vehicle

Abstract

A vehicle (100) comprises: a first member that rotatably supports a rear wheel (2); a second member disposed forward from the first member; and a linking member (50) which is disposed between the first member and the second member, is fixed to each of the the first member and the second member, and supports the first member and the second member such that each can swing relative to the lateral direction centered around an axis extending in the front-back direction. The linking member (50) is provided such that when the center of a region, of the surface of the rear wheel (2), in contact with the ground surface is defined as the ground-contact point, the lateral-direction position of the post-swing ground-contact point, which is the ground-contact point when the first member has swung about the axis, comes closer to the axis than the lateral-direction position of the post-swing ground-contact point prior to the first member swinging.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle that can swing in the left-right direction. [Background technology]

[0002] A known example of this type of device is a three-wheeled vehicle with one front wheel and two rear wheels, in which the front wheels are supported so as to be swingable relative to the rear wheels via a swing shaft that extends in the fore-aft direction and diagonally downward (see, for example, Patent Document 1).Also known is a three-wheeled vehicle with two front wheels and one rear wheel, in which a frame extending in the fore-aft direction is used as a swing shaft, and the rear wheels are supported on the rear end of the frame so as to be swingable left-right in response to operation of the handlebars (see, for example, Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-39073 [Patent Document 2] JP 2006-62573 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the vehicle described in Patent Document 1, the rear wheels do not swing, so it is difficult to sufficiently improve the turning performance of the vehicle. Also, in the vehicle described in Patent Document 2, when the rear wheels swing, the ground contact points of the rear wheels shift laterally from the swing axis, so there is room for improvement in the turning performance of the vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A vehicle according to one aspect of the present invention includes front and rear wheels, a first member that rotatably supports the rear wheels, a second member that is disposed in front of the first member, and a connecting member that is disposed between the first and second members and is fixed to the first and second members, respectively, and supports the first and second members so that they can swing relatively in the left-right direction around an axis that extends in the front-rear direction. The connecting member is disposed such that, when the center of an area of ​​the surface of the rear wheels that contacts the ground is taken as a ground contact point, the left-right position of a post-swing ground contact point, which is the ground contact point when the first member swings around the axis, is closer to the axis than the left-right position of the post-swing ground contact point before the first member swings. Effect of the Invention

[0006] According to the present invention, the turning performance of a vehicle can be improved. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1A] 1 is a perspective view showing an overall configuration of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 1B] FIG. 1B is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, seen from a different direction than FIG. 1A. [Diagram 2] 1 is a plan view showing an overall configuration of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 3] 1 is a side view showing a state in which a seat, a cover, and the like are removed from a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed obliquely from below; [Diagram 5] 1 is an enlarged perspective view showing a main configuration of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 6] 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an example of the operation of the vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8A] FIG. 2 is a rear view showing a state before the vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention is swung. [Figure 8B] FIG. 4 is a rear view showing a state after the vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention has been swung. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the setting of an axis of a rocking joint provided in a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10A] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a change in position of a rear wheel when the vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention is swung. [Figure 10B] FIG. 10B is a diagram showing a first comparative example of FIG. 10A. [Figure 10C] FIG. 10B is a diagram showing a second comparative example of FIG. 10A. [Figure 11A] FIG. [Figure 11B] FIG. 11B is a rear view showing a state in which the vehicle has been swung from the state shown in FIG. 11A. [Figure 11C] FIG. 11C is a rear view showing the state in which the vehicle has been repositioned from the state shown in FIG. 11B. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a restricting portion provided in the vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13A] 13 is a front view showing a main configuration of the restriction portion shown in FIG. 12. [Figure 13B] 13B is a front view showing an example of the operation of the restriction portion from FIG. 13A. [Figure 14] FIG. 13 is a front view showing a main configuration of another restriction portion provided in the vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] 15 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a main part of the restriction portion shown in FIG. 14. [Figure 16A] FIG. 13 is a front view showing a main configuration of still another restriction portion provided in the vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16B] 16B is a front view showing an example of the operation of the restriction portion from FIG. 16A. [Figure 16C] 16B is a front view showing another example of the operation of the restriction portion from FIG. 16A. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 1A to 16C. Figs. 1A and 1B are perspective views showing the overall configuration of a vehicle (hereinafter, also referred to as a rocking vehicle) 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a plan view. This rocking vehicle is configured as a one-seater electric vehicle that can stand on its own when stopped. Since the front side of the vehicle 100 is non-rocking, wobbling at low speeds is suppressed, and slipping and falling can be suppressed. Therefore, it can be used as personal mobility by loading luggage on the non-rocking front body. It can also be used as a commercial vehicle for the purpose of transporting various luggage.

[0009] In the following, for convenience, the front-rear direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction are defined as shown in the figure, and the configuration of each part will be described according to these definitions. The front-rear direction is the length direction of the vehicle 100, the left-right direction is the vehicle width direction, and the upward direction is the direction of gravity. When the vehicle 100 is located on a horizontal plane, the up-down direction coincides with the height direction of the vehicle 100. Fig. 1A is a perspective view of the vehicle 100 as seen from the right rear diagonally, and Fig. 1B is a perspective view as seen from the right front diagonally.

[0010] As shown in Figures 1A, 1B and 2, vehicle 100 has two front wheels 1 and one rear wheel 2, and is configured as a three-wheeled vehicle with the rear wheel 2 as a drive wheel. In addition to the front wheels 1 and rear wheels 2, vehicle 100 mainly has a frame 10 that forms the framework of vehicle 100, a cover 20 that covers the periphery of frame 10, a handle 30 operated by a user (driver), and a seat 3 on which the user sits, and is configured to be almost symmetrical overall. Frame 10 is made of high-strength metal, while cover 20 is made of a resin material. The configuration of frame 10 will be described later.

[0011] The cover 20 is broadly divided into a front cover 210 extending in the vertical direction below the handle 30, a floor cover 220 extending in the front-to-rear direction behind the front cover 210, and a rear cover 230 extending diagonally rearward behind the floor cover 220.

[0012] The front cover 210 has a pair of front and rear covers, i.e., a front cover 211 and a rear cover 212, configured to sandwich the frame 10 (a front frame 14 described below) that extends from the vicinity of the front wheel 1 to the vicinity of the handlebars 30 in the front-rear direction. The front cover 211 and the rear cover 212 both extend in the left-right direction and the up-down direction, and are configured to have a substantially rectangular shape overall. The front cover 211 and the rear cover 212 are integrally joined to each other using fastening means such as bolts, thereby forming the front cover 210. Lights and the like are attached to the front cover 211, and a drink holder and the like are provided to the rear cover 212.

