Control device for electrically assisted vehicle and electrically assisted vehicle

Abstract

To automatically perform the inclination restriction of a vehicle body and the release thereof, in a power-assisted vehicle with three or more wheels.SOLUTION: A control device includes (A) a detecting portion that detects a rotation state of a pedal provided on a power-assisted vehicle with three or more wheels as front wheels and rear wheels, and (B) a control portion that instructs a mechanism for performing the inclination restriction of the vehicle body of the power-assisted vehicle or releasing the inclination restriction to switch the inclination restriction of the vehicle body and the release of the inclination restriction, on the basis of the rotation state of the pedal detected by the detecting portion.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a technique for controlling the inclination of a vehicle body in an electrically assisted vehicle with three or more wheels. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a saddle-type vehicle that has at least a pair of wheels, can turn by tilting the body, and can automatically limit or release the tilt of the body. Specifically, the saddle-type vehicle includes a support mechanism that supports the pair of wheels so that they can move up and down relative to the body, a tilt limiting mechanism that is connected to the support mechanism and limits the up and down movement of the pair of wheels, a throttle opening sensor, a vehicle speed sensor, a brake sensor, and a control unit that controls the tilt limiting mechanism based on the detection results of these sensors. In this way, the control unit automatically controls the tilt limiting mechanism based on the detection results of the above sensors, so that the rider does not need to perform any special operation regarding the operation of the tilt limiting mechanism, and the tilt limiting mechanism can be accurately performed or released.

[0003] Incidentally, tilting the vehicle body means tilting the vehicle body from a state in which the vehicle body is approximately vertical to the ground to the left or right as viewed from the direction of travel. Furthermore, limiting the vehicle body's tilt means restricting at least a part of the vehicle body to a state in which the vehicle body is approximately vertical to the ground even if the driver tries to tilt it, and releasing the tilt restriction means releasing such a restriction.

[0004] However, this patent document does not cover electrically assisted vehicles with three or more wheels, and in electrically assisted vehicles that use electric drive in response to human power, it is not clear under what conditions it would be appropriate to automatically restrict the inclination of the body of the vehicle, which is the part that carries people and luggage, or to release that inclination restriction. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2009-286266 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Therefore, according to one aspect, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique for automatically limiting and releasing the tilt of a vehicle body in an electrically assisted vehicle having three or more wheels. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The control device of the present invention includes (A) a detection unit that detects the rotation state of a pedal provided on an electrically assisted vehicle having three or more wheels, including front wheels and rear wheels, and (B) a control unit that instructs a mechanism that limits the tilt of the body of the electrically assisted vehicle or releases the tilt restriction to switch between limiting the tilt of the body and releasing the tilt restriction, based on the rotation state of the pedal detected by the detection unit. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to one aspect, in an electrically assisted vehicle with three or more wheels, it becomes possible to automatically limit and release the tilt of the vehicle body based on the rotation state of the pedals. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the appearance of an electrically assisted bicycle according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the appearance of another power-assisted bicycle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a lean limiting mechanism of an electrically assisted bicycle having two front wheels. [Figure 4A] FIG. 4A is a diagram for explaining an example of a tilt limiting mechanism. [Figure 4B] FIG. 4B is a diagram for explaining an example of the tilt limiting mechanism. [Figure 4C]FIG. 4C is a diagram for explaining an example of a tilt limiting mechanism. [Diagram 5] 5(a) to 5(c) are diagrams for explaining tilt restriction by an example of a tilt restriction mechanism and the effect of releasing the tilt restriction. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining another example of a lean limiting mechanism for an electrically assisted bicycle having two front wheels. [Figure 7A] FIG. 7A is a diagram for explaining another example of the tilt limiting mechanism. [Figure 7B] FIG. 7B is a diagram for explaining another example of the tilt limiting mechanism. [Figure 7C] FIG. 7C is a diagram for explaining another example of the tilt limiting mechanism. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a tilt limiting mechanism of an electrically assisted bicycle having two rear wheels. [Figure 9] 9(a) and (b) are diagrams for explaining the effect of limiting the leaning by a lean limiting mechanism of an electrically assisted bicycle having two rear wheels and of releasing the limiting mechanism. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the control device. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional block configuration of a control unit realized by the calculation unit. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a process flow according to the first embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a process flow according to the second embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a process flow of an example of the pedal reverse rotation detection process. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a processing flow of another example of the pedal reverse rotation detection processing. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating a process flow according to the third embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the traveling direction and the pedal rotation direction. [Figure 18]18(a) and (b) are diagrams showing an example of the pedal rotation phase angle and the input torque changing over time. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating a process flow according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating a process flow according to the fifth embodiment. [Figure 21] FIG. 21 is a diagram showing an example of the operation panel. [Figure 22] FIG. 22 is a diagram illustrating a process flow according to the sixth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described using an example of an electrically assisted bicycle, which is an example of an electrically assisted vehicle. However, the application of the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to electrically assisted bicycles, and it can also be applied to a control device for a moving body (such as a cart) that moves according to human power.

[0011] [Embodiment 1] The embodiments of the present invention are directed to an electrically assisted bicycle having two or more front wheels and one or more rear wheels, or an electrically assisted bicycle having one or more front wheels and two or more rear wheels. For example, the electrically assisted bicycle may be an electrically assisted bicycle 1a having two front wheels and one rear wheel as shown in Fig. 1, or an electrically assisted bicycle 1b having one front wheel and two rear wheels as shown in Fig. 2.

[0012] The power-assisted bicycle 1a shown in Fig. 1 has a tilt limiting mechanism, a control device 102, a battery pack 101, a torque sensor 103, a pedal rotation sensor 104, a motor 105, an operation panel 106, and a brake sensor 107. The tilt limiting mechanism will be explained in a separate drawing. Note that the power-assisted bicycle 1b shown in Fig. 2 has a different number of motors 105, but otherwise has a similar configuration.

[0013] The battery pack 101 includes, for example, a lithium ion secondary battery, a lithium ion polymer secondary battery, a nickel-metal hydride storage battery, etc., and supplies power to the motor 105 via the control device 102, and during regeneration, is also charged by the regenerative power from the motor 105 via the control device 102.

