Vehicle and its drive system

Abstract

To provide a vehicle and its drive device having superior running performance. [Solution] A vehicle is provided that includes a plurality of drive wheels mounted on a main body and configured so that each drive wheel rotates in at least one of a left direction and a right direction, and a plurality of electric motors provided for each corresponding one of the plurality of drive wheels and configured to generate drive torque to rotate each corresponding drive wheel in at least one of a forward direction and a backward direction.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to vehicles that include multiple drive wheels. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, vehicles using a so-called in-wheel motor system in which the wheels are directly driven by an electric motor such as a motor have been known. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a towing vehicle 12 provided with in-wheel motors 32L, 32R as braking / driving units that apply braking / driving forces independently to the left and right wheels 22L, 22R. In such a towing vehicle 12, the left and right in-wheel motors 32L, 32R can be controlled independently, and the turning operation of the towing vehicle 12 can be controlled by providing a difference in torque between the left and right in-wheel motors 32L, 32R. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2023-183869 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In view of the above-mentioned technology, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a vehicle and a drive device thereof with superior driving performance through various embodiments. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a vehicle including "a plurality of drive wheels mounted on a main body, each of which is configured to rotate in at least one of a left direction and a right direction, and a plurality of electric motors provided for each corresponding one of the plurality of drive wheels, each of which is configured to generate a drive torque that rotates each corresponding drive wheel in at least one of a forward direction and a backward direction."

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a drive device including "a plurality of drive wheels, each configured to rotate in at least one of a left direction and a right direction, and a plurality of electric motors provided for each corresponding one of the plurality of drive wheels, and configured to generate drive torque to rotate each corresponding drive wheel in at least one of a forward direction and a backward direction." Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a vehicle and a drive device thereof having superior driving performance can be provided.

[0008] It should be noted that the above effects are merely illustrative for the convenience of explanation and are not limiting. In addition to or in place of the above effects, any effect described in this disclosure or any effect obvious to a person skilled in the art may be achieved. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an example of the configuration of a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a process flow executed by the control device 100 of the vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a configuration of a drive device 200 of a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6A] FIG. 6A is an explanatory diagram illustrating a simple turning state of the vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6B] FIG. 6B is an explanatory diagram illustrating a simple turning state of the vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7]FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a wheel mechanism 250 of a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a wheel mechanism 250 of a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a knuckle device 220 of a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10A] FIG. 10A is a perspective view showing a configuration of a portion of a knuckle device 220 of a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10B] FIG. 10B is a perspective view showing a configuration of a portion of the knuckle device 220 of the vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a main body 300 of a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a side view showing a state in which the carriage 900 is connected to the vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a carriage 900 connected to a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] 1. Vehicle 1 Configuration The vehicle according to the present disclosure has a plurality of drive wheels installed on a main body. More specifically, the vehicle has a plurality of drive wheels configured to rotate in at least one of a left direction and a right direction. This allows the vehicle to turn in at least one of a left direction and a right direction. The vehicle also has a plurality of electric motors provided on corresponding drive wheels among the plurality of drive wheels and configured to generate drive torque to rotate the corresponding drive wheels in at least one of a forward direction and a backward direction. This allows the vehicle to travel in at least one of a forward direction and a backward direction.

[0011] Such a vehicle is used, for example, to carry and transport at least one of animals including humans and goods, or to tow and transport at least one of animals including humans and goods. The vehicle is preferably used to transport animals such as humans, livestock and pets, as well as goods such as agricultural crops, agricultural materials (e.g., seeds, fertilizers, feed, pesticides, or packaging materials), agricultural equipment, industrial products, industrial materials, industrial equipment, experimental and testing materials, experimental and testing equipment, goods, materials for goods, and deliveries, and more preferably used to transport agricultural crops, agricultural materials (e.g., seeds, fertilizers, feed, pesticides, or packaging materials) and agricultural equipment. Note that the animals and goods exemplified here are merely examples of things that can be transported by the vehicle, and it is natural that other things may be transported. Furthermore, carrying and towing are merely examples of transportation methods, and it is natural that other methods may be used for transportation.

[0012] The vehicle can be used not only on the earth but also in outer space. The vehicle can be used both indoors and outdoors. The vehicle can be used on both smooth and rough ground. For example, such a vehicle is used in paddy fields, fields, orchards, grain farms, pastures, forests, construction sites, disaster areas, factories, buildings, apartment buildings, or ordinary houses, and is preferably used in work areas such as paddy fields, fields, orchards, grain farms, pastures, construction sites, disaster areas, or factories, and is more preferably used in agricultural areas such as paddy fields, fields, orchards, grain farms, or pastures, and is particularly preferably used in orchards. In orchards, where unevenness, mud, slopes, and other irregular ground such as uneven road surfaces, the driving wheels must be individually controlled and flexible operation is required, the vehicle has excellent running performance and can be used well.

[0013] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 1 shows a vehicle 1 including a plurality of drive wheels (left front drive wheel 250a, right front drive wheel 250b, left rear drive wheel 250c, and right rear drive wheel 250d) installed on a main body 300, and a plurality of electric motors (electric motors 290a to 290d) provided for each corresponding one of the plurality of drive wheels. That is, the vehicle 1 includes a front drive device 200a installed in the front of the vehicle 1, a rear drive device 200b installed in the rear of the vehicle 1, a main body 300 installed on the upper surface of the front drive device 200a and the rear drive device 200b, and a control device 100 (not shown in Fig. 1) for controlling at least one of the front drive device 200a and the rear drive device 200b.

[0014] At least one of the front drive unit 200a and the rear drive unit 200b generates a propulsive force for moving the vehicle 1 forward or backward, and functions as a drive unit capable of turning the vehicle 1 left or right. The front drive unit 200a includes a pair of drive wheels (left front drive wheel 250a and right front drive wheel 250b) provided in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the vehicle 1 moves forward, a knuckle unit 220a connected to the left front drive wheel 250a for supporting the left front drive wheel 250a, a knuckle unit 220b connected to the right front drive wheel 250b for supporting the right front drive wheel 250b, a suspension unit 260a connected to the knuckle unit 220a for absorbing shocks while the vehicle 1 is traveling or while an object to be transported is placed, and a suspension unit 260b connected to the knuckle unit 220b for absorbing shocks while the vehicle 1 is traveling or while an object to be transported is placed. The vehicle includes a suspension device 260b, an electric motor 290a housed in the wheel of the left front driving wheel 250a for generating a driving torque to rotate the left front driving wheel 250a in at least one of a forward direction and a rearward direction, an electric motor 290b housed in the wheel of the right front driving wheel 250b for generating a driving torque to rotate the right front driving wheel 250b in at least one of a forward direction and a rearward direction, and a steering device 280a connected to at least one of the knuckle devices 220a and 220b for turning the left front driving wheel 250a and the right front driving wheel 250b.

[0015] The rear drive unit 200b includes a pair of drive wheels (left rear drive wheel 250c and right rear drive wheel 250d) provided in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the vehicle 1 moves forward, a knuckle unit 220c connected to the left rear drive wheel 250c and supporting the left rear drive wheel 250c, a knuckle unit 220d connected to the right rear drive wheel 250d and supporting the right rear drive wheel 250d, a suspension unit 260c connected to the knuckle unit 220c and absorbing shocks while the vehicle 1 is traveling or while an object to be transported is placed on the vehicle 1, and a suspension unit 260c connected to the knuckle unit 220d and absorbing shocks while the vehicle 1 is traveling or while an object to be transported is placed on the vehicle 1. the left rear driving wheel 250c and the right rear driving wheel 250d, and a steering device 280b connected to at least one of the knuckle devices 220c and 220d, for turning the left rear driving wheel 250c and the right rear driving wheel 250d.

[0016] In addition, FIG. 1 illustrates a case where the steering device 280a is connected to the front drive device 200a and the steering device 280b is connected to the rear drive device 200b, but it is also possible to connect a steering device to only one of the front drive device 200a and the rear drive device 200b and have the vehicle 1 turn by only one of them.

[0017] The main body 300 functions as a main body supported by the left front drive wheel 250a, the right front drive wheel 250b, the left rear drive wheel 250c, and the right rear drive wheel 250d via the knuckle devices 220a to 220d. That is, the main body 300 connects the left front drive wheel 250a, the right front drive wheel 250b, the left rear drive wheel 250c, and the right rear drive wheel 250d, respectively, and constitutes the vehicle 1 together with the front drive device 200a and the rear drive device 200b.

[0018] The main body 300 is made of, for example, a metal material such as aluminum, steel, or an alloy thereof, a resin material such as fiber-reinforced resin or hard urethane, or a combination of these, preferably aluminum or an alloy thereof. By making the main body 300 out of aluminum or an alloy thereof, it is possible to achieve both light weight and rigidity.

[0019] The main body 300 includes a main body chassis 310 configured such that its longitudinal direction is along the direction in which the vehicle 1 advances, and a mounting base 360 ​​installed on the main body chassis 310 in a slidable manner in the longitudinal direction of the main body chassis 310. The main body chassis 310 is connected to the front side drive unit 200a at its longitudinal front end and the rear side drive unit 200b at its longitudinal rear end. Specifically, a pair of left front drive wheel 250a and right front drive wheel 250b are arranged in front of the main body chassis 310 so as to be symmetrical to each other across the main body chassis 310. Similarly, a pair of left rear drive wheel 250c and right rear drive wheel 250d are arranged in symmetrical to each other across the main body chassis 310 at the rear of the main body chassis 310.

