Vehicle with a tilting mechanism for deflecting the wheels

Abstract

The vehicle comprises a frame (1), at least one pair of tilting wheels (2), and a tilting mechanism for vertically deflecting the pair of tilting wheels (2) relative to each other. The tilting mechanism comprises two connecting arms (3) for connecting the tilting wheels (2), two tilting arms (4) for rotatably connecting the tilting mechanism to the frame (1), a middle arm (5) for coupling the tilting arms (4), and two main arms (6) for connecting the tilting arms (4) to the connecting arms (3). The connecting arm (3) is rotatably connected to this tilting wheel (2) at one end thereof, and at the other end thereof, it is rotatably connected to one end of the main arm (6). The main arm (6) is rotatably connected to the tilting arm (4) by the second end thereof and the tilting arm (4) is rotatably connected to the frame (1) and is rotatably connected to the middle arm (5). The vehicle further comprises a retaining arm (11) that is rotatably connected to the frame (1), wherein the retaining arm (11) is further rotatably connected to the tilting wheel (2) and / or connected to the corresponding connecting arm (3).

Description

[0001] Vehicle with a Tilting Mechanism for Deflecting the Wheels

[0002] Technical Field

[0003] The object of the invention is a vehicle, especially a three-wheeled motorcycle, comprising a tilting mechanism for deflecting two parallel wheels, for example when the vehicle is leaning.

[0004] Background of the Invention

[0005] There are currently several variants of three-wheeled motorcycles that are designed to increase stability and safety during travel. These motorcycles have two wheels positioned either at the front or at the rear, which provides greater stability compared to the conventional two-wheeled motorcycles. However, these designs often lack the ability to lean effectively in turns, which can limit their handling and riding comfort.

[0006] One of the solutions to this problem is the use of a tilting mechanism, which allows the motorcycle to lean in a manner similar to two-wheeled motorcycles. This mechanism often comprises complex suspension systems and hydraulic or mechanical elements that allow one of the pair of parallel wheels to be raised or lowered. For example, patent EP3069977B1 describes a three-wheeled motorcycle with a tilting mechanism that allows the motorcycle to lean while maintaining stability. The tilt is achieved by means of arms extending from the wheels to the central rod of the frame, to which the arms are rotationally mounted and serve as the main axis of rotation for the tilting mechanism. However, this solution of the tilting mechanism in standard three-wheeled motorcycles requires a relatively significant modification of the frame, especially the addition of the central rod, and therefore also a change in the position of various elements of the motorcycle (e.g., damping, steering elements, arrangement of the fuel system, etc.), as well as a relatively high robustness, which significantly increases the weight and the center of gravity.

[0007] Another vehicle with a tilting mechanism is described, e.g., in the document W003 / 018390A1.

[0008] Further, current tilting mechanism systems often require complex and costly components, which increase the overall manufacturing and maintenance costs of the motorcycle. In addition, these complex systems may be prone to mechanical failures.

[0009] It would be useful to come up with a solution that would simplify the design of the tilting mechanism and allow it to be added to the motorcycle (or other vehicle) with as little modification of the standard motorcycle design as possible.

[0010] Summary of the Invention

[0011] The above shortcomings are eliminated to a certain extent by a vehicle that comprises a frame, at least one pair of tilting wheels, and a tilting mechanism for vertically deflecting the pair of tilting wheels relative to each other. All the wheels are mounted rotatably relative to the frame. The tilting mechanism comprises two connecting arms for connecting the tilting wheels, two tilting arms for rotatably connecting the tilting mechanism to the frame, a middle arm for coupling the tilting arms, and two main arms for connecting the tilting arms to the connecting arms.

[0012] For each tilting wheel of the pair, the following applies. At one end thereof, the connecting arm is rotatably connected to the given wheel, and at the other end thereof, it is rotatably connected to one end of the main arm. The main arm is rotatably connected to the tilting arm by the second end thereof, and the tilting arm is rotatably connected to the frame (again, this is true for every tilting wheel). The tilting arm is rotatably connected to the middle arm (again, this is true for every tilting wheel). The axes of rotation of both connections of the tilting arm to the middle arm are offset from each other, they are parallel to each other and are parallel to the axes of rotation of the connection of each tilting arm to the frame. The axes of rotation of each connection of the main arm to the tilting arm, the axes of rotation of each connection of the tilting arm to the middle arm, and the axes of rotation of the connection of each tilting arm to the frame are offset relative to each other and are parallel.

[0013] Therefore, both tilting arms have a total of six axes of rotation relative to the other components and these axes are all parallel and do not coincide together. Further, for each tilting wheel, the vehicle comprises a retaining arm that is rotatably connected to the frame. This retaining arm is further rotatably connected to the tilting wheel and / or is connected (preferably by a rigid connection) with the corresponding connecting arm to the given tilting wheel. The retaining arm thus retains the wheel relative the frame so that the wheels keep the frame above the ground, but does not prevent the wheel from rotating or tilting.

