electric two-wheeled vehicle

Abstract

To provide an electric motorcycle that can achieve operability similar to that of a vehicle with a clutch, regardless of the driving speed. [Solution] An electric two-wheeled vehicle that adjusts the output of a motor by the amount of grip operation of a throttle grip and runs on the power generated by the motor, is equipped with a clutch operator, and includes a control device that calculates the required torque based on the amount of grip operation, calculates the torque limit based on the amount of clutch operation of the clutch operator, integrates the pseudo-energy based on the required torque and the torque limit, and when deciding to reduce or eliminate the limit command, controls the motor based on an adjusted torque command value obtained by adding an additional torque corresponding to the pseudo-energy to the required torque.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to an electric two-wheeler.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 below discloses a drive control device for an electric vehicle that amplifies the output of a drive motor by a predetermined amount in a low speed range (see FIG. 8). By increasing the output in the low speed range, this drive control device realizes the operability of an electric vehicle similar to a vehicle having a clutch.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, the above drive control device focuses only on the low speed range of an electric vehicle (electric two-wheeler) and does not consider the operability in the entire driving speed range of the electric two-wheeler. That is, the above drive control device cannot realize the operability similar to a vehicle having a clutch in the entire driving speed range of the electric two-wheeler.

[0005] This disclosure has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an electric two-wheeler capable of realizing operability similar to a vehicle having a clutch regardless of the running speed.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To achieve the above objective, this disclosure provides a first solution relating to an electric motorcycle, comprising an electric motorcycle (1) which adjusts the output of a motor (50) by the amount of grip operation of a throttle grip (13a) and runs on the power generated by the motor (50), the electric motorcycle (1) which is equipped with a clutch operator (13e), which calculates a required torque based on the amount of grip operation, calculates a torque limit based on the amount of clutch operation of the clutch operator (13e), accumulates pseudo-energy based on the required torque and the torque limit, and when deciding to reduce or eliminate the limit command, a control device (130b) which controls the motor (50) based on an adjusted torque command value obtained by adding an additional torque corresponding to the amount of pseudo-energy released to the required torque.

[0007] In this disclosure, as a second solution relating to an electric motorcycle, the control device (130b) in the first solution employs the means of changing the completion time of adding the additional torque to the requested torque based on the magnitude of the additional torque.

[0008] In this disclosure, as a third solution relating to an electric motorcycle, the method is adopted such that, in the first or second solution described above, the additional torque is set to be smaller at the end of the addition of the additional torque to the required torque than at the start of the addition.

[0009] In this disclosure, as a fourth solution relating to an electric motorcycle, the first or second solution further comprises a mode switching operation unit (13f) that receives a control mode setting instruction, and the control device (130b) is capable of setting at least one of the following based on the setting instruction input from the mode switching operation unit: the correspondence ratio between the requested torque and the additional torque, the correspondence ratio between the clutch operation amount and the torque limit amount, or the decrease ratio of the additional torque from the start to the end of the addition of the additional torque to the requested torque.

[0010] In this disclosure, as a fifth solution relating to electric motorcycles, a means is adopted in which an upper limit is set on the additional torque in the first or second solution described above.

[0011] In this disclosure, as a sixth solution relating to an electric motorcycle, the first or second solution further includes a bank angle detection unit (14) for detecting the bank angle of the vehicle body, and the control device (130b) reduces the required torque according to the bank angle.

[0012] In this disclosure, as a seventh solution relating to an electric motorcycle, the first or second solution further comprises a pitch angle detection unit (15) for detecting the pitch angle of the vehicle body and a motor rotation speed sensor (50a) for detecting the reverse movement of the vehicle body, and the control device (130b) adopts a means of changing the relationship between the clutch operation amount and the torque limit amount when the pitch angle is greater than or equal to a predetermined pitch angle threshold and the vehicle body is moving in reverse.

[0013] In this disclosure, an eighth solution relating to an electric motorcycle is provided, further comprising a mode switching operation unit (13f) that receives a switching instruction between a normal control mode and a clutch practice mode in the first solution, wherein the control device (130b) detects a half-clutch state based on the amount of clutch operation and sets the adjustment torque command value to zero if the load on the motor is greater than or equal to a predetermined load threshold.

[0014] In this disclosure, as a ninth solution relating to an electric motorcycle, the first or second solution described above employs a method in which the additional torque is added to the requested torque when the clutch operation amount is within a predetermined operating range, and gradually decreases until the rotational speed of the motor (50) reaches a predetermined target rotational speed.

[0015] In this disclosure, as a tenth solution relating to an electric motorcycle, the first or second solution further comprises vibrators (13b, 13d), and the control device (130b) controls the vibrators (13b, 13d) to generate vibrations corresponding to the adjusted torque command value when the torque limit is not zero. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to this disclosure, it is possible to provide an electric motorcycle that can achieve operability similar to that of a vehicle with a clutch, regardless of the driving speed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1] This is a left side view showing the overall configuration of an electric motorcycle according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a front view showing the configuration of the handlebars of the electric motorcycle described above. [Figure 3] This block diagram shows the control configuration of the main parts of the electric motorcycle described above. [Figure 4] This is the first flowchart illustrating the operation of the electric motorcycle described above. [Figure 5] This is a second flowchart illustrating the operation of the electric motorcycle described above. [Figure 6] This is a characteristic diagram showing the operation of the above-mentioned electric motorcycle. [Figure 7] This is a timing chart showing the operation of the electric motorcycle described above. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0018] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the above drawings. In the following description, directions such as front and rear, up and down, left and right are the same as those in the vehicle described below. That is, the up and down direction coincides with the vertical direction, and the left and right direction coincides with the vehicle width direction. In the vehicle width direction, the direction away from the vehicle width center is the outer side in the vehicle width direction, and the direction approaching the vehicle width center is the inner side in the vehicle width direction. In FIG. 1, arrow UP indicates upward and arrow FR indicates forward.

