Land, sea and air vehicle

Abstract

To provide a land, sea and air vehicle with which it is possible to efficiently realize not only land travel using wheels but also travel over sea (water) and flight using a propeller.SOLUTION: A land, sea and air vehicle 1 includes: a vehicle body 2; a plurality of tire units 3 for driving and flying of the vehicle 1; a drive mechanism 4 for supplying a driving force to the tire units 3; and a control unit 5 for controlling the drive mechanism 4 and a clutch mechanism 42 on the basis of an operation or command from a driver of the vehicle 1. The tire units 3 each include: a pair of wheel units 31a, 31b; and a propeller 32 incorporated in an internal space between the pair of wheel units 31a, 31b.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to vehicles for land, sea and air. [Background technology]

[0002] So-called flying cars, or flying vehicles, are becoming more feasible due to recent technological advances. However, they are still not a common means of transportation, and several prototypes and concepts exist. For example, the Terrafuja runs on roads like a car and flies in the air using propellers. The Parajet Skycar moves on land as a vehicle and flies in the air by deploying a large parasail. Also, the Airmobile has a car-like appearance and flies in the air using propellers.

[0003] There are also various flying car inventions in Japan, for example, an air and land vehicle that can run on the ground using wheels and fly using propellers built into the wheels, and can smoothly transition between running on the ground and flying, has been disclosed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).Furthermore, an airplane that can secure the lift required for flight and has wings that do not get in the way when not flying has been disclosed (see, for example, Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2023-43294 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2006-213225 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Currently, flying cars are expensive and out of reach for the average consumer, but if costs are reduced and they become economically accessible, they may become a common means of transportation in the future, and as technology advances, it is expected to become more realistic. However, as mentioned above, most flying cars still use relatively large propellers and engines and have a shape similar to that of a drone.

[0006] In addition, the air-land vehicle shown in Reference 1 flies using a propeller built into the outside of the wheel frame and a motor in the drive mechanism, but when transitioning from ground running to flight, it is necessary to rotate the wheels and propellers 90 degrees to make them horizontal before starting flight, which still leaves room for efficiency.

[0007] Furthermore, there is no doubt that there is still room for improvement in the structure and mechanics of flying cars to make them safer and more efficient.

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a vehicle for land, sea and air that can more efficiently travel not only on land using wheels, but also on sea (water) and fly using a propeller. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a land, sea and air vehicle capable of running on ground, running on water and flying, comprising a vehicle body, a plurality of tire units for running and flying the vehicle, a drive mechanism that supplies driving force to the tire units, and a control unit that controls the drive mechanism and clutch mechanism based on operations and commands from a driver of the vehicle, wherein the tire units comprise a pair of wheel units and a propeller incorporated in the internal space of the pair of wheel units.

[0010] In this land, sea, and air vehicle, it is preferable that the wheel portion has an annular tire that forms the contact surface with the ground, an annular wheel to which the tire is mounted, a plurality of spokes suspended across the inner surface of the wheel to reinforce the strength of the wheel, and a plurality of connecting rods extending horizontally from one wheel of the paired wheel portion to the other wheel.

[0011] In this land, sea or air vehicle, the connecting rod preferably has a triangular prism shape.

[0012] In this land, sea and air vehicle, the propeller preferably has a cylindrical rotating shaft extending horizontally and a plurality of blades extending outwardly along the radial direction of the rotating shaft.

[0013] In this land, sea, and air vehicle, it is preferable that of the pair of wheel sections, the central axis of the wheel section located on the inside of the vehicle is formed with an insertion hole through which the rotating shaft is inserted, while the central axis of the wheel section located on the outside of the vehicle is formed with a recessed groove through which the rotating shaft can be removably inserted and removed.

[0014] In this land, sea, and air vehicle, it is preferable that the drive mechanism includes a motor drive unit and a clutch mechanism, the motor drive unit is connected to the rotating shaft, the rotating shaft is inserted into the insertion hole formed in the central axis of the wheel unit, and the propeller blades are integrated.

[0015] In this land, sea or air vehicle, it is preferable that the clutch mechanism determines whether or not to supply driving force to a first rotor for rotating the propeller and a second rotor for rotating the mating wheel portion.