[0013] The floor cover 220 has a pair of upper and lower covers, i.e., a top cover 221 and a bottom cover 222, configured to sandwich in the vertical direction a frame 10 (a side frame 11 described later) extending in the front-rear direction between the front wheel 1 and the rear wheel 2. The top cover 221 and the bottom cover 222 are both extended in the left-right direction and the front-rear direction. A bulging portion 223 that bulges upward is provided in the center of the left-right direction of the top cover 221, and steps 224 are provided on both left-right sides of the bulging portion 223 as placement portions on which a user seated on the seat 3 places his / her feet. The front end of the step 224 is extended obliquely upward so as not to interfere with the front wheel 1. The top cover 221 and the bottom cover 222 are integrally joined to each other using fastening means such as bolts, thereby forming the floor cover 220.

[0014] The rear cover 230 is configured to cover the frame 10 (a seat frame 12 described below) that extends rearward and obliquely upward toward the seat 3. Inside the rear cover 230, electrical equipment such as a power control unit is stored.

[0015] The seat 3 is located in front of and above (diagonally above) the rear wheel 2, and is elongated in the front-to-rear direction so that its width narrows toward the front. The handlebars 30 extend in the left-to-right direction almost above the front wheel 1 (strictly speaking, above and slightly behind the handlebars 30). The seat 3 is a riding support that supports the user's buttocks, and the user rides into the vehicle 100 while seated on the seat 3, holding the handlebars 30 with both hands and placing both feet on the left and right steps 224 of the top cover 221.

[0016] A travel motor 4 (in-wheel motor) that is powered by a battery 40 (FIG. 3) and a brake unit 5 are housed inside the rear wheels 2. For example, the travel motor 4 is disposed on the left side, and the brake unit 5 is disposed on the right side. The brake unit 5 is configured as, for example, a drum brake unit that constitutes a drum brake. The vehicle 100 travels by being driven by the travel motor 4, and braking force is applied by regeneration by the travel motor 4, an electromagnetic brake, manual operation of the drum brake, etc.

[0017] Grips 31L, 31R that the user holds are provided at both left and right ends of the handlebar 30, and a display unit 32 that displays vehicle information such as the remaining battery capacity and the set vehicle speed is provided between the left and right grips 31L, 31R. In addition, various switches such as a starter switch that commands the on / off of the main power source, a forward / reverse switch that commands the switching between forward and reverse, a turn signal switch that commands right and left turns, a speed setting switch that sets the maximum vehicle speed, and a horn switch that commands the operation of the horn are provided near the grips 31L, 31R so as to be operable by the user. Furthermore, an accelerator lever that inputs a driving command, a brake lever that commands the operation of the brakes, and the like are provided near the grips 31L, 31R so as to be operable by the user.

[0018] Fig. 3 is a side view of the vehicle 100 with the seat 3, the cover 20, and various parts provided on the handlebars 30 removed from the vehicle 100, and mainly shows the configuration of the frame 10. As shown in Fig. 3, the frame 10 has a pair of left and right side frames 11 (only one of which is shown) located in the center of the vehicle 100 in the longitudinal direction, a seat frame 12 located behind the side frames 11, a pair of left and right swing arms 13 (only one of which is shown) extending in the longitudinal direction below the seat frame 12, and a front frame 14 extending upward from the front end of the side frame 11, and is configured symmetrically overall.

[0019] The left and right side frames 11 are each formed of, for example, a pipe member having a substantially circular cross section. The left and right side frames 11 each have a horizontal portion 111 extending substantially horizontally in the front-rear direction, a front inclined portion 112 bending from the front end of the horizontal portion 111 and extending inwardly and diagonally upwardly in the left-right direction, and a connecting portion 113 extending in the left-right direction and connecting the rear ends of the left and right horizontal portions 111 to each other. A bracket 141 is provided at the lower end of the front frame 14 to protrude rearward, and the front ends of the left and right front inclined portions 112 are fixed to the left and right side surfaces of the bracket 141 by welding or the like.

[0020] The vehicle 100 is provided with a battery storage section 15. The battery 40 has a predetermined length, width, and height, and is configured in a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole. The battery storage section 15 stores the battery 40 in the space between the left and right side frames 11, more specifically, in the storage space inside the left and right horizontal portions 111. That is, the battery 40 is stored in a laid-down state as shown in the figure.

[0021] The battery storage section 15 has a holder 151 that surrounds the battery 40, and a support frame 115 that supports the battery 40 via the holder 151. The support frame 115 is configured to be substantially U-shaped when viewed from the front, and both left and right ends thereof are fixed to horizontal portions 111 of the left and right side frames 11. Although not shown in the figure, the holder 151 is supported by the side frames 11 so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction. The battery 40 is in a horizontal position as shown in the figure when traveling, but when attaching or detaching the battery, the holder 151 is rotated to an inclined position with an upward gradient toward the front.

[0022] The seat frame 12 is formed of, for example, a pair of left and right pipe members each having a substantially circular cross section. The seat frame 12 extends obliquely upward from its front end toward the rear, and is bent forward and inward in the left-right direction above the rear wheel 2 (above the center of rotation), and then is connected together via a connection part 121. The seat 3 is attached to the upper part of the connection part 121 of the seat frame 12. A bracket 123 is fixed to the lower end part of each of the left and right seat frames 12. As shown in Figs. 1A and 1B, a guide 126 is attached to the rear of the seat 3 as an occupant support part that supports the buttocks and waist of the user.

[0023] The front end portions of the left and right swing arms 13 are rotatably supported by brackets 123 about a pair of left and right rotating shafts 131 extending in the left-right direction. The rear end portions of the left and right swing arms 13 are rotatably connected to both left and right ends of the rotating shaft of the rear wheel 2. Between the left and right seat frames 12 and the left and right swing arms 13, shock absorbing units 16 each having a coil spring or the like are interposed.

[0024] The front frame 14 has a lower end fixed to a bracket 141 and extends upward and backward (diagonally backward) from the lower end. A support frame is protruded in the left-right direction from the lower end of the front frame 14, and the left and right front wheels 1 are rotatably supported by the support frame. The front frame 14 is configured in a pipe shape, and a steering shaft 33 is inserted inside the front frame 14 so as to be rotatable relative to the front frame 14. A stem 34 is attached to the upper end of the steering shaft 33 by a bolt. The stem 34 is bent upward and forward in a generally L-shape in a side view, and a handle 30 is fixed to the steering shaft 33 via the stem 34. When the handle 30 is rotated left or right, the operating force is transmitted to the left and right front wheels 1 via tie rods, knuckles, kingpins, and the like (not shown). As a result, the left and right front wheels 1 are steered, and the vehicle 100 can be turned left or right.