[0019] First, referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the mechanical configuration of the electric two-wheeler 1 according to this embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the electric two-wheeler 1 according to this embodiment is an off-road type saddle-riding electric vehicle. The electric two-wheeler 1 ensures a large vertical stroke amount of the wheels, a large ground clearance of the vehicle body, aims to reduce the size and weight of the vehicle body, and concentrates the vehicle body weight. As shown in FIG. 1, the electric two-wheeler 1 includes a front wheel 2, a rear wheel 3, a front wheel suspension system 4, a vehicle body frame 5, a vehicle body cover 6, a rear wheel suspension system 7, a power unit 8, and a battery unit 100.

[0020] The front wheel suspension system 4 includes a pair of left and right front forks 10 that pivotally support the front wheel 2 at the lower end, a top bridge 11 and a bottom bridge 12 provided between the upper parts of the pair of front forks 10, and a stem pipe (not shown) provided between the top bridge 11 and the bottom bridge 12 and inserted into the head pipe 16. The front wheel 2 is steerably supported on the head pipe 16 of the vehicle body frame 5 via the front wheel suspension system 4. A steering handle 13 is supported on the top bridge 11.

[0021] The vehicle body frame 5 includes a head pipe 16, a pair of left and right main frames 17, a pair of left and right pivot frames 18, a single down frame 19, a pair of left and right lower frames 20, a gusset pipe 21 that connects the left and right main frames 17 and the down frame 19, a cross member 22, and a lower cross member 23, and these are integrally joined by welding or the like. Hereinafter, an aggregate in which these frame members are integrally combined inseparably is referred to as a "frame body".

[0022] The head pipe 16 is located at the center of the vehicle width and is provided as a single unit at the front end of the vehicle frame 5. The head pipe 16 is rotatably supported by the insertion of the stem pipe. A pair of main frames 17 branch off to the left and right from the top of the head pipe 16 and extend downward and rearward. The pair of main frames 17 are joined to each other at their respective front ends. In a plan view from above, the front portions of the pair of main frames 17 curve outward in the vehicle width direction behind the head pipe 16. In a plan view from above, the rear portions of the pair of main frames 17 extend linearly along the front-rear direction.

[0023] Each of the pair of pivot frames 18 extends downward and rearward from the rear end of the main frame 17 on the same side. The pair of pivot frames 18 curves and extends in a convex arc shape towards the rear when viewed from the side. A pivot shaft 33 extending in the vehicle width direction is installed between the lower middle portions of the pair of pivot frames 18 in the vertical direction.

[0024] The down frame 19 extends downward and rearward from below the head pipe 16. In a side view, the down frame 19 slopes more steeply downward and rearward than the main frame 17. A radiator 91 for cooling the power unit 8 is mounted on at least one of the left and right sides of the down frame 19. A pair of lower frames 20 branch off to the left and right from the lower end of the down frame 19 and extend rearward. The rear ends of the pair of lower frames 20 are connected to the lower ends of the pivot frames 18 on the same side.

[0025] The left and right sides of the gusset pipe 21 connect the main frame 17 and the down frame 19 on the same side. The gusset pipe 21 branches off to the left and right from the upper middle section in the vertical direction of the down frame 19 and extends to the rear. The rear ends of the gusset pipe 21 are connected to the front-to-rear middle section of the main frame 17 on the same side.

[0026] The cross member 22 extends in the vehicle width direction and connects the rear ends of a pair of main frames 17 (or the upper ends of a pair of pivot frames 18). A cushion support bracket (not shown) extending upward and rearward is fixed to the inside of the cross member 22 in the vehicle width direction. The upper end of the rear cushion 32 and the battery unit 100 are connected to the cushion support bracket.

[0027] The lower cross member 23 extends in the vehicle width direction and connects the lower parts of the pair of pivot frames 18 below the pivot axis 33. A link support bracket (not shown) extending rearward is fixed to the inner side of the lower cross member 23 in the vehicle width direction. The front end of the link arm 34 is connected to the link support bracket.

[0028] The vehicle frame 5 further comprises a pair of left and right seat rails 24 and a pair of left and right support rails 25. The front ends of each of the left and right seat rails 24 are connected to the upper ends of the pivot frame 18 on the same side. Each of the left and right seat rails 24 extends upward and rearward from its front end. A seat 9 is positioned above the left and right seat rails 24. The front and rear intermediate sections of the left and right seat rails 24 are connected via a seat support bracket 28 that receives the load from the seat 9.

[0029] The left and right support rails 25 are located below the left and right seat rails 24. The front end of each left and right support rail 25 is connected to the upper and lower middle section of the pivot frame 18 on the same side. Each left and right support rail 25 extends upward and rearward from its front end. The rear end of each left and right support rail 25 is connected from below to the rear of the seat rail 24 on the same side.

[0030] The rear ends of the left and right seat rails 24 are connected by a cross rail 26 that extends in the width direction of the vehicle. The left and right pair of seat rails 24, the left and right pair of support rails 25, and the cross rail 26 are integrally joined by welding or the like. Hereinafter, this assembly of frame members, which is inseparably integrated, will be referred to as a subframe that can be attached to and removed from the main frame. The subframe corresponds to the seat frame that supports the seat 9 from below.

[0031] The chassis frame 5 is of a semi-double cradle type. The chassis frame 5 mounts the power unit 8, including the motor 50, below the rear of the left and right main frames 17 behind the head pipe 16, and in front of the left and right pivot frames 18. The chassis frame 5 surrounds the power unit 8 from the front and below with a single down frame 19 and left and right lower frames 20.

[0032] Inside the vehicle frame 5, a power unit 8 for vehicle operation is mounted, along with a battery unit 100 that stores the power supplied to the power unit 8. The vehicle frame 5 allows the battery unit 100 to be inserted and removed from above through an opening between the left and right main frames 17. The front parts of the left and right main frames 17 and the gusset pipes 21 have a large outward curvature in the vehicle width direction to ensure clearance with the front of the battery unit 100.

