Vehicle with three or more wheels, at least two of said wheels being steerable and tilting

Abstract

The present invention relates to a tilting management system (100) for a vehicle (200) with three or more wheels. According to the invention, the tilting management system (100) for a vehicle (200) with three or more steerable and tilting wheels, wherein said vehicle (200) comprises a chassis (1) and three or more wheels of which at least a first tilting wheel (20a) and a second tilting wheel (20b) arranged laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle (200) itself, comprises a swinging arm (2) hinged at a first end to said chassis (1), and at its second end, opposite to the first end, to a spring (9), wherein said spring (9) acts between said second end of said swinging arm (2) and the chassis (1), a rocker arm (4), being supported by said swinging arm (2) and being capable of rotating about an axis (5) substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle (200) as a result of the tilting movement of the tilting wheels (20a, 20b) of the vehicle (200) as opposed to the action of straightening means (4a, 4b, 8) associated with said rocker arm (4), and comprising a first end (40a) and a second end (40b), each of said first (40a) and second (40b) ends being connected to a respective wheel arm (12a, 12b) by means of a corresponding lower adjustable rod (11a, 11b), and to said chassis (1) by means of a relative upper hydraulic damper (10a, 10b).

Description

[0001] VEHICLE WITH THREE OR MORE WHEELS, AT LEAST TWO OF SAID WHEELS BEING STEERABLE AND TILTING

[0002] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention relates to a suspension and tilting system for a vehicle with three or more wheels, in particular for the type of vehicles having at least two side-by-side and laterally tilting wheels by means of a system for managing the tilting movement of the two side- by-side wheels.

[0004] STATE OF THE ART

[0005] According to the best known embodiments, vehicles with three or more wheels, such as for example motorcycles and scooters, have at the front part wheels aligned on an axle and tilting wheels by means of a mechanical or oleodynamic tilting system.

[0006] These vehicles also have a steering suspension system adapted to put the pair of wheels in connection, thereby allowing the vehicle to tilt with respect to the ground. This allows vehicles with three or more wheels to be able to tilt laterally at a certain angle towards, for example, the inside of a curve while driving along it, in a similar way to what happens for twowheeled vehicles, such as for example the most commonly used motorcycles.

[0007] In particular, the possibility of tilting while driving along a curve is achieved thanks to an inclination, or tilting, mechanism, usually comprising a lever system adapted to connect the hubs of the paired wheels on the same axle. This mechanism allows the wheels on one side of the vehicle to move upwards, with respect to the vehicle itself, and the wheels on the opposite side of the vehicle to move correspondingly downwards, again with respect to the vehicle itself. Such tilting mechanisms usually also comprise one or more dampers, composed for example of springs and dampers, to absorb the vibrations and shocks given by the irregularities of the ground, thereby controlling the longitudinal load transfers of the entire vehicle.

[0008] In the current state of the art of automotive or motorcycle design, the connection system between two side-by-side wheels is usually of a mechanical type, with longitudinal or transverse arms, comprising in turn other systems made with different technical schemes. In the most common case, a first system allows the vertical movement of the two wheels to be guided, while a second system allows the movement of the right wheel to be coupled to the left wheel of the vehicle, so that the downward movement of one wheel corresponds to an equal upward movement of the opposite wheel. A third system allows both wheels to be connected to the damper, and finally, a fourth system, in the case of front wheels, allows the steering to guide the vehicle. Examples of connections between side-by-side wheels are known from prior art patent documents, such as for example JP2018161962A, WO2022 / 175603 Al, US9327789B1, CN108791620A, JPS5355135U and US2002 / 190494 Al,

[0009] As is known, however, these mechanical tilting systems in use today are not free of drawbacks or limitations, among which it should be included that they do not allow to have a movement of descent in the curves, that is, a progressive and sustained change of tilt of the vehicle, thereby increasing the safety of the rider, with respect to riding a simple two-wheeled motorcycle.

[0010] Another drawback of such mechanical tilting systems consists in the fact that the tilting movement remains free, that is, the descent of a coupled wheel and the relative ascent of the other wheel is not braked in the mutual upward-downward movement, causing the shakes of the wheels not to be damped by any system, leading to instability problems of the vehicle, and of the rider him- / herself, known in technical jargon with the term “chattering”.