[0025] As a characteristic configuration of this embodiment, a swing joint 50 is disposed between the side frame 11 and the swing arm 13 and seat frame 12 supporting the rear wheel 2, and the side frame 11 is connected to the seat frame 12 and the swing arm 13 via the swing joint 50. That is, the rear end of the side frame 11 and the front end of the seat frame 12 and the swing arm 13 are fixed to the front end and rear end of the swing joint 50, respectively. The swing joint 50 is configured such that its rear end can rotate about an axis CL relative to its front end, thereby allowing the rear wheel 2 side to swing left and right relative to the side frame 11. Hereinafter, the side frame 11 and the like in front of the swing joint 50 may be referred to as the front vehicle body, and the seat frame 12 and the swing arm 13 and the like behind the swing joint 50 may be referred to as the rear vehicle body.

[0026] The swing joint 50 extends in the front-rear direction along a center line (vehicle center line) passing through the center of the vehicle 100 in the left-right direction. More specifically, an axis La passing through the center of the swing joint 50 (shaft portion 52 described later), i.e., a swing axis, extends in the front-rear direction along the vehicle center line with a downward slope toward the rear. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state before the rear wheel 2 swings, and the intersection point of a perpendicular line L0 drawn from the rotation center P1 of the rear wheel 2 to the road surface S1 and the road surface S1 is a ground contact point P2 before swinging. The intersection point Pa of the axis La and the perpendicular line L0 is located above the ground contact point P2 and below the rotation center P1. The configuration of the swing joint 50 will be described later. Since the pair of left and right front wheels 1 side of the vehicle 100 do not swing, the vehicle 100 can stand on its own when stopped, and can suppress a fall due to front wheel slip on a slippery road surface. In addition, the wobble of the vehicle 100 during low-speed driving is suppressed, and the stability of the vehicle 100 is high.

[0027] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the vehicle 100 as viewed obliquely from below. As shown in FIG. 4, the left and right swing arms 13 are integrally connected to each other via a pipe-shaped connecting frame 132 extending in the left-right direction in front of the rear wheel 2. A pipe-shaped connecting frame 122 extending in the left-right direction is provided above the connecting frame 132 (see FIG. 5), and the left and right seat frames 12 are integrally connected to each other via the connecting frame 122. The left and right brackets 123 in front of the connecting frame 132 are integrally connected to each other via a substantially rectangular connecting plate 17 extending in the left-right direction. The connecting plate 17 is provided inclined rearward and downward along the axis La, and the rear end of the swing joint 50 is attached to the front end of the connecting plate 17. The front side of the swing joint 50 is disposed above the bottom cover 222.

[0028] FIG. 5 is a perspective view (viewed from diagonally above) of the main part of the vehicle 100 showing the configuration of the parts around the swing joint 50. For convenience, the cover 20 is not shown in FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 5, the connecting plate 17 has a pair of substantially cylindrical front and rear pipe parts 171 and 172 extending in the left-right direction inside the left and right brackets 123, a connecting part 173 connecting the left-right middle parts of the front pipe part 171 and the rear pipe part 172, and a pair of left and right plate parts 174 installed between the pipe parts 171 and 172 on both the left and right sides of the connecting part 173. The swing joint 50 and the connecting plate 17, etc., form a connecting part that supports the rear vehicle body so that it can swing relative to the front vehicle body.

[0029] A threaded portion 171a is provided on both the left and right ends of the front pipe portion 171, and a bolt 133 passing through the swing arm 13 and the bracket 123 is screwed into the threaded portion 171a. The front pipe portion 171 and the bolt 133 form a rotation shaft 131 that is a rotation fulcrum of the swing arm 13. An upper end portion of the bracket 123 is fixed to the seat frame 12 by, for example, welding.

[0030] The rear ends of the left and right side frames 11 are fixed to a generally plate-shaped connecting portion 113 that extends in the left-right direction rearward of the battery 40, and the left and right side frames 11 are connected together via the connecting portion 113. A floor frame 114 is fixed to each of the left and right side frames 11. The floor frame 114 extends in the front-rear direction so as to protrude outward in the left-right direction from the side frames 11, and a step 224 (FIG. 1A) is supported by the floor frame 114.

[0031] The rocking joint 50 has a joint case 51 formed in a substantially box shape, and a shaft portion 52 extending along an axis La within the joint case 51 and protruding from a rear end surface of the joint case 51. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view (a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 5) that shows a schematic internal configuration of the rocking joint 50. As shown in FIG. 6, the rocking joint 50 has a Neidhardt damper 53 therein. The Neidhardt damper 53 has a substantially diamond-shaped cam block 531 spline-coupled to the shaft portion 52, and rubber rollers 532 arranged to face each of the concave surfaces of the cam block 531.

[0032] FIG. 6 shows the initial position before torque acts on the shaft portion 52. When torque acts on the shaft portion 52 from this state and the shaft portion 52 rotates in the direction of the arrow A in FIG. 6 around the axis La (oscillating axis), the cam block 531 also rotates integrally with the shaft portion 52. At this time, the cam block 531 causes the rubber roller 532 to elastically deform, and the rubber roller 532 becomes elliptical. The rotational resistance to the shaft portion 52 increases as the rotation angle increases. When the torque acting on the shaft portion 52 becomes 0, the rubber roller 532 returns to its original shape due to the elastic force, and the shaft portion 52 returns to its initial position. That is, the rubber roller 532 accumulates a repulsive force when the shaft portion 52 rotates (oscillates), and functions as a repulsive member that can urge the shaft portion 52 in a direction to return the rotation.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 5, the front end of the swing joint 50, i.e., the front end of the joint case 51, is fixed to the upper surface of the connecting portion 113 via a bolt 50a. The rear end of the swing joint 50, i.e., the rear end of the shaft portion 52, is fixed to the front end of the connecting plate 17. Such a configuration of the swing joint 50 allows the rear body (seat frame 12 and swing arm 13) to swing relative to the front body (side frame 11). As shown in FIG. 2, the rear end of the step 224 is located rearward of the front end of the rear cover 230, and gaps are provided in the left-right direction between the rear cover 230, which is a part of the rear body, and the left and right steps 224. The gaps are provided so that the step 224 does not come into contact with the rear cover 230 even when the rear body is swung to the maximum relative to the front body. Therefore, the rear cover 230 and the step 224 can swing without interference with each other.

[0034] FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the operation of the vehicle 100 when turning (for example, turning left). When turning left, the driver holds the non-swinging handle 30 at the front of the vehicle and places his / her feet on the non-swinging step 224 to support his / her body (while bracing himself / herself), and tilts his / her body to the left. Furthermore, the driver steers the handle 30 to fine-tune the turning direction. At this time, as shown in FIG. 7, the rear vehicle body swings, the rear wheels 2 tilt to the left, and the position of the center of gravity of the vehicle 100 changes from P10 on the vehicle center line CL0 to P11 to the left. In this way, the rear vehicle body on which the user sits swings, and the position of the center of gravity of the traveling vehicle 100 changes toward the center of the turn, thereby improving the turning performance.