[0016] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a tire unit comprising a pair of wheel portions and a propeller incorporated in the internal space of the pair of wheel portions, wherein the wheel portions have an annular tire that forms a contact surface with the ground, an annular wheel to which the tire is attached, a plurality of spokes suspended across the inner surface of the wheel to reinforce the strength of the wheel, and a plurality of connecting rods extending horizontally from one wheel of the pair of wheel portions to the other wheel. Effect of the Invention

[0017] The land, sea and air vehicle of the present invention comprises a vehicle body, a plurality of tire units for running and flying the vehicle, a drive mechanism for supplying driving force to the tire units, and a control unit for controlling the drive mechanism and clutch mechanism based on operations and commands from a driver. The tire unit comprises a pair of wheel units and a propeller incorporated in the internal space of the pair of wheel units. With this configuration, the land, sea and air vehicle of the present invention can more efficiently achieve not only running on land using wheels, but also running on sea (water) and flying using a propeller. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view of a land, sea, and air vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a front view illustrating the internal structure of the vehicle for land, sea, and air use. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2A is an exploded perspective view of a tire unit installed on the vehicle for land, sea, and air use; FIG. 2B is a perspective view of the tire unit. [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the tire unit having a connecting rod of another type. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the tire unit having another configuration. [Figure 6] 1(a) and 1(b) are explanatory diagrams illustrating the operation of a clutch mechanism provided on the vehicle for land, sea, and air use. [Figure 7]FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the vehicle for land, sea, and air use as seen from above. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a front view illustrating the internal structure of a land, sea, and air vehicle having another form. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] (Embodiment) A land, sea, and air vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The location where the land, sea, and air vehicle according to the embodiment is used is not particularly limited, and it can be used not only for running on land using wheels, but also for flying and running on the sea (water) by making good use of the propellers built into the opposing wheels.

[0020] <Overall structure of land, sea and air vehicles> First, the overall structure of a land, sea, and air vehicle (hereinafter, referred to as vehicle) according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. The vehicle 1 is a land, sea, and air vehicle capable of running on land, running on water, and flying, and includes a vehicle body 2, a plurality of tire units 3 for running and flying the vehicle 1, a drive mechanism 4 for supplying driving force to the tire units 3, and a control unit 5 for controlling the drive mechanism 4 and a clutch mechanism 42 (described later) based on an operation or command from a driver. That is, when getting on the vehicle, the driver commands the control unit 5 to change the driving state by physical means, and the state of the tire units 3 transitions to each state for land, sea (water), and flight, switching the driving state.

[0021] The vehicle body 2 is made of a lightweight and durable material (e.g., high-tensile steel plate, aluminum, reinforced resin, etc.). In the case shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the vehicle body 2 is manufactured within the JIS standard, for example, with a front and rear (two-seater), a total length of 3400 mm, a total height of 200 mm, and a 75% ratio (total length 25.5 cm, total height within 15 cm). The tire unit 3 is, for example, about 120 cm in diameter and 30 cm in width. The vehicle body 2 is also provided with a door 2a, a ramp 2b, and a bottom window 2c. In order to enable driving on water, the vehicle body 2 has a bowl-shaped bottom (bottom of the ship) (with bottom windows at the front and rear) to obtain buoyancy on water. It is also preferable to perform a waterproofing treatment to prevent water from entering between the vehicle body 2 and the tire unit 3.

[0022] <Tire unit 3> Next, the configuration of the tire unit 3 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 shows an exploded perspective view of a tire unit provided on a vehicle 1, and the tire unit 3 includes a pair of wheel portions 31a, 31b and a propeller 32 incorporated in the internal space of the wheel portions 31a, 31b. In this manner, the tire unit 3 does not have a shape in which the entire tire is covered with rubber, but rather has an air passage that allows air to be freely drawn in or discharged from the internal space of the pair of wheel portions 31a, 31b.

[0023] The wheel units 31a and 31b each have an annular tire 31c made of rubber or the like that serves as a contact surface with the ground, an annular wheel 31d to which the tire 31c is attached, a plurality of spokes 31e suspended across the inner circumferential surface of the wheel 31d to reinforce the strength of the wheel 31d, and a plurality of connecting rods 31f extending horizontally from one wheel 31d of the paired wheel units 31a and 31b to the other wheel 31d. The paired wheel units 31a and 31b rotate together by the connecting rods 31f. The connecting rods 31f are not limited to a rod shape, but by making the connecting rods 31f into a triangular prism shape as shown in FIG. 4, the air around the wheel units 31a and 31b can be more efficiently sent into the internal space when the wheel units 31a and 31b and the propeller 32 run together, and the propeller 32 can efficiently generate wind power. The annular tire 31c is made of garbage or the like, but a tube may be inserted inside to give it elasticity like that of a bicycle or motorcycle.

