vehicle

Abstract

To provide a vehicle which enables improvement of convenience.SOLUTION: A vehicle according to one embodiment includes: a vehicle body having a user area where users stay; a mobile device which moves the vehicle body relative to the ground surface; and at least one assist device mounted on the vehicle body and having a support part which may be displaced relative to the traveling vehicle body in a direction opposite to a direction of the vehicle body moving relative to the ground surface while supporting the users who move between the user area and the ground surface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to vehicles. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, research and development of vehicles for travel between cities or regions has been progressing. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle that can transport people by traveling between a plurality of stops (stations). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-166715 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] To use the vehicle disclosed in Patent Document 1, a user must travel from his / her current location to a bus stop and then from the bus stop to his / her destination, making the vehicle less convenient.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle that can improve convenience. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, a vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a vehicle body having a user area where a user remains, a moving device that moves the vehicle body relative to the ground, and at least one assistance device provided on the vehicle body, the assistance device having a support section that supports a user moving between the user area and the ground and that can be displaced in the opposite direction to the movement direction of the vehicle body relative to the ground while moving. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, a vehicle that can improve convenience can be provided. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a vehicle management system for managing vehicles according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the vehicle shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vehicle shown in FIG. 2 taken along line III-III. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic front view of the vehicle shown in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a schematic diagram of a control system of the vehicle management system shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a state in which a user gets into a vehicle using the first assistance device shown in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a flow of control by the first support device shown in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a state in which a user gets off a vehicle using the second support device shown in FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a flow of control by the second support device shown in FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a vehicle travel route map managed by the vehicle management system. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of two vehicles traveling side by side. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of two vehicles traveling in tandem. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a state in which a user gets on a vehicle using the assistance device according to the first modification. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a schematic perspective view of a support device according to the first modification. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a schematic exploded view of the support device according to the first modification. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a state in which a user gets on a vehicle using the assistance device according to the second modification. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a schematic rear view of a vehicle equipped with an assistance device according to the second modification. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a diagram showing how a user gets on and off a vehicle using the assistance device according to the third modification. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of the overall configuration of a vehicle management system 100 that manages vehicles 1 according to an embodiment. The vehicle management system 100 includes one or more vehicles 1 and a management device 2 that collectively manages the one or more vehicles 1. The vehicle 1 is a vehicle that runs on the ground. The one or more vehicles 1 run within a specific area. The specific area is, for example, a theme park or a smart city. The travel route of each vehicle 1 is predetermined within the specific area. The vehicle 1 includes a communication device 23 (see FIG. 5) and communicates with the management device 2 via the communication device 23. The management device 2 centrally controls the operation of the one or more vehicles 1 running along the travel route.

[0011] The posture of the vehicle 1 on the travel route is determined in advance with respect to the direction of movement of the vehicle 1 along the travel route. In this specification, for convenience of explanation, when describing directions, the direction in which the vehicle 1 moves is defined as "forward" and the opposite direction is defined as "rearward," defining the front-rear direction of the vehicle 1. In addition, the horizontal direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction of the vehicle 1 is defined as the "left-right direction," and the direction perpendicular to both the front-rear direction and the left-right direction of the vehicle 1 is defined as the "up-down direction."

[0012] Fig. 2 is a schematic side view of the vehicle 1 shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vehicle 1 shown in Fig. 2 taken along line III-III. Fig. 4 is a schematic front view of the vehicle 1 shown in Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 2, the vehicle 1 includes a vehicle body 10. The vehicle body 10 has a vertically elongated shape extending in the front-rear direction. The vehicle body 10 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape extending in the front-rear direction as a whole.

[0013] The vehicle body 10 has a front portion 10a, a rear portion 10b, a left portion 10c, a right portion 10d, a roof portion 10e, and a floor portion 10f. The front portion 10a and the rear portion 10b face each other in the front-rear direction. The left portion 10c and the right portion 10d face each other in the left-right direction. The left portion 10c extends in the front-rear direction to connect the left ends of the front portion 10a and the rear portion 10b. The right portion 10d extends in the front-rear direction to connect the right ends of the front portion 10a and the rear portion 10b. The roof portion 10e and the floor portion 10f face each other in the up-down direction. The roof portion 10e extends in the front-rear direction to connect the upper ends of the front portion 10a and the rear portion 10b, and the floor portion 10f extends in the front-rear direction to connect the lower ends of the front portion 10a and the rear portion 10b.

[0014] The vehicle body 10 has a user area R where users stay. The user area R is surrounded by a front part 10a, a rear part 10b, a left part 10c, a right part 10d, a roof part 10e, and a floor part 10f. A floor surface 11, which is the upper surface of the floor part 10f, faces the user area R. The floor surface 11 supports users positioned in the user area R from below. In the user area R, chairs 12, handrails 13, hanging straps 14, etc. are arranged.

[0015] An opening 15 is formed in each of the left part 10c and the right part 10d of the vehicle body 10. The two openings 15 are located on both the left and right sides of the user area R. The width dimension of the opening 15 in the front-rear direction is larger than the height dimension of the opening 15. A partition part 16 extending in the up-down direction is arranged in the center of each opening 15 in the front-rear direction. Each partition part 16 divides each opening 15 into two gates in the front-rear direction. The two gates are a boarding entrance 15a and a disembarking entrance 15b. That is, the boarding entrance 15a and the disembarking entrance 15b are lined up in the front-rear direction on both the left and right sides of the user area R. The width dimension of each gate of the boarding entrance 15a and the disembarking entrance 15b in the front-rear direction is larger than the height dimension of the gate. The disembarking entrance 15b is located on the rear side of the boarding entrance 15a. In this embodiment, the partition part 16 is a plate-shaped part perpendicular to the front-rear direction, but may be a pole-shaped part.

