The present disclosure is generally related to a tri-wheel automobile and
more particularly to a low-speed chassis locking system of a tri wheel
automobile while in motion.
5
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Tri wheeled automobiles are gaining pace in today’s world. Tri-wheeled
automobiles are generally not very stable vehicles and have a tendency to
overturn while negotiating curves at high speed.
10 [0003] To solve this problem various solutions have been provided. One such
solution that is provided is to use a swayable front chassis part that helps the
tri-wheeled automobile in negotiating curves at high speeds. However, this
swayable front chassis construction comes with its own problems of being
accident prone in low speeds or while the tri-wheeled automobile is coming to
15 a stop. With swayable front part, at low speeds, the handle is not easy to control
and may result in accidents.
[0004] Some of the solutions proposed include for example
WO2009059099A2 which discloses a vehicle tilting unit disposed in a vehicle.
The tilting unit identifies that the locking threshold speed has been passed, and
20 controller automatically causes caliper to move into the engaged position to
prevent or restrict undesired tilting of frame, or wheels 21B and frame, and
possible loss of balance by the rider. However, the tilting system as disclosed
3
is complex and does not take into consideration vertical position of the driver.
The tilting system gradually restricts the tilting system from swaying.
[0005] Another solution approach is disclosed in CN112744322A that
discloses hydraulic tilting system and tilting prevention system. The tilting
5 system is hydraulic and is complex. Also, hydraulic systems are prone to failure
and may cause accidents and create hazardous conditions.
[0006] Another solution approach is disclosed in US7607695B2 that provides
a servo mechanism to limit the tilt based on speed.
[0007] However, none of the solutions mentioned take into consideration the
10 rider’s position while slowing down.
[0008] Therefore, there is a need of a more efficient mechanism to address this
problem in order to provide a low-speed chassis locking system for the tri-wheel
vehicles.
15 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention relates to a low-speed chassis locking system
for automatically locking/unlocking a swing in order to provide safety and
comfort to the rider while driving a tri wheeled vehicles.
[0010] It is a feature of the present invention to provide a vehicle comprising,
20 a front body part containing at least one tire, a rear body part incorporating at
least two tires, a vehicle control unit, a safety locking unit that connects the
front body part and the rear body part and is connected to a vehicle control unit,
4
wherein the safety locking unit includes a locking disc that has at least one
locking slot, a locking pin, wherein the locking pin is configured to slide in and
out of the locking slot when the locking disc is orthogonal to the locking pin.
[0011] According to another aspect, there is provided a safety locking system
5 for a vehicle that includes a vehicle control unit, a locking disc that has at least
one locking slot, a locking pin, wherein the locking pin is placed to slide in and
out of the locking slot when the locking disc is orthogonal to the locking pin, a
motor controller, and an actuator is coupled to the motor controller and the
locking pin, characterized in that the vehicle control unit initiates a locking
10 procedure when the speed of the vehicle falls below a threshold speed, while
the locking disc is orthogonal to the locking pin.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The accompanying drawings illustrate various embodiments of systems,
15 methods, and embodiments of various other aspects of the disclosure. Any
person with ordinary skills in the art will appreciate that the illustrated element
boundaries (e.g. boxes, groups of boxes, or other shapes) in the figures represent
one example of the boundaries. It may be that in some examples one element
may be designed as multiple elements or that multiple elements may be
20 designed as one element. In some examples, an element shown as an internal
component of one element may be implemented as an external component in
another, and vice versa. Furthermore, elements may not be drawn to scale. Non-
5
limiting and non-exhaustive descriptions are described with reference to the
following drawings. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale,
emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating principles.
[0013] Fig. 1A illustrates an exploded view of a low-speed chassis locking
5 system 100, according to an embodiment of the invention;
[0014] Fig. 1B illustrates an imploded view of the low-speed chassis locking
system 100, according to an embodiment of the invention;
[0015] Fig. 2A-2B illustrates locking and unlocking of the locking system 100
respectively, according to the embodiment of the invention;
10 [0016] Fig. 2C-2D illustrates swinging mechanism of the locking system 100,
according to the embodiment of the invention; and
[0017] Fig. 3 illustrates a tri wheeled motorcycle with the locking system 100
in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
15 DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described more fully
hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like
numerals represent like elements throughout the several figures, and in which
example embodiments are shown. Embodiments of the claims may, however,
20 be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to
the embodiments set forth herein. The examples set forth herein are nonlimiting examples and are merely examples among other possible examples.