[0011] A further drawback of these mechanical tilting systems is derived from the excess weight compared to that of a two-wheeled motorcycle or scooter with the same characteristics, leading to an increase in instability and problems in the use of the vehicle especially during the manoeuvres from a standstill, that is when the rider must keep the vehicle in a straight position, or when he / she must return it to a straight position after a manoeuvre in which the verticality of the vehicle has been lost.

[0012] Last but not least, a drawback of these mechanical tilting systems of a known type is their poor adaptability to the needs of the manufacturer, who is forced to offer the same tilting system on the market for different uses, such as for example for the transport of heavy objects, in goods delivery vehicles, or for the transport of people, in the vehicles dedicated to urban use. This leads to greater fatigue for the rider in moving this type of vehicle from a standstill, tilting it to the right or left with respect to the vertical, the heavier the vehicle is, compared to a one- or two-wheeled vehicle, and also depending on the possibility that the vehicle is used for transporting heavy loads.

[0013] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0014] In light of the above, the task of the present invention is to realise a tilting management system for a vehicle with three or more wheels that overcomes the limits of the prior art allowing to support, make more natural and safe the driving and the descent of the vehicle in the curve, and also to allow the vehicle manufacturer to prepare such a system also for uses other than that of transporting people, such as for example also the transport of heavy loads.

[0015] Within the scope of this task, it is an object of the present invention to realise a tilting management system for a vehicle with three or more tilting steerable wheels and which allows the rider to more easily bring the vehicle into an upright position from a tilted position, both from a standstill and during movement, for example when travelling along a curve.

[0016] Another object of the present invention is to obtain a vehicle that is safer and easier to ride and manage, both from a standstill and when in movement, through a tilting management system for a vehicle with three or more tilting steerable wheels that allows limiting the force necessary to return the vehicle to an upright position starting from a tilted position.

[0017] A further object of the invention consists in realising a tilting management system for a vehicle with three or more tilting steerable wheels that is capable of giving the widest guarantees of reliability and safety in use.

[0018] Furthermore, an object of the invention consists in realising a tilting management system for a vehicle with three or more tilting steerable wheels that allows to adapt both to driving for the transport of people and to driving for the transport of heavy loads.

[0019] Another object of the invention consists in realising a tilting management system for a vehicle with three or more tilting steerable wheels that allows the relative movement of the coupled wheels to be controlled hydraulically in order to guarantee greater stability and avoid the occurrence of the phenomenon called “chattering” in technical jargon.

[0020] Last but not least, the object of the present invention consists in realising a tilting management system for a vehicle with three or more wheels that is easy to realise and economically competitive when compared to the prior art.

[0021] The above task, as well as the aforementioned purposes and others that will appear clearer later, are achieved by a tilting management system for a vehicle with three or more wheels according to claim 1.

[0022] Other features are provided in the dependent claims.

[0023] LIST OF FIGURES

[0024] Further characteristics and advantages will become more apparent from the exemplary but non-limiting description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrated with the aid of the accompanying drawings in which:

[0025] - figure 1 is a perspective view of a three-wheeled vehicle mounting a tilting management system for a three or more-wheeled vehicle, according to the invention;

[0026] - figure la is an enlarged view of the front part of the vehicle of figure 1 mounting a tilting management system for a vehicle with three or more wheels, according to the invention; - figure 2 is a further enlarged view of the front part of the vehicle of figure 1, in particular of the tilting management system for a vehicle with three or more wheels, according to the invention;

[0027] - figure 3 shows a front view of the vehicle in raised position, in particular with the front suspension extended;

[0028] - figure 3a shows a front view of the vehicle in a raised position, in particular with the compressed front suspension;

[0029] - figure 4 shows a front view of the tilted vehicle, in particular with the front suspension partially compressed during tilting of the vehicle;

[0030] - figure 5 represents a perspective view of the front axle of the vehicle with the main elements;

[0031] - figure 5a represents an enlarged view of the front axle of the vehicle shown in figure 5, in particular of the arm and rocker arm assembly;