[0014] The torque sensor 103 is provided on a wheel attached around the crankshaft, detects the pedal force applied by the driver, and outputs the detection result to the control device 102. Similarly to the torque sensor 103, the pedal rotation sensor 104 is provided on a wheel attached around the crankshaft, and outputs, for example, a pulse signal or the like corresponding to the rotation to the control device 102.

[0015] The motor 105 is, for example, a well-known three-phase brushless motor, and is attached to, for example, the two front wheels of the power-assisted bicycle 1a. The motor 105 rotates the front wheels, and the rotor is connected to the front wheels directly or via a reducer or the like so that the rotor rotates in response to the rotation of the front wheels. Furthermore, the motor 105 is equipped with a rotation sensor such as a Hall element, and outputs rotor rotation information (for example, a Hall signal) to the control device 102.

[0016] The control device 102 performs calculations based on signals from the rotation sensor of the motor 105, the torque sensor 103, the pedal rotation sensor 104, etc., to control the driving of the motor 105 and also controls regeneration by the motor 105. In this embodiment, the control device 102 also controls the lean limiting mechanism.

[0017] The operation panel 106 receives, for example, instruction inputs from the rider regarding the presence or absence of assistance (for example, turning a power switch on and off), and, if assistance is provided, inputs of a desired assist ratio, and outputs the instruction inputs, etc. to the control device 102. The operation panel 106 may also have a function for displaying data such as a travel distance, a travel time, calories burned, and an amount of regenerated power, which are the results of calculations by the control device 102. The operation panel 106 may also have a display unit using an LED (Light Emitting Diode) or the like. This allows the rider to be informed of, for example, the charge level of the battery pack 101, its on / off state, and a mode corresponding to a desired assist ratio. In an embodiment described later, the operation panel also has a reverse switch for instructing the motor 105 to perform reverse drive.

[0018] The brake sensor 107 detects the brake operation by the driver and outputs a signal related to the brake operation to the control device 102 .

[0019] Next, the tilt limiting mechanism will be described with reference to Figs. 3 to 9. In the case of the power-assisted bicycle 1a shown in Fig. 1, for example, as shown in Fig. 3, a configuration is adopted in which a tilt limiting mechanism 108 is provided near the front wheel and connected to the control device 102 by an electric wire 1081. In the example of Fig. 3, the part surrounded by the dotted line A can be tilted while riding. When the part related to the tilt limiting mechanism 108 of this power-assisted bicycle 1a is viewed from the front, as shown in Fig. 4A, it is a combination of a roughly T-shaped handle part 1601 including a handle gripped by the rider, and a roughly inverted U-shaped tilt support part 1603 that holds the front wheels 1605a and 1605b between them. Here, as shown in Fig. 4B, the handle part 1601 has a solenoid 1613 connected to the electric wire 1081 and a plunger (movable iron core) 1615. As shown in FIG. 4C, the inclined support portion 1603 is provided with a disk 1611 having a small hole 1611a, which is a plate-like object having a shape similar to that of a semicircle having a diameter of, for example, 1 to 2 cm with a semicircle having a diameter smaller than a predetermined diameter removed.

[0020] The tilt limiting mechanism 108 includes, for example, a solenoid 1613, a plunger 1615, and a disk 1611. For example, when the tilt limit is to be released, the control device 102 energizes the solenoid 1613 via the electric wire 1081. Then, the plunger 1615 is attracted and disengaged from the small hole 1611a of the disk 1611, and the tilt limit on the vehicle body is released. On the other hand, when the control device 102 stops energizing the solenoid 1613, the plunger 1615 is pushed outward from the solenoid 1613 and returns to its original position, and is fitted into the small hole 1611a of the disk 1611, thereby restricting the tilt of the vehicle body. Note that the maximum angle at which tilt is permitted is determined for the tilt support portion 1603, and the driver can freely tilt the vehicle to any angle up to the maximum angle if the tilt limit is released.

[0021] 5(a) to (c) are schematic diagrams of the electric-assisted bicycle 1a as viewed from the front, and if the inclination of the body is limited as shown in Fig. 5(a), the handlebars 1601, the inclination support 1603, the front wheels 1605a and 1605b, and the rear wheel 1605c cannot be inclined and stand approximately vertically on the ground. In this way, the inclination limit of the body limits the handlebars 1601, the inclination support 1603, the front wheels 1605a and 1605b, the rear wheel 1605c, etc., included in the range indicated by dotted line A in Fig. 3, to stand approximately vertically on the ground, even if the rider tries to tilt them. On the other hand, as shown in Figures 5(b) and 5(c), if the tilt restriction is released, the driver holding the handle of the handle portion 1601 can intentionally tilt it freely within the allowable range to the right with the front wheels facing forward as shown in Figure 5(b), or to the left with the front wheels facing forward as shown in Figure 5(c).

[0022] In addition to the tilt limiting mechanism shown in FIG. 3 to FIG. 4C, a tilt limiting mechanism 109 as shown in FIG. 6 to FIG. 7C may be used. In the case of the power-assisted bicycle 1a shown in FIG. 1, the tilt limiting mechanism 109 has a main component 1091 provided near the front wheel, a wire 1092 connected to the main component 1091, and a motor 1093 that pulls the wire 1092, as shown in FIG. 6. In the example of FIG. 6, the part surrounded by the dotted line B can be tilted during riding. When the part related to the tilt limiting mechanism 109 of this power-assisted bicycle 1a is viewed from the front, as shown in FIG. 7A, it is a combination of a roughly T-shaped handlebar part 1701 including a handle gripped by the rider, and a roughly inverted U-shaped tilt support part 1703 that holds the front wheels 1705a and 1705b between them. Here, as shown in FIG. 7B, the handlebar part 1701 is provided with a disc brake 1702 having a pad. 7C , the inclined support portion 1703 is provided with a disk 1711, which is a plate-like object having a shape, for example, obtained by removing a semicircle having a diameter smaller than the predetermined diameter from a semicircle having a predetermined diameter. The main component 1091 includes the disk brake 1702 and the disk 1711.

