Tiltable Vehicle Frame with Adjustable Front Track Width

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing three-wheeled vehicles with tiltable frames face instability at low speeds and limited maneuverability, while also consuming excessive parking space.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle design featuring a tiltable frame portion coupled with a drive rear axle and a non-tiltable front axle with adjustable track width, allowing for wide or narrow track configurations, along with a self-tilting mechanism and steering controls to enhance stability at high speeds and maneuverability at low speeds.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If the vehicle uses a fixed wide track configuration, then stability at high speeds is improved, but parking space consumption increases and maneuverability at low speeds deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestability at high speedsVSAvoidparking space consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The front wheel track width is made dynamically adjustable between wide and narrow configurations. The suspension system allows the front wheels to be positioned widely apart for high-speed stability, then brought close together for low-speed maneuverability and compact parking, resolving the contradiction between stability and space consumption through dynamic reconfiguration

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Area of stationary object

If the vehicle uses a fixed narrow track configuration, then parking space consumption is reduced and maneuverability at low speeds is improved, but stability at high speeds deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveparking space consumptionVSAvoidstability at high speeds
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The front wheel track width is made dynamically adjustable between wide and narrow configurations. The suspension system allows the front wheels to be positioned widely apart for high-speed stability, then brought close together for low-speed maneuverability and compact parking, resolving the contradiction between stability and space consumption through dynamic reconfiguration

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Stability of the object's composition

If the vehicle frame is tiltable, then stability at high speeds is improved, but maneuverability at low speeds deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestability at high speedsVSAvoidmaneuverability at low speeds
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The frame tilting capability is made dynamically controllable. The tilting mechanism is activated during high-speed operation to provide stability, while being deactivated or blocked during low-speed maneuvering to maintain ease of control, allowing the system to adapt its stability characteristics based on operating conditions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Stability of the object's composition

If the wheel base is significantly longer, then stability at high speeds is improved, but maneuverability at low speeds and parking capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestability at high speedsVSAvoidmaneuverability at low speeds
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The wheel base length is made dynamically adjustable through the suspension system. During high-speed operation, the front wheels are positioned to create a longer wheel base for enhanced stability. During low-speed maneuvering and parking, the front wheels are brought closer together, effectively shortening the wheel base and improving maneuverability and parking capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2388179B1A vehicle with a tiltable frame
Publication Date: 2014.06.25 JAXA NETWORKS
  • EP2388179B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1C
  • EP2388179B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2C
  • EP2388179B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~4

AI summary

A vehicle comprising a frame comprising a tiltable portion (163) tiltable about a longitudinal axis (164) of the vehicle and coupled with a drive rear axle with a rear wheel (121), a non-tiltable portion (162) coupled with a front axle with a pair of front wheels (111, 112) a main body portion (165) coupled with the tiltable frame portion (163). The front wheels (111, 112) have a track width adjustable between a wide track and a narrow track by track width control means, such that for the wide track of the front wheels (111, 112) the wheel base is significantly longer than for the narrow track of the front wheels (111, 112). The vehicle further comprises tilting means (166) for tilting the tiltable frame portion (163) when the front wheels (111, 112) are set to the wide track and steering means configured to control the turn of the rear wheel (121) when the front wheels (111, 112) are set to the narrow track.