Multi-purpose vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11148530-B2
Application number	US-201715835577-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 8, 2017
Priority date	May 1, 2017
Publication date	Oct 19, 2021
Grant date	Oct 19, 2021

Abstract

A multi-purpose vehicle is disclosed that includes a mode change switch for operating a travel mode of a vehicle body and a mode control device for switching the travel mode of the vehicle body in response to an operation of the mode change switch. The mode control device switches the travel mode of the vehicle body between a two-wheel engine driving mode in which only an engine is driven, a two-wheel motor driving mode in which only a motor is driven, a four-wheel hybrid driving mode in which both of the engine and the motor are driven, and an OFF-mode in which none of the engine and the motor is driven.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A multi-purpose vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body;
an engine mounted on the vehicle body;
a motor mounted on the vehicle body;
a battery that provides driving electric power to the motor;
a travel unit including a pair of right and left first travel apparatuses to which power from the engine is transmitted, and a pair of right and left second travel apparatuses that are located in front of or behind the first travel apparatuses and to which power from the motor is transmitted;
a mode change switch that operates a travel mode of the vehicle body; and
a mode control device, the mode switch being configured to switch the travel mode of the vehicle body to one of following modes in response to an operation of the mode change switch:
a two-wheel engine driving mode in which only the engine is driven among the engine and the motor;
a two-wheel motor driving mode in which only the motor is driven among the engine and the motor;
a four-wheel hybrid driving mode in which both of the engine and the motor are driven; and
an OFF-mode in which none of the engine and the motor is driven;

a speed change apparatus through which the power from the engine is transmitted to the first travel apparatuses;
a shift lever that switches the speed change apparatus between a forward movement state and a backward movement state;
a key switch; and
a steering wheel;
wherein the mode change switch is disposed on one side of the steering wheel in a right/left direction, and the shift lever and the key switch are disposed on the other side of the steering wheel in the right/left direction.

2. The multi-purpose vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
in the two-wheel engine driving mode and the four-wheel hybrid driving mode, if the mode change switch is operated, the mode control device switches the travel mode of the vehicle body to the two-wheel motor driving mode.

3. The multi-purpose vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a motor rotation control device that switches the motor between a forward movement driving state and a backward movement driving state based on an operation of the shift lever in the two-wheel motor driving mode.

4. The multi-purpose vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein
the shift lever has a forward movement position and a backward movement position,
in the two-wheel engine driving mode and the four-wheel hybrid driving mode,
when the shift lever is operated to the forward movement position, the speed change apparatus is switched to the forward movement state, and
when the shift lever is operated to the backward movement position, the speed change apparatus is switched to the backward movement state, and
in the two-wheel motor driving mode,
when the shift lever is operated to the forward movement position, the motor is switched to the forward movement driving state by the motor rotation control device, and
when the shift lever is operated to the backward movement position, the motor is switched to the backward movement driving state by the motor rotation control device.

5. The multi-purpose vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a key switch,
wherein the key switch has a first position, a second position and a third position,
when the key switch is operated from the first position to the third position, the mode control device switches the travel mode of the vehicle body from the OFF-mode to the two-wheel engine driving mode or the four-wheel hybrid driving mode, and
when the key switch is moved from the first position to the second position, the mode control device switches the travel mode of the vehicle body from the OFF-mode to the two-wheel motor driving mode.

6. The multi-purpose vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a power generator that is driven by the engine and is configured such that the power from the engine is transmitted to the first travel apparatuses and the power generator, and the battery is capable of storing electric power generated by the power generator; and
a power generation operation device configured such that when the power generation operation device is operated in the four-wheel hybrid driving mode, a control mode of the motor is switched between a normal mode and a charge mode, and in the charge mode, driving of the motor is suppressed as compared with that in the normal mode.

7. A multi-purpose vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body;
an engine mounted on the vehicle body;
a motor mounted on the vehicle body;
a battery that provides driving electric power to the motor;
a travel unit including a pair of right and left first travel apparatuses to which power from the engine is transmitted, and a pair of right and left second travel apparatuses that are located in front of or behind the first travel apparatuses and to which power from the motor is transmitted;
a mode change switch that operates a travel mode of the vehicle body;
a mode control device, the mode change switch being configured to switch the travel mode of the vehicle body to one of following modes in response to an operation of the mode change switch:
a two-wheel engine driving mode in which only the engine is driven among the engine and the motor;
a two-wheel motor driving mode in which only the motor is driven among the engine and the motor;
a four-wheel hybrid driving mode in which both of the engine and the motor are driven; and
an OFF-mode in which none of the engine and the motor is driven; and

a power generator that is driven by the engine and is configured such that the power from the engine is transmitted to the first travel apparatuses and the power generator, and the battery is capable of storing electric power generated by the power generator;
a power generation operation device configured such that when the power generation operation device is operated in the four-wheel hybrid driving mode, a control mode of the motor is switched between a normal mode and a charge mode;
a speed change apparatus through which the power from the engine is transmitted to the first travel apparatuses;
a shift lever that switches the speed change apparatus between a forward movement state and a backward movement state;
a key switch; and
a steering wheel;
wherein the control mode of the motor includes the normal mode and the charge mode;
wherein, in the four-wheel hybrid driving mode of the vehicle body, when the control mode of the motor is in the charge mode, driving of the motor is suppressed compared with that when the control mode of the motor is in the normal mode, and
wherein the mode change switch and the power generation operation device are disposed on one side of the steering wheel in a right/left direction, and the shift lever and the key switch are disposed on the other side of the steering wheel in the right/left direction.

8. The multi-purpose vehicle according to claim 7 , wherein
in the two-wheel engine driving mode and the four-wheel hybrid driving mode, if the mode change switch is operated, the mode control device switches the travel mode of the vehicle body to the two-wheel motor driving mode.

9. The multi-purpose vehicle according to claim 7 , further comprising:
a speed change apparatus through which the power from the engine is transmitted to the first travel apparatuses;
a shift lever that switches the speed change apparatus between a forward movement state and a backward movement state; and
a motor rotation control device that switches the motor between a forward movement driving state and a backward movement driving state based on an operation of the shift lever in the two-wheel motor driving mode.

10. The multi-purpose vehicle according to claim 9 , wherein
the shift lever ha

Assignees

• Kubota Kk

Inventors

• Sakai Masatoshi

Classifications

• B60W2300/362

  Buggies; Quads · CPC title

• B60K6/48

  Parallel type · CPC title

• B60K17/354

  having separate mechanical assemblies for transmitting drive to the front or to the rear wheels or set of wheels · CPC title

• B60K6/52

  Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive · CPC title

• B60K1/00 Primary

  Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units (B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00) · CPC title