Electric moving body

Abstract

To reduce the width of a vehicle body when folded up, substantially to the same as the thickness of a driving wheel and the thickness when a seat is folded up. [Solution] An electric vehicle comprising a seat 2, a backrest 1, armrests 3, driving wheels 6, and a handlebar 10 for assisted driving, wherein the armrests 3 are provided with a control stick 4, the seat 2 is foldable, and each driving wheel 6 has a motor 13 with a built-in gear incorporated into the wheel, the thickness of the motor 13 is configured so that a large proportion of it fits within the widthwise thickness of the wheel, and the thickness of the motor 13 is configured so that the overall width of the electric vehicle when the seat is folded is 40 cm or less, preferably 31 cm or less.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electrically powered vehicle such as an electric wheelchair. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, electric wheelchairs use a drive motor to drive each wheel, and although the drive motor shares a drive shaft with each wheel, it is installed inside the wheel, i.e., below the seat. On the other hand, there has been a need for a foldable type wheelchair so that it can be easily stored like a non-electric wheelchair.

[0003] However, as mentioned above, the drive source is located below the seat, which makes it inconvenient to fold it up. Furthermore, the weight of the motor as the drive source makes it difficult to transport.

[0004] Incidentally, as a folding method for electric wheelchairs, there are known methods that utilize improvements to the frame and links, such as that disclosed in Patent Document 2. However, even with electric wheelchairs with such features, problems related to the weight and positioning of the motor, which serves as the driving source, have not yet been resolved. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2014-171607 A [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-84835 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to eliminate the drive source located under the seat, thereby making the width of the body of an electric vehicle (electric wheelchair) when folded essentially the same as the thickness of the wheels and the thickness of the seat when folded.

[0007] Furthermore, the electric vehicle of the present invention is not limited to wheelchairs, but can also be used as a shopping cart or a walker, and can also be used as a means of transportation that allows able-bodied people to take walks while sitting. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The electric vehicle of the present invention has a seat, a backrest, and armrests, and has wheels on at least both sides of the seat, and a handle for assisted driving near each width end of the backrest, and is characterized in that a first driving operation device is provided on the armrests, and at least the seat is configured to be foldable in a direction to reduce the width of the wheels, and each of the wheels has an in-wheel motor with a built-in gear incorporated into the wheel, and the in-wheel motor has a non-rotating cylindrical coil and a magnet yoke facing each other, and the axial thickness of the in-wheel motor is configured so that a large proportion of it falls within the width thickness of the wheel, and the axial thickness of the in-wheel motor is configured so that the overall width of the electric vehicle when the seat is folded is 40 cm or less, preferably 31 cm or less.

[0009] In addition, an electric vehicle having the above-mentioned characteristics may further include a second driving operation device on at least one of the steering wheel for assisted driving and the backrest, and a device for selecting whether to prioritize the operation of either the first driving operation device or the second driving operation device, the in-wheel motor may be selected from a coreless type or a slotless type in which multiple phase coils are woven into a ring, the frame may be made of at least one of light metal, fiber reinforced plastic, and carbon fiber reinforced plastic, and the vehicle weight excluding the battery may be 15 kg or less. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, the electric vehicle itself can be made compact and lightweight, making it easy to carry and store, and it can be a multifunctional electric vehicle that anyone can use anywhere. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D are top, front, side and rear views of an electric wheelchair according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 2A and 2B are explanatory diagrams of a wheel-in motor used for the driving wheel of the embodiment of FIG. 1, where (a) is a schematic sectional view and (b) is a perspective view. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a drive system of the wheel-in motor of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of switching between two control means shown in the embodiment of FIG. 1. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is an image diagram of the embodiment of FIG. 1 being folded. [Figure 6] 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of how to use the multi-function electric vehicle of the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of an electric vehicle according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an electric wheelchair according to an embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a top view, (b) is a front view, (c) is a side view, and (d) is a rear view, all of which are the same size. The wheelchair body 50 has a backrest 1 that rises almost vertically from the rear end of the seat 2 to form the back part. Of course, the backrest 1 and the seat 2 do not have to be in direct contact, and the backrest 1 may be separated from the seat 2 and may be, for example, strip-shaped. There are armrests 3 at each end in the width direction of the seat 2 (i.e., a pair of armrests 3), and these armrests 3 can be lifted up from their rear ends, i.e., the end on the backrest 1 side, as a base point. This makes it easier to get on and off.

