# US 7,743,871 B2 · Anti-tilt apparatus and frame structure of tilting vehicle using the same

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- Number: US 7,743,871 B2
- Document ID: US7743871B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/979,686
- Filed: 2007-11-07
- Published: 2009-03-05
- Granted: 2010-06-29
- Earliest claimed: 2007-08-28
- Assignees: Industrial Technology Research Institute
- Inventors: Chin-Pin Chien; Yu-Yin Peng; Jyh-Chun Chang; Tien-Ho Gau
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7743871B2

## CPC

- B60G 17/01908: {Acceleration or inclination sensors (characterised by the use of gyroscopes B60G21/08)}
- B60G 17/0162: {mainly during a motion involving steering operation, e.g. cornering, overtaking (B60G17/0164 takes precedence)}
- B60G 17/017: characterised by their use when the vehicle is stationary, e.g. during loading, engine start-up or switch-off
- B60G 17/01933: {Velocity, e.g. relative velocity-displacement sensors}
- B60G 2202/42: Electric actuator
- B60G 2204/46: Means for locking the suspension
- B60G 2300/45: Rolling frame vehicles
- B60G 2800/20: Stationary vehicle
- B60G: VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS (air-cushion vehicles B60V; {cycle suspensions B62K25/00})

## Abstract

An anti-tilt apparatus is provided in the present invention, in which a frame of a vehicle is locked or released for tilt by a locking mechanism controlled according to the vehicle moving status. In addition, the present invention further provides a frame structure of a tilt vehicle wherein the anti-tilt apparatus and an independent suspended wheel set with a tiltable frame are combined together for maintaining certain comfort, good tracking capability and driving safety while the vehicle is moving and swerving. The anti-tilt apparatus of the present invention functions to lock the tiltable frame while the vehicle is operated in low speed or stop and functions to make wheels simultaneously inwardly incline for providing a tilt capability while the vehicle is swerving in high speed so as to increase higher stability and anti-turnover capability of the vehicle.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An anti-tilt apparatus, comprising:
a tiltable frame, arranged on a tilting vehicle;
a control device, capable of generating a control signal according to statuses of the tilting vehicle;
a driving unit, coupled to the control device for receiving the control signal and thus generating a driving force accordingly;
a locking/releasing unit, coupled to the driving unit for receiving the driving force and thus generating a reaction force accordingly; and
a curbing unit, disposed at a side of the locking/releasing unit for responding to the reaction force to lock the tiltable frame at a specific position,
wherein the curbing unit, being a pinhole plate having a recess formed thereon, is disposed at a side of the locking/releasing unit; and the locking/releasing unit further comprises:
a plate;
a pin;
a transmission unit, mounted on the tiltable frame in a manner that enables the transmission unit to perform a linear motion so as to bring along the pin to perform one action selected from the group consisting of: moving the pin forward and thus insetting into the recess, and retracting the pin away from the recess; and
a push rod, pivotally coupled to the plate by a side thereof while having its two ends connected to the driving unit and the transmission unit in respective so that enables the push rod to receive the driving force for bringing along the transmission unit to perform the linear motion.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The anti-tilt apparatus of claim 1, wherein the curbing unit, shaped like a disc, is mounted on a chassis of the tilting vehicle, and the locking/releasing unit, being a clamp, is mounted on the tiltable frame at a side of the disc-shaped curbing unit for enabling the clamp to respond to the reaction force for generating and thus exerting a clamping force on the disc-shaped curbing unit.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The anti-tilt apparatus of claim 1, wherein the curbing unit, shaped like a disc, is mounted on the tiltable frame, and the locking/releasing unit, being a clamp, is mounted on a chassis of the tilting vehicle at a side of the disc-shaped curbing unit for enabling the clamp to respond to the reaction force for generating and thus exerting a clamping force on the disc-shaped curbing unit.