[0024] In this figure, the opposing wheel parts 31a, 31b have spokes 31e like those of a bicycle or motorcycle to reduce weight. If strength is required, the spokes 31e may be thicker and larger as necessary. In addition, by making the width of the two paired wheel parts 31a, 31b larger, more air can be taken into the propeller 32, and by making the width of the blades 32b of the propeller 32 larger, lift can be obtained more efficiently. Although the propeller 32 may seem dangerous when rotating at high speed, the wheel parts 31a, 31b arranged around the propeller 32 are stopped when the propeller 32 rotates at high speed, so it is safe.

[0025] The propeller 32 has a cylindrical rotating shaft 32a extending horizontally, and a plurality of blades 32b extending outward along the radial direction (i.e., vertical direction) of the rotating shaft 32a. The plurality of blades 32b are integrated with the rotating shaft 32a at predetermined intervals. Note that, although the number of blades 32b in FIG. 3 is eight, the number of blades 32b is not limited to this.

[0026] The central shaft structures of the opposing wheel sections 31a, 31b are different. That is, the central shaft of the wheel section 31a, which is disposed inside the vehicle 1 near the drive mechanism 4, is formed with an insertion hole 31aa through which the rotating shaft 32a is inserted. On the other hand, the central shaft of the wheel section 31b, which is disposed outside the vehicle 1, is formed with a recessed groove 31ba through which the rotating shaft 32a is detachably inserted and removed. With this structure, based on a clutch mechanism described later, it is possible to rotate only the propeller 32, rotate only the wheel sections 31a, 31b, or rotate the wheel sections 31a, 31b and the propeller 32 as a single unit. As a result, it is possible to efficiently switch the operating state of the vehicle 1 between land, sea, and air, and adjust the speed.

[0027] The periphery of the wheel parts 31a, 31b is shaped to be removable with screws or bolts, so that maintenance of the propeller 32 can be performed. The tire 31c may be structured to suppress vibration by attaching a cushioning material (carbon, etc.) such as rubber, silicon, or reinforced plastic. The material for the wheel 31d, spokes 31e, and blades 32b of the propeller 32 is, for example, a metal, a metal compound, plastic, carbon, or other lightweight and strong material such as durassin, aluminum, or iron.

[0028] The number of wheel parts 31a, 31b of the tire unit 3 is not limited to two as described above, and may be three or more wheel parts 31a, 31b, 31c as shown in FIG. 5. For example, the part of the tire 31c made of rubber or silicone on the surface to be placed on the ground may be increased to three or more wheel parts 31a, 31b, 31a', not limited to two wheel parts, depending on the vehicle weight. In this case, lift can be obtained more efficiently by increasing the width of the blades 32b of the propeller 32. It is also possible to increase the number of propellers 32 incorporated inside the wheel parts 31a, 31b, 31a' to two or more to make the vehicle 1 turn smoothly in the air. Furthermore, a mesh cover may be attached to the outer circumferential surface of the tire unit 3 to prevent foreign objects from entering the propeller 32 from the outside.

[0029] In this manner, in this embodiment, the propeller 32 is attached to the center of the tire unit 3 to generate stronger winds in symmetrical directions, thereby lifting the entire vehicle 1. Furthermore, by integrating the wheel sections 31a, 31b with the propeller 32, it becomes possible to run the vehicle without using a secondary power source, such as by locating a propeller at the rear of the vehicle body 2.

[0030] <Drive mechanism 4> Next, the drive mechanism 4 provided in the land, sea, and air vehicle 1 according to this embodiment will be described. As shown in Fig. 2, the rotating shaft 32a is connected to the drive mechanism 4 that rotates and drives the wheel sections 31a, 31b and the propeller 32. Specifically, the drive mechanism 4 includes a motor drive section 41 and a clutch mechanism 42. By operating the motor drive section 41 and the clutch mechanism 42, the wheel sections 31a, 31b and the propeller 32 of the tire unit 3 can be driven independently.

[0031] The motor drive unit 41 is connected to the rotating shaft 32, which is inserted into an insertion hole 31aa formed in the central axis of the wheel unit 31a and is integrated with the blades 32b of the propeller 32. A motor or an engine is a typical driving source for rotating the rotating shaft 32, but a rocket engine or the like may be attached to increase the speed.

[0032] The clutch mechanism 42 is a mechanical element that engages and disengages objects, and in this embodiment, a mechanically meshed structure is used. The clutch mechanism 42 is a mechanism that turns on / off the supply of driving force supplied from the motor drive unit 41 to the wheel units 31a, 31b / propeller 32, and the rotating shaft 32a of the propeller 32 can be engaged with and disengaged from the wheel units 31a, 31b of the tire unit 3.