[0033] The vehicle cover 6 covers the vehicle frame 5, etc. The vehicle cover 6 comprises a pair of left and right front side cowls 41 and a pair of left and right rear side cowls 42. In a side view from the vehicle width direction, the pair of front side cowls 41 are positioned from the lower left and right sides of the front of the seat 9 to a position that overlaps with the top of the down frame 19.

[0034] The pair of left and right front side cowls 41 extend outwards from the front lower part of the seat 9 in a flared manner when viewed from the side. The pair of left and right front side cowls 41 extend to straddle the front and rear of the main frame 17 on the same side in the vehicle width direction. At least one of the pair of left and right front side cowls 41 functions as an air guide plate (radiator shroud) to the radiator (not shown) supported on the side of the down frame 19.

[0035] The pair of left and right rear side cowls 42 are positioned lower on both the left and right sides of the rear of the seat 9 when viewed from the side. The pair of left and right rear side cowls 42 are positioned to cover the seat rail 24 and support rail 25 on the same side from the outside in the vehicle width direction. A rear fender 43r extends from the rear of the seat 9 toward the rear. The rear fender 43r is positioned above the rear wheel 3 with a gap.

[0036] Reference numeral 43f indicates a front fender positioned above the front wheel 2 at a distance and supported by the bottom bridge 12. A top cover 44 is positioned in front of the seat 9 between the upper ends of the front-to-rear intermediate sections of a pair of front side cowls 41. The top cover 44 covers the upper protrusion (not shown) of the battery unit 100 from above.

[0037] The rear suspension system 7 includes a swing arm 30 that pivotally supports the rear wheel 3 at its rear end, a link mechanism 31 that connects the front of the swing arm 30 to the lower cross member 23, and a rear cushion 32 that spans between the link mechanism 31 and the cross member 22. The swing arm 30 is positioned below the rear of the vehicle body and extends in the longitudinal direction. The front end of the swing arm 30 is supported by a pair of pivot frames 18 via a pivot shaft 33 so as to be able to swing up and down.

[0038] The link mechanism 31 comprises a pair of left and right link arms and link members. The pair of link arms are positioned below the front of the swing arm 30 in a side view and extend in the front-rear direction. The front ends of the link arms are rotatably connected to the link support bracket (not shown) of the lower cross member 23 via an axis that runs along the vehicle width direction. The rear ends of the link arms 34 are rotatably connected to the link member 35 via an axis that runs along the vehicle width direction.

[0039] The link member 35 described above is formed in a roughly triangular shape when viewed from the side. The upper top of the link member 35 is rotatably connected to the link connection portion in the front-to-rear intermediate part of the swing arm 30 via an axis that runs along the vehicle width direction. The lower top of the link member 35 is rotatably connected to the rear end of the link arm via an axis that runs along the vehicle width direction. The front top of the link member 35 is rotatably connected to the lower end of the rear cushion 32 via an axis that runs along the vehicle width direction.

[0040] The rear cushion 32 is located on the inner side in the vehicle width direction at the rear of the vehicle body. The rear cushion 32 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a compression coil spring arranged on the outer circumference of the damper cylinder, and is positioned in a forward-tilted position with respect to the vertical direction in its axial direction. The upper end of the rear cushion 32 is rotatably connected to the cushion support bracket of the cross member 22 via an axis along the vehicle width direction. The lower end of the rear cushion 32 is rotatably connected to the front top of the link member via an axis along the vehicle width direction.

[0041] The power unit 8 includes a motor 50 for driving the vehicle and a PCU (Power Control Unit) 130 that drives the motor 50, and rotates the output shaft 70. The power unit 8 is configured as an integrated unit with the motor 50 and PCU 130. The motor 50 is housed in a motor case (not shown). Gear-type reducers are positioned on one side of the motor 50.

[0042] Although not shown in Figure 1, the motor 50 is equipped with a rotation sensor 50a (see Figure 3). This rotation sensor 50a is a detector that detects the rotational speed and direction of rotation of the motor 50 and is electrically connected to the PCU 130. The rotation sensor 50a outputs a signal (rotation detection signal) to the PCU 130 indicating the rotational state (rotational speed and direction of rotation) of the motor 50. In the case of such a rotation sensor 50a, the direction of rotation indicates the vehicle body is moving backward and corresponds to a reverse detection unit that detects the vehicle body moving backward. The control device 130b takes in the motor rotation speed N input from the rotation sensor 50a as a physical quantity indicating the driving speed of the electric motorcycle 1.

[0043] The output shaft 70 is located at the lower rear of the motor case. The output shaft 70 extends in the vehicle width direction, similar to the rotation axis of the motor 50, with its left end protruding outside the housing. The left end of the output shaft 70 and the rear wheel 3 are connected via a chain-type transmission mechanism 77 to enable power transmission. That is, the rotational power of the motor 50 is transmitted to the rear wheel 3 via the chain-type transmission mechanism 77.

[0044] Although not shown in Figure 1, the PCU130 includes a PDU130a (Power Drive Unit) and a control device 130b that controls the PDU130a, as shown in Figure 3. The PDU130a includes an inverter (power conversion circuit) that drives the motor 50, and converts the DC power supplied from the battery unit 100 into AC power using the inverter. The inverter drives the motor 50 by outputting the AC power to the motor 50.

[0045] As will be described in more detail later, the control device 130b is a software control device that controls the PDU 130a based on a control program. The control device 130b generates motor control commands based on the control program and controls the rotation of the motor 50 by outputting these motor control commands to the PDU 130a.

