Small-sized electric vehicle and vehicle luggage hanger

Abstract

To provide a small-sized electric vehicle with improved convenience.SOLUTION: A small-sized electric vehicle V comprises a seat 41 configured to allow a user to sit while facing forward and a luggage hanging section 51 provided rearward of a seating surface of the seat 41 and capable of securing luggage. The luggage hanging section 51 is constituted by a luggage hook. The luggage hook 51 includes a body section 511 attached to a backrest 412 of the seat 41, a right extension section 512 which extends in a cantilevered manner from the body section 511 toward one of left and right sides, a left extension section 513 which extends in a cantilevered manner from the body section 511 toward the other side, and a central protrusion section 514 which extends upward from the body section 511.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a small electric vehicle and a luggage hanger for a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] There is a small electric vehicle equipped with a basket capable of accommodating luggage in the front part of the vehicle body.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, if the luggage storage part on the vehicle is only the basket in the front of the vehicle body, the amount of luggage that can be stored is limited, and the shape of the luggage may also be restricted. For example, long and thin items such as walking sticks and umbrellas are not suitable for storage in the basket.

[0005] In view of such a situation, an object of the present invention is to provide a small electric vehicle with higher convenience and a luggage hanger for a vehicle that contributes to the improvement of convenience in the vehicle.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To solve the above problems, a small electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a seat configured to be seated in a state where the user faces forward, and a luggage hanging part provided behind the seat surface of the seat and configured to be able to lock luggage carried during the running of the vehicle.

[0007] Furthermore, a luggage hanger for a vehicle according to another embodiment of the present invention is a luggage hanger for a vehicle that is attached to a seat of the vehicle and is configured to be able to lock luggage carried during the running of the vehicle, and is attached to the backrest portion of the seat and the luggage hanger is configured to be fixable to the backrest portion. A main body portion, a first hanging portion extending in a cantilever state from the main body portion to one of the left and right, a second hanging portion extending in a cantilever state from the main body portion to the other of the left and right, and a third hanging portion extending upward from the main body portion. The extending length of each of the first and second hanging portions from the main body portion is longer than the extending length of the third hanging portion from the main body portion, and the vehicle luggage hanger can lock luggage to each of the first, second, and third hanging portions or receive the load of the luggage by each of the first, second, and third hanging portions.

Advantages of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, by providing a luggage hanging portion configured to be able to lock luggage behind the seat surface of the seat, it is possible to carry a wider variety of luggage and improve the convenience of a small electric vehicle. Here, when the luggage hanging portion is provided separately from the basket in front of the vehicle, this luggage hanging portion can be used to carry luggage that does not fit in the basket.

[0009] And the vehicle luggage hanger provided with the first, second, and third hanging portions extending from the main body portion is suitable for carrying luggage such as a cane or an umbrella that is not suitable for storage in a basket because it has an elongated shape or there is a concern of soiling or wetting other luggage due to the adhesion of sand, mud, or raindrops. It can also be conveniently used.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

Figure 1

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Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0012] (Overall Configuration of Small Electric Vehicle) FIG. 1 is a side view showing a state of a small electric vehicle (hereinafter, simply referred to as "electric vehicle") V according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the right side, and FIG. 2 is a rear view showing a state of the electric vehicle V as viewed from the rear. In FIG. 1, the left and right arrows L with respect to the paper surface indicate the front-rear direction of the electric vehicle V, and the upper and lower arrows H indicate the up-down direction of the electric vehicle V. In FIG. 2, the left and right arrows W with respect to the paper surface indicate the left-right direction of the electric vehicle V. The left and right arrows L shown in FIG. 1, that is, the front-rear direction, coincides with the traveling direction when the electric vehicle V moves forward or backward.

[0013] While appropriately referring to FIG. 2, the configuration of the electric vehicle V will be mainly described based on FIG. 1.

[0014] In this embodiment, the electric vehicle V can be used as a means of transportation for the elderly, the injured, and other people with difficulty walking. The electric vehicle V is, for example, an electric wheelchair or a so-called senior car that can travel on a sidewalk. In other words, the electric vehicle V is equipped with an electric motor as a drive source and travels at a speed equal to or lower than the upper limit speed permitted by law for traveling on a sidewalk. The maximum moving speed during the travel of the electric vehicle V is set to, for example, 6 km / h.

[0015] The electric vehicle V can travel by manual operation by the user or passenger on the operation panel 313 described later, and can also travel by automatic driving. That is, the electric vehicle V is set with a manual driving mode and an automatic driving mode as driving modes. The manual driving mode and the automatic driving mode can be appropriately switched by the user's selection. In the travel by the automatic driving mode, the user can set the target position. The electric vehicle V automatically travels along the route from the current position to the target position without the user's operation. Instead of this, the electric vehicle V can also preset the departure point and the arrival point, and can also automatically travel along a predetermined route from the departure point to the arrival point.

[0016] The electric vehicle V includes, as main components according to this embodiment, a chassis (not shown), wheels 11, a body cover 21, a handle unit 31, and a seat 41. In this embodiment, the electric vehicle V is a four-wheeled vehicle and includes a pair of left and right front wheels 11f and a pair of left and right rear wheels 11r.

