip joint portion formed at the other end side in the front-rear direction, and The seat has a first leg connected via a joint portion so as to be able to be adduced and abducted, and a second leg connected to the rim main body portion via the second hip joint portion so as to be able to be adduced and abducted, and the control unit controls the attitude of the moving body during movement, in which the moving body moves with an occupant seated on the seat, and during boarding and alighting, in which the occupant sits on or leaves the seat, by movement of the first and second legs, including adduction and abduction at the hip joint, and during movement, the control unit sets the moving body to a movement mode attitude and maintains the orientation of the seat horizontal, while during boarding and alighting, the control unit sets the moving body to a boarding and alighting mode attitude in which the position of the seat is lower than when it is moved, the seat is tilted, and the seat surface of the seat faces outward in the fore-and-aft direction. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to one embodiment of the present invention, when moving, the moving body is set to a moving mode posture in which the seat position is relatively high and the seat orientation is kept horizontal, making it easy for the occupant to assume a posture that is easy to drive, while when getting on and off, the moving body is set to a boarding / disembarking mode posture in which the seat position is lower than when moving and the seat surface is inclined so as to face outward in the front-to-rear direction, making it possible for the occupant to easily get on and off the moving body without having to straddle the seat widely. This makes it possible to achieve both comfort for the occupant when moving and when getting on and off. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view of a moving body according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 4 is a side view showing the moving body with the left rim portion removed. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is a side view of a main body support portion provided on the moving body. [Figure 4] FIG. [Diagram 5] 13 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the rim main body (swinging displacement of the left and right rim portions about the waist link axis). FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing leg movements (adduction and abduction of the hip joint, flexion and extension of the knee joint, and rotation of the leg). [Figure 7] 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the main body (rocking relative to the main body support, and rotation of the footrest). FIG. [Figure 8] 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a position (first getting-on / off position) that the main body support part can realize as a position in the getting-on / off mode. FIG. [Figure 9] 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a position (second getting-on / off position) that the main body support part can realize as a position in the getting-on / off mode. FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a control unit. [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart showing the contents of control performed by a control unit during movement. [Figure 12] 6 is a flowchart showing the contents of control performed by a control unit when the power supply of a mobile body is turned on. [Figure 13] 6 is a flowchart showing the contents of control performed by a control unit when the power supply of a mobile body is turned off. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a posture that a moving body may take when traveling on a slope (uphill road). [Figure 15] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a posture that a moving object may take when climbing a step such as a staircase; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0010] 1 and 2 are side views showing a moving body M according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the left side in the direction of travel (the right side as viewed from the front). Fig. 1 shows the state in which the left rim portion 2L is attached, and Fig. 2 shows the state in which the left rim portion 2L is removed.

[0011] 1 and 2 show the front-rear direction DL, left-right direction DW, and up-down direction DH of the moving body M, and the left-right direction on the paper is defined as the front-rear direction DL of the moving body M. The front-rear direction DL coincides with the direction of movement of the moving body 1 when moving straight ahead, and the left-right direction DW and up-down direction DH of the moving body M are all perpendicular to the front-rear direction DL. When the moving body M stands on a horizontal ground or floor surface, the front-rear direction DL and the left-right direction DW are defined as horizontal directions, and the up-down direction DH is defined as vertical directions.

[0012] A moving body (hereinafter referred to as "multipurpose mobility" or simply "mobility") M according to this embodiment is used for transporting or moving people (hereinafter referred to as "passengers").

[0013] The mobility M comprises a main body portion 1 and a main body support portion 2.

[0014] The main body 1 has a living space 11 in which an occupant can ride. The living space 11 is provided with a seat 11a on which the occupant sits when moving. In this embodiment, the living space 11 is a so-called saddle-type living space in which the occupant can sit in a straddling position on the seat 11a, and the direction in which the occupant seated on the seat 11a faces forward, that is, the left side on the paper surface of FIG. 1, is the forward direction.

[0015] The main body 1 includes a sitting section 11, an operating section 12, a detecting section 13, and a footrest 15.

[0016] In this embodiment, the operation unit 12 is a handle-type operation unit, and the occupant increases or decreases the moving speed of the mobility M via the operation unit 12, and when moving by the wheels 23f, 23r (specifically, when moving in the running mode), generates a braking force via the wheels 23f, 23r as necessary. The operation unit 12 is provided with a fixed bar handle that the occupant can grasp when moving, and is also provided with various switches that are operated when starting and stopping the mobility M and changing the posture of the mobility M.

[0017] The detection unit 13 includes a camera 131 and an acceleration sensor 132 .

[0018] Camera 131 is a camera for monitoring the front, and is installed in a position on main body 1 where it can view the route ahead of mobility M. Camera 131 analyzes captured images and detects information on the shape of the route, such as the road width, gradient, steps, and undulations of the route during travel (hereinafter referred to as "route information").

[0019] The acceleration sensor 132 is a six-axis inertial sensor (IMU) that detects translational acceleration along three mutually orthogonal axes and angular velocities about each of these three axes. Based on these translational accelerations and angular velocities, the acceleration sensor 132 detects the forward / backward acceleration αL, the left / right acceleration αW, the up / down acceleration αH, the pitching angular velocity θp, the yawing angular velocity θy, and the rolling angular velocity θr of the moving object M.

[0020] The footrest 15 is disposed under the sitting area 11, specifically the seat 11a, and supports the feet of an occupant seated on the seat 11a when the mobility M moves. Here, the "foot" of a human occupant refers to the part of the occupant from the ankle to the toes, and is distinguished from the "leg" which is the body part extending downward from the torso or waist. Therefore, the footrest 15 can be said to support the legs of the occupant with the feet or soles placed on it.

[0021] In this embodiment, the footrest 15 includes a foot receiving portion 151 that forms a support surface on which the occupant's feet are placed, and a foot receiving support portion 152 that extends upward from the foot receiving portion 151, connects to the living space portion 11, and supports the foot receiving portion 151 on the living space portion 11. The foot receiving portion 151 and the foot receiving support portion 152 are both plate-shaped and are connected to each other in a T-shape when viewed from behind as shown in FIG. 4. In other words, the footrest 15 forms a T-shape as a whole when the mobility M is viewed from the rear. With respect to such a footrest 15, the occupant places his / her feet on the foot receiving portion 151 with the right leg or right foot on the right side of the foot receiving support portion 152 and the left leg or left foot on the left side of the foot receiving support portion 152 with respect to the forward direction of the mobility M. By forming a lightening hole that penetrates each of the foot receiving portion 151 and the foot receiving support portion 152 in the thickness direction, the strength and weight of the footrest 15 are optimized.

[0022] As shown in Fig. 4, the footrest 15 is connected to the living area 11 so as to be displaceable in a rotational direction about an axis A6. Specifically, a shaft portion extending in the thickness direction is provided on each of the front and back sides of the foot-receiving support portion 152, and this shaft portion is rotatably attached to a bearing portion (not shown) provided concentrically with the axis A6 in the living area 11. In this embodiment, the axis A6 is an axis parallel to the waist link axis A1 and provided separately from the waist link axis A1. The footrest 15 can also be configured to be rotatable about the waist link axis A1 instead of the axis A6.

[0023] 7, the footrest 15 is displaceable between a first position P1 and a second position P2 in the rotational direction about the axis A6. The first position P1 is the position when the footrest 15 is displaced to the furthest forward position relative to the forward movement direction of the mobility M, and the second position P2 is the position when the footrest 15 is displaced to the furthest rearward position.

[0024] The footrest 15 can change its height relative to the seat 11a by displacement in the rotation direction around the axis A6. FIG. 7 shows the displacement angle θfr of the footrest 15 between the first position P1 and the second position P2, and also shows the footrest 15 at the first position P1 by a solid line and the footrest 15' at the second position P2 by a two-dot chain line. The footrest 15' at the second position P2 is higher in height relative to the seat 11a than the footrest 15 at the first position P1, and is located relatively closer to the seat 11a. When the footrest 15 is at the first position P1, the foot receiving portion 151 extends parallel to the rim body portion 21 and is located parallel to the straight line connecting the joint axis A2f of the front hip joint HJf and the joint axis A2r of the rear hip joint HJr. On the other hand, when the footrest 15 is at the second position P2, the foot receiving portion 151 is inclined with respect to this straight line, and their rearward extension lines intersect.

