Vehicle and related control system
AssigneeHonda Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorTimothy A. Abke
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle includes a frame including a front frame part and a rear frame part. A single front wheel is rotatably connected to the front frame part. A single rear wheel is rotatably connected to the rear frame part. Each of the front wheel and the rear wheel is adapted to have a cylindrical shape in top view when the vehicle is traveling in a straight direction, and at least one of the front wheel and the rear wheel is adapted to expand and have a frustoconical shape in top view in a turning condition of the vehicle.
Claims15
A vehicle comprising:
- a frame including a front frame part and a rear frame part;
- a single front wheel rotatably connected to the front frame part;
- a single rear wheel rotatably connected to the rear frame part,
- wherein each of the front wheel and the rear wheel is adapted to have a cylindrical shape in top view when the vehicle is traveling in a straight direction, and each of the front wheel and the rear wheel is adapted to expand and have a frustoconical shape in top view in a turning condition of the vehicle,
- wherein the front wheel includes opposite end portions, the front wheel is configured to house a front expansion device adapted to selectively expand one of the opposite end portions of the front wheel based on the turning direction of the vehicle, and
- the rear wheel includes opposite end portions, the rear wheel is configured to house a rear expansion device adapted to selectively expand one of the opposite end portions of the rear wheel based on the turning direction of the vehicle;
- and
- a control device operably associated with each of the front expansion device and rear expansion device, the control device including:
- a detecting section that detects the turning condition of the vehicle,
- a first determining section that, when the turning condition is detected, determines a rate of turn and a degree of turn,
- a second determining section that determines operational conditions of the vehicle, and
- an adjusting section that, when the rate and degree of turn is determined by the first determining section and when the operational conditions of the vehicle are determined by the second determining section, actuates one of the front expansion device and rear expansion device to selectively expand the respective one of the front wheel and rear wheel.
A control device for a vehicle having a single front wheel rotatably connected to a front frame part and a single rear wheel rotatably connected to a rear frame part, the control device comprising:
- a detecting section that detects a turning condition of the vehicle;
- a first determining section that, when the turning condition is detected, determines a rate of turn and a degree of turn;
- a second determining section that determines operational conditions of the vehicle;
- and
- an adjusting section that, when the rate and degree of turn is determined by the first determining section and when the operational conditions of the vehicle are determined by the second determining section, actuates one of a front wheel expansion device and a rear expansion device housed within the respective front wheel and rear wheel to selectively expand the respective one of the front wheel and rear wheel to change a shape of the respective one of the front wheel and rear wheel from a cylindrical shape in top view to a frustoconical shape in top view.
A method of controlling a vehicle, the vehicle having a single front wheel rotatably connected to a front frame part and a single rear wheel rotatably connected to a rear frame part, the method comprising:
- detecting a turning condition of the vehicle;
- determining a rate of turn and a degree of turn associated with the detected turning condition of the vehicle;
- determining operational conditions of the vehicle;
- and
- when the rate and degree of turn is determined by the first determining section and when the operational conditions of the vehicle are determined by the second determining section, actuating one of a front wheel expansion device and a rear expansion device housed within the respective front wheel and rear wheel to selectively expand the respective one of the front wheel and rear wheel to change a shape of the respective one of the front wheel and rear wheel from a cylindrical shape in top view to a frustoconical shape in top view.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.