[0020] As described above, the mounting platform 360 is connected to the main chassis 310 so as to slide along the longitudinal direction of the main chassis 310. That is, the mounting platform 360 can be moved and installed at any position along the longitudinal direction of the main chassis 310. The mounting platform 360 has a horizontally elongated plate-like structure along the short side direction of the main chassis 310. Typically, a carrier platform capable of carrying animals or objects to be transported is installed on the upper portion of the mounting platform 360 formed in a horizontally elongated plate shape. In addition to the carrier platform, various accessories such as a pesticide sprayer, a cultivator, a grass cutter, or a combination of these may be mainly installed on the mounting platform 360.

[0021] Fig. 2 is a plan view showing an example of the configuration of the vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, Fig. 2 is a view showing the configuration of the vehicle 1 when viewed from above. According to Fig. 2, the front drive unit 200a is connected to the front of the main body chassis 310 of the main body 300 in the longitudinal direction, and the rear drive unit 200b is connected to the rear of the front drive unit 200a in the longitudinal direction. A left front drive wheel 250a and a right front drive wheel 250b are respectively installed on the left and right sides of the main body chassis 310 so as to be symmetrical with respect to the main body chassis 310.

[0022] Here, the left front drive wheel 250a includes a rubber tire (however, the material may be other than rubber) having elasticity that contacts the road, and a cylindrical metal wheel (however, the material may be other than metal) on which the tire is mounted. In addition, an electric motor 290a is disposed inside the wheel of the left front drive wheel 250a. The electric motor 290a is also called an in-wheel motor, and functions as a drive force applying unit. That is, the electric motor 290a generates a drive torque for rotating the left front drive wheel 250a in the forward direction of the vehicle 1 (i.e., the forward direction, the direction indicated by the arrow T1 in FIG. 2) with respect to the left front drive wheel 250a that is installed corresponding to the electric motor 290a. Similarly, the electric motor 290a generates a drive torque for rotating the left front drive wheel 250a in the backward direction of the vehicle 1 (i.e., the rearward direction, the direction indicated by the arrow T1 in FIG. 2) with respect to the left front drive wheel 250a.

[0023] Specifically, the electric motor 290a includes a rotor fixed to the left front drive wheel 250a side, and a stator fixed to the main body 300 side at a position corresponding to the rotor. The stator is set in an annular shape around the axis of the rotation shaft of the electric motor 290a. The rotation shaft of the electric motor 290a is connected to the rotation shaft of the wheel via members such as bearings and bearings. Therefore, the electric motor 20a generates an electromagnetic force between the stator and the rotor by supplying power to the stator from the vehicle battery or alternator, and the rotor rotates around the stator due to the electromagnetic force, thereby generating a drive torque for rotating the left front drive wheel 250a. Note that the mechanism of the electric motor 290a is merely an example, and it is natural that the drive torque may be generated by other configurations.

[0024] Similarly, the right front drive wheel 250b includes a rubber tire (however, the material may be other than rubber) having elasticity that contacts the roadway, and a cylindrical metal wheel (however, the material may be other than metal) on which the tire is mounted. An electric motor 290b is disposed inside the wheel of the right front drive wheel 250b. The electric motor 290b is also called an in-wheel motor, and functions as a drive force applying unit. That is, the electric motor 290b generates a drive torque for rotating the right front drive wheel 250b in the forward direction of the vehicle 1 (i.e., forward direction, the direction indicated by the arrow T2 in FIG. 2) with respect to the right front drive wheel 250b that is installed corresponding to the electric motor 290b. Similarly, the electric motor 290b generates a drive torque for rotating the right front drive wheel 250b in the backward direction of the vehicle 1 (i.e., backward direction, the direction indicated by the arrow T2 in FIG. 2) with respect to the right front drive wheel 250b.

[0025] The mechanism by which the electric motor 290b generates the drive torque for rotating the right front drive wheel 250b is similar to that of the electric motor 290a, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0026] The left front driving wheel 250a and the right front driving wheel 250b are connected by a connecting rod 210a that functions as a connecting part, and thus rotate in conjunction with each other in a direction perpendicular to the forward direction of the vehicle 1 (i.e., at least one of the left direction and the right direction, as indicated by the arrows S1 and S2 in FIG. 2). Specifically, a connecting part 221a that connects the knuckle device 220a and the suspension device 260a and serves as the left-right rotation axis of the left front driving wheel 250a, and a connecting part 221b that connects the knuckle device 220b and the suspension device 260b and serves as the left-right rotation axis of the right front driving wheel 250b are formed. The connecting rod 210a has a rod-like shape in which the tip of an arm extending from the connecting part 221a in a direction approaching the left front driving wheel 250a is connected to the left end of the connecting rod 210a, and the tip of an arm extending from the connecting part 221b in a direction approaching the right front driving wheel 250b is connected to the right end of the connecting rod 210a. Details of the mechanism by which the left front driving wheel 250a and the right front driving wheel 250b rotate in conjunction with each other in the directions of the arrows S1 and S2 will be described later with reference to FIG.

[0027] Further, in rear drive device 200b, a left rear drive wheel 250c and a right rear drive wheel 250d are provided on the left and right sides of main body chassis 310 so as to be symmetrical with respect to main body chassis 310.

[0028] Here, the left rear drive wheel 250c includes a rubber tire (however, the material may be other than rubber) having elasticity that contacts the roadway, and a cylindrical metal wheel (however, the material may be other than metal) on which the tire is mounted. In addition, an electric motor 290c is disposed inside the wheel of the left rear drive wheel 250c. The electric motor 290c is also called an in-wheel motor, and functions as a drive force applying unit. That is, the electric motor 290c generates a drive torque for rotating the left rear drive wheel 250c in the forward direction of the vehicle 1 (i.e., the forward direction, the direction indicated by the arrow T3 in FIG. 2) with respect to the left rear drive wheel 250c that is installed corresponding to the electric motor 290c. Similarly, the electric motor 290c generates a drive torque for rotating the left rear drive wheel 250c in the backward direction of the vehicle 1 (i.e., the backward direction, the direction indicated by the arrow T3 in FIG. 2) with respect to the left rear drive wheel 250c.

[0029] The mechanism by which the electric motor 290c generates the drive torque for rotating the left rear drive wheel 250c is similar to that of the electric motor 290a, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0030] Similarly, the right rear drive wheel 250d includes a rubber tire (however, the material may be other than rubber) having elasticity that contacts the roadway, and a cylindrical metal wheel (however, the material may be other than metal) on which the tire is mounted. An electric motor 290d is disposed inside the wheel of the right rear drive wheel 250d. The electric motor 290d is also called an in-wheel motor, and functions as a drive force applying unit. That is, the electric motor 290d generates a drive torque for rotating the right rear drive wheel 250d in the forward direction of the vehicle 1 (i.e., the forward direction, the direction indicated by the arrow T4 in FIG. 2) with respect to the right rear drive wheel 250d that is installed corresponding to the electric motor 290d. Similarly, the electric motor 290d generates a drive torque for rotating the right rear drive wheel 250d in the backward direction of the vehicle 1 (i.e., the backward direction, the direction indicated by the arrow T4 in FIG. 2) with respect to the right rear drive wheel 250d.

[0031] The mechanism by which the electric motor 290d generates the drive torque for rotating the right rear drive wheel 250d is similar to that of the electric motor 290a, and therefore will not be described.

[0032] The left rear driving wheel 250c and the right rear driving wheel 250d are connected by a connecting rod 210b that functions as a connecting part, and thus rotate in conjunction with each other in a direction perpendicular to the forward direction of the vehicle 1 (i.e., at least one of the left direction and the right direction, as indicated by the arrows S3 and S4 in FIG. 2). Specifically, a connecting part 221c that connects the knuckle device 220c and the suspension device 260c and serves as the left-right rotation axis of the left rear driving wheel 250c, and a connecting part 221d that connects the knuckle device 220d and the suspension device 260d and serves as the left-right rotation axis of the right rear driving wheel 250d are formed. The connecting rod 210b has a rod-like shape in which the tip of an arm extending from the connecting portion 221c in a direction approaching the left rear driving wheel 250c is connected to the left end of the connecting rod 210b, and the tip of an arm extending from the connecting portion 221d in a direction approaching the right rear driving wheel 250d is connected to the right end of the connecting rod 210b. Details of the mechanism by which the left rear driving wheel 250c and the right rear driving wheel 250d rotate in the directions of the arrows S3 and S4 in conjunction with each other will be described later with reference to FIG.

[0033] 2, the electric motors 290a, 290b, 290c, and 290d are installed to correspond to the left front drive wheel 250a, the right front drive wheel 250b, the left rear drive wheel 250c, and the right rear drive wheel 250d, respectively. Then, upon receiving control information from the control device 100 (not shown in FIG. 2), the electric motors 290a, 290b, 290c, and 290d are controlled independently. This allows the left front drive wheel 250a, the right front drive wheel 250b, the left rear drive wheel 250c, and the right rear drive wheel 250d to be rotated independently in at least one of the forward and rearward directions. In this way, by installing an electric motor on each of the left front drive wheel 250a, the right front drive wheel 250b, the left rear drive wheel 250c, and the right rear drive wheel 250d and making it possible to control each drive wheel independently, smoother driving is possible, especially on rough roads such as uneven terrain.

[0034] 2, the electric motors are provided to correspond to the left front drive wheel 250a, the right front drive wheel 250b, the left rear drive wheel 250c, and the right rear drive wheel 250d, respectively, but the electric motors may be provided only to the left front drive wheel 250a and the right front drive wheel 250b on the front side of the vehicle 1, or only to the left rear drive wheel 250c and the right rear drive wheel 250d on the rear side of the vehicle 1. If no electric motors are provided, the wheels will not function as drive wheels but will simply function as running wheels.