[0025] The main body 1 further includes a control unit (not shown) and a power supply unit such as a secondary battery or a fuel cell.

[0026] The control unit is configured with a microcomputer equipped with a central processing unit (CPU) and various storage devices such as ROM, RAM, etc., and receives operation instruction signals input by the occupant via the operation unit 12, as well as detection signals from the camera 131 and acceleration sensor 132 from the detection unit 13. The control unit executes a predetermined calculation based on the operation instruction signals and the detection signals, and outputs the resulting drive command signals to various actuators provided in the movable parts of the main body support unit 2.

[0027] Here, the mobility M is provided with a power supply unit in the main body unit 1, so that when the main body unit 1 is attached, power is supplied to the mobility M and the mobility M is ready to operate. When a secondary battery is used as the power supply unit, the secondary battery can be charged by connecting it to an external power source while it is attached to the main body unit 1 or while it is removed from the main body unit 1, or it can be removed from the main body unit 1 and replaced with another charged secondary battery.

[0028] In this embodiment, the main body 1 can be replaced depending on the mode of use. For example, the main body 1 can be replaced with a main body having a chair-type living space where a rider can sit with their knees together, instead of the saddle-type living space 11. Regardless of the form of the living space, the main body can be equipped with an operation unit, a detection unit, a control unit, and a power supply unit.

[0029] The main body support part 2 has front and rear legs 22f, 22r that form the four limbs. The main body support part 2 stands on the ground or a floor surface by these legs 22f, 22r, and the main body part 1 is attached to the main body support part 2, thereby supporting the main body part 1 on the ground or a floor surface.

[0030] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the main body support part 2 comprises a rim part (hereinafter referred to as the "left rim part") 2L located on the left side with respect to the forward direction of the mobility M, and a rim part (hereinafter referred to as the "right rim part") 2R located on the right side. The left rim part 2L and the right rim part 2R are arranged on the left and right sides of the main body part 1 so as to sandwich the main body part 1 therebetween, and are connected to each other so as to be able to swing about an axis (hereinafter referred to as the "waist link axis") A1 extending in the left-right direction DW. In this embodiment, the left rim part 2L corresponds to the "first rim part" and the right rim part 2R corresponds to the "second rim part".

[0031] Fig. 3 is a side view showing the main body support part 2 as seen from the left side of the mobility M, and Fig. 4 is a rear view showing the main body support part 2 as seen from the rear of the mobility M. For reference, in Fig. 4, the main body part 1 is diagrammatically shown by a two-dot chain line, and the footrest 15 is shown by a solid line.

[0032] The main body 1 has shafts 14 extending to the left and right from the living area 11 (Figs. 2 and 4). In contrast, the left rim 2L ​​and the right rim 2R each have an attachment portion 211 configured to be able to attach the shafts 14. As shown in Fig. 4, by attaching the shafts 14 to the attachment portions 211, the main body 1 is supported by the left rim 2L ​​and the right rim 2R.

[0033] Fig. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the relative swinging movement between the left and right rim parts 2L and 2R. As shown in Fig. 5, the left and right rim parts 2L and 2R can swing relative to each other about the waist link axis A1. This swinging movement of the left and right rim parts 2L and 2R changes the angle that the respective rim main bodies 21, 21 make in a side view, specifically, the angle that the straight line (hereinafter referred to as the "rim main body extension line") VL1 connecting the joint axes A2f, A2r of the front and rear hip joint parts HJf, HJr of the left rim part 2L and the rim main body extension line VL1 of the right rim part 2R make in a side view.

[0034] The left rim portion 2L and the right rim portion 2R are configured to be symmetrical with respect to a plane perpendicular to the waist link axis A1. Therefore, the configuration of each of the left and right rim portions 2L, 2R will be explained using the left rim portion 2L as a representative. In other words, the following explanation of the left rim portion 2L can also be used as an explanation of the right rim portion 2R.

[0035] The left rim portion 2L comprises a rim main body 21, a front leg portion 22f, and a rear leg portion 22r.

[0036] The rim body 21 extends in the front-rear direction DL in the basic position during movement shown in Figures 1 and 3 (hereinafter referred to as the "basic position") and has a bent shape that is convex upward in side view. In this embodiment, the rim body 21 is generally L-shaped and has a bent portion near the center in the front-rear direction DL. The waist link axis A1 is located at this bent portion, deviates from the rim body extension line VL1, and is located above the rim body extension line VL1 in the basic position. The rim body 21 has a front beam portion 21f that extends forward with the waist link axis A1 as a boundary, and a rear beam portion 21r that extends rearward and is longer in the front-rear direction DL than the front beam portion 21f. In other words, the front-rear dimension Lf of the front beam portion 21f and the front-rear dimension Lr of the rear beam portion 21r have the following relationship. Lf <Lr …(1)

[0037] The rim body 21 has a front hip joint part HJf at the tip of the front beam part 21f (i.e., the front end of the rim body 21) and a rear hip joint part HJr at the tip of the rear beam part 21r (i.e., the rear end of the rim body 21). In other words, the rim body 21 forms a link connecting the front and rear hip joint parts HJf, HJr. The front hip joint part HJf and the rear hip joint part HJr each have a hip joint axis A2f, A2r extending in the left-right direction DW. In this embodiment, the joint axis A2f of the front hip joint part HJf (hereinafter referred to as the "front hip joint axis") and the joint axis A2r of the rear hip joint part HJr (hereinafter referred to as the "rear hip joint axis") are parallel to the waist link axis A1.

[0038] The front leg 22f is connected to the rim body 21 via the front hip joint HJf, and can be adduced and abducted around the front hip joint axis A2f relative to the rim body 21. Here, rotation in a direction in which the angle that a straight line VL2f (hereinafter referred to as the "front leg upper thigh extension line") connecting the front hip joint axis A2f and the front knee joint axis A3f described later makes with the rim body extension line VL1 narrows is called "adduction," and conversely, rotation in a direction in which this angle widens is called "abduction." The front leg 22f corresponds to the "first leg" according to this embodiment.

[0039] The rear leg 22r is connected to the rim body 21 via the rear hip joint HJr, and can be adduced and abducted with respect to the rim body 21 around the rear hip joint axis A2r. As with the front leg 22f, a rotation in a direction in which the angle that the straight line connecting the rear hip joint axis A2r and the rear knee joint axis A3r (hereinafter referred to as the "rear leg upper thigh extension line") VL2r makes with the rim body extension line VL1 narrows is called "adduction," and a rotation in a direction in which this angle widens is called "abduction," but the adduction and abduction of the rear leg 22r are rotations in the opposite direction to those of the front leg 22f. The rear leg 22r corresponds to the "second leg" according to this embodiment.

[0040] The front leg 22f includes a front upper leg 221f extending from the front hip joint HJf, and a front lower leg 222f connected to the front upper leg 221f via a front knee joint KJf so as to be able to bend and extend. Here, the rotation in the direction in which the angle that the straight line (hereinafter referred to as the "front lower leg extension line") VL3f connecting the joint axis (hereinafter referred to as the "front knee joint axis") A3f of the front knee joint KJf and the front wheel axis A4f described later makes with respect to the front upper leg extension line VL2f is called "flexion", and conversely, the rotation in the direction in which this angle is widened is called "extension". The front knee joint axis A3f extends in the left-right direction DW in the basic posture, and is parallel to the waist link axis A1 and the front hip joint axis A2f. A front wheel 23f is attached to the tip of the front leg 222f, i.e., the tip of the front leg 22f, and the front wheel 23f forms a ground contact point by the front leg 22f of the mobility M during movement. The front leg 221f and the front leg 222f correspond to the "first upper leg" and "first lower leg" respectively according to this embodiment, and the front wheel 23f corresponds to the "first wheel" according to this embodiment.