[0023] For example, when tilt restriction is performed, the control device 102 causes the motor 1093 to pull the wire 1902. As a result, the pads of the disc brake 1702 pinch the disc 1711, resulting in a locked state, and the tilt restriction of the vehicle body is performed. On the other hand, when the tilt restriction is released, the control device 102 causes the motor 1093 to stop pulling the wire 1902. Then, the disc brake 1702 releases the locked state of the disc 1711, and the tilt restriction of the vehicle body is released. Note that the tilt support part 1703 has a maximum allowable tilt angle determined, and if the tilt restriction is released, the rider can freely tilt the vehicle to any angle up to that maximum angle. Note that, as described with reference to FIG. 5, if the tilt restriction of the vehicle body is performed, the rider cannot tilt the entire power-assisted bicycle 1a to the left or right, but if the tilt restriction is released, the rider can freely tilt the entire power-assisted bicycle 1a to the left or right.

[0024] In the case of an electric power-assisted bicycle 1b having two rear wheels as shown in FIG. 2, as shown in FIG. 8, a tilt limiting mechanism 110 is provided in a portion of the dotted line C near the rear wheel so that the portion surrounded by the dotted line C including the front wheel, the handlebars, the saddle, the saddle support, the battery 101, and the control device 102 can be tilted. The tilt limiting mechanism 110 may be configured as described with reference to FIG. 3 to FIG. 7C. FIGS. 9(a) and (b) are schematic views seen from the rear. If the body is tilt-limited as shown in FIG. 9(a), the handlebars 1801, the saddle 1802, the saddle support 1803, and the front wheel 1805a cannot be tilted to the left or right. On the other hand, if the body is not tilt-limited as shown in FIG. 9(b), the handlebars 1801, the saddle 1802, the saddle support 1803, and the front wheel 1805a can be tilted to the right or left at the rider's discretion. Regardless of whether or not there is a tilt limit, the rear wheels 1805b and 1805c cannot be tilted left or right.

[0025] Although examples of the configuration of the tilt limiting mechanism have been described so far, the present invention is not limited to these configurations, and any configuration may be used as long as the tilt limit of the vehicle body can be performed or released in response to an instruction from the control device 102. For example, in the example shown in Fig. 4A, the two front wheels are supported by the tilt support part 1603, but the configuration may be such that when the tilt limit is released, the length of the support part on the side that tilts the vehicle body out of the parts that support the left and right front wheels can be shortened to enable the vehicle body to tilt.

[0026] By limiting the inclination of the body, it becomes easier to maintain balance, for example, when driving at low speeds. On the other hand, for example, when turning or turning left or right during normal driving, the influence of centrifugal force occurs, so if you try to turn forcibly, one of the two wheels may lift off the ground and lose balance. Also, if you try to drive while maintaining balance, the turning radius during driving becomes large. Therefore, for example, during normal driving, by releasing the inclination limit, you can drive with the same feeling as a normal two-wheeled bicycle without a tilt limiting mechanism, that is, with the feeling of turning by tilting the body. Specifically, even when turning, the body can be tilted to maintain balance, allowing for stable driving. Another advantage is that the turning radius does not need to be too large. Note that from the perspective of maintaining balance and driving more stably, it is not necessarily sufficient to focus only on the vehicle speed.

[0027] Next, the configuration related to the control device 102 is shown in Fig. 10. The control device 102 has a controller 1020 and a FET (Field Effect Transistor) bridge 1030. The FET bridge 1030 includes a high-side FET (Suh) and a low-side FET (Sul) that perform switching for the U-phase of the motor 105, a high-side FET (Svh) and a low-side FET (Svl) that perform switching for the V-phase of the motor 105, and a high-side FET (Swh) and a low-side FET (Swl) that perform switching for the W-phase of the motor 105. This FET bridge 1030 constitutes a part of a complementary switching amplifier.

[0028] The controller 1020 also has a calculation unit 1021, a pedal rotation input unit 1022, a motor rotation input unit 1024, a variable delay circuit 1025, a motor drive timing generation unit 1026, a torque input unit 1027, a brake input unit 1028, an AD (Analog-Digital) input unit 1029, and an instruction unit 1023 for the tilt limiting mechanism.

[0029] The calculation unit 1021 performs calculations using inputs from the operation panel 106 (for example, on / off of the assist, etc. In other embodiments, on / off of a reverse switch is also included), inputs from the pedal rotation input unit 1022, inputs from the motor rotation input unit 1024, inputs from the torque input unit 1027, inputs from the brake input unit 1028, and inputs from the AD input unit 1029, and outputs the results to the motor drive timing generation unit 1026 and the variable delay circuit 1025. The calculation unit 1021 has a memory 10211, which stores various data used in the calculations and data in the middle of processing. Furthermore, the calculation unit 1021 may be realized by a processor executing a program, in which case the program may be recorded in the memory 10211. The memory 10211 may be provided separately from the calculation unit 1021.

[0030] The pedal rotation input unit 1022 digitizes a rotation phase angle of the pedal (also called a rotation phase angle of the crank, including a signal indicating a rotation direction) obtained from a signal from the pedal rotation sensor 104, for example, and outputs the digitized signal to the calculation unit 1021. The motor rotation input unit 1024 digitizes a signal (e.g., a rotation phase angle, a rotation direction, etc.) related to the rotation of the motor 105 (the rotation of the front wheel in this embodiment) from a Hall signal output by the motor 105, and outputs the digitized signal to the calculation unit 1021. The torque input unit 1027 digitizes a signal corresponding to the pedaling force from the torque sensor 103, and outputs the digitized signal to the calculation unit 1021. The brake input unit 1028 digitizes a signal indicating the presence or absence of the brake from the brake sensor 107, and outputs the digitized signal to the calculation unit 1021. The AD input unit 1029 digitizes an output voltage from the secondary battery, and outputs the digitized signal to the calculation unit 1021.

[0031] The calculation unit 1021 outputs a lead angle value to the variable delay circuit 1025 as a calculation result. The variable delay circuit 1025 adjusts the phase of the Hall signal based on the lead angle value received from the calculation unit 1021 and outputs it to the motor drive timing generation unit 1026. The calculation unit 1021 outputs a PWM code corresponding to a duty ratio of PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) to the motor drive timing generation unit 1026 as a calculation result. The motor drive timing generation unit 1026 generates and outputs a switching signal for each FET included in the FET bridge 1030 based on the adjusted Hall signal from the variable delay circuit 1025 and the PWM code from the calculation unit 1021. Depending on the calculation result of the calculation unit 1021, the motor 105 may be driven by power running or may be controlled by regeneration. Note that the basic operation of the motor drive is described in the pamphlet of International Publication No. 2012 / 086459 and the like, and is not a main part of this embodiment, so a description thereof will be omitted here.