[0032] - figure 5b is an enlarged front view of the arm and rocker arm assembly of figure 5 a;

[0033] - figure 5c is an enlarged front view of the arm and rocker arm assembly of figure 5a with the rocker arm rotated to one side;

[0034] - figure 5d is an enlarged front view of the arm and rocker arm assembly of figure 5a with the rocker arm rotated to the other side with respect to figure 5c;

[0035] - figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the front part of a vehicle mounting a first variant of the tilting management system for a vehicle with three or more wheels;

[0036] - figure 7 is an enlarged view of the front part of a vehicle mounting the first variant of the tilting management system for a three or more wheeled vehicle of figure 6;

[0037] - figure 8 is an enlarged side view of the front part of a vehicle mounting the first variant of the tilting management system for a three or more wheeled vehicle of figure 6;

[0038] - figure 9 is an enlarged perspective view of the front part of a vehicle mounting the first variant of the tilting management system for a vehicle with three or more wheels of figure 6 comprising the hydraulic dampers;

[0039] - figure 10 is an enlarged view of the front part of a vehicle mounting a second variant of the tilting management system for a vehicle with three or more wheels.

[0040] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION With particular reference to the attached figures, the tilting management system for a vehicle with three or more steerable and tilting wheels according to the invention is indicated globally with the reference number 100. Such a tilting management system is suitable for use in a vehicle 200 with three or more wheels, comprising a chassis 1 and at least a first tilting wheel 20a and a second tilting wheel 20b arranged laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle 200 itself.

[0041] Advantageously, the tilting wheels 20a and 20b are placed on the sides of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle 200, on which the rear wheel lies.

[0042] The vehicle 200 can be, for example, a three-wheeled tilting vehicle, such as for example the most commonly used scooters and motorcycles, with an endothermic engine or with an electric motor. Alternatively, the vehicle 200 can also be a four-wheeled vehicle, always of the tilting type.

[0043] The two wheels 20a and 20b placed on the sides of the vehicle 200 can ideally be arranged at the ends of the front axle of the vehicle, or they can be offset from each other, i.e. not aligned along the same transverse axle of the vehicle.

[0044] According to the embodiment illustrated in the attached figures, the vehicle 200 is a three-wheeled vehicle, where the steerable and tilting wheels are the two wheels 20a and 20b, which are coupled on the same axle, advantageously the front axle.

[0045] The tilting management system 100 for a vehicle with three or more steerable and tilting wheels, according to the present invention, comprises a swinging arm 2 hinged at a first end to the chassis 1, and at a second end thereof, opposite to the first end, to a spring 9 acting between the second end of the swinging arm 2 and the chassis 1, and a rocker arm 4, supported by the swinging arm 2 and adapted to rotate with respect to an axis 5 of rotation, substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle 200, as a result of the tilting movement of the tilting wheels 20a, 20b of the vehicle 200 as opposed to the action of the straightening means 4a, 4b, 8 associated with the rocker arm 4.

[0046] This rocker arm 4 further comprises a first end 40a and a second end 40b connected to the respective wheel arms 12a, 12b by means of the corresponding lower adjustable rods I la, 1 lb, and to the chassis 1.

[0047] Preferably, the first end 40a and the second end 40b of the rocker arm 4 are connected to the chassis 1 by means of at least one relative hydraulic damper 10a, 10b.

[0048] Alternatively, when present, such hydraulic dampers 10a, 10b may be connected at points on the rocker arm 4 other than the ends 40a and 40b. The presence of the hydraulic dampers 10a, 10b ensures greater stability of the tilting management system 100, according to the invention, in particular of the relative upward- downward movement of the relative tilting wheels 20a, 20b of the vehicle 200, thereby avoiding the occurrence of vibrations and jumps, known as “chattering”, and their propagation on the chassis 1 of the vehicle 100, thereby making the driving of the vehicle 200 itself safer.

[0049] Advantageously, the swinging arm 2 can be of fork configuration.