[0013] A first driving operation device (hereinafter referred to as a control stick 4) is provided on one of the armrests 3 on the left or right side (meaning both ends in the width direction of the seat surface 2 when riding). The control stick 4 is generally called a joystick, but the first driving operation device in this embodiment may be a push button type or touch panel type operation panel, etc. Correspondingly, a second driving operation device is provided on the back side, which corresponds to an operation panel 11 provided close to the assistant driving handle 10 in this embodiment.

[0014] Reference numeral 5 denotes a storage section for storing the battery, charger, etc., which is bag-shaped and the contents can be removed, and the bag itself can be attached and detached from the main body. The objects to be connected to the charger and battery are the motor 13 for driving the driving wheels, the joystick 4, the operation panel 11, and other elements related to the drive system and operation system.

[0015] In this invention, the driving wheels 6 are two rear wheels, but the number of driving wheels 6 may be three or four. The driving wheels 6 may also be applied to the front wheels. In this example, the driving wheels 6 are a pair at both ends of the width of the seat 2, i.e., on the left and right, and each driving wheel 6 is a wheel-in type with a built-in motor 13, and the axial thickness of the motor 13 substantially overlaps the width of the driving wheel 6. In other words, the proportion of the axial thickness of the motor 13 that fits within the range of the width of the wheel is greater than the proportion of the part that protrudes. Therefore, the part that protrudes below the seat 2 is reduced. As shown in FIG. 2, this motor 13 is preferably a coreless motor or slotless motor that uses a cylindrical (annular) coil 15 inside a motor casing 14. A gear 16 (mainly a reduction gear) is contained in the space inside the cylindrical coil 15. Therefore, the motor 13 and gear 16 are substantially incorporated within the range of the wheel width of each driving wheel 6, which also reduces weight. Then, by fitting a tire onto the outer wheel portion of the motor casing 14, it becomes a wheel.

[0016] The coreless type motor with the built-in gear 16 is described in detail in Patent No. 6278432 and Patent No. 6589215 proposed by the present inventor. In the present invention, the axial thickness of the motor described in these patent documents is reduced and it is incorporated into a wheel. The cylindrical coil 15 is stationary, and the opposing yoke 15a and magnet 15b, the inner gear 16, and the motor casing 14 rotate. In this example, the shaft 17 is stationary, and the rotor (yoke 15a and magnet 15b) and the gear 16 rotate around the shaft 17. The shaft 17 is fixed to the frame 9 or the like.

[0017] Reference numeral 7 denotes a pair of front wheels, which are provided on the left and right sides of the seat 2. No motor 13 is built in, but this does not prevent the motor 13 from being built in to these wheels as well to make the vehicle four-wheel drive. Reference numeral 8 denotes a pipe, which is integrated with the frame 9 and forms a mechanism for shortening the wheelchair body 50. The method of shortening is not limited to this example, but the aim is to shorten the wheelchair in a direction narrowing the distance between the left and right driving wheels 6. An example of the shortening mechanism is described in the above-mentioned Patent Document 2.

[0018] Reference numeral 10 denotes a pair of handles for assistant driving, which are provided at the widthwise ends (left and right) of the backrest 1, and an operation panel 11 is arranged adjacent to at least one of the left and right sides. The operation panel 11 does not have to be in contact with the handles for assistant driving 10, and may be fixed to the frame on the back. Instead of the operation panel 11, individual operation means may be built into the left and right handles for assistant driving 10. The frame 9 is provided with a pair of footrests (not shown), which are configured to be stored inside the wheelchair body 50 when the wheelchair body 50 is folded.