[0035] 2, the left front drive wheel 250a, the right front drive wheel 250b, the left rear drive wheel 250c, and the right rear drive wheel 250d are configured to rotate in the directions of the arrows S1 to S4 so as to be interlocked with each other. However, instead of this, only the left front drive wheel 250a and the right front drive wheel 250b on the front side of the vehicle 1 may rotate in the directions of the arrows S1 and S2, and the left rear drive wheel 250c and the right rear drive wheel 250d on the rear side of the vehicle 1 may not rotate in the directions of the arrows S3 and S4. Similarly, only the left rear drive wheel 250c and the right rear drive wheel 250d on the rear side of the vehicle 1 may rotate in the directions of the arrows S3 and S4, and the left front drive wheel 250a and the right front drive wheel 250b on the front side of the vehicle 1 may not rotate in the directions of the arrows S1 and S2.

[0036] In the example shown in FIG. 2, the left front drive wheel 250a, the right front drive wheel 250b, the left rear drive wheel 250c, and the right rear drive wheel 250d are configured to rotate in the directions of the arrows S1 to S4 so as to be linked with each other. However, instead of this, the front drive device 200a including the left front drive wheel 250a and the right front drive wheel 250b, and the rear drive device 200b including the left rear drive wheel 250c and the right rear drive wheel 250d may be configured to rotate independently in the directions of the arrows S1 and S2, or in the directions of the arrows S3 and S4. This is possible by each drive device independently receiving control information from the control device 100 and being controlled based on the control information. For example, on rough ground, there may be cases where only one of the drive wheels has a driving problem due to the presence of obstacles, unevenness, mud, etc., but by configuring in this way, it is possible to realize smoother running.

[0037] 2. Control of vehicle 1 FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a control device 100 for controlling each component of the vehicle 1 and each component controlled by the control device 100. According to FIG. 3, the control device 100 of the vehicle 1 includes a processor 111, a memory 112, an input interface 113, an output interface 114, and a communication interface 115. These components are electrically connected to each other via a control line and a data line. Note that the control device 100 does not need to include all of the components shown in FIG. 3, and can be configured by omitting some of them, or can add other components. The control device 100 may be any device that can communicate with other components described in FIG. 3 or other processing devices or server devices installed remotely via a wired or wireless network, and it is also possible to use a smartphone device, a tablet device, a laptop PC device, a desktop PC device, a photographing device, or the like.

[0038] The processor 111 functions as a control unit that controls other components of the vehicle 1 based on a processing program stored in the memory 112. Specifically, the processor 111 executes, based on the processing program stored in the memory 112, "a process of accepting an instruction input from a user to start traveling via the input interface 113," "a process of receiving external environment information from a sensor 600 connected to the control device 100 via a communication interface 115," "a process of generating control information for the vehicle 1 based on the received external environment information," and "a process of transmitting the generated control information via the communication interface 115 to an electric motor 290 (electric motors 290a to 290d) included in the drive device, a steering device 280 (steering device 280a and steering device 280b), an auxiliary device 800, or a combination thereof." The processor 111 is mainly composed of one or more CPUs, but may be appropriately combined with a GPU, an FPGA, or the like.

[0039] The memory 112 is composed of a RAM, a ROM, a non-volatile memory, a HDD, an SSD, etc., and functions as a storage unit. The memory 112 stores, as processing programs, instruction commands for various controls of the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment. Specifically, the memory 112 stores processing programs for the processor 111 to execute "processing of accepting an instruction input to start traveling from a user via the input interface 113," "processing of receiving external environment information from a sensor 600 connected to the control device 100 via a communication interface 115," "processing of generating control information for the vehicle 1 based on the received external environment information," and "processing of transmitting the generated control information to the electric motor 290 (electric motors 290a to 290d) included in the drive device, the steering device 280 (steering device 280a and steering device 280b), the auxiliary device 800, or a combination thereof via the communication interface 115."

[0040] The input interface 113 functions as an input unit that accepts user instruction inputs to the vehicle 1. Examples of the input interface 113 include a steering wheel, a brake pedal, an access pedal, and the like, as well as physical key buttons, a touch panel having an input coordinate system corresponding to the display coordinate system of the display, a mouse, a keyboard, and the like. Note that the input interface 113 does not always need to be physically provided in the control device 100, and may be connected as necessary via a wired or wireless network.

[0041] The output interface 114 functions as an output unit for outputting information indicating the traveling state of the vehicle 1, external environment information detected by the sensor 600, and the like. An example of the output interface 114 is a display configured with a liquid crystal panel, an organic EL display, a plasma display, or the like. However, the control device 100 itself does not necessarily need to be equipped with a display. For example, an interface for connecting to a display or the like connectable to the control device 100 via a wired or wireless network can also function as the output interface 114 for outputting display data to the display or the like.

[0042] The communication interface 115 functions as a communication unit for transmitting and receiving various information such as control information between the sensor 600, the electric motor 290 (electric motors 290a to 290d), the steering device 280 (steering device 280a and steering device 280b), the auxiliary device 800, other processing devices installed remotely, a server device, or a combination of these, which are connected via a wired or wireless network. Examples of the communication interface 115 include various devices such as a wired communication connector such as USB or SCSI, a wireless communication transmission / reception device for wideband wireless communication such as wireless LAN, Bluetooth (registered trademark), or LTE, or an infrared ray, and various connection terminals for a printed circuit board or a flexible circuit board.

[0043] The sensor 600 is communicatively connected to the control device 100 via a communication interface, and functions as a detection unit for detecting external environment information around the main body 300. The external environment information detected by the sensor is processed by the processor 111 and used to generate control information for the vehicle 1. For this reason, examples of the sensor 600 include a camera (image sensor), an infrared sensor, an ultraviolet sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, an acceleration sensor, a radar, an ultrasonic sensor, or a combination thereof, and preferably a camera (image sensor), an infrared sensor, an ultraviolet sensor, a radar, an ultrasonic sensor, or a combination thereof. By using such a sensor 600, external environment information such as obstacles such as people, ladders, agricultural implements, baskets, fences, posts, rocks, fallen branches, or a combination thereof, and road surface conditions of the travel path such as unevenness, inclination, mud, or a combination thereof is detected.

[0044] The electric motors 290 (electric motors 290a to 290d) function as driving force applying units for independently applying driving torque to the correspondingly installed driving wheels (left front driving wheel 250a, right front driving wheel 250b, left rear driving wheel 250c, and right rear driving wheel 250d). That is, the electric motors 290 (electric motors 290a to 290d) adjust the magnitude (strength) and direction of the driving torque applied to each driving wheel based on the control information generated by the control device 100.

[0045] Steering device 280 (steering device 280a and steering device 280b) is installed on at least one of front drive device 200a and rear drive device 200b, and functions as a rotation control unit for rotating each drive wheel (left front drive wheel 250a, right front drive wheel 250b, left rear drive wheel 250c, and right rear drive wheel 250d) in conjunction with each other in the left and right directions (the directions of arrows S1 to S4 in FIG. 2). Steering device 280 adjusts the direction and amount of rotation of each drive wheel in order to turn vehicle 1 based on control information generated in control device 100.

[0046] The accessory device 800 is attached to the main body 300 as an attachment, and functions as an accessory for expanding the functions and uses of the main body 300 or the vehicle 1. Examples of the accessory device 800 include a pesticide spraying device, a cultivator, a grass cutter, or a combination of these. That is, based on the control information generated in the control device 100, it is possible to adjust the start and end of pesticide spraying, the spraying direction, and the spraying amount.

[0047] Although not specifically shown, a platform 900 can also be installed on the vehicle 1. In this case, the control device 100 can also generate control signals for controlling the elevation and inclination of the platform 900.

[0048] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing a processing flow executed by the control device 100 of the vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, Fig. 4 is a diagram showing a processing flow executed by the control device 100 when controlling the traveling of the vehicle 1. The processing flow is mainly performed by the processor 111 of the control device 100 reading and executing a program stored in the memory 112.

[0049] 4, the processor 111 receives an instruction input from the user to start (start) traveling via the input interface 113 (S111). As an example of this process, the processor 111 receives an instruction input from the user via the input interface 113 to a start icon displayed on the display via the output interface 114.

[0050] Next, the processor 111 generates a control signal for transmitting the vehicle 1 based on the received instruction input (S112). As an example of this process, the processor 111 generates a control signal for each of the electric motors 290 (electric motors 290a to 290d) to generate a drive torque for rotating the corresponding drive wheels (left front drive wheel 250a, right front drive wheel 250b, left rear drive wheel 250c, and right rear drive wheel 250d) in a forward direction (forward in the directions of arrows T1 to T4 in FIG. 2). When an instruction input related to the speed and traveling direction of the vehicle 1 is also received as the instruction input in S111, the processor 111 generates a control signal for adjusting the magnitude (strength) of the drive torque and the direction and amount by which each drive wheel is rotated in a direction perpendicular to the forward direction.

[0051] Next, the processor 111 transmits the control signal generated in S112 to at least one of the electric motor 290 and the steering device 280 via the communication interface 115 (S113).

[0052] Next, the processor 111 receives external environment information from the sensor 600 via the communication interface 115, for example, at a predetermined period (S114). As described above, such a sensor 600 may be, for example, a camera (image sensor), an infrared sensor, an ultraviolet sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, an acceleration sensor, a radar, an ultrasonic sensor, or a combination of these. That is, the processor 111 receives, as the external environment information, image data, infrared detection data, ultraviolet detection data, temperature, humidity, acceleration, radar reception data, ultrasonic data, or a combination of these. Note that the external environment information exemplified here is merely an example, and any information usable for generating control information for the vehicle 1 may be used.