[0035] Because the front wheel 1 faces left, a leftward slip angle θ11 with respect to the traveling direction A1, i.e., a slip angle θ11 in the same direction as the turning direction, occurs at the front wheel 1, and a leftward cornering force acts as indicated by arrow F1. Meanwhile, the rear wheel 2 faces right, and a rightward slip angle θ12, i.e., a slip angle θ12 in the opposite direction to the turning direction, occurs at the rear wheel 2, and a rightward cornering force acts as indicated by arrow F2. In other words, a toe angle is generated at the rear wheel 2 in the opposite direction to the rocking direction. Furthermore, a leftward camber thrust due to the rocking motion acts on the rear wheel 2 as indicated by arrow F3.

[0036] 8A and 8B are rear views of the vehicle 100 showing the state before and after the swing of the rear body (state before turning and state after turning left), respectively. The position of the axis La (swing axis) of the swing joint 50 is unchanged before and after swing, and passes through the left-right center of the vehicle 100 (on the vehicle center line CL0). Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8A, the center line CL1 passing through the widthwise center of the rear wheel 2 before swing coincides with the axis La. In FIG. 8B, the angle between the perpendicular line L0 (FIG. 3) perpendicular to the road surface S1 and the center line CL1, i.e., the swing angle θ1, is, for example, 15°.

[0037] The rear wheel 2 has a tire with an arc-shaped cross section whose contact area is unlikely to change before and after the swing. Therefore, in the following, the rear wheel 2 is treated as touching the road surface S1 at a point (ground contact point) rather than a surface. Strictly speaking, the tire elastically deforms to touch the road surface S1 at a surface, but since the contact area is narrow when a tire with an arc-shaped cross section is used, in this embodiment, the center of the contact area is defined as the contact point for convenience. The contact point (ground contact point before swing) P2 in FIG. 8A is the same as the contact point P2 in FIG. 3.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 8B, when the rear wheel 2 swings to the left, a point P21 on the tire surface to the left of the pre-swing ground contact point P2 becomes a new ground contact point (post-swing ground contact point). Meanwhile, the pre-swing ground contact point P2 shifts to the right of the axis La and moves above the road surface S1. Although the movement of the ground contact point is minute, the position of the ground contact point is exaggerated in FIGS. 8A and 8B. As shown in FIG. 8A, the post-swing ground contact point P21 is located above the road surface S1 before the swing and does not touch the ground. In other words, the post-swing ground contact point P21 moves below the axis La during swing as shown in FIG. 8B. As a result, the post-swing ground contact point P21 coincides with the left-right position of the axis La when the vehicle 100 turns, improving the turning performance of the vehicle 100. In this embodiment, attention is paid to the position change of the post-swing ground contact point P21, which does not contact the ground before swinging and contacts the ground after swinging, and the post-swing ground contact point P21 is also called the target point. It is preferable that the post-swing ground contact point P21 is set so as to always coincide with the axis La from the start of swinging to the maximum swing state.

[0039] FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the setting of the axis La of the swing joint 50, and shows the position of the axis La before swinging. The axis La in the figure is the same as that in FIG. 3, and the axes Lb and Lc are comparative examples of this embodiment. The angles θa, θb, and θc between the axes La, Lb, and Lc and the horizontal line, that is, the inclination angles, increase in the order of the axes La, Lb, and Lc (θa<θb<θc). Therefore, the intersections Pa, Pb, and Pc between the perpendicular line L0 drawn from the rotation center P1 of the rear wheel 2 to the road surface S1 and the axes La, Lb, and Lc are located in the order of Pc, Pb, and Pa. In particular, the intersection Pa is located above the ground point P2 (FIG. 8A), the intersection Pb is located at the same position as the ground point P2, and the intersection Pc is located below the ground point P2.

[0040] 10A to 10C are plan views showing the change in position of the rear wheel 2 with respect to the axes La, Lb, and Lc when the rear body is swung leftward during a left turn of the vehicle 100, similar to FIG. 8B. P21a, P21b, and P21c in the drawings correspond to the post-swing ground contact point P21 in FIG. 8B. The intersection point P20 between the center line CL1 in the width direction of the rear wheel 2 and the center line CL2 along the center of rotation of the rear wheel 2 is the center point indicating the center position of the rear wheel 2.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 10A, in this embodiment, the post-swing ground contact point P21a is located on the axis La (at the same position as the left-right position of the axis La). Therefore, the position of the ground contact point is the same before and after the swing (both on the axis La), and the vehicle 100 can turn smoothly by swinging the rear body. In contrast, as shown in FIG. 10B and FIG. 10C, in a comparative example of this embodiment, the post-swing ground contact points P21b and P21c are shifted to the left from the axes Lb and Lc, respectively. In this case, the amount of deviation is larger in the example of FIG. 10C than in the example of FIG. 10B. If the post-swing ground contact points P21b and P21c are shifted left-right from the axes Lb and Lc in this way, the position of the ground contact point will be shifted from the swing axis (axis Lb and Lc) every time the vehicle 100 turns, making it difficult to turn smoothly.

[0042] Also, as shown in Fig. 10A, in this embodiment, the slip angle θ12a of the rear wheels 2 when the vehicle 100 turns faces in the opposite direction to the turning direction. Therefore, the turning radius of the vehicle 100 can be reduced, and the turning performance is improved. As shown in Figs. 10A to 10C, the slip angles θ12a, θ12b, and θ12c of the rear wheels 2 when the vehicle 100 turns are larger (θ12a<θ12b<θ12c) as the inclination angle (Fig. 9) of the axes La, Lb, and Lc increases. Therefore, by appropriately setting the inclination angle, the turning performance of the vehicle 100 can be adjusted.

[0043] According to this embodiment, the following advantageous effects can be obtained. (1) Vehicle 100 comprises front wheels 1 and rear wheels 2, a rear body (seat frame 12, swing arm 13) that rotatably supports rear wheel 2, a front body (side frame 11) arranged in front of the rear body, and a swing joint 50 that is arranged between the rear body and the front body and fixed to each of the rear body and supports the rear body so that it can swing in the left-right direction relative to the front body around axis La extending in the fore-and-aft direction (Figures 1A, 1B, 3). The swing joint 50 is provided so that the left-right position of a point of interest (post-swing ground contact point P21) on the surface of the rear wheel 2 that forms the center of the contact area between the rear wheel 2 and the road surface S1 when the rear body swings about the axis La is closer to the axis La than before the rear body swings, more specifically, so that the left-right position of the point of interest after swinging substantially coincides with the left-right position of the axis La (FIGS. 8A, 8B, 10A). In other words, the swing joint 50 is provided so that, when the center of the area of ​​the surface of the rear wheel 2 that contacts the road surface S1 (ground) is taken as the contact point, the left-right position of the post-swing ground contact point P21 (FIG. 8B), which is the contact point when the rear body swings about the axis La, is closer to the axis La than the left-right position of the post-swing ground contact point P21 (FIG. 8A) before the rear body swings.