[0019] The wheelchair body 50 of this embodiment can be folded as shown in Fig. 5, and an example of the specific specifications is as follows: In the use state, it has a total length of 96 cm, a total width (L1) of 66 cm, and a total height of 96 cm, and in the folded state, it has a total length of 45 cm, a total width (L2) of 31 cm, and a total height of 75 cm (the side spacing is reduced, and the backrest part 1 is folded forward), a total weight of 14.6 kg (excluding the battery), a rear wheel (driving wheel 6) of 8 inches, a front wheel 7 of 6 inches, a battery of 25.2 V, 6 AH lithium iron phosphate, a charger of 100-250 V AC input, 29.2 V DC output, 3 A, and a coreless brushless motor 13 of the wheel-in type. The practical uphill slope angle is 12°, the step-over height is 100 cm, the load capacity is 100 kg, the maximum speed is 6 km / h, and the continuous driving distance is about 15 km.

[0020] The drive system of the electric wheelchair described above will be explained with reference to Figure 3. The driving wheel 6 is essentially made up of the motor 13. The dimensions in the drawing are for the convenience of illustration only and are not to scale. The mechanical section of the motor 13 is the motor section 18, which includes the stationary cylindrical coil 15 and the movable rotor as shown in Figure 2, and is further provided with a sensor section 19. The sensor section 19 is a position sensor and a temperature sensor. The motor section 18 also contains a gear 16 (although in the drawing it is shown as a separate entity to avoid complicating the drawing, in this example it is actually built into the motor section 18).

[0021] A driver 21 is connected to the motor 13 via a cable connector 20. Reference numeral 24 denotes a drive line for the motor, which in this example is three-phase. An arrow 25 indicates a sensor output.

[0022] The motor type shown in Figure 3 is a wheel-in three-phase coreless motor with a reducer, with a fixed shaft and rotating on the wheel side. The size is a motor section outer diameter of φ155 mm or less, and a motor section length (axial length) of 67 mm or less. It weighs lightly at approximately 1.5 kg. In other words, even with two driving wheels 6, it can be lifted easily. To reduce the weight of the wheelchair as a whole, the material of the frame and other pipes can be selected based on a balance of strength, such as light metals such as aluminum or titanium, fiber reinforced plastic (FRP), or carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP).

[0023] In the case of this example device, the rated voltage is 24V, 3-phase AC, Y-star connection, 18 poles. The rated current is 8A, the no-load current is 1.4A, and the maximum current is 16A for 1 minute (the temperature inside the motor is 80°C or less). Furthermore, the rated torque is 10Nm, the rated speed is 150rpm, the no-load speed is 180rpm, the terminal resistance is 0.3Ω, and the terminal inductance is 28μH. The operating environment is preferably 0°C to 40°C, and the humidity environment is 10% to 80% (no condensation).

[0024] FIG. 4 illustrates the switching operation between two operating devices, that is, an operating stick 4 (sometimes called a joystick) operated by the passenger and an operating panel 11 operated by a person standing behind the passenger (for example, a caregiver).

[0025] First, referring to FIG. 4(a), the relationship between the operating stick 4 and the motor drive (a device that drives and controls the motor 13) will be described. The motor drives L and R control the motors 13 (L, R) attached to the left and right driving wheels 6. The driving of the motor drives L and R is instructed by an operating device switching means 22 (a device for switching between the control stick 4 and the operation panel 11) in the operating device housing 23 as to which operation command from the control stick 4 or the operation panel 11 should be given priority. To operate the motor drives L and R by operating the operation panel (wherein a grip operation mechanism may be built into the handle) 11, a person standing behind the wheelchair, for example, an assistant, issues a command to the motor drives L and R via the operating device switching means 22 in the operating device housing 23. When the assistant operates the motor drives, the operation becomes possible by selecting the operation panel 11 with the operating device switching means 22. For example, if a grip operation mechanism is adopted instead of the operation panel 11, the operation panel 11 is selected using the operation device switching means 22, and the left and right rear handle (= grip) operation mechanisms 11L, 11R are pressed, whereby the motors L, R are accelerated when moving up the slope and decelerated when moving down the slope.