[0053] Next, the processor 111 generates control information for moving the vehicle 1 based on the external environment information received in S114 (S115). For example, when an obstacle is detected via the external environment information, the vehicle 1 needs to avoid the obstacle. In such a case, the processor 111 generates a control signal for rotating each of the drive wheels (left front drive wheel 250a, right front drive wheel 250b, left rear drive wheel 250c, and right rear drive wheel 250d) in a direction perpendicular to the forward direction in cooperation with each other, so that the vehicle 1 can turn in a direction to avoid the obstacle. Also, for example, when an inclination of the road is detected via the external environment information, the speed of the vehicle 1 needs to be controlled so as not to slow down too much. In such a case, the processor 111 generates a control signal for increasing the drive torque for the electric motors 290 (electric motors 290a to 290d) provided corresponding to each drive wheel (left front drive wheel 250a, right front drive wheel 250b, left rear drive wheel 250c, and right rear drive wheel 250d). Also, for example, when it is detected through external environment information that only the left front drive wheel 250a and the right rear drive wheel 250d are located on "muddy", it is expected that the rotation speed of these drive wheels will slow down. In such a case, the processor 111 generates a control signal for increasing the drive torque for the left front drive wheel 250a and the right rear drive wheel 250d.

[0054] Next, the processor 111 transmits the control signal generated in S115 to at least one of the electric motor 290 and the steering device 280 via the communication interface 115 (S116).

[0055] Next, processor 111 determines whether or not an instruction input to end (stop) traveling has been received from the user via input interface 113 (S117). As an example of this process, processor 111 receives, via input interface 113, an instruction input from the user to a stop icon displayed on the display via output interface 114. In this case, processor 111 generates a control signal for stopping, specifically, a control signal for setting the drive torque of electric motor 290 (electric motors 290a to 290d) to zero, and transmits the control signal to electric motor 290 via communication interface 115. This ends the process flow.

[0056] If the processor 111 determines that the instruction input has not been received, the process returns to S114 and the processor 111 receives the external environment information again. That is, in this case, the vehicle 1 can be automatically controlled by receiving the external environment information at a predetermined period.

[0057] 4, the traveling direction and speed of the vehicle 1 can be controlled by receiving an operational input from a user via the input interface 113. Also, although not particularly shown in FIG 4, the traveling direction and speed of the vehicle 1 can be controlled based on travel schedule information (e.g., map information) input in advance by a user or the like.

[0058] 3. Turning vehicle 1 As described in FIG. 2 and the like, the vehicle 1 has electric motors 290a to 290d for supplying drive torque for rotation in the forward and backward directions to the corresponding left front drive wheel 250a, right front drive wheel 250b, left rear drive wheel 250c, and right rear drive wheel 250d. That is, the vehicle 1 can move in the forward and backward directions by the electric motors connected to the respective drive wheels. In addition, as described in FIG. 2 and the like, the vehicle 1 has steering devices 280a and 280b for rotating the left front drive wheel 250a, right front drive wheel 250b, left rear drive wheel 250c, and right rear drive wheel 250d in the left and right directions, respectively. That is, the vehicle 1 can turn in the left and right directions by the steering devices 280a and 280b.

[0059] Fig. 5 is a plan view showing a configuration of the drive device 200 of the vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the operation of the front drive device 200a that receives a control signal for turning the vehicle 1 from the control device 100. According to Fig. 5, the front drive device 200a includes a steering device 280a configured to be extendable and retractable upon receiving a control signal, a knuckle device 220a connected to one end of the steering device 280a, a connecting rod 210a connected to an end of the knuckle device 220a opposite to the end to which the steering device 280a is connected, and a knuckle device 220b connected to an end of the connecting rod 210a opposite to the end connected to the knuckle device 220a.

[0060] The steering device 280a is a rod-shaped device having a fixed end fixed to the main body 300 and a connecting end connected to the knuckle device 220a. The steering device 280a includes a male shaft on the fixed end side and a female shaft on the connecting end side. The female shaft moves in the axial direction of the steering device 280a (i.e., in the direction of the arrow M1 or the opposite direction) upon receiving a control signal (a control signal for turning the vehicle 1) from the control device 100. That is, the steering device 280a is configured to be extendable and retractable in the axial direction of the steering device 280a (i.e., in the direction of the arrow M1 or the opposite direction) based on the control signal. The telescopic mechanism of the steering device 280a is configured so that the female shaft having a helical structure is inserted or removed by rotating inside the male shaft having an inner wall formed to fit into the helical structure, but any structure may be used as long as it can adjust the amount of extension and retraction according to a control signal including the angle at which the vehicle 1 is turned. Therefore, the telescopic mechanism can also be configured with a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder mechanism. Moreover, as this type of steering device, in addition to the one shown in FIG. 5, various other types such as a rack and pinion type or a ball nut type can be adopted.

[0061] The knuckle device 220a includes a first arm 225a extending toward the steering device 280a and a second arm 222a extending toward the connecting rod 210a, with a base connected to the left front driving wheel 250a as the center. The base of the knuckle device 220a has a left end connected to the left front driving wheel 250a and a right end rotatably connected to the main body 300 via a suspension device 260a in the left-right direction (i.e., in a direction perpendicular to the forward direction of the vehicle 1). In other words, the left front driving wheel 250a connected to the left end of the knuckle device 220a rotates in the left-right direction around the right end (connecting portion 221a) rotatably connected to the suspension device 260a as the rotation axis.

[0062] The first arm 225a includes a base end portion fixed to the base side and the other end portion 224 rotatably connected to the connecting end of the steering device 280a. In other words, when the steering device 280a expands or contracts, the force is transmitted to the knuckle device 220a via the other end portion 224.

[0063] The second arm 222a includes a base end portion fixed to the base side and the other end portion 223a rotatably connected to the end portion of the connecting rod 210a. Here, as shown in FIG. 2, when the left front driving wheel 250a faces a straight direction without rotating left and right, the other end portion 223a of the second arm 222a is formed so as to be located outside (i.e., on the left front driving wheel 250a side) of an imaginary straight line extending from the right end portion (connecting portion 221a) of the base end portion that is the rotation axis of the left front driving wheel 250a along the forward direction of the vehicle 1. That is, the other end portion 223a of the second arm 222a is located outside the right end portion of the base end portion when the vehicle 1 is viewed from above.

[0064] The knuckle device 220b is configured to be substantially symmetrical to the knuckle device 220a with respect to the central axis of the main body 300. That is, the knuckle device 220b includes a first arm 225b and a second arm 222b extending toward the connecting rod 210a side, with a base connected to the right front driving wheel 250b as the center. The base of the knuckle device 220b has a right end connected to the right front driving wheel 250b and a left end rotatably connected to the main body 300 in the left-right direction (i.e., in a direction perpendicular to the forward direction of the vehicle 1) via a suspension device 260b. That is, the right front driving wheel 250b connected to the right end of the knuckle device 220b rotates in the left-right direction with the left end rotatably connected to the suspension device 260b as the rotation axis (connecting portion 221b).

[0065] The first arm 225b includes a base end fixed to the base side and an open end that is not connected to anything. The second arm 222a includes a base end fixed to the base side and the other end 223b rotatably connected to the end of the connecting rod 210a. Here, as shown in FIG. 2, the other end 223b of the second arm 222b is formed so as to be located outside (i.e., on the side of the right front driving wheel 250b) from a virtual straight line extending from the left end of the base end that is the rotation axis (connecting portion 221b) of the right front driving wheel 250b along the forward direction of the vehicle 1 when the right front driving wheel 250b faces a straight direction without rotating left and right. That is, the other end 223b of the second arm 222b is located outside the left end of the base end when the vehicle 1 is viewed from above.

[0066] The connecting rod 210a is a rod-shaped member having one end (left end) rotatably connected to the other end 223a of the knuckle gear 220a and the other end (right end) opposite to the one end rotatably connected to the other end 223b of the knuckle gear 220b. The left and right knuckle gears 220a and 220b are connected by the connecting rod 210a, so that the left front drive wheel 250a and the right front drive wheel 250b can rotate left and right so as to be linked with each other.

[0067] That is, for example, in FIG. 5, when a control signal for turning the vehicle 1 to the right is generated in the control device 100, the steering device 280a extends in the direction of the arrow M1 along its axial direction by a predetermined amount based on the control signal. Then, the knuckle device 220a rotatably connected to the connecting end of the steering device 280a rotates together with the left front driving wheel 250a in the direction of the arrow M2 as a whole. In addition, with the rotation, the connecting rod 210a connected to the other end 223a of the second arm of the knuckle device 220a moves in the direction of the arrow M3. Then, the knuckle device 220b connected to the other end (right end) of the connecting rod 210a rotates together with the right front driving wheel 250b in the direction of the arrow M4 as a whole. This enables the left front driving wheel 250a and the right front driving wheel 250b to rotate to the right so as to be linked to each other.

[0068] In addition, in FIG. 5, when a control signal for turning the vehicle 1 to the left is generated in the control device 100, the steering device 280a contracts in the direction opposite to the arrow M1 along its axial direction by a predetermined amount based on the control signal. Then, the knuckle device 220a rotatably connected to the connecting end of the steering device 280a rotates together with the left front driving wheel 250a in the direction opposite to the arrow M2 as a whole. Also, accompanying the rotation, the connecting rod 210a connected to the other end 223a of the second arm of the knuckle device 220a moves in the direction opposite to the arrow M3. Then, the knuckle device 220b connected to the other end (right end) of the connecting rod 210a rotates together with the right front driving wheel 250b in the direction opposite to the arrow M4 as a whole. This allows the left front driving wheel 250a and the right front driving wheel 250b to rotate leftward so as to be linked to each other.