[0046] The power unit 8 is supported by the vehicle frame 5 via multiple fixing points. The power unit 8 is positioned in front of (on the inner circumference side of) the pivot frame 18, which is curved in a rearward-convex arc shape when viewed from the side. The power unit 8 is positioned above the lower frame 20. The power unit 8 is positioned below the rear lower end of the main frame 17 when viewed from the side. The upper part (motor case) of the power unit 8 is positioned spaced behind the down frame 19, and the lower part (PCU case) extends to near the lower end of the down frame 19. The lower part of the PCU case is covered by an under cover 27 attached to the lower frame 20.

[0047] The battery unit 100 is formed in a roughly L-shape when viewed from the side and is positioned from the front to above the power unit 8. The battery unit 100 has a constant width overall and is positioned so as to fit between the inner sides of the left and right main frames 17 in the vehicle width direction when viewed from above.

[0048] The electric motorcycle 1 configured in this way is provided with a bank angle detection unit 14 and a pitch angle detection unit 15 (see Figure 3). The bank angle detection unit 14 is a detection unit that detects the bank angle θb of the electric motorcycle 1 (vehicle body), that is, the inclination angle with respect to the vertical direction, and is electrically connected to the PCU 130. The bank angle detection unit 14 outputs a signal indicating the bank angle θb (bank angle detection signal) to the PCU 130.

[0049] The pitch angle detection unit 15 is a detection unit that detects the pitch angle θp of the electric motorcycle 1 (vehicle body) and is electrically connected to the PCU 130. The pitch angle detection unit 15 outputs a signal (pitch angle detection signal) to the PCU 130 that indicates the pitch angle θp, that is, the tilt angle of the vehicle body with respect to the front-rear direction (horizontal direction).

[0050] Next, with reference to Figure 2, the configuration of the steering handle 13 will be further explained. The steering handle 13 is a pipe-shaped metal material having a predetermined length and curved to a predetermined shape, and extends in the width direction (left-right direction) of the electric motorcycle 1. Both ends of the steering handle 13 are gripping parts for the driver to hold.

[0051] Of the two ends of the steering handle 13, the right grip portion 13R, located on the right side when facing forward (FR), is equipped with a throttle grip 13a. This throttle grip 13a is an operator used by the driver to adjust the output of the motor 50. This throttle grip 13a is electrically connected to the PCU 130 and outputs a signal (throttle operation signal) to the PCU 130 indicating its own operating amount (grip operating amount Mg).

[0052] In other words, the electric motorcycle 1 according to this embodiment is an electric vehicle that runs by adjusting the output of a motor 50 provided in a PCU 130 by the amount of grip operation Mg of a throttle grip 13a provided on a steering handle 13, and by rotating the rear wheel 3 with the power (rotational power) generated by the motor 50.

[0053] Furthermore, a first vibration motor 13b is built into the right gripping section 13R. This first vibration motor 13b is electrically connected to the PCU 130, and its output shaft rotates based on a first drive signal input from the PCU 130. This first vibration motor 13b is a first vibrator that forcibly vibrates the right gripping section 13R by rotating its output shaft.

[0054] A brake lever 13c is provided near the throttle grip 13a, as shown in the figure. This brake lever 13c is an operator that the driver uses to brake the electric motorcycle A. This brake lever 13c is electrically connected to the PCU 130 and outputs a signal (brake operation signal) to the PCU 130 indicating the amount of its operation (brake operation amount). This brake lever 13c brakes the electric motorcycle A by, for example, applying braking force to the front wheel 2.

[0055] A second vibration motor 13d is built into the left gripping section 13L, which is located on the left side when facing forward (FR) of the steering handle 13. The second vibration motor 13d is electrically connected to the PCU 130, and its output shaft rotates based on a second drive signal input from the PCU 130. The second vibration motor 13d is a second vibrator that forcibly vibrates the left gripping section 13L by rotating its output shaft.

[0056] Furthermore, a clutch lever 13e is provided near the left grip portion 13L. The clutch lever 13e is electrically connected to the PCU 130 and outputs a signal (clutch operation signal) to the PCU 130 indicating its own operating amount (clutch operating amount Mc). This clutch lever 13e is an operating element for the driver to operate a simulated clutch 130c virtually provided in the control device 130b. Alternatively, the clutch lever 13e may detect the clutch operating amount Mc using a pressure sensor or clutch lever angle sensor provided in a reaction force generating device connected to the master cylinder.

[0057] Here, a well-known mechanical clutch adjusts the transmission coefficient of the rotational power of the power source to the drive wheels. The above-mentioned pseudo-clutch 130c is a numerical model that performs a similar function to a mechanical clutch in the electric motorcycle 1. This pseudo-clutch 130c sets a clutch transmission torque limit amount, which adjusts the rotational power of the motor 50 downwards, based on the clutch operation amount Mc, which is set based on the grip operation amount Mg.

[0058] The clutch lever 13e is a clutch control that sets the degree to which the rotational power of the motor 50 is adjusted downward. In other words, the clutch operation amount Mc of the clutch lever 13e limits the rotational power of the motor 50, which is set based on the grip operation amount Mg, based on the clutch operation amount Mc.

[0059] For example, when the clutch operation amount Mc is 100%, the control device 130b controls the motor 50 so as not to generate rotational power. Also, when the clutch operation amount Mc is 50%, the control device 130b controls the motor 50 to generate half the rotational power set based on the grip operation amount Mg. Furthermore, when the clutch operation amount Mc is 0%, the control device 130b controls the motor 50 to generate the rotational power set based on the grip operation amount Mg.

[0060] A mode switching operation unit 13f is provided in the center of the steering handle 13, as shown in the figure. This mode switching operation unit 13f is an operating device whose operating surface is the panel surface facing the driver riding the electric motorcycle 1, and it receives operating instructions from the driver. The mode switching operation unit 13f is electrically connected to the PCU 130 and outputs a signal (panel operation signal) to the PCU 130 indicating the operating instruction it has received. The mode switching operation unit may be, for example, a button type.

