Abstract: A motor vehicle has a body, a wheel rotatably supported and coaxially disposed on the body, and an occupant riding portion supported by the body. The motor vehicle is provided with a body attitude detector for detecting an attitude of the body and a body attitude controller for controlling the body attitude detected by the body attitude detector, wherein, in response to an inertial force or a centrifugal force generated by acceleration, deceleration or a turning motion of the motor vehicle, the occupant riding portion is moved so as to balance the inertial force or the centrifugal force. The motor vehicle further includes an occupant attitude controller for controlling an attitude of the occupant riding portion in accordance with a detection value detected by the body attitude detector.

Abstract: By bending and stretching a link mechanism, both left and right wheels of a vehicle can be inclined toward inside of cornering to generate a camber thrust as a lateral force, i.e. an increase in cornering force. Further, by bending and stretching the link mechanism, the passenger compartment can be inclined in accordance with inclination of a connecting link, and thus the center of gravity of the vehicle can be moved toward its inner wheel during cornering. By preventing lifting of the inner wheel during cornering, cornering performance is improved. Because the passenger compartment is inclined toward the inner wheel during cornering, centrifugal force is less likely to be felt by the occupant.

Abstract: To provide a vehicle which can move independently as an own independent vehicle and can run integrally in linkage with another vehicle. A plurality of single-seat vehicles which can move independently are combined and they move integrally while a predetermined formation is maintained through linkage among respective vehicles. One of all the vehicles moving in linkage serves as a host vehicle and an occupant in the host vehicle becomes a driver in the linkage moving. A host vehicle 1 runs with speed/direction according to running operation conducted by an occupant. Simultaneously therewith, the host vehicle 1 instructs following vehicles 2 to 4 to synchronize (follow) the host vehicle. The host vehicle 1 transmits a speed, a direction, and a relative position to the host vehicle to the following vehicles 2 to 4 as moving information in order to synchronize the following vehicles with the host vehicle (maintain linkage relationship).

Abstract: A vehicle has a drive wheel, a seat, an attitude sensor, a balancer movable relative to the seat, a drive control, an attitude control for controlling the attitude of the seat by moving the balancer and a main controller. The main controller calculates a torque T1 for tilting the seat and a torque T2 for moving the balancer forward, compares T1 with T2max (the maximum torque which can be generated by the balancer), and outputs commands to the drive control and the attitude control. When the calculated torque T1 exceeds T2max, responsive to a command for T2max, the attitude control moves the balancer to generate a reaction torque corresponding to T2max, and the main controller supplies an adjustment torque value T3 for the drive wheel. The drive control controls the drive wheel in accordance with the drive command and the adjustment torque value T3.

Abstract: A vehicle control device and a vehicle are provided with compatibility between high grip performance and fuel efficiency. When a camber angle of a wheel is adjusted as a negative camber, the ground contact pressure on a first tread is increased and the ground contact pressure on a second tread is decreased, thus providing the high grip performance. On the other hand, when the camber angle of the wheel is adjusted as a positive camber, the ground contact pressure on the first tread is decreased and the ground contact pressure on the second tread is increased, thereby reducing rolling resistance and achieving fuel saving. By adjusting the camber angle of the wheel, compatibility can be provided between high grip performance and fuel saving which otherwise conflict with each other.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel method for generating braking force in a wheel. In a vehicle having wheels, a wheel control device for controlling the wheels is provided with an actuator for performing an operation to vary a slip angle of the wheels, and a controller for controlling the actuator to increase the braking force of the wheels by increasing the slip angle absolute value of the wheels such that a lateral force is generated in the wheels relative to a ground contact surface of the wheels.

Abstract: A transverse two-wheeled vehicle has an increased turning limit value. A turning limit estimation system obtains a turning limit value and a center-of-gravity position adjustment system improves the obtained turning limit value. The turning limit estimation system obtains values for turning limit and turning stability by estimating a center-of-gravity position and a lateral acceleration. In the center-of-gravity position adjustment system, the turning limit value is increased by causing the estimated center-of-gravity position to move toward a centripetal direction. The mechanism for moving the center of gravity to is one or more of i) a vehicle body tilt mechanism, ii) a weight movement mechanism, and iii) a seat parallel movement mechanism. Accordingly, particularly a vehicle with two wheels narrowly spaced and a high center of gravity, can make a faster and smaller turn, and driving performance, stability, and security of the turning operation are improved.

