ELECTRONIC BRAKING DEVICE OF THE TILTING SYSTEM OF A VEHICLE WITH THREE OR MORE TILTING WHEELS

Abstract

The present invention field relates to a braking device of the tilting system of vehicles that have at least three wheels and can lean sideways by virtue of the presence a so-called wheel tilting system. The device is characterized in that it comprises an electronic control unit adapted to receive and process a plurality of signals coming from devices capable of detecting parameters related to the instantaneous dynamic behavior of the vehicle and to selectively actuate said braking means.

Claims

1. A braking device of the tilting, system of a vehicle with more than two wheels, said vehicle having at least two wheels which tilt by means of said tilting system, the system comprising at least a first hydraulic cylinder and a second hydraulic cylinder, each associated with a respective tilting wheel of the vehicle, said first and second hydraulic cylinder comprising a first and a second upper chamber containing oil, respectively, said first and second chamber being hydraulically connected to each other by hydraulic connection means, wherein said device comprises further braking means adapted to selectively either prevent or allow the oil flow in said hydraulic connection means and at least one central control unit and one or more devices, said central control unit being connected to said braking means and configured to receive and process one or more signals coming from said devices and to selectively actuate said braking means.

2. The braking device according to claim 1, wherein said braking means comprise at least one solenoid valve set on said hydraulic connection means.

3. The braking device according to claim 2, wherein said braking means comprise at least two solenoid valves set on said hydraulic connection means.

4. The braking device according to claim 1 wherein said one or more devices comprise a first device adapted to measure the speed of the wheels.

5. The braking device according to claim 4, wherein said one or more devices comprise a second device adapted to adjust the braking of the wheels.

6. The braking device according to claim 5, wherein said one or more devices comprise a gyroscope adapted to detect the leaning and acceleration of the vehicle.

7. The braking device according to claim 6, wherein said one or more devices comprise a third device adapted to manage the engine.

8. The braking device according to claim 1, wherein it further comprises first visual means, adapted to signal the activation of the manual parking lock device by the driver, and manual activation means, for manually activating the locking device by the user, e.g. when standing at traffic light, connected to said central control unit.

9. The braking device according to claim 8, wherein it comprises further second visual means and/or auditory warning means adapted to signal the activated condition of the locking device to the user.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0033] Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent in the detailed description of an embodiment shown by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying FIG. 1, which shows an overview of the mechanical part of the locking device of the tilting system of a vehicle with more than two wheels according to the present invention;

[0034] FIG. 2 shows an overview of the mechanical part and of the electronic control part of the locking device of the tilting system of a vehicle with more than two wheels according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0035] A tilting system of a vehicle with more than two wheels to which the scope of the present invention refers comprises at least a first hydraulic cylinder 10 and a second hydraulic cylinder 20, set in fluid communication with each other by means of hydraulic connection means 23.

[0036] Said hydraulic connection means 23 may advantageously consist of a conduit, more preferably a pipe, which puts into hydraulic communication, in particular, the first 10a and second 20a upper chamber of said first 10 and second 20 hydraulic cylinder, respectively, in which oil is contained, as known from the hydraulic tilting system (HTS) developed by the same Applicant and object of European patent EP 2 046 589.

[0037] The first and second lower chamber of said first 10 and second 20 hydraulic cylinder, respectively, may advantageously contain pressurized gas, as patented by the same Applicant in EP 2 046 589, however the present tilting locking device may also be applied in all-hydraulic tilting systems.

[0038] When the vehicle leans, the piston corresponding to the wheel inside the curve, for example the first piston 100 associated with said first cylinder 10, pushes the oil contained in the first upper chamber 10a of the cylinder itself into the second upper chamber 20a of the opposite cylinder, in this case the second cylinder 20 by means of the connection pipe 23, thus moving the two wheels connected to the first 100 and second 200 piston in opposite directions.

[0039] A damper 24, with an end part hydraulically connected to the connection pipe 23, may be present. A rotary piston (or septums or baffles) is present in the damper 24 which forms a chamber which contains a pressurized gas, having a spring function. In case of rough terrain, which may cause a sudden movement of a single wheel, the movement of the fluid is partially damped by the accumulator, without immediately flowing towards the other wheel causing its immediate movement.

[0040] The tilting system locking device according to the present invention described above includes locking means 30 adapted to cut off the oil flow in said hydraulic connection means 23 following the movement of pistons 100 and 200.

[0041] Furthermore, said locking device comprises at least one central control unit 40 adapted to receive a plurality of signals from a plurality of detection devices 41, 42, 43, 44 adapted to detect and/or measure parameters related to the instantaneous hydraulic behavior of the vehicle and to transform them into signals for the central control unit 40, which preferably comprises an electronic control unit programmable with programs and threshold values defined for various parameters, configured to receive and process one or more signals coming from said devices 41, 42, 43 and 44 and to selectively actuate said braking means 30. By way of non-limiting example of the present invention, said central control unit 40 interfaces with a first device 41 adapted to measure the (rotational) speed of the wheels, a second device 42 adapted to control the braking of the wheels (ABS), a gyroscope 43 adapted to detect tilt and acceleration of the vehicle, a third device 44 or gauge adapted manage the engine, in terms of power, rpm increase or decrease, and so forth.

