Driving unit

Abstract

To provide a travelling body which has both of high speed travelling performance, a high turning performance, and traversing performance on a bad road.SOLUTION: In a travelling body 1A, at least a front wheel 11, a middle wheel 12 and a rear wheel 13 are provided one by one on the left and right. The travelling body comprises: a right coupling arm 20R which pivotally supports each of right front wheel 11R and middle wheel 12R and couples these wheels; a left coupling arm 20L which pivotally supports each of left front wheel 11L and middle wheel 12L and couples these wheels; a housing part 31 which is provided between the right coupling arm 20R and the left coupling arm 20L, and pivotally supports an intermediate part between the front wheels 11R, 11L and the middle wheels 12R, 12L of each of the right coupling arm 20R and the left coupling arm 20L; a rear wheel connection mechanism 33 which couples a right rear wheel 13R and a left rear wheel 13L; and a vehicle body shaft 32 which couples the housing part 31 and the rear wheel connection mechanism 33 in a cross direction. The housing part 31 is so provided as to be rotatable left and right around a connection part 35 to the vehicle body shaft 32.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a traveling body.

Background Art

[0002] For example, in vehicles such as carrier vehicles that transport materials inside factories and the like, and traveling bodies such as robots for unloading goods in automated warehouses and the like, high-speed traveling performance is required, and since it is necessary to arbitrarily change the traveling direction in a narrow space, high turning performance may also be required.

[0003] Regarding this, in Patent Document 1, in a multi-axle vehicle having a plurality of axles, inside each axle, there are provided a differential case that is rotatable by receiving the rotational force from an engine mounted on the vehicle, a first differential gear, and left and right second differential gears, and a differential device that can apply a rotational force in a forward and reverse free manner to either one of the left and right second differential gears. In the configuration of Patent Document 1, for example, on the front wheel side, left and right drive shafts are respectively led out from the inside of the differential case and penetrate in the left and right outer directions. A left drive wheel is provided at the tip of the left drive shaft, and a right drive wheel is provided at the tip of the right drive shaft. And the proximal ends of the left and right drive shafts are respectively connected to the left and right second differential gears that are built in the differential case and meshed with the first differential gear. The configuration on the rear wheel side is the same. Thus, in the configuration of Patent Document 1, since the left and right wheels are connected by drive shafts, when traveling on a rough road with a step or a steep slope, etc., even if one of the left and right wheels touches the ground, the other may not touch the ground and may be in a floating state from the road surface. When the wheel floats from the road surface, the torque of the wheel cannot be transmitted to the road surface, and the entire vehicle body becomes unstable, so the traveling performance cannot be fully exhibited. Therefore, even if the turning performance of the traveling body can be improved by applying the structure described in Patent Document 1 to the traveling body as described above, it is difficult to highly expect the penetration performance when the traveling body travels on a rough road.

[0004] A vehicle with a structure that provides high off-road capability is the rocker bogie car. In a rocker bogie car, the front wheels, middle wheels, and rear wheels are each provided in pairs on the left and right sides, and each side has a structure equipped with a bogie link and a rocker link. On each side, the bogie link pivots on the front wheel and middle wheel, respectively, and connects them. Also, on each side, the rocker link pivots on the intermediate part between the front wheel and middle wheel of the bogie link and the rear wheel, and connects them. In a rocker bogie car, the bogie link is rotated in a vertical plane around the intermediate part pivoted by the rocker link, allowing the front wheel and middle wheel to move up and down freely independently on each side. As a result, the rocker bogie car can keep each wheel in contact with the ground even when traveling on rough roads, thus providing high off-road capability. However, in a rocker bogie car, when viewed from above, the front, middle, and rear wheels on each side are connected in a nearly straight line by rocker links and bogie links. Therefore, turning is achieved, for example, by creating a difference in torque between the left and right wheels. In this case, high turning performance cannot be expected. In rocker bogie cars like these, it is possible to improve turning performance by using Mecanum wheels or Omni wheels for each wheel. However, Mecanum wheels and Omni wheels have a configuration in which multiple barrel-shaped rollers are attached to the wheel at an angle different from the direction of travel of the wheel. As a result, the car body is prone to vertical vibration during operation, and stability may not be high. Also, compared to using regular rubber tires, more torque is required to drive the wheels in the direction of travel, so high-speed performance is also difficult to achieve.

