Travel unit

Abstract

To provide a traveling unit having high traveling stability by surely suppressing the rocking operation of a rocking arm, and switching the rockable state and the rocking suppressed state of the rocking arm with a simple constitution.SOLUTION: A main body 110, a pair of left and right swing arms 112 provided on a swing transmission part 120 so as to be swingable about a swing shaft 111, and wheels 113 provided on the swing arms 112, wherein the swing transmission part 120 includes a first swing rotation body 121 and a second swing rotation body 122 which rotate in conjunction with the swing arms 112, a first transmission rotation body 123 to which rotation is transmitted via the first swing rotation body 121 and a first transmission groove body 126 connected by an interlocking shaft 125, and a second transmission rotation body 124 to which rotation is transmitted via the second swing rotation body 122 and a second transmission groove body 127, A first oscillation rotating body 121 and a second oscillation rotating body 122 are constituted so that mutual rotation can be interlocked in the reverse direction, and have a suppression member 130 for suppressing the rotation of the first oscillation rotating body 121 and / or the second oscillation rotating body 122.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a traveling unit having a main body, a swing transmission part provided on the main body, a pair of left and right swing arms provided on the swing transmission part so as to be swingable around a swing axis, and wheels provided on each of the swing arms. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a three-wheeled bicycle having a pair of rear wheels, which is equipped with a running unit that causes the pair of rear wheels to oscillate as the body leans while in motion, and restores the oscillating motion using the restoring force of a spring (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The running unit of a tricycle known from Patent Document 1 and elsewhere (the names and symbols of the components in this paragraph follow the notation in Patent Document 1) comprises a rear cross frame 3 that supports a left rear wheel 1 and a right rear wheel 2, and a front frame 5 that extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle and supports the front wheels, and is swingably supported on the rear of the front frame 5, an end plate 6 having a slide hole 9 is provided at the rear of the front frame 5, and the end plate 6 and both ends of the rear cross frame 3 are engaged with a pair of left and right elastic bodies 7, 8, and an elastic body rest means is provided on at least one of the end plate 6 or the rear cross frame 3. As a result, if the vehicle body tilts to the left or right while traveling, the front frame 5 and end plate 6 also swing accordingly, and one of the elastic bodies 7, 8 applies a restoring force in accordance with the swing, so that the pair of elastic bodies 7, 8 can be operated individually without interfering with each other while applying a restoring force in a direction to eliminate the swinging state. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-053420 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, when it is necessary to stop a tricycle equipped with a running unit known from Patent Document 1 and the like, for example when it is carrying luggage, the front frame 5 and end plate 6 may swing due to their own weight, exceeding the restoring force of the elastic bodies 7 and 8, making it difficult to stand the body upright. Furthermore, if the restoring force of the elastic bodies 7 and 8 is increased to make the vehicle body self-supporting, there is a risk that smooth rocking while the vehicle is running may be hindered. Furthermore, in order to stop the swinging of the car body and make it stand on its own without using an elastic body, a separate mechanism for fixing the swinging motion of the frame 5 and the end plate 6 was required.

