Body Banking On Turning Patents (Class 280/124.103)
  • Patent number: 11807064
    Abstract: An anti-roll wheel suspension system for vehicles includes a first suspension spring and a first damper arranged to be connected to a first wheel, and a second suspension spring and a second damper arranged to be connected to a second wheel. The system further includes a centre part operatively connected to the first suspension spring and the first damper, and operatively connected to the second suspension spring and the second damper. The centre part is arranged between the first suspension spring and the second suspension spring, and between the first damper and the second damper. The centre part is movably arranged in a transverse direction. The centre part, when moving in the transverse direction upon activation from the first wheel and/or the second wheel, is configured for impacting the stiffness of the first suspension spring and/or the second suspension spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Ningbo Geely Automobile Research & Development Co.
    Inventor: Martin Edberg
  • Patent number: 11390352
    Abstract: Motorcycle including at least one rear wheel, at least two front steering wheels, a handlebar, the front wheels being rotatable about respective lateral steering axes, according to lateral steering angles; the handlebar being rotatable according to a central steering angle about a central steering axis, the front wheels being kinematically connected to the steering handlebar by transmission means that realize a transmission ratio defined by the ratio between the lateral steering angles and the central steering angle, where the transmission means has a steering bar, kinematically connected to the handlebar, which directly links the front wheels together, wherein the transmission ratio between the front wheels and the steering handlebar is variable as the central steering angle of the handlebar varies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: PIAGGIO & C. S.P.A.
    Inventor: Andrea Raffaelli
  • Patent number: 11358672
    Abstract: This invention relates to a rolling motor vehicle with three or four wheels, comprising a frame 6 that extends from a forecarriage 8, which supports at least two front wheels 10?,10?, to a rear 12 which supports one or more rear wheels 14. The frame 6 defines an accommodating area 15 for a driver P.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: PIAGGIO & C. S.P.A.
    Inventor: Andrea Raffaelli
  • Patent number: 11345209
    Abstract: A suspension system for a vehicle that has a vehicle body, a first wheel assembly that includes a first wheel hub, and a second wheel assembly that includes a second wheel hub. The suspension system includes a crossbar that is pivotally connected to the first wheel hub of the first wheel assembly and is pivotally connected to the second wheel hub of the second wheel assembly. The suspension system also includes a first active suspension actuator that is located near the first wheel assembly, is connected to the vehicle body, is connected to the crossbar, and supports the vehicle body with respect to the crossbar. The suspension system also includes a second active suspension actuator that is located near the second wheel assembly, is connected to the vehicle body, is connected to the crossbar, and supports the vehicle body with respect to the crossbar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Troy A. Carter, James J. Dowle, Jonathan L. Hall
  • Patent number: 11338879
    Abstract: A coupling mechanism for a vehicle body having mutually pivotable first and second frames comprises an axle fixed to the first frame, a rotating member fixed to the second frame and rotatably mounted around the axle, and a torsional resistance module that is actuated when the axle and the rotating member rotate relative to each other. The torsional resistance module includes two force magnifying mechanisms connected between the first frame and the rotating member. A buffering member is disposed between the force magnifying mechanisms. When the buffering member is pressed, a relative torsional resistance is provided between the first and second frames through transmission of the force magnifying mechanisms. The torsional resistance has a non-linear relationship with a relative rotational angle between the first and second frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: LI YUAN TRANSMISSION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chyuan-Yow Tseng, Keng-Yu Ko, Yu-Sheng Chen
  • Patent number: 11338877
    Abstract: The present disclosure belongs to the technical field of two-wheel vehicles. A two-wheel automatic balance reset mechanism comprises a balance bar arranged between a frame and each front wheel support, the balance bar comprises a piston cylinder and a piston rod, the piston rod is movably arranged in a piston chamber of the piston cylinder, two ends of the piston chamber are mutually interconnected to form a first channel, a main control valve is arranged on the first channel and divides the first channel into a medium intake end and a backflow end, a medium tank is arranged at the backflow end, a pump is arranged at the medium intake end, and the pump is interconnected with the medium tank. A system comprises a main control module and an acquisition module, and the acquisition module comprises a balance sensor arranged on the frame and a speed sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Inventor: Julian Zheng
  • Patent number: 11292517
    Abstract: A tilting car frame comprising a lower center frame including a horizontal member, a first support member, a second support member, and first and second horizontal link members each having a vertical link. A rotation center axis support extends from a center of the horizontal member. A first variable length lever link is slidably connected to the first support member and is facing the rotation center axis support, and a second variable length lever link is slidably connected to an end of the second support member that is facing the rotation center axis support. A rotating member having first and second extension members is rotatably connected to the rotation center axis support, wherein the first extension member is hinged to an end of a first variable length link member, and the second extension member is hinged to an end of a second variable length link member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: DAEPOONG EV MOTORS CO., LTD