[0005] A vehicle is desired that possesses high-speed driving performance, excellent turning ability, and the ability to traverse rough terrain. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-230756 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] The problem that this invention aims to solve is to provide a vehicle that possesses high-speed driving performance, high turning performance, and the ability to traverse rough terrain. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, the present invention employs the following means. In other words, the vehicle body of the present invention is a vehicle body in which at least one pair each of front wheels, middle wheels, and rear wheels are provided on the left and right sides, and comprises a right-side connecting arm that pivotally supports and connects the right front wheel and the middle wheel, a left-side connecting arm that pivotally supports and connects the left front wheel and the middle wheel, a housing portion provided between the right-side connecting arm and the left-side connecting arm and pivotally supports the intermediate portion between the front wheel and the middle wheel of each of the right-side connecting arm and the left-side connecting arm, a rear wheel connecting mechanism that connects the right rear wheel and the left rear wheel, and a vehicle shaft that connects the housing portion and the rear wheel connecting mechanism in the front-rear direction, wherein the housing portion is provided so as to be rotatable from side to side about the connection portion with the vehicle shaft. With the above configuration, the right front and middle wheels are pivotally supported by the right connecting arm, the left front and middle wheels are pivotally supported by the left connecting arm, and the right and left connecting arms are pivotally supported by the housing section located between them. Therefore, it is possible to rotate the right and left connecting arms so as to raise the front wheels and lower the middle wheels, or so as to lower the front wheels and raise the middle wheels. This allows the left and right front and middle wheels to be arbitrarily moved up and down to match the shape of the road surface and positioned to make contact with the ground, thereby improving off-road performance. Furthermore, the right rear wheel and the left rear wheel are connected by a rear wheel coupling mechanism. The housing is rotatable left and right around the connection point with the vehicle axle, which connects the rear wheel coupling mechanism and the housing in the front-rear direction. In this way, the direction of the housing relative to the vehicle axle can be changed to any left or right direction, thereby changing the direction of travel of the front and middle wheels connected to the housing via the right and left coupling arms. Depending on the magnitude of the changed direction and angle of the housing, the vehicle can change its course and turn in any direction. This improves turning performance. Furthermore, as described above, the vehicle has a structure that allows it to change direction and turn in any direction. Therefore, there is no need to specially equip it with special wheel mechanisms such as Mecanum wheels or omni-wheels to improve turning performance. For example, rubber wheels can be used as wheels, as they generate a large frictional force with the road surface, thereby efficiently transmitting the torque of the wheels to the road surface. As a result, high-speed driving performance is not compromised. In this way, it becomes possible to provide a vehicle that possesses high-speed driving performance, high turning performance, and the ability to traverse rough terrain.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle body of the present invention comprises a right front axle connecting the right connecting arm and the housing portion, and a left front axle connecting the left connecting arm and the housing portion, and the rear wheel coupling mechanism comprises a rear housing portion provided on the rear side of the vehicle body axle, a right rear axle connecting the right rear wheel and the rear housing portion, and a left rear axle connecting the left rear wheel and the rear housing portion, the right front axle and the left front axle are provided to be rotatable vertically about the connection portion with the housing portion, the right rear axle and the left rear axle are provided to be rotatable vertically about the connection portion with the rear housing portion, and suspensions are provided between the right front axle and the left front axle and the housing portion, and between the right rear axle and the left rear axle and the rear housing portion. With the above configuration, the right front shaft connecting the right connecting arm to the housing, and the left front shaft connecting the left connecting arm to the housing, are provided to be rotatable vertically around the connection point with the housing. Therefore, in addition to rotating them around the midpoint between the right and left connecting arms, the left and right front and middle wheels can also be moved up and down by moving the right and left connecting arms themselves. Consequently, the range of motion when moving the left and right front and middle wheels up and down can be increased. As a result, the ground contact performance of the left and right front and middle wheels is improved. Furthermore, the right and left rear wheels are connected to the right and left rear axles, respectively, which are rotatable vertically around the connection point with the rear housing. This allows the left and right rear wheels to be moved up and down as needed to match the shape of the road surface and be positioned to make contact with the ground. As a result, the contact performance of the rear wheels is improved. Furthermore, by providing suspension between the right front axle and the left front axle and the housing, and between the right rear axle and the left rear axle and the rear housing, the impact of shocks caused by uneven road surfaces on the vehicle is reduced, and the left and right front, middle, and rear wheels are biased downwards, thereby further improving the contact performance of the left and right front, middle, and rear wheels. In this way, the overall contact performance of the wheel is improved, which can further enhance its ability to traverse rough terrain.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle axle comprises a front vehicle axle located at the front and to which the housing portion is connected, and a rear vehicle axle located at the rear and to which the rear wheel coupling mechanism is connected, wherein the rear vehicle axle is provided so as to be rotatable around the axial direction of the vehicle axle with respect to the front vehicle axle. With the above configuration, the vehicle axle comprises a front axle located at the front and connected to the housing, and a rear axle located at the rear and connected to the rear wheel coupling mechanism. The rear axle is rotatable around the axis of the vehicle axle relative to the front axle. Therefore, the rear wheel coupling mechanism can be rotated around the axis of the vehicle axle, twisting it relative to the housing connected to the front axle, thereby allowing the right and left rear wheels to move up and down relative to the housing. This improves the contact performance of the rear wheels, thereby enhancing the ability to traverse rough terrain.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the rear wheel coupling mechanism is provided so as to be rotatable from left to right around the connection point with the vehicle axle. With the configuration described above, the rear wheel coupling mechanism is provided to be rotatable left and right around the connection point with the vehicle axle. Therefore, for example, by rotating the rear wheel coupling mechanism in the opposite direction to the housing as the housing rotates left and right, the turning radius when the vehicle changes direction can be reduced. Alternatively, by rotating the housing and the rear wheel coupling mechanism in the same direction as the housing, for example to the left, and increasing the distance between the right front wheel and the left rear wheel, it is possible to perform pivot turns and super-pivot turns by rotating the right front wheel in the forward direction and the left rear wheel in the reverse direction. In this way, turning performance can be further improved.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the right front wheel and the left front wheel, and the right rear wheel and the left rear wheel are provided so that their respective directions of travel can be arbitrarily changed. With the configuration described above, the left and right front wheels and the left and right rear wheels can each change their direction of travel at will. Therefore, when turning, pivoting, or super-pivoting the vehicle, it is possible to change the direction of each wheel so that it faces in the direction of the trajectory it is traveling. Consequently, turning performance can be further improved. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a traveling body that has high-speed traveling performance, high turning performance, and also has a performance of breaking through rough roads.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014] [Figure 1] It is a plan view showing a traveling body according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a side view of a traveling body according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] It is a plan view showing a state in which a housing portion of a traveling body according to an embodiment is rotated about a connection portion with a vehicle body axis. [Figure 4] It is a plan view of a traveling body according to a first modification of the above embodiment. [Figure 5] It is a side view of a traveling body according to a first modification of the above embodiment. [Figure 6] It is a view of a traveling body according to a first modification of the above embodiment as seen from the front. [Figure 7] It is a view of a traveling body according to a first modification of the above embodiment as seen from the rear. [Figure 8] It is a plan view of a traveling body according to a second modification of the above embodiment. [Figure 9] It is a plan view of a traveling body according to a third modification of the above embodiment. [Figure 10] It is a side view of a traveling body according to a third modification of the above embodiment. [Figure 11] It is a plan view showing a state in which a traveling body according to a third modification of the above embodiment is performing a super-drift turn. [Figure 12] It is a plan view showing a state in which a traveling body according to a third modification of the above embodiment is performing a drift turn. [Figure 13] It is a side view of a traveling body according to a fourth modification of the above embodiment. [Figure 14] It is a plan view showing a state in which a traveling body according to a fourth modification of the above embodiment is performing a super-drift turn. [Figure 15]This is a plan view showing another state in which the traveling body according to the fourth modified embodiment described above is performing a pivot rotation. [Figure 16] This is a plan view of the traveling body according to a fifth modified example of the above embodiment. [Figure 17] This is a plan view of the traveling body according to the sixth modified example of the above embodiment. [Figure 18] This is a plan view of the traveling body according to the seventh modified example of the above embodiment. [Figure 19] This is a side view of the traveling body according to the seventh modified example of the above embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0015] Hereinafter, with reference to the attached drawings, embodiments for implementing the vehicle according to the present invention will be described based on the drawings. Figure 1 is a plan view showing a traveling body according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a side view of the traveling body according to the embodiment. Figure 3 is a plan view showing the traveling body according to the embodiment with the housing portion rotated around the connection portion with the vehicle axle. The vehicle 1A in this embodiment can be used, for example, as a transport vehicle for carrying materials inside a factory or the like. Alternatively, the vehicle 1A can be used as a robot for handling goods in an automated warehouse or the like. Such a vehicle 1A requires high-speed driving performance and high turning performance. Furthermore, the vehicle 1A may be required to travel on rough roads with steps or steep slopes. In this case, the vehicle 1A is also required to have the ability to traverse rough roads. To achieve such high-speed driving performance, high turning performance, and rough road traversal performance, the vehicle 1A of this embodiment is equipped with the configuration described below. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the vehicle 1A comprises front wheels 11, middle wheels 12, and rear wheels 13, a main body 30, and connecting arms 20.

[0016] As shown in Figure 1, a pair of front wheels 11 are provided on the left and right sides at the front end of the vehicle body 1A. The pair of front wheels 11 consists of a right front wheel 11R on the right side and a left front wheel 11L on the left side. A pair of middle wheels 12 are provided on the left and right sides at the midpoint of the vehicle body 1A in the longitudinal direction. The pair of middle wheels 12 consists of a right middle wheel 12R on the right side and a left middle wheel 12L on the left side. A pair of rear wheels 13 are provided on the left and right sides at the rear end of the vehicle body 1A. The pair of rear wheels 13 consists of a right rear wheel 13R on the right side and a left rear wheel 13L on the left side. In the following description, unless it is necessary to distinguish between the right front wheel 11R and the left front wheel 11L, each of the right front wheel 11R and the left front wheel 11L will simply be referred to as the front wheel 11. Similarly, unless it is necessary to distinguish between the right middle wheel 12R and the left middle wheel 12L, each of the right middle wheel 12R and the left middle wheel 12L will simply be referred to as the middle wheel 12. Furthermore, unless it is necessary to distinguish between the right rear wheel 13R and the left rear wheel 13L, each of the right rear wheel 13R and the left rear wheel 13L will simply be referred to as the rear wheel 13.

[0017] The main body 30 is located in the center of the running body 1A in the left-right direction (width direction). The main body 30 is located between the front wheels 11, middle wheels 12, and rear wheels 13, which are provided in pairs on the left and right sides. The main body 30 comprises a housing 31, a vehicle axle 32, and a rear wheel coupling mechanism 33. The housing portion 31 is located on the front side of the main body portion 30. The housing portion 31 has, for example, a rectangular shape in plan view. As will be described in detail later, the housing portion 31 supports the front wheel 11 and the middle wheel 12 on both sides in the left-right direction, respectively, via connecting arms 20. The axle 32 is located at the rear of the housing 31. The axle 32 is located in the center of the running body 1A in the left-right direction. The axle 32 connects the housing 31 and the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33 in the front-rear direction. The axle 32 extends in the front-rear direction. As long as the vehicle axle 32 has sufficient strength to serve as the axle of the running body 1A, the cross-sectional shape of the vehicle axle 32 when viewed in cross-section with a plane perpendicular to the axial direction may be any shape, such as a rectangle, circle, or polygon. This also applies to each of the modifications described later in this embodiment. The front end of the vehicle axle 32 is connected to the housing 31 via a connecting shaft 35 that extends vertically. The connecting shaft 35 is located in the center of the housing 31 when viewed from above. The front end of the vehicle axle 32 is connected to the housing 31 so as to be able to rotate around the axis of rotation Cv, with the center of the connecting shaft 35 being the axis of rotation Cv. As a result, as shown in Figure 3, the housing 31 is provided so as to be able to rotate left and right around the axis of rotation Cv that extends vertically, with the connecting shaft 35, which is provided as the connection part to the vehicle axle 32, as the center. In other words, from the initial state shown in Figure 1, where all the wheels 11, 12, and 13 are moving in the same forward direction, the housing 31 can be rotated so that, for example as shown in Figure 3, the front side of the housing 31 faces to the left when viewed from above, and the direction of travel of the right front wheel 11R, right middle wheel 12R, left front wheel 11L, and left middle wheel 12L is tilted from forward to the left. Alternatively, from the initial state described above, the housing 31 can be rotated to the opposite side of Figure 3, that is, so that when viewed from above, the front of the housing 31 faces to the right, and the direction of travel of the right front wheel 11R, right middle wheel 12R, left front wheel 11L, and left middle wheel 12L is tilted from the front to the right.