[0014] This solution of the vehicle with the tilting mechanism improves the stability of the vehicle during travel, especially when turning, on rough terrain, etc. The arrangement of the arms of the tilting mechanism and their connection allows their deflection (especially of the tilting arms) to the vertical and horizontal directions such that the deflection of the tilting arms and the middle arm in at least one direction (vertical and / or horizontal) does not have to be the same as the deflection of the tilting wheels in the vertical direction. This will greatly reduce the space requirements of the vehicle for the position of the tilting mechanism. This arrangement thus makes it possible to use the tilting mechanism in the case of standard vehicles with minimal modification of the design of the vehicle, in particular modification of the frame. Thanks to this design and arrangement, the main arms may be positioned closer to the tilting wheels and the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, which improves the stability and handling of the vehicle. In this way it is also possible to eliminate the problem of some tilting mechanisms from the state of the art (e.g., W003 / 018390A1 ), in which the main arms must be sufficiently far apart for functional reasons, which causes collisions with the steering rod in certain extreme positions. Also, too much distance of the main arms from the tilting wheels results in small suspension travel.

[0015] The vehicle may comprise at least one wheel that is not part of the tilting mechanism and does not tilt. The vehicle may be a three-wheeled motorcycle. The pair of tilting wheels may be mounted to the front part of the frame (the motorcycle rider has this part of the frame in front of them during forward travel), while the third wheel is mounted to the rear part of the frame. Alternatively, the pair of tilting wheels may be mounted to the rear part of the frame, while the third wheel is mounted to the front part of the frame. The tilting mechanism is therefore applicable to the pair of wheels of a threewheeled motorcycle regardless of whether the motorcycle has the pair of wheels at the front or at the rear.

[0016] The pair of tilting wheels are preferably wheels positioned parallel to each other when the vehicle is viewed from the front (this is apparent especially when the pair of wheels is mounted to the front part of the frame) or from the rear (this is apparent especially when the pair of wheels is mounted to the rear part of the frame) in the standard position of the vehicle without leaning, i.e., the wheel is perpendicular to the ground. The rear view of the vehicle is in the direction of travel of the vehicle. The tilting wheels are also positioned side by side when viewed in the longitudinal direction. The longitudinal direction is preferably defined by the direction of forward travel. The third wheel is thus a single wheel that is positioned on the opposite end of the vehicle.

[0017] The vehicle may comprise a plurality of pairs of tilting wheels, for example two pairs of tilting wheels, where one pair is positioned on the front part of the frame and the other pair on the rear part of the frame. The vehicle can thus be a four-wheeled vehicle.

[0018] The wheels may be mounted to the frame directly (the rotational connection of the wheel to the frame is positioned directly on the frame) or indirectly, e.g., by means of a swingarm, suspension, etc.

[0019] The rotatable connection may be a rotational joint, in which the component rotates only around a single axis of rotation, or a spherical joint, where the component may rotate around multiple axes of rotation. The spherical joint may be implemented by a ball connection, a rotational one, for example, using a bearing (ball, roller, etc.). Alternatively, the movement of the component in multiple directions (with multiple axes of rotation) can be addressed by a connection with a rotational joint with an axis of rotation in one direction and a resilient pad (e.g., made of rubber) that can be compressed in another direction.

[0020] Preferably, each main arm of at least one pair of tilting wheels is connected to the connecting arm by means of a spherical joint, e.g., a ball connection.

[0021] Preferably, each main arm of the at least one pair of tilting wheels is connected to the tilting arm by means of a spherical joint. This is preferred especially in the arrangement of the tilting mechanism in that the axes of rotation of each connection of the main arm to the tilting arm, the axes of rotation of each connection of the tilting arm to the middle arm, and the axes of rotation of the connection of each tilting arm to the frame extend along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

[0022] Preferably, both tilting arms corresponding to the at least one pair of tilting wheels (i.e. , if the vehicle has a plurality of pairs of tilting wheels, this applies to at least one of this plurality of pairs) are connected to the frame by means of a rotational joint. This is preferred especially in the arrangement of the tilting mechanism in that the axes of rotation of each connection of the main arm to the tilting arm, the axes of rotation of each connection of the tilting arm to the middle arm, and the axes of rotation of the connection of each tilting arm to the frame extend along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

[0023] Preferably, each tilting arm corresponding to the at least one pair of tilting wheels is connected to the middle arm by means of a rotational joint.

[0024] Preferably, each main arm corresponding to the at least one pair of tilting wheels is connected to the tilting arm by means of a spherical joint and is simultaneously connected to the connecting arm by means of a spherical joint. This is preferred especially in the arrangement of the tilting mechanism in that the axes of rotation of each connection of the main arm to the tilting arm, the axes of rotation of each connection of the tilting arm to the middle arm, and the axes of rotation of the connection of each tilting arm to the frame extend along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

[0025] Alternatively, each main arm corresponding to the at least one pair of tilting wheels is connected to the tilting arm by means of a rotational joint and is simultaneously connected to the connecting arm by means of a rotational joint. This is preferred especially in the arrangement of the tilting mechanism in that the axes of rotation of each connection of the main arm to the tilting arm, the axes of rotation of each connection of the tilting arm to the middle arm, and the axes of rotation of the connection of each tilting arm to the frame extend along the transverse axis of the vehicle.