    Inventor: Je Woo Yu
  • Patent number: 11273883
    Abstract: A tilting structure of a mobility device and the mobility device including same, may include a base frame; front wheel frames mounted on opposite front sides of the base frame and coupled to the base frame through front wheel shift gear portions extending in vertical directions; a tilting bar coupled to the base frame to be tiltable transversely with respect to a tilting center, with a first side of the tilting bar being branched and extending to opposite sides; and front wheel rotation gears engaged to opposite end portions of the tilting bar, respectively, to be rotated in the same direction that tilting bar is tilted, and engaged with the front wheel shift gear portions and rotated and thus moving the front wheel shift gear portions relative to each other in the vertical directions with respect to the base frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Jung Nam Choi, Sung Dae Lim
  • Patent number: 11230340
    Abstract: In a leaning vehicle, a shock absorber tower is disposed further forward in a vehicle-body-frame frontward direction than an upper-left-arm-member supported part at which an upper-left arm member to which a first end part of a left shock absorber is connected is supported by the vehicle body frame, and an upper-right-arm-member supported part at which an upper-right arm member to which a first end part of a right shock absorber is connected is supported by the vehicle body frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroshi Takimoto
  • Patent number: 11198483
    Abstract: Flexibility in design of steering characteristics is enhanced in a leaning vehicle including two front steerable wheels. A vehicle includes a body frame, a left front wheel, a right front wheel, a rear wheel, a leaning mechanism, a steering mechanism, and a leaning-responsiveness-adjusting mechanism. The leaning mechanism includes arms rotatably supported by the body frame. The arms rotate with respect to the body frame so that the body frame leans. The steering mechanism mechanically transfers rotation of the handle to the left front wheel and the right front wheel. Accordingly, the body frame leans in the direction opposite to the rotation direction of the handle. The leaning-responsiveness-adjusting mechanism controls a motor by using an instruction value based on a time derivative value of a physical quantity generated by a motion of a rider affecting leaning of the body frame to thereby adjust responsiveness of leaning of the body frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuo Hara, Yukihide Fukuhara, Tatsuya Nagata
  • Patent number: 11173979
    Abstract: A leaning vehicle includes: a body frame; a right wheel and a left wheel; a linkage mechanism including arms rotatably supported on the body frame; a left-right tilt angle control mechanism configured to control a tilt angle of the body frame in a left direction or in the right direction by adjusting a rotation of the arms with respect to the body frame; and a control section. The control section controls the left-right tilt angle control mechanism to change the tilt angle of the body frame in the left direction or in the right direction in accordance with an input to the leaning vehicle from a rider while the leaning vehicle is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuo Hara, Yukihide Fukuhara, Takeshi Toyota, Tatsuya Nagata
  • Patent number: 11136087
    Abstract: An increase in the size of a leaning vehicle that has a double wishbone-type link mechanism is suppressed. A caliper is supported by a vehicle body frame. A disk includes: a disk contact part with which pads are allowed to be brought into contact; and a disk support part that, when the vehicle body frame is in an upright state, is supported by a support arm at a position that is further upward in an upward direction than an arm central shaft. When seen from a frontward direction, the disk support part supports the disk contact part so that an arm passing region through which a portion located between the arm central shaft in the support arm and a second end part of a left shock absorber and a second end part of a right shock absorber passes overlaps with the pads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroshi Takimoto
  • Patent number: 11083973
    Abstract: A toy vehicle suspension operable to lift and lower the vehicle chassis of the toy vehicle. In particular embodiments, the vehicle suspension transmits sufficient forces to the wheels of the toy vehicle to enable the wheels to hop off the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Namero, LLC
    Inventors: Alaric R. Egli, Matthew R. Jackson, Darin Oreman, Jeroen de Vries
  • Patent number: 11046134
    Abstract: A suspension group for a motor vehicle, wherein said suspension group includes: a wheel guide, which extends along a longitudinal axis, which includes a wheel attachment for connection to a rotation pin of a wheel having a rotation axis orthogonal to said longitudinal axis, wherein the wheel guide extends between a first end and a second end, opposite the first end, a support arm functionally connected to the wheel guide respectively by means of: a first crank rotatably connected at said second end to the wheel guide and to the support arm; a second crank rotatably connected at said first end to the wheel guide and to the support arm, wherein the wheel guide elements, the support arm and the first and second crank define a suspension quadrilateral, wherein, between at least two of said elements chosen between the wheel guide, the support arm, the first and the second crank, a shock absorber group is interconnected in such a way that the shock absorber group varies its extension as the movement of the suspensi
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: PIAGGIO & C. S.P.A.