[0017] The chassis is the underframe of the electric vehicle V, forms the skeletal structure of the electric vehicle V, and supports various components that make up the electric vehicle V. Specifically, the chassis supports drive system electrical components including the battery BAT and the drive actuator ACT1, steering system electrical components including the steering actuator ACT2, and also supports the vehicle body cover 21 described later. In the present embodiment, the battery BAT is a secondary battery that can be charged and discharged, and both the drive actuator ACT1 and the steering actuator ACT2 are electric motors. The battery BAT constitutes the power source for the drive actuator ACT1 and the steering actuator ACT2. The drive actuator ACT1 and the steering actuator ACT2 can be driven by receiving power supply from the battery BAT.

[0018] The front wheels 11f are provided on the left and right respectively at the front portion of the electric vehicle V, and support the chassis via the front suspension device 12f with respect to the road surface on which the electric vehicle V travels. In the present embodiment, the front wheels 11f are both steering wheels and driven wheels. The front wheels 11f rotate about an axis perpendicular to the road surface, and are configured to be steerable. The front wheels 11f are rotationally driven by the power transmitted from the electric motor which is the steering actuator ACT2, and their direction is changed. The electric vehicle V can change its traveling direction according to the direction of the front wheels 11f.

[0019] The rear wheels 11r are provided on the left and right respectively at the rear portion of the electric vehicle V, and support the chassis via the rear suspension device 12r with respect to the road surface. In the present embodiment, the rear wheels 11r are drive wheels, and their direction is fixedly set. The left and right rear wheels 11r, 11r are connected via a wheel drive shaft 13 extending in the left - right direction W with respect to the electric vehicle V. An electric motor which is the drive actuator ACT1 is interposed in the wheel drive shaft 13, and the rear wheels 11r are rotationally driven by the power transmitted from the drive actuator ACT1, and can propel the electric vehicle V.

[0020] Furthermore, a braking device BRK is provided to be able to suppress the rotation of the rear wheel 11r. The braking device BRK, for example, suppresses the rotation of the rear wheel 11r by frictional force, decelerates the electric vehicle V through the frictional force acting on the rear wheel 11r, and can maintain the decelerated electric vehicle V in a stopped state.

[0021] The body cover 21 is attached to cover the entire chassis, surrounds various elements supported by the chassis, and forms the exterior of the electric vehicle V. The body cover 21 includes a cover main body 211, a front fender 212, and a rear fender 213. The cover main body 211 is located near the central portion in the front-rear direction L of the electric vehicle V and surrounds the battery BAT. The front fender 212 is located at the front portion of the electric vehicle V and surrounds the front wheels 11f from above and behind. The rear fender 213 extends rearward from the cover main body 211 and surrounds the rear wheel 11r from above and in front. The front fender 212 and the rear fender 213 prevent contact with the outside of the front and rear wheels 11f, 11r and prevent mud splashing onto the user sitting on the seat 41 during travel. A night lighting device (hereinafter referred to as "headlight") 22 capable of irradiating the front of the electric vehicle V is provided on the front fender 212, and a direction indicator (hereinafter referred to as "winker") 23 is provided on the rear fender 213. In the body cover 21, a floor step 214 is formed between the cover main body 211 and the front fender 212. The floor step 214 is located at the user's feet during travel.

[0022] The handle unit 31 is attached to the upper end of a steering shaft (not shown) that extends vertically between the left and right front wheels 11f, 11f and is supported by the steering shaft. The handle unit 31 includes a main body portion 311, a handlebar 312, an operation panel 313, and a rearview mirror 314.

[0023] The main body portion 311 constitutes the housing of the handle unit 31 and is located in front of the user facing forward during travel.

[0024] The handlebars 312 are provided on the outer sides of the main body 311, respectively, on the left and right. That is, the handlebars 312 include a right half extending to the right of the main body 311 and a left half extending to the left of the main body, and both the right half and the left half are in a horizontally U-shaped or C-shaped form. The user can hold the handlebars 312 during driving in both the manual driving mode and the automatic driving mode to maintain posture and stability. In the manual driving mode, the entire handle unit 31 can be rotated left and right via the handlebars 312 to steer the electric vehicle V. At this time, the steering actuator ACT2 generates an output torque corresponding to the rotation angle of the handlebars 312 to assist the user's steering force.

[0025] Here, an accelerator lever (not shown) is provided at a position operable by four fingers of the user holding the handlebars 312, excluding the thumb. When driving in the manual driving mode, the user can operate the accelerator lever with the fingers of the hand holding the handlebars 312. When the user pulls the accelerator lever in the direction of the handlebars 312, the electric vehicle V accelerates and travels by the power running operation of the drive actuator ACT1. When the user releases the accelerator lever and returns it to the original position, the electric vehicle V decelerates by the regenerative operation of the drive actuator ACT1. After deceleration, the braking device BRK is activated, and the electric vehicle V maintains a stopped state until the accelerator lever is operated again by the user. The electric vehicle V can be decelerated not only by the regenerative operation of the drive actuator ACT1 but also by the braking device BRK. For example, a brake lever is installed on the handle unit 31 so that the user can operate the braking device BRK via the brake lever.

[0026] The operation panel 313 is provided on the upper surface of the main body 311 and includes various switches for the user to operate the electric vehicle V. The main switches provided on the operation panel 313 are a key switch for turning on and off the power supply to the electric vehicle V, a forward and reverse switch for switching the traveling direction of the electric vehicle V between the forward direction and the reverse direction, a speed adjustment dial for stepwise switching the maximum traveling speed during traveling, for example, when moving forward, within a range of 6 km / h or less, a lighting switch for turning on and off the night lighting device 22, and a turn signal switch for operating the left and right turn signals 23. In front of the various switches on the operation panel 313, a display is provided, and this display can display the remaining amount of the battery BAT, the traveling distance of the electric vehicle V, and various warnings such as slope warnings.