[0026] The transverse direction is preferably perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and is determined by the turning direction of the vehicle. During standard forward travel of the vehicle, the axes of rotation of the wheels preferably extend in the transverse direction. Thus, in the transverse direction, the side of the vehicle can be seen. If at least one of the aforementioned connections is on the tilting arm with a spherical joint, then one of the axes of rotation thereof is parallel to the other axes of rotation of the connections on the given tilting arm.

[0027] The retaining arm may be part of the connecting arm. It may be an extended end thereof, i.e., it may be rigidly connected to it. Alternatively, the retaining arm may be identical to the balancing arm, i.e., the balancing arm simultaneously provides both the balancing function and the function of the retaining arm. Alternatively, it may be a separate arm, which is rotatably mounted with a rotational joint at one end thereof to the wheel (e.g., it is connected to the mount described below) and rotatably with a rotational joint at the other end thereof to the frame.

[0028] Preferably, the connection of the retaining arm to the frame and the connection of the retaining arm to the wheel are offset relative to each other. The retaining arm may be, e.g., connected to the frame at one end and to the wheel I connecting arm at the other one. The rotatable connection of the retaining arm to the tilting wheel may therefore be provided via the connecting arm, by rotatable connection of the connecting arm to this wheel.

[0029] At one end thereof, the connecting arm may be rotatably connected to the given wheel, and at the other end thereof, rotatably connected to one end of the main arm. The connecting arm may be part of a rod extending from the wheel towards the frame of the vehicle that, for example, does not end at the main arm but extends further into the vehicle, where it is rotatably mounted to the frame (preferably with a rotational joint). Therefore, the connecting arm and / or the retaining arm may only be part of this rod that is between the mount to the wheel and the main arm, or between the main arm and the frame. Therefore, this rod (which may be straight, bent, or curved, may have the same or different cross-section at different points, etc.) preferably comprises the connecting arm, which is located in the section between the wheel and the connection to the main arm, and the retaining arm, which is located in the section from the connection to the main arm to the connection of the retaining arm to the frame.

[0030] Due to the described arrangement of the balancing mechanism, which even by itself may solve a number of shortcomings of the solutions according to the prior art, it is not essential to modify the standard frame of such a vehicle in order to form the tilting vehicle. This mechanism does not require a central rod (extending vertically downward from the handlebars), which often represents an obstacle in known vehicles when tilting is required. By mounting the tilting mechanism to the frame in multiple connections at different points, the forces from the tilting mechanism are distributed more evenly in the frame than in the solutions according to the prior art. The main arms may also carry the dampers, because the dampers will not interfere with anything there.

[0031] Preferably, the tilting mechanism comprises at least one damper for damping shocks that may occur during travel of the vehicle. For example, the damper may be mechanical, hydraulic, or any conventionally used one in vehicles (e.g., motorcycles, four- wheeled vehicles). The damper may be part of the main arm to provide damping especially in the vertical direction. Preferably, it may be part of each main arm such that both tilting wheels of the given pair are damped.

[0032] The damper may, alternatively or in addition, be part of the middle arm to provide damping especially in the horizontal direction. Therefore, damping of both wheels may be achieved even with just one damper.

[0033] Therefore, part of the length of the given arm may be replaced by the damper, thus allowing the arm to extend and retract within a certain range in the direction of its axis.

[0034] The tilting mechanism may thus comprise the damper in at least one main arm and / or damper in the middle arm. Thanks to this solution of the tilting mechanism, the dampers may be positioned close to the tilting wheels and allow for better suspension of the vehicle.

[0035] The vehicle preferably comprises a balancing mechanism that helps to keep the tilting wheels parallel to each other in different travel modes (during standard straight travel, when the vehicle is leaning). Therefore, in other words, the balancing mechanism maintains the same steering geometry and maintains the same angle between the tilting wheels and the road for stable and easy steering of the vehicle. The balancing mechanism comprises two balancing arms, wherein one end of each balancing arm is rotatably connected to the wheel and the other end of the balancing arm is rotatably connected to the frame. The rotatable connection to the tilting wheel preferably comprises two axes of rotation that are non-parallel to each other. Thus, the wheel may rotate around its axis (horizontal and transverse in standard orientation of the vehicle) relative to the balancing arm, and simultaneously, it may rotate around one other axis (in particular the vertical one allowing turning) relative to it.

[0036] The rotatable connection of the balancing arm to the wheel preferably comprises a mount for the balancing mechanism, which is used to facilitate the mounting of several parts of the vehicle to the wheel. The mount is rotatably mounted (preferably with a rotational joint) to the wheel, and at another point, it is rotatably mounted (preferably with a rotational joint) to the balancing arm. The mount may be mounted to the wheel preferably in the axis of rotation of the wheel. The mounting may be implemented, e.g., by means of a wheel hub. The wheel hub may be a standard hub in the center of the wheel, to which, for example, spokes or other reinforcements are mounted. The axis of rotation of the connection of the mount and the tilting wheel may be identical to the axis of rotation of the tilting wheel. The mount may be a component with two arms, where one arm is mounted to the tilting wheel and the balancing arm is mounted to the other arm. The axis of rotation of the connection of the mount and the tilting wheel and the axis of rotation of the connection of the mount and the balancing arm may be parallel and offset from each other.