[0016] The vehicle body 10 is equipped with a plurality of on-board sensors 20. The plurality of on-board sensors 20 are sensors for detecting the situation around the vehicle body 10 and the position and state of the vehicle body 10. For example, the on-board sensor 20 includes a camera 21, an infrared sensor 22, and the like. In the illustrated example, the camera 21 and the infrared sensor 22 are arranged at the front part 10a and the rear part 10b of the vehicle body 10, but the camera 21 and the infrared sensor 22 may be arranged at the left part 10c and the right part 10d in addition to the front part 10a and the rear part 10b. The on-board sensor 20 may include a millimeter wave radar, a GPS (Global Positioning System) device, and the like. Information detected by the on-board sensor 20 is used, for example, by a moving device 30 described later.

[0017] The vehicle 1 includes a movement device 30 that moves the vehicle body 10 relative to the ground G. The movement device 30 includes a plurality of (four in this example) wheels 31. The plurality of wheels 31 support the vehicle body 10 from below.

[0018] 5 is a block diagram showing a schematic control system of the vehicle management system 100. The movement device 30 includes a torque generating device 32, a steering device 33, and a movement controller .

[0019] The torque generating device 32 generates torque on at least one of the multiple wheels 31. The torque generating device 32 includes a driving device that applies a driving force to the wheels 31 and a braking device that applies a braking force to the wheels 31. The driving device in the torque generating device 32 is, for example, an electric motor capable of forward and reverse rotation. The driving device in the torque generating device 32 may be an engine. The braking device in the torque generating device 32 is, for example, a disc brake device.

[0020] The steering device 33 steers at least one of the plurality of wheels 31. By steering at least one of the plurality of wheels 31 by the steering device 33, the traveling direction of the vehicle 1 is controlled.

[0021] The movement controller 34 controls the torque generator 32 and the steering device 33. The movement controller 34 has an arithmetic processor and a memory device. The arithmetic processor includes, for example, a processor. The memory device includes a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory, and the like. The vehicle 1 of this embodiment is an autonomous vehicle having a fully autonomous driving function that autonomously travels along a travel route without the need for driver operation. The movement controller 34 realizes autonomous driving by having the arithmetic processor read and execute a program stored in the memory device. The movement controller 34 controls the torque generator 32 and the steering device 33 so that the vehicle 1 travels automatically along the travel route based on information received from the management device 2 via the communication device 23 and information received from the on-board sensor 20.

[0022] In this embodiment, the vehicle 1 travels along the travel route at a predetermined slow speed. The slow speed is 10 km / h or less. The speed of the vehicle 1 may be based on a command value from the management device 2, or may be based on information pre-stored in the memory of the movement controller 34. In this embodiment, a user can get on or off the vehicle 1 while traveling along the travel route at a slow speed.

[0023] The vehicle 1 is equipped with a plurality of support devices 40 that support a user getting on and off the moving vehicle body 10. In this embodiment, four support devices 40 are provided at four gates, namely, two boarding entrances 15a and two disembarking entrances 15b, in the vehicle body 10. Each support device 40 includes a support unit 41, a drive device 42, and a support controller 43.

[0024] The support device 40 provided at the boarding entrance 15a is a boarding support device that supports a user to board the vehicle body 10 in motion. The support device 40 provided at the disembarking entrance 15b is a disembarking support device that supports a user to disembark the vehicle body 10 in motion. In this specification, for convenience of explanation, the boarding support device 40 is referred to as the first support device 40a, and the disembarking support device 40 is referred to as the second support device 40b. In addition, the components included in the first support device 40a and their reference numerals are respectively marked with the letter "first" and "a", and the components included in the second support device 40b and their reference numerals are respectively marked with the letter "second" and "b" to distinguish between the components of the first support device 40a and the second support device 40b.

[0025] In this embodiment, the first support device 40a and the second support device 40b have different control methods but the same structure. When the first support device 40a and the second support device 40b are described together, they will be collectively referred to as the support device 40.

[0026] The support unit 41 supports a user moving between the user area R and the ground G. The support unit 41 is disposed on a path of movement of the user when the user gets on and off the vehicle 1. The support unit 41 may be the first component included in the vehicle 1 that a user who is getting on the vehicle 1 in motion comes into contact with. Alternatively, the support unit 41 may be the last component included in the vehicle 1 that a user who is getting off the vehicle 1 in motion leaves, in other words, the last component that comes into contact with the user.

[0027] Furthermore, the support portion 41 is displaceable in a direction opposite to the moving direction of the vehicle body 10 relative to the ground G with respect to the moving vehicle body 10. The drive device 42 displaces the support portion 41 in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the vehicle body 10.

[0028] The assistance controller 43 controls the drive device 42. The assistance controller 43 controls the drive device 42 to start and stop the displacement of the support part 41. The assistance controller 43 also controls the drive device 42 to change the displacement speed of the support part 41. The assistance controller 43 has an arithmetic processor and a memory device, etc. The arithmetic processor includes, for example, a processor, etc. The memory device includes a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory, etc.

[0029] In this embodiment, the support device 40 is a belt conveyor device including a belt extending in the front-rear direction and a plurality of rollers that rotatably support the belt. The support device 40 is disposed under the gate that is the boarding entrance 15a or the disembarking entrance 15b. That is, the support device 40 constitutes a floor structure that is stepped on when the user boards the vehicle 1 or disembarks from the vehicle 1. The support part 41 is a part of the belt of the belt conveyor device that is the support device 40. In this embodiment, the support part 41 is a belt upper surface part that is a part of the belt that rotates by a plurality of rollers and is located above the plurality of rollers. That is, the support part 41 has a placement surface that supports the user from below.