6
[0019] Some embodiments of this invention, illustrating all its features, will
now be discussed in detail. The words “comprising,” “having,” “containing,”
and “including,” and other forms thereof, are intended to be equivalent in
meaning and be open ended in that an item or items following any one of these
5 words is not meant to be an exhaustive listing of such item or items, or meant
to be limited to only the listed item or items.
[0020] It must also be noted that as used herein and in the appended claims, the
singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references unless the context
clearly dictates otherwise. Although any systems and methods similar or
10 equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of
embodiments of the present invention, the preferred, systems and methods are
now described.
[0021] The present invention relates to a low-speed chassis locking system that
is installed in a tri wheeled vehicle for detecting the speed of the vehicle in order
15 to tilt the automobiles in the direction of a turn. This system helps in
maintaining the balance of the vehicle so that road accidents are minimized and
rider is safe.
[0022] FIG. 1A illustrates an exploded view of the locking system100. This
figure defines a swing structure of the present invention. The locking system100
20 includes an upper casing 102 and a lower casing 104. A swing shaft 106 is
placed in between the upper 102 and lower casing 104 in order to provide
swaying within a fixed span on both sides from the Centre. The swing shaft 106
7
is covered by a rubber end seal ring 108 insert first and second bearings
(110,122). The first, second and third support sleeves (112,124, 130) are
designed to provide flexible compression at the time of swaying. A rubber
guiding block 114 is covered by a rubber cushion 116 and associated with the
5 second supported sleeve 130. A first 118 and second swing end stopper 126 and
a swing degree stopper 120 is fitted in the system 100. A swing and lock unit
contains a locking disc 128 which is sandwiched in between the second sleeve
130 and the third sleeve 124.
[0023] Fig. 1B illustrates an imploded view of the low-speed chassis locking
10 system 100, according to an embodiment of the invention.
[0024] Fig. 2A-2B illustrates locking and unlocking of the locking system 100
respectively, according to the embodiment of the invention. At least one vehicle
control unit with inbuilt communication feature installed in the system 100 and
associated to an electric motor. The locking disc 128 is installed with one
15 locking slot 212. A locking pin 210 is placed in the system for sliding in and
out of the locking slot 212 when the locking disc 128 is orthogonal to the
locking pin 210.
[0025] The electric motor is configured for continuously sending a signal
wirelessly or through wired connection to the electric motor. The electric motor
20 receives a signal from the control unit in order to lock the locking pin 210. An
actuator 228 is connected to an electric motor (not shown in the figure) and the
locking pin 210. It enables the movement of the actuator 228 sideways within
8
the actuator 228 housing. The actuator 228 is actuated or initiated by receiving
the signals from the control unit. The locking pin 212 is abutted against the
locking disc 128 surface when it is actuated by the actuator 228.
[0026] Fig. 2C-2D illustrates swinging mechanism of the locking system 100,
5 according to the embodiment of the invention. When the speed of the vehicle
300 falls below a threshold speed and the locking disc 128 is orthogonal to the
plane, the vehicle control unit initiated the locking procedure and actuated the
actuator 228. An accelerometer and a motor speed sensor further connected
with the vehicle control unit for detecting the parameter relating to motion. The
10 parameter relating to the motion of the vehicle 300 is either speed or
acceleration of the vehicle 300. The speed or acceleration of the vehicle 300 is
triggered due to the motor power supply and the speed sensor is configured to
detect the amount of power supplied to the motor. Other embodiments may use
motors with different description. The control unit is preferably electronically
15 controlled by the motor.
[0027] Fig. 3 illustrates a tri wheeled vehicle 300 with the locking system 100
in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The vehicle 300 is a
multipart chassis vehicle. A front chassis part 302 and a rear chassis part 304 is
affixed in the vehicle 300 and both are connected through the swing shaft 106.
20 A safety control unit attached to the vehicle 300 for connecting the front 302
and rear part 304 of the body. The front part 302 of the vehicle 300 can sway
with the locking disc 128 from left to right. It further includes the vehicle
9
control unit attached with the accelerometer or speed sensor. For example, the
speed sensor is used to detect the speed at which the vehicle 300 is moving. The
vehicle 300 preferably has at least one wheel on the front side 302 and two
wheels on the rear side 304. Other embodiment may include vehicles with two
5 wheels or four wheels, and additional wheels on the body of the vehicle 300 is
maintained.