### Claim 4

An anti-tilt apparatus, comprising:
a tiltable frame, arranged on a tilting vehicle;
a control device, capable of generating a control signal according to statuses of the tilting vehicle;
a driving unit, coupled to the control device for receiving the control signal and thus generating a driving force accordingly;
a locking/releasing unit, coupled to the driving unit for receiving the driving force and thus generating a reaction force accordingly; and
a curbing unit, disposed at a side of the locking/releasing unit for responding to the reaction force to lock the tiltable frame at a specific position,
wherein the curbing unit, being a pinhole plate having a recess formed thereon, is disposed at a side of the locking/releasing unit; and the locking/releasing unit further comprises:
a plate;
a transmission unit, mounted on the tiltable frame in a manner that enables the transmission unit to perform a linear motion so as to bring along a pin to perform one action selected from the group consisting of: moving the pin forward and thus insetting into the recess, and retracting the pin away from the recess;
a first rod, pivotally coupled to the plate while having an end thereof connected to the transmission unit;
a second rod, pivotally connected to the first rod;
a third rod, pivotally connected to the plate by an end thereof while enabling another end thereof to connect to the second rod; and
a fourth rod, pivotally connected to the transmission unit by an end thereof while enabling another end thereof to coupled to a location at where the second rod and the third rod are connected.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The anti-tilt apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: at least a sensor, each consisting of a steer sensor, a velocity sensor, a tilt sensor and the combination thereof, for sensing the statuses of the tilting vehicle.

### Claim 6

A vehicle frame for tilting vehicles, comprising:
a chassis, further comprising:
a linkage mechanism, comprised of:
a ground rod;
a floating rod, being placed over the ground rod and parallel thereto;
two rocking arms; and
a connecting part, arranged at a position in the vicinity of the center between the floating rod and the ground rod while being oriented perpendicular to the two, having a bulging sliding block matched and inset to a straight sliding slot defined in the floating rod while the bottom end of the connecting part is pivotally connected to a specific position of the ground rod;
wherein, an ends of the floating rod is pivotally connected to an end of one of the two rocking arm while another end of the floating rod is pivotally connected to an end of another rocking arm, and an ends of the ground rod is pivotally connected to an end of one of the two rocking arms opposite to that connected to the floating rod while another end of the ground rod is pivotally connected to an end of another rocking arm opposite to that connected to the floating rod; and
an independent suspending mechanism, comprised of:
a hub, pivotally connected to the rocking arms by at least a pair of suspending rods; and
a shock absorber, configured for enabling the top of the shock absorber to pivotally connect to the top of the corresponding rocking arm while enabling the bottom of the shock absorber to pivotally connect to the bottom of the hub;
a tiltable frame, mounted on the chassis;
a control device, capable of generating a control signal according to statuses of the tilting vehicle;
a driving unit, coupled to the control device for receiving the control signal and thus generating a driving force accordingly;
a locking/releasing unit, coupled to the driving unit for receiving the driving force and thus generating a reaction force accordingly; and
a curbing unit, disposed at a side of the locking/releasing unit for responding to the reaction force to lock the tiltable frame at a specific position.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The vehicle frame of claim 6, wherein the curbing unit, shaped like a disc, is mounted on a chassis of the tilting vehicle, and the locking/releasing unit, being a clamp, is mounted on the tiltable frame at a side of the disc-shaped curbing unit for enabling the clamp to respond to the reaction force for generating and thus exerting a clamping force on the disc-shaped curbing unit.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The vehicle frame of claim 6, wherein the curbing unit, shaped like a disc, is mounted on the tiltable frame, and the locking/releasing unit, being a clamp, is mounted on a chassis of the tilting vehicle at a side of the disc-shaped curbing unit for enabling the clamp to respond to the reaction force for generating and thus exerting a clamping force on the disc-shaped curbing unit.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The vehicle frame of claim 6, wherein the curbing unit, being a pinhole plate having a recess formed thereon, is disposed at a side of the locking/releasing unit; and the locking/releasing unit further comprises:
a plate;
a pin;
a transmission unit, mounted on the tiltable frame in a manner that enables the transmission unit to perform a linear motion so as to bring along the pin to perform one action selected from the group consisting of: moving the pin forward and thus insetting into the recess, and retracting the pin away from the recess; and
a push rod, pivotally coupled to the plate by a side thereof while having its two ends connected to the driving unit and the transmission unit in respective so that enables the push rod to receive the driving force for bringing along the transmission unit to perform the linear motion.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The vehicle frame of claim 6, wherein the curbing unit, being a pinhole plate having a recess formed thereon, is disposed at a side of the locking/releasing unit; and the locking/releasing unit further comprises:
a plate;
a transmission unit, mounted on the tiltable frame in a manner that enables the transmission unit to perform a linear motion so as to bring along a pin to perform one action selected from the group consisting of: moving the pin forward and thus insetting into the recess, and retracting the pin away from the recess;
a first rod, pivotally coupled to the plate while having an end thereof connected to the transmission unit;
a second rod, pivotally connected to the first rod;
a third rod, pivotally connected to the plate by an end thereof while enabling another end thereof to connect to the second rod; and
a fourth rod, pivotally connected to the transmission unit by an end thereof while enabling another end thereof to coupled to a location at where the second rod and the third rod are connected.