[0018] In Figure 2, the axle 32 is shown as being connected to the lower surface of the housing 31, but in reality, the axle 32 may be connected to any part of the housing 31. For example, the running body 1A may be constructed such that, when viewed from the side, the running body 31 and the running body 32 are at the same height, with the running body 32 protruding from the rear end of the running body 31. This is achieved by forming a recess on the rear surface of the housing portion 31 so as to recess forward, housing the front end of the vehicle axle 32 inside the recess, and connecting the vehicle axle 32 and the housing portion 31 by a connecting shaft 35. In this case, the recess may be closed on the lower side by a bottom plate or the like that forming the housing portion 31, and closed on the upper side by an upper plate or the like that forming the housing portion 31, so that the front end of the vehicle axle 32 located inside the recess is sandwiched from both above and below by the members constituting the housing portion 31. Alternatively, the vehicle axle 32 may be configured to be connected to the upper surface of the housing portion 31. Thus, as long as a structure can be realized in which the housing portion 31 is rotatable left and right around a rotation axis Cv that extends vertically, centered on a connecting shaft 35 provided as a connection portion with the vehicle axle 32, the vehicle axle 32 and the housing portion 31 can be connected in any manner.

[0019] The rear wheel coupling mechanism 33 is located on the rear side of the main body 30. The rear wheel coupling mechanism 33 is connected to the rear end of the vehicle axle 32. The rear wheel coupling mechanism 33 extends from the rear end of the vehicle axle 32 to both sides in the left-right direction. As will be described in detail later, the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33 supports the rear wheels 13 on both sides in the left-right direction.

[0020] As shown in Figure 1, a pair of connecting arms 20 are provided on both sides of the housing portion 31 in the left-right direction. The pair of connecting arms 20 consists of a right-side connecting arm 20R provided on the right side and a left-side connecting arm 20L provided on the left side. In other words, the housing portion 31 is provided between the right-side connecting arm 20R and the left-side connecting arm 20L. The right-side connecting arm 20R and the left-side connecting arm 20L have a symmetrical configuration. In the following description, unless it is necessary to distinguish between the right-side connecting arm 20R and the left-side connecting arm 20L, each will simply be referred to as the connecting arm 20. The connecting arm 20 pivotally supports the front wheel 11 and the middle wheel 12, respectively, so as to be rotatable around an axis extending in the left-right direction. As shown in Figure 2, the connecting arm 20 integrally has an arm portion 21 extending in the front-rear direction of the main body portion 30, and front leg portions 23 and middle leg portions 24 extending downward from each of the front and rear ends of the arm portion 21. The front wheel 11 is rotatably connected to the lower end of the front leg portion 23 located at the front end of the connecting arm 20. The middle wheel 12 is rotatably connected to the lower end of the middle leg portion 24 located at the rear end of the connecting arm 20. In this way, the connecting arm 20 pivotally supports and connects the front wheel 11 and the middle wheel 12, respectively. The right connecting arm 20R pivotally supports and connects the right front wheel 11 and the middle wheel 12, respectively. The left connecting arm 20L pivotally supports and connects the left front wheel 11 and the middle wheel 12, respectively.

[0021] The intermediate portion 21c of the arm 21 in the front-rear direction is rotatably connected to the housing 31 via a drive shaft 25 extending in the left-right direction, around the central axis Cd of the drive shaft 25. In this way, the housing 31 pivotally supports the intermediate portion 21c of each of the right-side connecting arm 20R and the left-side connecting arm 20L, between the front wheel 11 and the middle wheel 12.

[0022] The drive shaft 25 is rotationally driven around its central axis Cd by a motor 26 whose operation is controlled by a controller (not shown). In other words, the connecting arm 20 is dynamically rotatable relative to the housing 31 by the motor 26. The relative angle between the connecting arm 20 and the housing 31 around the drive shaft 25 can be controlled to any desired angle. For example, by controlling the motor 26, the coupling arm 20 can be rotated so that the middle leg 24 located at the rear of the coupling arm 20 is raised relative to the front leg 23 located at the front, and the middle wheel 12 is positioned above the front wheel 11, lifting it off the road surface F, as will be explained later as a modified example in Figure 10. Alternatively, for example, by controlling the motor 26, the coupling arm 20 can be rotated in the opposite direction to Figure 10, that is, so that the front leg 23 of the coupling arm 20 is raised relative to the middle leg 24, and the front wheel 11 is positioned above the middle wheel 12, lifting it off the road surface F. With this configuration, the vehicle 1A can, for example, ascend or descend steps. When climbing a step, for example, the vehicle 1A moves forward with the motor 26 controlled to lift the front wheels 11 above the middle wheels 12 from the road surface F, and then places the front wheels 11 onto the step. Then, while the front load of the vehicle 1A is supported by the front wheels 11, the motor 26 is controlled in the opposite direction to lift the middle wheels 12 to the same height as the front wheels 11, and the vehicle 1A moves forward in that state, placing the middle wheels 12 onto the step. After that, the vehicle 1A moves forward again, bringing the rear wheels 13 into contact with the vertical surface of the step, and the rear wheels 13 are rotated, and the frictional force between the rear wheels 13 and the vertical surface causes the rear wheels 13 to rise and place them onto the step. Similarly, by controlling the motor 26 to adjust the positions of the front wheels 11 and the middle wheels 12, it is also possible to descend steps. The right-side coupling arm 20R and the left-side coupling arm 20L are each independently pivotally supported on the housing 31. Furthermore, the motor 26 is individually provided for each of the right-side coupling arm 20R and the left-side coupling arm 20L. Therefore, the right-side coupling arm 20R and the left-side coupling arm 20L can be rotated independently.

[0023] Furthermore, by turning off the drive from the motor 26, the connecting arm 20 and the housing 31 can be made to rotate freely around the drive shaft 25. For example, if the road surface F has irregularities, by making the connecting arm 20 to rotate freely relative to the housing 31, the front wheels 11 and middle wheels 12 can be moved up and down freely to follow the shape of the road surface F. In particular, as described above, since the right connecting arm 20R and the left connecting arm 20L are each independently pivotally supported on the housing 31, even if there are different irregularities on the left and right sides of the road surface F, the right connecting arm 20R and the left connecting arm 20L can each rotate independently to follow the shape of the road surface F. Such a motor 26 can be realized by an actuator that can freely control the rotational driving force, such as a torque motor or a harmonic drive (registered trademark). In this embodiment, the drive shaft 25 is positioned at the same location as the connecting shaft 35 in the front-rear direction when viewed from above.

[0024] As shown in Figure 2, each of the front wheels 11 (right front wheel 11R, left front wheel 11L), middle wheels 12 (right middle wheel 12R, left middle wheel 12L), and rear wheels 13 (right rear wheel 13R, left rear wheel 13L) is a rubber wheel having a wheel 10W and a rubber tire 10T provided on the outer circumference of the wheel 10W. As shown in Figure 1, the right front wheel 11R is driven by motor 14R. The left front wheel 11L is driven by motor 14L. The right middle wheel 12R is driven by motor 15R. The left middle wheel 12L is driven by motor 15L. The right rear wheel 13R is driven by motor 16R. The left rear wheel 13L is driven by motor 16L. The controller (not shown) controls the motors 14R, 14L, 15R, 15L, 16R, and 16L to rotate each of the front wheels 11 (right front wheel 11R, left front wheel 11L), middle wheels 12 (right middle wheel 12R, left middle wheel 12L), and rear wheels 13 (right rear wheel 13R, right rear wheel 13R) in either the forward or reverse direction. Motors 14R, 14L, 15R, 15L, 16R, and 16L can each be controlled independently by a controller (not shown). In other words, the right front wheel 11R, left front wheel 11L, right middle wheel 12R, left middle wheel 12L, right rear wheel 13R, and left rear wheel 13L can each be driven independently by the controller, which controls motors 14R, 14L, 15R, 15L, 16R, and 16L independently, so that each rotates with different torque and direction of rotation.

[0025] The controller (not shown) of the vehicle 1A controls motors 14R, 14L, 15R, 15L, 16R, and 16L to rotate the front wheels 11, middle wheels 12, and rear wheels 13, thereby causing the main body 30 to move under its own power. The controller (not shown) controls motor 26 according to the shape of the road surface F to swing the connecting arm 20 around the drive shaft 25, thereby lifting either the front wheels 11 or the middle wheels 12. Alternatively, by turning off the drive from motor 26 and allowing the connecting arm 20 to rotate freely around the drive shaft 25, the front wheels 11 and middle wheels 12 can move up and down freely in accordance with the shape of the road surface F.

[0026] In such a vehicle 1A, the front wheels 11 and middle wheels 12 can be steered by rotating the housing 31 left and right around the connecting shaft 35 relative to the vehicle axle 32. This allows the vehicle 1A to change its direction (turn) smoothly and stably by changing the orientation of the housing 31 around the connecting shaft 35 according to the direction of travel of the vehicle 1A. Furthermore, when changing the direction of the housing 31, the right front wheel 11R, right middle wheel 12R, and right rear wheel 13R are driven with a difference in rotational speed between them and the left front wheel 11L, left middle wheel 12L, and right rear wheel 13R. This suppresses slippage of each wheel and enables efficient and stable turning.

