A car that can withstand falling off a cliff

Abstract

To provide an automobile capable of protecting the lives of occupants in the unlikely event that the automobile falls off a cliff or the like while traveling. [Solution] The automobile 1 has a cabin 2 in which people can ride or objects can be carried, rotor connecting arms 7, 8 that are attached to the top of the cabin 2 and extend in the fore-and-aft direction, and pivot mechanisms 5, 6 that are attached to the front and rear ends of these rotor connecting arms 7, 8 and are capable of freely rotating on two axes, with multiple rotors 9a-9h, 10a-10h each having rotating wings 11 attached to the pivot mechanisms 7, 8, and multiple wheels 12 attached to the bottom of the cabin 2. Four or more rotors each having rotating wings are fixedly attached to each of the front and rear pivot mechanisms, making it possible to instantly switch between driving mode and flight mode simply by controlling the rotation speed of each rotor.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to a vehicle that can protect the lives of its occupants even if it falls off a road that passes through a steep cliff. [Background technology]

[0002] In mountainous regions, when roads are constructed by cutting through steep cliffs, the road width is often minimal, making it difficult to install guardrails. Such roads pose a risk of falling, and if a conventional tire-driven vehicle falls off, it often crashes to the bottom of the cliff, endangering the lives of the occupants. Meanwhile, various flying vehicles capable of running on roads have been devised, and some manned flight experiments have even been conducted. Aerocars with wings are also known, and the wings are retracted and deployed when switching between flight mode and vehicle mode (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Also known is an amphibious vehicle that runs on a propeller mounted on the rear of the vehicle (see, for example, Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2015-151128 A [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 7284828 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When a vehicle falls off a road that crosses a cliff without guardrails, it often crashes to the bottom, endangering the lives of the occupants. However, in areas with many steep cliffs, it is difficult to create a wide road, posing a risk of falling. It was previously thought impossible to create a vehicle that could protect the lives of its occupants even if it fell off a steep cliff while driving on a road. Furthermore, flying cars that convert between driving and flight modes take time to switch, and could fall to the bottom between falling off a cliff and switching back to flight mode, putting the lives of the occupants at risk. Furthermore, even if there is a propeller at the rear of the vehicle, amphibious vehicles cannot fly without deploying the wings, so if they fall off a cliff, they will simply fall to the bottom, endangering the lives of the occupants.

[0005] Therefore, the object of this invention is to provide a vehicle that can protect the lives of its occupants by instantly switching from vehicle driving mode to flight mode in the event that it falls off a cliff or the like while driving. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] After extensive research, the inventors have come up with a vehicle that can solve the above problems by simultaneously combining the following four means: First, the vehicle's motion is driven by propulsion from rotors rather than by force transmitted by tires; Second, the vehicle has a cabin that can accommodate people or objects, and a structure that includes a pivot mechanism that can freely rotate on two axes and does not have a hydraulic or other driving mechanism at the front and rear of a member fixed to the upper part of the cabin; Third, four or more rotors with rotors (propellers) are fixedly connected to the front and rear pivot mechanisms; Fourth, the vehicle has at least three wheels below the cabin, at least one of which is a wheel that can swivel in any direction and does not have a steering mechanism that is hydraulic or manual for driving.

[0007] In more detail, one example of a vehicle disclosed as part of the present invention has a cabin in which people can ride or objects can be carried, a rotor connecting arm that is attached to the top of the cabin and extends in the front-to-rear direction, pivot mechanisms that are capable of freely rotating on two axes and are attached to the front and rear ends of the rotor connecting arm, respectively, a plurality of rotors with rotating blades that are arranged on the pivot mechanisms, and a plurality of wheels that are arranged below the cabin, and when traveling on a road, the wheels drive the vehicle, and the propulsion force is obtained from the rotational force of the rotors.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of wheels arranged under the cabin may consist of at least three wheels, at least one of which may be non-steerable and rotatable in any direction. The pivot mechanism may also be configured to have four or more rotors with rotating blades connected thereto, and the transition between the driving mode and the flight mode may be achieved simply by controlling the rotation speed of each rotor.

