# US 11,027,786 B2 · Gyroscopic rider assist device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,027,786 B2 - Document ID: US11027786B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/196,067 - Filed: 2018-11-20 - Published: 2020-05-21 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-11-20 - Assignees: Harley-Davidson Motor Company Group, Inc. - Applicants: Harley-Davidson Motor Company Group, LLC - Inventors: James C. Brendelson; Mason del Rosario; Sean Karagianes; Sean Lowen; Michael Searing; Ben Smith; Paul Titchener - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11027786B2 ## CPC - B62D 37/06: using gyroscopes - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) ## Abstract A tilting vehicle includes a frame and a front wheel coupled to the frame. A rear wheel is coupled to the frame and positioned rearward of the front wheel in a longitudinal direction. A seating area includes at least one seat positioned to support a rider between the front wheel and the rear wheel. A gyroscopic rider assist device is provided within an enclosure behind the seating area and above the rear wheel. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tilting vehicle comprising: a frame; a front wheel coupled to the frame; a rear wheel coupled to the frame and positioned rearward of the front wheel in a longitudinal direction; a seating area including at least one seat positioned to support a rider between the front wheel and the rear wheel; and a gyroscopic rider assist device provided within an enclosure behind the seating area and above the rear wheel, the gyroscopic rider assist device including: a gimbal support frame fixed with respect to the frame, a gimbal rotatably supported by the gimbal support frame for rotation about a roll axis, and a flywheel supported for rotation about a flywheel axis by a bracket, wherein the bracket is rotatably supported by the gimbal about a precession axis. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tilting vehicle of claim 1, further comprising an actuator coupled to the gimbal through a force transmission mechanism and operable to drive the gimbal relative to the gimbal support frame to trigger a precession reaction of the flywheel relative to the gimbal so that a corrective moment is generated on the vehicle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The tilting vehicle of claim 2, further comprising a clutch to decouple the force transmission mechanism to selectively deactivate the gyroscopic rider assist device by allowing the gimbal to move freely within the gimbal support frame to remain level as the vehicle leans during operation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The tilting vehicle of claim 3, wherein the clutch is a toothed clutch. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The tilting vehicle of claim 3, wherein the actuator is a linear actuator and the force transmission mechanism includes a lever arm, wherein the clutch is positioned between the lever arm and the gimbal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The tilting vehicle of claim 3, further comprising a controller programmed to actuate the clutch to decouple the force transmission mechanism when the vehicle exceeds a threshold speed stored in a memory. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The tilting vehicle of claim 6, wherein the threshold speed is user adjustable. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The tilting vehicle of claim 6, wherein the controller is programmed to disregard the threshold speed and maintain the gyroscopic rider assist device in the deactivated state in response to a user input to toggle the gyroscopic rider assist device off. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The tilting vehicle of claim 3, further comprising a second actuator between the bracket and the gimbal and operable to reorient the flywheel with respect to the bracket, and a second clutch to decouple the second actuator. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The tilting vehicle of claim 2, wherein the actuator is a rotary actuator. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The tilting vehicle of claim 1, wherein the flywheel is the one and only flywheel of the gyroscopic rider assist device. ### Claim 12 A tilting vehicle comprising: a frame; a front wheel coupled to the frame; a rear wheel coupled to the frame and positioned rearward of the front wheel in a longitudinal direction; a gyroscopic rider assist device operable to output a corrective moment on the vehicle in response to an input from an actuator; and a clutch provided between the actuator and the gyroscopic rider assist device to selectively deactivate the gyroscopic rider assist device upon transition from a first condition of the vehicle to a second condition of the vehicle, wherein the gyroscopic rider assist device includes a gimbal support frame fixed with respect to the frame, a gimbal rotatably supported by the gimbal support frame for rotation about a roll axis, and a flywheel supported for rotation about a flywheel axis by a bracket, wherein the bracket is rotatably supported by the gimbal about a precession axis. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The tilting vehicle of claim 12, further comprising a second actuator between the bracket and the gimbal and operable to reorient the flywheel with respect to the bracket, and a second clutch to decouple the second actuator. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The tilting vehicle of claim 12, wherein the flywheel is the one and only flywheel of the gyroscopic rider assist device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The tilting vehicle of claim 12, further comprising a controller and a memory, the controller programmed to actuate the clutch to deactivate the gyroscopic rider assist device in response to the transition from the first condition to the second condition in accordance with instructions stored in the memory. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The tilting vehicle of claim 15, wherein the transition to the second condition of the vehicle occurs upon the vehicle exceeding a threshold speed value stored in the memory. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The tilting vehicle of claim 16, wherein the threshold speed value in the memory is user adjustable. ### Claim 18 A tilting vehicle comprising: a frame; a front wheel coupled to the frame; a rear wheel coupled to the frame and positioned rearward of the front wheel in a longitudinal direction; a gyroscopic rider assist device operable to output a corrective moment on the vehicle in response to an input from an actuator; and a toothed clutch provided between the actuator and the gyroscopic rider assist device to selectively deactivate the gyroscopic rider assist device upon transition from a first condition of the vehicle to a second condition of the vehicle. ### Claim 19 A tilting vehicle comprising: a frame; a front wheel coupled to the frame; a rear wheel coupled to the frame and positioned rearward of the front wheel in a longitudinal direction; a gyroscopic rider assist device operable to output a corrective moment on the vehicle in response to an input from a linear actuator; and a clutch provided between the actuator and the gyroscopic rider assist device to selectively deactivate the gyroscopic rider assist device upon transition from a first condition of the vehicle to a second condition of the vehicle. ### Claim 20 A tilting vehicle comprising: a frame; a front wheel coupled to the frame; a rear wheel coupled to the frame and positioned rearward of the front wheel in a longitudinal direction; a gyroscopic rider assist device operable to output a corrective moment on the vehicle in response to an input from an actuator; a clutch provided between the actuator and the gyroscopic rider assist device to selectively deactivate the gyroscopic rider assist device upon transition from a first condition of the vehicle to a second condition of the vehicle; and a controller and a memory, the controller programmed to actuate the clutch to deactivate the gyroscopic rider assist device in response to the transition from the first condition to the second condition in accordance with instructions stored in the memory. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The tilting vehicle of claim 20, wherein the transition to the second condition of the vehicle occurs upon the vehicle exceeding a threshold speed value stored in the memory. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The tilting vehicle of claim 21, wherein the threshold speed value in the memory is user adjustable.