[0027] The above-described vehicle 1A is a vehicle 1A in which at least one pair of front wheels 11, middle wheels 12, and rear wheels 13 are provided on the left and right sides, and a right connecting arm 20R supports the right front wheel (right front wheel) 11R and the middle wheel (right middle wheel) 12R and connects them, and a left connecting arm 20L supports the left front wheel (left front wheel) 11L and the middle wheel (left middle wheel) 12L and connects them, and between the right connecting arm 20R and the left connecting arm 20L The vehicle is provided with a housing portion 31 that pivotally supports the intermediate portion 21c between the front wheel 11 and the middle wheel 12 of each of the right connecting arm 20R and the left connecting arm 20L, a rear wheel coupling mechanism 33 that connects the right rear wheel (right rear wheel) 13R and the left rear wheel (left rear wheel) 13L, and a vehicle axle 32 that connects the housing portion 31 and the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33 in the front-rear direction, and the housing portion 31 is provided so as to be rotatable from left to right around a connection portion (coupling shaft) 35 with the vehicle axle 32. With the above configuration, the right front wheel 11R and middle wheel 12R are pivotally supported by the right connecting arm 20R, the left front wheel 11L and middle wheel 12L are pivotally supported by the left connecting arm 20L, and the right connecting arm 20R and the left connecting arm 20L are pivotally supported by the housing portion 31 provided between them. As a result, the right connecting arm 20R and the left connecting arm 20L can be rotated to raise the front wheel 11 and lower the middle wheel 12, or to lower the front wheel 11 and raise the middle wheel 12, respectively. This allows the left and right front wheels 11 and middle wheels 12 to be arbitrarily moved up and down to match the shape of the road surface F, thereby improving the ability to traverse rough roads. Furthermore, the right rear wheel 13R and the left rear wheel 13L are connected by a rear wheel coupling mechanism 33. The housing 31 is rotatable left and right around the connection point with the vehicle axle 32, which connects the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33 and the housing 31 in the front-rear direction. In this way, the direction of the housing 31 relative to the vehicle axle 32 can be changed to any left or right direction, thereby changing the direction of travel of the front wheels 11 and middle wheels 12, which are connected to the housing 31 via the right coupling arm 20R and the left coupling arm 20L. As a result, the vehicle 1A can change its course and turn in any direction depending on the magnitude of the changed direction and angle of the housing 31. This improves turning performance. Furthermore, as described above, the vehicle 1A has a structure that allows it to change direction and turn in any direction. Therefore, there is no need to specially equip it with special wheel mechanisms such as Mecanum wheels or omni wheels to improve turning performance. For example, the vehicle 1A can be realized by using rubber wheels, which generate a large frictional force with the road surface F, thereby efficiently transmitting the torque of the wheels to the road surface F. As a result, high-speed driving performance is not compromised. In this way, it becomes possible to provide a vehicle 1A that possesses high-speed driving performance, high turning performance, and the ability to traverse rough terrain.

[0028] Furthermore, the front wheels 11, middle wheels 12, and rear wheels 13 are each made of rubber. With the above configuration, since rubber is elastic, it absorbs the shocks caused by irregularities in the road surface F. Therefore, compared to cases where, for example, Mecanum wheels or omniwheels are used as wheels, vibrations and shocks to the vehicle 1A itself and the goods that the vehicle 1A transports can be reduced. Furthermore, using rubber wheels increases the frictional force generated between them and the road surface F compared to using Mecanum wheels or Omni wheels, which helps to suppress slippage of the vehicle 1A.

[0029] (Modified example of Embodiment 1) It should be noted that the traveling body of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above with reference to the drawings, and various modifications are conceivable within its technical scope. In the descriptions of each modification shown below, the focus will be on configurations that differ from the above embodiments, and configurations common to the above embodiments may be denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions may be omitted. Figure 4 is a plan view of the traveling body according to the first modified embodiment described above. Figure 5 is a side view of the traveling body according to the first modified embodiment described above. Figure 6 is a view of the traveling body according to the first modified embodiment described above from the front. Figure 7 is a view of the traveling body according to the first modified embodiment described above from the rear. The main body portion 30B of the traveling body 1B in this modified example comprises a housing portion 31B, a vehicle axle 32B, and a rear wheel coupling mechanism 33B.

[0030] The housing portion 31B is provided on the front side of the main body portion 30B. The housing portion 31B has, for example, a rectangular shape in plan view. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the housing portion 31B of this modified example has a front shaft support portion 31s extending in the vertical direction below the central part in the left-right direction. The front axle support portion 31s is joined to the housing portion 31B via a connecting shaft 35, which is provided as a connection portion between the housing portion 31B and the vehicle axle 32B. As shown in Figures 4 and 6, the housing 31B supports the connecting arm 20 and the front wheel 11 and middle wheel 12 on both sides in the left-right direction of the front axle support 31s via the right front axle 40R and the left front axle 40L, respectively. The right front axle 40R connects the right connecting arm 20R to the housing 31B. The left front axle 40L connects the left connecting arm 20L to the housing 31B. The right front axle 40R and the left front axle 40L extend in the left-right direction. The base ends of the right front axle 40R and the left front axle 40L, which are located on the inside of the running body 1B, are rotatably connected to the front axle support 31s via axles 40s that extend in the front-rear direction. As a result, the right front shaft 40R and the left front shaft 40L are provided to be rotatable vertically around the shaft 40s, which is the connection point (shaft 40s) with the housing portion 31B, and the tip portions of the right front shaft 40R and the left front shaft 40L, located on the outer side opposite to the base end, are provided to be movable vertically. The tips of the right front shaft 40R and the left front shaft 40L are provided with connecting arms 20 (right connecting arm 20R, left connecting arm 20L) via a motor 26 and a drive shaft 25. A suspension 45F is provided between the right front axle 40R and the left front axle 40L and the lower surface of the housing 31B.

[0031] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the vehicle axle 32B connects the housing 31B and the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33B in the front-rear direction. The front end of the vehicle axle 32B is connected to the housing 31B via a connecting shaft 35 that extends in the vertical direction. The front end of the vehicle axle 32B is connected to the housing 31B so as to be able to rotate around the rotation axis Cv, with the center of the connecting shaft 35 being the rotation axis Cv. As a result, the housing 31B is provided so as to be able to rotate left and right around the rotation axis Cv that extends in the vertical direction, with the connecting shaft 35, which is provided as the connection part to the vehicle axle 32B, as its center.

[0032] As shown in Figures 4, 5, and 7, the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33B is located on the rear side of the main body 30B. The rear wheel coupling mechanism 33B comprises a rear housing 41, a right rear axle 42R, and a left rear axle 42L. The rear housing portion 41 is provided integrally with the vehicle axle 32B on the lower side of the vehicle axle 32B. The rear housing portion 41 extends downward from the vehicle axle 32B.

[0033] The right rear axle 42R and the left rear axle 42L are provided on both sides of the rear housing 41 in the left-right direction. The right rear axle 42R connects the right rear wheel 13 to the rear housing 41. The left rear axle 42L connects the left rear wheel 13 to the rear housing 41. The right rear axle 42R and the left rear axle 42L each extend in the left-right direction. The base ends of the right rear axle 42R and the left rear axle 42L, located on the inside of the running body 1B, are each rotatably connected to the rear housing 41 via a shaft 42s that extends in the front-rear direction. As a result, the right rear axle 42R and the left rear axle 42L are provided to be rotatable up and down around the shaft 42s, which is the connection point (shaft 42s) to the rear housing 41, and the tip ends of the right rear axle 42R and the left rear axle 42L, located on the outside opposite to the base ends, are provided to be movable in the up and down direction. The right rear axle 42R is equipped with a right rear wheel 13R via a motor 16R at its tip. The left rear axle 42L is equipped with a left rear wheel 13L via a motor 16L at its tip. A suspension 45B is provided between the right rear axle 42R and the left rear axle 42L and the rear housing section 41, respectively.

[0034] The above-described running body 1B is similar to the above embodiment in that at least one pair of front wheels 11, middle wheels 12, and rear wheels 13 are provided on the left and right sides, and the running body 1B has a right-side connecting arm 20R that pivots and connects the right front wheel (right front wheel) 11R and the middle wheel (right middle wheel) 12R, and a left-side connecting arm 20L that pivots and connects the left front wheel (left front wheel) 11L and the middle wheel (left middle wheel) 12L, and the right-side connecting arm 20R and the left-side connecting arm 20L The vehicle comprises a housing portion 31B positioned between the right connecting arm 20R and the left connecting arm 20L, which pivotally supports the intermediate portion 21c between the front wheel 11 and the middle wheel 12; a rear wheel coupling mechanism 33B connecting the right rear wheel (right rear wheel) 13R and the left rear wheel (left rear wheel) 13L; and a vehicle axle 32B connecting the housing portion 31B and the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33B in the front-rear direction. The housing portion 31B is provided so as to be rotatable from side to side around a connection portion (coupling shaft) 35 with the vehicle axle 32B. With this configuration, it is possible to provide a vehicle 1B that, like the above embodiment, has high-speed driving performance, high turning performance, and also possesses the ability to traverse rough terrain.