[0041] The rear leg 22r includes a rear upper leg 221r ​​extending from the rear hip joint HJr, and a rear lower leg 222r connected to the rear upper leg 221r ​​via a rear knee joint KJr so as to be able to bend and extend. As with the front leg 22f, the rotation in the direction in which the angle formed by the straight line (hereinafter referred to as the "rear lower leg crus extension line") VL3r connecting the joint axis (hereinafter referred to as the "rear knee joint axis") A3r of the rear knee joint KJr and the rear wheel axis A4r described later with respect to the rear upper leg extension line VL2r is narrowed is called "flexion", and the rotation in the direction in which the angle is widened is called "extension". The rear knee joint axis A3r extends in the left-right direction DW in the basic posture and is parallel to the waist link axis A1 and the rear hip joint axis A2r. A rear wheel 23r is attached to the tip of the rear leg 222r, i.e., the tip of the rear leg 22r, and the rear wheel 23r forms the ground contact point of the rear leg 22r of the mobility M during movement. The rear leg 221r ​​and the rear leg 222r correspond to the "second upper leg" and "second lower leg" in this embodiment, respectively, and the rear wheel 23r corresponds to the "second wheel" in this embodiment.

[0042] The mobility M can change the vertical dimension from the center axis (the wheel axis of the front wheel 23f, hereinafter referred to as the "front wheel axis") A4f to the front hip joint axis A2f by the movement of the front hip joint HJf and the front knee joint KJf, in other words, the height position Hf of the front hip joint HJf relative to the ground contact point of the front wheel 23f can be changed. On the other hand, the mobility M can change the vertical dimension from the center axis (the wheel axis of the rear wheel 23r, hereinafter referred to as the "rear wheel axis") A4r to the rear hip joint axis A2r by the movement of the rear hip joint HJr and the rear knee joint KJr, in other words, the height position Hr of the rear hip joint HJr relative to the ground contact point of the rear wheel 23r can be changed. In this embodiment, the height position of the front hip joint HJf is the height position Hf of the front hip joint HJf, and the height position of the rear hip joint axis A2r is the height position Hr of the rear hip joint HJr.

[0043] In this embodiment, the front leg shank 222f and the rear leg shank 222r each have a non-linear shape and have a crus bend formed to deviate from the crus extension lines VL3f and VL3r. The front leg shank 222f and the rear leg shank 222r are connected to the knee joints KJf and KJr and the wheels 23f and 23r via the crus bend, and are generally C-shaped as a whole. The front leg shank 222f and the rear leg shank 222r may have a shape other than C, for example, an L-shape. The direction in which the crus bend deviates from the crus extension lines VL3f and VL3r is upward or outward in the front-rear direction DL in the basic posture of the mobility M, specifically, forward in the forward direction for the front leg 22f and backward for the rear leg 22r.

[0044] In addition to the above, the mobility M includes movable parts 24f, 24r for rotating the front and rear legs 22f, 22r. Specifically, the mobility M includes a front leg rotating part 24f for rotating the front leg 22f, and a rear leg rotating part 24r for rotating the rear leg 22r. The front leg rotating part 24f imparts a rotational motion about a front leg rotation axis A5f that perpendicularly intersects with the front knee joint axis A3f to the front leg 22f, and the rear leg rotating part 24r imparts a rotational motion about a rear leg rotation axis A5r that perpendicularly intersects with the rear knee joint axis A3r to the rear leg 22f.

[0045] FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the adduction and abduction movements of the hip joints HJf, HJr, the flexion and extension movements of the knee joints KJf, KJr, and the rotational movements of the legs 22f, 22r.

[0046] 6, the front leg 22f of the left rim portion 2L can be adducted and abducted around its joint axis A2f by the front hip joint HJf. This movement of the front leg 22f changes the angle θ1f that the front upper leg extension line VL2f makes with the rim body extension line VL1. Looking at the front leg 22f as a whole, the angle that the front leg 22f makes with the rim body 21, specifically the angle θ3f that the straight line connecting the front hip joint axis A2f and the front wheel axis A4f makes with the rim body extension line VL1, changes.

[0047] The front leg 22f can be bent and extended around the joint axis A3f by the front knee joint KJf. This movement of the front leg 22f changes the angle that the front leg lower crus 222f makes with the front leg upper crus 221f, specifically, the angle θ2f that the front leg lower crus extension line VL3f makes with the front leg upper crus extension line VL2f.

[0048] The front leg 22f can rotate around its rotation axis A5f by the front leg rotation part 24f, specifically, inward rotation and outward rotation. In the basic posture shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3, rotation in a direction in which the bent part of the lower leg of the front leg 222f approaches the center of the left-right direction DW of the main body support part 2 is called inward rotation, and conversely, rotation in a direction in which the bent part of the lower leg is moved away from this center is called outward rotation. In other words, the inward rotation of the front leg 22f moves the front wheel 23f in a direction approaching the center of the main body support part 2, and the outward rotation moves the front wheel 23f in a direction away from this center. This movement of the front leg 22f changes the orientation of the front leg 222f with respect to the rim main body part 21, in other words, the angle that the front knee joint axis A3f makes with the front hip joint axis A2f in a plan view of the mobility M seen from above. By rotating the front leg 22f, the direction of travel of the mobility M can be changed both when moving by the legs 22f, 22r (i.e., moving in walking mode) and when moving by the wheels 23f, 23r (i.e., moving in running mode). In other words, steering of the mobility M when moving by the wheels 23f, 23r is performed by the operation of the front leg rotation part 24f. Similarly, the rear leg 22r is provided with a rear leg rotation part 24r, which can rotate inward and outward around the rotation axis A5f.

[0049] In this embodiment, the front leg rotation part 24f is disposed adjacent to the front knee joint KJf to change the orientation of the front leg crus 222f, but the front leg rotation part 24f may be disposed away from the front knee joint KJf and closer to the front hip joint HJf than the front knee joint KJf. This allows a more entire part of the front leg 22f to rotate relative to the rim body 21, and the front hip joint HJf and the front leg rotation part 24f work together to achieve a movement closer to that of an actual hip joint.

[0050] Furthermore, the front leg rotation section 24f and the front knee joint KJf can be arranged in the up-down direction in reverse, with the front knee joint KJf being placed on the upper side, i.e., on one side closer to the front hip joint HJf, and the front leg rotation section 24f being placed on the lower side, i.e., on the other side closer to the front wheel 23f.

[0051] The above explanation regarding the front leg 22f of the left rim portion 2L also applies to the rear leg 22r of the left rim portion 2L and the front and rear legs 22f, 22r of the right rim portion 2R.

[0052] FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the rocking motion of the main body 1 relative to the main body support 2. As shown in FIG.

[0053] The mobility M has a degree of freedom set for the main body support part 2 and further degrees of freedom set for the main body part 1. Specifically, the main body part 1 can swing around the central axis of the shaft part 14 with respect to the main body support part 2. In other words, the main body part 1 can tilt forward or backward with respect to the horizontal position. In this embodiment, the shaft part 14 is arranged concentrically with the waist link axis A1 of the main body support part 2, and its central axis coincides with the waist link axis A1, so that the main body part 1 can swing around the waist link axis A1 with respect to the main body support part 2. In other words, the central axis when the main body part 1 swings with respect to the main body support part 2 coincides with the central axis when the left rim part 2L and the right rim part 2R swing with respect to each other.

[0054] Thus, the mobility M according to this embodiment has a total of 14 degrees of freedom as the degrees of freedom of the movable parts related to the change of its posture. However, this is the number of degrees of freedom when the rocking motion of the main body part 1 relative to the main body support part 2 and the relative rocking motion between the left rim part 2L and the right rim part 2R are considered as conceptually different motions. Here, the arrangement of the actuators ACT (ACT1 to ACT3, ACT5) that impart these 14 degrees of freedom will be described with reference to Figs. 3 and 4. Figs. 3 and 4 show the positions of the actuators ACT by applying diagonal lines to a double-dashed line frame. In this embodiment, all the actuators ACT are embodied by electric motors.

[0055] The mobility M includes seven drive motors ACT1 to ACT3 and ACT5 as the actuators ACT on the left and right rim portions 2L and 2R, respectively.

[0056] The first drive motor ACT1 is built into the housings of the left and right rim main bodies 21 on which the mounting parts 211 for mounting the shaft parts 14 are provided, and imparts a rocking motion of the rim main body parts 21 about the waist link axis A1. Cooperation between the first drive motor ACT1 on the left rim part 2L and the first drive motor ACT1 on the right rim part 2R realizes relative rocking motion between the left rim part 2L and the right rim part 2R, and can also realize rocking motion of the main body part 1 relative to the main body support part 2.