[0032] In this embodiment, the calculation unit 1021 further determines whether to cause the tilt limiting mechanism 108, etc. to perform tilt limiting or to release the tilt limiting, and issues an instruction to the instruction unit 1023. In response to the instruction from the calculation unit 1021, the instruction unit 1023 executes either an operation for causing the tilt limiting mechanism 108, etc. to perform tilt limiting (for example, causing the motor 1093 to wind up the wire 1902 or stopping the supply of electricity to the solenoid 1613) or an operation for releasing the tilt limiting (for example, causing the motor 1093 to stop winding up the wire 1902 or starting the supply of electricity to the solenoid 1613).

[0033] 11 shows an example of a functional block configuration (part related to this embodiment) related to a control unit 3000 realized in the calculation unit 1021. The control unit 3000 according to this embodiment has a detection unit 3100 and an operation control unit 3200.

[0034] The detection unit 3100 performs a process of detecting the occurrence of a predetermined state using at least one of the pedal rotation data from the pedal rotation input unit 1022 and the motor rotation data from the motor rotation input unit 1024. More specifically, the detection unit 3100 identifies the rotation direction of the pedal, estimates the vehicle speed from the motor rotation, and identifies the pedal rotation speed and pedal rotation angle. In a later embodiment, the occurrence of a predetermined state may be detected based on input torque data from the torque input unit 1027. Based on the state detected by the detection unit 3100, the operation control unit 3200 issues an instruction to the instruction unit 1023 to perform a tilt limit or to release the tilt limit. In a later embodiment, the operation control unit 3200 may issue an instruction to perform a tilt limit or to release the tilt limit based on an on or off signal of a reverse switch provided on the operation panel 106.

[0035] Next, the operation of the control unit 3000 will be described with reference to Fig. 12. Note that, to ensure safety, it is assumed that the tilt limit is instructed before the start of processing. Also, steps S1 to S5 are performed every control cycle.

[0036] First, the detection unit 3100 calculates the vehicle speed from, for example, motor rotation data, and judges whether the vehicle speed is equal to or lower than a threshold value TH1 (for example, 4 km / h) (step S1). If the vehicle speed is equal to or lower than the threshold value TH1, the detection unit 3100 outputs to the operation control unit 3200 a signal indicating that the vehicle speed is equal to or lower than the threshold value TH1, and the operation control unit 3200 instructs the instruction unit 1023 to implement tilt restriction in response to this output (step S3). The control unit 3000 judges whether the process has ended due to a reason such as an instruction to turn off the power (step S5), and if the process has not ended, the process returns to step S1. On the other hand, if the process has ended due to a reason such as an instruction to turn off the power, the process ends.

[0037] On the other hand, if the vehicle speed exceeds the threshold TH1, the detection unit 3100 further judges whether the vehicle speed is equal to or greater than a threshold TH2 (e.g., 5 km / h) (step S7). If the vehicle speed is equal to or greater than the threshold TH2, the detection unit 3100 outputs to the operation control unit 3200 a signal indicating that the vehicle speed is equal to or greater than the threshold TH2, and the operation control unit 3200 instructs the instruction unit 1023 to release the tilt restriction in response to this output (step S9). Then, the process proceeds to step S5.

[0038] On the other hand, if the vehicle speed is less than the threshold TH2, i.e., if the relationship of threshold TH1<vehicle speed<threshold TH2 is established, the current control is maintained (step S11). That is, if the tilt restriction is being implemented, the tilt restriction is left implemented, and if the tilt restriction is being released, the tilt restriction is left released. Note that this step is represented by a dotted block because the operation control unit 3200 does nothing.

[0039] In this embodiment, the relationship of threshold value TH1<threshold value TH2 exists, and by using these two threshold values, it is possible to prevent the vehicle speed from fluctuating around one threshold value and the operation from frequently switching between tilt limit and release of tilt limit, thereby making it possible to suppress the occurrence of a phenomenon (chattering) such as the vehicle body rattling.

[0040] Also, if the vehicle is traveling at a speed equal to or greater than the threshold TH2, it is assumed that the vehicle is traveling stably, and therefore the vehicle body can be tilted according to the driver's will without causing any safety issues, and the tilt restriction is therefore lifted. On the other hand, if the vehicle is traveling at a speed less than the threshold TH1, the vehicle body is restricted from tilting to ensure safety, since the vehicle is prone to become unstable at low speeds.

[0041] In this manner, in this embodiment, the lean limiting mechanism 108 and the like are switched between releasing the lean limit and implementing the lean limit based on the vehicle speed.

[0042] [Embodiment 2] When the body of the electrically assisted bicycle 1 (electrically assisted bicycle 1a or 1b) is tilted in a situation where the pedals are rotated in the opposite direction, which is not usually done, the bicycle is likely to lose balance and become unstable. This embodiment focuses on this point.

[0043] The operation of the control unit 3000 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 13 to 15. In order to ensure safety, it is assumed that the tilt limit is instructed before the start of processing. Also, steps S21 to S27 are performed every control cycle.

[0044] First, the detection unit 3100 executes a process for detecting reverse rotation of the pedals (pedal reverse rotation detection process) (FIG. 13: step S21). An example of this process will be described with reference to FIG. 14. Note that the initial detection state before the start of the process flow in FIG. 14 is assumed to be reverse rotation. This is because if the initial detection state is forward rotation, the tilt restriction would be immediately released, causing the vehicle body to wobble when starting.

[0045] The detection unit 3100 determines whether the pedal rotation speed calculated from the pedal rotation information is equal to or less than a negative threshold value TH11 (e.g., -5 km / h in terms of vehicle speed. However, it may simply be a threshold value for the rotation speed [rpm]) (step S31). In this embodiment, a positive pedal rotation speed is obtained when the pedal is rotated in the positive direction (when the pedal is rotated in the direction that moves the electric assist bicycle 1 forward), and a negative pedal rotation speed is obtained when the pedal is rotated in the negative direction.