[0061] The operation instructions that the mode switching operation unit 13f receives from the driver include at least an instruction to set the control mode of the control device 130b (mode setting instruction). This mode setting instruction may include, for example, a normal control mode used when the electric motorcycle 1 is running normally and a clutch practice mode for practicing the operation of the simulated clutch 130c.

[0062] Such a mode switching operation unit 13f corresponds to the mode operation unit in this disclosure. That is, the mode switching operation unit 13f in this embodiment receives instructions to set a control mode, and also receives instructions to switch between a normal control mode and a clutch practice mode among a plurality of control modes, and sets the correspondence ratio between the requested torque and the additional torque in the normal control mode, the correspondence ratio between the clutch operation amount and the torque limit amount, or the decrease ratio of the additional torque from the start to the end of adding the additional torque to the requested torque.

[0063] Next, the control configuration of the electric motorcycle 1 will be explained with reference to Figure 3. The control unit 130b in the PCU130 is a type of embedded computer and is equipped with a CPU (Central Processing Unit), semiconductor memory such as ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory), and input / output circuits. This control unit 130b controls the PDU130a by executing a control program pre-stored in the semiconductor memory. When controlling the PDU130a, the control unit 130b refers to the grip operation amount Mg input from the throttle grip 13a, the clutch operation amount Mc input from the clutch lever 13e, and the motor rotation speed N input from the rotation sensor 50a, as shown in Figure 3.

[0064] Furthermore, in addition to the aforementioned pseudo-clutch 130c (numerical model), the control device 130b is equipped with a pseudo-flywheel 130d that simulates a well-known mechanical flywheel. This pseudo-flywheel 130d is a numerical model that stores pseudo-energy based on the required torque Tr and the torque limit Td. The control device 130b calculates the rotational speed Nf (flywheel rotational speed) and generated torque (flywheel torque) of the pseudo-flywheel 130d based on the grip operation amount and the clutch operation amount.

[0065] In other words, the control device 130b generates a motor control command by performing predetermined calculations on the grip operation amount Mg, clutch operation amount Mc, and motor rotation speed N based on the control program. Furthermore, the control device 130b takes into account the behavior of the pseudo-flywheel 130d when generating such a motor control command. The control device 130b controls the motor 50 by outputting the motor control command to the PDU 130a.

[0066] When controlling the PDU 130a, the control device 130b refers to the grip operation amount Mg input from the throttle grip 13a, the clutch operation amount Mc input from the clutch lever 13e, the operation instruction input from the mode switching operation unit 13f, the rotational state (rotational speed and rotational direction) input from the rotation sensor 50a, the bank angle θb input from the bank angle sensor 15, and the pitch angle θp input from the pitch angle sensor 15, as shown in Figure 3.

[0067] As will be described in more detail later, the control device 130b sets the control mode based on the operation instruction. The control device 130b also calculates the clutch adjustment amount of the pseudo clutch 130c based on the clutch operation amount Mc. Furthermore, the control device 130b generates motor control commands and first and second drive signals based on the clutch adjustment amount, grip operation amount Mg, rotational state, bank angle θb, and pitch angle θp.

[0068] The control device 130b controls the rotation of the motor 50 by outputting a motor control command to the PDU 130a. The control device 130b also controls the vibration of the steering handle 13 by outputting a first drive signal to the first vibration motor 13b and a second drive signal to the second vibration motor 13d.

[0069] Next, the operation of the electric motorcycle 1 according to this embodiment will be explained in detail with reference to the flowcharts shown in Figures 4 and 5.

[0070] In this electric motorcycle 1, the driver uses the mode switching operation unit 13f to specify the control mode of the control device 130b, that is, the operating mode of the electric motorcycle 1. In other words, when the control device 130b receives a panel operation signal from the mode switching operation unit 13f that indicates the control mode, it is set to the control mode according to the panel operation signal (step S1).

[0071] Then, the control device 130b determines whether the control mode specified by the driver is the clutch practice mode (step S2). If the determination in step S2 is "Yes," that is, if the driver has specified the clutch practice mode as the operating mode of the electric motorcycle 1, the control device 130b obtains the clutch operation amount Mc of the clutch lever 13e (step S3).

[0072] Then, the control device 130b determines whether the clutch operation amount Mc indicates a half-clutch state (step S4). This half-clutch state is, for example, a state in which the clutch operation amount Mc is set in the range of 10 to 90%. If the determination in step S4 is "Yes", that is, if the driver operates the clutch lever 13e to indicate a half-clutch state, the control device 130b determines whether the motor 50 is in an overload state by comparing the load L of the motor 50 with a predetermined load threshold Lr (step S5).

[0073] In other words, the control device 130b determines whether the motor 50 is in an overload state if the load L of the motor 50 is greater than or equal to the load threshold Lr. For example, the control device 130b determines the overload state of the motor 50 using the rotation speed (motor rotation speed N) of the rotation sensor 50a as a physical quantity representing the load L of the motor 50.

[0074] If the determination in step S5 is "Yes," that is, if the clutch is partially engaged and the system is overloaded, the control device 130b forcibly cuts the motor torque Tm (step S6). In other words, if the determination in step S5 is "Yes," the control device 130b generates a torque command value Tc that sets the motor torque Tm to zero and outputs it to the PDU 130a.

[0075] Figure 6 is a characteristic diagram showing the time-series changes in motor torque Tm and motor 50 rotational speed (motor rotational speed N) in the half-clutch state and clutch ON state (clutch operation amount Mc=0%) in this clutch practice mode. As shown in this figure, when the control device 130b determines that the load on motor 50 is in an overload state when transitioning from the half-clutch state to the clutch ON state, it sets the motor torque Tm to zero.

[0076] In this way, when the operating mode of the electric motorcycle 1 is set to clutch practice mode, it is possible to avoid stalling the electric motorcycle 1 by forcibly cutting the drive torque when the clutch is partially engaged and drive torque is being generated. The driver can repeatedly practice clutch operation in a simulated manner using the clutch practice mode, thereby improving their driving skills.