[0037] Preferably, the connecting arm is rotatably mounted (preferably with a rotational joint) to the mount. The axis of rotation of the connection of the connecting arm and the mount may be identical to the axis of rotation of the wheel. Preferably, the axis of rotation of the connection of the connecting arm and the mount is offset from the axis of rotation of the connection of the balancing arm and the mount, so the connecting arm is connected to the mount at a different point than the balancing arm, e.g., on a different arm of the mount, at the opposite end of one arm of the mount. This offset is useful in particular to avoid collision between the balancing arm and the connecting arm when the wheels are moving.

[0038] Therefore, the mount preferably defines the axis of rotation of the wheel, i.e. , the wheel is rotatably mounted on it such that it can roll on the ground. Further, a rotatable movement is preferably defined between the connecting arm and the mount, where this movement preferably has two axes of rotation - one parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheel itself and one oriented otherwise, preferably vertical (to define the steering of the wheels). Further, a movement is preferably defined between the balancing arm and the wheel, where this movement preferably has two axes of rotation - one parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheel itself but offset therefrom and one oriented otherwise, preferably vertical (to define the steering of the wheels).

[0039] The vehicle preferably comprises a steering mechanism that comprises handlebars and a steering rod that is rotatably connected (preferably by means of a ball connection) to the handlebars and rotatably connected to a mount with a non-horizontal axis of rotation. The connecting arm is preferably also rotatably connected (preferably by means of a rotational connection) to the mount. The rotatable connection of the mount to the wheel is preferably coaxial with the connection of the connecting arm to the mount. The rotatable connection of the steering rod to the handlebars may be implemented by means of an assembly of additional rods. Said connections of the arms to the mount may only be related to some part of the mount - when the mount has a plurality of mutually movable parts.

[0040] Preferably, the mount comprises a first member of the mount and a second member mount that are rotatably connected together (preferably by a rotational joint) with a non-horizontal axis of rotation. The connecting arm and the balancing arm are rotatably connected to the first member of the mount (preferably with a rotational joint). The tilting wheel is rotatably connected to the second member of the mount (preferably with a rotational joint). The steering rod is rotatably connected to the second member of the mount (preferably with a spherical joint).

[0041] Preferably, the connection of the connecting arm to the mount, the connection of the balancing arm to the mount, and the connection of the steering rod to the mount lie in one straight line when viewed in the transverse direction so that during travel, the leaning of the vehicle when turning and especially the angle of rotation of the tilting wheels relative to each other are not affected (such that the wheels do not diverge or converge). I.e. , they may, e.g., lie one above the other in at least some position of the balancing mechanism. The transverse direction is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and is determined by the turning direction of the vehicle. During standard forward travel of the vehicle, the axes of rotation of the wheels preferably extend in the transverse direction. Thus, in the transverse direction, the side of the vehicle can be seen.

[0042] Preferably, each main arm extends downward from the corresponding tilting arm to the connected connecting arm. Each connecting arm then preferably extends along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle from the connected main arm to the given tilting wheel. The middle arm may extend transversely. The tilting arm may extend, e.g., partially in the transverse direction and partially in the vertical and / or partially in the longitudinal direction. Such an arrangement of the arms allows useful distribution of the tilt of the wheels in a plurality of directions such that the deflection of any of the arms is not too great and the tilting mechanism can be compact.

[0043] The axes of rotation of each connection of the main arm to the tilting arm, the axes of rotation of each connection of the tilting arm to the middle arm, and the axes of rotation of the connection of each tilting arm to the frame preferably extend along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

[0044] The vehicle may comprise a tilt locking mechanism that serves to prevent the tilt of the wheels by means of the tilting mechanism. This mechanism may comprise a stop rotatably connected to the frame, which can be rotated to such a position between the tilting arm and the frame that it prevents tilt of the tilting arm. Alternatively, this mechanism comprises a brace that can be positioned between the tilting arms of one pair of the tilting wheels, thereby preventing their tilt. Alternatively, it may be a braking mechanism, where the brake affects the rotation around the axis of rotation of the tilting arm and the frame.

[0045] The vehicle further preferably comprises standard components - a steering mechanism, drive system, braking system, lighting, seat, etc. The steering mechanism preferably comprises other standard parts of the steering mechanism in motorcycles, e.g., an assembly of rods for transferring forces from the handlebars to the wheels.