[0046] If the pedal rotation speed is equal to or less than the negative threshold value TH11, the detection unit 3100 determines that the pedal is rotating in reverse (step S33). Then, the process returns to the process that called the program. On the other hand, if the pedal rotation speed exceeds the negative threshold value TH11, the detection unit 3100 determines whether the pedal rotation speed is equal to or greater than a positive threshold value TH12 (e.g., 1 km / h in vehicle speed terms) that is greater than the threshold value TH11 (step S35). If this condition is met, the detection unit 3100 determines that the pedal is not rotating in reverse (step S37). Then, the process returns to the process that called the program.

[0047] On the other hand, if the pedal rotation speed is less than the threshold value TH12, i.e., if the relationship of threshold value TH11<pedal rotation speed<threshold value TH12 holds, the detection unit 3100 maintains the pre-detection state (step S39). That is, if it is determined that the pedal is rotating in reverse, it maintains the determination that the pedal is rotating in reverse, and if not, it maintains the determination that the pedal is not rotating in reverse. Then, the process returns to the process that called the process.

[0048] In this way, when the pedal rotation speed fluctuates around 0, frequent switching of the judgment result can be prevented.

[0049] Returning to the explanation of the process in FIG. 13, the detection unit 3100 determines whether or not the pedal is rotating in reverse as a detection result of step S21 (step S23). If the pedal is rotating in reverse, the detection unit 3100 outputs to the operation control unit 3200 that the pedal is rotating in reverse. In response to this output, the operation control unit 3200 instructs the instruction unit 1023 to implement tilt limitation (step S25). Then, the control unit 3000 determines whether or not the process has ended due to a reason such as an instruction to turn off the power (step S27), and if the process has not ended, the process returns to step S21. On the other hand, if the process has ended due to a reason such as an instruction to turn off the power, the process ends.

[0050] On the other hand, if it is determined that the pedal is not rotating in reverse as a detection result of step S21, the detection unit 3100 outputs to the operation control unit 3200 that the pedal is not rotating in reverse. In response to this output, the operation control unit 3200 instructs the instruction unit 1023 to release the tilt restriction (step S29). Then, the process proceeds to step S27.

[0051] By executing the above-described process, when reverse rotation of the pedal is detected, tilt restriction is implemented, thereby making it possible to prevent the vehicle from becoming unstable while riding.

[0052] It should be noted that the processing in Fig. 15 may be performed instead of Fig. 14. It should be noted that the initial detection state is during reverse rotation.

[0053] The detection unit 3100 calculates the pedal rotation angle from the difference between the pedal rotation phase angle (also called the pedal rotation position) at the time of the previous processing and the pedal rotation phase angle at the time of the current processing, and determines whether the pedal rotation angle is equal to or less than a negative threshold value TH31 (for example, -180°) (step S41). In this embodiment, when the pedal is rotated in the positive direction (when the pedal is rotated in the direction that moves the electric assist bicycle 1 forward), a positive pedal rotation angle is obtained, and when the pedal is rotated in the reverse direction, a negative pedal rotation angle is obtained.

[0054] If the rotation angle of the pedal is equal to or less than the negative threshold value TH31, the detection unit 3100 determines that the pedal is rotating in the reverse direction (step S43). Then, the process returns to the process that called the program. On the other hand, if the rotation angle of the pedal exceeds the negative threshold value TH31, the detection unit 3100 determines whether the rotation angle of the pedal is equal to or greater than a positive threshold value TH32 (e.g., +90°) that is greater than the threshold value TH31 (step S45). If this condition is met, the detection unit 3100 determines that the pedal is not rotating in the reverse direction (step S47). Then, the process returns to the process that called the program.

[0055] On the other hand, if the rotation angle of the pedal is less than the threshold value TH32, i.e., if the relationship of threshold value TH31<pedal rotation angle<threshold value TH32 is established, the detection unit 3100 maintains the pre-detection state (step S49). That is, if reverse rotation is detected, reverse rotation is maintained, and if not, it is determined that reverse rotation is not detected. Then, the process returns to the process that called the process.

[0056] In this manner, it may be possible to determine whether or not the pedal is rotating in reverse based on the rotation angle of the pedal.

[0057] [Embodiment 3] In order to perform more precise control, lean limiting may be switched between being enabled and disabled based on the vehicle speed and pedal rotation.

[0058] The operation of the control unit 3000 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 16. In order to ensure safety, it is assumed that the tilt limit is instructed before the start of processing. Also, steps S21 to S27 are performed every control cycle.

[0059] First, the detection unit 3100 executes a process for detecting reverse rotation of the pedal (pedal reverse rotation detection process) (FIG. 16: step S51). This process is, for example, the process shown in FIG. 14 or FIG.

[0060] Then, the detection unit 3100 judges whether or not the pedal is rotating in reverse as a detection result of step S51 (step S53). If the pedal is rotating in reverse, the detection unit 3100 outputs to the operation control unit 3200 that the pedal is rotating in reverse. Furthermore, the detection unit 3100 judges whether or not the vehicle speed is equal to or lower than a threshold value TH41 (e.g., 6 km / h) (step S55). If the vehicle speed is equal to or lower than the threshold value TH41, the detection unit 3100 outputs to the operation control unit 3200 that the vehicle speed is equal to or lower than the threshold value TH41. In response to this output, the operation control unit 3200 instructs the instruction unit 1023 to implement tilt limitation (step S57).

[0061] In this way, when the pedals are rotating in reverse, unless the vehicle speed exceeds the threshold value TH41 even during normal driving, the vehicle is likely to become unstable, and therefore the tilt restriction is implemented.

[0062] Thereafter, the control unit 3000 judges whether the process has ended due to a reason such as a power-off instruction (step S61), and if the process has not ended, the process returns to step S51. On the other hand, if the process has ended due to a power-off instruction, the process ends.

[0063] On the other hand, if the vehicle speed exceeds the threshold TH41, the detection unit 3100 outputs to the operation control unit 3200 that the vehicle speed exceeds the threshold TH41, but the operation control unit 3200 maintains the current control of the tilt restriction (step S59). Since the operation control unit 3200 does nothing in this step, step S59 is represented by a dotted block. If the vehicle is traveling at a speed exceeding the threshold TH41, there is a high possibility that stable traveling will be possible even if the pedals are rotated in reverse, so if the tilt restriction has been released, it is left released, and if the tilt restriction is being applied, it is left applied. Then, the process proceeds to step S61.