[0030] As shown in Fig. 2, the support part 41 is disposed at a position lower than the upper end of the wheel 31 so that a user can easily get on and off the vehicle 1. Also, as shown in Fig. 4, the support part 41 is disposed at one end of the vehicle body 10 in the left-right direction, and a part of the support part 41 protrudes outward from the side surface of the vehicle body 10. This makes it easy for a user standing on the ground G to place their feet on the support part 41 when getting on the vehicle 1 while it is moving.

[0031] 4, the support surface of the support part 41 and the floor surface 11 are disposed at the same height. The floor surface 11 and the support surface of the support part 41 are different from each other in at least one of color, surface shape, and pattern. This is to allow a user to immediately distinguish between the support part 41, which is displaceable relative to the vehicle body 10, and the floor surface 11, which is fixed to the vehicle body 10. For example, the floor surface 11 may be a smooth surface, whereas the support surface of the support part 41 may be a surface including fine recesses or protrusions.

[0032] Returning to FIG. 5, the vehicle 1 includes contact detectors 44 in the same number as the support devices 40. Each contact detector 44 is disposed in each support device 40. The contact detector 44 detects that the user has contacted the support unit 41. The contact detector 44 is a load detector that is disposed below the belt serving as the support unit 41 and detects the load of the user placed on the belt. The load detector is, for example, a strain gauge. However, the contact detector 44 may be another type of detector, such as a photoelectric sensor.

[0033] The detection signal from the contact detector 44 is used by the assistance controller 43. The control of the assistance controller 43 when the user moves from a first surface, which is one of the floor surface 11 and the ground G, to a second surface, which is the other of the floor surface 11 and the ground G, will be described. That is, the control of the first assistance controller 43a and the second assistance controller 43b will be generalized and described.

[0034] The assistance controller 43 determines whether or not the user has touched the support unit 41 based on the detection signal received from the contact detector 44. When the assistance controller 43 determines that the user has not touched the support unit 41, it controls the drive device 42 so that the speed of the support unit 41 relative to the first surface is lower than the speed of the second surface relative to the first surface. When the assistance controller 43 determines that the user has touched the support unit 41, it controls the drive device 42 so that the speed of the support unit 41 relative to the second surface is reduced.

[0035] Next, the control by the first assist controller 43a and the control by the second assist controller 43b will be described in detail individually.

[0036] (Control by the first auxiliary controller) First, an overview of the control by the first support controller 43a will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing a state in which a user gets on to a moving vehicle 1 by the first support device 40a shown in Fig. 5. In Fig. 6, a solid line indicates the user U in a state in which the user first comes into contact with the first support part 41a. In Fig. 6, a chain double-dashed line indicates the user U who has moved backward from the position where the user first comes into contact with the first support part 41a relative to the vehicle main body 10 due to the displacement of the first support part 41a.

[0037] While the vehicle 1 is moving at a slow speed, the first support device 40a is operated so that the belt upper surface portion, which is the first support portion 41a, is displaced in the opposite direction to the moving direction of the vehicle 1. At this time, the relative speed of the first support portion 41a with respect to the ground G is slower than the relative speed of the floor surface 11 of the vehicle body 10 with respect to the ground G. When the user U, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 6, gets on the vehicle 1, the user standing on the ground G places his / her feet on the first support portion 41a. At this time, since the relative speed of the first support portion 41a with respect to the ground G is slower than the relative speed of the floor surface 11 of the vehicle body 10 with respect to the ground G, the force that the user receives from the vehicle 1, that is, the placement surface of the first support portion 41a, can be alleviated.

[0038] When the user is placed on the first support part 41a, the first support part 41a decelerates. The user moves to the user area R while the first support part 41a is decelerating or after it has stopped.

[0039] Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing the flow of control by the first support device 40a shown in Fig. 5. As shown in Fig. 7, when the vehicle 1 is moving at a predetermined slow speed, the first support controller 43a controls the first drive device 42a so that the first support part 41a is displaced backward at a set speed relative to the vehicle body 10 (step S1).

[0040] The set speed is set so that the absolute value of the ground speed of the first support part 41a is greater than zero and less than the absolute value of the ground speed of the vehicle body 10. For example, the set speed is set so that the absolute value of the ground speed of the first support part 41a is half the absolute value of the ground speed of the vehicle body 10. Specifically, when the vehicle body 10 moves at 7 km / h relative to the ground G, the set speed is set so that the first support part 41a moves forward at 3.5 km / h as seen by the user on the ground G. In other words, the first assistance controller 43a controls the first drive device 42a so that the first support part 41a is displaced backward at 3.5 km / h relative to the vehicle body 10. In this way, the relative speed of the first support part 41a with respect to the ground G is slower than the relative speed of the floor surface 11 of the vehicle body 10 with respect to the ground G.

[0041] The first assistance controller 43a determines whether or not the user has contacted the support part 41 based on the detection signal received from the contact detector 44 (step S2). While the first assistance controller 43a determines that the user has not contacted the support part 41 (step S2: No), it controls the first drive device 42a so that the displacement of the first support part 41a relative to the vehicle body 10 at the set speed continues.

[0042] If the first assistance controller 43a determines that the user has contacted the first support part 41a (step S2: Yes), it controls the first driving device 42a to reduce the speed of the first support part 41a relative to the floor surface 11 (step S3).

[0043] During deceleration, the first support controller 43a determines whether or not the user has left the first support part 41a based on the detection signal received from the contact detector 44 (step S4). While it is determined that the user has not left the first support part 41a (step S4: No), the first support controller 43a continues to reduce the speed of the first support part 41a relative to the floor surface 11 until the speed of the first support part 41a relative to the floor surface 11 becomes zero.

[0044] If it is determined that the user has moved away from the first support part 41a (step S4: Yes), the process returns to step S1, and the first assistance controller 43a controls the first drive device 42a so that the first support part 41a is displaced relative to the vehicle body 10 in the direction opposite to the movement direction of the vehicle 1 at a set speed.