[0035] Furthermore, the running body 1B includes a right front axle 40R connecting the right connecting arm 20R and the housing section 31B, and a left front axle 40L connecting the left connecting arm 20L and the housing section 31B. The rear wheel coupling mechanism 33B includes a rear housing section 41 provided on the rear side of the vehicle axle 32, a right rear axle 42R connecting the right rear wheel 13 and the rear housing section 41, and a left rear axle 42L connecting the left rear wheel 13 and the rear housing section 41. The 40L is provided so as to be rotatable vertically around the connection point (shaft 40s) with the housing section 31B, the right rear shaft 42R and the left rear shaft 42L are provided so as to be rotatable vertically around the connection point (shaft 42s) with the rear housing section 41, and suspensions 45F and 45B are provided between the right front shaft 40R and the left front shaft 40L and the housing section 31B, and between the right rear shaft 42R and the left rear shaft 42L and the rear housing section 41, respectively. With the above configuration, the right front shaft 40R connecting the right connecting arm 20R to the housing 31B, and the left front shaft 40L connecting the left connecting arm 20L to the housing 31B, are provided to be rotatable vertically around the connection point with the housing 31B. Therefore, in addition to rotating the right connecting arm 20R and the left connecting arm 20L around their intermediate portion 21c, the left and right front wheels 11 and middle wheels 12 can also be moved up and down by moving the right connecting arm 20R and the left connecting arm 20L themselves up and down. Consequently, the range of motion when moving the left and right front wheels 11 and middle wheels 12 up and down can be increased. As a result, the ground contact performance of the left and right front wheels 11 and middle wheels 12 is improved. Furthermore, the right rear wheel 13R and the left rear wheel 13L are connected to the right rear axle 42R and the left rear axle 42L, respectively, which are rotatable vertically around the connection point with the rear housing 41. As a result, the left and right rear wheels 13 can be arbitrarily moved up and down to match the shape of the road surface and positioned to make contact with the ground. Consequently, the contact performance of the rear wheels 13 is improved. Furthermore, by providing suspensions 45F and 45B between the right front axle 40R and the left front axle 40L and the housing section 31B, and between the right rear axle 42R and the left rear axle 42L and the rear housing section 41, the impact of shocks caused by unevenness in the road surface F on the vehicle body 1B is reduced, and the left and right front wheels 11, middle wheels 12, and rear wheels 13 are biased downward, thereby further improving the contact performance of the left and right front wheels 11, middle wheels 12, and rear wheels 13. In this way, the overall contact performance of the wheel is improved, which can further enhance its ability to traverse rough terrain.

[0036] It goes without saying that the configuration in which the right-side connecting arm 20R and the left-side connecting arm 20L do not move up and down, as described in the above embodiment, can also be realized by replacing the structure shown in Figures 1 to 3 with a structure in which the traveling body is equipped with a right front shaft 40R and a left front shaft 40L, as described in this modified example. In this case, for example, when providing the traveling body with a right front shaft 40R and a left front shaft 40L, instead of providing the right front shaft 40R and the left front shaft 40L in a configuration that allows them to rotate up and down around the shaft 40s with respect to the connection part (shaft 40s) with the housing part 31B, as in this modified example, the right front shaft 40R and the left front shaft 40L can be rigidly joined to the housing part 31B (front shaft support part 31s) so that they do not rotate.

[0037] (Second modified example of the embodiment) Figure 8 is a plan view of the traveling body according to a second modified example of the above embodiment. As shown in Figure 8, the main body 30C of the running body 1C comprises a housing 31, a vehicle axle 32C, and a rear wheel coupling mechanism 33.

[0038] The vehicle axle 32C connects the housing 31 and the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33 in the front-rear direction. In this modified example, the vehicle axle 32C comprises a front vehicle axle 51 and a rear vehicle axle 52. The front axle 51 is located in front of the axle 32C. The front end of the front axle 51 is connected to the housing 31 via a connecting shaft 35 that extends vertically. The front end of the front axle 51 is connected to the housing 31 so as to be rotatable around the rotation axis Cv, with the center of the connecting shaft 35 being the rotation axis Cv. As a result, the housing 31 is provided so as to be rotatable left and right around the rotation axis Cv that extends vertically, with the connecting shaft 35, which is provided as the connection part with the axle 32C, as the center. The rear axle 52 is located behind the axle 32C. The rear end of the rear axle 52 is connected to the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33. The rear axle 52 is rotatably connected to the front axle 51 via a rotary coupling 53 or the like, with respect to the axis Ca direction which runs along the longitudinal direction of the axle 32C. For example, in Figure 8, by rotating the rear axle 52 relative to the front axle 51 such that the right side faces the depth direction of the paper and the left side faces the front direction of the paper, the right rear wheel 13R can be lowered relative to the right front wheel 11R and the right middle wheel 12R, while the left rear wheel 13L can be raised relative to the left front wheel 11L and the left middle wheel 12L. Conversely, in Figure 8, by rotating the rear axle 52 relative to the front axle 51 such that the right side faces towards the viewer and the left side faces towards the depth of the page, the right rear wheel 13R can be raised relative to the right front wheel 11R and the right middle wheel 12R, while the left rear wheel 13L can be lowered relative to the left front wheel 11L and the left middle wheel 12L.

[0039] The above-described running body 1C is similar to the above embodiment in which at least one pair of front wheels 11, middle wheels 12, and rear wheels 13 are provided on the left and right sides, and a right connecting arm 20R supports the right front wheel (right front wheel) 11R and the middle wheel (right middle wheel) 12R and connects them, and a left connecting arm 20L supports the left front wheel (left front wheel) 11L and the middle wheel (left middle wheel) 12L and connects them, and the right connecting arm 20R and the left connecting arm 20 The vehicle comprises a housing portion 31 located between L, which pivotally supports the intermediate portion 21c between the front wheel 11 and the middle wheel 12 of each of the right connecting arm 20R and the left connecting arm 20L, a rear wheel coupling mechanism 33 connecting the right rear wheel (right rear wheel) 13R and the left rear wheel (left rear wheel) 13L, and a vehicle axle 32C connecting the housing portion 31 and the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33 in the front-rear direction, wherein the housing portion 31 is provided so as to be rotatable from left to right around a connection portion (coupling shaft) 35 with the vehicle axle 32C. With this configuration, it is possible to provide a vehicle 1C that, like the above embodiment, has high-speed driving performance, high turning performance, and also possesses the ability to traverse rough terrain.

[0040] Furthermore, the vehicle axle 32C comprises a front vehicle axle 51 located at the front and to which the housing portion 31 is connected, and a rear vehicle axle 52 located at the rear and to which the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33 is connected. The rear vehicle axle 52 is provided so as to be rotatable around the axis Ca direction of the vehicle axle 32C with respect to the front vehicle axle 51. With the above configuration, the vehicle axle 32C comprises a front vehicle axle 51 located at the front and connected to the housing portion 31, and a rear vehicle axle 52 located at the rear and connected to the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33. The rear vehicle axle 52 is rotatable around the axis Ca direction of the vehicle axle 32C relative to the front vehicle axle 51. Therefore, the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33 can be rotated around the axis Ca direction of the vehicle axle 32C, twisting it relative to the housing portion 31 connected to the front vehicle axle 51, thereby allowing the right rear wheel 13 and the left rear wheel 13 to move up and down relative to the housing portion 31. This improves the contact performance of the rear wheels 13, thereby enhancing the ability to traverse rough terrain.

[0041] Furthermore, a vehicle axle 32C having a front vehicle axle 51 and a rear vehicle axle 52 can also be applied to the first modified example of the above embodiment. In this case, the overall contact performance of the wheels is further improved, thus further enhancing the ability to traverse rough roads.

[0042] (Third modified example of the embodiment) Figure 9 is a plan view of the traveling body according to a third modified example of the above embodiment. As shown in Figure 9, the main body 30D of the vehicle 1D comprises a housing 31, a vehicle axle 32, and a rear wheel coupling mechanism 33D.