[0057] The second drive motors ACT2f, ACT2r are built into the housing of the rim main body 21 at the front and rear ends of the rim main body 21 to which the front and rear hip joints HJf, HJr are respectively attached, and impart adduction and abduction movement to the front and rear legs 22f, 22r about the hip joint axes A2f, A2r, respectively.

[0058] The third drive motors ACT3f, ACT3r are built into the housings of the front and rear knee joints KJf, KJr, and impart flexion and extension movements to the front and rear legs 22f, 22r about the knee joint axes A3f, A3r, respectively.

[0059] The fifth drive motors ACT5f, ACT5r are built into the housings of the front and rear leg rotation units 24f, 24r, and impart inward and outward rotation motions to the front and rear legs 22f, 22r about the leg rotation axes A5f, A5r, respectively.

[0060] The seven electric motors mentioned above (14 in total if the electric motors provided on the left and right rim portions 2L, 2R are counted separately) are equipped with reduction gears and are capable of generating drive torques that drive the respective movable parts when the attitude of the mobility M changes, as well as generating holding torques that hold the positions of the movable parts after the attitude has been changed, i.e., the rotational angle of the electric motors after the change. In addition to or instead of generating torque, a locking mechanism may be provided on the movable parts, and the position of the movable parts according to the attitude of the mobility M may be held by this locking mechanism. If a locking mechanism is provided, it is possible to maintain the attitude of the mobility M when the power supply to the actuator ACT is cut off.

[0061] In addition to the above, the mobility M includes fourth electric motors ACT4f, ACT4r and a sixth electric motor ACT6. The fourth electric motors ACT4f, ACT4r rotate the wheels for traveling (front wheels 23f, 23r) and generate a braking force by regeneration on the wheels 23f, 23r. The sixth electric motor ACT6 is provided in the main body 1 and applies a rotational force to the footrest 15. A reduction gear train is interposed between the sixth electric motor ACT6 and the footrest 15, and the rotational force generated by the sixth electric motor ACT6 can be transmitted to the footrest 15 with an appropriate reduction ratio via this gear train.

[0062] Below, specific examples of postures that can be realized by the mobility M will be described.

[0063] In addition to the basic posture shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3, the mobility M can realize a first boarding / alighting posture shown in Fig. 8 and a second boarding / alighting posture shown in Fig. 9. The basic posture is an example of a posture that the mobility M can take when operating in a moving mode (i.e., when moving), and the first and second boarding / alighting postures are examples of postures that the mobility M can take when operating in a moving mode (i.e., when getting on and off). Here, the moving mode includes a walking mode and a running mode.

[0064] The basic posture is the basis of the posture that the mobility M takes when moving, and is suitable as the posture that the mobility M takes before moving, that is, before running by the wheels 23f, 23r or before walking by the legs 22f, 22r. Here, in this embodiment, the time of walking by the movement of the legs 22f, 22r, that is, the time of moving in the walking mode, and the time of running by the rotation of the wheels 23f, 23r, that is, the time of moving in the running mode, are collectively referred to as the "time of moving" of the mobility M. In the basic posture, the left rim portion 2L and the right rim portion 2r are in a plane symmetrical state. In other words, there is no relative swinging displacement between the left rim portion 2L and the right rim portion 2R, and the left rim portion 2L and the right rim portion 2R are in the same position in the rotation direction around the waist link axis A1. The waist link axis A1, the joint axes A2f, A2r of the front and rear hip joints HJf, HJr, the joint axes A3f, A3r of the front and rear knee joints KJf, KJr, and the wheel axes A4f, A4r of the front wheels 23f and rear wheels 23r are parallel to each other, parallel to the ground or floor surface on which the wheels 23f, 23r contact the ground, and perpendicular to the forward direction of the mobility M.

[0065] In the basic posture, the rotation angles of the hip joints HJf, HJr are set so that the upper thighs 221f, 221r ​​of the front and rear legs 22f, 22r are inclined inward and approach the rim body 1, and the rotation angles of the knee joints KJf, KJr are set so that the front and rear wheels 23f, 23r are positioned outward of the knee joints KJf, KJr. Here, referring to Fig. 6, the angle at which a straight line connecting the front hip joint axis A2f and the front wheel axis A4f (hereinafter referred to as the "front leg extension line") VL4f opens outward relative to the rim body extension line VL1 is defined as the front leg opening angle θ3f, and the angle at which a straight line connecting the rear hip joint axis A2r and the rear wheel axis A4r (hereinafter referred to as the "rear leg extension line") VL4r opens outward relative to the rim body extension line VL1 is defined as the rear leg opening angle θ3r. In the basic posture, the front leg opening angle θ3f and the rear leg opening angle θ3r are each set to a predetermined angle. The predetermined angle is, for example, greater than 90°. The front wheel axis A4f is located forward of the extension line of the front leg rotation axis A5f, and the rear wheel axis A4r is located rearward of the extension line of the rear leg rotation axis A5r.

[0066] With this setting, in the basic posture, the seat 11a of the main body 1 is set horizontally at a height that is preferable for a moving occupant. This height is higher than the height of the seat 11a in either the first boarding / alighting posture or the second boarding / alighting posture described later. The distance between the front wheel 23f and the rear wheel 23r in the basic posture, that is, the wheelbase of the mobility M, is set to a predetermined first distance, which is longer than the front-rear distance between the front hip joint axis A2f and the rear hip joint axis A2r, and is, for example, 1100 mm.

[0067] 8 is a suitable posture for a rider to take when getting on and off the mobility M. The first getting on and off posture can be achieved by increasing both the inward rotation angle (i.e., adduction angle) of the hip joints HJf, HJr and the outward rotation angle (i.e., flexion angle) of the knee joints KJf, KJr in the front and rear legs 22f, 22r, respectively, so that the upper thighs 221f, 221r ​​are brought closer to the rim body 21 and the upper thighs 221f, 221r ​​and the lower thighs 222f, 222r are brought closer to each other, while maintaining the left rim portion 2L and the right rim portion 2R in the same position relative to the basic posture. In other words, the angles θ1f, θ1r that the upper leg extension lines VL2f, VL2r make with the rim body extension line VL1 are narrowed, and the angles θ2f, θ2r that the lower leg extension lines VL3f, VL3r make with the upper leg extension lines VL2f, VL2r are reduced. Here, in the first riding / dismounting posture, the front leg opening angle θ3f and the rear leg opening angle θ3r are both smaller than those in the basic posture. The first riding / dismounting posture can also be called a squatting posture from its description.

[0068] With this setting, in the first getting-on / off posture, the seat 11a of the main body 1 is set to a lower position than the basic posture while maintaining the horizontal position. The wheelbase in the first getting-on / off posture is set to a predetermined second distance that is shorter than the first distance. The second distance is, for example, 1000 mm.

[0069] 9 is a variation of the posture that the occupant can take when getting on and off the moving body M. When getting on and off, the occupant can selectively set the first and second riding / alighting postures. For example, the second riding / alighting posture is selected based on the occupant's preference, as well as when the road surface is flat without steps or large irregularities, or when there is sufficient space around the mobility M to stretch the legs (specifically, the rear legs 22r).

[0070] The second riding posture can be realized by maintaining the rotation angle of the front hip joint HJf and the front knee joint KJf in the front leg 22f, and maintaining the relative positional relationship between the rim body extension line VL1, the front leg upper thigh extension line VL2f, and the front leg lower thigh extension line VL3f, while widening the angle θ1r that the rear leg upper thigh extension line VL2r makes with the rim body extension line VL1 in the rear leg 22r by widening the rear hip joint HJr outward, and rotating the rear knee joint KJr inward, that is, extending it, thereby increasing the angle θ2r that the rear leg lower thigh extension line VL3r makes with the rear leg upper thigh extension line VL2r. Here, in the second riding posture, the rear leg opening angle θ3r is larger than the front leg opening angle θ3f. The second riding posture can also be called the stretched posture from its description.

[0071] With this setting, in the second riding position, the rear wheel 23r is positioned farther outward in the front-rear direction DL from the rear hip joint HJr, that is, farther rearward, than in the first riding position. The position of the rear hip joint HJr is lower than the front hip joint HJf, and the rim body 21 is tilted rearward. As a result, the body 1 is tilted so as to look diagonally upward toward the front, in other words, so that the seat surface of the seat 11a faces rearward, and the seat 11a is set to a position even lower than in the first riding position. The wheelbase in the second riding position is set to a predetermined third distance that is longer than the first distance. The third distance is, for example, 1430 millimeters.