[0045] (Control by the second auxiliary controller) Next, an overview of the control by the second support controller 43b will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a diagram showing a state in which a user gets off the moving vehicle 1 by the second support device 40b shown in Fig. 5. In Fig. 8, the user U immediately after moving from the user area R onto the second support part 41b is shown by a two-dot chain line. In Fig. 8, the user U who has moved backward from the position where the user first contacted the second support part 41b with respect to the vehicle main body 10 due to the displacement of the second support part 41b is shown by a solid line.

[0046] When the vehicle 1 is moving at a slow speed, the belt upper surface portion, which is the second support portion 41b, is not displaced relative to the vehicle body 10. That is, the second drive device 42b is in a stopped state. Since the relative speed of the second support portion 41b with respect to the vehicle body 10 is 0, when a user U gets off the vehicle 1, the user standing on the floor surface 11 can easily place his / her feet on the second support portion 41b.

[0047] When the user U is placed on the second support portion 41b, the second support portion 41b accelerates. After that, the user U steps onto the ground G from the second support portion 41b.

[0048] Fig. 9 is a flow chart showing the flow of control by the second support device 40b shown in Fig. 8. As shown in Fig. 9, when the vehicle 1 is moving at a predetermined slow speed, the second support controller 43b stops the second drive device 42b (step T1). The relative speed between the floor surface 11 and the placement surface of the second support part 41b is zero.

[0049] The second assistance controller 43b determines whether or not the user has touched the second support unit 41b based on the detection signal received from the contact detector 44 (step T2). While the second assistance controller 43b determines that the user has not touched the second support unit 41b (step T2: No), the second assistance controller 43b maintains the stopped state of the second drive device 42b.

[0050] If the second assistance controller 43b determines that the user has contacted the second support part 41b (step T2: Yes), it controls the second drive device 42b to increase the speed of the second support part 41b relative to the floor surface 11 (step T3).

[0051] During acceleration, the second support controller 43b determines whether or not the user has left the second support part 41b based on the detection signal received from the contact detector 44 (step T4). While it is determined that the user has not left the second support part 41b (step T4: No), the second support controller 43b continues accelerating the second support part 41b relative to the floor surface 11 until the speed of the second support part 41b relative to the floor surface 11 reaches a set speed.

[0052] If it is determined that the user has left the second support unit 41b (step T4: Yes), the process returns to step T1, and the second support controller 43b stops the second driving device 42b.

[0053] Returning to FIG. 5, the vehicle management system 100 includes a power supply device 3. The vehicle 1 includes a power receiving device 51 to which power is supplied from the power supply device 3. The power supply device 3 and the power receiving device 51 configure a non-contact power supply system in which the power supply device 3 supplies power to the power receiving device 51 in a non-contact state. For example, the power supply device 3 includes a power transmitting coil, and the power receiving device 51 includes a power receiving coil to which power is supplied from the power transmitting coil of the power supply device 3. The power receiving device 51 includes a battery 52. ​​The battery 52 stores power supplied from the power supply device 3. The power stored in the battery 52 is sent to and consumed by various devices of the vehicle 1, such as the moving device 30 and the support device 40.

[0054] Fig. 10 is a part of a travel route map of a vehicle 1 managed by the vehicle management system 100. Two travel routes 4a and 4b are shown in Fig. 10. A plurality of vehicles 1 operate on each of the travel routes 4a and 4b. In Fig. 10, the vehicle 1 traveling on the travel route 4a is given the reference symbol 1a, and the vehicle 1 traveling on the travel route 4b is given the reference symbol 1b. In this embodiment, the vehicles 1a and 1b have the same configuration, but may have different configurations.

[0055] A plurality of power supply devices 3 are installed at predetermined intervals along the travel routes 4a and 4b. The plurality of power supply devices 3 are controlled, for example, by a management device 2. For example, the management device 2 may transmit commands to the plurality of power supply devices 3 regarding the start and stop of power supply according to the positions of the respective vehicles 1a and 1b.

[0056] The travel routes 4a, 4b have a section 5 that runs parallel to each other with a predetermined distance between them, and in which the two vehicles 1a, 1b can travel side by side in the same direction. In this embodiment, in this section 5, while the two vehicles 1a, 1b are traveling side by side, it is possible to transfer from one of the two vehicles 1a, 1b to the other. Hereinafter, the section 5 is referred to as a transfer section 5.

[0057] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing two vehicles 1a, 1b running side by side. The management device 2 controls the operation of the vehicles 1a, 1b so that the vehicles 1a, 1b enter the transfer section 5 at the same time. The management device 2 controls the movement of the vehicles 1a, 1b so that the vehicles 1a, 1b move with their gates close to each other. This makes it possible to transfer from a moving vehicle 1 to another moving vehicle 1. Note that when the vehicles 1a, 1b run side by side in the transfer section 5, they may or may not be mechanically connected to each other.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 12, when the vehicles 1c and 1d have gates 17 at the front and rear of the vehicle body 10, transfer between the two vehicles 1c and 1d traveling in a tandem is also possible. The vehicles 1c and 1d travel different routes 4c and 4d. The travel routes 4c and 4d have a transfer section where they overlap. The management device 2 controls the operation of the vehicles 1c and 1d so that the vehicles 1c and 1d travel in a tandem with each other in the transfer section. That is, the management device 2 controls the movement of the vehicles 1c and 1d so that the gates 17 of the vehicles 1c and 1d move close to each other.

[0059] As described above, in the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment, the support section 41 is capable of supporting the user while displacing in the opposite direction to the moving direction of the vehicle body 10 relative to the ground G with respect to the moving vehicle body 10. Therefore, when the user moves from the boarding / alighting origin to the boarding / alighting destination, the support section 41 supporting the user displaces in the opposite direction to the moving direction of the vehicle 1, thereby reducing the relative speed difference between the user and the boarding / alighting destination, and the force that the user receives from the boarding / alighting destination can be alleviated. Note that with regard to the "boarding / alighting destination", the boarding / alighting destination when the user boards the vehicle 1 means the vehicle 1, and the boarding / alighting destination when the user disembarks from the vehicle 1 means the ground G.