[0009] By providing these various means, it becomes possible to instantly switch between driving mode and flight mode simply by controlling the rotation speed of each rotor, thereby realizing a car that can withstand being dropped off a cliff. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] The greatest feature of the vehicle of this invention is that it simultaneously achieves the following new effects. First, it can travel on the road without flying, using thrust from the rotors. This allows it to travel with far less energy than the energy required for flight, and it can travel long distances for a long time with the same battery capacity. Second, if the vehicle were to fall off a cliff in driving mode, it can obtain the lift necessary for flight simply by controlling the rotor speed, preventing it from crashing to the cliff and protecting the lives of its occupants.

[0011] Third, in flight mode, the vehicle's mechanical structure is equivalent to that of a daimyo-kagura (a traditional Japanese cage), allowing it to maintain a stable equilibrium state similar to that of a balance wheel. Furthermore, rapid attitude control without the use of hydraulic mechanisms allows for stable flight even in the face of sudden changes in the aerodynamic environment, such as crosswinds. Fourth, if a bridge collapses during a disaster, the vehicle of this invention can overcome the gap by switching from driving mode to flight mode just before the bridge, thereby controlling the rotor speed. While battery consumption increases during this time due to flight mode, battery consumption is reduced again by reducing the rotor speed to driving mode after landing on the opposite bank.

[0012] If we consider the battery consumption in flight mode and driving mode mechanically, for example, a force of 9.8 x 100 = 980 N (Newtons) is required to lift a 100 kg car. On the other hand, a force of 1 x 100 = 100 N is required to accelerate a 100 kg car horizontally at an acceleration of 1 m / s, which is about one-tenth of that. From this, it can be inferred that a battery that can be used for one hour in flight mode can be used for about 10 hours in driving mode, allowing for longer travel times. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic side view of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic top view of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a front pivot portion of an automobile according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a rear pivot portion of an automobile according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 5] 1 is a top view showing a driving mode of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a state during acceleration. [Figure 6] 1 is a top view showing a driving mode of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a deceleration state; [Figure 7]1 is a top view showing a driving mode of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a state in which the vehicle is turning right; [Figure 8] 1 is a top view showing the driving mode of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a state in which the vehicle is turning left; [Figure 9] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention traveling on a road with a cliff; [Figure 10] 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention running off a road with a cliff; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] The cliff-safe vehicle according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side view of the vehicle according to the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a top view of the vehicle according to the present invention.

[0015] The automobile 1 of this embodiment has a cabin 2 in which people can ride or objects can be carried, rotor connecting arms 7, 8 that are provided on the upper part of the cabin 2 and extend in the fore-and-aft direction, and pivot mechanisms 5, 6 that can rotate freely around two axes and are provided at the front and rear ends of these rotor connecting arms 7, 8, respectively.The automobile 1 also has a plurality of rotors 9a-9h, 10a-10h each having a rotating blade 11 arranged on the pivot mechanisms 7, 8, and a plurality of wheels 12, four in this embodiment, that are arranged below the cabin 2.

[0016] A front pivot mechanism 5 is disposed at the front end of the rotor connecting arm 7 provided in front of the cabin 2, and rotors 9a-9d, 10a-10d are fixedly connected to a pair of V-shaped arms 13 protruding from the front pivot mechanism 5, and each of the rotors 9a-9d, 10a-10d has a pair of rotating blades 11, and the front pivot mechanism 5, V-shaped arms 13, and rotors 9a-9d, 10a-10d form the forward thrust generating unit 3. Similarly, a rear pivot mechanism 6 is disposed at the rear end of the rotor connecting arm 8 provided at the rear of the cabin 2, and rotors 9e-9h, 10e-10h are fixedly connected to a pair of V-shaped arms 13 protruding from the rear pivot mechanism 6, and each of the rotors 9e-9h, 10e-10h has a pair of rotating blades 11, and the rear thrust generating unit 4 is formed by the rear pivot mechanism 6, the V-shaped arms 13, and the rotors 9e-9h, 10e-10h.