[0044] With this configuration, before and after the swing of the rear body, the ground contact points (ground contact point P2 before swing and ground contact point P21 after swing) are both located below the axis La. This makes it possible to prevent the ground contact points from shifting left and right from the axis La during swing, enabling the vehicle 100 to turn smoothly.

[0045] (2) The swing joint 50 is provided so that the intersection Pa of the axis La and the perpendicular line L0 to the road surface S1 passing through the rotation center P1 of the rear wheel 2 before the rear body swings is located higher than the road surface S1 (FIGS. 3 and 9). This allows the lateral position of the point of interest after swing (ground contact point P21 after swing) to coincide with the axis La.

[0046] (3) The axis La of the rocking joint 50 is inclined downward toward the rear (FIGS. 3 and 9). This allows the slip angle θ12a of the rear wheel 2 to be generated in the direction opposite to the turning direction (FIG. 10A), thereby improving the turning performance of the vehicle 100.

[0047] (4) The oscillating joint 50 and the rear body are arranged so that when the rear body oscillates about the axis La, the direction of the rear wheels 2 (the direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the rear wheels 2) is shifted from the front-rear direction (axis La) that is the traveling direction of the vehicle 100 (FIG. 10A). This makes it possible to easily improve the maneuverability of the vehicle 100.

[0048] (5) The vehicle 100 further includes a seat 3 and a guide 126 that are connected to the rear body so as to swing together with the rear body and support the user's hips or back (FIGS. 1A and 1B). This allows the rear body to swing easily by shifting the user's weight.

[0049] (6) The vehicle 100 further includes a step 224 that is integral with the front body and on which the user's feet can be placed (FIGS. 1A and 1B). This allows the user to easily swing the rear body relative to the front body by bracing their feet.

[0050] (7) The axis La extends in the front-rear direction along the vehicle center line CL0 at the left-right center of the vehicle 100 (FIGS. 3 and 7). The front wheels 1 have two wheels arranged on both left-right sides of the extension of the axis La, and the rear wheels 2 have a single wheel arranged at the left-right center of the vehicle 100 (FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 7). In such a three-wheeled vehicle with two front wheels and one rear wheel, by configuring the rear wheel 2 side to swing as in this embodiment, the vehicle 100 can stand on its own when stopped, and the turning performance can be improved while ensuring the stability of the vehicle 100.

[0051] However, since the vehicle 100 of this embodiment is configured to be able to oscillate, the following problem may occur when the vehicle 100 travels on a ground surface (a side slope) that is inclined in the vehicle width direction. Fig. 11A is a rear view of the vehicle 100 traveling on a side slope that is inclined at a predetermined angle θα with respect to the horizontal plane. As shown in Fig. 11A, while traveling on a side slope, the center of gravity position Pα of the vehicle 100 shifts left and right (toward the valley) from a reference line CLα that passes through the ground contact point of the rear wheel 2 and extends in the vertical direction. Therefore, a moment due to gravity at the center of gravity position Pα acts on the rear vehicle body with the ground contact point of the rear wheel 2 as a fulcrum.

[0052] As a result, as shown in FIG. 11B, the amount of tilt of the rear vehicle body increases, and the center of gravity position Pα shifts further left and right (toward the valley) from the reference line CLα. From this state, in order to align the center of gravity position Pα with the reference line CLα as shown in FIG. 11C, the user needs to shift his / her weight to change his / her posture. However, the amount of weight shift of the user is large when correcting the posture from the state of FIG. 11B to the state of FIG. 11C, which places a heavy burden on the user. This problem occurs not only when the vehicle 100 runs on a lateral inclined surface, but also when the rear vehicle body tilts outward in the turning direction due to the centrifugal force acting on the vehicle 100 while the vehicle 100 is turning.

[0053] Therefore, in order to regulate the swaying of the rear body when traveling on a lateral inclined surface or when turning, in this embodiment, a regulating section is provided in the connecting section (swing joint 50) that supports the front body and the rear body so that they can swing relatively in the left-right direction, as described below.

[0054] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the swing joint 50 as seen obliquely from the front. As shown in FIG. 12, the swing joint 50 is fixed to a connecting portion 113 into which rear ends (not shown) of the left and right side frames 11 are fitted. The restricting portion 60 is disposed adjacent to the front end surface of the swing joint 50. More specifically, a disk 61 is fixed to the front end of the shaft portion 52 of the swing joint 50, and the disk 61 rotates integrally with the shaft portion 52 about the axis La. A gear 61a having a predetermined number of teeth Z1 (for example, Z1=100) is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the disk 61. A rotating body 62 rotatable about an axis L1 parallel to the axis La is disposed above the disk 61.

[0055] The rotor 62 has small and large diameter disks at the front and rear that rotate together around the axis L1. A gear 62a with a predetermined number of teeth Z2 (e.g., Z2=20) that meshes with the gear 61a is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the small diameter disk. A gear 62b with a predetermined number of teeth Z3 (e.g., Z3=50) is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the large diameter disk. A rotor 63 that can rotate around an axis L2 parallel to the axis La is disposed above the rotor 62. The rotor 63 has small and large diameter disks 631, 632 (see FIG. 13A) at the front and rear that rotate together around the axis L2. A gear 63a with a predetermined number of teeth Z4 (e.g., Z4=20) that meshes with the gear 62b is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the small diameter disk 631. An engagement portion 65 is disposed above the large-diameter disk 632, which is capable of engaging with the outer circumferential surface 63b of the disk.

[0056] Although detailed illustration is omitted, the rotating bodies 62, 63 and the engaging portion 65 are supported via a bracket 64. The bracket 64 is fixed to a bracket 113a at the front end portion of the connecting portion 113 and to a joint case 51 of the swing joint 50 (for example, an upper end portion of a bolt 51a protruding from the joint case 51).

[0057] FIG. 13A is a front view (viewed from the front) showing the main configuration of the regulating unit 60, and shows the initial state when the vehicle 100 travels straight on a horizontal road surface. As shown in FIG. 13A, the engaging unit 65 has a sprag 651 arranged above the rotor 63 and facing the outer circumferential surface 63b of the large-diameter disk 632. A case 652 is arranged above the sprag 651 so as to surround the upper part of the sprag 651. In the initial state of FIG. 13A, a gap is provided between the sprag 651 and the case 652, and the sprag 651 can swing left and right around the axis L3 in the front-rear direction. The bottom surface of the sprag 651 is formed into a gently curved shape. Recesses 651a are provided on the left and right side surfaces of the sprag 651.