[0005] The present invention is intended to solve these problems, and aims to provide a traveling unit with a simple configuration that can reliably suppress the swinging motion of the swinging arm, enable the swinging arm to be switched between a swing-allowed state and a swing-suppressed state, and provide high running stability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The traveling unit of the present invention is a traveling unit having a main body, a swing transmission part provided on the main body, a pair of left and right swinging arms provided on the swing transmission part so as to be swingable around a swing axis, and wheels provided on each of the swinging arms, wherein the swing transmission part has a first swinging rotor that rotates in conjunction with the swing of one of the swinging arms, a second swinging rotor that rotates in conjunction with the swing of the other swing arm, a first transmission rotor that transmits rotation via the first swinging rotor and the first transmission wire, and a second transmission rotor that transmits rotation via the second swinging rotor and the second transmission wire, wherein the first transmission rotor and the second transmission rotor are connected by an interlocking shaft that links their respective rotation axes, and the first swinging rotor and the second swinging rotor are configured so that their rotations can be interlocked in opposite directions, and the above-mentioned problem is solved by having an inhibitor member that suppresses rotation of the first swinging rotor and / or the second swinging rotor. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the inventions of claims 1 and 8, there is provided a traveling unit having a main body, a swing transmission part provided on the main body, a pair of left and right swing arms provided on the swing transmission part so as to be swingable about a swing axis, and wheels provided on each of the swing arms, wherein the swing transmission part has a first swing rotor that rotates in conjunction with the swing of one of the swing arms, a second swing rotor that rotates in conjunction with the swing of the other swing arm, a first transmission rotor that transmits rotation via the first swing rotor and the first transmission wire, and a second transmission rotor that transmits rotation via the second swing rotor and the second transmission wire. The first transmission rotor and the second transmission rotor are connected by an interlocking shaft that links their respective rotation axes, and the first oscillating rotor and the second oscillating rotor are configured so that their rotations can be interlocked in opposite directions. By having an inhibitor that suppresses the rotation of the first oscillating rotor and / or the second oscillating rotor, the operation of the inhibitor that suppresses the rotation of the first oscillating rotor and / or the second oscillating rotor can suppress the oscillation of the oscillating arms that support both the left and right wheels.With this simple configuration, the vehicle body can stand on its own when the moving vehicle is stopped, and the behavior of the moving vehicle can be stabilized when traveling at low speeds, etc.

[0008] According to the configuration described in claim 2, the inhibiting member has an engaging portion, and the first oscillating rotor and / or the second oscillating rotor has an engaged portion to which the engaging portion engages, thereby enabling rotation to be reliably restricted, the engaging position to be freely set, and the swingable range of the oscillating arm to be adjusted.

[0009] According to the configuration described in claim 3, the suppression member is arranged to be able to move linearly relative to the main body portion, and the engaging portion is configured to be able to move between a position where it engages with the engaged portion and a position where it disengages, so that the swinging motion of the swinging arm can be suppressed with a small movement, thereby enabling space saving for the traveling unit and improving layout freedom. Furthermore, the swing arm can be easily switched between a swing-allowed state and a swing-suppressed state.

[0010] According to the configuration described in claim 4, the suppression member is arranged to be rotatable relative to the main body portion, and is configured so that the engaging portion can move between a position where it engages with the engaged portion and a position where it disengages, thereby making it possible to suppress the swinging motion of the swinging arm with a small movement, thereby saving space in the traveling unit and improving layout freedom. Furthermore, the swing arm can be easily switched between a swing-allowed state and a swing-suppressed state.

[0011] According to the configuration described in claim 5, the locking portion has two locations, a first locking portion and a second locking portion, the first oscillating rotor has a first locked portion to which the first locking portion is locked, and the second oscillating rotor has a second locked portion to which the second locking portion is locked, thereby making it possible to reliably suppress the swinging action without limiting the swing direction of the oscillating arm.

[0012] According to the configuration described in claim 6, the locked portion is a notch formed in at least a portion of the circumference of the first oscillating rotor and / or the second oscillating rotor, thereby reducing the weight of the first oscillating rotor and the second oscillating rotor and reducing the storage space.

[0013] According to the configuration described in claim 7, the suppression member is positioned in a position that overlaps the cutout portion when viewed from the axial direction of the first oscillating rotor and / or the second oscillating rotor.Therefore, when the locking portion is not locked to the locked portion, when the first oscillating rotor and / or the second oscillating rotor rotates, the first oscillating rotor and / or the second oscillating rotor abuts against the suppression member, thereby suppressing the rotation of the first oscillating rotor and / or the second oscillating rotor and preventing excessive rotation. Furthermore, by adjusting the position at which the suppression member is disposed, the rotatable angle of the first oscillating rotor and / or the second oscillating rotor can be set. Furthermore, since the suppression member and the first oscillating rotor and / or the second oscillating rotor can be integrated, it is possible to further reduce the space required for the traveling unit and improve the degree of freedom in layout. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a propulsion unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention, seen from the side; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a top view of the propulsion unit of FIG. 1; [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a front view of the propulsion unit of FIG. 1; [Figure 4] 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a swing transmission part of the traveling unit of FIG. 1, seen from the front. [Figure 5] 1. FIG. 4 is an enlarged top view of the swing transmission part of the suppression member of the propulsion unit of FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the swing transmission part of FIG. 5 as seen from the side. [Figure 7] 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 5. [Figure 8] FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an enlarged top view of a swing transmission section of a traveling unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] 11 is an enlarged perspective view of the swing transmission part of FIG. 10 as viewed from the side. FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is an enlarged perspective view of the swing transmission part of FIG. 10 as viewed from the front. [Figure 13] 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. 10 . [Figure 14] 11 is an enlarged top view of the swing transmission part of the suppression member of the propulsion unit of FIG. 10 after the suppression operation. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is an enlarged perspective view of the swing transmission part of FIG. 14 as viewed from the front. [Figure 16] 15 is a cross-sectional view of cross section CC in FIG. 14 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] A propulsion unit 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that, since other components of the traveling vehicle other than the traveling unit 100 are not shown in the illustration, the main body 110 is shown divided into left and right halves, but in reality, they are connected by other components not shown, and the left and right main body parts 110 are integrated so that the relative positions of the oscillating shaft 111 (first oscillating shaft 111R, second oscillating shaft 111L) and the interlocking shaft 125 are fixed. 4, 12 and 14, the main body 110 is not shown, and in FIGS. 6, 8 and 11, the main body 110 on the second oscillation shaft 111L side is not shown.