[0077] On the other hand, if the determination in steps S2, S4, and S5 is "No", the control device 130b sets the control mode to the normal control mode (step S7). Then, the control device 130b obtains the grip operation amount Mg from the throttle grip 13a (step S8) and calculates the required torque Tr corresponding to the grip operation amount Mg (step S9).

[0078] The control device 130b acquires the bank θb from the bank angle detection unit 14 (step S9-1). The control device 130b then determines whether the bank θb is greater than or equal to a predetermined bank angle threshold θbr (step S9-2). If the determination in step S9-2 is "Yes," that is, if the bank θb is greater than or equal to the bank angle threshold θbr, the control device 130b sets a predetermined limit on the requested torque Tr (step S9-3).

[0079] Next, the control device 130b obtains the clutch operation amount Mc from the clutch lever 13e (step S10) and the pitch angle θp from the pitch angle detection unit 15 (step S11). Then, the control device 130b performs a vehicle reverse movement determination (step S12). This vehicle reverse movement determination determines whether the vehicle is in a reverse state based on the rotation direction of the motor 50.

[0080] In other words, in determining whether the vehicle is moving backward (step S12), the control device 130b obtains the rotational state (speed and direction of rotation) of the motor 50 from the rotation sensor 50a. Then, the control device 130b determines whether the vehicle is moving backward by referring to the direction of rotation of the motor 50 included in the rotational state.

[0081] Once this vehicle reversing determination (step S12) is completed, the control device 130b determines whether the vehicle body is tilted and in a reverse state (step S13). Specifically, the control device 130b determines whether the vehicle body is tilted to a predetermined pitch angle threshold θpr or more in the longitudinal direction (horizontal direction) based on the pitch angle θp, and also determines whether the result of the vehicle reversing determination is "reversing".

[0082] If the judgment in step S13 is "Yes," that is, if the vehicle is tilted and in reverse, the control device 130b updates the correspondence between the clutch operation amount Mc and the torque limit amount Td (step S14). In other words, the control device 130b changes the correspondence map (control map) between the clutch operation amount Mc and the torque limit amount Td used for control processing from a standard correspondence map (first control map) to a correspondence map (second control map) that corresponds to the tilted and reverse state.

[0083] Then, the control device 130b sets the torque limit amount Td corresponding to the clutch operation amount Mc acquired in step S10 by using the second control map (step S15). If the judgment in step S13 is "No", that is, if the vehicle body is not tilted and not in reverse, the control device 130b sets the torque limit amount Td corresponding to the clutch operation amount Mc using the first control map.

[0084] Once the torque limit Td is set in this manner, the control device 130b determines the torque command value Tc (step S16). That is, the control device 130b generates a torque command value Tc limited by the torque limit Td set in step S15 from the requested torque Tr calculated in step S9. Note that the limiting of the requested torque Tr by the torque reduction amount Td may be set such that, as long as the value of the requested torque Tr exceeds the value of the torque limit Td, the value of the torque limit Td becomes the value of the torque command value Tc, regardless of the value of the requested torque Tr.

[0085] Then, the control device 130b determines whether the value of the requested torque Tr is different from the value of the torque command value Tc, that is, whether or not there is torque that has been cut off based on the torque limit amount Td (the difference in torque between the requested torque Tr and the torque command value Tc) (step S17).

[0086] If the determination in step S17 is "Yes," that is, if the requested torque Tr is being cut, the control device 130b stores virtual energy in the pseudo-flywheel 130d based on the requested torque Tr and the torque limit Td (step S18). At this time, a value equal to the torque command value Tc is generated as the adjusted torque command value Te (step S19).

[0087] If the determination in step S17 is "No", the control device 130b determines whether virtual energy is stored in the pseudo flywheel 150d (step S20). If the determination in step S20 is "Yes", the control device 130b adds the amount equivalent to the stored energy (hereinafter referred to as additional torque Tk) to the torque command value Tc and releases it (step S21). That is, the value obtained by adding the additional torque Tk to the torque command value Tc is generated as the adjusted torque command value Te (step S22).

[0088] On the other hand, if the decision in step S20 is "No", the control device 130b neither stores nor releases energy to the pseudo-flywheel 130d, and a value equal to the torque command value Tc is generated as the adjusted torque command value Te (step S23).

[0089] Then, the control device 130b outputs an adjusted torque command value Te to the PDU 130a, which is obtained by adding an additional torque Tk limited to the torque command value Tc (step S26). When the control device 130b outputs the adjustment torque command value Te to the PDU 130a in this manner, it sequentially reduces the additional torque Tk in the adjustment torque command value Te by a predetermined rate until the rotational speed N of the motor 50 reaches the pseudo flywheel rotational speed Nf. That is, the control device 130b obtains an additional torque reduction rate map (fourth control map) showing the rate of reduction of the additional torque Tk from the semiconductor memory (step S27), and gradually reduces the additional torque Tk using this additional torque reduction rate map (step S28).

[0090] Then, the control device 130b determines whether the rotational speed N of the motor 50 has reached the pseudo-flywheel rotational speed Nf (step S29). When the determination in step S29 is "Yes", that is, when the rotational speed N of the motor 50 has reached the predetermined pseudo-flywheel rotational speed Nf, the control device 130b finishes adding the additional torque Tk in the adjusted torque command value Te to the torque command value Tc (step S30).

[0091] Thus, in this embodiment, the additional torque Tk is added to the differential torque when the clutch operating amount Mc is within a predetermined operating amount range, that is, when the required torque Tr is within a predetermined range. Furthermore, this additional torque Tk gradually decreases until the rotational speed N of the motor (50) reaches the pseudo-flywheel rotational speed Nf.