[0072] In addition to the above, in the second getting on / off posture, the footrest 15 is displaced from the first position P1 in the basic posture and the first getting on / off posture to the second position P2 (FIG. 7), and the height of the footrest 15 relative to the seat 11a is raised. As a result, the footrest 15 is in a state where the foot receiving portion 151 is inclined with respect to the seat surface of the seat 11a and the rim body extension line VL1, while being positioned parallel to the ground or floor surface.

[0073] In this embodiment, the rotation angle or opening angle θ1r of the rear hip joint HJr in the second getting-on / off posture is set to an angle greater than 180°, and the rear hip joint HJr is lowered to a position where it contacts the ground or floor surface. As a result, the rear hip joint HJr and the rear wheels 23r are aligned at approximately the same height, and the mobility M contacts the ground at a total of six points, the left and right front wheels 23f, the left and right rear wheels 23r, and the left and right rear hip joints HJr.

[0074] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the control configuration of the mobility M.

[0075] In this embodiment, the control unit is realized as a controller 101, which is an electronic control unit, and includes a microcomputer and its peripheral circuits. The controller 101 receives, as its inputs, an output signal from the operation unit 12 and an output signal from the detection unit 13.

[0076] The operation unit 12 includes a start switch 121, a speed change switch 122, a traveling direction change switch 123, and a boarding / disembarking switch 124. These various switches are arranged around a handle or grip that is provided so as to be gripped by an occupant seated on the seat 11a, and can be operated by the occupant gripping the handle with the thumb of his / her right or left hand.

[0077] The start switch 121 is a switch for turning on and off the power supply of the mobility M, in other words, for starting and stopping the mobility M. The speed change switch 122 is a switch for changing the moving speed or its set range of the mobility M, and is configured, for example, by a combination of an increase speed switch and a decrease speed switch. The traveling direction change switch 123 is a switch for switching the traveling direction of the mobility M between forward and backward, and for changing the course of the mobility M to the right or left.

[0078] The boarding / alighting switch 124 is a switch for switching the posture of the mobility M between a basic posture (FIG. 1) and a boarding / alighting posture (FIGS. 8 and 9). When the occupant presses the boarding / alighting switch 124 while the mobility M is in the basic posture, the mobility M transforms into the first boarding / alighting posture or the second boarding / alighting posture, and when the occupant presses the boarding / alighting switch 124 while the mobility M is in the first or second boarding / alighting posture, the mobility M transforms into the basic posture. As described above, the basic posture is the basic posture that the mobility M takes when moving, and can be said to be a standby or initial posture. The boarding / alighting switch 124 corresponds to the "transition instruction unit" in this embodiment.

[0079] In addition to the above, the operating unit 12 is provided with a brake lever (not shown) for forcibly decelerating the mobility M.

[0080] In this embodiment, a small remote controller that can be carried by the occupant is provided, and some of the switches provided in the operation unit 12, in this embodiment, the start switch 121 and the boarding / disembarking switch 124, are incorporated in this remote controller. The remote controller is configured to be detachable from an installation unit provided in the main body unit 1 near the handle by appropriate means using magnetism or the like. This allows the occupant to start the mobility M or change its posture by remote control while being in a location away from the mobility M. The remote controller may be dedicated to the mobility M, but it can also be realized by using a mobile terminal such as a smartphone and implementing various switch functions by an application program or the like. In this embodiment, instructions regarding switching of the operation mode and changes in the posture of the mobility M are performed by operating a physical switch such as the boarding / disembarking switch 124, but this is not limited to this, and similar instructions can also be performed by voice.

[0081] The detection unit 13 includes a camera 131, an acceleration sensor 132, a motor rotation angle sensor 133, and a seating sensor 134. The motor rotation angle sensor 133 detects the rotation angle of an electric motor provided in each movable part as an actuator ACT, and is, for example, a rotary encoder.

[0082] The seating sensor 134 detects that an occupant is actually seated in the seat 11a. The seating sensor 134 may detect the weight of the occupant seated in the seat 11a, or may detect the occupant's contact with (i.e., gripping) the handlebars. The seating sensor 134 corresponds to the "occupant detection unit" according to this embodiment. Instead of or in addition to the seating sensor 134, the seating of an occupant may be detected by mounting a remote controller equipped with the start switch 121 or the like on an installation portion of the main body unit 1.

[0083] The controller 101 executes a predetermined calculation based on these input signals, and outputs the resulting drive command signal to the corresponding actuator ACT (ACT1 to ACT6).

[0084] The controller 101 switches the operation mode of the mobility M between a moving mode and a boarding / disembarking mode, and controls the posture of the mobility M in each of the moving mode and the boarding / disembarking mode. The moving mode is an operation mode in which the mobility M moves with an occupant seated on the seat 11a, and the boarding / disembarking mode is an operation mode in which the occupant sits on or leaves the seat 11a. The moving modes include a walking mode in which the mobility M moves by the operation of the front and rear legs 22f, 22r including the hip joints HJf, HJr and the knee joints KJf, KJr, and a running mode in which the mobility M moves by the rotation of the front wheels 23f and the rear wheels 23r.

[0085] During movement in the walking mode or running mode, the controller 101 sets the mobility M to a posture for the movement mode, places the seat 11a at a relatively high position, and maintains the orientation of the seat 11a horizontal. After setting the movement mode, the controller 101 sets the mobility M to a basic posture, which is a standby or initial posture, until the mobility M actually starts moving. The controller 101 then acquires route information regarding the route ahead of the mobility M, executes a predetermined calculation based on the acquired route information, and controls the actuators ACT provided in each movable part to maintain the horizontality of the main body 1, i.e., to maintain the orientation of the seat 11a horizontal, regardless of whether the route during movement is a horizontal road, an uphill road, a downhill road, or a step road.

[0086] On the other hand, when getting on and off, the controller 101 sets the mobility M to a posture of a boarding / alighting mode in which the position of the seat 11a is lower than when moving. The posture of the boarding / alighting mode can be realized by either the first boarding / alighting posture or the second boarding / alighting posture. In the first boarding / alighting posture, the orientation of the seat 11a is kept horizontal, and in the second boarding / alighting posture, the main body 1 and the seat 11a are tilted so that the seat surface of the seat 11a faces outward in the front-rear direction DL, that is, backward.

[0087] FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the contents of the control that the controller 101 performs when the mobility M moves.

[0088] In S101, information detected by various sensors provided in the detection unit 13, such as the camera 131, is read. The acquired information includes information on the shape of the route along which the mobility M moves, that is, route information.

[0089] In S102, the waist link shaft height is set. The waist link shaft height is the height from the ground contact point of the wheels 23f, 23r to the waist link shaft A1, and is related to and indicates the height of the seat 11a.

[0090] In S103, the heights of the joint axes A2f, A2r of the front and rear hip joints HJf, HJr provided on the left rim portion 2L and the right rim portion 2R (hereinafter referred to as "hip joint axis heights") are set based on the set waist link axis height. Here, the hip joint axis height is the height from the ground contact point to the front and rear hip joint axes A2f, A2r, and indicates the height of the front and rear hip joints HJf, HJr for maintaining the waist link axis A1 horizontally at the set height (i.e., the waist link axis height) on the path during movement.

[0091] In steps S104 to S106, the rim body swing angle, hip joint rotation angle, and knee joint rotation angle are calculated to achieve the set hip joint axis height. The rim body swing angle is the amount of relative swing displacement around the waist link axis A1 between the left and right rim sections 2L, 2R, the hip joint rotation angle is the rotation angle of each of the front and rear hip joint sections HJf, HJr, and the knee joint rotation angle is the rotation angle of each of the front and rear knee joint sections KJf, KJr.

[0092] In S107, the rotation angles of the leg rotation portions 24f, 24r of the front and rear legs 22f, 22r provided on the left rim portion 2L and the right rim portion 2R (hereinafter referred to as "leg rotation angles") are calculated.

[0093] In S108, drive command signals are generated according to the rim body swing angle, hip joint rotation angle, knee joint rotation angle and leg rotation angle calculated in the above steps, and output to the actuators ACT1, ACT2f, ACT2r, ACT3f, ACT3r, ACT5f, and ACT5r of the corresponding movable parts.