    Inventor: Andrea Raffaelli
  • Patent number: 10981619
    Abstract: In a rocking vehicle, a front wheel suspension device suspends a front wheel in an upwardly displaceable manner due to a reaction force from a road surface. The rocking vehicle includes a cushion support arm, on a body frame side, including a cushion support portion of the front wheel suspension device, and a rigidity adjustment device which is extended between plural portions of the cushion support arm. The rigidity adjustment device applies a pre-tension to the cushion support arm, and the pre-tension generates a pre-force component in the cushion support portion in the same direction as the upward moving direction of the front wheel due to a reaction force of the front wheel from the road surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Katsumasa Mukai, Satoru Kubo, Hiroki Yoshino, Hirohisa Takahashi, Kazuki Yamagishi, Ryuji Sasaki, Kiyotaka Sakai
  • Patent number: 10953946
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a forecarriage of a rolling motor vehicle with three or four wheels, comprising: a forecarriage frame (16); at least one pair of front wheels (10?), (10?) kinematically connected to each other and to the forecarriage frame by a kinematic roll mechanism (20) which enables the same to roll in a synchronous and specular manner; an anti-roll system (100) comprising a rod (110) having a first (111) and a second end (112) opposite each other which connect by means of hinging means (101?, 101?; 102?, 102?) a first (60) and a second anchoring portion (60) of forecarriage 8 directly to each other. At least one of said first and second anchoring portions is subject to roll movements of said two front wheels. The hinging means are configured to passively follow the movements of the two anchoring portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: PIAGGIO & C. S.P.A.
    Inventor: Andrea Raffaelli
  • Patent number: 10953890
    Abstract: A steering torque estimating device which estimates steering torque which is torque provided to a steering axis due to a vehicle body behavior, in a vehicle including a front wheel as a steered wheel, the vehicle being configured to turn in a bank state in which a vehicle body is tilted around a forward-rearward axis, includes a torque estimating section which estimates the steering torque based on a change over time of a bank angle and a rotational speed of the front wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hisato Tokunaga, Kazuhiro Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 10926826
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a novel portable electric vehicle, which comprises two front-rear folding mechanisms, a left-right folding mechanism, and an operating mechanism, wherein the two front-rear folding mechanisms for supporting a driver are arranged respectively on the left side and the right side of the bottom of the electric vehicle, the rear ends of the front-rear folding mechanisms are both provided with driving wheel mechanisms, and the front ends of the front-rear folding mechanisms are both provided with rotating wheel mechanisms; two ends of the left-right folding mechanism for driving the two front-rear folding mechanisms to get close to each other are connected respectively to the two front-rear folding mechanisms; and the operating mechanism for controlling the running of the electric vehicle is mounted on the left-right folding mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: SOUTH CHINA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Lijun Jiang, Zhanghong Wu, Shaohui Pan
  • Patent number: 10899213
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle frame. The vehicle includes a subframe connected to the vehicle frame. The vehicle includes a tray supported by the vehicle frame. The vehicle includes a V-shaped member having an end at the tray and a pair of legs extending from the end in a vehicle-forward direction to the subframe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Mohamed Ridha Baccouche, Saeed Barbat, Rahul Arora, Saied Nusier
  • Patent number: 10882372
    Abstract: Disclosed is a forecarriage of a rolling motor vehicle with three or four wheels, comprising: —a forecarriage frame; —at least a pair of front wheels kinematically connected one to each other and to the forecarriage frame by means of a first kinematic mechanism which enables the front wheels to roll in a synchronous and specular manner, each wheel being connected to said rolling kinematic mechanism by means of a respective axle journal, the latter being mechanically connected to a rotation pin of the wheel in order to support it rotatably around an axis of rotation; —means of suspension which provide each axle journal at least one spring suspension movement with respect to said rolling kinematic mechanism; —a steering device which kinematically connects the axle journals to each other so as to command the rotation of the axle journals around respective steering axes of each front wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: PIAGGIO & C. S.P.A.
