Mechatronic system for stable operation of a narrow-enclosed vehicle
View Patent ↗The mechatronic system integrates coaxial planetary gear sets with sun, planet, carrier, and ring gears to drive tilt adjustment and steering functions. A tilt subsystem driven by the rotational motion of the ring gears to adjust the tilt angle of the narrow-enclosed vehicle and a steering subsystem connected to an output shaft and configured to steer the narrow-enclosed vehicle. A first holding device, a second holding device, and a third holding device are selectively engageable to control the rotational motion of the ring gears and the carriers. An electric motor is controlled by an electric control unit to provide torque for adjusting the tilt and steering of the narrow-enclosed vehicle and an actuator subsystem is controlled by the electronic control unit to engage or disengage the first holding device, the second holding device, and third holding device.
1 . A mechatronic system for stable operation of a narrow-enclosed vehicle, comprising:
a steering column configured to receive torque input from a driver;
a pair of coaxial planetary gear sets comprising a sun gear, a carrier, a planet gear, and a ring gear;
a tilt subsystem driven by a rotational motion of the ring gears to adjust a tilt angle of the narrow-enclosed vehicle;
a steering subsystem connected to an output shaft and configured to steer the narrow-enclosed vehicle;
a first holding device, a second holding device, and a third holding device selectively engageable to control the rotational motion of the ring gears and the carriers;
an electric motor controlled by an electric control unit to provide torque for adjusting the tilt and steering of the narrow-enclosed vehicle; and
an actuator subsystem comprising a failsafe subsystem and a hydraulic subsystem controlled by the electronic control unit to engage or disengage the first holding device, the second holding device, and the third holding device.
2 . The mechatronic system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a plurality of sensing elements are configured to monitor a plurality of vehicle parameters comprising sensing of a yaw rate, speed, and centrifugal forces acting on the narrow-enclosed vehicle.
3 . The mechatronic system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the electronic control unit is configured to control a first spring-loaded solenoid valve, a second spring-loaded solenoid valve, a third spring-loaded solenoid valve, and a fourth spring-loaded solenoid valve.
4 . The mechatronic system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the electronic control unit operates in conjunction with the hydraulic system and is configured to control the engagement and disengagement of the holding devices.
5 . The mechatronic system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the actuator subsystem comprises the hydraulic subsystem which comprises an electric pump, a first spring-loaded solenoid valve, a second spring-loaded solenoid valve, a third spring-loaded solenoid valve, a fourth spring-loaded solenoid valve, a fluid reservoir, and a plurality of fluid lines to control the engagement or disengagement of the first holding device and the second holding device.
6 . The mechatronic system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the actuator system comprises a first, second, third, and fourth spring-loaded solenoid valves configured to selectively engage or disengage the connections between ring gears and carriers.
7 . The mechatronic system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the actuator subsystem is configured to engage the first holding device and the second holding device when the mechatronic system is powered off, thereby locking the tilt subsystem of the vehicle and preventing torque input to the steering column.
8 . The mechatronic system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the actuator subsystem is controlled by the electronic control unit to disengage the second holding device and engage the first holding device when the mechatronic system is powered on, enabling a power-tilt mode, wherein the electric motor tilts the narrow-enclosed vehicle.
9 . The mechatronic system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the electronic control unit activates the actuator subsystem to disengage the first holding device and engage the second holding device when a vehicle speed exceeds a predetermined threshold, enabling a power-steer mode, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to interpret the driver's torque input and control the electric motor to steer the vehicle to simultaneously achieve a desired turn and a desired tilt.
10 . The mechatronic system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein in the event of a subsystem failure, the first holding device defaults back to the engaged state, thereby locking the narrow-enclosed vehicle's tilt, while the third holding device disengages the second holding device, and the driver is able to steer the narrow-enclosed vehicle.
11 . The mechatronic system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the electronic control unit is configured to control the electric motor based on the torque inputs from the driver and data from a plurality of the sensing elements to tilt and steer the narrow-enclosed vehicle.
12 . The mechatronic system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a worm gear and the ring gear form a self-locking pair to automatically engage at low speeds, thereby reducing additional energy requirement to maintain an upright tilt of the narrow-enclosed vehicle.