[0017] The rotor connecting arms 7 and 8 are arranged so that they extend in the fore-and-aft direction and are fixed to the top of the cabin 2, and are arranged so that they rise in a generally straight line from the top of the cabin 2 at a gentle inclination angle, i.e., so that their ends are positioned higher than the upper end of the cabin 2.

[0018] A front pivot mechanism 5 and a rear pivot mechanism 6 are provided at the front and rear ends of these rotor connecting arms 7, 8. No hydraulic or other driving mechanisms are provided before or after the front pivot mechanism 5 or the rear pivot mechanism 6. The front pivot mechanism 5 and the rear pivot mechanism 6 are mechanical parts that can freely rotate around two axes, one of which rotates about the extension direction of the rotor connecting arms 7, 8, and the other of which rotates perpendicular to the extension direction of the rotor connecting arms 7, 8, and the points where the centers of the V-shaped arms 13 are connected to the rotor connecting arms 7, 8 are freely rotatable. In FIG. 2, the front pivot mechanism 5 has a rotation axis x1 in the extension direction of the arm 7 and a rotation axis y1 perpendicular to that, and the V-shaped arm 13 of the front pivot mechanism 5 can rotate around the rotation axis y1. Similarly, the rear pivot mechanism 6 has a rotation axis x2 in the extension direction of the arm 8 and a rotation axis y2 perpendicular thereto, and the V-shaped arm 13 of the rear pivot mechanism 6 can rotate around the rotation axis y2.

[0019] Although the freely rotatable axes of the front pivot mechanism 5 and the rear pivot mechanism 6 are axially aligned in the extension directions of the rotor connecting arms 7 and 8 at a gentle inclination angle, they may be horizontal or in an extension direction with a larger inclination angle. Furthermore, the V-shaped arm 13 may be, for example, a T-shaped arm. Furthermore, there are many ways to configure a pivot mechanism that rotates freely on two axes, and the configuration of this embodiment is merely one example.

[0020] Rotors 9a-9h and 10a-10h, each with a rotor blade, are provided at the tip of each V-shaped arm 13. Rotor 9a and rotor 10a are a coaxial rotor pair, and the other rotor pairs 9 and 10 are also coaxial. The coaxial rotor pairs may be contra-rotating propeller pairs, or may be independently controlled rotors. The rotors 9a-9d and 10a-10d of the front pivot mechanism 5 form one quadcopter, and the rotors 9e-9h and 10e-10h of the rear pivot mechanism 6 form another quadcopter. Each rotor is coaxial with a motor whose rotation speed is controlled by a computer, and the forward thrust generating unit 3 and the rear thrust generating unit 4 rotate around their rotation axes with their rotor rotation speeds controlled according to their respective aerodynamic environments.

[0021] In this embodiment, the number of rotors is eight each at the front and rear, but the forward thrust generating unit 3 and the rear thrust generating unit 4 may be of a type in which the rotors are not stacked on the same axis, in which case the number of rotors is four each at the front and rear. Also, the present invention is not limited to a quadcopter as in this embodiment, but may also be a hectacopter, octacopter, or a multicopter with more rotors.

[0022] In this embodiment, four wheels 12 are attached to the lower part of the cabin 2. Each wheel 12 is disposed near the front and rear ends of a pair of wheel holders 14 provided on the lower part of the cabin 2. Providing at least three wheels on the lower part of the cabin 2 enables the vehicle to travel on the ground. Furthermore, if the front wheels are held so as to freely rotate in the direction of travel, the two rear wheels are fixed in direction, and the rotation of the rear thrust generator 4 around the x-axis is fixed, the rear thrust generator 4 and the rear wheels are only involved in forward propulsion, resulting in a steering feel similar to that of a conventional tire-driven automobile. Each wheel 12 may be directly attached to the lower part of the cabin 2, and since no special driving capability is required, a relatively simple structure may be used. At least three wheels are provided on the lower part of the cabin 2, and it is desirable that at least one of them be a freely rotatable wheel that does not have a steering mechanism, such as hydraulic or manual steering, for traveling. It can also be equipped with floats or sleds that are advantageous when traveling on water or ice.