    Inventor: Andrea Raffaelli
  • Patent number: 10843761
    Abstract: Motor vehicle forecarriage (8) comprising a forecarriage frame (16), a pair of front wheels (10?, 10?) kinematically connected to the forecarriage frame (16) by means of an articulated quadrilateral (20), said articulated quadrilateral (20) comprising a pair of cross members (24?, 24?), hinged to the forecarriage frame (16) at middle hinges (28), said cross members (24?, 24?) being connected to each other at opposite transverse ends (40, 44), by means of uprights (48, 48?, 48?) pivoted to said transverse ends (40, 44) at side hinges (52), the cross members (24?, 24?) and the uprights (48), the tilting support structure (72) being hinged to the articulated quadrilateral (20) by means of steering hinges (76) a guide wheel (88) connected to the rotation pin (68) of front wheel (10?, 10?) at a special wheel attachment (94), a support bracket (92) hinged to the articulated quadrilateral (20) by means of said steering hinges (76), the guide wheel (88) being in turn hinged to the support bracket (92) at opposite upp
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: PIAGGIO & C.S.P. A.
    Inventors: Andrea Raffaelli, Alberto Vianello
  • Patent number: 10696346
    Abstract: A leaning vehicle includes a linkage mechanism including arms rotatably supported on a body frame, a left-right tilt angle control mechanism configured to control a tilt angle of the body frame by adjusting a rotation of the arms with respect to the body frame, and a control section. The control section controls the left-right tilt angle control mechanism to cause the tilt angle of the body frame to approach a target value based on information on at least a vehicle speed. The control section updates the target value in accordance with an input to the leaning vehicle from a rider concerning a tilt of the body frame, and controls the left-right tilt angle control mechanism to cause the tilt angle of the body frame to approach the updated target value in a period in which the vehicle speed is in at least a part of a low-speed traveling range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuo Hara, Yukihide Fukuhara, Takeshi Toyota, Tatsuya Nagata
  • Patent number: 10696326
    Abstract: The steering angles of front wheels 3f and rear wheels 3r of a vehicle 1 can be respectively controlled by a front wheel steering angle control actuator 35 and a rear wheel steering angle control actuator 44. If a steering wheel 20 is operated in a turning direction of the vehicle 1 while the vehicle 1 is traveling in a straight line, then a controller 60 changes the steering angle of the front wheels 3f to approach to a steering angle specified on the basis of an operation amount after the steering wheel 20 is operated, and also controls the front wheel steering angle control actuator 35 and the rear wheel steering angle control actuator 44 to change the steering angles of the rear wheels 3r to the opposite direction of the turning direction of the vehicle 1 immediately after the steering wheel 20 is operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toru Takenaka, Hiroshi Gomi, Yoshinao Sodeyama, Kazushi Akimoto, Osamu Kikuchi, Takashi Kudo
  • Patent number: 10625557
    Abstract: A narrow track tilting vehicle includes an undercarriage centered over a contact point, an upper chassis configured to pivot about a mobile longitudinal axis, and a cradle assembly configured to allow the mobile axis to move laterally relative to the contact point. In wheeled embodiments, the configuration of the carriage allows the upper chassis to tilt in response to centrifugal forces, while allowing the wheels to remain perpendicular to a level surface along which the vehicle is traveling. When the vehicle is traveling along a surface that is canted relative to the level surface, the configuration of the carriage allows to the upper chassis to remain upright relative to the level surface, and the wheels to extend perpendicular to the canted surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Inventor: Franklin Ross Knisley
  • Patent number: 10597078
    Abstract: A vehicle is configured to travel, when a vehicle velocity is within a velocity range from not less than a first velocity of at least zero to not more than a second velocity larger than the first velocity, in a mode in which a vehicle body is leaned by a lean mechanism according to an input into an operation input unit, and a wheel angle of a turn wheel changes following a lean of the vehicle body. A natural frequency of roll oscillation of the vehicle body is either within a range of smaller than a reference frequency or within a range of larger than the reference frequency, the reference frequency being a frequency at which oscillation of the wheel angle of the turn wheel has phase delay of 90 degrees relative to the roll oscillation of the vehicle body in its width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignees: THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO, EQUOS RESEARCH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Suda, Jeffrey Too Chuan Tan, Hiroki Arakawa, Keizo Araki, Akira Mizuno
