Vehicle with three or more wheels provided with an anti-roll stabiliser device and anti-roll control method of a vehicle having at least three wheels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10239377-B2
Application number	US-201515326984-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 13, 2015
Priority date	Jul 18, 2014
Publication date	Mar 26, 2019
Grant date	Mar 26, 2019

Abstract

A vehicle with 3 or more wheels includes at least two wheels aligned on the same axis. The vehicle has an intermediate centerline plane between the wheels parallel to a direction of movement, including a mass suspended in relation to the wheels defining a passenger or containment compartment, and two suspension groups kinematically connecting the suspended mass to the two aligned wheels. An anti-roll stabilizer device has at least one compensation mass kinematically connected to the suspended mass via a guide and movable in relation thereto. The anti-roll stabilizer device has a drive of the compensation mass to distance or bring the compensation mass closer to the centerline plane on the side opposite the displacement of a barycenter of the suspended mass with respect to the same centerline plane, to oppose the displacement with respect to the centerline plane of the position of the barycenter of the suspended mass.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Vehicle with 3 or more wheels, at least two of the wheels having centres aligned with an axis, the vehicle having an intermediate centreline plane between said wheels aligned and parallel to a direction of movement, the vehicle comprising
at least one mass suspended in relation to said wheels defining a passenger compartment or containment compartment,
two suspension groups kinematically connecting the suspended mass to said two aligned wheels;
an anti-roll stabiliser device having at least one compensation mass kinematically connected to the suspended mass via guide means and movable in relation thereto,
wherein the anti-roll stabiliser device comprises drive means of the compensation mass so as to distance or bring the compensation mass closer to the centreline plane on a side opposite displacement of a barycentre of the suspended mass with respect to the centreline plane, so as to oppose the displacement, with respect to the centreline plane, of a position of said barycentre of the suspended mass.

2. Vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein a distance of the compensation mass from the centreline plane is measured perpendicular to said centreline plane and the direction of movement of the vehicle.

3. Vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the drive means move at least one compensation mass in a transversal direction, substantially perpendicular to said centreline plane and the direction of movement.

4. Vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein said drive means comprise at least one connection arm with said suspension groups.

5. Vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein said drive means comprise lever systems and/or kinematic mechanisms to move the compensation mass depending on compression or extension movement of the suspension groups of the wheels.

6. Vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle comprises at least two compensation masses kinematically connected to the suspended mass on opposite sides to the centreline plane and movable in relation to the centreline plane.

7. Vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein each of the compensation masses is provided with drive means having connection arms to a corresponding suspension group to distance or bring the corresponding compensation mass closer to the centreline plane as a function of an increase or reduction respectively of a distance between the suspended mass and the corresponding aligned wheel.

8. Vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein each compensation mass is provided with drive means having a connection arm to a corresponding suspension group, said guide means being configured so that each compensation mass moves away from the centreline plane, towards the corresponding wheel when the suspension group extends, distancing the suspended mass from said wheel.

9. Vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein each compensation mass is provided with drive means having a connection arm to a corresponding suspension group, said guide means being configured so that each compensation mass approaches the centreline plane, on the side opposite the corresponding wheel, when the suspension group is compressed, bringing the suspended mass towards said wheel.

10. Vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one compensation mass is joined to the suspended mass by guide means comprising at least one connecting rod to tilt in relation to the suspended mass.

11. Vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one compensation mass is joined to the suspended mass by guide means comprising pairs of connecting rods to tilt in relation to the suspended mass.

12. Vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the suspension groups comprise articulated quadrilaterals having at least a lower oscillating arm and at least an upper oscillating arm each connected to a respective aligned wheel, and wherein the drive means comprise a connection arm which interfaces with said upper oscillating arm.

13. Vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the suspension groups comprise McPherson suspensions, comprising a lower oscillating arm and an upper upright, wherein the drive means comprise a connection arm which interfaces with said upper upright.

14. Vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein said compensation masses comprise power supply batteries for said vehicle.

15. Vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein a total value of the compensation mass is equal to at least 10% of the total mass of the vehicle.

16. Vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the anti-roll stabiliser device is sized so that the ratio between a transversal displacement of the compensation mass and a transversal displacement of the suspended mass is at least 2:1, said transversal displacements being directed in a transversal direction, substantially perpendicular to said centreline plane and to the movement direction.

17. Anti-roll control method of a vehicle having at least three wheels, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a vehicle having 3 or more wheels, of which at least two wheels are aligned with a same axis, the vehicle having an intermediate centreline plane between said wheels aligned and parallel to a direction of movement, the vehicle comprising
at least one mass suspended in relation to said wheels defining a passenger compartment or containment compartment,
two suspension groups kinematically connecting the suspended mass to said two aligned wheels;

fitting the vehicle with an anti-roll stabiliser device having at least one compensation mass kinematically connected to the suspended mass by guide means and movable in relation to the suspended mass;
wherein the anti-roll stabiliser device comprises drive means of the compensation mass so as to distance or bring the compensation mass closer to the centreline plane on a side opposite displacement of a barycentre of the suspended mass with respect to the centreline plane to oppose the displacement with respect to the centreline plane of the position of said barycentre of the suspended mass.

Assignees

• Piaggio & C Spa

Inventors

• Marano Luca

Classifications

• B60G2204/20

  Mounting of accessories, e.g. pump, compressor · CPC title

• B60G21/007

  means for adjusting the wheel inclination · CPC title

• B60G2200/142

  with a single lateral arm, e.g. MacPherson type · CPC title

• B60G2200/34

  Stabilising mechanisms, e.g. for lateral stability · CPC title

• B60G2200/46

  camber angle · CPC title