[0069] Here, the length of the connecting rod 210a in the longitudinal direction is configured to be longer than the length of a straight line connecting the right end (connecting portion 221a) of the base of the knuckle device 220a, which serves as the rotation shaft of the left front driving wheel 250a, and the left end (connecting portion 221b) of the base of the knuckle device 220b, which serves as the rotation shaft of the right front driving wheel 250b. That is, a quadrangle is formed by four points: the left end of the connecting rod 210a, the right front end of the connecting rod 210b, the right end of the base of the knuckle device 220a (connecting portion 221a: position that serves as the rotation shaft of the left front driving wheel 250a), and the left end of the base of the knuckle device 220b (connecting portion 221b: position that serves as the rotation shaft of the right front driving wheel 250b). Specifically, when the left front driving wheel 250a and the right front driving wheel 250b are facing in a straight line direction without rotating left or right, the rectangle forms a trapezoid with a long side connecting the left end of the connecting rod 210a and the right front end of the connecting rod 210b and a short side connecting the right end of the base of the knuckle device 220a and the left end of the base of the knuckle device 220b. This enables the vehicle 1 to turn more smoothly.

[0070] FIG. 6A is an explanatory diagram showing a simple turning state of the vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, it is a diagram showing the angles of the left front drive wheel 250a and the right front drive wheel 250b when the vehicle 1 turns rightward. According to FIG. 6A, when the vehicle 1 turns rightward at a certain angle, the left front drive wheel 250a rotates rightward around the right end portion (connection portion 221a) of the base of the knuckle device 220a as the rotation axis along a circle G1. The circle G1 is a circle whose center is an arbitrary position C1 on the extension line of the rotation axes of the left rear drive wheel 250c and the right rear drive wheel 250d and inside the circle around which the vehicle 1 turns, and whose radius is a line connecting the position C1 and the left front drive wheel 250a. The right front drive wheel 250b rotates rightward about the left end of the base of the knuckle device 220b as a rotation axis (connection portion 221b) along a circle G2. The circle G2 is centered at position C1, which is the same position as the center of circle G1, and has a radius that is a line connecting position C1 and the right front drive wheel 250b.

[0071] 6A, when turning the vehicle 1 to the right, the rotation angle R2 of the right front driving wheel 250b (i.e., the angle formed by the right front driving wheel 250b rotated to the right relative to the right front driving wheel 250b when traveling straight) which is the inner wheel is larger than the rotation angle R1 of the left front driving wheel 250a (i.e., the angle formed by the left front driving wheel 250a rotated to the right relative to the left front driving wheel 250a when traveling straight). This enables the vehicle 1 to turn more smoothly, especially when turning at a low speed.

[0072] 6A has been described for the case where the vehicle 1 is turned to the right, but for the case where the vehicle 1 is turned to the left, the mechanism is the same as for the case where the vehicle 1 is turned to the right, except that the center of the circle is located on the left side of the vehicle 1 and the magnitude of the rotation angle of each drive wheel is reversed. Also, the centers (position C1) of the circles G1 and G2 of each drive wheel may be moved on the extensions of the rotation axes of the left rear drive wheel 250c and the right rear drive wheel 250d according to the turning angle of the vehicle 1 set by the control signal.

[0073] Returning to FIG. 5 again, when the left front drive wheel 250a and the right front drive wheel 250b are facing in a straight direction without rotating left and right, the rectangle formed by the connecting rod 210a and the like is formed as a trapezoid with the long side connecting the left end of the connecting rod 210a and the right front end of the connecting rod 210b, and the short side connecting the right end of the base of the knuckle device 220a and the left end of the base of the knuckle device 220b. This makes it possible to make the rotation angle of the drive wheel on the inside of the turn larger than the rotation angle of the drive wheel on the outside of the turn, as shown in FIG. 6A, when the vehicle 1 turns. This makes it possible for the vehicle 1 to turn more smoothly, especially when turning at a low speed.

[0074] In the example of FIG. 5, the length of the connecting rod 210a is adjusted so that the shape of the trapezoid is a long side that connects the left end of the connecting rod 210a and the right front end of the connecting rod 210b, and a short side that connects the right end of the base of the knuckle device 220a and the left end of the base of the knuckle device 220b. However, the invention is not limited to this. It is also possible to adjust the length of the connecting rod 210a so that the shape of the trapezoid is a short side that connects the left end of the connecting rod 210a and the right front end of the connecting rod 210b, and a long side that connects the right end of the base of the knuckle device 220a and the left end of the base of the knuckle device 220b. In this case, the connecting rod 210a is located inside the side that connects the right end of the base of the knuckle device 220a and the left end of the base of the knuckle device 220b (i.e., on the rear drive device 200b side of the vehicle 1).

[0075] 5, the operation of the front drive unit 200a has been described, but the rear drive unit 200b can also be rotated in a direction perpendicular to the forward direction of the vehicle 1. In this case, when a control signal for controlling the rotation of the front drive unit 200a is received, the rear drive unit 200b is also rotated in the same manner. That is, the rear drive unit 200b includes a steering unit 280b configured to be extendable and retractable upon receiving a control signal, a knuckle unit 220c connected to one end of the steering unit 280b, a connecting rod 210b connected to an end of the knuckle unit 220c opposite to the end to which the steering unit 280b is connected, and a knuckle unit 220c connected to an end of the connecting rod 210a opposite to the end to which the knuckle unit 220c is connected. Further, the knuckle gear 220c is connected to the left rear drive wheel 250c, and the knuckle gear 220d is connected to the right rear drive wheel 250d. Therefore, as in the operation described in Fig. 5, as the steering gear 280b expands and contracts, the knuckle gear 220c, the connecting rod 210b, and the knuckle gear 220d operate, so that the left rear drive wheel 250c and the right rear drive wheel 250d rotate in an interlocking manner. A detailed description of the operation is omitted here, as it is the same as that of the front drive gear 200a.

[0076] Fig. 6B is an explanatory diagram showing a simple turning state of the vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, it is a diagram showing the angles of the left front drive wheel 250a, the right front drive wheel 250b, the left rear drive wheel 250c, and the right rear drive wheel 250d when the vehicle 1 turns to the right. That is, while Fig. 6A describes a case where only the left front drive wheel 250a and the right front drive wheel 250b rotate, Fig. 6B describes a case where all four wheels, the left front drive wheel 250a, the right front drive wheel 250b, the left rear drive wheel 250c, and the right rear drive wheel 250d rotate.

[0077] According to FIG. 6B, when the vehicle 1 is turned to the right at a certain angle, the left front drive wheel 250a and the left rear drive wheel 250c rotate to the right around the right end of the base of the knuckle gear 220a and the right end of the base of the knuckle gear 220c, respectively, as a rotation axis along a circle G3. The circle G3 is a circle whose center is an arbitrary position C2 inside the turning circle of the vehicle 1, which is on a straight line extending in a direction perpendicular to the forward direction of the vehicle 1 from the center of gravity of the rectangle formed by the drive wheels, and whose radius is a line connecting the position C2 with the left front drive wheel 250a and the left rear drive wheel 250c. The right front drive wheel 250b and the right rear drive wheel 250d rotate to the right around the left end of the base of the knuckle gear 220b and the left end of the base of the knuckle gear 220d, respectively, as a rotation axis along a circle G4. The circle G4 is centered at position C2, which is the same position as the center of circle G3, and has a radius equal to a line connecting position C2 with the right front driving wheel 250b and the right rear driving wheel 250d. Position C2 is preferably located on a line that is midway between an extension line of the rotational axis in the front-rear direction of the left front driving wheel 250a and the right front driving wheel 250b, and an extension line of the rotational axis in the front-rear direction of the left rear driving wheel 250c and the right rear driving wheel 250d.

[0078] 6B, when the vehicle 1 is turned to the right, the rotation angle R4 of the right front drive wheel 250b (i.e., the angle formed by the right front drive wheel 250b rotated to the right relative to the right front drive wheel 250b when going straight) and the rotation angle R6 of the right rear drive wheel 250d (i.e., the angle formed by the right rear drive wheel 250d rotated to the right relative to the right rear drive wheel 250d when going straight) which are the inner wheels are larger than the rotation angle R3 of the left front drive wheel 250a (i.e., the angle formed by the left front drive wheel 250a rotated to the right relative to the left front drive wheel 250a when going straight) and the rotation angle R5 of the left rear drive wheel 250c (i.e., the angle formed by the left rear drive wheel 250c rotated to the right relative to the left rear drive wheel 250c when going straight). This enables the vehicle 1 to turn more smoothly, especially when turning at a low speed. Furthermore, by rotating all four drive wheels, the vehicle 1 can turn in a smaller radius.

[0079] 6B, the case where the vehicle 1 is turned to the right has been described, but when turning to the left, the mechanism is the same as when turning to the right, except that the center of the circle is located on the left side of the vehicle 1 and the magnitude of the rotation angle of each drive wheel is opposite. Also, the centers (position C2) of the circles G3 and G4 of each drive wheel may move on the same straight line according to the turning angle of the vehicle 1 set by the control signal.

[0080] In addition, in the example of Fig. 6A, only the front drive device 200a is rotated, and in the example of Fig. 6B, both the front drive device 200a and the rear drive device 200b are rotated. However, it is of course also possible to rotate only the rear drive device 200b.