[0094] In addition to obtaining route information using the camera 131, it is also possible to previously store information regarding the shape of the route in the memory unit of the controller 101 in association with map information, detect the current position of the mobility M on the map using a position sensor such as a GPS, and read out the route information associated with this current position.

[0095] 12 is a flowchart showing the contents of the control (hereinafter referred to as "start-up control") performed by the controller 101 when the power is turned on, that is, when starting up the mobility M. The start-up control is executed by the controller 101 based on the turning-on operation of the start-up switch 121 while the power is turned off.

[0096] In the following description, the second boarding / alighting posture is selected as the posture of the boarding / alighting mode, and while the power of the mobility M is turned off and the power supply to the actuator ACT is stopped, the mobility M is maintained in the posture of the travel mode, specifically, the basic posture. The posture of the boarding / alighting mode is not limited to the second boarding / alighting posture and may be the first boarding / alighting posture, and the posture when the power is off is not limited to the basic posture and may be the posture of the boarding / alighting mode. When the posture when the power is off is set as the posture of the boarding / alighting mode, the first boarding / alighting posture and the second boarding / alighting posture can be selectively set depending on the road surface conditions, the conditions of the place where the mobility M is stored or parked, etc.

[0097] In S201, the power supply of the mobility M is turned on and the mobility M is started up.

[0098] In S202, the posture of the mobility M is changed from the basic posture to the second boarding / alighting posture.

[0099] In S203, it is determined whether or not an occupant is actually seated in the seat 11a by the seating sensor 134. If it is determined that an occupant is seated, the process proceeds to S204, and if it is not determined that an occupant is seated, the determination in S203 is repeated until it is determined that an occupant is seated.

[0100] In S204, it is determined whether or not a transition to the travel mode is instructed by the passenger operating the boarding / alighting switch 124. If a transition to the travel mode is instructed, the process proceeds to S205, and if not, the process returns to S203, and the determinations of S203 and S204 are repeated.

[0101] In S205, the operation mode of the mobility M is set to the moving mode, and the posture of the mobility M is changed from the second boarding / alighting posture to the basic posture.

[0102] Here, in changing the posture, that is, in the transformation from the second getting-on / off posture to the basic posture, the change in the orientation and position of the seat 11a may be simultaneous or alternate. Specifically, after the orientation of the seat 11a is returned to horizontal by the swing displacement of the main body 1 about the waist link axis A1, the position of the seat 11a may be raised by the operation of the hip joints HJf, HJr and the knee joints KJf, KJr while the orientation of the seat 11a is maintained horizontal, or the position of the seat 11a may be raised while the inclination of the seat 11a is eliminated by the operation of the hip joints HJf, HJr and the knee joints KJf, KJr while the positional relationship between the main body 1 and the rim main body 21 is maintained. At this time, the foot rest 15 is displaced according to the change in the inclination of the seat 11a, thereby maintaining the foot receiving portion 151 horizontal. Regarding the orientation of the seat 11a, "horizontal" refers to a substantially horizontal direction, and refers to an orientation suitable for an occupant holding a handle or grip to face forward or to keep their line of sight horizontal.

[0103] 13 is a flowchart showing the contents of the control (hereinafter referred to as "stop control") performed by the controller 101 when the power is off, that is, when the operation of the mobility M is stopped. The stop control is executed by the controller 101 based on the ON operation of the boarding / disembarking switch 124 when the mobility M is in the basic posture.

[0104] In S301, it is determined whether or not a transition to the boarding / alighting mode is instructed by the occupant operating the boarding / alighting switch 124. If a transition to the boarding / alighting mode is instructed, the process proceeds to S302, and if not, the determination in S301 is repeated until such a transition is instructed.

[0105] In S302, the mobility M is set to a boarding / disembarking mode, and the posture of the mobility M is changed from the basic posture to the second boarding / disembarking posture.

[0106] Here, as in the case of transition to the travel mode, the change in the orientation and position of the seat 11a may be simultaneous or alternate. Specifically, the seat 11a may be tilted by the swing displacement of the main body 1 about the waist link axis A1 after the position of the seat 11a is lowered by the operation of the hip joints HJf, HJr and the knee joints KJf, KJr while the orientation of the seat 11a is maintained horizontal, or the seat 11a may be tilted while the position of the seat 11a is lowered by the operation of the hip joints HJf, HJr and the knee joints KJf, KJr while the positional relationship between the main body 1 and the rim main body 21 is maintained. Similarly, the foot rest 15 is displaced according to the change in the inclination of the seat 11a to keep the foot receiving portion 151 horizontal. The operation in the case where the orientation and position of the seat 11a are changed simultaneously corresponds to the "first posture transformation operation" according to this embodiment, and the operation in the case where the orientation and position are changed alternately corresponds to the "second posture transformation operation" according to this embodiment.

[0107] In S303, it is determined whether or not the seating sensor 134 detects that the occupant has left the seat 11a. If the occupant has left the seat, the process proceeds to S304. If the occupant has not left the seat, the process repeats the determination in S303 until the occupant has left the seat.

[0108] In S304, it is determined whether a predetermined time has elapsed after it is detected that the occupant has left the seat 11a. If the predetermined time has elapsed, the process proceeds to S305. If the predetermined time has not elapsed, the determinations in S303 and S304 are repeated until the predetermined time has elapsed.

[0109] In S305, the posture of the mobility M is changed from the second boarding / alighting posture to the basic posture. In other words, after the posture is changed due to the transition to the boarding / alighting mode, the posture of the mobility M is maintained in the second boarding / alighting posture until a predetermined time has elapsed since the occupant leaving the seat 11a is detected, and then the posture is changed to the basic posture after the predetermined time has elapsed.

[0110] In S306, after the mobility M is changed to the basic posture, the power supply to the mobility M is cut off and the operation of the mobility M is stopped.

[0111] The mobility M according to this embodiment has the above-mentioned configuration. The effects obtained by this embodiment will be described below.

[0112] First, when moving, the mobility M is set to a movement mode posture and the orientation of the seat 11a is maintained horizontal, while when getting on and off, the mobility M is set to a boarding / disembarking mode posture in which the position of the seat 11a is lower than when moving, and the seat 11a is tilted so that its seat surface faces outward in the fore-and-aft direction, for example, toward the rear, making it possible to achieve both comfort for the occupant when moving and when getting on and off.

[0113] Specifically, when moving, the position of the seat 11a is set to a relatively high position, and the position and inclination of the seat 11a are adjusted so that the line of sight of the occupant seated in the seat 11a is directed horizontally. This allows the occupant to easily maintain a posture that is easy to drive when moving.

[0114] In contrast, when getting on and off, the position of the seat 11a is changed to a lower position than when moving, and the inclination of the seat 11a is adjusted so that the seat surface of the seat 11a faces outward. This makes it possible for the occupant to easily get on and off the mobility M without having to straddle the seat 11a widely.

[0115] Secondly, when changing the posture of the mobility M, it is possible to quickly complete the posture change by simultaneously changing the position and inclination of the seat 11a by the first posture transformation operation. Instead, when changing the posture of the mobility M, it is possible to stably and reliably change the posture by alternately changing the position and inclination of the seat 11a by the second posture transformation operation and tilting the seat 11a following the lowering of the position of the seat 11a.

[0116] Thirdly, by changing the posture to that of the travel mode when it is detected that the occupant is actually seated on the seat 11a after the transition to the boarding / alighting mode and the occupant issues a command to transition to the travel mode, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the posture is changed to that of the travel mode, that is, the deformation of the mobility M is started, in the event that the occupant accidentally touches the operation unit 12 in the middle of the action of sitting on the seat 11a and issues a command to transition to the travel mode. This makes it possible to improve safety, particularly when getting on the vehicle.

[0117] Fourth, when the passenger is detected to have left the seat 11a after the mode is switched to the boarding / alighting mode, the posture of the boarding / alighting mode is maintained for a predetermined time, in other words, the posture of the mobility mode is changed to that of the mobility M after a predetermined time has elapsed, thereby making it possible to prevent the mobility M from starting to deform in the middle of the passenger's action to leave the seat 11a. This makes it possible to improve safety, particularly when disembarking.

