Posture Control Actuator Unit for Leaning Vehicle
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Solution Overview
Problem
In leaning vehicles, accurate detection of posture changes, such as roll rates, is hindered by the elastic members used to attach IMUs, which cause delays in angular rate sensor responses due to deformation during posture changes, and existing solutions require precise positioning of angular rate sensors.
Innovation Solution
Integration of an angular rate sensor with a posture control actuator unit, where the actuator and sensor are attached directly to the vehicle body frame without elastic members, ensuring high positional accuracy and eliminating delays in posture change detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If an angular rate sensor is attached to the vehicle body frame using elastic members (IMU configuration), then the attachment is simplified and allows for easier installation, but the elastic members deform during posture changes causing delays in angular rate detection and reducing measurement precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the angular rate sensor from the IMU configuration and attaches it directly to the vehicle body frame without elastic members. This eliminates the deformation issue caused by rubber mounts while maintaining easy installation through direct mounting on the frame's outer surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a posture control actuator as an intermediary component that integrates the angular rate sensor. The actuator serves as a stable mounting platform that moves with the vehicle body frame, providing a rigid connection without elastic members while maintaining the sensor's ability to detect posture changes accurately.
2Measurement precision
If an angular rate sensor is integrated with a posture control actuator unit, then positional accuracy and detection speed are improved, but the device complexity increases due to integration requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the angular rate sensor with the posture control actuator into a single integrated unit. The sensor is mounted on the actuator's output side, allowing both components to function together as one system. This integration improves detection accuracy while the actuator's existing structure simplifies the overall implementation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate components (IMU and posture control actuator) are used, then functional versatility is maintained, but the overall system size and component quantity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the angular rate sensor and posture control actuator into a single integrated unit, reducing the total number of components. The actuator's motor housing serves as the sensor mounting platform, eliminating the need for separate IMU mounting hardware and reducing overall system complexity while maintaining both sensing and actuation functions.
Data Source
AI summary
A leaning vehicle including a vehicle body frame that is configured to lean leftward and rightward respectively when the leaning vehicle is turning left and right, a steerable wheel supported by the vehicle frame body, a steering mechanism steering the steerable wheel, and a posture control actuator device. The posture control actuator device includes a posture control actuator that outputs power to control posture of the vehicle body frame, and an angular rate sensor that detects an amount of change per unit time of a rotation angle of the vehicle body frame around a rotation axis thereof, the rotation angle changing as the vehicle body frame is rotating around the rotation axis. The posture control actuator device is supported by the vehicle body frame, and is attachable to and detachable from the vehicle body frame. The posture control actuator and the angular rate sensor are not displaceable relative to each other.