  • Patent number: 10589792
    Abstract: There is provided a three-wheeled vehicle that can maintain the ground contact surfaces of wheels and the road surface in contact with each other at all times, and that can suppress direct transmission of most of an impact from the road surface to a platform. First to third wheels are attached to a body frame that is rigid. The platform and the body frame are connected to each other by a connecting structure. First to third three degree of freedom non-restricted connecting mechanisms and first to third three degree of freedom restricted connecting mechanisms that form the connecting structure are deformed to allow the platform to make a bouncing motion, a rolling motion, a pitching motion, and a combined motion thereof within a restricted range when an impact is applied to the body frame from the road surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Inventor: Shigeki Miyamori
  • Patent number: 10583885
    Abstract: A motor vehicle forecarriage comprises a forecarriage frame, a pair of front wheels kinematically connected to the forecarriage frame by means of an articulated quadrilateral, said articulated quadrilateral comprising a pair of cross members, hinged to the forecarriage frame in correspondence of middle hinges, said cross members being connected together, in correspondence of opposite transverse ends by means of uprights pivoted to said transverse ends in correspondence of side hinges, wherein the cross members and the uprights define said articulated quadrilateral. Advantageously, each of the uprights guides and supports a stub axle of a front wheel, each upright extending from an upper end to a lower end, wherein each stub axle is mechanically connected to a rotation pin of a front wheel so as to rotatably support the wheel around a relative rotation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: PIAGGIO & C. S.P.A.
    Inventor: Andrea Raffaelli
  • Patent number: 10562581
    Abstract: A steering and leaning system for a vehicle includes a steering unit, a driving unit, and a control unit, each of which is adapted to be mounted to a main body of a vehicle. The driving unit is mounted between two spaced-apart front wheels of the main body, and includes an adjusting member that is driven swingably by the steering unit for controlling a moving direction of the vehicle. The control unit includes a control member that is connected movably to the adjusting member such that the swing movement of the adjusting member drives the main body to lean. The control unit is telescopically adjustable to be connected to different height positions on the adjusting member, thereby adjusting a lean angle of the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Inventors: Kuan-Lung Huang, Chia-Jung Chang
  • Patent number: 10507882
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a suspension system (200) that is installed on a vehicle and is capable of performing functions including park locking, returning momentum, tilt limiting and rear suspension. The suspension system (200) comprises a rear suspension mounting structure (302), a rear suspension swing arm (306), a tilt limiting structure (201), and a tilt restoring structure (202). The rear suspension swing arm (306) is pivotally coupled to the rear suspension mounting structure (302) and configured to rotate about the rear suspension mounting structure (302) in response to a tilting movement of the vehicle. The tilt limiting structure (201) is configured to mechanically inhibit the tilting movement when a tilt angle of the vehicle exceeds an instantly-calculated tilt angle value. The tilt restoring structure (202) is configured to apply a force in response to the tilting movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Inventors: Yi-Pin Wei, Christian Janse
  • Patent number: 10501118
    Abstract: A motor vehicle forecarriage comprises a forecarriage frame, a pair of front wheels kinematically connected to the forecarriage frame by means of an articulated quadrilateral, said articulated quadrilateral comprising a pair of cross members, hinged to the forecarriage frame in correspondence of middle hinges, said cross members being connected together, at opposite transversal ends by uprights pivoted at said transversal ends at side hinges, each upright extending from an upper end and a lower end, the upper end facing the upper cross member and the lower end facing the lower cross member the cross members and the uprights defining said articulated quadrilateral. Advantageously the forecarriage comprises, in correspondence of each front wheel, a tilting support structure for a stub axle of each front wheel mechanically connected to a rotation pin of a front wheel so as to rotatably support the front wheel around a related rotation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: PIAGGIO & C. S.p.A.