[0060] This makes it easier for users to get on and off the vehicle 1 while it is moving, improving the convenience of the vehicle 1. Note that the user's getting on and off action includes either the getting on action or the getting off action.

[0061] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the drive device 42 actively displaces the support part 41 in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the vehicle body 10, so that the support part 41 can be actively displaced in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the vehicle body 10 even before the user comes into contact with the support part 41. Therefore, the force that the user receives from the support part 41 when the user comes into contact with the support part 41 can be alleviated, compared to a case in which the support part 41 is passively displaced by the force applied when the user comes into contact with the support part 41. This reduces the burden on the user and improves convenience.

[0062] Furthermore, if the support part 41 is of a type that is held by the user's hand, when getting on and off, the user needs to grip the support part 41. In this embodiment, since the support part 41 has a support surface that supports the user from below, the user can get on and off in a more natural posture compared to when the support part 41 is of a type that is held by the user's hand.

[0063] In addition, in this embodiment, the assistance controller 43 controls the drive device 42 so that the support part 41 is displaced at a speed set so that the absolute value of the ground speed of the support part 41 is greater than zero and less than the absolute value of the ground speed of the vehicle body 10. For this reason, for example, when a user gets on the vehicle, the force that the user who displaces together with the support part 41 receives from the floor of the user area R can be mitigated compared to when the absolute value of the ground speed of the support part 41 is zero. For example, when a user gets off the vehicle 1, the force that the user in the user area R receives from the support part 41 when coming into contact with the support part 41 can be mitigated compared to when the absolute value of the ground speed of the support part 41 is zero.

[0064] In addition, in this embodiment, since the control methods for the boarding support device 40 and the disembarking support device 40 are different, the support portion 41 can be displaced by a control method suitable for boarding and disembarking, respectively.

[0065] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the vehicle body 10 has a vertically elongated shape extending in the direction of movement of the vehicle body 10 by the movement device 30, the range in which the support portion 41 can be displaced can be increased.

[0066] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the support parts 41 are disposed on the left and right parts of the vehicle body 10 extending in the front-rear direction, the range of displacement of the support parts 41 can be easily expanded.

[0067] In addition, in this embodiment, the placement surface of the support portion 41 is located at a position lower than the upper end portion of the wheels 31, making it easy for the user to get on and off.

[0068] In this embodiment, the support surface of the support part 41 and the floor surface 11 are different from each other in at least one of the colors, the surface shapes, and the patterns. This allows the user to distinguish between the floor surface 11, which is fixed to the vehicle body 10, and the support surface, which is displaceable relative to the vehicle body 10, and prevents the user from accidentally stepping on the support surface even when not getting on or off the vehicle.

[0069] Various modifications are possible to the configuration of the support device 40. Modifications of the support device 40 will be described below.

[0070] (Variation 1 of the support device) The support device 60 according to the first modification will be described with reference to Figs. 13 to 15. Fig. 13 is a diagram showing a state in which a user gets on to a vehicle 1 by the support device 60 according to the first modification. Fig. 14 is a schematic perspective view of the support device 60 according to the first modification. Fig. 15 is a schematic exploded view of the support device 60 according to the first modification.

[0071] In this first modified example, the support device 60 is configured such that the support part 61 is passively displaced in the opposite direction to the moving direction of the vehicle main body 10, using the load from the user as a driving force. As shown in Fig. 13, the support device 60 is disposed above the boarding entrance 15a. The support device 60 includes the support part 61 which is a strap, a displacement body 62 which is fixed to the support part 61 and displaces together with the support part 61, a cylindrical body 63 having a guide hole 63a which guides the displacement body 62, a shaft 64 supported by the cylindrical body 63, and a biasing member 65.

[0072] As shown in FIG. 14, the cylindrical body 63 is disposed so that its central axis is along the front-rear direction. The cylindrical body 63 is fixed to the vehicle main body 10. As shown in FIG. 15, the shaft 64 is disposed inside the cylindrical body 63 so as to extend in the front-rear direction along the central axis of the cylindrical body 63. The displacement body 62 is a rod-shaped body perpendicular to the front-rear direction. A guide hole 63a for guiding the displacement body 62 is provided on the side surface of the cylindrical body 63. The displacement body 62 is connected to the shaft 64 inside the cylindrical body 63. The displacement body 62 protrudes from the guide hole 63a, and is connected to the support part 61, which is a strap, outside the cylindrical body 63.

[0073] The guide hole 63a is formed so that the displacement body 62 can be displaced in the front-rear direction. The biasing member 65 biases the displacement body 63 forward inside the cylindrical body 63. Therefore, when the user is not touching the support portion 61a, the biasing force of the biasing member 65 causes the displacement body 63 to be disposed at the front end of the guide hole 63a. For example, the biasing member 65 is a coil spring.

[0074] The front end of the guide hole 63a faces outward in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle body 10 from the central axis of the cylindrical body 63. The rear end of the guide hole 63a faces downward from the central axis of the cylindrical body 63. The guide hole 63a is formed such that the extending direction of the displacement body 62 gradually changes from outward to downward in the vehicle width direction as the displacement body 62 moves from the front end to the rear end of the guide hole 63a.