[0027] The rearview mirror 314 is attached to the handle unit 31 via a mirror arm 314a that stands up from the front edge of the upper surface of the main body 311. The rearview mirror 314 is disposed at a position slightly lower than the eye level of the user sitting on the seat 41. During traveling, the user can visually recognize the rear of the electric vehicle V through the rearview mirror 314 while facing forward.

[0028] The seat 41 is located above the cover body 211 and is supported by the chassis via a bracket (not shown). The seat 41 has a seating portion 411, a backrest 412, and armrests 413, and is configured such that the user sits on the seating portion 411 and faces the forward direction of the electric vehicle V. The backrest 412 stands up from the seating portion 411, and the armrests 413 are attached to the backrest 412 near the middle portion thereof and extend forward from the backrest 412. The armrests 413 can swing up and down around the connection portion with the backrest 412, and can be switched between a standby state when flipped up upward and a use state when flipped down downward. In FIG. 1, the armrest 413 in the use state is shown by a solid line, and the armrest 413' in the standby state is shown by a two-dot chain line. The backrest 412 constitutes the "backrest portion" of the seat 41 according to the present embodiment.

[0029] In addition to the above, in the present embodiment, as an element for accommodating or holding the luggage carried by the electric vehicle V, that is, as a luggage accommodation part, a front basket 81 provided at the front part of the electric vehicle V is provided, and a luggage hanging part 51 provided at the rear part is provided. The front basket 81 is disposed above the front fender 212 and is integrally formed with the vehicle body cover 21. The luggage hanging part 51 is provided at a position out of the line of sight of the user facing forward during traveling, that is, behind the seating part 411 of the seat 41, and in the present embodiment, it is provided on the backrest 412.

[0030] The luggage hanging part 51 holds the luggage carried during traveling on the vehicle by hooking it. In the present embodiment, it is formed by attaching a luggage hook (for convenience, indicated by the same reference numeral as the luggage hanging part) 51 to the backrest 412. The objects to be transported by the luggage hook 51 are, for example, a bag having a handle or a strap, a rucksack, and further, a long and thin luggage with a handle such as a cane or an umbrella. The luggage hook 51 holds the bag by hooking it with a strap, holds the rucksack by hooking it with a shoulder harness (shoulder strap), and further holds the long object on the vehicle by hooking it at the handle or the grip part.

[0031] In the present embodiment, the luggage hook 51 is disposed at the upper edge of the back surface of the backrest 412. As shown in FIG. 2, the luggage hook 51 has a long shape in the left - right direction and extends along the upper edge of the backrest 412. The specific configuration of the luggage hook 51 will be described in detail later.

[0032] (Configuration of the control system) The electric vehicle V is provided with a control system for controlling the running state. The control system of the electric vehicle V includes a controller 101 which is an electronic control unit, and the controller 101 constitutes the arithmetic unit of the control system. The controller 101 receives, as an input, signals from various switches provided on the operation panel 313 such as a forward / backward changeover switch and a speed adjustment dial, and outputs an output signal corresponding to the input signal to the battery BAT, the drive actuator ACT1, and the steering actuator ACT2. In the present embodiment, the controller 101 is constituted by a microcomputer including a central processing unit (CPU), an input / output interface, and storage units such as a ROM and a RAM. The controller 101 and its peripheral electrical components are housed in an electrical box 215 provided behind the front basket 81.

[0033] In addition to the above, the control system includes a first stop button 111, a second stop button 112, and a luggage sensor 113, and also includes an indicator lamp 115.

[0034] The first stop button (hereinafter referred to as the "panel stop button") 111 is provided in front of the seat 41. In the present embodiment, it is provided together with the operation panel 313 on the upper surface of the main body 311 of the handle unit 31, and the user can operate the panel stop button 111 while sitting on the seat 41. In the present embodiment, the panel stop button 111 is a push-button type, and after being pressed, it maintains the pressed position until the stop is released. The user can forcibly stop the running electric vehicle V by pressing the panel stop button 111, or maintain the stopped electric vehicle V in the stopped state regardless of operations such as the accelerator lever. The controller 101 receives, as an input, an output signal from the panel stop button 111, and outputs a command signal for the pressing of the panel stop button 111 to the battery BAT, the drive actuator ACT1, and the brake device BRK. The stop by the panel stop button 111 can be released by pressing the panel stop button 111 again or pressing a separately provided stop release button.

[0035] The second parking button (hereinafter referred to as the "hook parking button") 112 is provided behind the seat 41, and in this embodiment, it is provided on the luggage hook 51. The hook parking button 112 is provided within the reach of the user's hand when hanging or removing luggage from the luggage hook 51, and the user can easily operate it while facing the back surface of the backrest 412. Similar to the panel parking button 111, the hook parking button 112 is also a push-button type. After the hook parking button 112 is pressed, it maintains the pressed position until the parking is released. The user can keep the electric vehicle V in the parked state by pressing the hook parking button 112 after parking. The hook parking button 112 can be operated not only by the user but also by other third parties, for example, a protector or caregiver of the user present around the electric vehicle V, or a third party passing by around the electric vehicle V. These third parties can forcibly stop the electric vehicle V by pressing the hook parking button 112 in an emergency. The controller 101 receives the output signal from the hook parking button 112 as an input and outputs a command signal for the pressing of the hook parking button 112 to the battery BAT, the drive actuator ACT1, and the brake device BRK. The parking by the hook parking button 112 can be released by pressing the hook parking button 112 again or pressing the parking release button.