[0023] Regarding the rotation axes x1, y1, x2, and y2 shown in Figure 2, the front pivot mechanism 5 consists of a rotation axis x1 parallel to the front-to-rear direction and a rotation axis y1 perpendicular to it, both of which rotate freely. Similarly, the rear pivot mechanism 6 consists of a rotation axis x2 parallel to the front-to-rear direction and a rotation axis y2 perpendicular to it, both of which rotate freely. Here, if the rotation angle of the front thrust generating unit 3 about the x-axis is ωx1 and the rotation angle about the y-axis is ωy1, then the rotation angle of the front thrust generating unit 3 can be expressed as (ωx1, ωy1), and similarly, that of the rear thrust generating unit 4 can be expressed as (ωx2, ωy2). The state in which the rotors of each thrust generating unit 3, 4 are on a horizontal plane is defined as angle 0. When flying, winds of varying strengths come from various directions, and if the rotation angles of each lift generating part are written as (ωx1, ωy1) = (a, b), (ωx2, ωy2) = (c, d), then when stationary in no wind, a = b = c = d = 0, and when moving forward in no wind, a = 0, b ≠ 0, c = 0, d ≠ 0. Also, when stationary due to a crosswind, a ≠ 0, b = 0, c ≠ 0, d = 0, and otherwise (a, b, c, d) change from moment to moment as the rotation speed of each rotor is controlled in response to the aerodynamic environment of each thrust generating part.

[0024] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the front and rear pivot structures, showing that a rotation axis (x-axis) parallel to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body and an axis (y-axis) perpendicular thereto rotate freely. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the front pivot mechanism 5, and FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the rear pivot mechanism 6. As shown in FIG. 3, the front pivot mechanism 5 has a rotation axis 15 extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body (the x1 direction in the figure). This rotation axis 15 is fitted into a pair of bearings 18 and is rotatably held by the rotor connecting arm 7. The front pivot mechanism 5 also incorporates a rotation axis 17 extending in the y1 direction perpendicular to the x1 direction. This rotation axis 17 is fitted into a pair of bearings 18 and is rotatably held. Both ends of the rotation axis 17 are respectively connected to the center of the V-shaped arm 13. When the rotation axis 17 rotates, the V-shaped arm 13 also rotates accordingly, and the rotors 9a-9d and 10a-10d (not shown) also rotate in conjunction with this. As shown in FIG. 4, the rear pivot mechanism 6 has a rotating shaft 16 extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle body (the x2 direction in the figure). This rotating shaft 16 is fitted into a pair of bearings 18 and rotatably held by the rotor connecting arm 8. The rear pivot mechanism 6 also incorporates a rotating shaft 19 extending in the y2 direction perpendicular to the x2 direction. This rotating shaft 19 is fitted into a pair of bearings 18 and rotatably held. Both ends of the rotating shaft 19 are connected to the center of the V-shaped arm 13. When the rotating shaft 19 rotates, the V-shaped arm 13 also rotates accordingly, and rotors 9e-9h and 10e-10h (not shown) also rotate in conjunction with it. Note that in FIGS. 3 and 4, signal lines and power lines to each rotor are omitted to simplify the drawings.

[0025] Figures 5 to 8 are top views showing the state of the rotor and pivot in driving mode using a 1 / 20-scale prototype model of this embodiment, with Figure 5 showing acceleration, Figure 6 showing deceleration, Figure 7 showing a right turn, and Figure 8 showing a left turn. For manufacturing reasons, the prototype model's rotor is a single rotor, and the member connecting the pivot mechanism and rotor is manufactured in a T-shape in the prototype model. The rotation of the pivot mechanism is not forcibly driven by hydraulics or a motor, but is controlled by free rotation based only on the rotor's rotation speed. The arrows indicate the direction of the thrust generated by each thrust generating unit, and show the direction projected onto a horizontal plane when the thrust is treated as a vector.

