Leaning Vehicle Tilt Control via Dynamic Buffer Suppression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicles face challenges in controlling the tilt angle during low-speed traveling due to influences from road unevenness, barycenter shift, and steering, leading to instability and vibration.
Innovation Solution
A leaning vehicle configuration with a body frame, linkage mechanism, buffer device, and control section that includes a left-right tilt angle control mechanism and buffer control mechanism, where the control section adjusts the tilt angle by rotating an arm supported on the body frame and suppresses buffer device motion to enhance control and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the vehicle travels at low speed, then the tilt angle is susceptible to influence from road unevenness and steering, but the actuator can generate torque to maintain the body frame in an upright position
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the buffer device controllable rather than fixed. The buffer control mechanism dynamically adjusts the buffer characteristic based on vehicle speed and tilt angle conditions. At low speeds, the buffer is suppressed to prevent excessive motion; at higher speeds, the buffer is activated to absorb vibrations from road unevenness. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between maintaining upright position and stabilizing tilt angle.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of buffer device stiffness through the buffer control mechanism. By varying the buffer characteristic parameter according to operating conditions (vehicle speed, tilt angle), the system optimizes performance across different scenarios. The control section adjusts the buffer parameter to be suppressed during tilt angle control and activated during vibration absorption, resolving the stability contradiction.
2Measurement precision
If the buffer device suppresses motion of the wheels, then the tilt angle control is improved, but the vehicle vibration increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action through time-based control of the buffer device. The buffer control mechanism periodically switches between suppressed and active states based on vehicle speed thresholds and operational phases. During low-speed tilt angle control, the buffer is suppressed; during higher-speed vibration-prone conditions, the buffer is activated. This periodic switching resolves the contradiction between control precision and vibration reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The buffer device transitions from a static component to a dynamic one through electronic control. The control section continuously monitors vehicle conditions and adjusts the buffer characteristic in real-time, enabling the buffer to adapt its motion suppression level. This dynamic behavior allows the system to achieve precise tilt angle control when needed while reducing vibrations when the buffer is active.
3Ease of operation
If the actuator adjusts the arm rotation to control tilt angle, then the body frame tilting control is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing the buffer device to serve multiple functions: it acts as a vibration absorber during normal operation and as a motion suppressor during tilt angle control. The same buffer mechanism performs different roles based on control mode, reducing the need for separate components and simplifying the overall system despite the added control electronics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback through the control section that continuously monitors tilt angle, vehicle speed, and buffer position. This feedback loop enables precise control of the actuator and buffer device, achieving accurate tilt angle control while managing system complexity through intelligent coordination of existing components rather than adding numerous independent control systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A leaning vehicle includes a body frame, a right wheel and a left wheel, a linkage mechanism including arms rotatably supported on the body frame, buffer devices, a left-right tilt angle control mechanism configured to control a tilt angle of the body frame by adjusting a rotation of the arms with respect to the body frame, a buffer control mechanism configured to suppress motion of the buffer devices, and a control section. The control section determines whether to cause the left-right tilt angle control mechanism to perform roll angle control during traveling toward stop, and performs control of causing the buffer control mechanism to suppress motion of the buffer devices in a period in which the vehicle speed is in at least a part of a low-speed traveling range and in at least a part of a period in which the left-right tilt angle control mechanism.