[0050] Preferably, said straightening means 4a, 4b, 8 associated with the rocker arm 4 comprise at least one torsion spring 8, shod on a pin 50 traversing the rocker arm 4 by means of a through- hole and has its own axis coinciding with the axis of rotation 5 of the rocker arm, and at least one pair of second pins 4a, 4b, arranged on the rocker arm 4, configured to create a rotational constraint by engaging the ends of the torsion spring 8 during the rotation of the rocker arm 4, thereby counteracting the increase in the angle of rotation of the rocker arm 4 itself.

[0051] In this way, thanks to the presence of the straightening means 4a, 4b, 8, the tilting system 100, according to the invention, provides a movement of descent in the curve, i.e. change of tilt of the vehicle 200, more progressive and sustained, compared to the tilting systems known to the state of the art, since there is a straightening force of the vehicle 200, caused by the aforementioned straightening means of the tilting system 100, adapted to counteract an increase in rotation of the rocker arm 4 as a result of the tilting movement of the tilting wheels 20a, 20b of the vehicle 200.

[0052] Advantageously, the at least one pair of second pins 4a, 4b is arranged on the rocker arm 4 at distances La, Lb from the axis 5 of rotation of the pin 50, respectively.

[0053] Preferably, the at least one pair of second pins 4a, 4b is arranged on the rocker arm 4 at distances La, Lb from the axis 5 of rotation of the pin 50, respectively, which are equal to each other.

[0054] Preferably, the at least one pair of second pins 4a, 4b is arranged on the rocker arm 4 at distances La and Lb from the axis 5 of rotation of the pin 50 and along an axis 3 of the rocker arm 4 passing through the ends 40a, 40b of the rocker arm 4 itself, substantially perpendicular to the axis 5 of rotation of the pin 50.

[0055] Even more preferably, the at least one pair of second pins 4a, 4b is arranged on the rocker arm 4 at equal distances La and Lb from the axis 5 of rotation of the pin 50, the axis of said second pins 4a, 4b being perpendicular to an axis 3 passing through the ends 40a, 40b of the rocker arm 4 and in turn substantially perpendicular to the axis 5 of rotation of the pin 50, as shown in the attached figures. Based on the position of the second pins 4a, 4b on the rocker arm 4 with respect to the centre of the pin 50, i.e. with respect to the axis of rotation of the rocker arm 4, it is possible to vary the free angle of rotation of the torsion spring 8 during the rotation of the rocker arm 4 itself on its own axis 5 of rotation. In other words, by varying the position of the second pins 4a, 4b on the rocker arm 4 it is possible to vary the angle of engagement of the torsion spring 8 with said second pins 4a, 4b and, therefore, the angle of free tilt of the rocker arm, and therefore of the vehicle, before the torsion spring is engaged by the second pin and starts counteracting the increase in the angle of rotation of the rocker arm 4 itself, thereby creating a straightening force of the system, i.e. towards a horizontal position of the rocker arm 4 that corresponds to the vertical position of the vehicle 200.

[0056] The possibility of positioning the second pins 4a, 4b at different points of the rocker arm 4, along the axis 3 or offset with respect to said axis, makes the tilting system 100 according to the invention adaptable to different conditions of use of the vehicle itself, for example since the straightening action of the torsion spring 8 can be varied as the weight supported by the vehicle 200 varies, for example depending on whether it is used for transporting objects and / or people, allowing the manufacturer to present a versatile product on the market with respect to the needs of the user.

[0057] Still, the tilting system 100 according to the invention gives to the manufacturer the possibility of using torsion springs 8 having different elastic characteristics, thereby making the system even more versatile and customizable with respect to the driving needs of the end user.

[0058] Preferably, the tilting management system 100 for a vehicle with three or more steerable and tilting wheels, according to the present invention, further comprises a plate 2a, mounted on the swinging arm 2 substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal development of the swinging arm 2 itself, and traversed parallel to the axis 5 of rotation by the pin 50 by means of a through- hole, comprising in turn at least a pair of first pins 2b, arranged parallel to the axis 3 and at a substantially equal distance with respect to the axis of rotation 5 of the pin 50, said pair of first pins 2b configured to create a rotational constraint of the torsion spring 8 through the contact of said first pins 2b with the ends of the torsion spring 8 both during the rotation of the rocker arm 4, as shown in figure 4, 5c and 5d, and during the straight movement and / or simply the standstill in the upright position of the vehicle 200, as shown in figure 3, 3a, 5, 5a and 5b.

