The present invention relates generally to motorized vehicles and more specifically to a three wheeled motorized vehicle providing a hybrid crossover between an automobile and a motorcycle that is able to take tight corners like a motorcycle by provision of a segment enclosing the operator that can lean into turns, The front segment contains two wheels for both steering and propulsion and is conventionally constructed like any typical front wheel drive vehicle. The rear segment contains the operator (and optionally passenger) supported on a single wheel, The two segments are joined together via a coupling that both supports the assembly and allows rotation of the rear segment about the longitudinal axis to perform the lean for operator and or passenger comfort, while transmitting critical control functions.

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.

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.

A tiltable vehicle is configured to transform between an autonomous mode and a rideable mode by pivoting the handlebars and steering column of the vehicle about a pitch axis. In the autonomous mode, the steering column is folded back toward the chassis and a tiltable chassis of the vehicle is prevented from tilting. In the rideable mode, the steering column is unfolded and the chassis is free to tilt. In some examples, a tiltable vehicle includes features beneficial for vehicle-sharing, such as parking devices or a basket. These features may be included on any suitable vehicle and are not limited to use on transforming vehicles.

A tiltable vehicle is configured to transform between an autonomous mode and a rideable mode by pivoting the handlebars and steering column of the vehicle about a pitch axis. In the autonomous mode, the steering column is folded back toward the chassis and a tiltable chassis of the vehicle is prevented from tilting. In the rideable mode, the steering column is unfolded and the chassis is free to tilt. In some examples, a tiltable vehicle includes features beneficial for vehicle-sharing, such as parking devices or a basket. These features may be included on any suitable vehicle and are not limited to use on transforming vehicles.

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.

A three-wheeled vehicle having a front wheel assembly attached to a chassis. The chassis includes a rotational control shaft having a rotational axis that is generally directed in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The rotational control shaft is integrated with or secured to the chassis in a non-rotational manner and passes through the front wheel assembly in a rotationally-free manner, such that the rotational control shaft can rotate about its rotational axis. The front wheel assembly includes one or more lean control motors, which are operably configured to rotate the rotational control shaft about its rotational axis thereby causing the chassis to lean from side to side to improve the handling ability of the vehicle. Some embodiments include a lean control system configured to automatically control the degree of rotation of the chassis.

A tiltable vehicle has a pair of front wheels coupled to a tiltable chassis by a tilt linkage, such that the pair of front wheels and the chassis are configured to tilt in unison with respect to a roll axis of the chassis. The tilt linkage includes a four-bar linkage having a pair of upper bar segments coupled to the chassis at spaced-apart respective inboard joints. In some examples, the inboard joints of the upper bar segments are each disposed outboard of a central chassis joint of a lower bar of the tilt linkage. An orientation sensor is configured to detect directional information regarding a net force vector applied to the chassis, and a tilt actuator operatively coupled to the chassis and configured to selectively tilt the chassis. A controller is configured to selectively control the tilt actuator based on the directional information from the orientation sensor.

A tilting, preferably three-wheeled, vehicle is disclosed that has a tilting mechanism and a universal steering linkage that allows the vehicle to have leaning and steering characteristics substantially similar to those offered by an in-line two-wheeled vehicle, but that does not require complex linkages and/or control systems to operate effectively. A tilting linkage is operably secured to a frame to allow a pair of spaced apart wheels to remain substantially aligned with the plane of the vehicle throughout its range of movement while still providing an increasing camber between the wheels as tiling of the vehicle increases. A tilting lock system may be provide to limit tilting of the vehicle upon predetermined criteria.

A leaning vehicle, including a vehicle body, one steerable front wheel and two rear wheels, or two steerable front wheels and one or two rear wheels, a suspension mechanism, a steering mechanism, a steering controller, and an up-down direction acceleration detector attached to the vehicle body or the suspension mechanism. The two steerable front wheels or the two rear wheels are arranged side by side to form a left-right pair of wheels. The up-down direction acceleration detector detects an acceleration in an up-down direction of the leaning vehicle or the vehicle body, generated as one wheel in the left-right pair of wheels passes a bump or a pothole in a road. The steering controller so controls the one or two steerable front wheels that the one or two steerable front wheels are in a free-steering state, so as to swivel around a steering axis freely, based on the detected acceleration.