[0016] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the traveling unit 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention has a main body 110, a swing transmission unit 120 connected to the main body 110, a pair of left and right swing arms 112 (first swing arm 112R, second swing arm 112L) swingably mounted on the swing transmission unit 120 around a swing axis 111 (first swing axis 111R, second swing axis 111L), wheels 113 (first wheel 113R, second wheel 113L) rotatably connected to the swing arms 112 by respective rotation axes 114 (first rotation axis 114R, second rotation axis 114L), and a suppression member 130.

[0017] The swing transmission part 120 has a first swing sprocket 121 which is a first swing rotating body connected to the first swing arm 112R by the first swing shaft 111R, a second swing sprocket 122 which is a second swing rotating body connected to the second swing arm 112L by the second swing shaft 111L, a first transmission sprocket 123 which is a first transmission rotating body that transmits rotation via the first swing sprocket 121 and the first transmission member, the first chain 126, and a second transmission sprocket 124 which is a second transmission rotating body that transmits rotation via the second swing sprocket 122 and the second transmission member, the second chain 127. The first transmission sprocket 123 and the second transmission sprocket 124 are connected by a linking shaft 125 that couples their respective rotation shafts.

[0018] The first chain 126 has both ends fixed to the first swing sprocket 121 and the first transmission sprocket 123 , and is looped between the lower side of the first swing sprocket 121 and the lower side of the first transmission sprocket 123 . The second chain 127 has both ends fixed to the second swing sprocket 122 and the second transmission sprocket 124 , and is looped between the lower side of the second swing sprocket 122 and the upper side of the second transmission sprocket 124 . This allows the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122 to rotate in opposite directions in conjunction with each other.

[0019] The first oscillating sprocket 121 has a crescent shape with teeth formed only on the lower side where the first chain 126 is wound around it, and a notch where no teeth are formed is formed on the upper circumferential side of the first oscillating sprocket 121, and the surface of this notch facing the first transmission sprocket 123 has a first engaging portion 142 to which the first engaging portion 132 is engaged as an engaging portion 141. In addition, the second oscillating sprocket 122 has a crescent shape with teeth formed only on the lower side where the second chain 127 is wound around it, and a notch where no teeth are formed is formed on the upper circumferential side of the second oscillating sprocket 122, and the surface of this notch facing the second transmission sprocket 124 has a second engaging portion 143 as an engaging portion 141 to which the second engaging portion 133 is engaged.

[0020] The suppression member 130 that suppresses the rotation of the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122 is formed above the first engaging portion 142 and the second engaging portion 143 so as to extend parallel to the oscillating axis 111, and is arranged so as to be able to move linearly in the direction of its formation relative to the main body portion 110, and has two engaging portions 131 on its outer surface: a first engaging portion 132 and a second engaging portion 133. The first engaging portion 132 and the second engaging portion 133 are convex portions formed to extend from the outer peripheral surface of the restraining member 130 in the direction of the first engaging portion 142 and the second engaging portion 143, and are formed at a position shifted a predetermined distance toward the first oscillating shaft 111R from the first engaging portion 142 and the second engaging portion 143 so that when the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122 rotate, they do not interfere with the first engaging portion 132 and the second engaging portion 133 and hinder their rotation.