[0043] In this modified example, the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33D is connected to the rear end of the vehicle axle 32 via a connecting shaft 61 that extends in the vertical direction. The rear end of the vehicle axle 32 is connected to the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33D so as to be able to rotate around the rotation axis Cv2, with the center of the connecting shaft 61 being the rotation axis Cv2. As a result, the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33D is provided so as to be able to rotate left and right around the rotation axis Cv2 that extends in the vertical direction, with the connecting shaft 61, which is provided as the connection part to the vehicle axle 32, as its center. For example, as shown in Figure 9, by rotating the housing 31 to the left so that the direction of travel of the right front wheel 11R, right middle wheel 12R, left front wheel 11L, and left middle wheel 12L is tilted from the front to the left, and by rotating the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33D to the right so that the direction of travel of the right rear wheel 13R and left rear wheel 13L is tilted from the front to the right, and then moving all of the front wheels 11, middle wheel 12, and rear wheels 13 forward, the vehicle can be made to turn and change course to the left. Alternatively, in the opposite direction to Figure 9, that is, by rotating the housing 31 to the right so that the direction of travel of the right front wheel 11R, right middle wheel 12R, left front wheel 11L, and left middle wheel 12L is tilted from front to the right, and by rotating the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33D to the left so that the direction of travel of the right rear wheel 13R and left rear wheel 13L is tilted from front to the left, the front wheels 11, middle wheel 12, and rear wheels 13 can all be moved forward to make the vehicle turn and change course to the right. In this case, the turning radius becomes smaller compared to the case where only the housing portion 31 is rotated to change the direction of travel, as described in the above embodiment. At this time, by driving the right front wheel 11R, right middle wheel 12R, and right rear wheel 13R with the left front wheel 11L, left middle wheel 12L, and right rear wheel 13R with a difference in rotational speed, it is possible to suppress slippage of each wheel while achieving efficient and stable turning.

[0044] Figure 10 is a side view of the traveling body according to a third modified example of the above embodiment. Next, we will explain the behavior of each part when the vehicle 1D is subjected to a super-tight rotation (spin turn) and a pivot turn in this modified example. In this case, as shown in Figure 10, it is desirable to first rotate the drive shaft 25 around the central axis Cd using a controller (not shown), thereby swinging the connecting arm 20 and lifting the middle wheel 12 off the road surface F. In this state, by driving the right front wheel 11R and right rear wheel 13R with a difference in rotational speed between them and the left front wheel 11L and right rear wheel 13R, and performing super-tight turns or pivot turns with all four wheels in contact with the ground, it becomes easier to control the rotation of each wheel compared to when a total of six wheels, including the right middle wheel 12R and left middle wheel 12L, are in contact with the ground. Furthermore, by reducing the frictional force generated between the left and right middle wheels 12 and the road surface F, super-tight turns and pivot turns can be performed efficiently.

[0045] Figure 11 is a plan view showing a state in which a traveling body according to a third modified example of the above embodiment is performing a pivot rotation. When performing a super-tight turn, the housing 31 is rotated to one side around the connecting shaft 35 relative to the vehicle axle 32, and the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33D is rotated around the connecting shaft 61 in the same direction as the housing 31. For example, as shown in Figure 11, when both the housing 31 and the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33D are rotated in a counterclockwise direction (leftward) around the connecting shafts 35 and 61 when viewed from above, the distance between the right front wheel 11R and the left rear wheel 13L increases. In this state, the right front wheel 11R, right rear wheel 13R, left front wheel 11L, and right rear wheel 13R are rotated in such a way that there is a difference in the number of rotations between the right front wheel 11R and right rear wheel 13R and the left front wheel 11L and right rear wheel 13R. For example, a strong forward rotational force is applied to the right front wheel 11R, a strong reverse rotational force is applied to the left rear wheel 13L, a weak reverse rotational force is applied to the left front wheel 11L, and a weak forward rotational force is applied to the right rear wheel 13R. This makes it possible to make the vehicle 1D rotate in a super-tight counterclockwise direction in place. Conversely to Figure 11, if both the housing 31 and the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33D are rotated clockwise (right-hand) around the coupling shafts 35 and 61, the distance between the left front wheel 11L and the right rear wheel 13R increases. In this state, for example, a strong forward rotational force is applied to the left front wheel 11L, a strong reverse rotational force is applied to the right rear wheel 13R, a weak reverse rotational force is applied to the right front wheel 11R, and a weak forward rotational force is applied to the left rear wheel 13L. This makes it possible to make the vehicle 1D rotate in a super-tight, clockwise direction in place.

[0046] Figure 12 is a plan view showing the state in which the traveling body according to the third modified embodiment described above is performing pivot rotation. When performing a pivot turn, the housing 31 is rotated to one side around the connecting shaft 35 relative to the vehicle axle 32, and the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33D is rotated around the connecting shaft 61 in the same direction as the housing 31. For example, as shown in Figure 12, when both the housing 31 and the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33D are rotated counterclockwise (leftward) around the connecting shafts 35 and 61 when viewed from above, the distance between the right front wheel 11R and the left rear wheel 13L increases. In this state, for example, with the left front wheel 11L and the right rear wheel 13R stationary, a strong forward rotational force is applied to the right front wheel 11R and a strong reverse rotational force is applied to the left rear wheel 13L, allowing for a pivot turn in a counterclockwise direction around the left front wheel 11L. Conversely to Figure 12, if both the housing 31 and the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33D are rotated clockwise (right-hand) around the coupling shafts 35 and 61, the distance between the left front wheel 11L and the right rear wheel 13R increases. In this state, for example, with the right front wheel 11R and the left rear wheel 13L stationary, a strong forward rotational force can be applied to the left front wheel 11L and a strong reverse rotational force to the right rear wheel 13R, causing the vehicle to pivot clockwise around the right front wheel 11R.

[0047] According to the vehicle body 1D described above, the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33D is provided so as to be rotatable from left to right around the connection point (coupling shaft) 61 with the vehicle body axle 32. With this configuration, the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33D is provided so as to be rotatable left and right around the connection point (coupling shaft) 61 with the vehicle axle 32. For this reason, for example, by rotating the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33D in the opposite direction to the housing 31 as the housing 31 rotates left and right, the turning radius when the vehicle 1D turns to change direction left or right can be reduced. Alternatively, by rotating the housing 31 and the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33D in the same direction as the housing 31, for example to the left, and increasing the distance between the right front wheel and the left rear wheel, it is also possible to perform pivot turns and super-pivot turns by rotating the right front wheel in the forward direction and the left rear wheel in the reverse direction. In this way, turning performance can be further improved.

[0048] Furthermore, the configuration shown in this modified example can also be combined with the first and second modified examples of the above embodiment. In this case, the off-road performance can be further enhanced, and the turning performance can also be further improved.

[0049] (Fourth modified example of the embodiment) Figure 13 is a side view of the traveling body according to the fourth modification of the above embodiment. Figure 14 is a plan view showing the traveling body according to the fourth modification of the above embodiment performing a pivot rotation. As shown in Figures 13 and 14, the vehicle body 1E comprises front wheels 11, middle wheels 12, and rear wheels 13, a main body 30D, and connecting arms 20. The main body 30D comprises a housing 31, a vehicle axle 32, and a rear wheel coupling mechanism 33D, similar to the third modified example of the above embodiment.

[0050] In this modified example, the front wheels 11 (right front wheel 11R, left front wheel 11L) are connected to the connecting arms 20 (right connecting arm 20R, left connecting arm 20L) via the wheel steering mechanism 70F, such that their rotation axis 74 can rotate around an axis Cv3 that extends in the vertical direction. The rear wheels 13 (right rear wheel 13R, right rear wheel 13R) are connected to the rear wheel connecting mechanism 33D via the wheel steering mechanism 70B, such that their rotation axis 74 can rotate around an axis Cv4 that extends in the vertical direction.

[0051] As shown in Figure 13, the wheel steering mechanism 70F includes a base plate 71 connected to the connecting arm 20, a support shaft 72 rotatably mounted on the base plate 71 around axis Cv3, a steering drive unit 75 that rotates the support shaft 72 around axis Cv3, a support fork 73 connected to the support shaft 72, and a rotating shaft 74 supported by the support fork 73 and supporting the front wheels 11. Motors 14R and 14L (see Figure 14) that rotate the front wheels 11 (right front wheel 11R, left front wheel 11L) are supported by the support fork 73. The rotating shaft 74 is provided to extend in the left-right direction. The front wheels 11 are supported by the rotating shaft 74 and rotated by the motors 14R and 14L so as to be rotatable around the rotating shaft 74.

[0052] The wheel steering mechanism 70B includes a base plate 71 connected to the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33D, a support shaft 72 rotatably mounted on the base plate 71 around axis Cv4, a steering drive unit 75 that rotates the support shaft 72 around axis Cv4, a support fork 73 connected to the support shaft 72, and a rotating shaft 74 supported by the support fork 73 and supporting the rear wheels 13. Motors 16R and 16L that rotate the rear wheels 13 (right rear wheel 13R, right rear wheel 13R) are supported by the support fork 73. The rotating shaft 74 is provided to extend in the left-right direction. The rear wheels 13 are supported by the rotating shaft 74 and rotated by the motors 16R and 16L so as to be rotatable around the rotating shaft 74.