[0075] According to the first modification, the support part 61 moves at the same speed as the moving vehicle body 10 as seen from the user on the ground G. When the user on the ground G grips the support part 61, the support part 61 passively displaces in the opposite direction to the moving direction of the vehicle body 10 against the biasing force of the biasing member 65, using the load from the user as a driving force. The displacement body 62 displaced together with the support part 61 transitions from a state in which it extends in the vehicle width direction to a state in which it extends downward as it is guided by the guide hole 63a and displaces backward. As a result, the user gripping the support part 61 moves toward the inside of the vehicle width direction of the vehicle body 10 and enters the user area R. When the user places his / her feet on the floor surface 11 and releases the support part 61, the biasing force of the biasing member 65 causes the displacement body 63 to return to the front end of the guide hole 63a. As shown in FIG. 13, the floor surface 11 may be at a lower position than the height of the ground G at which the support part 61 is gripped.

[0076] In this first modified example as well, it becomes easier for users to get on and off the vehicle 1 while it is moving, improving the convenience of the vehicle 1.

[0077] (Variation 2 of the Support Device) The support device 70 according to the modified example 2 will be described with reference to Figs. 16 and 17. Fig. 16 is a diagram showing a state in which a user gets into the vehicle 1 by the support device 70 according to the modified example 2. Fig. 17 is a schematic rear view of the vehicle 1 equipped with the support device 70 according to the modified example 2.

[0078] In this second modification, the support device 70 is configured such that the support unit 71 is passively displaced in the opposite direction to the moving direction of the vehicle body 10 using the load from the user as a driving force. As shown in Fig. 13, the support device 70 is disposed at the boarding entrance 15a. The support device 70 includes the support unit 71 which is a strap, a rotating body 72 which supports the support unit 71, and a support structure 73 which supports the rotating body 72 rotatably around an axis extending in the vertical direction.

[0079] The support structure 73 is fixed to the vehicle body 10. The support structure 73 is a pole extending in the vertical direction at the boarding entrance 15a. The rotating body 72 is supported by the support structure 73 so as to be rotatable around the central axis of the support structure 73. The rotating body 72 has a plurality of arms perpendicular to the central axis of the support structure 73. A support part 71, which is a strap, is attached to the tip of each arm. Of the plurality of support parts 71, at least one support part 71 located outside the support structure 73 in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle body 10 is arranged outside the user area R.

[0080] According to the second modification, when viewed from the user on the ground G, the support part 71 also moves at the same speed as the moving vehicle body 10. When the user on the ground G grips the support part 71, the support part 71 held by the user passively rotates about the central axis of the support structure 73 with the load from the user as a driving force. As a result, the support part 71 held by the user is displaced in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the vehicle body 10, and is displaced inward in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle body 10. In this way, the user enters the user area R.

[0081] In this second modification as well, it becomes easier for users to get on and off the vehicle 1 while it is moving, improving the convenience of the vehicle 1.

[0082] (Variation 3 of the Support Device) An assistance device 80 according to Modification 3 will be described with reference to Fig. 18. Fig. 18 is a diagram showing how a user gets on and off the vehicle 1 using the assistance device according to Modification 3. The assistance device 80 according to Modification 3 assists a wheelchair user in getting on and off the vehicle main body 10 while it is moving.

[0083] The support device 80 of the third modified example is applied to a vehicle body 10A in which an entrance 18a for wheelchair users is arranged at the front and an exit 18b for wheelchair users is arranged at the rear. The boarding entrance 18a and the disembarking entrance 18b are each provided with an assistance device 80. The boarding assistance device 80 is referred to as a first assistance device 80a, and the disembarking assistance device 80 is referred to as a second assistance device 80b.

[0084] The support device 80 is a belt conveyor device, similar to the support device 40 described in the above embodiment. That is, the support device 80 is a belt conveyor device including a belt extending in the front-rear direction and a plurality of rollers that rotatably support the belt, and the support part of the support device 80 is a belt upper surface part that is a part located above the plurality of rollers. However, unlike the support part 41 of the support device 40, the support part of the support device 80 is inclined from the ground G toward the floor surface 11 that is higher than the ground G.

[0085] In this third modification, similarly to the assistance device 40 described in the above embodiment, the assistance device 80 includes a drive device that actively displaces the support part in a direction opposite to the moving direction of the vehicle body 10. A control method for the assistance device 80 may be adopted that is similar to the control method for the assistance device 40. In this third modification, it is possible to facilitate the wheelchair user's getting on and off the vehicle 1 while it is moving, improving the convenience of the vehicle 1.

[0086] <Other embodiments> The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0087] For example, the shape of the vehicle is not limited to those described in the above embodiment. For example, the vehicle body may be a basket type without a roof.

[0088] In the above embodiment, the vehicle is a fully automated vehicle, but the vehicle may be a partially automated vehicle in which only a part of the driving operations of the driver required to run the vehicle is automated. The vehicle may also be a manually operated vehicle.

[0089] In addition, the control of the support device is not limited to the aspect described in the above embodiment. For example, in the above embodiment, the control methods for the first support device 40a for getting on and the second support device 40b for getting off are different from each other, but the same control method may be adopted for the first support device 40a and the second support device 40b. For example, in both the first support device 40a and the second support device 40b, the support controller 43 may control the drive device 42 so that the support unit 41 is displaced at a constant speed regardless of whether a user is placed on the support unit 41. For example, the support controller may determine the displacement speed of the support unit 41 based on the ground speed of the vehicle body 10.

[0090] The vehicle may also include a proximity sensor that detects the approach of a user. When the proximity sensor detects that a user has approached to board the vehicle, the assistance controller may start driving the drive device based on a detection signal from the proximity sensor.

[0091] The displacement speed of the support unit may be set by the user. For example, the vehicle may be equipped with a communication device capable of communicating with an information terminal device carried by the user, and the assistance controller may receive speed information preset by the user from the information terminal device carried by the user. Transmission of the speed information from the information terminal device to the assistance controller may be performed manually by the user's operation of the information terminal device, or may be automatically performed when the user approaches within a predetermined distance from the vehicle.