[0026] During acceleration as shown in Figure 5, the arrows of the forward and backward thrust generating units 3 and 4 are aligned to point forward, and the vehicle receives a thrust that accelerates forward. During deceleration as shown in Figure 6, the arrows of the forward and backward thrust generating units 3 and 4 are aligned to point backward, and the vehicle receives a thrust that decelerates backward. During a right turn as shown in Figure 7, the thrust of the forward thrust generating unit 3 is set to point to the right, and the thrust of the backward thrust generating unit 4 is set to point to the opposite, left, so the vehicle 1 receives a thrust that rotates it to the right, and behaves as if it is turning right. Conversely, during a left turn as shown in Figure 8, the thrust of the forward thrust generating unit 3 is set to point to the left, and the thrust of the backward thrust generating unit 4 is set to point to the opposite, right, so the vehicle 1 receives a thrust that rotates it to the left, and behaves as if it is turning left.

[0027] 9 and 10 are schematic diagrams showing what happens when the automobile of this embodiment falls off a cliff while in driving mode: Fig. 9 shows the driving mode in which automobile 1 is driving on road 20 just before falling off the cliff, and Fig. 10 shows the state in which automobile 1 has fallen off the cliff but has increased the rotor rotation speed and entered flight mode. In the automobile of this embodiment, the forward and backward thrust generating units 3 and 4 are still operating even in driving mode, and when automobile 1 falls off a cliff, the rotation speeds of the already operating forward and backward thrust generating units 3 and 4 are increased to respond, thereby achieving an instantaneous mode transition and preventing automobile 1 from crashing or the like.

[0028] In flight mode, the vehicle's mechanical structure, equivalent to a daimyo-kagura (a traditional Japanese cage), allows it to maintain a stable equilibrium state similar to that of a balance wheel, and its rapid attitude control without the use of hydraulic mechanisms allows it to fly stably even in the face of sudden changes in the aerodynamic environment, such as crosswinds. In the event of a bridge collapsing during a disaster, the vehicle of this invention can overcome the gap by switching from driving mode to flight mode and controlling the rotor speed just before the bridge. While battery consumption increases during this time due to flight mode, battery consumption is reduced again by reducing the rotor speed to driving mode after landing on the opposite bank.

[0029] As a result, the vehicle of this invention can be controlled in a manner similar to that of flight, so that it can fly without falling even if it suddenly needs lift, such as when falling off a cliff. This invention can provide a means of transportation that allows safer travel in steep areas. [Explanation of symbols]

[0030] 1. Automobiles 2 cabins 3 Forward thrust generating section 4 Rear propulsion generating section 5 Front pivot mechanism 6 Rear pivot mechanism 7 Rotor connecting arm 8 rotor connecting arm 9a~9h rotor 10a~10h rotor 11 Rotor 12 wheels 13 V-shaped arm 15 Rotation axis 16 Rotation Axis 17 Rotation axis 18 bearings 19 Rotation axis 20 road 21 Cliff

Claims

1. A cabin that can accommodate people or carry items a rotor connecting arm provided on an upper portion of the cabin and extending in a front-rear direction; a pivot mechanism provided at each of the front and rear ends of the rotor connecting arm, the pivot mechanism being capable of freely rotating on two axes; a plurality of rotors each having a rotating blade disposed on the pivot mechanism; a plurality of wheels disposed below the cabin; When traveling on a road, the automobile travels on the road using the wheels, and the propulsive force is obtained from the rotational force of the rotor.

2. 2. The automobile according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of wheels arranged under the cabin consist of at least three wheels, and at least one of the wheels is non-steerable and can turn in any direction.

3. 2. The automobile according to claim 1, wherein four or more rotors each having a rotating blade are connected to said pivot mechanism.

4. 4. The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the transition between the running mode and the flight mode is performed solely by controlling the rotational speed of each rotor.

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