[0092] As shown in Figure 7, when the driver operates the clutch lever 13e to set the clutch operation amount from 0% (clutch ON state) to 100% (clutch OFF state) at time t1, and then operates the throttle grip 13a to gradually increase the grip operation amount from 0% to 100% at time t2, the control device 130b calculates the required torque Tr based on the grip operation amount Mg. Note that in this state, the brake lever 13c is not operated.

[0093] Next, the torque command value Tc is determined according to the required torque Tr and the torque limit Td based on the clutch operation amount Mc. The torque limit Td may determine the limiting rate of the required torque, or it may set upper and lower limits on the torque command value Tc. This torque command value Tc gradually increases from time t2 in accordance with the grip operation amount Mg until it reaches the maximum torque.

[0094] In this state, the clutch operation amount Mc is set to 100% (clutch OFF state), so no drive current is supplied to the motor 50 to generate the required torque Tr (the torque command value Tc becomes 0). Therefore, the motor 50 is in a stopped state in this condition and does not generate rotational power corresponding to the required torque Tr.

[0095] The above-mentioned required torque Tr is used to increase the rotational speed Nf (pseudo-flywheel rotational speed) of the pseudo-flywheel 130d described above. The pseudo-flywheel rotational speed Nf increases when the required torque Tr stores the torque that has been cut off based on the torque limit Td (the difference in torque between the required torque Tr and the torque command value Tc) as rotational energy in the pseudo-flywheel.

[0096] In other words, as shown in Figure 7, as the required torque Tr increases, the cut-off torque increases based on the torque limit Td, and the speed gradually increases at a timing t2a that is slightly delayed from the increase in the required torque Tr, until it reaches the maximum rotational speed.

[0097] In this state, when the driver operates the clutch lever 13e at time t3 to change the clutch operation amount from 100% (clutch OFF state) to 0% (clutch ON state), the adjusted torque command value Te, which is the torque command value Tc plus an additional torque Tk corresponding to the pseudo flywheel rotation speed Nf, rises sharply at time t3, temporarily exceeds the required torque Tr, and then converges to the required torque Tr.

[0098] In other words, when the clutch operation amount changes from 100% (clutch OFF state) to 0% (clutch ON state), the control device 130b calculates an adjusted torque command value Te that rises sharply at time t3, temporarily exceeds the upper limit required torque Tr, and then converges to the required torque Tr.

[0099] By enabling an instantaneous increase in torque in this way, it becomes possible to lift the front wheels without causing a time lag until the motor's rotation speed increases. This makes it easier to control the landing posture after a jump and to overcome obstacles.

[0100] Furthermore, by instantaneously increasing the torque, the rear wheel can be slid, enabling smooth acceleration turns. The flywheel rotation speed Nf gradually decreases from time t3 and is set to the motor rotation speed N at time t4. In other words, the control device 130b calculates the flywheel rotation speed Nf, which gradually decreases from time t3 and becomes the rotation speed corresponding to the torque command value Tc at time t4.

[0101] Furthermore, the motor speed N gradually increases from time t3 and is set to a speed corresponding to the torque command value Tc at time t4. In other words, the control device 130b calculates the motor speed N which gradually increases from time t3 and becomes a speed corresponding to the torque command value Tc at time t4.

[0102] As described above, the electric motorcycle 1 according to this embodiment is a vehicle that adjusts the output of the motor 50 by the amount of grip operation of the throttle grip 13a and runs on the power generated by the motor 50, and is equipped with a clutch operator 13e, which calculates a required torque Tr based on the grip operation amount Mg, calculates a torque limit amount Td based on the clutch operation amount Mc of the clutch operator 13e, accumulates pseudo-energy based on the required torque Tr and the torque limit amount Td, and when it is determined to reduce or eliminate the reduction command, controls the motor 50 based on an adjusted torque command value Te which is obtained by adding an additional torque Tk corresponding to the amount of pseudo-energy released to the required torque Tr. According to this embodiment, since the motor 50 is controlled based on the adjusted torque command value Te, it is possible to provide an electric motorcycle 1 that can achieve operability similar to a vehicle with a clutch regardless of the running speed.

[0103] Furthermore, in the electric motorcycle 1 according to this embodiment, the control device 130b changes the completion time for adding the additional torque Tk to the required torque Tr based on the magnitude of the additional torque Tk. According to this embodiment, it is possible to achieve driving performance that is less likely to cause discomfort to drivers who are accustomed to driving vehicles with clutches. In addition, since the additional torque Tk is set based on the grip operation amount Mg and the clutch operation amount Mc, it is possible to ensure maneuverability that matches the driver's intentions and improve driving comfort.

[0104] Furthermore, in the electric motorcycle 1 according to this embodiment, the additional torque Tk is set to be smaller at the end of the addition of the additional torque Tk to the required torque Tr than at the start. According to this embodiment, it is possible to reduce the discomfort felt by the driver at the end of the addition (addition) of the additional torque Tk to the required torque Tr, thereby improving the accuracy of reproduction of the behavior of a vehicle with a clutch and improving driving comfort.

[0105] Furthermore, the electric motorcycle 1 according to this embodiment is further equipped with a mode switching operation unit 13f that receives instructions for setting a control mode, and the control device 130b can set at least one of the following based on the setting instructions input from the mode switching operation unit 13f: the correspondence ratio between the requested torque Tr and the additional torque Tk, the correspondence ratio between the clutch operation amount Mc and the torque limit amount Td, or the decrease ratio of the additional torque Tk from the start to the end of the addition of the additional torque Tk to the requested torque Tr. According to this embodiment, the driver can set the electric motorcycle 1 to their preferred driving feel, and thus it is possible to improve driving comfort.

[0106] Furthermore, in the electric motorcycle 1 according to this embodiment, an upper limit is set on the additional torque Tk. This embodiment makes it possible to prevent situations that are unpredictable for the driver.