[0118] Furthermore, by setting the posture of the mobility M while the power is off to the posture of the travel mode (basic posture in this embodiment), the occupant or worker can work in a relatively comfortable posture when replacing the living space 11, and it is possible to speed up the work. On the other hand, by setting the posture of the mobility M while the power is off to the posture of the boarding / alighting mode (for example, the first boarding / alighting posture), it is possible to reduce the area or volume occupied by the mobility M when the power is off, and it is possible to reduce the hassle of storage, for example.

[0119] After it is detected that the occupant has left the seat, the posture is automatically changed to the travel mode after a predetermined time has elapsed, so that the living space 11 can be efficiently replaced.

[0120] Fifth, after the power is turned on to transition to the boarding / alighting mode, if it is detected that the occupant is actually seated on the seat 11a and the occupant issues a command to transition to the travel mode, the posture is changed to that of the travel mode, thereby making it possible to avoid a situation in which the mobility M starts to deform due to an erroneous operation by the occupant, such as accidentally touching the operation unit 12 while in the middle of the action of sitting on the seat 11a. This makes it possible to improve safety, particularly when getting on the vehicle.

[0121] By setting the posture of the boarding / alighting mode to the second boarding / alighting posture, the position of the seat 11a when boarding / alighting can be set low, that is, relatively close to the ground or floor surface, making it easier for the occupant to board and alight from the mobility M.

[0122] Here, in the second boarding / disembarking posture, the mobility M assumes a low posture overall and the center of gravity of the mobility M is lowered, making it possible to make the posture of the mobility M more stable when boarding / disembarking, thereby further improving safety.

[0123] In contrast, by setting the posture of the boarding / alighting mode to the first boarding / alighting posture, the area or volume that the mobility M occupies on the ground or floor when boarding or alighting is reduced, making it possible to board or alight with the mobility M in a low posture suitable for boarding and alighting even in a narrow space.

[0124] Furthermore, according to the first boarding / disembarking posture, regardless of road surface conditions such as steps in front of or behind the mobility M, large unevenness, or the presence of objects or obstacles in the vicinity, it is possible to set the mobility M to a boarding / disembarking mode posture and perform boarding / disembarking.

[0125] FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a posture that the mobility M can take when climbing a slope (for example, an uphill road) R using the wheels 23f, 23r, that is, a posture that the mobility M can take when moving in the traveling mode.

[0126] The mobility M sets the heights of the front and rear hip joints HJf, HJr to keep the waist link shaft A1 horizontal at a predetermined height from the ground or floor surface (i.e., road surface). The distance in the up-down direction DH between the waist link shaft A1 and point Rp where a straight line drawn vertically downward from the waist link shaft A1 intersects with the road surface is defined as the height Hc of the waist link shaft A1. When the uphill road R during travel is flat with no steps or large irregularities, in this embodiment, in order to keep the waist link shaft A1 at this predetermined height, the front hip joints HJf and the rear hip joints HJr are set to the same height, and the front leg 22f is bent more than the rear leg 22r.

[0127] As a result, the rim body extension line VL1 is set horizontally, and when comparing the angles θ2f, θ2r that the lower leg extension lines VL3f, VL3r make with the upper leg extension lines VL2f, VL2r between the front and rear legs 22f, 22r, the angle of the front leg 22f is set smaller than that of the rear leg 22r (θ2f<θ2r). Furthermore, when comparing the front leg opening angle θ3f and the rear leg opening angle θ3r, the front leg opening angle θ3f is set slightly larger (θ3r<θ3f).

[0128] The rotation angles of the front and rear hip joints HJf, HJr and knee joints KJf, KJr can be set for the front leg 22f based on the height of the front hip joint HJf, and for the rear leg 22r based on the height of the rear hip joint HJr. Because the road surface is flat, there is no relative rocking displacement between the left rim portion 2L and the right rim portion 2R, and the rotation angles of the joints HJf, HJr, KJf, KJr are the same between the left and right rim portions 2L, 2R.

[0129] If there is a difference in height between the front and rear hip joints HJf, HJr, for example, the position of the front hip joint HJf becomes higher than the rear hip joint HJr, causing the main body 1 and seat 11a to tilt backward, the main body 1 is swung forward about the waist link axis A1, and the orientation of the main body 1 and seat 11a is maintained horizontal. In this embodiment, the swinging of the main body 1 can be achieved by rotating the first drive motors ACT1 provided on the left and right rims 2L, 2R by the same angle in the same direction in the front and rear.

[0130] Fig. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a posture that the mobility M can take when climbing a step (e.g., a staircase) S with the legs 22f, 22r, that is, a posture that the mobility M can take when moving in walking mode. Fig. 12(a) shows the posture of the entire mobility M, and Fig. 12(b) shows a schematic diagram of the positional relationship of the waist link axis A1, front hip joint axis A2f, A2f', and rear hip joint axis A2r, A2r' of the left and right rim parts 2L, 2R.

[0131] The mobility M sets the heights of the front and rear hip joints HJf, HJr to keep the waist link shaft A1 horizontal at a predetermined height from the ground or floor surface (i.e., the step surface of the step S) in the same manner as when moving in the traveling mode. The distance in the up-down direction DH between the waist link shaft A1 and the point Sp where a straight line drawn vertically downward from the waist link shaft A1 intersects with the step surface is set as the height Hc of the waist link shaft A1. In the illustrated example, in order to keep the waist link shaft A1 at this predetermined height, the height of the front hip joint HJf of the left rim part 2L is set lower than the height of the front hip joint HJf of the right rim part 2R, and the height of the rear hip joint HJf of the left rim part 2L is set higher than the height of the rear hip joint HJr of the right rim part 2R.

[0132] Accordingly, in order to prevent the posture of the mobility M from becoming unstable due to the difference in height between the left and right hip joints HJf, HJr, a relative swinging displacement is generated between the left rim portion 2L and the right rim portion 2R by setting the rim body swing angle, thereby absorbing the difference in height of the hip joints HJf, HJr.

[0133] The positions of the front leg 22f and rear leg 22r of each of the left and right rim portions 2L, 2R, i.e., the rotation angles of the front and rear hip joints HJf, HJr and knee joints KJf, KJr, can be set based on the front hip joint axis height for the front leg 22f, and based on the rear hip joint axis height for the rear leg 22r.

[0134] Furthermore, if the main body 1 and the seat 11a tilt forward or backward at the heights set for the front and rear hip joints HJf, HJr, the main body 1 is swung backward or forward about the waist link axis A1, thereby maintaining the orientation of the main body 1 and the seat 11a horizontal.

[0135] In this embodiment, while the power supply of the mobility M is cut off, the mobility M is maintained in the posture of the travel mode (specifically, the basic posture). Not limited to this, the posture when the power is off may be the posture of the boarding / alighting mode. In this case, after the power is turned on, when the seating sensor 134 detects that an occupant is actually seated on the seat 11a and the occupant operates the boarding / alighting switch 124 to instruct a transition to the travel mode, the controller 101 changes the posture of the mobility M to the basic posture. As the posture when the power is off, for example, the first boarding / alighting posture shown in FIG. 8 can be adopted.

[0136] In this embodiment, when the mobility M is in the first getting-on / off posture, the orientation of the main body 1 and the seat 11a are maintained horizontal. Not limited to this, the main body 1 and the seat 11a can also be tilted when the mobility M is in the first getting-on / off posture. Specifically, the first getting-on / off posture in which the front and rear legs 22f, 22r are greatly bent is selected as the posture for the getting-on / off mode, and the main body 1 is tilted backward about the waist link axis A1, and the seat 11a is tilted so that its seat surface faces backward. In this case, the footrest 15 is displaced according to the change in the inclination of the seat 11a, and the foot receiving portion 151 is maintained horizontal.

[0137] In this embodiment, of the V-shaped rim main body 21, the beam-like portion on one end side that is shorter in the front-rear direction DL is the front beam-like portion 21f and is arranged on the front side in the forward movement direction of the mobility M, while the beam-like portion on the other end side that is longer in the front-rear direction DL is arranged on the rear side in the forward movement direction as the rear beam-like portion 21r. In other words, they are arranged so that the front beam-like portion 21f precedes the rear beam-like portion 21r when moving forward, and the rear beam-like portion 21r precedes the front beam-like portion 21f when moving backward.