[0064] On the other hand, if the pedal is not rotating in reverse, the detection unit 3100 judges whether the vehicle speed is equal to or less than the threshold TH42 (e.g., 3 km / h) (step S63). If the vehicle speed is equal to or less than the threshold TH42, the detection unit 3100 outputs to the operation control unit 3200 that the vehicle speed is equal to or less than the threshold TH42. In response to this output, the operation control unit 3200 instructs the instruction unit 1023 to implement tilt limitation (step S65). Then, the process proceeds to step S61. In this way, tilt limitation is implemented because low-speed driving below the threshold TH42 is likely to cause unstable driving.

[0065] On the other hand, if the vehicle speed exceeds the threshold TH42, the detection unit 3100 judges whether the vehicle speed is equal to or greater than a threshold TH43 (e.g., 5 km / h) (step S67). If the vehicle speed is equal to or greater than the threshold TH43, it can be judged that the pedal is rotating forward and the vehicle is traveling normally. Therefore, the detection unit 3100 outputs to the operation control unit 3200 that the vehicle speed is equal to or greater than the threshold TH43, and in response to this output, the operation control unit 3200 instructs the instruction unit 1023 to release the tilt restriction (step S69). Then, the process proceeds to step S61.

[0066] On the other hand, if the vehicle speed is less than the threshold value TH43, the operation control unit 3200 does nothing, and if the tilt restriction has been released, it is left released, and if the tilt restriction has been applied, it is left applied (step S59).Then, the process proceeds to step S61.

[0067] By performing such processing, if a vehicle speed exceeding the threshold value TH41 can be detected even during normal driving, the lean restriction can be released to facilitate turning even if the pedal is rotating in reverse. This is because there is a high possibility that stable driving can be achieved.

[0068] [Embodiment 4] In this embodiment, the tilt restriction is switched between being enabled and being released while taking into consideration the driver's intention. This is because, even if the vehicle is not clearly in normal driving mode, if the vehicle is going to be in normal driving mode if the driver continues to rotate the pedal in the forward direction, it may be appropriate to release the tilt restriction early.

[0069] The operation of operation control section 3200 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0070] First, the state to be detected will be described with reference to Figs. 17 to 19. Fig. 17 shows a schematic diagram of the relationship between the traveling direction of the power-assisted bicycle 1 and the rotation phase angle of the pedal. In other words, when the traveling direction of the power-assisted bicycle 1 is to the right on the paper, for example, when the crank in front faces directly upward on the paper, the rotation phase angle of the pedal is set to 0°, and when the pedal is rotated clockwise as shown by the curved arrow, the rotation phase angle of the pedal increases. When the crank in front faces right, the rotation phase angle of the pedal is 90°, and when the crank in front faces downward, the rotation phase angle of the pedal is 180°. When the pedal is further rotated, when the crank in front faces left, the rotation phase angle of the pedal is 270°, and when the crank in front faces upward again, the rotation phase angle of the pedal is 360°=0°.

[0071] Under these assumptions, FIG. 18(a) shows the change over time in the pedal rotation phase angle represented by the pedal rotation input signal from the pedal rotation sensor 104, and FIG. 18(b) shows the change over time in the value of the input torque from the torque input section 1027.

[0072] Generally, when the pedal is rotated, the input torque changes as shown by the curve a in FIG. 18(b). In this example, while the pedal rotation phase angle changes from, for example, 45° to 180°, the input torque increases once and then decreases, and becomes a minimum at 180° with the right foot in FIG. 17 (t=t1). Thereafter, as the pedal is rotated further and the pedal rotation phase angle changes from 180° to 360°, the input torque also increases once and then decreases, and becomes a minimum at 360°=0° with the left foot in FIG. 17 (t=t2). Thereafter, the input torque becomes a minimum when the pedal is rotated by 180° in the same manner. The point where the input torque becomes a minimum is called the bottom dead center. The bottom dead center occurs when the pedal rotation phase angle is 0° and 180°.

[0073] If the lean limit is released near the bottom dead center, the vehicle body may lean and lose stability if the pedal rotation is stopped at that point. Therefore, if it is confirmed that the pedal rotation is continuing beyond the bottom dead center, the lean limit is released. In other words, the lean limit is released at a timing later than time t1.

[0074] Note that the tilt restriction may be released after the bottom dead center has been confirmed two or more times, for example, at a timing later than time t2. This allows for more continuous pedal rotation to be confirmed.

[0075] It should be noted that passing through bottom dead center can be confirmed later than time t1, and the occurrence of bottom dead center cannot be confirmed unless the input torque increases to a certain extent.

[0076] On the other hand, if the pedal rotation phase angle is used as the standard, continuous pedal rotation may be confirmed, for example, when it is detected that the pedal rotation phase angle has exceeded 180°, which corresponds to the bottom dead center, and reached, for example, 225°, or when it has exceeded 225° and then reached a further 45°.

[0077] The operation of the control unit 3000 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 19. In order to ensure safety, it is assumed that the tilt limit is instructed before the start of processing. Also, steps S71 to S75 are performed every control cycle.

[0078] First, the detection unit 3100 judges whether the vehicle speed is equal to or less than a threshold TH52 (e.g., 3 km / h) (step S71). If the vehicle speed is equal to or less than the threshold TH52, the detection unit 3100 outputs to the operation control unit 3200 that the vehicle speed is equal to or less than the threshold TH52. Then, in response to this output, the operation control unit 3200 instructs the instruction unit 1023 to implement tilt restriction (step S73). If the vehicle is traveling at a low speed, tilt restriction is implemented.

[0079] Thereafter, the control unit 3000 judges whether the process has ended due to a reason such as a power-off instruction (step S75), and if the process has not ended, the process returns to step S71. On the other hand, if the process has ended due to a power-off instruction, the process ends.

[0080] On the other hand, if the vehicle speed exceeds the threshold value TH52, the detection unit 3100 attempts to detect the bottom dead center from this point on. However, the detection unit 3100 judges whether the vehicle speed is equal to or greater than the threshold value TH51 (e.g., 5 km / h) (step S77). If the vehicle speed is equal to or greater than the threshold value TH51, the tilt restriction may be released, so the detection unit 3100 outputs to the operation control unit 3200 that the vehicle speed is equal to or greater than the threshold value TH51. In response to this output, the operation control unit 3200 instructs the instruction unit 1023 to release the tilt restriction (step S79). If the tilt restriction is released, the bottom dead center is not detected. Then, the process proceeds to step S75.