    Inventor: Andrea Raffaelli
  • Patent number: 10471799
    Abstract: A linkage includes a lower cross member supported by a link support and provided with a rear element turnable about a turning axis behind the link support. The body frame includes an upper frame, a lower frame and a coupling frame. The upper frame and the lower frame extend rearward from the link support to intersect areas respectively located directly above and below a turning range of the rear element. A longitudinal direction of the coupling frame extends in an up-down direction of the body frame. The coupling frame couples the upper and lower frames at a location behind the rear element. A majority of a front edge of the coupling frame extends along the longitudinal direction as viewed from a left-right direction of the body frame when the leaning vehicle is in an upright condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryuta Mitsuoka, Nobuhiko Hirakawa
  • Patent number: 10435067
    Abstract: A wheel suspension system (101) with at least one wheel support (103), first and second coupling rods (105, 107) and at least one track rod (109). The first and second coupling rods (105, 107) are connected to one another in an articulated manner. The second coupling rod (107) and the wheel support (103) are connected to one another in an articulated manner. The track rod (109) is designed to apply a steering torque to the first coupling rod (105). The steering torque is transmitted from the first coupling rod (105), via the second coupling rod (107), to the wheel support (103). The wheel suspension system has at least one suspension link (111) which is mounted, in an articulated manner, on a vehicle body or chassis and is articulated to the wheel support (103). The suspension link (111) and the first coupling rod (105) are articulated to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Alexander Neu, Heinz-Joachim Gilsdorf, Christian Förster, Tom Lehmkuhl
  • Patent number: 10427745
    Abstract: A motor vehicle forecarriage comprises a forecarriage frame, a pair of front wheels kinematically connected to the forecarriage frame by means of an articulated quadrilateral, said articulated quadrilateral comprising a pair of cross members, hinged to the forecarriage frame in correspondence of middle hinges, said cross members being connected together, in correspondence of opposite transverse ends, by means of uprights pivoted to said transverse ends in correspondence of side hinges, the cross members and the uprights defining said articulated quadrilateral. Each of the uprights guides and supports a stub axle of a front wheel, each upright extending from an upper end to a lower end, wherein the left and right uprights rotatably support the left and right front wheels, respectively, around respective steering axes parallel to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: PIAGGIO & C. S.p.A.
    Inventor: Andrea Raffaelli
  • Patent number: 10391384
    Abstract: A truck includes a base plate, a hanger, a kingpin, and a bushing assembly. The base plate includes a coupling portion and a contact portion. The kingpin is disposed within a portion of the hanger to rotatably couple the hanger to the base plate. The bushing assembly includes at least one bushing disposed in a recess of the contact portion and in contact with the hanger. The bushing assembly including a bushing adjustment coupled to at least one of the base plate or the hanger and configured to selectively engage the at least one bushing to transition the bushing assembly between a first configuration in which the at least one bushing exerts a first force in response to rotation of the hanger and a second configuration in which the at least one bushing exerts a second force different from the first force in response to rotation of the hanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: SKATE ONE CORP
    Inventors: George A. Powell, Michael T. Mete
  • Patent number: 10377201
    Abstract: An elastomer coupling for an electromechanical actuator, having a drive part and a driven part, wherein either the drive part or the driven part has multiple radially outwardly extending webs arranged so as to be distributed about an axis of rotation, and the respective other part has radially inwardly extending webs arranged on the inner side of a tubular body, wherein a radially inwardly and a radially outwardly extending web engage into one another and form a pocket in which there is received an elastic molded body produced from an elastomer, wherein, in at least one pocket, there is received a spring element which generates a pretensioning force, which spring element is attached either to an inwardly extending or to an outwardly extending web and is spring-loaded against an adjacent web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
    Inventors: Markus Holzberger, Wilfried Breton, Ramon Jurjanz, Manuel Seubert, Sebastian Kruger
  • Patent number: 10144475
    Abstract: A system used to control the orientation of a vehicle's suspension. The system includes a control system receiving input data from a plurality of sensors concerning the relative motion, speed, and orientation of the vehicle. The control system is configured to process the input data and actively control the orientation of the suspension system by selecting a suitable driver speed and tilt angle according to external conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Mystery Designs, LLC
    Inventors: Lawayne Matthies, Mark D. Siegel, John D. Nickles
  • Patent number: 10086901
    Abstract: A saddle riding type vehicle includes a linkage, a lock, a controller, and an operator and prevents operation of a linkage upon fulfillment of a prescribed condition and allows the rider's intention to be more easily and accurately reflected in the control of the vehicle. The linkage connects a pair of front wheels to a vehicle body frame. The lock locks the linkage by preventing operation of the linkage and unlocks the linkage by allowing the linkage to operate. The operator continues to output an operation signal to the controller while an operation is input by the rider. The controller controls the lock to lock the linkage if the operation signal is input upon fulfillment of a locking condition that allows the linkage to be locked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yu Shibuya, Nobuo Hara
  • Patent number: 10077090