[0021] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8, when viewed from the axial direction of the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122, the suppression member 130 is positioned at a position that overlaps with the cutout portions of the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122, i.e., at a position that fits within the circumference of the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122.

[0022] Next, the interlocking operation of the first wheel 113R and the second wheel 113L by the propulsion unit 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. First, as shown in FIG. 9, while traveling on a flat surface FG, when the second wheel 113L of the traveling unit 100 moves from the flat surface FG onto a convex surface TG, the second swing arm 112L swings upward around the second swing shaft 111L. At this time, as shown in Figure 8, the second oscillating sprocket 122 connected to the second oscillating arm 112L by the second oscillating shaft 111L also rotates, and since the second chain 127 is wound in opposite directions around the second transmission sprocket 124 and the second oscillating sprocket 122, the second transmission sprocket 124 rotates in the opposite direction to the second oscillating sprocket 122.

[0023] Furthermore, since the first transmission sprocket 123 and the second transmission sprocket are connected by an interlocking shaft 125 that connects their respective rotation shafts, the first transmission sprocket 123 rotates in the same direction as the second transmission sprocket . Since the first chain 126 is wound around the first transmission sprocket 123 and the first oscillating sprocket 121 in the forward direction, the first oscillating sprocket 121 rotates in the same direction as the first transmission sprocket 123 and rotates in the opposite direction to the second oscillating sprocket 122. As a result, the first swing arm 112R connected to the first swing sprocket 121 by the first swing shaft 111R swings downward, and the first wheel 113R comes into contact with the flat surface FG. As the traveling vehicle moves further and the second wheel 113L moves from the convex surface TG onto the flat surface FG, the second wheel 113L loses the force to swing upward and begins to swing downward together with the second swing arm 112L due to its own weight. Meanwhile, the first wheel 113R remains in contact with the flat surface FG and swings upward together with the first swing arm 112R as viewed from the first swing shaft 111R, so that the rotation axes 114 of the pair of left and right wheels 113 are positioned in a straight line and come into contact with the flat surface FG.

[0024] In this way, the pair of left and right wheels 113 are configured to swing in opposite directions in unison, so even if one wheel 113 runs over a step or the like, the other wheel 113 can be placed on the ground without the main body 110 tilting significantly, thereby improving running stability. Furthermore, the interlocking relationship between the first wheel 113R and the second wheel 113L naturally operates such that when only the first wheel 113R swings upward, the second wheel 113L also swings downward. Furthermore, even if the vehicle body tilts when the vehicle is turning a curve, both the first wheel 113R and the second wheel 113L can contact the ground, thereby improving running stability. Furthermore, similar to the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122, the first transmission sprocket 123 and the second transmission sprocket 124, around which the end-shaped first chain 126 and the second chain 127 are wound, may be missing some or all of their outer teeth, as long as the ends of each chain are fixed and capable of transmitting tensile force.

[0025] Next, the rotation restraining operation and rotation restraint release operation of the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122 by the restraining member 130 in the propulsion unit 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. First, as shown in Figures 1 to 4, when the first wheel 113R and the second wheel 113L are both in contact with a flat surface, and the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122 are both not rotating, the first locking portion 132 and the second locking portion 133, which are the locking portions 131 of the suppression member 130, are positioned at a predetermined distance toward the first oscillating shaft 111R. Therefore, for example, as shown in Figure 9, when the second wheel 113L of the running unit 100 moves from the flat surface FG onto the convex surface TG while running on a flat surface FG, and the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122 attempt to rotate in opposite directions, the first engaging portion 132 and the first engaged portion 142, and the second engaging portion 133 and the second engaged portion 143 do not interfere with each other, and the rotation of the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122 is not inhibited. At this time, when the first locked portion 142 rotates to a position where it abuts against the outer circumferential surface of the suppressing member 130, the rotation of the first swing sprocket 121 is suppressed, and the second swing arm 112L does not swing upward any further. Conversely, when the first wheel 113R of the traveling unit 100 moves from the flat surface FG onto the convex surface TG, the second engaging portion 143 rotates to a position where it abuts the outer peripheral surface of the inhibiting member 130, and the rotation of the second oscillating sprocket 122 is inhibited, and the first oscillating arm 112R does not oscillate upward any further.