[0036] The luggage sensor 113 detects the presence or absence of luggage hung on the luggage hook 51. In this embodiment, the luggage sensor 113 is provided at the attachment portion of the luggage hook 51 to the backrest 412, senses the load of the luggage hung on the luggage hook 51, and generates an output signal corresponding thereto. The controller 101 receives the output signal from the luggage sensor 113 as an input and outputs a command signal according to the presence or absence of luggage to the indicator lamp 115. The luggage sensor 113 constitutes the "luggage detection unit" according to this embodiment, and the controller 101 that outputs a command signal according to the presence or absence of luggage constitutes the "signal output unit" according to this embodiment.

[0037] The indicating lamp 115 performs visual notification to the user when the luggage hooked on the luggage hook 51 is detached and the presence / absence of the luggage switches from "present" to "absent", in other words, when the state of the luggage hook 51 switches from the "present" state with the luggage hooked thereon to the "absent" state without the luggage being hooked. For example, the indicating lamp 115 is provided in the operation panel 313 of the handle unit 31 in parallel with the display, and performs notification by lighting or blinking. An alarm may be installed in addition to or instead of the indicating lamp 115, and when the state of the luggage hook 51 switches, an audible notification may be performed to the user by sounding an alarm tone.

[0038] Furthermore, the controller 101 is configured to be communicable with the portable terminal 201. When traveling in the automatic driving mode, the user can set the destination position of the electric vehicle V or set the traveling route of the electric vehicle V from the departure point to the arrival point not only via the operation panel 313 but also via the portable terminal 201. For example, the user downloads an application program related to travel control from a remote server via the Internet, and sets the destination position or traveling route of the electric vehicle V according to the instructions displayed on the screen of the portable terminal 201 by the application program. After the setting, the user can instruct the controller 101 to start traveling in the automatic driving mode by operating the travel start button displayed on the portable terminal 201. After the instruction, the electric vehicle V automatically travels toward the set destination position or along the set traveling route. As the portable terminal 201, a smartphone or a tablet terminal can be applied.

[0039] (Configuration of the luggage hanging part) Here, the configuration of the luggage hook 51 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5. FIG. 3 is a front view of the luggage hook 51, FIG. 4 is a top view of the luggage hook 51, and FIG. 5 is a side view and a cross-sectional view of the luggage hook 51. The cutting line of the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 5(b) is indicated by the line X-X in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 shows the luggage hook 51 attached to the backrest 412 as viewed from the rear of the electric vehicle V, FIG. 4 shows the luggage hook 51 attached to the backrest 412 as viewed from above, and FIG. 5 shows the luggage hook 51 attached to the backrest 412 as viewed from the right.

[0040] In the present embodiment, the luggage hook 51 has a main body portion 511, a right overhanging portion 512, a left overhanging portion 513, and a central protruding portion 514. The main body portion 511, the right overhanging portion 512, the left overhanging portion 513, and the central protruding portion 514 respectively correspond to the "main body portion", the "first hanging portion", the "second hanging portion", and the "third hanging portion" according to the present embodiment. The luggage hook 51 corresponds to the "luggage hanging device for a vehicle" according to the present embodiment.

[0041] The main body portion 511 serves as a fixing portion of the luggage hook 51 to the backrest 412 of the seat 41. In other words, the main body portion 511 is attached to the backrest 412 by a fastening tool such as a screw (not shown), and imparts the fixing strength of the entire luggage hook 51 to the backrest 412. When a luggage is hooked on each of the right overhanging portion 512, the left overhanging portion 513, and the central protruding portion 514, the main body portion 511 firmly supports these hanging portions 512, 513, 514, and has a strength and rigidity capable of suppressing the dropping of the luggage due to the deformation or displacement of the hanging portions.

[0042] The right overhanging portion 512 extends in a cantilever state from the main body portion 511 to the right for a length De1. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, while the back surface of the main body portion 511 is close to or in close contact with the back surface of the backrest 412 with almost no gap, the right overhanging portion 512 has a smaller thickness or front-rear dimension than the main body portion 511, and forms a gap S with the backrest 412. This gap S becomes a space where the handle or strap of a luggage such as a bag is arranged when the luggage is hooked.

[0043] The left overhanging portion 513 extends in a cantilevered state from the main body portion 511 on the side opposite to the right overhanging portion 512, that is, to the right for a length of De2. In the present embodiment, the luggage hook 51 has a bilaterally symmetric shape, and the length De2 of the left overhanging portion 513 is equal to the length De1 of the right overhanging portion 512. And, similar to the right overhanging portion 512, the left overhanging portion 513 has a smaller thickness than the main body portion 511, and forms a space S between the left overhanging portion 513 and the backrest 412 in which a luggage handle or a strap is disposed.