[0058] Levers 653 are provided on both the left and right sides of the sprag 651 so as to be rotatable in the up-down direction about an axis L4 parallel to the axis La. The levers 653 are formed so as to be curved upward toward the inside in the left-right direction. In the initial state, the levers 653 are positioned in an initial position rotated upward. At this time, the tip of the levers 653 is disposed away from the left and right side surfaces of the sprag 651 and facing the recesses 651a. Balls 654 are mounted on the upper surfaces of the left and right levers 653 so as to be movable in the left-right direction along the upper surfaces of the levers 653.

[0059] In the initial state, the ball 654 is located on the base end side (outside in the left-right direction) of the lever 653. At this time, the bottom surface of the sprag 651 is separated from the outer circumferential surface 63b of the large-diameter disk 632 of the rotating body 63. Therefore, the rotating body 63 can rotate in either the R1 direction or the R2 direction in FIG. 13A. In the state of FIG. 13A, when the vehicle 100 travels on a side slope as shown in FIG. 11A, for example, the rear body swings, causing the shaft 52 to rotate. The rotation of the shaft 52 is transmitted to the rotating body 63 via the gear 61a of the disk 61, the gears 62a and 62b of the rotating body 62, and the gear 63a of the rotating body 63.

[0060] When traveling on a side slope, as shown in Fig. 13B, the ball 654 moves leftward due to gravity. This causes the right lever 653 to rotate downward, and the tip of the lever 653 abuts against the right end face of the sprag 651, pushing the lower right end of the sprag 651 downward. This causes the sprag 651 to swing leftward and the bottom face of the sprag 651 abuts against the outer circumferential surface 63b of the disk 632 of the rotating body 63. As a result, the rotating body 63 is prevented from rotating in the R1 direction, and the rear body is prevented from swinging leftward.

[0061] When traveling on a side slope, the rotation of the shaft 52 is accelerated at a predetermined speed increase ratio (e.g., 12.5) based on the ratio of the number of teeth of each of the gears 61a, 62a, 62b, and 63a, and is then transmitted to the rotor 63. Therefore, the amount of rotation of the rotor 63 is greater than the amount of rotation of the shaft 52, so that the rotation, i.e., the oscillation, of the shaft 52 can be suppressed with high sensitivity.

[0062] In this way, the leftward swing of the rear body is restricted while traveling on a side slope, so that the amount of swing of the rear body is restricted to the state shown in FIG. 11A. At this time, rotation of the rotating body 63 in the R2 direction in FIG. 13B is permitted, and the rear body can swing to the right. This allows the user to easily return to the position shown in FIG. 11C. When centrifugal force acts during turning, the ball 654 moves in the direction of the centrifugal force. Therefore, the swing of the rear body can be restricted in the same way as when traveling on a side slope.

[0063] FIG. 14 is a front view (view from the front) showing another configuration of the regulating part. The same reference numerals are used for the same parts as in FIG. 12. In the example of FIG. 14, the regulating part 60 has a disk 61 connected to the front end of the shaft part 52, a rotor 621 arranged above the disk 61, a rotor 622 arranged above the rotor 621, and a rotor 66 rotatable around an axis L2. The rotors 621 and 622 are rotatable around axes L11 and L12 parallel to the axis L2, respectively. Gears 621a and 622a having a predetermined number of teeth that mesh with each other are formed on the outer circumferential surfaces of the rotors 621 and 622, respectively. The gear 61a of the disk 61 meshes with the gear 621a.

[0064] The rotor 66 has a small-diameter disk 661 and a pair of large-diameter disks 662, 663, which rotate integrally with each other around the axis L2. A gear 66a with a predetermined number of teeth that meshes with the gear 622a is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the disk 661. The disks 662, 663 have a larger diameter than the disk 632 in Fig. 12, and gears 66b, 66c are formed on the outer circumferential surfaces thereof, as shown in Fig. 15. Each tooth of the gear 66b is formed inclined in the R1 direction, and each tooth of the gear 66c is formed inclined in the R2 direction.

[0065] As shown in Fig. 14, a pair of left and right engagement parts 67 are provided above the disks 662, 663. The engagement parts 67 have a pair of left and right levers 671 that can rotate up and down, and a pair of left and right balls 672 that move in the direction in which gravity and centrifugal force act to push each lever 671. Note that Fig. 14 shows the engagement parts 67 in a simplified manner. Although not shown, the rotating bodies 621, 622, 66 and the engagement parts 67 are supported by the connecting part 113 and the joint case 51 via brackets, similar to Fig. 12.

[0066] FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing the main configuration of the engagement portion 67. Note that the ball 672 is omitted from FIG. 15. As shown in FIG. 15, a pair of left and right levers 671 are rotatably supported via a single shaft portion 673 extending in the front-rear direction. FIG. 15 shows an initial state before the ball 672 moves in the left-right direction. In this state, the claws 671a at the tips of the left and right levers 671 are separated from the gears 66b and 66c, respectively, and the disks 662 and 663 can rotate in the R1 direction and the R2 direction in FIG. 15. Note that the rotation direction of the disks 662 and 663 is opposite to the rotation direction of the disk 61. The number of teeth of the gears 621a and 622a is appropriately set so that the torque is transmitted from the disk 61 to the disks 662 and 663 at a predetermined speed increase ratio.

[0067] From this state, for example, when the vehicle 100 travels on a side slope and the ball 672 moves leftward due to gravity, the claw 671a of the left lever 671 engages with the gear 66b. This prevents the rotation of the rotating body 66 in the R2 direction, limiting the rocking of the rear body. At this time, the rotation of the rotating body 66 in the R1 direction is permitted, so the user can easily correct his / her posture.

[0068] The lever 671 may be extended in a substantially arc shape along the outer circumferential surfaces of the disks 662 and 663 so that the tip of the lever 671 is located slightly below the axis L2, and a weight may be provided at the tip of the lever 671. In this case, the disks 662 and 663 are configured to rotate in the same direction as the disk 61. For example, the rotating body 622 is omitted, and the gear 621a of the rotating body 621 is configured to mesh with the gears 61a and 66a. According to this configuration, when gravity or centrifugal force acts on the weight, the lever 671 rotates, and the claw 671a at the tip engages with the gear 66b or 66c. For example, when gravity acts to the left on the weight, the claw 671a of the right lever 671 engages with the gear 66b. For this reason, the ball 672 for rotating the lever 671 is not required.