[0081] As shown in Figures 6A and 6B, by rotating each drive wheel along a circle with a common center (circle G1 and circle G2, or circle G3 and circle G4), the ground contact force with the ground can be reduced, and handling and driving performance can be improved, especially on rough terrain.

[0082] 4. Wheel Mechanism Configuration Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a wheel mechanism 250 of a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, Fig. 7 is a diagram showing a configuration of a left front wheel mechanism 250 including a left front driving wheel 250a of the vehicle 1. Note that although the other wheel mechanisms (i.e., the right front wheel mechanism 250, the left rear wheel mechanism 250, and the right rear wheel mechanism 250) are not shown, the other wheel mechanisms also have the same configuration as the wheel mechanism 250.

[0083] According to FIG. 7, the left front wheel mechanism 250 includes at least a left front driving wheel 250a, a knuckle device 220a, and a suspension device 260a. The configuration of the left front driving wheel 250a is as described in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. As described in FIG. 5, the knuckle device 220a includes at least a left end portion 226a to which the left front driving wheel 250a is connected, and a right end portion (connecting portion 221a) connected to the suspension device 260a so as to be rotatable in the left-right direction (i.e., in a direction perpendicular to the forward direction of the vehicle 1). That is, the connecting portion 221a of the knuckle device 220a has an axis 227a extending along a straight line H1 that is a rotation axis in the left-right direction of the left front driving wheel 250a, and the knuckle device 220a is configured to be rotatable around the axis 227a.

[0084] The knuckle device 220a is made of, for example, a metal material such as aluminum, steel, or an alloy thereof, a resin material such as fiber-reinforced resin or hard urethane, or a combination thereof, preferably steel or an alloy thereof, and more preferably carbon steel or an alloy thereof. The knuckle device 220a is an important component that supports the load of people or objects placed on the vehicle 1, and by making the knuckle device 220a out of carbon steel or an alloy thereof, it is possible to ensure sufficient rigidity.

[0085] The suspension device 260a includes at least a pair of upper and lower connecting arms 268a and 269a configured to sandwich the connecting portion 221a of the knuckle device 220a from above and below, and an elastic mechanism 261a. The connecting arm 268a has one end 263a having a hole centered on a straight line H1 that is a rotation axis in the left-right direction of the left front driving wheel 250a. The shaft core 227a of the knuckle device 220a is inserted into the one end 263a, so that the suspension device 260a is rotatably connected to the knuckle device 220a around the shaft core 227a. The connecting arm 268a also has a pair of lower connecting portions 262a at a position opposite to the one end 263a, which are rotatably connected to the main body 300 in the up-down direction (i.e., the direction of gravity). The lower connecting portion 262a has a hole formed along the forward movement direction of the vehicle 1. That is, by inserting the shaft core of the main body 300 into the inside of the hole, the suspension device 260a is connected to the main body 300 so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction. Also, the connecting arm 268a has a connecting portion to which the lower end portion of the elastic mechanism 261a is connected at a position between the one end portion 263a and the pair of lower connecting portions 262a (i.e., a position that is approximately the center of gravity of the connecting arm 268a).

[0086] The connecting arm 269a has one end 264a having a hole centered on a straight line H1 that is a rotation axis in the left-right direction of the left front driving wheel 250a. The shaft core 227a of the knuckle device 220a is inserted into the one end 264a, so that the suspension device 260a is rotatably connected to the knuckle device 220a around the shaft core 227a. The connecting arm 269a also has a pair of upper connecting parts 265a at a position opposite to the one end 264a, which are rotatably connected to the main body 300 in the vertical direction (i.e., the direction of gravity). The upper connecting parts 265a have holes formed along the forward direction of the vehicle 1. In other words, the shaft core of the main body 300 is inserted into the hole, so that the suspension device 260a is rotatably connected to the main body 300 in the vertical direction.

[0087] The elastic mechanism 261a is composed of an elastic member that can expand and contract in the vertical direction (i.e., the direction of the center of gravity). As such an elastic member, various materials such as a coil spring, rubber, a torsion bar, and a spiral spring can be used, for example. The lower end of the elastic mechanism 261a is connected to a lower connecting portion 262a of a connecting arm 268a of the suspension device 260a. The upper end of the elastic mechanism 261a is connected to the main body 300. Therefore, when a load is applied to the main body 300 in the downward direction (gravity direction), one end 263a of the connecting arm 268a and one end 264a of the connecting arm 269a try to move in opposite directions, but the elastic mechanism 261a can mitigate the sudden movement. In other words, the elastic mechanism 261a can mitigate the load in the gravity direction and the load in the opposite direction, and effectively suppress vibrations and the like on the vehicle 1.

[0088] Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing a configuration of the wheel mechanism 250 of the vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, Fig. 8 is a diagram showing the configuration of the left front drive wheel 250a of the left front wheel mechanism 250. Note that, although Fig. 8 shows the structure of the left front drive wheel 250a, the other drive wheels (right front drive wheel 250b, left rear drive wheel 250c, and right rear drive wheel 250d) have the same configuration.

[0089] 8, the left front drive wheel 250a includes a tire and a cylindrical metal wheel on which the tire is mounted. An electric motor 290a (for example, an in-wheel motor) is disposed inside the wheel. A signal line 291a is connected to the electric motor 290a. A control signal from the control device 100 and an electromagnetic force from a battery or the like are supplied via the signal line 291a.

[0090] 8, the electric motor 290 has a rotor fixed to the left front drive wheel 250a side and a stator fixed to the main body 300 side at a position corresponding to the rotor. The stator is set in an annular shape around the axis of the rotating shaft 292a of the electric motor 290a. In addition, the rotating shaft 292a of the electric motor 290a is connected to the rotating shaft of the wheel via members such as bearings and bearings.

[0091] As shown in FIG. 8, the rotating shaft 292a of the stator is formed so as to be the same as the rotating shaft of the left front driving wheel 250a when the left front driving wheel 250a is rotated in the direction to move the vehicle 1 forward or backward. That is, the rotating shaft 292a has a shape that protrudes toward the main body 300 along the rotating shaft. The protruding portion of the rotating shaft 292a is formed in a cylindrical shape as a whole, but has a flat portion 293a that is formed at least partially flat. By inserting the rotating shaft 292a configured in this way into the knuckle device 220a, the rotating shaft 292a is coupled to the knuckle device 220a so that the rotating shaft 292a does not rotate. In addition, by forming the rotating shaft 292a in a cylindrical shape, the flat portion 293a can receive a load from the gravity direction or the opposite direction, thereby making it possible to more firmly support the main body 300. Although the flat portion 293a is formed on only one surface in FIG. 8, a flat portion is similarly formed on the other surface on the opposite side to the flat portion 293a.

[0092] In this way, the rotating shaft 292a of the stator is fixed to the main body 300 etc. so as not to rotate by being connected to the knuckle device 220a etc. On the other hand, the rotor is fixed to the wheel etc. of the left front driving wheel 250a. Therefore, the stator is formed in an annular shape around the rotating shaft 292a, and the rotor rotates so as to follow the annular stator. This causes the left front driving wheel 250a, including the wheel to which the rotor is fixed, to rotate.

[0093] FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a configuration of the knuckle device 220 of the vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Also, FIGS. 10A and 10B are perspective views showing a configuration of a part of the knuckle device 220 of the vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, FIG. 9 is a view showing a structure of the knuckle device 220a of the left front wheel mechanism 250. Also, FIG. 10A is a view showing a structure of the first knuckle body 230 constituting the knuckle device 220a. Also, FIG. 10B is a view showing a structure of the second knuckle body 240 constituting the knuckle device 220a. Note that although FIGS. 9, 10A, and 10B show the structure of the left front drive wheel 250a, the other drive wheels (right front drive wheel 250b, left rear drive wheel 250c, and right rear drive wheel 250d) have the same configuration.

[0094] 9, knuckle device 220a includes at least a first knuckle body 230, a second knuckle body 240, and a bearing 229 formed by first knuckle body 230 and second knuckle body 240. As shown in FIG.

[0095] The first knuckle body 230 and the second knuckle body 240 are fixed to contact each other on a surface formed along the direction of gravity. Specifically, the first knuckle body 230 includes a surface 235a that contacts the second knuckle body 240, and a pair of insertion holes 231a and 231b that are formed to cross a surface 235b that faces the surface 235a. The second knuckle body 240 also includes a surface 245a that contacts the first knuckle body 230, and a pair of insertion holes 241a and 241b (not shown in FIG. 9) that are formed to cross a surface 245b that faces the surface 245a (not shown in FIG. 9). The pair of insertion holes 231a and 231b, and the pair of insertion holes 241a and 241b are formed on the same axis at positions where insertion holes 231a and 241a correspond to each other, and insertion holes 231b and 241b correspond to each other. Therefore, first knuckle body 230 and second knuckle body 240 are fixed to each other by inserting a fixing core material so as to straddle insertion holes 231a and 241a, and by inserting a fixing core material so as to straddle insertion holes 231b and 241b.

[0096] 9 and 10A, first knuckle body 230 includes a first recess 232 formed on surface 235a so as to be recessed in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which rotation shaft 292a is inserted. First recess 232 includes a first upper flat portion 233a having at least a portion of its upper surface formed flat, a first lower flat portion 233b having at least a portion of its lower surface formed flat, and an arc-shaped side portion formed to connect first upper flat portion 233a and first lower flat portion 233b.