[0044] The central protruding portion 514 protrudes from the main body portion 511 in a direction perpendicular to the extending directions of the right overhanging portion 512 and the left overhanging portion 513, that is, upward for a height of De3. As shown in FIG. 5, the height De3 of the central protruding portion 514 is the vertical dimension from the upper surface 511a of the main body portion 511 to the upper surface 514a of the central protruding portion 514. In the present embodiment, the height De3 of the central protruding portion 514 is smaller than either of the lengths De1 and De2 of the right overhanging portion 512 and the left overhanging portion 513, and the width of the central protruding portion 514, that is, the lateral dimension is larger than either of the widths of the right overhanging portion 512 and the left overhanging portion 513, that is, the vertical dimension. Further, the thickness of the central protruding portion 514, that is, the longitudinal dimension is larger than either of the thicknesses of the right overhanging portion 512 and the left overhanging portion 513. Thus, the central protruding portion 514 forms a stronger hanging portion that suppresses deformation due to the load when a luggage is hooked, as compared with the right overhanging portion 512 and the left overhanging portion 513. In other words, the central protruding portion 514 is suitable for supporting or receiving a larger load as compared with the right overhanging portion 512 and the left overhanging portion 513.

[0045] In this embodiment, upward convex portions 512a and 513a are provided at the tip portions of the right projecting portion 512 and the left projecting portion 513, respectively, that is, at the outer end portions on the distal side with respect to the main body portion 511, and a forward convex portion 514b is provided at the upper end portion of the central protruding portion 514. The upward convex portion 512a of the right projecting portion 512 has a shape that protrudes upward from the outer end portion of the right projecting portion 512, and as shown in FIG. 4, has an inclination toward the upper right front. The upward convex portion 513a of the left projecting portion 513 has a shape that protrudes upward from the outer end portion of the left projecting portion 513, and symmetrically to the right projecting portion 512, has an inclination toward the upper left front. The forward convex portion 514b of the central protruding portion 514 has a shape that protrudes forward from the upper end portion of the central protruding portion 514. The left and right upward convex portions 512a, 513a and the central forward convex portion 514b prevent the luggage hooked on the luggage hook 51 from falling off from the respective hanging portions 512, 513, 514. The upward convex portion 512a provided on the right projecting portion 512 corresponds to the "first convex portion" according to this embodiment, and the upward convex portion 513a provided on the left projecting portion 513 corresponds to the "second convex portion" according to this embodiment.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 3, the length De1 of the right projecting portion 512 is defined as the horizontal dimension from the right edge of the main body portion 511 to the protruding end of the upward convex portion 512a, and the length De2 of the left projecting portion 513 is defined as the horizontal dimension from the left edge of the main body portion 511 to the protruding end of the upward convex portion 513a.

[0047] Here, the length of the luggage hook 51, that is, the lateral dimension Dw1, is defined as the lateral dimension from the protruding end of the upper convex portion 512a to the protruding end of the upper convex portion 513a, and as shown in FIG. 2, it is smaller than the overall width Dw3 of the electric vehicle V. In the present embodiment, the overall width Dw3 of the electric vehicle V is defined as the dimension between the outer surfaces of the left and right rear wheels 11r, 11r. Further, the lateral dimension Dw1 of the luggage hook 51 is smaller than the dimension Dw4 between the outer surfaces 413a, 413a of the left and right armrests 413, 413 provided on the seat 41, and is further smaller than the width of the backrest 412, that is, the lateral dimension Dw2 of the backrest 412. Since the armrests 413 are attached to the left and right side portions of the backrest 412, the lateral dimension Dw2 of the backrest 412 is smaller than the dimension Dw4 between the outer surfaces 413a, 413a of the left and right armrests 413, 413, and is approximately equal to the dimension between the inner surfaces of the left and right armrests 413, 413.

[0048] In addition to the above, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the hook parking button 112 is provided on the luggage hook 51, specifically, on the main body portion 511 of the luggage hook 51. The hook parking button 112 may be provided at an appropriate position of the luggage hook 51, but in the present embodiment, it is provided at the joint portion of the central protrusion 514 with respect to the main body portion 511 in order to secure the wall thickness or the installation space. The joint portion of the central protrusion 514 is recessed in a concave shape, and the hook parking button 112 is disposed in this concave portion R. Thereby, the hook parking button 112 does not protrude from the concave portion R, and the entire portion up to its pressing surface is accommodated in the concave portion R. As shown in FIG. 5, the main body portion 511 is formed such that the outer surfaces around the concave portion R are flush.

[0049] The luggage hook 51 can be used by hanging the luggage on only one of the right protruding portion 512, the left protruding portion 513, and the central protruding portion 514. Not limited to this, as described above, the luggage hook 51 can be used to carry a plurality of luggage by hanging the luggage on each of these hanging portions 512, 513, 514, or to disperse the load of one piece of luggage to different hanging portions by hooking the handle or strap provided on one piece of luggage on each of these hanging portions 512, 513, 514.

[0050] (Explanation of the driving situation of the luggage) Here, the carrying situation of the luggage by the luggage hook 51 will be described.

[0051] FIG. 10 shows a case where a plurality of pieces of luggage 1001a to 1001c each having a strap are carried by the luggage hook 51. FIG. 11 shows a case where one piece of luggage 1002 having a plurality of straps or handles is carried by the luggage hook 51. FIG. 12 shows a case where a long and thin piece of luggage 1003 with a handle is carried by the luggage hook 51. The pieces of luggage 1001a to 1001c shown in FIG. 10 are bags, the piece of luggage 1002 shown in FIG. 11 is a backpack, and the piece of luggage 1003 shown in FIG. 12 is a walking stick.