[0053] In these wheel steering mechanisms 70F and 70B, the steering drive unit 75 rotates the support shaft 72 around shafts Cv3 and Cv4, making it possible to individually and arbitrarily change the direction of travel of the right front wheel 11R and the left front wheel 11L, and the right rear wheel 13R and the left rear wheel 13L. Furthermore, the wheel steering mechanisms 70F and 70B are equipped with a clutch mechanism that allows switching between a state in which the steering drive unit 75 rotates the support shaft 72 around shafts Cv3 and Cv4, and a state in which the transmission of driving force from the steering drive unit 75 is released, allowing the right front wheel 11R, left front wheel 11L, right rear wheel 13R, and left rear wheel 13L to rotate freely around shafts Cv3 and Cv4 together with the support shaft 72 due to friction with the road surface F.

[0054] In such a vehicle 1E, the vehicle 1E can be made to rotate in a super-tight position by performing the control shown in Figure 14. First, as explained in the third modified example using Figure 10, the drive shaft 25 is rotated around the central axis Cd by a controller (not shown), causing the connecting arm 20 to swing, thereby lifting the middle wheel 12 off the road surface F. Then, the housing 31 is rotated to one side around the connecting shaft 35 relative to the vehicle axle 32, and the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33D is rotated around the connecting shaft 61 in the same direction as the housing 31. For example, as shown in Figure 14, with both the housing 31 and the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33D rotated in a counterclockwise direction (leftward) around the connecting shafts 35 and 61 when viewed from above, the steering drive unit 75 rotates each support shaft 72 so that the rotation axes 74 of the right front wheel 11R, left front wheel 11L, right rear wheel 13R, and left rear wheel 13L extend toward the center D of the super-pivot rotation. Then, by rotating each of the right front wheel 11R, left front wheel 11L, right rear wheel 13R, and left rear wheel 13L so that their directions of travel are the same when viewed from the center D, the vehicle body 1E can be made to rotate in a super-pivot position.

[0055] Figure 15 is a plan view showing another state in which the traveling body according to the fourth modified embodiment described above is performing a pivot rotation. Alternatively, after lifting the middle wheel 12 from the road surface F, the housing 31 is rotated to one side around the connecting shaft 35 relative to the vehicle axle 32, and the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33D is rotated around the connecting shaft 61 in a direction different from that of the housing 31. For example, as shown in Figure 15, when viewed from above, the housing 31 is rotated counterclockwise (left) around the connecting shaft 35, and the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33D is rotated clockwise (right) around the connecting shaft 61, and the steering drive unit 75 rotates each support shaft 72 so that the respective rotation axes 74 of the right front wheel 11R, left front wheel 11L, right rear wheel 13R, and left rear wheel 13L extend toward the center D of the super-pivot rotation. Then, by rotating the right front wheel 11R, the left front wheel 11L, the right rear wheel 13R, and the left rear wheel 13L so that their directions of travel are the same when viewed from the center D, the vehicle 1E can be made to rotate in a super-tight position.

[0056] In order to efficiently rotate the vehicle 1E in a pivot position, it is preferable to ensure that the moments at the right front wheel 11R, left front wheel 11L, right rear wheel 13R, and left rear wheel 13L are equal around the center D. This involves setting the distance between the right front wheel 11R and the center D to be L1, the distance between the left front wheel 11L and the center D to be L2, the distance between the right rear wheel 13R and the center D to be L3, and the distance between the left rear wheel 13L and the center D to be L4. If we then set the driving force (torque) generated by the right front wheel 11R to be F1, the driving force generated by the left front wheel 11L to be F2, the driving force generated by the right rear wheel 13R to be F3, and the driving force generated by the left rear wheel 13L to be F4, then the moment generated by each wheel will be equal. F1 × L1 = F2 × L2 = F3 × L3 = F4 × L4 It is preferable to control the torque of each motor 14R, 14L, 16R, and 16L so that the above relationship holds true. As a result, the traveling body 1E can perform super-tight rotation efficiently around the center D while suppressing rotational wobble.

[0057] In the above explanation using Figures 14 and 15, the explanation described how to perform a pivot turn on the vehicle 1E by adjusting the direction of travel of each of the right front wheel 11R, left front wheel 11L, right rear wheel 13R, and left rear wheel 13L. It goes without saying that when turning the vehicle 1E to change its course to the right or left, or when performing a pivot turn on the vehicle 1E, the steering drive unit 75 can efficiently perform course changes and pivot turns by adjusting the support shaft 72 so that the direction of travel of each wheel 11R, 11L, 13R, and 13L is aligned with the trajectory of the wheel 11R, 11L, 13R, and 13L.

[0058] According to the vehicle 1E described above, the right front wheel 11 (right front wheel 11R) and the left front wheel 11 (left front wheel 11L), as well as the right rear wheel 13 (right rear wheel 13R) and the left rear wheel 13 (left rear wheel 13L), are provided so that their respective directions of travel can be arbitrarily changed. With the above configuration, the left and right front wheels 11 and the left and right rear wheels 13 can each change their direction of travel at will. Therefore, when turning, pivoting, or super-pivoting the vehicle 1E, it is possible to change the direction of travel of each wheel 11R, 11L, 13R, and 13L so that they face in the direction of the trajectory they are traveling. Consequently, the turning performance can be further improved.

[0059] Furthermore, the configuration shown in this modified example can be combined with the first and second modified examples of the above embodiment. In this case, the off-road performance can be further enhanced, and the turning performance can also be further improved.

[0060] In addition, in the third and fourth modified examples of the above embodiment, the middle wheel 12 is lifted off the road surface F when performing a super-tight turn or a pivot turn, as shown in Figures 11, 12, 14, and 15, but the invention is not limited to this. When performing a super-tight turn or a pivot turn, the middle wheel 12 is close to the turning center position of the super-tight turn or pivot turn. In such cases, in order to increase the turning force of the super-tight turn or pivot turn, the left and right middle wheels 12 may be brought into contact with the ground and rotational force may be applied to the middle wheels 12 as well.

[0061] (Modified example of Embodiment 5) Figure 16 is a plan view of the traveling body according to a fifth modified example of the above embodiment. As shown in Figure 16, the vehicle body 1F comprises front wheels 11, middle wheels 12, and rear wheels 13, a main body 30, and connecting arms 20. The main body 30 comprises a housing 31, a vehicle axle 32, and a rear wheel coupling mechanism 33, similar to the embodiment described above.

[0062] In this modified example, the front wheels 11 (right front wheel 11R, left front wheel 11L) are connected to the connecting arms 20 (right connecting arm 20R, left connecting arm 20L) via the wheel steering mechanism 70F, as in the fourth modified example above, so that their axis of rotation is rotatable around an axis Cv3 that extends in the vertical direction. The rear wheels 13 (right rear wheel 13R, right rear wheel 13R) are connected to the rear wheel connecting mechanism 33 via the wheel steering mechanism 70B, so that their axis of rotation is rotatable around an axis Cv4 that extends in the vertical direction.

[0063] In these wheel steering mechanisms 70F and 70B, the steering drive unit 75 rotates the support shaft 72 (see Figure 13) around shafts Cv3 and Cv4, making it possible to individually and arbitrarily change the direction of travel of the right front wheel 11R and the left front wheel 11L, and the right rear wheel 13R and the left rear wheel 13L.

[0064] In this modified example, even if the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33 does not have a structure that allows it to rotate relative to the vehicle axle 32, as described in the third and fourth modified examples, the running body 1F can still be rotated in a pivot position. For example, the steering drive unit 75 (see Figure 13) rotates the support shafts 72 of the right front wheel 11R and the left rear wheel 13L in a counterclockwise direction when viewed from above, and the steering drive unit 75 (see Figure 13) rotates the support shafts 72 of the left front wheel 11L and the right rear wheel 13R in a clockwise direction when viewed from above, so that, as shown in Figure 16, the direction in which the rotation axes of the right front wheel 11R, the left front wheel 11L, the right rear wheel 13R, and the left rear wheel 13L extend toward the center D. In this state, when the vehicle 1F is rotated counterclockwise around the center D when viewed from above, for example, the right front wheel 11R, the right middle wheel 12R, and the right rear wheel 13R are rotated forward, while the right front wheel 11R, the left middle wheel 12L, and the left rear wheel 13L are rotated backward. In this way, the vehicle 1F can perform a super-tight rotation around the center D. In this case, by positioning the center D of the pivot turn to be midway between the right middle wheel 12R and the left middle wheel 12L, it becomes possible to effectively utilize the driving force of the right middle wheel 12R and the left middle wheel 12L for pivot turns, even in a configuration where the direction of travel of the right middle wheel 12R and the left middle wheel 12L cannot be changed.

[0065] Furthermore, the configuration shown in this modified example can also be combined with the first and second modified examples of the above embodiment.