[0097] 9 and 10B, second knuckle body 240 includes second recess 242 formed on surface 245a so as to be recessed in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which rotation shaft 292a is inserted. Second recess 242 includes second upper flat portion 243a having at least a portion of its upper surface formed flat, second lower flat portion 243b having at least a portion of its lower surface formed flat, and an arc-shaped side portion formed to connect second upper flat portion 243a and second lower flat portion 243b.

[0098] Then, the first knuckle body 230 and the second knuckle body 240 are fixed so that the surfaces 235a and 245a are in contact with each other, and the first recess 232 and the second recess 242, which are formed at corresponding positions, are integrated to form the bearing 229. At this time, the first upper flat portion 233a and the second upper flat portion 243a are integrated to form the same plane. Furthermore, the first lower flat portion 233b and the second lower flat portion 243b are integrated to form the same plane. Therefore, the bearing 229 has an inner surface formed to be hollow as a whole. The inner surface of the bearing 229 has an upper surface flat portion formed by the first upper flat portion 233a and the second upper flat portion 243a being integrated with each other, and a lower surface flat portion formed by the first lower flat portion 233b and the second lower flat portion 243b being integrated with each other.

[0099] The rotating shaft 292a is inserted into the bearing 229 so that the upper flat portion 293a of the rotating shaft 292a contacts the upper flat portion thus formed, and the lower flat portion 293a of the rotating shaft 292a contacts the lower flat portion. This allows the bearing 229 to support the rotating shaft 292a and to distribute and support the force applied from the direction of gravity or the opposite direction at the flat portion, thereby forming a stronger structure.

[0100] 10A and 10B, face 235a of first knuckle body 230 has a pair of fitting protrusions (fitting protrusion 234a and fitting protrusion 234b). Fitting protrusion 234a and fitting protrusion 234b are configured to protrude outward from face 235a. Furthermore, insertion holes 231a and 231b are formed approximately at the centers of fitting protrusion 234a and fitting protrusion 234b.

[0101] Furthermore, surface 245a of second knuckle body 240 has a pair of fitting recesses (fitting recess 244a and fitting recess 244b). Fitting recess 244a and fitting recess 244b are configured to be recessed inward from surface 245a at positions corresponding to fitting protrusion 234a and fitting protrusion 234b. Furthermore, insertion hole 241a and insertion hole 241b (neither of which are shown in FIG. 10B) are formed approximately at the center of fitting recess 244a and fitting recess 244b. Therefore, first knuckle body 230 and second knuckle body 240 are positioned and fixed to each other by fitting fitting protrusion 234a to fitting recess 244a and fitting protrusion 234b to fitting recess 244b. At this time, by inserting the same fixing core material into both insertion holes 231a and 241a, and the same fixing core material into both insertion holes 231b and 241b, it is possible to more firmly fix first knuckle body 230 and second knuckle body 240.

[0102] That is, according to Figures 9, 10A and 10B, the knuckle device 220a includes a bearing 229 that is hollow in a direction along a rotation axis 292a for rotating the left front driving wheel 250a in at least one of a forward direction and a rearward direction, and is configured to fix the left front driving wheel 250a by inserting the rotation axis 292a, and a rotation axis portion (connecting portion 221a) that is rotatably connected to the main body 300 around a rotation axis perpendicular to the rotation axis 292a, and is configured to rotate the left front driving wheel 250a in at least one of a left direction and a right direction.

[0103] The bearing 229 has flat portions formed so that at least a part of the upper and lower sides of the inner surface formed in a hollow shape is flat. The knuckle device 220a also includes a first knuckle body 230 and a second knuckle body 240 fixed to be in contact with a surface formed along the gravity direction of the first knuckle body 230. The first knuckle body also includes a first recess 232 formed in a surface in contact with the second knuckle body 240 so as to be recessed in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis 292a, and the second knuckle body 240 also includes a second recess 242 formed in a surface in contact with the first knuckle body 230 so as to be recessed in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis 292a. The bearing 229 is formed by the first recess 232 and the second recess 242.

[0104] First knuckle body 230 includes an engaging convex portion (at least one of engaging convex portion 234a and engaging convex portion 234b) formed to protrude from the surface that contacts second knuckle body 240, and second knuckle body 240 includes an engaging recess (at least one of engaging recess 244a and engaging recess 244b) formed on the surface that contacts first knuckle body 230 so that the engaging recess fits into it, and first knuckle body 230 and second knuckle body 240 are positioned and fixed to each other by the engaging convex portion and the engaging recess.

[0105] 9, 10A, and 10B, any number of fitting recesses, fitting protrusions, insertion holes, etc. may be formed. In addition, any shape may be adopted, for example, by reversing the recesses and protrusions, or by making the protruding shape a triangular pyramid.

[0106] 9, 10A, and 10B, the bearing 229 is generally hollow and has flat portions on the upper and lower sides of its inner surface to fix the rotating shaft 292a so that it does not rotate. However, this is not limiting, and the rotating shaft 292a and the bearing 229 may have any shape, such as forming the rotating shaft 292a into a screw shape and forming the bearing 229 into a screw hole shape.

[0107] 5. Main unit configuration 11 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a main body 300 of a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The main body 300 includes a main body chassis 310 configured so that its longitudinal direction is along the forward direction of the vehicle 1, and a mounting stand 360 installed so as to be slidable on the main body chassis 310 in the longitudinal direction of the main body chassis 310. The main body chassis 310 has a left front region 320a on the left front side to which the left front wheel mechanism 250 is connected, a right front region 320b on the right front side to which the right front wheel mechanism 250 is connected, a left rear region 320c on the left rear side to which the left rear wheel mechanism 250 is connected, and a right rear region 320d on the right rear side to which the right rear wheel mechanism 250 is connected.

[0108] The left front region 320a includes a lower shaft portion 311a for connecting the lower connecting portion 262a of the suspension device 260a rotatably in the direction of gravity or the opposite direction, an upper shaft portion 312a for connecting the upper connecting portion 265a of the suspension device 260a rotatably in the direction of gravity or the opposite direction, and a connecting portion 313a to which the upper end portion of the elastic mechanism 261a of the suspension device 260a is connected. The lower shaft portion 311a, the upper shaft portion 312a, and the connecting portion 313a each have an axis so as to become a rotation axis when each part of the suspension device 260a connected to them rotates. In other words, the axis of the lower shaft portion 311a is inserted into a hole of the lower connecting portion 262a of the suspension device 260a, thereby connecting the lower connecting portion 262a of the suspension device 260a rotatably to the main body 300. Furthermore, the shaft core of the upper shaft portion 312a is inserted into a hole in the upper connecting portion 265a of the suspension device 260a, thereby rotatably connecting the upper connecting portion 265a of the suspension device 260a to the main body 300. Furthermore, the shaft core of the coupling portion 313a is inserted into a hole in the elastic mechanism 261a of the suspension device 260a, thereby rotatably connecting the upper end portion of the elastic mechanism 261a of the suspension device 260a to the main body 300.

[0109] The right front region 320b, the left rear region 320c and the right rear region 320d each have a configuration similar to that of the left front region 320a and rotatably connect the suspension devices 260b to 260d, but since the details are similar, they will be omitted.

[0110] The mounting base 360 ​​has a horizontally long plate-like structure along the short side of the main chassis 310. The mounting base 360 ​​has a slide rail 361 on the underside along the short side of the main chassis 310. The slide rail 361 is formed in a pair along the longitudinal side of the mounting base 360. At least a part of any accessory device is slidably connected to the slide rail 361. That is, the accessory device can be installed from the side of the vehicle 1 by sliding along the slide rail 361. Examples of the accessory device installed on the underside of the mounting base 360 ​​via the slide rail 361 include a cultivator, a grass cutter, and a seed sower.

[0111] 11, the attachment device is attached to the underside of the mounting base 360 ​​by using the slide rail 361, but it is of course possible to use other methods such as screw fastening. Also, in FIG. 11, the slide rail 361 is provided so as to slide from the side of the vehicle 1, but it may be provided so as to slide from the front or rear of the vehicle 1.

[0112] The mounting table 360 ​​has a mounting surface 362 on its upper surface side, and a carrier table or any optional accessory device can also be placed on the mounting surface 362. The mounting surface 362 includes screw holes 363a to 363d for fixing the carrier table or any optional accessory device to be placed thereon.

[0113] Here, FIG. 12 is a side view showing a state in which the carrier 900 is connected to the vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Also, FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a configuration of the carrier 900 connected to the vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a state in which the carrier 900 shown in FIG. 13 is placed on the placement surface 362 on the upper side of the placement platform 360 shown in FIG. 11. According to FIG. 12, the carrier 900 is placed on the upper side of the placement platform 360, and is configured so that animals including humans and articles such as agricultural products can be placed inside the carrier 900. In this way, by installing the carrier 900 on the main body 300, it becomes possible to effectively operate the vehicle 1 as a transport vehicle or a transport robot.

[0114] 13, the carrier 900 has a structure in which the bottom, front, rear, left and right sides are covered with wall members, so that animals, objects and the like can be placed inside the carrier 900 from the open top side.

[0115] 11, by placing such a carrier 900 on the mounting surface 362, the vehicle 1 can be used effectively. Note that, instead of the carrier 900, any accessory device can be fixed to the mounting surface 362. Examples of such accessory devices include various devices such as a pesticide sprayer and a watering machine.

[0116] 11, the transport platform 900 and the auxiliary devices are fixed to the mounting surface 362 by inserting screws into the screw holes 363a to 363d. However, this is not limiting, and any method of fixing, such as using a slide rail or screws, is possible.

[0117] Although not shown in FIG. 11, the control device 100 and a sensor 600 are installed at any position on the mounting base 360 ​​of the main body 300 or on the main body chassis 310 .