[0081] On the other hand, if the vehicle speed is less than the threshold value TH51, the detection unit 3100 judges whether the pedal has been rotated in the forward direction enough to confirm the bottom dead center after the vehicle speed exceeds the threshold value TH52 (step S81). As described above, whether the input torque value has become a minimum or not can only be confirmed after the input torque has increased to a certain extent. Therefore, for example, it is assumed that the bottom dead center has been confirmed when the input torque value has increased by a certain percentage (for example, 25%) or more from the most recent minimum value. Note that the condition may be that the bottom dead center has been confirmed multiple times.

[0082] If it is determined that such conditions are met, the detection unit 3100 outputs to the operation control unit 3200 that the above conditions are met. In response to this output, the operation control unit 3200 instructs the instruction unit 1023 to release the tilt restriction (step S83). After that, the process proceeds to step S75.

[0083] On the other hand, if the condition of step S81 is not satisfied, that is, even if the vehicle speed exceeds the threshold value TH52, the bottom dead center cannot be confirmed, the detection unit 3100 outputs to the operation control unit 3200 that the above condition is not satisfied. In response to this output, the operation control unit 3200 maintains the current control of the tilt restriction (step S85). Since the operation control unit 3200 does nothing in this step, step S85 is represented by a dotted block. That is, if the tilt restriction has been released, it is left released, and if the tilt restriction has been applied, it is left applied. This is to prevent chattering, as in the first embodiment. Then, the process proceeds to step S75.

[0084] In this way, when the vehicle speed is less than the threshold value TH51 and exceeds the threshold value TH52, if the driver's further pedal rotation is confirmed, the condition of step S81 is met, and the tilt restriction is released. This allows the tilt restriction to be released early.

[0085] As described above, the condition of step S81 may be changed to, instead of the value of the input torque, when it is confirmed that the pedal rotational phase angle has reached an angle (e.g., 225°) indicating that the pedal rotational phase angle has passed bottom dead center, or when it is detected that the pedal rotational phase angle has rotated a predetermined angle from the phase angle (e.g., 225°) indicating that the pedal rotational phase angle has passed bottom dead center, or when the pedal rotational phase angle has reached the phase angle (e.g., 225°) indicating that the pedal rotational phase angle has passed bottom dead center and the next phase angle (e.g., 45°) indicating that further rotation has occurred, or the like.

[0086] [Embodiment 5] In the fourth embodiment, the continuity of pedal rotation is determined from the input torque value and the pedal rotation phase angle, but it is also possible to determine the continuity of pedal rotation using time.

[0087] The operation of the control unit 3000 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 20. This processing flow is almost the same as that of Fig. 19, except that step S91 is added after step S73, when it is detected in step S71 that the vehicle speed has exceeded the threshold value TH52, measurement of the duration of the forward pedal rotation is started, and step S93 is introduced instead of step S81.

[0088] In step S91, since tilt restriction is to be implemented, the detection unit 3100 clears the measurement of the duration of forward pedal rotation, i.e., sets the duration to zero.

[0089] Also, when it is determined in step S71 that the vehicle speed has exceeded the threshold value TH52, the controller 10 starts to measure the duration of the forward pedal rotation (pedal rotation duration). For example, if the pedal rotation phase angle continues to increase, the rotation duration is increased.

[0090] Then, in step S93, the detection unit 3100 judges whether the pedal rotation duration is equal to or greater than a threshold value TH53 (e.g., 3 seconds). If the pedal rotation duration is equal to or greater than the threshold value TH53, the process proceeds to step S83. If not, the process proceeds to step S85.

[0091] If continuous forward pedal rotation is detected in this manner, the tilt restriction is released early even if the vehicle speed has not yet reached or exceeded the threshold value TH51.

[0092] [Embodiment 6] For example, the operation panel 106 may be provided with a reverse switch for instructing the motor 105 to drive backward. When this switch is turned on, the control device 102 drives the vehicle backward when the vehicle speed drops below a certain speed near zero. However, if the tilt limit is released during reverse driving, the vehicle may become unstable.

[0093] Therefore, in this embodiment, when the reverse switch is turned on, the lean limit is implemented regardless of the vehicle speed.

[0094] As shown in FIG. 21, the operation panel 106 is provided with an LED 1063 indicating power on / off, two 7-segment LEDs 1064, a switch 1061 for turning the headlights on and off, a switch 1062 for turning the power on / off and setting the mode, and a reverse switch (B) 1065.

[0095] Then, the operation control section 3200 executes the process shown in Fig. 22. Note that steps S101 to S107 are executed for each control cycle.

[0096] That is, the operation control unit 3200 judges whether the reverse switch 1065 is turned on or not (step S101). When the reverse switch is turned on, that is, when a reverse drive is instructed, the operation control unit 3200 instructs the instructing unit 1023 to limit the tilt (step S103).

[0097] Thereafter, the control unit 3000 judges whether the process has ended due to a reason such as a power-off instruction (step S107), and if the process has not ended, the process returns to step S101. On the other hand, if the process has ended due to a power-off instruction, the process ends.

[0098] On the other hand, if the reverse switch 1065 is off, the operation control unit 3200 instructs the instruction unit 1023 to release the tilt restriction (step S105). Then, the process proceeds to step S107.

[0099] For example, if the processes of the first to fifth embodiments are being executed simultaneously, the tilt restriction may not be released in step S105, but the control in the process may be followed. This makes it possible to handle states other than the on / off state of the reverse switch.

[0100] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these. For example, any of the technical features in the above-described embodiments may be deleted, or any of the technical features in the other embodiments may be added, depending on the purpose.

[0101] Furthermore, the above-mentioned functional block diagram is an example, and one functional block may be divided into multiple functional blocks, or multiple functional blocks may be integrated into one functional block. As for the process flow, the order of steps may be changed or multiple steps may be executed in parallel as long as the process content does not change.

[0102] The above-described embodiment can be summarized as follows.