[0066] (Sixth variation of the embodiment) Figure 17 is a plan view of the traveling body according to the sixth modified example of the above embodiment. As shown in Figure 17, the vehicle body 1G comprises front wheels 11, middle wheels 12, and rear wheels 13, a main body 30, and connecting arms 20. The main body 30 comprises a housing 31, a vehicle axle 32, and a rear wheel coupling mechanism 33, similar to the embodiment described above. In this modified example, similar to the fourth modified example described above, the rear wheels 13 (right rear wheel 13R, right rear wheel 13R) are rotatably connected to the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33 via the wheel steering mechanism 70B, such that their axis of rotation is around an axis Cv4 that extends in the vertical direction.

[0067] In this modified example, even if the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33 does not have a structure that allows it to rotate relative to the vehicle axle 32, as described in the third and fourth modified examples, the vehicle body 1G can still be rotated in a pivot position. First, the wheel steering mechanism 70B releases the transmission of driving force from the steering drive unit 75 (see Figure 13), allowing the right rear wheel 13R and the left rear wheel 13L to rotate freely around the axle Cv4 due to friction with the road surface F. Next, the controller (not shown) rotates the drive shaft 25 around the central axis Cd, causing the connecting arm 20 to swing, thereby raising the front wheel 11 and lifting it off the road surface F while the middle wheel 12 remains in contact with the ground. Then, the right middle wheel 12R and the left middle wheel 12L are driven to rotate in opposite directions. As a result, the vehicle 1G attempts to turn with the center position of the right middle wheel 12R and the left middle wheel 12L as the center D. At this time, the right rear wheel 13R and the left rear wheel 13L support the rear side of the vehicle 1G and, due to friction with the road surface F, rotate around axis Cv4 together with the support shaft 72 as the vehicle 1G turns. In this way, the vehicle 1G can perform a pivot turn.

[0068] Furthermore, the configuration shown in this modified example can also be combined with the first and second modified examples of the above embodiment.

[0069] (Seventh modified example of the embodiment) Figure 18 is a plan view of the traveling body according to the seventh modified example of the above embodiment. Figure 19 is a side view of the traveling body according to the seventh modified example of the above embodiment. As shown in Figures 18 and 19, the vehicle body 1H comprises front wheels 11, middle wheels 12, and rear wheels 13, a main body 30, and connecting arms 20. The main body 30 comprises a housing 31, a vehicle axle 32, a rear wheel coupling mechanism 33, and rear auxiliary wheels 80.

[0070] The rear auxiliary wheel 80 is provided between the right rear wheels 13R and the right rear wheel 13R. The upper end of the rear auxiliary wheel 80 is fixed, for example, to the rear end of the vehicle axle 32. The rear auxiliary wheel 80 comprises a linear actuator 81 that is driven to extend and retract in the vertical direction, and an auxiliary wheel 82 that is rotatably supported at the lower end of the linear actuator 81. The auxiliary wheel 82 is rotatably provided around a rotation axis that extends in the front-rear direction. As a result, the auxiliary wheel 82 is provided so that its direction of travel is lateral. Normally, the linear actuator 81 of the rear auxiliary wheel 80 is retracted, and the auxiliary wheel 82 is raised upward, away from the road surface F.

[0071] In this modified example, even if the rear wheel coupling mechanism 33 does not have a structure that allows it to rotate relative to the vehicle axle 32, as described in the third and fourth modified examples, the vehicle body 1H can still be rotated in a pivot position. First, the controller (not shown) rotates the drive shaft 25 around the central axis Cd, causing the connecting arm 20 to swing, thereby raising the front wheels 11 and lifting them off the road surface F while keeping the middle wheels 12 in contact with the ground. Then, the linear actuators 81 of the rear auxiliary wheels 80 are extended, causing the auxiliary wheels 82 to touch the road surface F, and the rear wheels 13 (right rear wheel 13R and left rear wheel 13L) are raised and separated from the road surface F. As a result, the vehicle 1H is in a state where the right middle wheel 12R, the left middle wheel 12L, and the auxiliary wheels 82 are in contact with the road surface F. In this state, the right middle wheel 12R and the left middle wheel 12L are driven to rotate in opposite directions. As a result, the vehicle 1H attempts to turn with the center point D being the center position of the right middle wheel 12R and the left middle wheel 12L. At this time, the auxiliary wheels 82 rotate due to friction with the road surface F while supporting the rear side of the vehicle 1H. In this way, the vehicle 1H can perform a pivot turn.

[0072] Furthermore, the configuration shown in this modified example can also be combined with the first and second modified examples of the above embodiment.

[0073] (Eighth variant of the embodiment) In the second modified example described using Figure 8, the rear axle 52 is connected to the front axle 51 via a rotary joint 53 or the like, so as to be rotatable around the axis Ca direction, which is along the longitudinal direction of the axle 32C. Alternatively, the front axle 51 and the rear axle 52 may be connected by a universal joint. In this case, the front axle 51 is rigidly joined to the housing 31 so as not to rotate relative to it, and the entire structure including the front axle 51 becomes the housing. The housing, including the front axle 51, is mounted at the tip of the rear axle 52, which is the axle of the vehicle, so as to be rotatable in all directions, including left and right, around a universal joint which is the connection point with the axle (rear axle). Needless to say, even with this configuration, each of the effects described in the above embodiment will be achieved.

[0074] (Other variations) Furthermore, although the configuration of each part of the running body has been described in the above embodiments and their variations, the configuration can be changed as appropriate. For example, the housing portion 31 is not limited to a rectangle in plan view; its shape can be changed as appropriate, such as a trapezoidal shape in plan view, where the width dimension in the left-right direction gradually decreases from the rear to the front, and the connecting shaft 35 is positioned at the front end. Furthermore, in the above embodiments and their respective modifications, the running body has a configuration that includes a pair of front wheels, a middle wheel, and a rear wheel on the left and right sides, but the running body may also have other wheels in addition to these. In addition to the above, it is possible to select or replace the configurations listed in the above embodiments, or to change them to other configurations as appropriate, as long as it does not deviate from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0075] 1A~1H Running body 33, 33B, 33D Rear wheel coupling mechanism 11 Front wheel 35 Connecting axle (connection between housing and body axle) 11L left front wheel (left front wheel) 40L left front axle 11R Right front wheel (right front wheel) 40R Right front axle 12 Middle wheel 40s shaft (connection part) 12L Left middle wheel (left side middle wheel) 41 Rear housing section 12R Right middle wheel (right side middle wheel) 42L Left rear axle 13 Rear wheel 42R Right rear axle 13L Left rear wheel (left rear wheel) 42s Axle (connecting part) 13R Right rear wheel (right rear wheel) 45F, 45B suspension 20 Connecting arm 51 Front body axle 20L Left-side coupling arm 52 Rear body axle (body axle) 20R Right-side connecting arm 61 Connecting shaft (connection point between rear wheel coupling mechanism and vehicle body axle) 21c Intermediate section 74 Rotation axis 31, 31B Housing section Ca axis 32, 32B, 32C axles

Claims

1. A vehicle having at least two front wheels, two middle wheels, and two rear wheels, one pair on each side. The right-side connecting arm supports the front wheel and the middle wheel on the right side and connects them, The left-side connecting arm supports the front wheel and the middle wheel on the left side, and connects them, A housing portion is provided between the right-side connecting arm and the left-side connecting arm, and pivotally supports the intermediate portion between the front wheel and the middle wheel of each of the right-side connecting arm and the left-side connecting arm, A rear wheel coupling mechanism that connects the right rear wheel and the left rear wheel, A vehicle axle connecting the housing and the rear wheel coupling mechanism in the front-rear direction, Equipped with, The aforementioned housing is a running body that is rotatable from left to right around the connection point with the vehicle axle.

2. The right front shaft connects the right connecting arm and the housing portion, The left front shaft connects the left connecting arm and the housing portion, Equipped with, The aforementioned rear wheel coupling mechanism is The rear housing portion provided on the rear side of the vehicle axle, The right rear axle connects the right rear wheel and the rear housing section, The left rear axle connects the left rear wheel and the rear housing section, Equipped with, The right front shaft and the left front shaft are provided to be rotatable vertically around the connection point with the housing portion, and the right rear shaft and the left rear shaft are provided to be rotatable vertically around the connection point with the rear housing portion. The traveling body according to claim 1, wherein a suspension is provided between the right front axle and the left front axle and the housing portion, and between the right rear axle and the left rear axle and the rear housing portion.

3. The vehicle axle comprises a front vehicle axle located at the front and to which the housing portion is connected, and a rear vehicle axle located at the rear and to which the rear wheel coupling mechanism is connected. The vehicle body according to claim 1, wherein the rear vehicle body axle is provided so as to be rotatable with respect to the front vehicle body axle, with respect to the axial direction of the vehicle body axle as the center.

4. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the rear wheel coupling mechanism is provided so as to be rotatable from left to right with respect to the connection portion with the vehicle axle.

5. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the right front wheel and the left front wheel, and the right rear wheel and the left rear wheel are provided so that their respective directions of travel can be arbitrarily changed.

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