    Abstract: An inverted tricycle, which includes: deflecting and steering mechanism, rear frame, driving wheel, two front wheels, said deflecting and steering mechanism configured on the front end of said rear frame, said two front wheels and said deflecting and steering mechanism connected to each other, and symmetrically configured on the left and right sides of the front end of said rear frame, with the rear frame as the axis of symmetry, said driving wheel configured on the rear end of said rear frame. By adopting the above technical scheme, the left and right rocker arms are hinged to the main frame along the same axis. When the tricycle is turned or tilted, they can be always parallel to each other, and the driving will be more stable. The left and right rocker arms are two independent gravity center deflection systems that will not interfere with each other; meanwhile, the structure with single damper can greatly reduce the manufacturing cost of the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: SHENGZHOU ZHONGGONG ELECTRICAL, LTD.
    Inventor: Hongliang Chen
  • Patent number: 10076939
    Abstract: A laterally tiltable, multitrack vehicle suspension may include first and second steering knuckles. The suspension may also include a first set of control arms connected to the first steering knuckle and a second set of control arms connected to the second steering knuckle. Each of the first and second sets of control arms may include upper and lower control arms. The suspension may further include a spring/damper element acting between the first and second sets of control arms and a balancer system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Marc Simon, Robert Spahl, Thomas Gerhards
  • Patent number: 10005438
    Abstract: A brake system includes a brake activator which first activates a central rear brake and lastly activates a front brake of a right front brake and a left front brake which is provided on a front wheel which is an inner wheel by operating an input member. When an operation amount of the input member from an initial state to a maximum operated state thereof is divided equally into three portions which are defined as a low braking force area, a middle braking force area, and a high braking force area, the brake activator activates the central rear brake, the right front brake, and the left front brake to operate in the low braking force area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroaki Seto, Kunihide Ohashi, Takeshi Yamamura, Yoshinori Tsuji, Hideki Takada, Kunio Kajihara
  • Patent number: 9963168
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle which, when a pair of left and right wheels are displaced with respect to the vehicle body due to the difference in drive force between the wheels, the two wheels are reliably displaced vertically in opposite directions such that neither wheel is disproportionately displaced and such that both wheels are steered during said displacement of both wheels vertically in opposite directions. The pair of left and right front wheels (3) are rotatably supported by a front wheel support member (29). An electric motor (25) applies drive torque to the front wheels (3) individually. A vehicle body frame (7) supports the front wheel support member (29) to allow rotation about a forwardly inclined steering axis (Lf). By allowing rotation of the front wheel support member (29) about the steering axis (Lf), the front wheels (3) are displaced relatively to one another vertically in opposite directions with respect to the vehicle body frame (7) and the front wheels (3) are steered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: SEARCHWARE KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masanobu Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9890025
    Abstract: A mobile drive unit for an inventory system includes a base suspended from a frame by a pivot assembly, such as a first link and a second link. The base supports a platform configured to engage an inventory holder of the inventory system. Movement of the base causes the platform to tip, such as away from a direction of a reaction force acting on the base due to acceleration or deceleration of the mobile drive unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter Thomas Colantonio
  • Patent number: 9873474
    Abstract: In a vehicle, a first left cover at least partially covers a lower edge of a left lower projection from the left in a left-right direction of a body frame at least temporarily when the body frame is caused to lean from an upright state to the right at a maximum angle, as viewed from the left in the left-right direction of the body frame. A first right cover at least partially covers a lower edge of a right lower projection from the right in the left-right direction of the body frame at least temporarily when the body frame is caused to lean from the upright state to the left at a maximum angle, as viewed from the right in the left-right direction of the body frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kohsuke Ohno, Takahiro Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9855807
    Abstract: In a rolling type vehicle including a pair of left and right front wheels wherein a vehicle body is capable of rolling, the spacing between left and right front wheels is maintained as a small spacing while providing an actuator for controlling the inclination angle (lean angle) of a vehicle body. The rolling type vehicle includes left and right upper arms, and lower arms for supporting the left and right front wheels on the vehicle body with a shock absorber support arm swingably supported by the vehicle body and connected to the left and right lower arms through shock absorber units. An actuator is capable of controlling the swinging of the shock absorber support arm. The actuator forms a front suspension frame body of a closed structure together with a vehicle body side frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yotaro Mori
  • Patent number: 9844991
    Abstract: In a suspension for a steerable wheel of a vehicle with a semi-virtual steering axis, a wheel support is connected to vehicle structure by an upper arm and two lower rods, one supporting lateral loads, whereas the other supporting longitudinal loads and being located forwardly relative to the rod supporting lateral loads. In a non-steered wheel condition, an articulated joint connecting the lower rod supporting the longitudinal loads is located more outwardly. The arrangement is such that during steering with a wheel being on an outer side of the curve, an intersection point of projections on a horizontal plane of the lower rods is displaced more inwardly. In a steered wheel condition, with said wheel being on an inner side of the curve, projections on the horizontal plane of said lower rods meet at a point displaced longitudinally forwardly relative to the intersection point in the non-steered wheel condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: FCA Italy S.p.A.