### Claim 11 (depends on 6)

The vehicle frame of claim 6, further comprising: at least a sensor, each consisting of a steer sensor, a velocity sensor, a tilt sensor and the combination thereof, for sensing the statuses of the tilting vehicle.

### Claim 12

A vehicle frame for tilting vehicles, comprising:
a chassis, further comprising:
a linkage mechanism, comprised of:
a ground rod;
a floating rod, being placed over the ground rod and parallel thereto;
two rocking arms; and
a connecting part, arranged at a position in the vicinity of the center between the floating rod and the ground rod while being oriented perpendicular to the two, having a bulging sliding block matched and inset to a straight sliding slot defined in the floating rod while the bottom end of the connecting part is pivotally connected to a specific position of the ground rod;
wherein, an ends of the floating rod is pivotally connected to an end of one of the two rocking arm while another end of the floating rod is pivotally connected to an end of another rocking arm, and an ends of the ground rod is pivotally connected to an end of one of the two rocking arms opposite to that connected to the floating rod while another end of the ground rod is pivotally connected to an end of another rocking arm opposite to that connected to the floating rod; and
an independent suspending mechanism, comprised of:
a hub, pivotally connected to the rocking arms by at least a pair of suspending rods; and
a shock absorber, configured for enabling the top of the shock absorber to pivotally connect to the top of the corresponding rocking arm while enabling the bottom of the shock absorber to pivotally connect to the bottom of the hub;
a tiltable frame, mounted on the chassis;
a locking/releasing unit, for receiving a driving force and thus generating a reaction force accordingly; and
a curbing unit, disposed at a side of the locking/releasing unit for responding to the reaction force to lock the tiltable frame at a specific position.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The vehicle frame of claim 12, wherein the curbing unit, shaped like a disc, is mounted on a chassis of the tilting vehicle, and the locking/releasing unit, being a clamp, is mounted on the tiltable frame at a side of the disc-shaped curbing unit for enabling the clamp to respond to the reaction force for generating and thus exerting a clamping force on the disc-shaped curbing unit.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The vehicle frame of claim 12, wherein the curbing unit, shaped like a disc, is mounted on the tiltable frame, and the locking/releasing unit, being a clamp, is mounted on a chassis of the tilting vehicle at a side of the disc-shaped curbing unit for enabling the clamp to respond to the reaction force for generating and thus exerting a clamping force on the disc-shaped curbing unit.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The vehicle frame of claim 12, wherein the curbing unit, being a pinhole plate having a recess formed thereon, is disposed at a side of the locking/releasing unit; and the locking/releasing unit further comprises:
a plate;
a pin;
a transmission unit, mounted on the tiltable frame in a manner that enables the transmission unit to perform a linear motion so as to bring along a pin to perform one action selected from the group consisting of: moving the pin forward and thus insetting into the recess, and retracting the pin away from the recess; and
a push rod, pivotally coupled to the plate by a side thereof while having its two ends connected to the driving unit and the transmission unit in respective so that enables the push rod to receive the driving force for bringing along the transmission unit to perform the linear motion.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The vehicle frame of claim 12, wherein the curbing unit, being a pinhole plate having a recess formed thereon, is disposed at a side of the locking/releasing unit;
and the locking/releasing unit further comprises:
a plate;
a transmission unit, mounted on the tiltable frame in a manner that enables the transmission unit to perform a linear motion so as to bring along a pin to perform one action selected from the group consisting of: moving the pin forward and thus insetting into the recess, and retracting the pin away from the recess;
a first rod, pivotally coupled to the plate while having an end thereof connected to the transmission unit;
a second rod, pivotally connected to the first rod;
a third rod, pivotally connected to the plate by an end thereof while enabling another end thereof to connect to the second rod; and
a fourth rod, pivotally connected to the transmission unit by an end thereof while enabling another end thereof to coupled to a location at where the second rod and the third rod are connected.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The vehicle frame of claim 12, further comprising: at least a sensor, each consisting of a steer sensor, a velocity sensor, a tilt sensor and the combination thereof, for sensing the statuses of the tilting vehicle.