[0052] In the situation shown in FIG. 10, each of the three bags 1001a to 1001c is hooked on the luggage hook 51 by hooking the handle or strap 1011a to 1011c on the individual hanging portions 512, 513, 514. Specifically, one of the three bags (1001a) is hooked on the central protruding portion 514, another bag 1001b is hooked on the right protruding portion 512, and yet another bag 1001c is hooked on the left protruding portion 513.

[0053] In the situation shown in FIG. 11, the backpack 1002 is hooked to the luggage hook 51 by hooking the left and right shoulder harnesses (shoulder straps) 1021 and 1022 to the right protruding portion 512 and the left protruding portion 513 respectively, and hooking the central grab loop (handle for hand-carrying) 1023 to the central protruding portion 514. In this way, the form of dispersing and supporting the load of one piece of luggage 1002 to each of the three hanging portions 512, 513, and 514 is called support or transportation by "three-point fixing". As shown in FIG. 11, when the backpack 1002 is supported by the luggage hook 51 by three-point fixing, the load of the backpack 1002 is dispersed and supported to each of the three hanging portions 512, 513, and 514 via the shoulder harnesses 1021, 1022 and the grab loop 1023.

[0054] In the situation shown in FIG. 12, the walking stick 1003 is hooked to the luggage hook 51 by hooking the handle portion 1031 with a handle to any one of the hanging portions (for example, the right protruding portion 512).

[0055] (Description of Action and Effect) The small electric vehicle V according to the present embodiment has the above configuration. Hereinafter, the effects obtained by the present embodiment will be described.

[0056] First, by providing the luggage hanging portion 51 configured to be able to lock luggage at the rear part of the vehicle body of the electric vehicle V, that is, behind the seating portion 411 of the seat 41, it becomes possible to carry a wider variety of luggage, and it is possible to improve the convenience of the electric vehicle V. Here, since the luggage hanging portion 51 is provided separately from the basket (front basket 81) in front of the vehicle, it becomes possible to use this luggage hanging portion 51 for carrying luggage that does not fit in the front basket 81, making it possible to carry a wider variety and a larger number of luggage, and further improving the convenience of the electric vehicle V.

[0057] Moreover, the luggage hanging part 51 can be conveniently used for carrying luggage such as walking sticks and umbrellas, which are not suitable for being stored in the front basket 81 because they are slender in shape or there is a concern that they may stain or wet other luggage due to the attachment of sand, mud, or raindrops.

[0058] Second, by attaching the luggage hanging part 51 to the backrest 412 of the seat 41, it is possible to suppress a situation where the luggage during transportation interferes with the drive system components of the electric vehicle V, such as the wheels 11, and at the same time, the operation performed by the user when hanging the luggage on the luggage hanging part 51 becomes easier.

[0059] Third, by arranging the luggage hanging part 51 at the upper edge of the back surface of the backrest 412, the height of the luggage hanging part 51 from the ground is ensured, and it is possible to preferably avoid a situation where long luggage such as walking sticks and umbrellas touches the ground during transportation.

[0060] Fourth, by providing a plurality of hanging parts on the luggage hanging part 51, in this embodiment, the right protruding part 512, the left protruding part 513, and the central protruding part 514, it is possible to carry a plurality of luggage with the luggage hanging part 51 or carry a backpack-type luggage in a state where the shape collapse is suppressed. Specifically, the luggage hanging part 51 can hook luggage on each of the right protruding part 512, the left protruding part 513, and the central protruding part 514. When hanging a backpack, the left and right shoulder straps are hooked on the right protruding part 512 and the left protruding part 513 respectively, and the central grab loop is hooked on the central protruding part 514, so that the load of the backpack can be supported by three-point suspension.

[0061] Fifth, by providing upward convex parts 512a and 513a at the outer ends of the right protruding part 512 and the left protruding part 513 respectively, it is possible to suppress the dropping of luggage from these hanging parts 512 and 513.

[0062] Sixthly, by setting the length of the luggage hanging portion, that is, the left-right dimension Dw1, to be equal to or less than the width of the backrest 412 of the seat 41, that is, the left-right dimension Dw2, it is possible to preferably avoid a situation where the luggage hanging portion 51 or the luggage locked to the luggage hanging portion 51 contacts a surrounding person or a fixed object during driving.

[0063] Seventhly, by providing a luggage sensor 113 that is configured to detect the presence of luggage locked to the luggage hanging portion 51 and output a signal according to the detection result by the controller 101, it is possible to confirm the presence of luggage locked to the luggage hanging portion 51, for example, a state where luggage is actually locked to the luggage hanging portion 51, even during driving, that is, in a situation where the user is sitting on the seat 41 and facing forward.

[0064] Then, when the luggage drops off from the luggage hanging portion 51 during driving, this can be detected based on the signal output by the luggage sensor 113, and by notifying the user by the indicator lamp 115, it is possible to prompt the user to recognize the drop-off of the luggage at an early stage.

[0065] (Description of a modification example) Hereinafter, a modification example of the luggage hook 51 according to the present embodiment will be described.

[0066] FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged view of a first modification example of the luggage hook 51.