[0026] In addition, it can be turned left or right by pushing or pulling left or right. Each motor drive and operating rod 4 are connected via a battery and a relay circuit. Each driving wheel 6 has a built-in motor 13, so it can be operated independently. Furthermore, if the left and right grip members can be operated independently, this operation can be easily performed with the operating device switching means 22, making it very convenient to use.

[0027] The mechanism for switching the control device is explained using the circuit diagram in Figure 4(b). The control device housing 23 is equipped with an ON / OFF switch for the main power supply, a switch for the control device switching means 22, and a high / low speed switch, and the control stick 4 is shown in the figure with the symbols 4L and 4R for convenience in order to issue operation commands for turning left and turning right. The symbols listed on the right side of the circuit diagram indicate the connection terminals, and their contents are as follows:

[0028] The two switches shown in the upper right corner of the circuit diagram are the control sticks 4L, 4R on the top and buttons 11L, 11R on the control panel 11 on the bottom. Of the terminals shown on the right side, L5V and R5V are control power inputs (5V). Additionally, LSV_O and RSV_O are motor RPM control voltage outputs. Additionally, SGND is control ground. Additionally, LH_L and RH_L are high / low speed operation switching signal outputs, and are independent of the switching between the control stick 4 and the control panel 11. When the high / low speed switch is OFF, LH_L and RH_L are 5V, meaning high speed driving, and when the high / low speed switch is ON, they are connected to SGND and become 0V (zero volts), meaning low speed driving. The main power supply terminals are PWO and PGND.

[0029] If the changeover switch is set to 4L or 4R, as can be seen by following the lines in the circuit diagram, 4L is connected to L5V, SGND, and LSV_O, and 4R is connected to R5V, SGND, and RSV_O. If the changeover switch is set to 11L or 11R on the control panel 11 (grip), 11L is connected to LGSV_I, so LGSV_I is connected to LSV_O, and 11R is connected to RGSV_I, so RGSV_I is connected to RSV_O. Terminal LGHi on the control stick 4 is connected to L5V, RGHi is connected to R5V, and terminals LGLo and RGLo on the control stick 4 are each connected to SGND.

[0030] L5V, LSV_O, SGND, and LH_L connected to 4(L) of the control stick 4 are connected to the motor driver (L) to operate the motor (L). Similarly, R5V, RSV_O, SGND, and RH_L connected to 4(R) of the control stick 4 are connected to the motor driver (R) to operate the motor (R). Also, 4(L) and 4(R) are equipped with LGHi, LGLo, and RGHi, RGLo, respectively. And, LGSV_I connected to 11(L) of the operation panel 11 is connected to the motor driver (L) to operate the motor (L). Similarly, RGSV_I connected to 11(R) of the operation panel 11 is connected to the motor driver (R) to operate the motor (R). In this way, operation by the control panel 11 is replaced by operation by the control stick 4. When switching between high speed and low speed, LH_L and RH_L are connected to SGND.

[0031] Furthermore, as the operation device switching means 22 between the operation stick 4 and the operation panel 11, for example, a sensor may be provided to detect when the assistant grasps the grip constituting the handle for assistant driving 10, so that the operation is automatically switched from the control stick 4 side to the operation panel 11 side. Also, the grip constituting the handle for assistant driving 10 may be pushed in the axial direction to automatically switch from the control stick 4 side to the operation panel 11 (grip) side. This has the effect of allowing the assistant to easily perform the switching operation in an emergency, etc.

[0032] In this wheelchair example, the armrests can be flipped up, making it easy to get on and off from the side. The backrest 1 may have a pocket. With this configuration, it is possible to store accessories in the pocket.