[0107] Furthermore, in the electric motorcycle 1 according to this embodiment, a bank angle detection unit 14 is further provided to detect the bank angle θb of the vehicle body, and the control device 130b reduces the required torque Tr when the bank angle θb is greater than or equal to a predetermined bank angle threshold θbr. According to this embodiment, since the required torque Tr is reduced when the vehicle body is banked, it is possible to prevent the vehicle body from straightening up unintentionally by the driver.

[0108] Furthermore, the electric motorcycle 1 according to this embodiment is further equipped with a pitch angle detection unit (15) that detects the pitch angle θp of the vehicle body and a rotation sensor 50a (reverse detection unit) that detects the reverse movement of the vehicle body. The control device 130b changes the relationship between the clutch operation amount Mc and the torque reduction amount Td when the pitch angle θp is greater than or equal to a predetermined pitch angle threshold θpr and the vehicle body is moving in reverse.

[0109] According to this embodiment, even if the driver performs an inappropriate operation of the simulated clutch lever for the road surface conditions, such as on a steep uphill slope, it is possible to ensure that the necessary torque is secured, thereby enabling comfortable driving regardless of the driver's skill level.

[0110] Furthermore, the electric motorcycle 1 according to this embodiment is further equipped with a mode switching operation unit 13f that receives instructions to switch between a normal control mode and a clutch practice mode. When the control device 130b detects a half-clutch state based on the clutch operation amount Mc, it sets the adjustment torque command value Te to zero if the load L of the motor 50 is greater than or equal to a predetermined load threshold Lr. According to this embodiment, the driver can repeatedly practice clutch operation without restarting the engine, and thus it is possible to improve driving skills more easily.

[0111] Furthermore, in the electric motorcycle 1 according to this embodiment, the additional torque Tk gradually decreases until the rotational speed N of the motor 50 reaches a flywheel rotational speed Nf which is a predetermined target rotational speed. According to this embodiment, it is possible to make the change in driving force after the engagement operation of the clutch lever 13e similar to that of a vehicle with a clutch, and thus the predictability of the vehicle's behavior for the driver can be increased.

[0112] Furthermore, in the electric two-wheeled vehicle 1 according to this embodiment, first and second vibration motors 13b and 13d (vibrators) are further provided, and the control device 130b controls the first and second vibration motors 13b and 13d (vibrators) to generate vibrations corresponding to the adjusted torque command value Te when the torque reduction amount Td is not zero.

[0113] According to this embodiment, when the accelerator grip is operated, a so-called blipping operation is performed while the clutch lever is being held down, the torque command value to the drive motor decreases or becomes zero, so no driving torque is generated to the rear wheel. However, vibration is generated by the drive current corresponding to the requested output to the vibration generator, and the rider can feel the vibration through the handle grip, making it easy to adjust the timing and speed of clutch engagement. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0114] 1 Electric motorcycle 13 Steering wheel 13a Throttle Grip 13c brake lever (brake control) 13e Clutch lever (clutch control element) 13f Mode switching operation unit 50 motors 50a Rotation sensor (reverse detection unit) 13b First vibration motor (vibrator) 13d Second vibration motor (vibrator) 130b Control device 139c Simulated clutch 14 Bank Angle Detection Unit 15 Pitch angle detection unit

Claims

1. An electric two-wheeled vehicle (1) that adjusts the output of a motor (50) by the amount of grip operation of a throttle grip (13a), and is driven by the power generated by the motor (50), An electric motorcycle comprising a clutch operator (13e), a control device (130b) that calculates a required torque based on the amount of grip operation, calculates a torque reduction based on the amount of clutch operation of the clutch operator (13e), stores pseudo-energy based on the required torque and torque limit, and controls the motor (50) based on an adjusted torque command value obtained by adding an additional torque corresponding to the amount of pseudo-energy released to the required torque when determining whether to reduce or eliminate the limit command.

2. The electric motorcycle according to claim 1, wherein the control device (130b) changes the completion time for adding the additional torque to the requested torque based on the magnitude of the additional torque.

3. The electric two-wheeled vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the additional torque is set to be smaller at the end of the addition of the additional torque to the requested torque than at the start of the addition.

4. The system further includes a mode switching operation unit (13f) that receives instructions for setting the control mode, The electric motorcycle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control device (130b) is capable of setting at least one of the following based on the setting instruction input from the mode switching operation unit: the correspondence ratio between the requested torque and the additional torque, the correspondence ratio between the clutch operation amount and the torque limit amount, or the decrease ratio of the additional torque from the start to the end of the addition of the additional torque to the requested torque.

5. The electric two-wheeled vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the additional torque has an upper limit.

6. The vehicle is further equipped with a bank angle detection unit (14) that detects the bank angle of the vehicle body, The electric motorcycle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control device (130b) reduces the required torque when the bank angle is greater than or equal to a predetermined bank angle threshold.

7. A pitch angle detection unit (15) for detecting the pitch angle of the vehicle body, The vehicle body is further equipped with a reverse detection unit (50a) that detects the reverse movement of the vehicle body, The electric motorcycle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control device (130b) changes the relationship between the clutch operation amount and the torque limit amount when the pitch angle is greater than or equal to a predetermined pitch angle threshold and the vehicle body is moving in reverse.

8. The system further includes a mode switching operation unit (13f) that accepts instructions to switch between normal control mode and clutch practice mode. The electric motorcycle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control device (130b) detects a half-clutch state based on the clutch operation amount and sets the adjustment torque command value to zero if the load on the motor is greater than or equal to a predetermined load threshold.

9. The electric two-wheeled vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the additional torque is added to the requested torque when the clutch operation amount is within a predetermined operating amount range, and the rotational speed of the motor (50) is gradually reduced until a predetermined target rotational speed is reached.

10. Further equipped with oscillators (13b, 13d), The electric two-wheeled vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control device (130b) controls the vibrators (13b, 13d) to generate vibrations corresponding to the adjusted torque command value if the torque reduction amount is not zero.

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