[0059] In this way, the torsion spring 8 is preloaded in the desired manner based on the position of the pair of first pins 2b on the plate 2a, allowing the tilting system 100, according to the invention, to adapt more easily to the different driving needs of the end user's vehicle 200. Advantageously, also said pair of first pins 2b can be positioned on said plate 2a with respect to the axis of rotation of the rocker arm, so as to vary the preload of the torsion spring 8.

[0060] Preferably, the tilting management system 100 for a vehicle with three or more steerable and tilting wheels, according to the present invention, further comprises a disc 6, mounted on the rocker arm 4 and thus integral with the rotation of the rocker arm 4 on the plane 5 of rotation of the rocker arm 4, and a clamp 7, mounted on the plate 2a, in particular on the end opposite to the end connected to the rocker arm 2, and configured to contact, during the activation phase, the disc 6, thereby blocking the rotation of the rocker arm 4.

[0061] Thanks to such a configuration, the vehicle 200 can remain stable and in the predetermined position during, for example, the parking phase.

[0062] Preferably, the wheel arms 12a, 12b are connected to the relative rods 13a, 13b of the parallelogram and are configured to rotate about the relative axes 120a, 120b of rotation as a result of the upward, or downward, movement of the relative wheel 20a, 20b.

[0063] Preferably, at the outer ends of the wheel arms 12a, 12b there are placed corresponding crosses 14a, 14b rotating about the respective axes 140a, 140b of rotation, connected in turn to the relative wheel supports 15a, 15b, configured to support and allow the steering movement of the respective wheels 20, 20a.

[0064] Preferably, to the outer ends of the wheel supports 15a, 15b there are connected relative steering rods 18a, 18b, to which, at their other end, there is connected a steering column 16 integral with a handlebar 17.

[0065] Thanks to this configuration, the rotation of the handlebar 17 generates the steering of the wheels 20a, 20b.

[0066] Figures 6 to 8 illustrate a first variant of the tilting management system where the rocker arm 4 is positioned below the swinging arm 2. Figure 9 further illustrates the position of the hydraulic dampers 10a, 10b in this variant.

[0067] Figure 10 illustrates a second variant of the tilting management system where the rocker arm 4 is positioned below the swinging arm 2 and the spring 9 is placed rearwards with respect to the swinging arm 2.

[0068] The operation of the tilting management system for a vehicle with three or more steerable and tilting wheels, according to the invention, is clear and evident from what has been described. In practice, it has been found that the tilting management system, according to the present invention, fulfils the task as well as the intended purposes as it allows the rider to ride the vehicle more easily and with less effort in an uptight position.

[0069] Another advantage of the tilting management system, according to the invention, consists in that it avoids vibrations and jumps during the motion of the vehicle to make riding safer and more effective.

[0070] A further advantage of the tilting management system, according to the invention, consists in that it can be easily adapted for transporting people or heavy loads, therefore with significant variations in total weight to be transported, without losing effectiveness and safety when driven by the driver of the vehicle.

[0071] The tilting management system thus conceived is susceptible to many modifications and variants, all falling within the same inventive concept.

[0072] Furthermore, all the details can be replaced by other technically equivalent elements.

[0073] In practice, any materials can be used according to requirements, as long as they are compatible with the specific use, the dimensions and the contingent shapes.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Vehicle (200) with three or more wheels, at least two of said wheels being steerable and tilting, provided with a tilting management system (100) of said steerable and tilting wheels, said vehicle (200) comprising a chassis (1) and three or more wheels of which at least a first tilting wheel (20a) and a second tilting wheel (20b) arranged laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle (200) itself, said tilting management system (100) comprising a swinging arm (2) hinged at a first end to said chassis (1), and at its second end, opposite to the first end, to a spring (9), said spring (9) acting between said second end of said swinging arm (2) and the chassis (1), a rocker arm (4) being supported by said swinging arm (2) and being capable of rotating about an axis (5) substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle (200) as a result of the tilting movement of the tilting wheels (20a, 20b) of the vehicle (200) as opposed to the action of straightening means (4a, 4b, 8) associated with said rocker arm (4), and comprising a first end (40a) and a second end (40b), each of said first (40a) and second (40b) ends being connected to a respective wheel arm (12a, 12b) by means of a corresponding lower adjustable rod (I la, 1 lb), and each of said first (40a) and second (40b) ends being further connected to said chassis (1).