[0092] In the above embodiment, the support device 40 includes the driving device 42 that actively displaces the support part 41, but the support device is not limited to one that actively displaces the support part. The support device may be configured such that the support part is passively displaced in the opposite direction to the moving direction of the vehicle body using the load from the user as a driving force.

[0093] Furthermore, the support unit is not limited to one that supports the entire weight of a user moving between the user area and the ground. The support unit may support a portion of the user's weight. The support unit does not have to be the first component included in the vehicle that a user who is getting on to the moving vehicle 1 comes into contact with, and it does not have to be the last component included in the vehicle that a user who is getting off the moving vehicle leaves.

[0094] The vehicle 1 may be capable of communicating with another vehicle traveling along the same route. The vehicle 1 may be capable of communicating with another vehicle traveling along a different route. The vehicle 1 may be equipped with a communicator that communicates with a portable information terminal device owned by a user who uses the vehicle 1. The information terminal device is, for example, a smartphone.

[0095] A position changing device for changing the position of the support unit may be provided. For example, the position changing device may be capable of changing the height of the support unit. The position changing device may adjust the height of the support unit to a height that makes it easy for users to get on and off the vehicle, depending on the geographical location of the vehicle. Also, for example, the position changing device may be capable of changing the position of the support unit in the left-right direction. For example, the position changing device may be capable of adjusting the position of the support unit so that it can be freely projected and retracted from the side of the vehicle body 10.

[0096] The vehicle is not limited to those described in the above embodiment. The vehicle may be a railroad car that runs on rails. The vehicle may also be a ship, a linear motor car, a hovercraft, or the like.

[0097] The functions of the elements disclosed herein can be performed using circuits or processing circuits, including general purpose processors, special purpose processors, integrated circuits, ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), conventional circuits, or any combination thereof, configured or programmed to perform the disclosed functions. Processors are considered processing circuits or circuits because they include transistors and other circuits. In this disclosure, a circuit, unit, or means is hardware that performs the recited functions or hardware that is programmed to perform the recited functions. The hardware may be hardware disclosed herein or other known hardware that is programmed or configured to perform the recited functions. In the case where the hardware is a processor, which is considered a type of circuit, the circuit, means, or unit is a combination of hardware and software, and the software is used to configure the hardware or processor.

[0098] A vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a vehicle body having a user area where a user remains, a moving device that moves the vehicle body relative to the ground, and at least one assistance device provided on the vehicle body, the assistance device having a support section that supports a user moving between the user area and the ground and that can be displaced in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the vehicle body relative to the ground while moving.

[0099] The support part is capable of displacing, while supporting the user, in the opposite direction to the direction of movement of the vehicle body relative to the ground, relative to the moving vehicle body. Therefore, when the user moves from the boarding / alighting point to the boarding / alighting destination, the support part supporting the user displaces in the opposite direction to the direction of movement of the vehicle, thereby reducing the relative speed difference between the user and the boarding / alighting destination, and the force that the user receives from the boarding / alighting destination can be alleviated. Note that with regard to "boarding / alighting destination," when the user boards a vehicle, the boarding / alighting destination means the vehicle, and when the user disembarks from a vehicle, the boarding / alighting destination means the ground.

[0100] Therefore, according to the above configuration, it is possible to facilitate the boarding and disembarking of a moving vehicle, thereby improving the convenience of the vehicle. Note that the boarding and disembarking of a user includes either the boarding or disembarking action.

[0101] In the above configuration, the assistance device may further include a drive unit that displaces the support unit in a direction opposite to the moving direction of the vehicle body, and an assistance controller that controls the drive unit. With this configuration, the support unit can be actively displaced in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the vehicle body before the user comes into contact with the support unit. Therefore, the force that the user receives from the support unit when the user comes into contact with the support unit can be alleviated. Therefore, the burden on the user can be reduced, and convenience can be improved.

[0102] In the above configuration, the support part may have a support surface that supports the user from below. If the support part is of a type that is held by the user's hand, the user is required to grip the support part when getting on and off. With the above configuration, the user can get on and off in a more natural posture than if the support part is of a type that is held by the user's hand.

[0103] In the above configuration, the assistance controller may determine the displacement speed of the support part based on the ground speed of the vehicle body. With this configuration, the displacement speed of the support part can be adjusted to a speed suitable for the user to get on and off.

[0104] In the above configuration, the assistance controller may control the drive device so that the support part is displaced at a speed set so that the absolute value of the ground speed of the support part is greater than zero and less than the absolute value of the ground speed of the vehicle body. With this configuration, for example, when a user gets on the vehicle, the force that the user who displaces together with the support part receives from the floor of the user area can be mitigated compared to when the absolute value of the ground speed of the support part is zero. For example, when a user gets off the vehicle, the force that the user in the user area receives from the support part when coming into contact with the support part can be mitigated compared to when the absolute value of the ground speed of the support part is zero.

[0105] In the above configuration, the vehicle body may have a floor surface that supports the user from below in the user area, and when the user moves from a first surface, which is one of the floor surface and the ground, to a second surface, which is the other of the floor surface and the ground, the assistance controller may determine whether the user has come into contact with the support unit, and when it is determined that the user has not come into contact with the support unit, control the drive device so that the speed of the support unit relative to the first surface is lower than the speed of the second surface relative to the first surface, and when it is determined that the user has come into contact with the support unit, control the drive device so that the speed of the support unit relative to the second surface is reduced. According to this configuration, since the speed of the support unit relative to the second surface is reduced, when the user displaced together with the support unit comes into contact with the second surface, the force that the user receives from the second surface can be alleviated.

[0106] In the above configuration, the assistance device may be configured such that the support unit is passively displaced in a direction opposite to the moving direction of the vehicle body by using the load from the user as a driving force. With this configuration, it is possible to reduce power compared to a case where the support unit is actively displaced.

