Two-wheeled vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9908577-B2
Application number	US-201314078510-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 12, 2013
Priority date	Nov 12, 2012
Publication date	Mar 6, 2018
Grant date	Mar 6, 2018

Abstract

A two-wheeled vehicle is provided including a frame, front and rear ground-engaging members each supporting the frame, a straddle-type seat, a handlebar for steering the vehicle, at least one light device configured to operate in a hazard mode, an engine supported by the frame and operably coupled to the ground-engaging members, a tilt sensor, and a vehicle control unit in communication with the tilt sensor. The vehicle control unit is operative to detect a tilt angle of the vehicle based on output from the tilt sensor. The vehicle control unit is operative to determine a tip-over condition of the vehicle based on the detected tilt angle exceeding a threshold tilt angle. The vehicle control unit activates the hazard mode of the at least one light in response to the determination of the tip-over condition.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle including:
a frame;
a plurality of ground-engaging members supporting the frame;
an engine supported by the frame and operably coupled to the ground-engaging members; and
an electrical system including
at least one control unit operative to control the engine and a plurality of electrical components of the electrical system,
a first operator input device operably coupled to the at least one control unit, wherein in response to an actuation of the first operator input device while the electrical system and the engine are each in a powered off state, the at least one control unit is operative to power on the electrical system and start the engine when a duration of the actuation is longer than a threshold duration and to maintain at least the engine in the powered off state when the duration of the actuation is less than the threshold duration; and
a second operator input device electrically coupled to the at least one control unit, the at least one control unit being operative to power on the electrical system without starting the engine in response to detecting, while the electrical system and the engine are each in the powered off state, both (1) an actuation of the second operator input device and (2) a lack of actuation of the first operator input device, and
the second operator input device is configured to power off the electrical system when at least one of a first condition and a second condition is present, where the first condition is a vehicle speed equal to zero and the second condition is the engine in the powered off state, and the second operator input device is further configured to power off both the electrical system and the engine when the electrical system and the engine are both in a powered on state.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein in response to detecting an actuation of the first operator input device after powering on the electrical system and while the engine is in the powered off state, the at least one control unit is operative to start the engine.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one control unit is further operative to maintain the electrical system in the powered off state when the duration of the actuation of the first operator input device is less than the threshold duration.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , further including a wireless security device detectable by the at least one control unit, the at least one control unit being operative to determine whether the wireless security device is within a range of the vehicle in response to detecting the actuation of the first operator input device, the at least one control unit powering on the electrical system and starting the engine when both the wireless security device is present and the duration of the actuation of the first operator input device is longer than the threshold duration.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the at least one control unit determines that the wireless security device is within the range by transmitting a wireless signal to the wireless security device and receiving a return signal from the wireless security device.

6. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the at least one control unit is configured to determine when the wireless security device is outside the range of the vehicle, and the at least one control unit is configured to power off the engine when the wireless security device is outside the range of the vehicle and the vehicle is not moving for a predetermined time period.

7. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the at least one control unit is configured to power off the engine when the wireless security device is outside the range of the vehicle and the vehicle is stationary for a first predetermined time period, and the at least one control unit is configured to power off the electrical system when the wireless security device is outside the range of the vehicle and the vehicle is stationary for a second predetermined time period, and the first predetermined time period is less than the second predetermined time period.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first operator input device includes a pushbutton, and the duration of the actuation of the first operator input device corresponds to a continuous time that the first operator input device is depressed by the operator.

9. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one control unit includes an engine control unit for controlling operation and throttle demands of the engine and a vehicle control unit for controlling the plurality of electrical components of the electrical system, and the vehicle control unit powers on the electrical system and instructs the engine control unit to start the engine when the duration of the actuation of the first operator input device is longer than the threshold duration.

10. A method of controlling the startup of a vehicle carried out by at least one control unit of the vehicle, the method including:
detecting an actuation of a first operator input device of the vehicle while an electrical system and an engine of the vehicle are each in a powered off state;
monitoring a duration of the actuation of the first operator input device;
powering on the electrical system without starting the engine in response to detecting, while the electrical system and the engine are each in the powered off state, both (1) an actuation of a second operator input device of the vehicle and (2) a lack of actuation of the first operator input device;
maintaining at least the engine in the powered off state in response to the duration of the actuation being less than the threshold duration; and
powering off at least one of the electrical system and the engine, using the second operator input device, according to any of the following conditions:
powering off the electrical system when a vehicle speed equal to zero;
powering off the electrical system when the engine is in the powered off state; and
powering off both the electrical system and the engine when both the electrical system and the engine are in a powered on state.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the maintaining further includes maintaining the electrical system in the powered off state in response to the duration of the actuation of the first operator input device being less than the threshold duration.

12. The method of claim 10 , further including, after powering on the electrical system in response to detecting the actuation of the second operator input device and while the engine is in the powered off state, starting the engine in response to detecting an actuation of the first operator input device.

13. The method of claim 10 , further including
determining whether a wireless security device is within a range of the vehicle in response to detecting the actuation of the operator input device, and
powering on the electrical system and starting the engine when both the wireless security device is present and the duration of the actuation of the first operative input device is longer than the threshold duration.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising determining whether the wireless security device is outside the range of the vehicle, and powering off the engine when the wireless security device is outside the range of the vehicle and the vehicle is stationary for a first predetermined time period.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising powering off the electrical system when the wireless security device is outside the range of the vehicle and the vehicle is stationary for a second predetermined time period, and the first predetermined time period is less than the second predetermined time peri

Assignees

• Indian Motorcycle International Llc

Inventors

• Novak Andrew J
• Lenton Ii Ryan P
• Langlois Brian K
• Oakden Graus Jonathon P
• Kahl Donald W

Classifications

• F01L2305/00

  Valve arrangements comprising rollers · CPC title

• B62M7/02

  with engine between front and rear wheels · CPC title

• F01L13/085

  the valve-gear having an auxiliary cam protruding from the main cam profile · CPC title

• B60K13/04

  concerning exhaust · CPC title

• B62K23/00

  Rider-operated controls specially adapted for cycles, i.e. means for initiating control operations, e.g. levers, grips (specially adapted to cycle brake mechanisms B62L3/00) · CPC title