[0138] The forward direction of the mobility M is not limited to this, and may be a direction in which the beam-like portion 21r on the other end side, which is longer in the front-rear direction DL, precedes the beam-like portion 21f on one end side when moving forward, and the beam-like portion 21f on one end side, which is shorter in the front-rear direction DL, precedes the beam-like portion 21r on the other end side when moving backward. Accordingly, the seat 11a provided on the main body part 1 is also reversed in front and rear, and the occupant seated on the seat 11a is arranged so that the hip joint portion on the other end side (rear hip joint portion HJr) is forward. For example, when the main body part 1 is provided with a chair-type sitting and sitting part, the main body part 1 is arranged in a space sandwiched from the left and right by the beam-like portion 21r on the other end side, and a footrest is arranged diagonally forward and downward of the seat so that the occupant's feet can be placed on it. Then, for example, when transitioning from the travel mode to the boarding and disembarking mode, the position of the seat is lowered and the main body part 1 is tilted so that the seat surface of the seat faces forward, and the footrest is displaced to maintain the foot receiving part horizontal.

[0139] Furthermore, in this embodiment, in order to change and adjust the height of the front and rear ends of the rim body 21, that is, the front and rear hip joints HJf, HJr, respectively, a rotational joint is formed in the front and rear legs 22f, 22r by the knee joints KJf, KJr in addition to the hip joints HJf, HJr. Changing and adjusting the height is not limited to this, but can also be achieved by forming a linear joint in place of or in addition to the knee joints KJf, KJr. [Explanation of symbols]

[0140] M...mobile body, 1...main body, 11...living area, 11a...seat, 12...operation unit, 121...start switch, 122...speed change switch, 123...forward / reverse switch, 124...boarding / exiting switch, 13...detection unit, 131...camera, 132...acceleration sensor, 133...motor rotation angle sensor, 134...seating sensor, 14...shaft, 15...footrest, 2...main body support unit, 2L...left rim unit, 2R...right rim unit, 21...rim main body unit, 22f...front leg, 22r...rear Side leg, 221f...front leg upper leg, 221r...rear leg upper leg, 222f...front leg lower leg, 222r...rear leg lower leg, 23f...front wheel, 23r...rear wheel, HJf...front hip joint, HJr...rear hip joint, KJf...front knee joint, KJr... Rear knee joint, A1...lumbar link axis, A2f...front hip joint axis, A2r...rear hip joint axis, A3f...front knee joint axis, A3r...rear knee joint axis, A4f...front wheel axis, A4r...rear wheel axis, A5f...front leg rotation axis, A5r...rear leg rotation axis.

Claims

1. A main body portion, A body support part that supports the body part on the ground or floor surface during movement; A control unit, The main body portion includes a seat on which an occupant can sit, The main body support portion is A first rim portion; a second rim portion arranged in the left-right direction with respect to the first rim portion so as to sandwich the main body portion between the first rim portion and the second rim portion, and connected to the first rim portion via an axis portion provided along an axis extending in the left-right direction, Each of the first rim portion and the second rim portion is a rim body portion extending in a front-rear direction and having a first hip joint portion formed on one end side in the front-rear direction and a second hip joint portion formed on the other end side; A first leg portion connected to the rim body portion via the first hip joint portion so as to be capable of inward and outward rotation; a second leg portion connected to the rim body portion via the second hip joint portion so as to be capable of inward and outward rotation, The control unit is By the movements of the first and second legs including adduction and abduction at the hip joints, the posture of the moving body is controlled when the moving body moves with the occupant seated on the seat and when the occupant gets on or off the seat, During movement, the moving body is set in a moving mode posture to maintain the orientation of the seat horizontally, When getting on and off, the moving body is set to a posture of a getting on and off mode in which the position of the seat is lower than when moving, the seat is inclined, and the seat surface of the seat faces outward in the front-rear direction.

2. The moving body according to claim 1 , wherein, when transitioning from the travel mode to the entry / exit mode, a first attitude changing action is performed in which the position of the seat is lowered while the inclination of the seat is increased.

3. 2. The moving body according to claim 1, wherein, when transitioning from the travel mode to the boarding / alighting mode, the position of the seat is lowered while maintaining the orientation of the seat horizontal, and after the seat reaches the lowered position, a second attitude transformation operation is performed to tilt the seat.

4. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the seat is a seat on which the occupant can sit in a straddling position.

5. an occupant detection unit that detects whether an occupant is actually seated in the seat; A transition instruction unit that instructs a transition from the boarding / alighting mode to the travel mode based on an operation by a passenger, The moving body according to claim 1, wherein the control unit maintains the posture of the boarding / alighting mode after transitioning to the boarding / alighting mode until the occupant detection unit detects that the occupant is seated and the transition instructing unit instructs the transition to the travel mode.

6. The moving body according to claim 1 , wherein the moving body maintains the attitude of the moving mode while the power of the moving body is turned off.

7. An occupant detection unit that detects whether an occupant is actually seated in the seat is further provided, 7. The moving body according to claim 6, wherein when the occupant detection unit detects an occupant leaving the seat after transitioning to the boarding / alighting mode, the control unit maintains the posture of the boarding / alighting mode for a predetermined time, and changes the posture of the moving body to the posture of the travel mode after the predetermined time has elapsed.

8. an occupant detection unit that detects whether an occupant is actually seated in the seat; A transition instruction unit that instructs a transition from the boarding / alighting mode to the travel mode based on an operation by a passenger, The control unit changes the posture of the moving body to the posture of the boarding / alighting mode when the power is turned on, and then, when the occupant detection unit detects that the occupant is seated and the transition instruction unit instructs the transition to the travel mode, sets the moving body to the posture of the travel mode.

9. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle maintains the attitude of the boarding / alighting mode while the power of the vehicle is turned off.

10. an occupant detection unit that detects whether an occupant is actually seated in the seat; a transition instruction unit that instructs a transition from the boarding / alighting mode to the travel mode based on an operation by a passenger, The moving body according to claim 9, wherein the control unit sets the moving body to an attitude of the moving mode when, after the power source is turned on, the occupant detection unit detects that the occupant is seated and the transition instructing unit instructs the moving mode.

11. The first leg portion is a first upper leg portion extending from the first hip joint portion; a first lower leg portion connected to the first upper leg portion via a first knee joint portion so as to be capable of bending and extending; A first wheel is attached to the first lower leg portion and contacts the ground or floor surface during movement, The second leg portion is a second upper leg portion extending from the second hip joint portion; a second lower leg portion connected to the second upper leg portion via a second knee joint portion so as to be capable of bending and extending; A second wheel is attached to the second leg portion and contacts the ground or floor surface during movement, 11. The moving body according to claim 1, wherein, in the boarding / disembarking mode posture, the first knee joint portion is located inward in the fore-and-aft direction relative to the first hip joint portion, while the second knee joint portion is located outward in the fore-and-aft direction relative to the second hip joint portion, the second knee joint portion extends more than the first knee joint portion, and the second hip joint portion is lowered below the first hip joint portion.

12. The first leg portion is a first upper leg portion extending from the first hip joint portion; a first lower leg portion connected to the first upper leg portion via a first knee joint portion so as to be capable of bending and extending; A first wheel is attached to the first lower leg portion and contacts the ground or floor surface during movement, The second leg portion is a second upper leg portion extending from the second hip joint portion; a second lower leg portion connected to the second upper leg portion via a second knee joint portion so as to be capable of bending and extending; A second wheel is attached to the second leg portion and contacts the ground or floor surface during movement, 11. The moving body according to claim 1, wherein, in the boarding / disembarking mode posture, the first knee joint portion is located inward in the fore-and-aft direction with respect to the first hip joint portion, the first knee joint portion is bent so that the first wheel is located outward in the first knee joint portion, the second knee joint portion is located inward in the fore-and-aft direction with respect to the second hip joint portion, the second knee joint portion is bent so that the second wheel is located outward in the second knee joint portion.

13. The first rim portion and the second rim portion are connected to each other so as to be able to swing about an axis extending in the left-right direction, 11. The movable body according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the amount of relative swinging displacement between the first rim portion and the second rim portion so as to maintain the orientation of the seat horizontal during movement.

14. The main body is supported to be swingable about an axis extending in the left-right direction relative to the shaft portion, The movable body according to claim 13 , wherein the control unit further controls an amount of pivotal displacement of the main body unit about an axis extending in the left-right direction so as to maintain an orientation of the seat horizontally during movement.

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