[0067] In the first modification example, the luggage hook 51 is provided with a lid-like portion 515 that surrounds or exposes the hook parking button 112. The lid-like portion 515 is rotatable by a hinge structure formed between the lid-like portion 515 and the main body portion 511, and is displaceable between an open position and a closed position. FIG. 6(a) shows a state where the lid-like portion 515 is in the closed position, and FIG. 6(b) shows a state where the lid-like portion 515 is in the open position. In the closed position, the lid-like portion 515 surrounds the hook parking button 112 and inhibits external contact with the hook parking button 112. On the other hand, in the open position, the lid-like portion 515 exposes the hook parking button 112 and allows external contact with the hook 112 parking button 112. When removing the luggage from the luggage hook 51, the user can open the hook parking button 112 by displacing the lid-like portion 515 to the open position and press it. On the contrary, during driving, by displacing the lid-like portion 515 to the closed position and concealing the hook parking button 112, it is possible to suppress a situation where the hook parking button 112 is accidentally operated due to contact with the luggage or the like.

[0068] FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged view of a second modification example of the luggage hook 51.

[0069] In the second modification example, the luggage hook 51 is provided with a personal authentication unit 112' that allows only a predetermined registered person to operate the hook parking button. In the present embodiment, the personal authentication unit 112' determines whether the user is the registered person himself / herself based on the fingerprint of the finger of the user touching the personal authentication unit 112'. Then, when the user is the registered person himself / herself, the personal authentication unit 112' accepts the user's operation on the hook parking button, while when not, it prohibits the operation by that user. For example, when the finger touching the personal authentication unit 112' belongs to the registered person himself / herself, the electric vehicle V is stopped by authenticating the fingerprint by the personal authentication unit 112'. The personal authentication unit 112' is not limited to the method of collating fingerprints, and may determine and authenticate whether the user is the registered person himself / herself by other methods based on the physical characteristics of the registered person.

[0070] FIG. 8 is a front view of a third modification example of the luggage hook 51.

[0071] In the third modification, the luggage hook 51 is provided with lighting units 516a, 516b, 516c that turn on and off according to the ambient brightness. In the present embodiment, the lighting units 516a, 516b, 516c turn off when the surroundings of the electric vehicle V are bright, for example, when the illuminance of the light illuminating the luggage hook 51 is higher than a reference value, and turn on in other cases, that is, when the illuminance of the light illuminating the luggage hook 51 is equal to or lower than this reference value. Thereby, the visibility of the hanging portions 512, 513, 514 in the dark is improved. Not limited to this, the lighting units 516a, 516b, 516c may be interlocked with the headlight 22, turn on when the headlight 22 is on, and turn off when the headlight 22 is off. Further, the lighting units 516a, 516b, 516c may turn on and off according to the presence or absence of luggage hooked on the luggage hook 51. For example, it turns on when luggage is hooked on the luggage hook 51, facilitating recognition by the user that luggage is hooked.

[0072] FIG. 9 is a front view of a fourth modification of the luggage hook 51.

[0073] In the fourth modification, the luggage hook 51 is configured such that the overall left - right dimension Dw1 thereof is variable. Specifically, the luggage hook 51 is configured such that each of the right protruding portion 512 and the left protruding portion 513 is telescopically extendable in the left - right direction. FIG. 9(a) shows the state in which the right protruding portion 512 and the left protruding portion 513 are most contracted, and FIG. 9(b) shows the state in which the right protruding portion 512 and the left protruding portion 513 are most extended. For understanding the states before and after the telescoping, the right protruding portion and the left protruding portion in the extended state are denoted by reference numerals 512' and 513'. In the present embodiment, in the state shown in FIG. 9(a) where the right protruding portion 512 and the left protruding portion 513 are most contracted, the left - right dimension Dw1 of the luggage hook 51 is smaller than the width of the backrest 412, and in the state shown in FIG. 9(b) where the right protruding portion 512 and the left protruding portion 513 are most extended, the left - right dimension Dw1' of the luggage hook 51 is larger than the width of the backrest 412 and smaller than the overall width of the electric vehicle V.

[0074] (Other embodiments) In the above description, the luggage hook 51 is fixed to the upper edge of the back surface of the backrest 412, and its position is configured to be invariant. However, the luggage hook 51 is not limited to this, and its position can also be configured to be variable.

[0075] FIG. 13 is a rear view of a small electric vehicle V in which the position of the luggage hook 51 is configured to be variable in the vertical direction H as another embodiment of the present invention.

[0076] In the present embodiment, the electric vehicle V is attached to the backrest 412 and includes a hook support slider 52 that extends in the vertical direction H on the back surface of the backrest 412. The luggage hook 51 is mounted on the hook support slider 52 so as to be movable up and down along the hook support slider 52, and its position can be adjusted stepwise or steplessly. FIG. 13 shows a state in which the luggage hook 51 is lowered to a position lower than the upper edge of the back surface of the backrest 412 and is disposed between the upper edge of the back surface of the backrest 412 and the armrest 413 attached to the middle portion.

[0077] Furthermore, in the above description, a plurality of hanging portions, specifically, a right overhanging portion 512, a left overhanging portion 513, and a central protrusion 514 are formed on the luggage hook 51, and a plurality of luggage can be hooked or the load of one piece of luggage can be dispersed (for example, by three-point fixing) by these three hanging portions 512, 513, 514. However, the luggage hook is not limited to this, and it may have only a single hanging portion.

[0078] FIG. 14 is a rear view of a small electric vehicle V provided with a luggage hook 61 having a single hanging portion 612 as still another embodiment of the present invention.

[0079] In this embodiment, the luggage hook 61 is attached to the upper edge of the back surface of the backrest 412, as in the previous embodiment, and constitutes a "luggage hanging part". The luggage hook 61 is attached to the backrest 412 and includes a main body part 611 that imparts the fixing strength of the luggage hook 61 to the backrest 412. As a hanging part, it includes a central extending part 612 extending from approximately the center of the back surface of the main body part 611. In this embodiment, the central extending part 612 has a shape curved in a J shape or a fishhook shape, and the user can hook a handle or a strap of a luggage such as a bag on the central extending part 612 to hang it on the luggage hook 61.