2. Vehicle (200) provided with a tilting management system (100) and three or more steerable and tilting wheels according to claim 1, wherein said rocker arm (4) is connected to said chassis by means of hydraulic dampers (10a, 10b).

3. Vehicle (200) provided with a tilting management system (100) and three or more steerable and tilting wheels according to claim 2, wherein each of said first end (40a) and said second end (40b) of said rocker arm (4) is connected to said chassis (1) by means of at least one relative hydraulic damper (10a, 10b).

4. Vehicle (200) provided with a tilting management system (100) and three or more steerable and tilting wheels according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said straightening means (4a, 4b, 8) comprise at least one torsion spring (8), shod on a pin (50), traversing parallel to the axis of rotation (5) said rocker arm (4) by means of a through-hole, and at least one pair of second pins (4a, 4b), arranged on said rocker arm (4), configured to create a rotational constraint by engaging the ends of said torsion spring (8) during the rotation of said rocker arm (4), thereby counteracting the increase in rotation of said rocker arm (4) itself.

5. Vehicle (200) provided with a tilting management system (100) and three or more steerable and tilting wheels according to claim 4, wherein said at least one pair of secondpins (4a, 4b) is arranged on said rocker arm (4) at distances (La, Lb) from said axis (5) of rotation of said pin (50), respectively.

6. Vehicle (200) provided with a tilting management system (100) and three or more steerable and tilting wheels according to the preceding claim, wherein each of said second pins (4a, 4b) is arranged along an axis (3) of said rocker arm (4) passing through said ends (40a, 40b) of said rocker arm (4).

7. Vehicle (200) provided with a tilting management system (100) and three or more steerable and tilting wheels according to claim 5, wherein said distances (La, Lb) of at least one pair of second pins (4a, 4b) from said axis (5) of rotation of said pin (50) are equal to each other.

8. Vehicle (200) provided with a tilting management system (100) and three or more steerable and tilting wheels according to claim 4, further comprising a plate (2a), mounted on said swinging arm (2), perpendicularly to the longitudinal development of said swinging arm (2), and traversed by said pin (50) developing along said axis (5) of rotation by means of a through-hole, said plate (2a) further comprising in turn at least one pair of first pins (2b) adapted to create a rotational constraint of said torsion spring (8) through the contact between said first pins (2b) and said torsion spring (8), thereby preloading said torsion spring (8) in the desired manner.

9. Vehicle (200) provided with a tilting management system (100) and three or more steerable and tilting wheels according to claim 8, further comprising a disc (6), mounted on said rocker arm (4), integral with the rotation of said rocker arm (4) on said axis (5) of rotation, and a clamp (7), mounted on said plate (2a), in particular on the end opposite to the end connected to said rocker arm (2), and configured to contact, during the activation phase, said disc (6), thereby blocking the rotation of said rocker arm (4).

10. Vehicle (200) provided with a tilting management system (100) and three or more steerable and tilting wheels according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said wheel arms (12a, 12b) are connected to relative rods (13a, 13b) and configured to rotate about relative axes (120a, 120b) of rotation as a result of the upward, or downward, movement of the relative tilting wheel (20a, 20b).

11. Vehicle (200) provided with a tilting management system (100) and three or more steerable and tilting wheels according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein at the outer ends of said wheel arms (12a, 12b) there are placed corresponding crosses (14a, 14b) rotating about respective axes (140a, 140b) of rotation, connected in turn to relative wheel supports (15a, 15b), configured to support and enable the steeringmovement of said respective tilting wheels (20a, 20b).

12. Vehicle (200) provided with a tilting management system (100) and three or more steerable and tilting wheels according to the preceding claim, wherein to the outer ends of said wheel supports (15a, 15b) there are connected relative steering rods (18a, 18b), to which, at their other end, there is connected a steering column (16) integral with a handlebar (17).

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