[0033] Figure 6 shows examples of how the multifunctional electric vehicle of the present invention can be used. (a) is an automatic electric wheelchair, (b) is when an assistant is present, and (c) is when the vehicle is used as a walking frame or shopping cart. Regarding (a), the driving distance is about 15km on a full charge, and it can be operated with one hand with light force. It can rotate 360° left and right, making it easy to maneuver in small spaces. The speed can be adjusted with one hand. The electric power makes it easy to overcome slopes and steps. In addition, the brakes are applied when the joystick 4 is released from the hand. In addition, the joystick 4 can be attached to either the left or right armrest. With this usage form, the user can be anyone, and it can be used as a small vehicle for able-bodied people to take walks, strolls, move around indoors, etc. Furthermore, it can be used as a means of transportation while sitting down, which anyone can use on a daily basis, like a bicycle or motorcycle. In addition, it is compact, so it is easier to handle than a senior car for walking around the neighborhood, shopping, moving around inside a store, etc.

[0034] (b) shows the case where there is an assistant. As explained in Fig. 4, the caregiver who is in a standing position operates the device. In other words, the caregiver can easily operate the device electrically using the assistant driving handle 10 on the back and the operation panel 11 (each grip may be built-in), and the assist works to climb uphill easily, and the device automatically decelerates on downhill slopes, allowing the caregiver to descend safely.

[0035] (c) is used like a walker or cart, and can be used in place of a cart by placing luggage on the seat. When going uphill, the assist mechanism moves, making it easier to go uphill. If it detects that you are going too fast, it automatically applies the brakes to slow down and prevent you from falling over. It comes with an assist function that allows you to easily overcome steps with minimal effort. If you let go of the handle, the brakes are automatically applied, even on slopes.

[0036] As described above, motors 13 are used for the driving wheels 6 on both the left and right sides, and the motors 13 built into the wheels are substantially equal in width to the driving wheels 6, so they do not protrude below the seat surface. This makes it easy to fold in the width direction. The motor 13 is coreless and is made up of a combination of a cylindrical coil 15 (stationary) and a rotor (rotating), with a gear 16 built into the inside of the cylindrical coil 15, and the output of the rotor is transmitted to the outer wheel (motor casing 14) to achieve the electric assist function of the wheelchair. This example therefore becomes a lightweight electric vehicle. [Explanation of symbols]

[0037] 1...backrest, 2...seat, 3...armrest, 4...steering stick, 5...storage section, 6...driving wheels, 7...front wheels, 8...pipe, 9...frame, 10...handle for assisted driving, 11...operation panel, 13...motor, 14...motor casing, 15...cylindrical coil, 15a...yoke, 15b...magnet, 16...gear, 17...shaft, 18...motor section, 19...sensor section, 20...cable connector, 21...driver, 22...operation device switching means, 23...operation device housing, 50...wheelchair body.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle having a seat, a backrest, and armrests, and wheels on at least both sides of the seat, and a steering wheel for assisting driving near each end of the backrest in the width direction, A first driving operation device is provided on the armrest portion, At least the seat surface is foldable in a direction to reduce the arrangement width of the driving wheels, Each of the wheels has an in-wheel motor with a built-in gear built into it, the in-wheel motor is configured such that the gear is disposed inside a non-rotating cylindrical coil and a magnet-equipped yoke that face each other, and a large proportion of an axial thickness of the in-wheel motor falls within a range of a width direction thickness of the wheel, The in-wheel motor has an axial thickness configured so that the overall width of the electric vehicle when the seat is folded down is 40 cm or less, preferably 31 cm or less.

2. Further, a second driving operation device is provided on at least one of the steering wheel for assistant driving and the backrest portion, a device for selecting a priority of the operation of either the first driving operation device or the second driving operation device; The in-wheel motor is selected from a coreless type and a slotless type in which a plurality of phase coils are woven into a ring, 2. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the frame material is at least one of light metal, fiber-reinforced plastic, and carbon fiber-reinforced plastic, and the vehicle weight excluding the battery is 15 kg or less.

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