[0026] Here, when the first wheel 113R and the second wheel 113L are both in contact with a flat surface, and the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122 are both not rotating, if the inhibiting member 130 is moved linearly toward the second oscillating shaft 111L as shown by the arrows in Figures 1 to 4, and the inhibiting member 130 is moved to a position where the first engaging portion 132 engages with the first engaged portion 142 and the second engaging portion 133 engages with the second engaged portion 143, respectively, the rotation of the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122 is inhibited by the inhibiting member 130, as shown in Figures 5 to 7. In this state, for example, as shown in Figure 9, if the second wheel 113L of the running unit 100 moves from the flat surface FG onto the convex surface TG while running on the flat surface FG, the first oscillating sprocket 121 will attempt to rotate in a direction approaching the first engaging portion 132, but because the first engaged portion 142 is engaged with the first engaging portion 132, the first oscillating sprocket 121 cannot rotate, and the rotation of the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122 is suppressed.

[0027] Conversely, when the first wheel 113R of the running unit 100 moves from the flat surface FG onto the convex surface TG, the second oscillating sprocket 122 attempts to rotate in a direction approaching the second engaging portion 133, but since the second engaged portion 143 is engaged with the second engaging portion 133, the second oscillating sprocket 122 cannot rotate, and the rotation of the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122 is suppressed. This allows the vehicle body to stand on its own when the vehicle is stopped, and also stabilizes the behavior of the vehicle when traveling at low speeds. Here, even when the suppression member 130 is moved linearly toward the second oscillating shaft 111L, the suppression member 130 is positioned so that it overlaps with the notches of the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122 when viewed from the axial direction of the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122, that is, so that it is positioned within the circumference of the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122.

[0028] Next, the rotation restriction release operation by the restriction member 130 will be described. As shown in Figures 5 to 7, when the first locking portion 132 is locked with the first locked portion 142 and the second locking portion 133 is locked with the second locked portion 143, if the inhibitor 130 is moved linearly toward the first oscillating shaft 111R until the first locking portion 132 disengages from the first locked portion 142 and the second locking portion 133 disengages from the second locked portion 143, the inhibition of rotation of the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122 by the inhibitor 130 is released. As a result, for example, as shown in Figure 9, when the second wheel 113L of the running unit 100 moves from the flat surface FG onto the convex surface TG while running on a flat surface FG and the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122 attempt to rotate in opposite directions, the first engaging portion 132 and the first engaged portion 142, and the second engaging portion 133 and the second engaged portion 143 do not interfere with each other, and the rotation of the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122 is not inhibited until the first engaged portion 142 abuts against the outer surface of the inhibiting member 130.

[0029] Next, a traveling unit 100b according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As in the first embodiment, other components of the traveling vehicle other than the traveling unit 100b are not shown.

[0030] As shown in FIGS. 10 to 13, a propulsion unit 100b according to the second embodiment of the present invention has a suppression member 130b, and is identical in configuration to the propulsion unit 100 except for the suppression member 130b.

[0031] The suppression member 130b, which suppresses the rotation of the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122, is formed above the first engaging portion 142 and the second engaging portion 143 so as to extend parallel to the oscillating shaft 111, and is arranged to be rotatable relative to the main body 110 in the same direction as the rotation direction of the oscillating shaft 111, and has two engaging portions 131b, a first engaging portion 132b and a second engaging portion 133b, on its outer surface. The locking portion 131b is a convex portion formed to extend from the outer surface of the suppression member 130b in the direction of the oscillating axis 111 so as not to interfere with the first locking portion 132b and the second locking portion 133b and hinder their rotation when the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122 rotate, and has a first locking portion 132b that locks the first locked portion 142 and a second locking portion 133b that locks the second locked portion 143.

[0032] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 13, when viewed from the axial direction of the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122, the suppression member 130b is positioned at a position that overlaps with the cutout portions of the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122, i.e., at a position that fits within the circumference of the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122.