Abstract: To provide a vehicle which can move independently as an own independent vehicle and can run integrally in linkage with another vehicle. A plurality of single-seat vehicles which can move independently are combined and they move integrally while a predetermined formation is maintained through linkage among respective vehicles. One of all the vehicles moving in linkage serves as a host vehicle and an occupant in the host vehicle becomes a driver in the linkage moving. A host vehicle 1 runs with speed/direction according to running operation conducted by an occupant. Simultaneously therewith, the host vehicle 1 instructs following vehicles 2 to 4 to synchronize (follow) the host vehicle. The host vehicle 1 transmits a speed, a direction, and a relative position to the host vehicle to the following vehicles 2 to 4 as moving information in order to synchronize the following vehicles with the host vehicle (maintain linkage relationship).

Abstract: A motor vehicle (1) having a body (2), a wheel (5) rotatably supported and coaxially disposed on the body (2), and an occupant riding portion (3) supported by the body (2) and mounted with an occupant, the motor vehicle including: body attitude detection means (121, 122) for detecting an attitude of the body; and body attitude control means (120) for controlling the body attitude detected by the body attitude detection means (121, 120), wherein, in response to an inertial force or a centrifugal force generated by acceleration, deceleration or a turning motion of the motor vehicle (1), the occupant riding portion (3) is moved so as to balance the inertial force or the centrifugal force. The motor vehicle (1) further includes occupant attitude control means (130) for controlling an attitude of the occupant riding portion (3) in accordance with a detection value detected by the body attitude detection means (121, 122).

Abstract: A vehicle control device and a vehicle are provided with compatibility between high grip performance and fuel efficiency. When a camber angle of a wheel is adjusted as a negative camber, the ground contact pressure on a first tread is increased and the ground contact pressure on a second tread is decreased, thus providing the high grip performance. On the other hand, when the camber angle of the wheel is adjusted as a positive camber, the ground contact pressure on the first tread is decreased and the ground contact pressure on the second tread is increased, thereby reducing resistance and achieving fuel saving. By adjusting the camber angle of the wheel, compatibility can be provided between high grip performance and fuel saving which otherwise conflict with each other.

Abstract: By bending and stretching a link mechanism, both left and right wheels of a vehicle can be inclined toward inside of cornering to generate a camber thrust as a lateral force, i.e. an increase in cornering force. Further, by bending and stretching the link mechanism, the passenger compartment can be inclined in accordance with inclination of a connecting link, and thus the center of gravity of the vehicle can be moved toward its inner wheel during cornering. By preventing lifting of the inner wheel during cornering, cornering performance is improved. Because the passenger compartment is inclined toward the inner wheel during cornering, centrifugal force is less likely to be felt by the occupant.

Abstract: A control device capable of moving a vehicle in a direction with an angle larger than at least the maximum steering angle of wheels. When the wheels (2) are brought into a parallel movement arrangement as shown in FIG. 3(a) and rotatingly driven according to the depressed amount of an accelerator pedal (53), the wheels (2) are slippingly moved on a road surface. Thus, while the vehicle forward component of a drive force generated by the right and left front wheels (2FR) and (2FL) and the vehicle rearward component of a drive force generated by the right and left rear wheels (2RR) and (2RL) balance each other out, the vehicle rightward component of a drive force generated by the right and left front wheels (2FR) and (2FL) and the vehicle rightward component of a drive force generated by the right and left rear wheels (2RR) and (2RL) act as a drive force for moving the vehicle (1) rightward. As a result, the vehicle (1) can be moved, in parallel, in the right side direction of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle utilizing the attitude control of an inverted pendulum, wherein the attitude of the vehicle is dynamically controlled by moving a balancer. The inclination of a vehicle body is detected by a gyro-sensor, a torque T1 against the inclination of a boarding part is calculated by using the angular acceleration of the vehicle body, and a torque T2 for returning the boarding part in the opposite direction of an inclination direction by canceling that torque is generated by moving the balancer (B). Namely, a reaction torque T3 against the torque T2 is allowed to act on the boarding part by driving the balancer with the torque T2(>T1) in the inclination direction. The boarding part is pushed back in the opposite direction of the first inclination direction by the reaction torque T3.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel method for generating braking force in a wheel. In a vehicle having wheels, a wheel control device for controlling the wheels is provided with an actuator for performing an operation to vary a slip angle of the wheels, and a controller for controlling the actuator to increase the braking force of the wheels by increasing the slip angle absolute value of the wheels such that a lateral force is generated in the wheels relative to a ground contact surface of the wheels.