[0046] Description of Drawings

[0047] A summary of the invention is further clarified using exemplary embodiments thereof, which are described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: fig. 1 is an isometric view of a vehicle with the tilting wheels tilted, fig. 2 is a side view of the vehicle according to fig. 1 with the tilting wheels tilted, fig. 3 is a front view of the vehicle according to fig. 1 with the tilting wheels tilted, fig. 4 is a top view of the vehicle according to fig. 1 , fig. 5 shows the tilting mechanism of the vehicle according to fig. 1 , fig. 6 shows the front part of the frame with the tilting mechanism, fig. 7 is a front view of the front part of the frame according to fig. 6, fig. 8 shows the front part of the frame with the tilting mechanism with the wheels tilted, fig. 9 is a front view of the front part of the frame according to fig. 8, fig. 10 shows the front part of the frame with the tilting mechanism while turning, fig. 11 is a front view of the front part of the frame according to fig. 10, fig. 12 is a top view of the front part of the frame according to fig. 10, fig. 13 is a detailed perspective view of the inner side of one tilting wheel, in particular its mount and connection of the arms to this mount, and fig. 14 is a schematic front drawing of the arrangement of components and axes of rotation according to the first exemplary embodiment.

[0048] Exemplary Embodiments of the Invention

[0049] The vehicle will be further clarified using exemplary embodiments with reference to the corresponding drawings. The first exemplary embodiment is depicted in figs. 1-5, fig. 13, and fig. 14.

[0050] In the first exemplary embodiment, the vehicle is a three-wheeled motorcycle that comprises a frame 1_, one pair of tilting wheels 2 and a third non-tilting wheel, a tilting mechanism, a balancing mechanism, and a steering mechanism, as can be seen in fig. 1 . In the first exemplary embodiment, the pair of tilting wheels 2 is rotatably mounted by means of arms to the front part of the frame 1. and the third wheel is rotatably mounted to the rear part of the frame 1_, as can be seen in fig. 2. The front part of the frame 1_ is the part of the frame 1. extending forward during forward travel of the motorcycle, therefore, the rear part of the frame 1_ is the part of the frame 1_ directed rearward during reverse travel of the motorcycle.

[0051] The vehicle comprises a longitudinal axis 011 that passes through the center of the motorcycle and extends in the longitudinal direction given by the forward or rearward travel of the motorcycle. The transverse direction is perpendicular to the longitudinal and vertical directions, a view of the motorcycle in the transverse direction is in fig. 2. The standard travel of the motorcycle is along the horizontal road in the forward direction without turning or leaning, as shown in figs. 6 and 7.

[0052] In the first exemplary embodiment, the tilting mechanism comprises two connecting arms 3, two main arms 6 with a damper 7, two tilting arms 4, and a middle arm 5. As can be seen in fig. 5, a connecting arm 3, a main arm 6, and a tilting arm 4, which is connected by the middle arm 5 with the second tilting arm 4 connected via a main arm 6 and connecting arm 3 with the second tilting wheel 2, are connected to one tilting wheel 2.

[0053] In the first exemplary embodiment, the connecting arm 3 is part of two rods that are connected at both ends in the longitudinal direction for better load transfer and reinforcement of the structure of the motorcycle. The connecting arm 3 extends in the longitudinal direction - during standard travel of the motorcycle, the connecting arm 3 is horizontal. The connecting arm 3 is curved in the transverse direction, as can be seen in fig. 3, to better mount the connecting arm 3 to the center of the tilting wheel 2. At the other end thereof, the connecting arm 3 is mounted to the main arm 6 by means of a ball connection, which allows rotatable movement of the main arm 6 relative to the connecting arm 6 with multiple axes of rotation as indicated by the dashed line in fig. 14, and thus allows the best possible suspension of the motorcycle.

[0054] These two rods comprise further a retaining arm 1_1_, which is part of both rods from the connection of the main arm 6 to the connecting arm 3 - thus, the retaining arm 11 continues from the connecting arm 3 to the frame 1. for the connecting arm 3 to indirectly rotatably connect to the frame 1_. Thus, the retaining arm 11 , which can be seen in fig. 8, is rotatably connected (with a rotational joint) to the frame 1. at the other end thereof. In the first exemplary embodiment, the axis 012 of rotation of the connection of the retaining arm 11 to the frame 1. is parallel to the axis 09 of rotation between the balancing arm 8 (which is described below) and the frame 1_.

[0055] Thus, in the first exemplary embodiment, the main arm 6 is mounted to the connecting arm 3 by a ball connection, and at the other end thereof, it is mounted by a ball connection (with two axes 05 of rotation) to the tilting arm 4. In the first exemplary embodiment, the two main arms 6 comprise standard dampers 7 for motorcycles. In the first exemplary embodiment, the main arms 6 are oriented in the vertical direction, as can be seen in fig. 3, during standard travel of the motorcycle.

[0056] In the first exemplary embodiment, the tilting arm 4 has the shape of the letter Y , as can be seen in fig. 3 and fig. 5, where at the bottom end of the letter Y, the tilting arm 4 is connected to the main arm 6 by a rotatable connection with a spherical joint, and at the ends of the branched part, the tilting arm 4 is connected by a rotatable connection with a rotational joint to the frame 1_ and on the other branch, the tilting arm 4 is connected by a rotatable connection with a rotational joint to the middle arm 5. The tilting arm 4 thus rotates mainly around three axes of rotation, which are offset from each other and parallel to each other. The connection between the main arm 6 and the tilting arm 4 comprises several axes 04 of rotation due to its joint, however, one axis of this connection is parallel to the aforementioned axes of rotation of the connections - the axis 02 of rotation and the axis 03 of rotation. One axis of rotation of the connection between the tilting arm 4 and the main arm 6, the axis 03 of rotation of the connection of the tilting arm 4 to the frame 1_, and the axis 02 of rotation of the connection of the tilting arm 4 to the middle arm 5 extend approximately in the direction of the longitudinal axis 011 .