[0069] FIG. 16A is a diagram showing yet another configuration of the regulating part. The regulating part 70 shown in FIG. 16A is disposed adjacent to the front end surface of the swing joint 50, similar to the other regulating parts 60. As shown in FIG. 16A, the regulating part 70 has a rotor 71 that is connected to the front end of the shaft part 52 and rotates integrally with the shaft part 52 around the axis La. A plurality of grooves 71a are formed in an uneven shape over the entire circumference of the outer circumferential surface of the rotor 71. A locking member 72 (engagement part) is disposed below the rotor 71 so as to be swingable around an axis L6 parallel to the axis La, which is located on a vertical line L5 passing through the axis La. The locking member 72 has a horizontal part 721 extending in the left-right direction and a vertical part 722 extending upward from both left and right ends of the horizontal part 721, and is configured symmetrically overall.

[0070] A case 73 having a generally concave curved upper surface is disposed below the locking member 72. A ball 74 is disposed between the locking member 72 and the case 73 so as to be movable in the left-right direction. Although not shown in the figure, the locking member 72 is supported by, for example, the joint case 51 so as to be able to swing, and the case 73 is fixed to the joint case 51.

[0071] 16A corresponds to a state in which the vehicle 100 is traveling straight ahead, and in this state, the ball 74 is located on the vertical line L5. Therefore, the locking member 72 does not swing, and the upper ends of the left and right vertical portions 722 are separated from the outer circumferential surface of the rotating body 71. Therefore, the rotating body 71 can rotate in both the R1 direction and the R2 direction, and the rear vehicle body can swing left and right.

[0072] From this state, when the vehicle 100 travels on a side slope (FIG. 11A) that slopes upward to the right, or turns to the right, the ball 74 moves to the left as shown in FIG. 16B. This causes the locking member 72 to swing to the right about the axis L6, and the upper end of the left vertical part 722 of the locking member 72 engages with the groove 71a of the rotating body 71. As a result, the rotating body 71 is prevented from rotating in the R1 direction, and the rear vehicle body is prevented from swinging to the left. At this time, the rotating body 71 can rotate in the R2 direction, and the rear vehicle body is permitted to swing to the right.

[0073] On the other hand, when the vehicle 100 travels on a side slope that slopes upward to the left or turns left from the state shown in FIG. 16A, the ball 74 moves rightward as shown in FIG. 16C. This causes the locking member 72 to swing leftward about the axis L6, and the upper end of the right vertical part 722 of the locking member 72 engages with the groove 71a of the rotating body 71. As a result, the rotating body 71 is prevented from rotating in the R2 direction, and the rear vehicle body is prevented from swinging rightward. At this time, the rotating body 71 can rotate in the R1 direction, and the rear vehicle body is permitted to swing leftward.

[0074] This embodiment can be modified in various ways. Some modified examples will be described below. In the above embodiment, the rear wheel 2 is rotatably supported by the rear body such as the seat frame 12 and the swing arm 13, but the configuration of the rear body as the first member is not limited to this. In the above embodiment, the rear body is provided to be swingable relative to the front body such as the side frame 11, but the configuration of the front body as the second member is not limited to this. The second member may rotatably support the front wheel 1. The first and second members may be configured in any way as long as they are supported by the connecting member so that the swing amount of the first member is larger than the swing amount of the second member when the front and rear wheels swing left and right in a state where they are in contact with the substantially horizontal ground.

[0075] In the above embodiment, the rear vehicle body is supported swingably relative to the front vehicle body via connecting members such as the swing joint 50 and the connecting plate 17, but the configuration of the connecting member is not limited to that described above as long as the first member and the second member are supported swingably relative to each other in the left-right direction about an axis extending in the front-rear direction. In other words, when the left-right position of a point of interest on the surface of the rear wheel 2 that forms the center of the contact area between the rear wheel 2 and the ground when the first member swings about the axis La is defined as a first position, and the left-right position of the point of interest before the first member swings about the axis La is defined as a second position, the connecting member may have any configuration as long as the first position is closer to the axis La than the second position.

[0076] In the above embodiment, the swing joint 50 is provided so that the ground contact point P21 (point of interest) coincides with the axis La after the swing when the rear body swings, but the point of interest does not have to coincide with the axis La as long as the point of interest is closer to the axis La after the swing than before the swing. In the above embodiment, the seat 3 and the guide 126 support the user's buttocks or back, but the configuration of the occupant support part may be any as long as it is connected to the first member so as to swing integrally with the first member. In the above embodiment, the step 124 on which the user's feet are placed when riding is provided, but the configuration of the placement part may be any as long as it is provided integrally with the second member so that the occupant's feet can be placed thereon.

[0077] In the above embodiment (FIGS. 12 to 16C), the restricting portion 60, 70 is provided to restrict the rocking of the rear body, but the restricting portion may have any configuration as long as it restricts the relative rocking of the first member and the second member. More specifically, the restricting portion is preferably provided to restrict the rocking of the first member in a direction in which the angle between a vertical plane extending in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the rear wheel 2 and a vertical plane passing through the ground contact point of the rear wheel 2 increases, or to allow the rocking of the first member in a direction in which the angle decreases. The restricting portion may be provided to restrict the rocking of the first member toward the outside of the turning direction of the vehicle 100, or to allow the rocking of the first member toward the inside of the turning direction. In particular, the restricting portion is preferably provided to prevent the rocking of the first member in at least one of the gravity direction and the centrifugal force direction.

[0078] In the above embodiment, the rotating bodies 63, 66, 71 that operate in conjunction with the swing of the rear vehicle body are configured as the movable part (first engaging element), but the first engaging element may have any configuration as long as it operates in conjunction with the swing of the first member. In other words, the first engaging element may be something other than the rotating body. In the above embodiment (FIGS. 12 to 15), the engaging parts 65, 67 are configured to have the sprags 651 and the lever 671 that are configured to change their positions between a first position in which the rotating bodies 63, 66 are engaged and a second position in which the rotating bodies 63, 66 are disengaged, and in the above embodiment (FIGS. 16A to 16C), the locking member 72 is configured to be able to change its position between a first position in which the rotating body 71 is engaged and a second position in which the rotating body 71 is disengaged, but the configuration of the engaging part (second engaging element) is not limited to the above. In the above embodiment, the restricting portions 60, 70 have the balls 654, 672, 74 that are movable in the direction of gravity and the direction of centrifugal force, but the movable bodies only need to be configured to be rollable, and the shape of the movable bodies is not limited to a sphere. For example, the movable bodies may be cylindrical.

[0079] In the above embodiment, the shaft 52 of the rocking joint 50 is fixed to the rear vehicle body, and the joint case 51 (case portion) is fixed to the front vehicle body, but the shaft may be fixed to the front vehicle body and the case portion may be fixed to the rear vehicle body. In the above embodiment (FIGS. 12 to 15), the rotation of the shaft 52 is accelerated and transmitted to the rotors 63, 66 via the disk 61 and the rotors 62, 622, 623, but the configuration of the torque transmission portion is not limited to this. In the above embodiment, the regulating portions 60, 70 are disposed adjacent to the front end surface of the case portion, but the regulating portions may be disposed adjacent to the rear end surface of the case portion instead of the front end surface. In the above embodiment, the Neidhardt damper 55 having the rubber roller 532 functioning as a repulsive member is used for the rocking joint 50, but the configuration of the repulsive member that accumulates a repulsive force when the first member and the second member rock relatively and biases the rocking in a direction to return is not limited to the above.