Abstract: A wheel supporting and driving device, comprising a motor (20) fixed to a vehicle body (12), a drive gear (24) coaxially rotated by the motor (20), and a driven gear (30) coaxially and integrally rotated with a wheel (14) which are installed in a vehicle. The drive gear (24) is rotated by the motor (20) around a rotating center decentered from the rotating center of the wheel (14) in a direction crossing perpendicularly to the vertical direction. Also, the device comprises a suspension arm (40) connecting the drive gear (24) to the driven gear (30) in the state of the driven gear (30) reciprocatingly swingable around the rotating center of the drive gear (24) and a suspension spring (50) elastically connecting the wheel (14) to the vehicle body (12).

Abstract: The invention provides a suspension control apparatus for a vehicle which can execute a suspension control suitable even for a rough road by executing the suspension control based on an actual road surface profile, while taking various vehicle states (weight, speed, etc.) into consideration, and learning the road surface profile. The suspension control apparatus has a vertical acceleration sensor for detecting a vertical acceleration of the vehicle, and a control unit for determining a road surface profile by estimating waves and irregularities in the road surface based on the vertical acceleration of the vehicle detected by the vertical acceleration sensor, and determining a suspension control value based on the thus determined road surface profile.

Abstract: In estimating a traveling speed pattern on the basis of the past traveling data, the present invention aims at making it possible to efficiently estimate the traveling speed pattern without referring to an enormous volume of the past traveling data, and preventing the precision of estimation from deteriorating due to a decrease in the number of the available past data. To achieve this object, a vehicle traveling speed pattern estimation device of the present invention comprises traveling information storing means for storing traveling data and traveling environment data as mutually associated data, candidate traveling speed pattern generating means for generating a candidate traveling speed pattern on the basis of the traveling data, and estimated traveling speed pattern outputting means for extracting a candidate traveling speed pattern matching current traveling environment data and outputting an estimated traveling speed pattern for a route to be followed from now on.

Abstract: The invention provides a suspension control apparatus for a vehicle which can execute a suspension control suitable even for a rough road by executing the suspension control based on an actual road surface profile, while taking various vehicle states (weight, speed, etc.) into consideration, and learning the road surface profile. The suspension control apparatus has a vertical acceleration sensor for detecting a vertical acceleration of the vehicle, and a control unit for determining a road surface profile by estimating waves and irregularities in the road surface based on the vertical acceleration of the vehicle detected by the vertical acceleration sensor, and determining a suspension control value based on the thus determined road surface profile.

Abstract: An automatic transmission control apparatus includes a continuously variable transmission (CVT) which, in turn, includes a primary pulley, a secondary pulley, a belt stretched between the primary pulley and the secondary pulley. The control apparatus further includes a pinching pressure generator for generating a pinching pressure on the belt, a travel environment all detector for detecting the travel environment of a vehicle, a torque variation estimator for estimating the transmission torque variation during travel, and a pinching pressure changer for changing the pinching pressure based on the estimation. The pinching pressure is prevented from constantly increasing because the transmission torque variation during travel is estimated, and the pinching pressure for the belt is changed based on the estimation. Accordingly, the torque transmission efficiency can be increased, and the fuel efficiency can thus be improved.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic transmission control apparatus in which the durability of a continuously variable transmission (10) can be improved and the torque transmission efficiency can be increased, an automatic transmission control method and a recording medium with its program recorded. The invention comprises a primary pulley (126), a secondary pulley (131), a belt (132) stretched between the primary pulley (126) and the secondary pulley (131), pinching pressure generation means for generating a pinching pressure for the belt (132), travel environment detection means (91) for detecting the travel environment of a vehicle, torque variation estimation processing means (92) for estimating the transmission torque variation during travel, and pinching pressure change processing means (93) for changing the pinching pressure based on the estimated results.