Mobility Scooter Tilt Control With Pivoting Rear Wheels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mobility scooters face challenges in maintaining stability and balance, especially on uneven or inclined ground, due to their modest width and lack of effective tilt control mechanisms, which are often complex and costly, and do not adapt appropriately to varying speeds.
Innovation Solution
A tricycle layout mobility scooter with independently pivoting rear wheels, controlled by a simple electric actuator mechanism using control lines and a digital controller, which maintains chassis upright at low speeds and dynamically adjusts tilt at higher speeds, incorporating a releasable coupling for automatic or dynamic tilt control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If complex hydraulic or mechanical tilting mechanisms are used to actively regulate vehicle tilt, then vehicle stability and balance on uneven ground are improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex hydraulic or mechanical tilting mechanisms with an electrically-driven system. An electric motor (16) drives a leadscrew (26) that converts rotational motion to linear motion of the tilting mechanism (18), significantly simplifying the system while maintaining active tilt control capability for stability on uneven ground.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a control system with sensors and a microcontroller as an intermediary between the ground conditions and the tilting mechanism. The sensors detect terrain variations and the microcontroller processes this information to activate the tilting mechanism only when needed, reducing overall system complexity by adding intelligent control rather than mechanical complexity.
2Stability of the object's composition
If passive tilting mechanisms are used to allow dynamic tilting during cornering, then dynamic stability at speed is improved, but ability to maintain upright position at low speeds deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic control system that adapts the tilting mechanism's behavior based on vehicle speed. At low speeds, the system maintains the vehicle in an upright position for stability. As speed increases, the system allows and actively manages tilting during cornering to provide dynamic stability, effectively transitioning between different operational modes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the tilting mechanism based on vehicle speed. The control system monitors speed and adjusts the engagement and behavior of the tilting mechanism accordingly, enabling upright maintenance at low speeds while permitting dynamic tilting at higher speeds for cornering stability.
3Ease of operation
If active tilt control is implemented to maintain chassis upright on inclined ground, then user comfort and safety are improved, but vehicle weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces heavy hydraulic systems with an electrically-driven tilting mechanism using a motor, leadscrew, and linkage system. This substitution significantly reduces vehicle weight while maintaining the capability to actively control tilt and keep the chassis upright on inclined ground, thereby preserving user comfort and safety.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention concerns a wheeled vehicle (10) which is able to regulate its lateral tilt. In a preferred aspect the vehicle (10) comprises a seat (28) for supporting a rider, and a chassis (18) which carries the seat. A steerable wheel (12) is carried by the chassis and is operably coupled to a steering arrangement (30, 34) for turning the steerable wheel (12) to effect steering of the vehicle (10). A left wheel-bearing arm (66) carries a left wheel (14) and is pivotally coupled to the chassis (18), so that pivotal movement of the left wheel-bearing arm (66) provides up and down movement of the left wheel (12) relative to the chassis (18). A right wheel-bearing arm (68) carries a right wheel (16) and is pivotally coupled to the chassis (18) to be movable independently of the left wheel-bearing arm (66), so that pivotal movement of the right wheel-bearing arm (68) provides up and down movement of the right wheel (16) relative to the chassis (18). A left control line (76) is led from a left tether (79) on the left wheel-bearing arm (66) to an actuator (84) carried by the chassis (18), so that upward movement of the left wheel (14) relative to the chassis is restrained by the control line (18). A right control line (82) is led from a right tether (78) on the right wheel-bearing arm (68) to the actuator (84), so that upward movement of the right wheel (16) relative to the chassis (18) is restrained by the right control line (82). The actuator (84) is operable in a first direction to pay out the left control line (76) whilst drawing in the right control line (82), permitting the left wheel (14) to move up relative to the chassis (18) and causing the right wheel (16) to move down relative to the chassis (18), thereby causing the vehicle (10) to tilt toward the left. The actuator (84) is operable in a second direction to pay out the right control line (82) whilst drawing in the left control line (76), permitting the right wheel (16) to move up relative to the chassis (18) and causing the left wheel (14) to move down relative to the chassis (18), thereby causing the vehicle (10) to tilt toward the right.