[0103] The control device of this embodiment has (A) a detection unit (e.g., detection unit 3100) that detects the rotation state of a pedal provided on an electrically assisted vehicle having three or more wheels, including front wheels and rear wheels, and (B) a control unit (e.g., operation control unit 3200) that instructs a mechanism that limits the tilt of the body of the electrically assisted vehicle or releases the tilt restriction to switch between limiting the tilt of the body and releasing the tilt restriction, based on the rotation state of the pedal detected by the detection unit.

[0104] As such, since the rotation state of the pedals on an electrically assisted vehicle affects stable driving, the system detects the rotation state of the pedals and automatically switches between limiting the vehicle body's tilt and releasing the tilt restriction to maintain stable driving.

[0105] The control unit may instruct the mechanism to limit the inclination of the vehicle body when the rotation state of the pedal indicates that the pedal is rotating in reverse. When the pedal is rotating in reverse, the vehicle tends to become unstable, so the control described above is performed to maintain stable driving.

[0106] The above-mentioned detection unit may detect that the pedal is rotating in reverse based on the rotation angle or rotation speed of the pedal in the reverse direction (e.g., FIG. 14 or FIG. 15). For example, when the pedal is rotated in reverse by a certain rotation angle or more, if a certain or more reverse pedal rotation speed is detected, it may be determined that the pedal is rotating in reverse.

[0107] Furthermore, the above-mentioned detection unit may further detect the vehicle speed of the electrically assisted vehicle. In this case, the above-mentioned control unit may instruct the mechanism to limit the inclination of the vehicle body when the vehicle speed detected by the detection unit is equal to or lower than a certain value (for example, TH41=6km / h) and the rotation state of the pedal indicates that the pedal is rotating in reverse. This is because when the pedal is rotating in reverse, if the vehicle speed is not equal to or higher than the above-mentioned certain value (for example, TH41=6km / h) even during normal driving, the balance is lost and the vehicle body is likely to wobble, which affects stable driving. Conversely, if the vehicle speed is equal to or higher than the certain value, there is a high possibility that stable driving can be maintained even if the pedal is rotating in reverse and the inclination of the vehicle body is not limited.

[0108] The above-mentioned constant value is, for example, a value larger than the vehicle speed threshold value (e.g., TH42=5km / h) for releasing the tilt restriction when the pedal is rotated forward. As mentioned above, this makes the conditions stricter than those for normal driving.

[0109] Furthermore, the above-mentioned detection unit may further detect the vehicle speed of the electrically assisted vehicle. In this case, the above-mentioned control unit may instruct the mechanism to release the tilt restriction when the vehicle speed detected by the detection unit exceeds a first threshold value (e.g., TH51=3km / h) for limiting the tilt of the vehicle body and is less than a second threshold value (e.g., TH52=5km / h) for releasing the tilt restriction, and the forward rotation of the pedals satisfies a predetermined condition. This is because, even if the vehicle speed condition is not satisfied, stable running may be maintained even if the tilt restriction of the vehicle body is released based on the forward rotation of the pedals. This allows the vehicle body to be tilted early, making it easier to turn, etc.

[0110] The above-mentioned predetermined conditions are, for example, (a) that the rotational position of the pedal has reached the bottom dead center once or multiple times, (b) that the rotational phase angle of the pedal has passed one or multiple predetermined phase angles (for example, that it has passed 225°, or that it has reached 225° and then become 45°), and (c) that the rotational time of the pedal has exceeded a certain period of time. In this way, if it is possible to detect that the forward rotation of the pedal is continuing to a certain extent and if the above-mentioned vehicle speed conditions are satisfied, stable driving can be maintained.

[0111] Furthermore, when the control unit detects that a switch for instructing the electric power assisted vehicle to drive in reverse has been turned on, the control unit may instruct the mechanism to limit the inclination of the vehicle body. Since the inclination of the vehicle body is limited in order to maintain stable driving, it is understood that the driver intends to move the electric power assisted vehicle backwards when the switch is turned on.

[0112] Such a configuration is not limited to the matters described in the embodiment, and may be implemented in other configurations that provide substantially the same effects. [Explanation of symbols]

[0113] 3000 Control Unit 3100 Detector 3200 Motion control section

Claims

1. A detection unit that detects a rotation state of a pedal provided in an electrically assisted vehicle having three or more wheels including front wheels and rear wheels; a control unit that issues an instruction to a mechanism that limits the inclination of a vehicle body of the electrically assisted vehicle or releases the inclination restriction, to switch between limiting the inclination of the vehicle body and releasing the inclination restriction, based on the rotation state of the pedal detected by the detection unit; and A control device having the above configuration.

2. The control unit is When the rotation state of the pedal indicates that the pedal is rotating in reverse, the mechanism is instructed to limit the tilt of the vehicle body. The control device according to claim 1.

3. The detection unit detects that the pedal is rotating in the reverse direction based on a pedal rotation angle or a pedal rotation speed in the reverse direction. The control device according to claim 2.

4. The detection unit further detects a vehicle speed of the electrically assisted vehicle, The control unit instructs the mechanism to limit the inclination of the vehicle body when the vehicle speed detected by the detection unit is equal to or lower than a certain value and the rotation state of the pedal indicates that the pedal is rotating in reverse. The control device according to claim 1.

5. The certain value is a value greater than the threshold vehicle speed for releasing the tilt restriction when the pedal is rotated forward. The control device according to claim 4.

6. The detection unit further detects a vehicle speed of the electrically assisted vehicle, The control unit is When the vehicle speed detected by the detection unit exceeds a first threshold for limiting the lean of the vehicle body and is less than a second threshold for releasing the lean restriction, and the forward rotation of the pedal satisfies a predetermined condition, the mechanism is instructed to release the lean restriction. The control device according to claim 1.

7. The predetermined condition is Detecting that the rotational position of the pedal has reached the bottom dead center one or more times; The rotational phase angle of the pedal has passed through one or more predetermined phase angles, or The rotation of the pedal continues for a certain period of time or more.

7. The control device according to claim 6,

8. The control unit is when it is detected that a switch for instructing the electric power assisted vehicle to drive in reverse rotation has been turned on, instructing the mechanism to limit the inclination of the vehicle body; When it is detected that the switch is off, an instruction is given to the mechanism to switch between limiting the lean of the vehicle body and releasing the lean limit based on at least the rotation state of the pedal. A control device according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A control device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, An electrically assisted vehicle with three or more wheels, including front and rear wheels.

Images