[0057] The middle arm 5 serves to connect the pair of the tilting arms 4 such that when one tilting wheel 2 is tilted, the other tilting wheel 2 is deflected in the opposite direction. Thus, the middle arm 5 is rotatably connected (with a rotational joint) to one tilting arm 4 at one end thereof and is rotatably connected (with a rotational joint) to the other tilting arm 4 at the other end thereof. In the first exemplary embodiment, it has a curved shape, as can be seen in fig. 5. In the first exemplary embodiment, the middle arm 5 and the tilting arms 4 comprise reinforcements for reinforcing the mechanism, as can be seen in fig. 3 and fig. 5. The principle of movement of the tilting mechanism is also outlined for the first embodiment in figs. 6 to 12, although the actual implementation of the individual features of the tilting mechanism is different. Kinematics (i.e. , directions of the axes, the form of the rotational / ball connections) are implemented identically in both embodiments. During standard forward travel, the axes 01 of rotation of one tilting wheel 2 and the other tilting wheel 2 are identical, thus the tilting wheels 2 are aligned side by side when the motorcycle is viewed from the front. The rider may lean the three-wheeled motorcycle by means of the tilting mechanism to better pass a turn by shifting their center of gravity (as in the case of the standard two-wheeled motorcycle). When leaning to the right, the right tilting wheel 2 is raised when the motorcycle is viewed while maintaining the position of the frame 1_ relative to the road, as shown in fig. 8.

[0058] The tilting arm 4 rotates around the axis 03 of rotation of the connection of the tilting arm 4 to the frame 1_ and the axis 02 of rotation of the connection of the tilting arm 4 to the middle arm 5. Thanks to the connection to the middle arm 5, the middle arm 5 shifts toward the right when leaning to the right. Thanks to the multiple axes of rotation, the movement, and thus the deflection, of the tilting arm 4 is distributed in several directions and the whole tilting mechanism is more compact. Thanks to the connection with the first tilting arm 4, the second tilting arm 4 (left) rotates in a similar manner as the first tilting arm 4 downward when viewed in the direction of fig. 9. Therefore, both deflections of the tilting wheels 2 in the vertical direction have the same magnitude but opposite direction here, as can be seen in figs. 8 and 9. The tilt is the upward or downward movement of the tilting wheel 2 when the vehicle is viewed from the front, so it is approximately the rotation of the tilting wheels 2 around the axis 012 of rotation of the connection of the retaining arm 11 to the frame 1_. The balancing arm 8 and the rod forming the retaining arm 11 and the connecting arm 3 together define a parallelogram that determines the trajectory of the tilting wheel 2 during the tilt. The axes 01 of rotation of the tilting wheels 2 are no longer identical but offset when viewed from the front.

[0059] The principle of the movement of the tilting mechanism (also the balancing mechanism) can be further seen in fig. 14, where the individual axes of rotation of the essential connections are indicated.

[0060] In the first exemplary embodiment, the vehicle comprises a balancing mechanism that serves to keep the tilting wheels 2 parallel to each other, and thus also maintains the same angle between the tilting wheels 2 and the road (in the case of a completely straight road). The balancing mechanism comprises two balancing arms 8, which can be seen in figs. 1 to 3, each for one balancing wheel 2. One end of the balancing arm 8 is rotatably connected to the tilting wheel 2 and the other end is rotatably connected (with a rotational joint) to the frame 1_, as can be seen in fig. 2.

[0061] The vehicle further comprises a steering mechanism that comprises standard components of the steering mechanism of the motorcycle - handlebars (indicated only as a rectangle in fig. 14), several rods rotatably connected for transmission of the rotatable movement from the handlebars to the wheels, etc. The steering mechanism further comprises a steering rod 10, which can be seen in figs. 1 and 2. The steering rod 10 is rotatably connected by one end thereof to the mount 9 (by means of a ball connection), and thus also the tilting wheel 2, and by the other end thereof, it is connected by means of several other rods to the handlebars (by means of a ball connection). The steering mechanism works conventionally, as in the case of non-tilting motorcycles. The handlebars rotate in the axis of rotation of the handlebars, which is oriented vertically when the motorcycle is viewed from the front and is perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the tilting wheels 2. The steering mechanism thus allows the wheels to rotate around this vertical axis of rotation when viewed from the front, as can be seen in figs. 10 to 12. The steering mechanism is independent of the tilting mechanism and the balancing mechanism - so whether the rider turns or not does not affect the tilt and alignment or leaning of the wheels.