[0033] Next, details of the clutch mechanism 42 will be described with reference to Fig. 6. As shown in Fig. 6(a), the clutch mechanism 42 determines whether or not to supply driving force to the first rotor A for rotating the propeller 32 and the second rotor B for rotating the wheel parts 31a and 31b. For example, when only the first rotor A is engaged with the rotating body C that transmits the rotational driving force from the motor drive part 41, a state is created in which only the propeller 32 rotates (here, for the sake of explanation, this is referred to as a first clutch state).

[0034] On the other hand, when the arrangement of the rotor C is moved in the direction shown in FIG. 6(b) (moved to the right in this figure) and the rotor C is engaged with the first rotor A and the second rotor B, the state transitions to a state in which the propeller 32 and the wheel portions 31a, 31b rotate simultaneously (referred to as the second clutch state here for the sake of explanation). Furthermore, when only the rotor C is engaged with the second rotor B, the state transitions to a state in which only the wheel portions 31a, 31b rotate (referred to as the third clutch state here). By transitioning to the first to third clutch states in this way, the wheel portions 31a, 31b and the propeller 32 of the tire unit 3 can be rotated independently of each other.

[0035] <Control unit 5> Next, the operation of the control unit 5 will be described. When the control unit 5 receives a command from the driver of the vehicle 1 to travel on land, it adjusts the arrangement of the rotating shaft C so that only the second rotor B is engaged with the rotating body C (adjusts to the third clutch state), and controls the rotation speed of the wheel units 31a and 31b using the motor drive unit 41 that rotates the rotating shaft 32a. Note that, on general roads, it is preferable to change gears and control the rotation speed to a value that allows steady, slow travel at low speeds.

[0036] When the control unit 5 receives a flight command from the driver of the vehicle 1, it adjusts the arrangement of the rotating shaft body C so that the engaging state of the rotating body C is only the first rotor A (adjusts to the first clutch state), and controls the rotation speed of the propeller 32 using the motor drive unit 41 that rotates the rotating shaft 32a.

[0037] In addition, when the control unit 5 receives a command from the driver of the vehicle 1 to travel on the sea, it adjusts the arrangement of the rotating shaft body C so that the engagement state of the rotating body C becomes the first rotor A and the second rotor B (adjusts to the second clutch state), and controls the rotation speed using the motor drive unit 41 that rotates the rotating shaft 32a.

[0038] Next, the size and interior layout of the vehicle 1 will be described with reference to Figures 7 and 8. In the case shown in Figure 7, the vehicle 1 uses propellers 32 to generate symmetrical wind power on the four wheels of the tire unit 3, allowing the entire vehicle 1 to float and freely choose between running on land, sea, and air. In addition, since Japan has many rivers, for example, the vehicle can be made to have the performance to avoid urban areas as much as possible when running in the air, and to fly above the rivers while avoiding the occurrence of trouble or accidents, and to respond to disaster activities in the mountains, rivers, and sea.

[0039] In the case shown in Fig. 7, the tire unit 3 in the vehicle 1 has a diameter of 120 cm. Therefore, the passenger space of this vehicle body is limited to two people with the seats 7 arranged in two rows, but if the tire units 3 are shifted forward or backward, four people can ride in the space. The vehicle 1 shown in Fig. 8 is not of JIS standard (for four to five people), and the tire unit 3 has a diameter of 300 cm, a width of 110 cm, and multiple propellers 32 built in.

[0040] 1 and 2, wings 6 may be provided to the vehicle 1 in order to receive wind resistance during flight. By providing the wings 6, the vehicle 1 can be lifted even if the lift generated by the four tire units 3 is small. This allows the size of the propeller 32 to be reduced, and the drive mechanism 4 can be made smaller and lighter.

[0041] Also, if the vehicle 1 is limited to transporting goods, for example, a single-seater would be fine, but a four-seater would be preferable for convenience in times of disasters, etc. However, since the shape of the tire unit 3 is quite large, in order to ensure a passenger space within the JIS standard, for example, it is conceivable to have three rows of seats as the interior layout. Also, although not shown, it is conceivable to make the legs of the chairs arched to provide space between the legs of the chairs so that passengers can stretch their legs.

[0042] As described above, the present invention provides a vehicle 1 for land, sea and air use capable of running on land, running on water and flying, comprising a vehicle body 2, a plurality of tire units 3 for running and flying the vehicle 1, a drive mechanism 4 for supplying driving force to the tire units 3, and a control unit 5 for controlling the drive mechanism 4 and the clutch mechanism 42 based on an operation or command from the driver of the vehicle 1. The tire units 3 comprise a pair of wheel parts 31a, 31b and a propeller 32 incorporated in the internal space of the pair of wheel parts 31a, 31b. With this configuration, the vehicle 1 can efficiently achieve not only running on land using the wheel parts 31a, 31b, but also running on sea (water) and flying using the propeller 32. In addition, since the tire unit 3 is an integrated type with the propeller 32 built in, it is preferable that a shock absorber or tamper, which is a vibration absorbing device for takeoff and landing from the air, is attached to the vehicle body 2 side. If the vehicle is heavy, a simple stand may be attached when landing.

