Vehicle system and traveling unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11618401-B2
Application number	US-202017108092-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 1, 2020
Priority date	Dec 10, 2019
Publication date	Apr 4, 2023
Grant date	Apr 4, 2023

Abstract

There is provided a vehicle system including: a body unit; a traveling unit capable of traveling with the body unit being mounted thereon; coupling units configured to couple the body unit and the traveling unit; a sensor used for predicting a crash; a controller configured to execute causing coupling between the traveling unit and the body unit by the coupling units to be released when a crash is predicted based on a detection value of the sensor; an acting unit provided on one of the traveling unit and the body unit and configured to act so that a positional relationship between the body unit and the traveling unit is changed when the coupling is released; and an acted-upon unit provided on the other between the traveling unit and the body unit and configured to receive action of the acting unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle system comprising:
a body unit;
a traveling unit capable of traveling with the body unit being mounted thereon;
coupling units configured to couple the body unit and the traveling unit;
a sensor used for predicting a crash;
a controller configured to execute causing coupling between the traveling unit and the body unit by the coupling units to be released when a crash is predicted based on a detection value of the sensor;
an acting unit provided on one of the traveling unit and the body unit and configured to act so that a positional relationship between the body unit and the traveling unit is changed when the coupling is released; and
an acted-upon unit provided on the other between the traveling unit and the body unit and configured to receive action of the acting unit,
wherein the traveling unit further includes a stopper for suppressing the body unit from traveling in a traveling direction of the traveling unit more than the traveling unit by an inertial force applied in the traveling direction after being separated from the body unit, by protruding upward from a top face of the traveling unit.

2. The vehicle system according to claim 1 , wherein, when the coupling is released, the acting unit acts on the acted-upon unit so that the body unit is separated in a predetermined direction relative to the traveling unit.

3. The vehicle system according to claim 2 , wherein
the acting unit is provided on one of the top face of the traveling unit and a bottom face of the body unit;
the acted-upon unit is provided on the other between the top face of the traveling unit and the bottom face of the body unit;
the acting unit and the acted-upon unit are formed by a material that a friction coefficient on a contact surface where the acting unit and the acted-upon unit are in contact with each other is below a predetermined value; and
when the coupling is released, the body unit is separated in a direction opposite to a traveling direction of the traveling unit relative to the traveling unit.

4. The vehicle system according to claim 2 , wherein
the acting unit is provided on a top face of the traveling unit and is in a shape inclined to be gradually lower toward the predetermined direction; and
the acted-upon unit is provided on a bottom face of the body unit and in a shape inclined according to the inclined shape of the acting unit.

5. The vehicle system according to claim 2 , wherein
the acting unit is provided on one of a top face of the traveling unit and a bottom face of the body unit;
the acted-upon unit is provided on the other between the top face of the traveling unit and the bottom face of the body unit, facing the acting unit;
the acting unit and the acted-upon unit form a linear motor deployed in the predetermined direction together; and
the controller is configured to cause the linear motor to work so as to cause the body unit to move in the predetermined direction relative to the traveling unit after the coupling is released.

6. The vehicle system according to claim 2 , wherein
the acting unit is one or more gas injecting units configured to inject predetermined gas in a direction that the body unit is separated in the predetermined direction relative to the traveling unit; and
the controller is configured to cause the predetermined gas to be injected from the one or more gas injecting units after the coupling is released.

7. The vehicle system according to claim 2 , wherein
the acting unit includes a pushing unit, comprising at least one arm, configured to push out the body unit in such a direction that the body unit is separated in the predetermined direction relative to the traveling unit by a command; and the controller is configured to output a command to activate the pushing unit, to the acting unit after the coupling is released.

8. The vehicle system according to claim 1 , wherein
the stopper includes an inclined face that is gradually higher from a front end part on the traveling direction side toward a rear end part on a side opposite to the traveling direction side, and a vertical face substantially orthogonal to the top face, the vertical face connecting to the rear end part of the inclined face;
a bottom face of the body unit is in a shape with which the stopper is fitted; and
in a state in which the body unit is mounted on the traveling unit, the body unit moves in a direction opposite to the traveling direction more easily than in the traveling direction.

9. The vehicle system according to claim 1 , wherein
the stopper is accommodated in the traveling unit;
the traveling unit further includes a power giving unit, comprising at least one of an oil hydraulic circuit or a spring, configured to give power for causing the stopper to protrude, to the stopper; and
when a distance of the body unit relative to the traveling unit is equal to or more than a predetermined value, the controller is configured to control the power giving unit to execute causing the stopper to protrude from the traveling unit.

10. The vehicle system according to claim 1 , wherein
the traveling unit further includes an elastic body configured to bias the stopper;
the stopper is suppressed from protruding from the top face by weight of the body unit mounted on the traveling unit being applied to the elastic body; and
the stopper protrudes from the traveling unit by an elastic force given by the elastic body, by a distance of the body unit relative the traveling unit becoming equal to or more than a predetermined value.

11. A traveling unit capable of traveling with a body unit being mounted thereon, the traveling unit comprising:
coupling units configured to be coupled with the body unit;
a sensor used for predicting a crash;
a controller configured to execute causing coupling with the body unit by the coupling units to be released when a crash is predicted based on a detection value of the sensor; and
an acting unit configured to act so that a positional relationship with the body unit is changed when the coupling is released,
wherein the traveling unit further including a stopper for suppressing the body unit from traveling in a traveling direction of the traveling unit more than the traveling unit by an inertial force applied in the traveling direction by protruding from a top face of the traveling unit.

12. The traveling unit according to claim 11 , wherein, when the coupling is released, the acting unit acts on an acted-upon unit provided on the body unit so that the body unit is separated in a predetermined direction relative to the traveling unit.

13. The traveling unit according to claim 12 , wherein the acting unit is provided on a top face of the traveling unit;
the acted-upon unit is provided on a bottom face of the body unit, facing the acting unit;
the acting unit and the acted-upon unit form a linear motor deployed in the predetermined direction together; and
the controller is configured to cause the linear motor to work so as to cause the body unit to move in the predetermined direction after the coupling is released.

14. The traveling unit according to claim 12 , wherein
the acting unit includes a pushing unit, comprising at least one arm, configured to push out the body unit in the predetermined direction by a command; and
the controller is configured to output a command to activate the pushing unit, to the acting unit after the coupling is released.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Nakano Yuki
• Ura Masato
• Takao Koji
• Sakurai Hideyuki
• Hotta Keisuke
• Masutani Rieko
• Hanawa Atsushi
• Ohmi Masanobu
• Hayashi Takashi
• Nabata Atsushi
• Sakaguchi tetsuro

Classifications

• B60R21/013

  including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over · CPC title

• B62D24/00 Primary

  Connections between vehicle body and vehicle frame (B62D23/00, B62D33/077 take precedence) · CPC title

• B60R21/02

  Occupant safety arrangements or fittings {, e.g. crash pads (seat belts with crash pads B60R22/14; removable children's seats having a front guard or barrier B60N2/2839)} · CPC title

• B60R2021/0273

  automatically movable to an operative position, e.g. in case of collision or impending collision · CPC title

• B60R21/0134 Primary

  responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle {, e.g. using radar systems} · CPC title