[0062] The connecting arms 3 are mounted to their tilting wheel 2 by means of the mount 9 and the hub of the tilting wheel 2 in which the mount 9 is rotatably mounted. The hub is a standard part of a wheel of the motorcycle positioned in the center of the wheel and the axis 01 of rotation of the tilting wheel 2 passes through it. The mount 9 comprises a first member 9A of the mount 9 for mounting the connecting arm 3 and the balancing arm 8 and the second member 9B of the mount 9 allows the steering mechanism to be connected with the center of the tilting wheel 2 without affecting the leaning of the tilting wheel 2. The mount in the first exemplary embodiment is shown in fig. 13. In the first exemplary embodiment, the second member 9B of the mount 9 comprises a wheel carrier and an auxiliary arm. The wheel carrier is a standard part of a wheel of a vehicle and improves the stability and handling of the wheel.

[0063] The first member 9A of the mount 9 comprises two branches extending from the end of the first member 9A of the mount 9, which is rotatably mounted to the wheel carrier with a rotational joint. The axis 07 of rotation of the first member 9A of the mount 9 is perpendicular to the axis 01 of rotation of the tilting wheel 2 and extends in the vertical direction in a standard position of the motorcycle. The first branch, as can be seen in fig. 3, extends in the direction of the axis 01 of rotation of the tilting wheel 2 and the connecting arm 3 is mounted thereto by means of a bearing. The second branch, as can be seen in fig. 3, extends in a non-parallel way to the axis 01 of rotation of the tilting wheel 2 toward the road such that the connecting arm 3 and the balancing arm 8 are offset from each other to prevent the connecting arm 3 and the balancing arm 8 from colliding during tilting and leaning of the tilting wheels 2.

[0064] The balancing arm 8 is also mounted to the end of the second branch of the first member 9A of the mount 9 by means of a bearing. The axis 010 of rotation of the connection of the balancing arm 8 to the first member 9A of the mount 9 and the axis 06 of rotation of the connection of the connecting arm 3 to the first member 9A of the mount 9 are thus offset from each other. The auxiliary arm of the second member 9B of the mount 9 is rigidly mounted to the wheel carrier at one end thereof and is thus rotatably mounted to the first member 9A of the mount 9, so that the inclination of the axis of rotation of the tilting wheel 2 is not affected when the motorcycle is turning. At the other end of the auxiliary arm, the steering rod 10 is mounted by means of a ball connection. Therefore, this connection comprises several axes 08 of rotation. The auxiliary arm extends away from the connecting arm 3. The wheel carrier is rotatably connected (by a rotational joint) to the wheel hub. The axis of rotation of the wheel carrier is identical to the axis 01 of rotation of the tilting wheel 2.

[0065] In the first exemplary embodiment, the vehicle further comprises standard parts of a motorcycle - drive system, braking system, headlights, seat, etc.

[0066] The second exemplary embodiment of the vehicle, which is shown in figs. 6 to 12, comprises elements with the same kinematics as the first exemplary embodiment as shown in fig. 14. The shape of the arms and the mount 9 is different from the first exemplary embodiment. Alternative embodiment:

[0067] The alternatives relating to the individual features or components of the invention, which are briefly set out below, may be used separately or combined at the discretion of one skilled in the art. Unless otherwise indicated for a particular alternative embodiment, other features of this embodiment are implemented as in any of the embodiments described above and shown in the drawings.

[0068] Alternatively, the damper 7 is part of the middle arm 5 for damping shocks predominantly in a direction perpendicular to that in which the dampers that are part of the main arms 6 damp.

[0069] Alternatively, the axes of rotation of the connections of the tilting arm 4 to the main arm 6, the axes of rotation of the connections of the tilting arm 4 to the frame 1_, and the axes of rotation of the connections of the tilting arm 4 to the middle arm 5 are non-parallel relative to the longitudinal axis of the motorcycle when the motorcycle is viewed in the transverse direction. The tilting mechanism thus leans inward toward the frame 1_ of the motorcycle.

[0070] Alternatively, the connection of the connecting arm 3 to the main arm 6 is with a rotational joint, where the axis 5 of rotation is in the transverse direction. The rotation of the main arm 6 in the other direction (perpendicular to both the longitudinal axis 011 and the transverse axis) is enabled by a resilient pad that allows a minor tilt of the main arm 6 in this axis.

[0071] Alternatively, the tilting arms and the middle arm are rotated relative to the first exemplary embodiment by approximately 90° - the axes 05 of rotation of the connections of the main arm 6 to the tilting arm 4, the axes 03 of rotation of the connections of the tilting arm 4 to the frame 1_, and the axes 02 of rotation of the connections of the tilting arm 4 to the middle arm 5 are in the transverse direction. Therefore, in the case of the tilting arms 4 and the middle arm 5, the tilt is almost entirely in the longitudinal direction, and thus, between the main arm 6 and the tilting arm 4 (also between the main arm 6 and the connecting arm 3), there is no need for a rotatable connection with a spherical joint but, for example, only for a pad to regulate smaller deflections. List of Reference Signs