[0043] In addition, in the tire unit 3, the propeller 32 is built into the internal space of the opposing wheel parts 31a, 31b, so that only the propeller 32, or the wheel parts 31a, 31b can be driven simultaneously or separately. In addition, since the propeller 32 and the wheel parts 31a, 31b are integrated, the vehicle can be made lighter and more compact. Furthermore, when the wheel parts 31a, 31b and the propeller 32 are traveling simultaneously, the air around the wheel parts 31a, 31b can be sent more forcefully into the inside, generating wind power. In addition, when traveling on the sea or on sand, the propeller 32 can efficiently push aside water or sand, leading to smooth traveling.

[0044] Furthermore, the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment can be used on land (general roads), on water, on snow (driving on gravel roads and bad roads), on the sea, in the air, and the like. Furthermore, compared to general drones, it can operate on land and on the sea. Another major advantage is that it can operate on rivers with slow currents. It can also be used in congested areas such as highways. It can also be used on bad roads and flooded roads as long as the current is not fast. It can also pinpoint disaster sites to rescue people or deliver supplies.

[0045] Furthermore, in the vehicle 1 of this embodiment, by making the propeller 32 larger, there is no need to rotate the wheel sections 31a, 31b by 90 degrees immediately before flight, and the transition from ground travel to flight can be made efficiently and in a short time.

[0046] The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention. For example, the tire unit 3 according to the present invention may be a small piece of equipment that does not require a person to ride on, such as a radio-controlled car. In this case, the amount of items that can be loaded onto the vehicle 1 increases, and the vehicle can be remotely operated by a person or automatically run or fly on the ground in a disaster area. [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] 1. Land, sea and air vehicles 2. Body 3 Tire unit 31a,31b Wheel part 31aa Insertion hole 31ba groove 31c tire 31d Wheel 31e spoke 31f connecting rod 32 Propeller 32a Rotation axis 32b Feather 4. Drive mechanism 41 Motor drive unit 42 Clutch mechanism 5. Control section A First Rotor B Second rotor C Rotating body

Claims

1. A vehicle for land, sea and air that can run on land, on water and fly, The car body and A plurality of tire units for running and flying the vehicle; A drive mechanism for supplying a driving force to the tire unit; a control unit that controls the drive mechanism and the clutch mechanism based on an operation or command from a driver of the vehicle; The tire unit includes: A vehicle for land, sea, and air, comprising a pair of wheel sections and a propeller installed in the internal space of the pair of wheel sections.

2. The wheel portion is A circular tire that comes into contact with the ground, An annular wheel on which the tire is mounted; a plurality of spokes suspended across an inner circumferential surface of the wheel to reinforce the wheel; 2. The land, sea and air vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of connecting rods extending horizontally from one wheel of said pair of wheel sections to the other wheel of said pair of wheel sections.

3. 3. A land, sea and air vehicle according to claim 2, wherein said connecting rod has a triangular prism shape.

4. The propeller is A cylindrical rotating shaft extending horizontally; 2. The land, sea and air vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of blades extending radially outwardly of said rotating shaft.

5. A land, sea, and air vehicle as described in claim 4, characterized in that, of the pair of wheel sections, the central axis of the wheel section located on the inside of the vehicle has an insertion hole through which the rotating shaft is inserted, while the central axis of the wheel section located on the outside of the vehicle has a groove through which the rotating shaft can be detachably inserted and removed.

6. the drive mechanism includes a motor drive unit and a clutch mechanism; The motor drive unit is connected to the rotating shaft, 6. A land, sea and air vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that the rotating shaft is inserted into the insertion hole formed in the central shaft of the wheel portion, and is integrated with the propeller blades.

7. 2. The land, sea, and air vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the clutch mechanism determines whether or not to supply driving force to a first rotor for rotating the propeller and a second rotor for rotating the mating wheel portion.

8. A tire unit including a pair of wheel portions and a propeller incorporated in an internal space of the pair of wheel portions, The wheel portion is A circular tire that comes into contact with the ground, An annular wheel on which the tire is mounted; a plurality of spokes suspended across an inner circumferential surface of the wheel to reinforce the wheel; and a plurality of connecting rods extending horizontally from one wheel of the pair of wheel portions toward the other wheel.

Images