Electric vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017129342-A1
Application number	US-201515129585-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 19, 2015
Priority date	Mar 28, 2014
Publication date	May 11, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided is an electric vehicle in which the state of contact between an electric connection arm and an external power line can be stabilized during traveling of the electric vehicle. In the electric vehicle, when the free end of an electric connection arm contacts an external power line during traveling of the electric vehicle, a posture control device controls the posture of the vehicle body so that the rotation angle of the electric connection arm approaches a target rotation angle or a target rotation angle range.

First claim

1 . An electric vehicle comprising:
a power source; an energizing arm including a fixed end connected rotatably with respect to a vehicle body, a free end configured to be capable of being displaced in a vehicle widthwise direction accompanying rotation at the fixed end, and a conductive member arranged between the fixed end and the free end, and within the conductive member, the fixed end side being connected electrically with the power source; an angle detector configured to detect an angle of rotation of the energizing arm; a contact detector configured to detect contact of the free end with respect to external power lines; and a posture control device configured to control a posture of the vehicle body; wherein during traveling of the electric vehicle, when the contact detector detects contact of the free end, the posture control device is configured to control the posture of the vehicle body so that the angle of rotation of the energizing arm approaches a target angle of rotation or a range of target angles of rotation.

2 . The electric vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein;
the electric vehicle is equipped with an electric power steering mechanism; the electric power steering mechanism comprises: a steering system; a steering reaction force imparting device configured to impart a reaction force to the steering system; and a steering reaction force control device configured to control The steering reaction force imparting device; and the steering reaction force control device is configured to: generate the steering reaction force in the steeling reaction force imparting device so as to suppress a change in a steering angle of the steering system in an event it is determined that the angle of rotation coincides with the target angle of rotation or in an event it is determined that the angle of rotation lies within the range of target angles of rotation; and generate the steering reaction force in the steering reaction force imparting device so as to cause the angle of rotation to approach the target angle of rotation or the range of target angles of rotation, is an event it is determined that the angle of rotation does not coincide with the target angle of rotation or in an event it is determined that the angle of rotation does not lie within the range of target angles of rotation.

3 . The electric vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein:
the electric vehicle further comprises: a toe angle control actuator configured to control a toe angle of steered wheels; and a toe angle control device configured to control the toe angle control actuator; wherein the toe angle control device is configured to: control the toe angle control actuator so as to suppress a change in the toe angle, in an event it is determined that the angle of rotation coincides with the target angle of rotation or in an event it is determined that the angle of rotation lies within the range of target angles of rotation; and control the toe angle control actuator so as to cause the angle of rotation to approach the target angle of rotation or the range of target angles of rotation, in an event it is determined that the angle of rotation does not coincide with the target angle of rotation or in an event it is determined that the angle of rotation does not lie within the range of target angles of rotation.

4 . The electric vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein:
the electric vehicle further comprises a drive power distribution adjusting mechanism configured to adjust a drive power distribution of left and right drive wheels; and the drive power distribution adjusting mechanism is configured to: maintain the drive power distribution, in an event it is determined that the angle of rotation coincides with the target angle of rotation or in an event it is determined that the angle of rotation lies within the range of target, angles of rotation; and change the drive power distribution so as to cause the angle of rotation to approach the target angle of rotation or the range of target angles of rotation, in an event it is determined that the angle of rotation does not coincide with the target angle of rotation or in an event it is determined that the angle of rotation does not lie within the range of target angles of rotation.

5 . The electric vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein;
the electric vehicle further comprises a braking force distribution adjusting mechanism configured to adjust a braking force distribution of left and right wheels; and the braking force distribution adjusting mechanism is configured to: maintain the braking force distribution, in an event it is determined that the angle of rotation coincides with the target angle of rotation or in an event it is determined that the angle of rotation lies within the range of target angles of rotation; and change the braking force distribution so as to cause the angle of rotation to approach the target angle of rotation or the range of target angles of rotation, in an event it is determined that the angle of rotation does not
coincide with the target angle of rotation or in an event it is determined that the angle of rotation does not lie within the range of target angles of rotation.

6 . An electric vehicle, comprising:
a power source; an energizing arm including on one end a power receiving portion that contacts external power lines arranged in a line shape along a travel path, and another end of which is connected electrically to the power source; an arm displacement mechanism configured to displace the energizing arm outwardly of a vehicle body during traveling; and a posture control device configured to, when the electric vehicle is traveling while the power receiving portion is in contact with the external power lines, maintain or change a posture of the electric vehicle so as to maintain a predetermined contact state between the external power lines and the power receiving portion, or so as to bring about the predetermined contact state.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Tajima Takamitsu
• Shibahata Yasuji

Classifications

• B60M1/30

  Power rails · CPC title

• B60L53/16

  Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles · CPC title

• B60T8/171

  Detecting parameters used in the regulation; Measuring values used in the regulation · CPC title

• B60T8/1701

  Braking or traction control means specially adapted for particular types of vehicles (for vehicles having more than one drive axle B60T8/1769) · CPC title

• B60G17/0162

  mainly during a motion involving steering operation, e.g. cornering, overtaking (B60G17/0164 takes precedence) · CPC title