[0080] Furthermore, in the above description, as a measure against the fall of luggage from the luggage hanging part 51, when the luggage falls off the luggage hook 51 and the state of the luggage hook 51 switches from the state of "having" luggage being hooked to the state of "not having" luggage not being hooked, this is detected by the luggage sensor 113, and notification to the user is carried out by the indicator lamp 112 or the like. Instead of or in addition to the notification by the indicator lamp 115 or the like, when the luggage sensor 113 detects the fall of luggage from the luggage hook 51 during driving, control may be carried out to forcibly decelerate or stop the electric vehicle V. For example, in response to the fall of luggage, a braking force is generated on the electric vehicle V by the drive actuator ACT1 or the braking device BRK to decelerate or stop the electric vehicle V. Thereby, for example, when a user who notices the fall of luggage gets off without stopping the electric vehicle V, it is possible to avoid a situation where the electric vehicle V continues to travel and collides with people or installations around, and ensure traffic safety. This is particularly beneficial not only during driving in the manual driving mode but also during driving in the automatic driving mode in which the electric vehicle V continues to travel even after the user releases their hand from the accelerator lever of the handle unit 31.

[0081] The electric vehicle V is not limited to an electric wheelchair or a senior car, and may be a so-called personal mobility.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0082] V... electric vehicle, 11... wheel, 11f... front wheel, 11r... rear wheel, 12f... front suspension device, 12r... rear suspension device, 21... vehicle body cover, 211... cover body, 212... front fender, 213... rear fender, 214... floor step, 215... electric box, 31... operation panel, 311... main body part, 312... handlebar, 313... operation panel, 314... rearview mirror, 41... seat, 411... seating part, 412... backrest, 413... armrest, 51... luggage hook (luggage hanging part), 511... main body part, 512... right protruding part (first hanging part), 512a... upward convex part, 513... left protruding part (second hanging part), 513a... upward convex part, 514... central protruding part (third hanging part), 101... controller, 111... panel parking button, 112... hook parking button, 113... luggage sensor, 115... indicator light, BAT... battery, ACT1... drive actuator (electric motor), ACT2... steering actuator (electric motor), BRK... brake device, 201... portable terminal.

Claims

1. A small electric vehicle comprising a seat configured to be seated in a state where the user faces forward, and a luggage hanging portion provided behind the seat surface of the seat and configured to be able to lock luggage carried during the running of the vehicle.

2. The small electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the luggage hanging portion is provided on the backrest portion of the seat.

3. The small electric vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the luggage hanging portion is disposed at the upper edge of the back surface of the backrest portion.

4. The luggage hanging portion includes: a main body portion attached to the backrest portion of the seat; a first hanging portion extending in a cantilever state from the main body portion to one of the left and right; a second hanging portion extending in a cantilever state from the main body portion to the other of the left and right; and a third hanging portion extending upward from the main body portion, and it is possible to lock luggage to each of the first, second, and third hanging portions or receive the load of luggage by each of the first, second, and third hanging portions. The small electric vehicle according to claim 1.

5. The first hanging portion has a first convex portion that protrudes upward at the outer end portion on the distal side with respect to the main body portion, and the second hanging portion has a second convex portion that protrudes upward at the outer end portion on the distal side with respect to the main body portion. The small electric vehicle according to claim 4.

6. The lateral dimension of the luggage hanging portion from the outer edge of the first hanging portion to the outer edge of the second hanging portion is less than or equal to the width dimension of the backrest portion of the seat. The small electric vehicle according to claim 4.

7. The small electric vehicle according to claim 4, further comprising a luggage detection portion configured to be able to detect the presence of luggage locked to the luggage hanging portion, and a signal output portion configured to be able to output a signal according to the detection result by the luggage detection portion.

8. The small electric vehicle according to claim 7, further comprising a notification portion that performs notification to the user based on the signal output by the signal output portion when switching from a state where luggage is locked to the luggage hanging portion to a state where it is not locked.

9. The small electric vehicle according to claim 7, further comprising a running control portion that performs control to forcibly decelerate or stop the vehicle based on the signal output by the signal output portion when switching from a state where luggage is locked to the luggage hanging portion to a state where it is not locked.

10. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ The small electric vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the moving speed during traveling is set to be equal to or lower than the upper limit speed at which it is possible to travel on a sidewalk.

11. The small electric vehicle according to claim 10, which is configured to be able to set an automatic driving mode for traveling along a predetermined route.

12. A vehicle luggage hanger attached to a seat of the vehicle and configured to be able to lock luggage carried during traveling of the vehicle, a main body portion attached to a backrest portion of the seat and configured to be able to fix the luggage hanger to the backrest portion; a first hanging portion extending in a cantilever state from the main body portion to one of the left and right; a second hanging portion extending in a cantilever state from the main body portion to the other of the left and right; and a third hanging portion extending upward from the main body portion, wherein the extension length of each of the first and second hanging portions from the main body portion is longer than the extension length of the third hanging portion from the main body portion, A vehicle luggage hanger capable of locking luggage to each of the first, second, and third hanging portions or receiving the load of luggage by each of the first, second, and third hanging portions.

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