[0072] 1 - Frame

[0073] 2 - Tilting wheel

[0074] 3 - Connecting arm

[0075] 4 - Tilting arm

[0076] 5 - Middle arm

[0077] 6 - Main arm

[0078] 7 - Damper

[0079] 8 - Balancing arm

[0080] 9 - Mount

[0081] 9A - First member of the mount

[0082] 9B - Second member of the mount

[0083] 10 - Steering rod

[0084] 11 - Retaining arm

[0085] 01 - Axis of rotation of the tilting wheel

[0086] 02 - Axis of rotation between the tilting arm and the middle arm

[0087] 03 - Axis of rotation between the tilting arm and the frame

[0088] 04 - Axis of rotation between the tilting arm and the main arm

[0089] 05 - Axis of rotation between the main arm and the connecting arm

[0090] 06 - Axis of rotation between the connecting arm and the mount

[0091] 07 - Axis of rotation between the first member of the mount and the second member of the mount

[0092] 08 - Axis of rotation between the steering rod and the second member of the mount

[0093] 09 - Axis of rotation between the balancing arm and the frame

[0094] 010 - Axis of rotation between the balancing arm and the mount

[0095] 011 - Longitudinal axis of the vehicle

[0096] 012 - Axis of rotation between the retaining arm and the frame

Claims

CLAIMS1 . A vehicle comprising a frame (1 ), at least one pair of tilting wheels (2), wherein all wheels are rotatably mounted relative to the frame (1 ), wherein the vehicle further comprises a tilting mechanism for vertically deflecting the pair of tilting wheels (2) relative to each other, characterized in that the tilting mechanism comprises• two connecting arms (3) for connecting the tilting wheels (2),• two tilting arms (4) for rotatably connecting the tilting mechanism to the frame (1 ),• a middle arm (5) for coupling the tilting arms (4),• and two main arms (6) for connecting the tilting arms (4) with the connecting arms (3), wherein for each tilting wheel (2) of the pair and for the connecting arm (3), the tilting arm (4), and the main arm (6) corresponding to this tilting wheel (2),• the connecting arm (3) is rotatably connected to this tilting wheel (2) at one end of the connecting arm (3), and at the other end, the connecting arm (3) is rotatably connected to one end of the main arm (6), wherein• the main arm (6) is rotatably connected to the tilting arm (4) with a second end of the main arm (6), and the tilting arm (4) is rotatably connected to the frame (1 ), wherein• the tilting arm (4) is rotatably connected to the middle arm (5), wherein• the axes (02) of rotation of both connections of the tilting arm (4) to the middle arm (5) are offset from each other, they are parallel to each other and are parallel to axes (03) of rotation of connection of each tilting arm (4) to the frame (1 ), and wherein• axes (04) of rotation of each connection of the main arm (6) to the tilting arm (4), the axes (02) of rotation of each connection of the tilting arm (4) to the middle arm (5), and the axes (03) of rotation of the connection of each tilting arm (4) to the frame (1 ) are parallel and offset relative to each other, wherein• the vehicle further comprises, for each tilting wheel (2), a retaining arm (11 ) that is rotatably connected to the frame (1 ), wherein the retaining arm (11 ) is further rotatably connected to the tilting wheel (2) and / or connected to the corresponding connecting arm (3).

2. The vehicle according to claim 1 , characterized in that the tilting mechanism comprises at least one damper (7) for damping shocks.

3. The vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that the damper (7) is part of each main arm (6) of at least one pair of tilting wheels (2).

4. The vehicle according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the damper (7) is part of the middle arm (5).

5. The vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises a balancing mechanism, wherein the tilting wheels (2) are maintained parallel to each other by the balancing mechanism, wherein the balancing mechanism comprises two balancing arms (8), wherein one end of each balancing arm (8) is rotatably connected to the tilting wheel (2) and the other end of the balancing arm (8) is rotatably connected to the frame (1 ).

6. The vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that the rotatable connection of the balancing arm (8) to the tilting wheel (2) comprises a mount (9) for the balancing mechanism that is rotatably connected to the tilting wheel (2) and, at another point, rotatably connected to the balancing arm (8).

7. The vehicle according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises a steering mechanism comprising handlebars and a steering rod (10) that is rotatably connected to the handlebars and rotatably connected to the mount (9) with a nonhorizontal axis (08) of rotation, wherein the connecting arm (3) is rotatably connected to the mount (9), wherein the rotatable connection of the mount (9) to the tilting wheel (2) is coaxial with the connection of the connecting arm (3) to the mount (8).

8. The vehicle according to claim 7, characterized in that the mount (9) comprises a first member (9A) of the mount (9) and a second member (9B) of the mount (9), which are rotatably connected together with a non-horizontal axis (07) of rotation,wherein the connecting arm (3) and the balancing arm (8) are rotatably connected to the first member (9A) of the mount (9), the tilting wheel (2) is rotatably connected to the second member (9B) of the mount (9), and the steering rod (10) is rotatably connected to the second member (9B) of the mount (9).

9. The vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that each main arm (6) extends downward from the corresponding tilting arm (4) to the connected connecting arm (3) and each connecting arm (3) extends along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle from the connected main arm (6) to the given tilting wheel (2).

10. The vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the axes (04) of rotation of each connection of the main arm (6) to the tilting arm (4), the axes (02) of rotation of each connection of the tilting arm (4) to the middle arm (5), and the axes (03) of rotation of the connection of each tilting arm (4) to the frame (1 ) extend along the longitudinal axis (011 ) of the vehicle.

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