[0042] The grip conditions of the wheels on the ground can be detected by virtue of the aforesaid devices.

[0043] In particular, a decrease of centrifuge acceleration denotes a loss of grip on curves. Said central control unit 40 thus receives signals from the devices 41, 42, 43 and 44 described above by detecting the dynamic condition of the vehicle, and sends a control signal to said tilting system braking means 30, thus adjusting its operation.

[0044] More in particular, said braking means may advantageously, but not limitingly comprise at least one solenoid valve set on said hydraulic connection means 23, preferably two solenoid valves 31, 32 set on said hydraulic connection means 23.

[0045] Two solenoid valves, each set between said damper 24 and a hydraulic cylinder 10, 20, are advantageously provided in the configuration in which the damper 24 is provided.

[0046] Said at least one solenoid valve, in addition to being electrically controlled by the central control unit by means of an electric signal, may be advantageously also manually activated for parking, e.g. by means of a lever control which may be actuated directly by the driver.

[0047] When the vehicle is moving, the central control unit 40 may, when either controlled by the driver or in fully automatic manner, operate on said locking means 30, i.e. on said at least one, preferably two solenoid valves 31, 32 by either partially or totally closing the valves, i.e. braking the oil flow from one of the cylinders 100 and/or 200 to the other.

[0048] The control unit 40 may determine, by processing of the signals coming from the devices 41, 42, 43, 44, whether the vehicle is decelerating to stop, accelerating, traveling under a given value threshold speed, balanced, loosing grip, and all engine conditions (rpm, throttle opening etc.).

[0049] If these conditions are satisfied, the control unit 40 may advantageously activate a light signal, e.g. a warning light on the dashboard, to warn the user that, if desirable because, for example, the vehicle is approaching a traffic light where it will need to stop, he or she may engage the tilting locking system.

[0050] In a fully automatic operating mode, the control unit may automatically send the signal to the tilting locking system when the stopping of the vehicle is recorded, an instant before stopping, without needing enabling by the driver.

[0051] Advantageously, first visual means 46, for example, a first warning light, which indicate the manual activation of the locking device by the driver during parking, manual activation means 45, which may be activated by the driver (for example a button, a lever), second visual means 47, for example a second warning light, which indicate activated system condition, auditory warning means 48, for example the horn of the vehicle itself, may be connected to said central control unit 40.

[0052] By virtue of these further systems, the driver is warned by the first visual means 46 when the locking system can be inserted because the speed, inclination and dynamic conditions of the vehicle, in general, allow to actuate the tilting lock; the driver is further warned, at least visually, by said visual means 47 that the tilting locking device is engaged.

[0053] For example, in case of manual actuation of the locking means 30 by means of a lever, for example when the vehicle is parked, the user may be advantageously warned by the auditory warning means 48 or also by an auditory signal emitted by the horn.

[0054] By virtue of the central control unit 40 which processes the signals from the sensor means adapted to measure parameters related to the dynamic behavior of the vehicle, the tilting may be locked by the device according to the present invention only in given conditions, and dangerous situations are avoided, in manner as cannot be achieved with mechanical systems of known type.

[0055] In particular, if the control unit detects a situation in which the driver is holding the manual locking device insertion button pressed, thus preventing the automatic release, should the driver suddenly accelerate, the control unit, by means of the device 44, can remedy by removing power from the engine.

[0056] Alternatively, the control unit can deactivate the tilting lock manual actuation button if a dangerous situation is detected and release the system if the lock is already engaged.

[0057] The braking device of the tilting system of a vehicle with three or more wheels according to the present invention thus reaches the predetermined tasks and objects.

[0058] In particular, the device may work as dynamic device for the vehicle stability control, solving potentially dangerous situations in a timely manner, for example the operation of the known braking device while standing at a traffic light on rough terrain or in situations in which the driver wants to accelerate the vehicle while the locking device insertion button is pressed, and in the case of grip loss when cornering or on a rectilinear stretch, for example.

[0059] Furthermore, the tilting system braking device according to the present invention has many advantages when used for parking. Indeed, by virtue of the manual actuation, the system may be activated or deactivated also if the battery is flat or in electric system blackout conditions, and the device may warn the user of each activation of the lock by virtue of the electronic control unit and the visual and auditory warning means.

[0060] An important advantage which may be reached by the locking device according to the present invention is in the engagement speed of the locking system, which is reduced to a few hundredths of a second by virtue of the activation of solenoid valves as locking means with respect to the tenths of a second needed with the locking means of known type.

[0061] By virtue of the actuating rapidity of the solenoid valves as braking means, the device according to the present invention may be used according to control logics which are entirely unknown in the locking devices of known type of the prior art. In particular, the control unit may intervene in timely manner to adjust tilting and improve vehicle stability control in grip loss conditions of the vehicle so as to increase stability and avoid falls, and equally rapidly it may restore tilting when the control unit detects a dynamic condition of restored grip of the vehicle.

[0062] Many changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications of the subject invention will be apparent to a person skilled in the art after having considered the description and the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments thereof. Such changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications which do not differ from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims and form an integral part of the text are covered by the present invention.