    Inventors: Luca Dusini, Gaetano Battaglia
  • Patent number: 9828056
    Abstract: A brake controlling operation transmission member includes a leaning-associated deforming portion that deforms in response to turning of a body frame. A vehicle includes at least a portion of the leaning-associated deforming portion located between a first restrictor located below a lower cross portion in relation to an up-and-down direction of the body frame and a central portion in a left-and-right direction of the body frame so as to prevent movement of the brake controlling operation transmission member and a brake device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yosuke Hirayama
  • Patent number: 9809273
    Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to a foldable vehicle for use as a vehicle if being unfolded, and for use as a trolley if being folded. The vehicle in its folded configuration may also be placed in an upright parking position. The vehicle includes a first side frame coupled to a first wheel, a second side frame coupled to a second wheel and a coupling frame. The coupling frame includes a hinge joint between a first end and a second end of the coupling frame. The first end is hinged to the first side frame and the second end is hinged to the second side frame. When the first wheel translates towards the second wheel, the hinge joint moves from one side of the second wheel to the other side of the second wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: ROYALTY BUGABOO GMBH
    Inventors: Machiel Gerardus Theodorus Marie Barenbrug, Vincent Bernardus Hubertus Ten Horn
  • Patent number: 9701238
    Abstract: A regulation system of one or more supports of the domes of the headlights in a vehicle having a chassis, a rear wheel, at least one front steering wheel and a roll and steering mechanism operatively connected with the chassis is described. The regulation system comprises articulated connection means between the roll and steering mechanism and the supports for controlling the domes of such headlights so that they rotate such to compensate the roll rotation of the vehicle while driving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: PIAGGIO & C. S.p.A.
    Inventors: Onorino Di Tanna, Stefano Bartolozzi, Mario Santucci, Lorenzo Nardo
  • Patent number: 9623928
    Abstract: A rolling vehicle includes a pair of left and right front wheels and a pair of left and right arm members swingably supported by the vehicle body on inner sides in the transverse direction and which support the left and right front wheels in a steerable manner on outer sides in the transverse direction. As viewed from the direction along the axis of a support shaft which supports the left and right arm members on the vehicle body, the base portions of the left and right arm members rotatably supported on the vehicle body side overlap with each other, whereas the swinging center axis of the base portion of the left arm and the swinging center axis of the base portion of the right arm, of the base portions of the left and right arm members, are out of alignment with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yotaro Mori
  • Patent number: 9545967
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle body frame that can lean, a right front wheel and a left front wheel, and an upper cross portion and a lower cross portion of a link mechanism each including a right end portion, a left end portion, and a middle portion supported on the vehicle body frame. An upper right displacement and an upper left displacement that result when a rearward test force is exerted individually on a lower right portion and a lower left portion that support the lower cross portion with the lower cross portion removed are larger than a lower right displacement and a lower left displacement that result when a force that is equal or substantially equal in magnitude and direction as the forces exerted on the lower right and left portions is exerted individually on an upper right portion and a upper left portion that support the upper cross member with the upper cross portion removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuhisa Takano