[0033] Next, the rotation restraining operation and rotation restraint release operation of the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122 by the restraining member 130b in the propulsion unit 100b according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. First, as shown in Figures 10 to 13, when the first wheel 113R and the second wheel 113L are both in contact with a flat surface, and the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122 are both not rotating, the first locking portion 132b and the second locking portion 133b, which are the locking portions 131b of the suppression member 130b, are arranged toward the direction of the oscillating axis 111. Therefore, for example, as shown in Figure 9, when the second wheel 113L of the running unit 100b moves from the flat surface FG onto the convex surface TG while running on a flat surface FG, and the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122 attempt to rotate in opposite directions, the first engaging portion 132b and the first engaged portion 142, and the second engaging portion 133b and the second engaged portion 143 do not interfere with each other, and the rotation of the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122 is not inhibited. At this time, when the first locked portion 142 rotates to a position where it abuts against the outer circumferential surface of the suppressing member 130b, the rotation of the first swing sprocket 121 is suppressed, and the second swing arm 112L does not swing upward any further. Conversely, when the first wheel 113R of the traveling unit 100b moves from the flat surface FG onto the convex surface TG, the second engaging portion 143 rotates to a position where it abuts the outer surface of the inhibiting member 130b, and the rotation of the second oscillating sprocket 122 is inhibited, and the first oscillating arm 112R does not oscillate upward any further.

[0034] Here, when the first wheel 113R and the second wheel 113L are both in contact with a flat surface, and the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122 are both not rotating, if the inhibiting member 130b is rotated so that the engaging portion 131b faces the engaged portion 141, as shown by the arrows in Figures 10 to 12, and the inhibiting member 130b is moved to a position where the first engaging portion 132b engages with the first engaged portion 142 and the second engaging portion 133b engages with the second engaged portion 143, respectively, the rotation of the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122 is inhibited by the inhibiting member 130b. In this state, for example, as shown in Figure 9, if the second wheel 113L of the running unit 100b moves from the flat surface FG onto the convex surface TG while running on a flat surface FG, the first oscillating sprocket 121 will attempt to rotate in a direction approaching the first engaging portion 132b, but because the first engaged portion 142 is engaged with the first engaging portion 132b, the first oscillating sprocket 121 cannot rotate, and the rotation of the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122 is suppressed.

[0035] Conversely, when the first wheel 113R of the running unit 100b moves from the flat surface FG onto the convex surface TG, the second oscillating sprocket 122 attempts to rotate in a direction approaching the second engaging portion 133b, but since the second engaged portion 143 is engaged with the second engaging portion 133b, the second oscillating sprocket 122 cannot rotate, and the rotation of the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122 is suppressed. This allows the vehicle body to stand on its own when the vehicle is stopped, and also stabilizes the behavior of the vehicle when traveling at low speeds. Here, as shown in Figure 16, even when the inhibiting member 130b is rotated so that the engaging portion 131b faces the engaged portion 141, the inhibiting member 130b is positioned so that it overlaps with the notches of the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122 when viewed from the axial direction of the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122, that is, so that it is positioned within the circumference of the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122.

[0036] Next, the rotation restriction release operation by the restriction member 130b will be described. As shown in Figures 14 to 16, when the first locking portion 132b is locked with the first locked portion 142 and the second locking portion 133b is locked with the second locked portion 143, if the inhibitor 130b is rotated so that the locking portion 131b faces the oscillating axis 111, and the inhibitor 130b is moved to a position where the first locking portion 132b disengages from the first locked portion 142 and the second locking portion 133b disengages from the second locked portion 143, the inhibition of rotation of the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122 by the inhibitor 130b is released. As a result, for example, as shown in Figure 9, when the second wheel 113L of the running unit 100b moves from the flat surface FG onto the convex surface TG while running on a flat surface FG and the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122 attempt to rotate in opposite directions, the first engaging portion 132b and the first engaged portion 142, and the second engaging portion 133b and the second engaged portion 143 do not interfere with each other, and the rotation of the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122 is not inhibited until the first engaged portion 142 abuts against the outer surface of the inhibiting member 130b.

