Vehicle system and traveling unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021170973-A1
Application number	US-202017108092-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 1, 2020
Priority date	Dec 10, 2019
Publication date	Jun 10, 2021
Grant date	—

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.

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 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; the acting unit and the acted-upon unit are formed by such 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 such 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 gas injecting units after the coupling is released.

7 . The vehicle system according to claim 2 , wherein
the acting unit includes a pushing unit 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 2 , 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.

9 . The vehicle system according to claim 8 , 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.

10 . The vehicle system according to claim 8 , wherein
the stopper is accommodated in the traveling unit; the traveling unit further includes a power giving unit 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.

11 . The vehicle system according to claim 8 , 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.

12 . The vehicle system according to claim 1 , wherein
the acting unit acts so as to cause the body unit mounted on the traveling unit to move to left or right relative to a traveling direction of the traveling unit; and the controller is configured to estimate which of the left and the right relative to the traveling direction the predicted crash occurs, based on the detection value of the sensor, and control the acting unit so that the body unit moves in a direction opposite to an estimated direction.

13 . The vehicle system according to claim 12 , 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; the acting unit and the acted-upon unit form a linear motor deployed in left and right directions relative to the traveling direction together; and the controller id configured to control the linear motor so that the body unit moves in the direction opposite to the estimated direction.

14 . The vehicle system according to claim 12 , wherein
the acting unit is a gear with a predetermined radius provided on one of a top face of the traveling unit and a bottom face of the body unit; the acted-upon unit is a rack with an infinite radius 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 deployed in left and right directions relative to the traveling direction; and the controller is configured to control the gear so that the body unit moves in the direction opposite to the estimated direction.

15 . 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 th

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

• B60R21/0134 Primary

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

• B60R21/013

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

• B62D25/00

  Superstructure {or monocoque structure} sub-units; Parts or details thereof not otherwise provided for {(having impact absorbing means B62D21/15; running-boards, steps, or the like as superstructure sub-unit B60R3/00)} · CPC title

• B62D24/00 Primary

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

• B60R2021/0273

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