[0080] In the above embodiment, the vehicle 100 is configured as a three-wheeled vehicle with two front wheels 1 and one rear wheel 2, but it may have three or more front wheels, or it may have one front wheel and two or more rear wheels. In the above embodiment, the vehicle 100 is configured as an electric vehicle having a battery 40, but it may be a vehicle other than an electric vehicle. In other words, the configuration of the vehicle is not limited to that described above.

[0081] The above description is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment and modifications, as long as the features of the present invention are not impaired. The above-mentioned embodiment and one or more modifications can be arbitrarily combined, and modifications can be combined with each other. [Explanation of symbols]

[0082] 1 front wheel, 2 rear wheel, 11 side frame, 12 seat frame, 13 swing arm, 50 swing joint, 60 restricting portion, 65, 67 engaging portion, 70 restricting portion, 72 locking member, 100 vehicle, P21 ground contact point after swing, La axis

Claims

1. Front and rear wheels; A first member that rotatably supports the rear wheel; A second member disposed in front of the first member; a connecting member that is disposed between the first member and the second member, is fixed to the first member and the second member, and supports the first member and the second member so as to be relatively swingable in the left-right direction about an axis extending in the front-rear direction, The vehicle is characterized in that, when the center of the area of ​​the surface of the rear wheel that contacts the ground is defined as the ground contact point, the left-right position of the post-swing ground contact point, which is the ground contact point when the first member swings around the axis, is closer to the axis than the left-right position of the post-swing ground contact point before the first member swings.

2. 2. The vehicle according to claim 1, The vehicle, wherein the connecting member is arranged so that when the first member oscillates around the axis, the left-right position of the ground contact point after the swinging movement substantially coincides with the axis.

3. 3. The vehicle according to claim 1, the connecting member is disposed so that an intersection of the axis and a perpendicular line to the ground that passes through a center of rotation of the rear wheel before the first member swings is located higher than the ground.

4. 4. The vehicle according to claim 3, The vehicle, wherein the connecting member is provided so that the axis is inclined downwardly toward the rear.

5. The vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, a vehicle characterized in that the connecting member and the first member are arranged such that, when the first member oscillates around the axis, the orientation of the rear wheels, which is a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the rear wheels, shifts with respect to the fore-and-aft direction.

6. The vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The vehicle further comprises an occupant support portion connected to the first member so as to swing integrally with the first member, the occupant support portion supporting the buttocks or back of an occupant.

7. The vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The vehicle further comprises a rest portion provided integrally with the second member on which an occupant's feet can be placed.

8. 8. The vehicle according to claim 7, A vehicle, characterized in that a rear end portion of the mounting portion is located rearward of a front end portion of the first member.

9. 9. The vehicle according to claim 8, The vehicle is characterized in that the placement portion is disposed on the left-right outer side of the first member with a gap therebetween so as not to come into contact with the first member when the first member swings.

10. The vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 9, The axis extends in a front-rear direction through a center of the vehicle in a left-right direction, A vehicle characterized in that the front wheels have two wheels arranged on both left and right sides of an extension of the axis.

11. 11. The vehicle according to claim 10, A vehicle characterized in that the rear wheel has a single wheel located at the center in the left-right direction of the vehicle.

12. The vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 9, a vehicle characterized in that the first member and the second member are supported by the connecting member such that an amount of swing of the first member is greater than an amount of swing of the second member when the front wheels and the rear wheels swing left and right while in contact with a substantially horizontal ground surface.

13. The vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 12, The vehicle further comprises a restricting portion that restricts relative rocking between the first member and the second member.

14. 14. The vehicle according to claim 13, The vehicle is characterized in that the regulating portion is configured to regulate the swing of the first member in a direction in which an angle between a vertical plane extending in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the rear wheel and a vertical plane passing through the ground contact point of the rear wheel increases.

15. 15. The vehicle of claim 14, The vehicle, wherein the restricting portion is provided to allow the first member to pivot in a direction that reduces the angle.

16. The vehicle according to any one of claims 13 to 15, The vehicle, wherein the restricting portion is provided to restrict swinging of the first member toward an outer side of a turning direction of the vehicle.

17. The vehicle according to any one of claims 13 to 16, The vehicle, wherein the restricting portion is configured to allow the first member to swing toward an inner side in a turning direction of the vehicle.

18. The vehicle according to any one of claims 13 to 17, The vehicle, wherein the restricting portion is provided to prevent the first member from swinging in at least one of a direction of gravity and a direction of centrifugal force.

19. The vehicle according to any one of claims 13 to 18, The vehicle is characterized in that the regulating portion has a first engaging element that operates in conjunction with the swinging of the first member, and a second engaging element that is adjustable in position between a first position in which it engages with the first engaging element and a second position in which it disengages from the first engaging element.

20. 20. The vehicle of claim 19, the restriction portion further includes a movable body that is movable in at least one of a gravity direction and a centrifugal force direction, The vehicle, wherein the second engaging element is provided so as to change its position in accordance with the movement of the movable body.

21. 21. The vehicle of claim 20, The moving body is configured to be rollable, The vehicle, characterized in that the second engaging element is configured to change a posture of the second engaging element from the second posture to the first posture when the movable body moves in at least one of a gravity direction and a centrifugal force direction.

22. In the vehicle according to any one of claims 19 to 21, the connecting member has a shaft portion fixed to one of the first member and the second member and extending along the axis, and a case portion fixed to the other of the first member and the second member and supporting the shaft portion for relative rotation about the axis, The first engagement element is provided to operate in conjunction with rotation of the shaft portion about the axis line, The vehicle, wherein the second engaging element is supported by the case portion.

23. 23. The vehicle of claim 22, The first engagement element is a rotor, The second engaging element is provided to face an outer circumferential surface of the first engaging element, The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the restricting portion further includes a torque transmitting portion that increases the rotation speed of the shaft portion and transmits the rotation speed to the first engaging element.

24. 24. A vehicle according to claim 22 or 23, The first engagement element is disposed above the axis line, The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the restriction portion further includes a bracket that supports the second engagement element from an upper surface of the case portion.

25. The vehicle according to any one of claims 22 to 24, The vehicle, wherein the restriction portion is disposed adjacent to a front end surface or a rear end surface of the case portion.

26. A vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 25, The vehicle, wherein the connecting member has a repulsive member that accumulates a repulsive force when the first member and the second member pivot relative to each other, and biases the first member in a direction returning the pivoting motion.

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