[0028] A switch is configured in the vehicle 300 in order to on/off the swing
lock either automatically or manually. The switch is preferably a push button
switch that works as a small control for an electrical device which is used to
10 turn the device on or off. The switch is preferably the swing lock unit that works
automatically when it is configured to the control unit. The motor is preferably
controlled by the control unit that controls the speed of the vehicle 300, helps
in detecting a deceleration and braking. The deceleration shows the acceleration
in the opposite direction. The control unit already contains all the components
15 that allow it to function independently and has been specifically designed to
track and/or control tasks. It includes memory, various interface controllers, one
or more timers, an interrupt controller, and last but definitely not least general
purpose I / O pins that allow it to connect directly to its environment. It is used
to receive signals upon detection of low speed as compared to the threshold
20 speed. The swing lock unit will start to engage. For swing lock, it is necessary
that the rear chassis 304 must be lined up with the front chassis 302. It means
10
the rider must be seated vertical to the ground and at Centre position of the rider
seat.
[0029] The range of the speed is about 3 or 4 kmph. It defines that if speed of
the vehicle 300 falls below the preselected locking threshold speed, then the
5 control unit automatically causes caliper to move into an engage position in
order to prevent undesired tilting of the vehicle 300. When the speed increases
from the threshold speed, for example if the speed is greater than 3 or 4 kmph,
then the control unit automatically causes caliper to move into the disengage
position so that the rider can sway again. In other embodiment of the present
10 invention, this switch may be operated manually. It means the rider can lock
the swing at Centre position manually.
[0030] It is to be appreciated that only the essential components of the system
have been described above. The locking arrangement may further include
various other parts like a housing and support mechanisms for various parts as
15 described above. As also disclosed, the locking arrangement may be placed
within a single housing or may be provided as an open arrangement in a
waterproof arrangement.
[0031] Moreover, although the present invention and its advantages have been
described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions
20 and alterations can be made herein without departing from the invention as
defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application
is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process,
11
machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps
described in the specification. As one will readily appreciate from the
disclosure, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means,
methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform
5 substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the
corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized. Accordingly, the
appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes,
machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.

We claim,
1. A vehicle comprising:
a front body part including at least one tire;
5 a rear body part including at least two tires;
a vehicle control unit;
a safety locking unit wherein the safety locking unit connects the front
body part and the rear body part and also connected to a vehicle
control unit, wherein the safety locking unit comprises:
10 a locking disc wherein the locking disc has at least one locking slot;
a locking pin, wherein the locking pin is configured to slide in and out
of the locking slot when the locking disc is orthogonal to the locking
pin.
2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein a tilting unit further includes;
15 a motor controller; and
an actuator, operably connected to the motor controller and the
locking pin.
3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle control unit initiates a locking
procedure when the speed of the vehicle is below a threshold speed.
20 4. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the actuator is actuated during the locking
procedure, by the motor controller.
13
5. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the actuator actuates the locking pin to
abut against the locking disc surface.
6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the speed of the vehicle is determined
using at least one of an accelerometer and a motor speed sensor.
5 7. A safety locking system for a vehicle comprising;
a vehicle control unit;
a locking disc wherein the locking disc has at least one locking slot;
a locking pin, wherein the locking pin is configured to slide in and
out of the locking slot when the locking disc is orthogonal to the
10 locking pin;
a motor controller; and
an actuator, operably connected to the motor controller and the
locking pin;
characterized in that the vehicle control unit initiates a locking
15 procedure when the speed of the vehicle is below a threshold speed
and the locking disc is orthogonal to the locking pin.
8. The safety locking system of claim 7, wherein the actuator is actuated
during the locking procedure, by the motor controller.
9. The safety locking system of claim 8, wherein the actuator actuates the
20 locking pin to abut against the locking disc surface.
14
10. The safety locking system of claim 7, wherein the speed of the vehicle is
determined using at least one of an accelerometer and a motor speed
sensor.
11. The safety locking system of claim 7, wherein the safety locking connects
5 a front body part and a rear body part of the vehicle.
12. The safety locking system of claim 11, wherein the vehicle is a tri-wheeled
vehicle.