[0107] In the above configuration, the at least one support device includes a first support device for boarding, the first support device having a first support part as the support part supporting the user moving from the ground to the user area, a first drive device for displacing the first support part in a direction opposite to the moving direction of the vehicle body, and a first support controller for controlling the first drive device, and a second support device for dismounting, the second support device having a second support part as the support part supporting the user moving from the user area to the ground, a second drive device for displacing the second support part in a direction opposite to the moving direction of the vehicle body, and a second support controller for controlling the second drive device, and the control method of the first drive device by the first support controller and the control method of the second drive device by the second support controller may be different from each other. According to this configuration, since the control methods are different between the boarding support device and the dismounting support device, the support part can be displaced by a control method suitable for boarding and dismounting, respectively.

[0108] In the above configuration, the vehicle body may have a vertically elongated shape extending in a front-rear direction, which is a direction along the direction of movement of the vehicle body by the moving device. Since the vehicle body has a vertically elongated shape extending in the direction of movement of the vehicle body by the moving device, the range in which the support part can be displaced can be increased.

[0109] In the above configuration, the support portion may be disposed at one end of the vehicle body in a left-right direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction. Since the support portion is disposed at the left and right portions of the vehicle body extending in the front-rear direction, the range of displacement of the support portion can be easily expanded.

[0110] In the above configuration, the moving device may have a plurality of wheels, and the support unit may have a support surface that is located lower than upper ends of the wheels and supports a user from below. Since the support surface of the support unit is located lower than the upper ends of the wheels, it is easy for the user to get on and off.

[0111] In the above configuration, the vehicle body may have a floor surface that supports the user from below in the user area, and the support part may have a placement surface that supports the user from below, and the floor surface and the placement surface may differ from each other in at least one of color, surface shape, and pattern. Since the user can distinguish between the floor surface that is fixed to the vehicle body and the placement surface that is displaced relative to the vehicle body, it is possible to prevent the user from accidentally stepping on the placement surface even when not getting on or off the vehicle.

[0112] The vehicle management system includes a first vehicle that travels on a first route within a specific area, a second vehicle that travels on a second route within the specific area, and a management device that controls the movement of the first and second vehicles, the first and second routes including a common route where the first and second routes partially overlap each other or extend parallel to each other with a predetermined interval between them, and the management device controls the movement of the first and second vehicles so that the first and second vehicles move with their entrances close to each other so that a user can move from one of the first and second vehicles to the other while moving on the common route. With the above configuration, a user can change vehicles while the vehicles are moving, so that the user does not need to change vehicles at a predetermined stop. [Explanation of symbols]

[0113] 100: Vehicle management system 1, 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d :Vehicles 10: Vehicle body 11:Floor surface 15a: Boarding gate 15b: Exit 23: Communication device 30: Mobile device 31 :Wheel 32: Torque generator 33: Steering gear 34: Movement controller 40: Support equipment 40a: 1st support device 40b:Second support device 41: Support Department 41a: First support section 41b: Second support section 42: Drive unit 42a: First drive unit 42b: Second drive unit 43: Support controller 43a: First support controller 43b: Second support controller 44: Contact detector G: Ground R: User Area

Claims

1. a vehicle body having a user area in which a user stays; A moving device that moves the vehicle body relative to a ground surface; A vehicle comprising at least one support device mounted on the vehicle body, the support device having a support part that is displaceable in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the vehicle body relative to the ground while supporting a user moving between the user area and the ground.

2. The support device includes: a drive device that displaces the support part in a direction opposite to a moving direction of the vehicle body; 10. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising: an auxiliary controller for controlling said drive device.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the support portion has a support surface that supports a user from below.

4. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the assistance controller determines a displacement speed of the support portion based on a ground speed of the vehicle body.

5. 5. The vehicle according to claim 2 or 4, wherein the assistance controller controls the drive device so that the support part is displaced at a speed set so that the absolute value of the ground speed of the support part is greater than zero and less than the absolute value of the ground speed of the vehicle body.

6. The vehicle body has a floor surface that supports users from below in the user area, When the user moves from a first surface which is one of the floor surface and the ground to a second surface which is the other of the floor surface and the ground, the assistance controller determining whether the user has touched the support unit; When it is determined that the user is not in contact with the support part, the drive device is controlled so that a speed of the support part relative to the first surface is lower than a speed of the second surface relative to the first surface; The vehicle according to claim 2 , 4 or 5 , wherein when it is determined that the user has come into contact with the support portion, the drive device is controlled so that the speed of the support portion relative to the second surface is reduced.

7. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the support device is configured such that the support portion is passively displaced in a direction opposite to a moving direction of the vehicle body using a load from the user as a driving force.

8. The at least one support device a first assistance device for riding, the first assistance device having a first support part as the support part supporting a user moving from the ground to the user area, a first drive device displaces the first support part in a direction opposite to the moving direction of the vehicle body, and a first assistance controller controlling the first drive device; a second support device for disembarking, the second support device having a second support part as the support part supporting a user moving from the user area to the ground, a second drive device displaces the second support part in a direction opposite to the moving direction of the vehicle body, and a second drive device controls the second drive device; 2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein a method of controlling the first drive device by the first assist controller and a method of controlling the second drive device by the second assist controller are different from each other.

9. The vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the vehicle body has a vertically elongated shape extending in a front-rear direction that is a direction along a movement direction of the vehicle body by the movement device.

10. The vehicle according to claim 9 , wherein the support portion is disposed at one end of the vehicle body in a left-right direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction.

11. The moving device has a plurality of wheels; The vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the support portion has a support surface that is arranged at a position lower than an upper end of the wheel and supports a user from below.

12. The vehicle body has a floor surface that supports users from below in the user area, The support portion has a support surface that supports a user from below, The vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the floor surface and the placement surface are different from each other in at least one of color, surface shape, and pattern.

Images