A variable gauge train control device comprises an inverter, a location detector, and a torque calculator. The inverter collectively controls torques of main electric motors. The location detector detects an entry into a gauge changeover section. The torque calculator, upon detection by the location detector of the entry into the gauge changeover section, suspends idling control that otherwise restricts the torques of the main electric motors and calculates a first torque pattern for making the inverter operate in accordance with the torques of the main electric motors.

This invention concerns an electric drive system (200) for driving an output. The electric drive system comprises: a first electric motor (250) arranged to drive a first input shaft (230) at a first angular velocity, ω.sub.1, and a second electric motor (260) arranged to drive a second input shaft (240) at a second angular velocity, ω.sub.2. A gear mechanism (210) is provided and is arranged to transmit angular rotation of the first (230) and second (240) input shafts to drive the output (220) at an output angular velocity, ω.sub.out, such that ω.sub.out is proportional to aω.sub.1-bω.sub.2, where a and b are constants. The electric drive system (200) further comprises a controller (270) arranged to control operation of the first (250) and second (260) electric motors. When the output (220) is to be driven from ω.sub.out=0, the controller (270) is arranged to control the first (250) and second (260) electric motors to drive the first (230) and second (240) input shafts. The input shafts are driven in a first phase to primary first and second angular velocities, ω.sub.1,p and ω.sub.2,p, such that aω.sub.1,p≈bω.sub.2,p. The input shafts are also subsequently driven in a second phase in which the first angular velocity, ω.sub.1, or the second angular velocity, ω.sub.2, or both are varied such that aω 1≠b.sub.ω2 and the output is driven from ω.sub.out=0. The result of this is that the motors run in a more efficient part of their output profile, even whilst the vehicle is at rest, pulling off (especially in situations of high output load such as on off-road or otherwise difficult terrain), or moving at low velocity.

Electric vehicles and, more particularly, a control system for an all-wheel drive electric vehicle.

A small electric vehicle includes: a body with a forward, backward, and a width direction; left and right driving wheels in the width direction of the body; free wheels, apart from the driving wheels, in the forward and backward direction; left and right motors to respectively transmit power to the left and right driving wheels; left and right rotation speed sensors detecting rotation speeds of the respective motors; an operation unit with an operation element; and a control unit controlling the motors according to an operation on the operation element, the control unit calculates target rotation speeds of the motors, based on a target vehicle speed provided by an operation position of the operation element, and on a target vehicle angular velocity provided by the operation position of the operation element and by the actual speed of the vehicle, and control the left and right motors such that actual rotation speeds of the motors follow the respective target rotation speeds.

A small electric vehicle includes: left and right motors connected so as to respectively transmit power to left and right driving wheels; left and right rotation speed sensors; an inclination sensor; a joystick-type operation element; and a control unit, wherein it is configured to calculate target rotation speeds of the left and right motors, based on a target vehicle speed provided by an inclination angle in consideration of the pitch angle and the roll angle detected through the inclination sensor and by an operation position of the operation element, and on a target vehicle angular velocity provided by the inclination angle, by the operation position of the operation element and by the actual speed of the vehicle, and control the left and right motors such that actual rotation speeds of the left and right motors follow the respective target rotation speeds.

A small electric vehicle includes: a vehicle body that has a forward and backward direction, and a width direction; left and right driving wheels provided apart in the width direction of the vehicle body; left and right motors connected so as to respectively transmit power to the left and right driving wheels; an operation unit that includes a joystick-type operation piece; and a control unit for controlling the left and right motors according to an amount of operation on the operation piece, wherein the control unit is configured to execute deceleration and stop control when the operation piece is returned to the neutral position during travel, and execute rapid stop control irrespective of an amount of operation in left and right directions when the operation piece is tilted backward during forward travel at a speed equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold.

A control system for a vehicle is provided, which includes a driving force source configured to generate torque for driving drive wheels, a steering wheel, a steering angle sensor, and a controller. Based on the detected steering angle, the controller reduces the driving torque to add deceleration to the vehicle when the steering wheel is being turned in one direction, and increases the torque to add acceleration when the steering wheel is being turned back in the other direction. The controller controls the torque, when the steering wheel is being turned in the returning direction from a state where it is turned in the one direction, so as to add forward acceleration until the steering wheel returns to a neutral position, and when the steering wheel is then being turned in the other direction after passing through the neutral position, so as not to add the forward acceleration.

Provided is a drive source control device (67) for controlling two drive sources (2L, 2R) of a vehicle. The vehicle including the two drive sources (2L, 2R), left and right drive wheels (61L, 61R), and a power transmission device (3) disposed among the two drive sources (2L, 2R) and the drive wheels (61L, 61R). The device (3) distributes powers from the two drive sources (2L, 2R) to the wheels (61L, 61R) to drive the wheels (61L, 61R). The drive source control device (67) includes: an angular acceleration calculation (71) to calculate angular accelerations of the drive wheels (61L, 61R) and/or angular accelerations of the drive sources (2L, 2R); and a torque correction (68) to, using the angular accelerations calculated by the angular acceleration calculation (71), correct command values for respective outputs of the drive sources (2L, 2R).

An electric motor control device includes a target torque setting unit setting target torque for each of a right-side control circuit and a left-side control circuit, and a failure occurrence determination unit determining whether there is a failure occurrence in at least one of the two control circuits. The target torque setting unit sets, in response to there being a failure occurrence in a failure control circuit that is one of the two control circuits and there being a no failure occurrence in a normal control circuit that is the other of the two control circuits, fail-safe torque which is lower than a normal value of the target torque as the target torque for the failure control circuit, and sets failure-time target torque which is lower than the normal value of the target torque and being higher than the fail-safe torque as the target torque for the normal control circuit.

A robotic cleaner includes a cleaning assembly for cleaning a surface and a main robot body. The main robot body houses a drive system to cause movement of the robotic cleaner and a microcontroller to control the movement of the robotic cleaner. The cleaning assembly is located in front of the drive system and a width of the cleaning assembly is greater than a width of the main robot body. A robotic cleaning system includes a main robot body and a plurality of cleaning assemblies for cleaning a surface. The main robot body houses a drive system to cause movement of the robotic cleaner and a microcontroller to control the movement of the robotic cleaner. The cleaning assembly is located in front of the drive system and each of the cleaning assemblies is detachable from the main robot body and each of the cleaning assemblies has a unique cleaning function.