[0118] As described above, in this embodiment, a vehicle and a drive device thereof having superior driving performance can be provided.

[0119] 6. Variations 1 to 13, in both the front drive unit 200a and the rear drive unit 200b of the vehicle 1, electric motors are provided corresponding to each drive wheel so as to rotate in the forward or reverse direction of the vehicle 1. However, it is sufficient if a pair of electric motors is provided in either the front drive unit 200a or the rear drive unit 200b. In other words, it is possible for electric motors to be provided corresponding to the pair of drive wheels of the front drive unit 200a of the vehicle 1, and for the wheels of the rear drive unit 200b to be provided as simple rotating wheels, or vice versa.

[0120] 1 to 13, the vehicle 1 is configured to rotate in the left-right direction in both the front drive device 200a and the rear drive device 200b. However, it is sufficient that either the front drive device 200a or the rear drive device 200b rotates in the left-right direction, and it is not necessary that both rotate.

[0121] 1 to 13, various pairs of structures such as a hole and an axis, or a recess and a protrusion are shown, but these do not have to be used in the combinations shown in Figures 1 to 13. For example, although fitting protrusion 234a is provided on surface 235a and fitting recess 244a is provided on surface 245a, the fitting protrusion may be provided on surface 245a and the fitting recess may be provided on surface 235a.

[0122] 1 to 13, the vehicle 1 is described as a four-wheeled vehicle, but it may be a two-wheeled, three-wheeled, or five-wheeled or more. Also, in the description of Figs. 1 to 13, the vehicle 1 is described as a vehicle on which a carrier or the like is placed, but it may be a vehicle that tows a carrier or the like.

[0123] The processes and procedures described in this specification can be realized not only by those explicitly described in the embodiments, but also by software, hardware, or a combination of these. Specifically, the processes and procedures described in this specification can be realized by implementing logic corresponding to the processes in a medium such as an integrated circuit, a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory, a magnetic disk, or an optical storage. In addition, the processes and procedures described in this specification can be implemented as computer programs and executed by various computers including a processing device and a server device.

[0124] Although the processes and procedures described herein are described as being executed by a single device, software, component, or module, such processes or procedures may be executed by multiple devices, multiple software, multiple components, and / or multiple modules. Furthermore, although the various information described herein is described as being stored in a single memory or storage unit, such information may be stored in multiple memories provided in a single device or multiple memories distributed across multiple devices. Furthermore, the software and hardware elements described herein may be realized by integrating them into fewer components or breaking them down into more components. [Explanation of symbols]

[0125] 1: Vehicle 100: Control device 200: Drive unit 200a: Front drive unit 200b: Rear drive unit 210a: Connecting rod 210b: Connecting rod 220: Knuckle device 220a: Knuckle device 220b: Knuckle device 220c :Knuckle device 220d : Knuckle device 221a: Connection part 221b:Connection part 221c: Connection part 221d: Connection part 222a: 2nd arm 222b: Second arm 223a: Other end 223b: Other end 224:Other end 225a: First arm 225b: First arm 226a: Left end 227a: Axis core 229: Bearings 230: First knuckle body 231a: Insertion hole 231b: Insertion hole 232: First recess 233a: 1st upper flat part 233b: 1st lower flat part 234a: Fitting protrusion 234b: Fitting protrusion 235a :face 235b :face 240: 2nd knuckle body 241a: Insertion hole 241b: Insertion hole 242: Second recess 243a: 2nd upper flat part 243b: 2nd lower flat part 244a: Fitting recess 244b: Fitting recess 245a :face 245b :face 250: Wheel mechanism 250a: Left front drive wheel 250b: Right front drive wheel 250c: Left rear drive wheel 250d: Right rear drive wheel 260a: Suspension device 260b: Suspension device 260c: Suspension device 260d: Suspension system 261a: Elastic mechanism 262a: Lower connection part 263a: One end 264a: One end 265a: Upper connection part 268a: Connecting arm 269a: Connecting arm 280: Steering device 280a: Steering device 280b: Steering device 290: Electric motor 290a: Electric motor 290b: Electric motor 290c: Electric motor 290d: Electric motor 291a: Signal line 292a: Rotating shaft 293a: Flat part 300: Main unit 310: Main chassis 311a: Lower shaft part 312a: Upper shaft part 313a:Joining part 320a :Left front area 320b: Right front area 320c: left posterior area 320d: Right posterior area 360: Placement table 361: Slide rail 362: Placement surface 363a: Screw hole 363d: Screw hole 600: Sensor 800: Accessory equipment 900: Transport stand

Claims

1. a plurality of drive wheels that are individually connected to the main body and are connected to a plurality of suspension devices for individually absorbing shocks, and a pair of left and right drive wheels are connected to each other via a connecting rod, so that the drive wheels rotate in conjunction with each other in at least one of a left direction and a right direction; a plurality of electric motors provided on the inside of corresponding ones of the plurality of drive wheels and configured to generate drive torque to rotate each corresponding one of the drive wheels in at least one of a forward direction and a backward direction; A plurality of knuckle devices each supporting a rotation shaft of each of the plurality of electric motors and each connected to one end and the other end of the connecting rod, thereby rotating each of the pair of left and right drive wheels in conjunction with each other; Vehicles including.

2. 2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein each of the drive wheels is coupled to each of the plurality of suspension devices via a corresponding one of the plurality of knuckle devices provided corresponding to each of the plurality of suspension devices.

3. A plurality of drive wheels which are individually connected to the main body and are connected to a plurality of suspension devices for individually absorbing shocks, and each pair of left and right drive wheels are connected to each other via a connecting rod so that they are configured to rotate in conjunction with each other in at least one of the left and right directions; a plurality of electric motors provided on the inside of corresponding ones of the plurality of drive wheels and configured to generate drive torque to rotate each corresponding one of the drive wheels in at least one of a forward direction and a backward direction; A vehicle including: The vehicle, wherein the plurality of drive wheels include a pair of front drive wheels installed in front of the body and a pair of rear drive wheels installed in rear of the body.

4. 4. The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the pair of front drive wheels are connected to each other via a connecting rod and are configured to rotate in conjunction with each other in at least one of the leftward and rightward directions.

5. 5. The vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the pair of rear drive wheels are connected to each other via a connecting rod and are configured to rotate in conjunction with each other in at least one of the left direction and the right direction, and to rotate in conjunction with the pair of front drive wheels in at least one of the left direction and the right direction.

6. 5. The vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the pair of rear drive wheels are connected to each other via a connecting rod and are configured to rotate in at least one of the left and right directions in conjunction with each other, and to rotate in at least one of the left and right directions independently of the pair of front drive wheels.

7. the pair of front drive wheels includes a left front drive wheel and a right front drive wheel, The left front drive wheel and the right front drive wheel are configured to rotate in at least one of the left direction and the right direction along circles having the same center position.

4. The vehicle according to claim 3.

8. the pair of front drive wheels includes a left front drive wheel and a right front drive wheel, the pair of rear drive wheels includes a left rear drive wheel and a right rear drive wheel, the left front drive wheel, the right front drive wheel, the left rear drive wheel, and the right rear drive wheel are configured to rotate in at least one of the left direction and the right direction along circles having the same center position.

4. The vehicle according to claim 3.

9. A plurality of drive wheels which are individually connected to the main body and are connected to corresponding suspension devices for individually absorbing shocks, and each pair of left and right drive wheels are connected to each other via a connecting rod so that they rotate in conjunction with each other in at least one of the left and right directions; a plurality of electric motors provided on the inside of corresponding ones of the plurality of drive wheels and configured to generate drive torque to rotate each corresponding one of the drive wheels in at least one of a forward direction and a backward direction; A vehicle including: A vehicle configured such that the multiple drive wheels are controlled to rotate in at least one of the left and right directions, or in at least one of the forward and backward directions, based on control information from a control device installed on the main body.

10. The vehicle according to claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of drive wheels is configured to rotate in at least one of the forward direction and the rearward direction independently of one another based on the control information.

11. A plurality of drive wheels which are individually connected to the main body and are connected to corresponding suspension devices for individually absorbing shocks, and each pair of left and right drive wheels are connected to each other via a connecting rod so that they rotate in conjunction with each other in at least one of the left and right directions; a plurality of electric motors provided on the inside of corresponding ones of the plurality of drive wheels and configured to generate drive torque to rotate each corresponding one of the drive wheels in at least one of a forward direction and a backward direction; A vehicle including: The main body includes a sensor for detecting external environment information around the main body, A vehicle configured such that each of the plurality of drive wheels is controlled to rotate in at least one of the left and right directions, or in at least one of the forward and backward directions, based on external environmental information detected by the sensor.

12. 12. A vehicle according to claim 1, 3, 9 or 11, wherein the main body is connectable to a carrier on which an animal or an object can be placed.

13. 12. A vehicle according to any one of claims 1, 3, 9 and 11 for transporting agricultural produce harvested on farmland.

14. a plurality of drive wheels that are individually connected to the main body and are connected to a plurality of suspension devices for individually absorbing shocks, and a pair of left and right drive wheels are connected to each other via a connecting rod, so that the drive wheels rotate in conjunction with each other in at least one of a left direction and a right direction; a plurality of electric motors provided on the inside of corresponding ones of the plurality of drive wheels and configured to generate drive torque to rotate each corresponding one of the drive wheels in at least one of a forward direction and a backward direction; A drive device comprising: A drive device configured so that the multiple drive wheels are controlled to rotate in at least one of the left and right directions, or in at least one of the forward and backward directions, based on control information from a control device installed on the main body.

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