[0037] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various design modifications can be made without departing from the present invention as set forth in the claims. The propulsion unit according to the present invention can be used in a variety of vehicles that can run on wheels, such as vehicles equipped with engines, electric motors, etc., human-powered bicycles, and dollies for carrying luggage. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, both the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122 have an interlocking portion 141 formed by a notch, but it is also possible that either the first oscillating sprocket or the second oscillating sprocket has an interlocking portion such as a hole that can restrict rotation in both directions, and the interlocking portion is configured to be able to engage with the interlocking portion from the side, and the interlocking portion is provided on only one of the sprockets, so that rotation of both the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122 is suppressed via the interlocking mechanism of the oscillating transmission portion. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the first oscillating sprocket 121 and the second oscillating sprocket 122 are crescent-shaped with teeth formed only on the lower side, but as long as they have an engaged portion formed so that they can be engaged with the engaging portion, they may also be fan-shaped, for example. In addition, in the second embodiment described above, the first locking portion 132b and the second locking portion 133b are provided on the same locking portion 131b, but the first locking portion 132b and the second locking portion 133b may be formed as separate protrusions, as in the locking portion 131 in the first embodiment. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the transmission member is configured as a chain, but the transmission member may be a band-like member such as a belt or a linear member such as a rope. The transmission member may be a rigid body such as a rod, and each rotating member may be a lever. [Explanation of symbols]

[0038] 100 ··· Travel unit 110 Frame member (main body) 111 ··· Oscillating shaft 112 ... swinging arm 113...wheel 114 Rotation axis 120 ··· Swing transmission part 121 First oscillating sprocket (first oscillating rotor) 122 Second oscillating sprocket (second oscillating rotor) 123 First transmission sprocket (first transmission rotor) 124 Second transmission sprocket (second transmission rotor) 125 ··· Interlocking shaft 126 First Chain (First Transmission Body) 127 Second Chain (Second Transmission Body) 130 Restraining member 131 Locking portion 132 First locking portion 133 Second locking portion 141 ... Locked part 142 ... 1st locked part 143...Second locked part FG...Flat surface TG...Convex surface

Claims

1. A traveling unit having a main body, a swing transmission part provided on the main body, a pair of left and right swing arms provided on the swing transmission part so as to be swingable around a swing axis, and wheels provided on each of the swing arms, The swing transmission unit has a first swing rotor that rotates in conjunction with the swing of one of the swing arms, a second swing rotor that rotates in conjunction with the swing of the other swing arm, a first transmission rotor that transmits rotation via the first swing rotor and a first transmission wire, and a second transmission rotor that transmits rotation via the second swing rotor and a second transmission wire, The first transmission rotor and the second transmission rotor are connected by a linking shaft that links their respective rotation shafts, The first oscillating rotor and the second oscillating rotor are configured to be interlocked so that their rotations are in opposite directions, A traveling unit comprising a suppressing member that suppresses rotation of the first oscillating rotor and / or the second oscillating rotor.

2. The suppression member has a locking portion, 2. The propulsion unit according to claim 1, wherein the first oscillating rotor and / or the second oscillating rotor has a locked portion to which the locking portion is locked.

3. The traveling unit according to claim 2, characterized in that the inhibiting member is arranged to be linearly movable relative to the main body portion, and the engaging portion is configured to be movable between a position where it engages with the engaged portion and a position where it disengages.

4. The traveling unit according to claim 2, characterized in that the inhibiting member is arranged rotatably relative to the main body portion, and the engaging portion is configured to be movable between a position where it engages with the engaged portion and a position where it disengages.

5. The locking portion has two locations, a first locking portion and a second locking portion, the first oscillating rotor has a first locked portion to which the first locking portion is locked, 3. The propulsion unit according to claim 2, wherein the second oscillating rotor has a second locked portion to which the second locking portion is locked.

6. 3. The traveling unit according to claim 2, wherein the locked portion is a notch formed in at least a portion of the circumferential direction of the first oscillating rotor and / or the second oscillating rotor.

7. The traveling unit according to claim 6, characterized in that the suppression member is arranged in a position overlapping the cutout portion when viewed from the axial direction of the first oscillating rotor and / or the second oscillating rotor.

8. A traveling vehicle comprising a body section, a front traveling section having wheels, and a rear traveling section having wheels, wherein at least one of the front traveling section and the rear traveling section is configured with a traveling unit according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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