FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present disclosure is generally related to a tri-wheel automobile and more particularly to a swing auto lock/unlock system of a vehicle for enabling a swing when the vehicle moves at low speed (even less than a threshold speed set for auto-lock) or when the rider tilts the vehicle when it is at low speed.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Tri-wheeled vehicles are a common means of public transportation in many countries in the world. Tri-wheeled vehicles have either one wheel at the back and two at the front or one wheel at the front and two wheels at the back.
[0003] The disadvantage of the three-wheeled vehicle configuration is instability while riding. In the present invention, the tri-wheeled vehicle has a tendency to swing the rider frame while taking a turn. Because of this, the rider has better control of the vehicle, particularly when driving at high speeds. But when the rider is about to stop, it is necessary to auto-lock the swing at the center position, so that the rider doesn’t have to get his foot on the road to make a stop and the rider put his foot on the vehicle floor thereby giving him comfort. For this, a swing auto-lock/unlock function is used. This function helps in unlocking the swing of the vehicle so that the rider easily takes a turn at high speed, but it becomes a problem when the vehicle is at low speed or when the vehicle is in a dense area or stuck in traffic. As many times swing is also required to be in the unlocked state even at low speeds. The earlier feature was to lock the swing when a rider comes at a low speed (less than a threshold speed).
[0004] At the very low speed of the vehicle if the swing function is not enabled then the rider faces difficulty in the movement of the vehicle. At this time, it is necessary to enable the swing auto-unlock mechanism.
[0005] US8141890B2 discloses a vehicle with a lockable tilt system. The invention discloses a vehicle that includes a vehicle body and a vehicle support assembly. The vehicle body has a longitudinal axis and is configured for supporting a rider thereon. The support assembly includes first and second tilting wheels disposed respectively at different lateral positions with respect to the longitudinal axis, a tilt-mechanism supportively associating the vehicle body from the tilting wheels to enable the vehicle body to tilt through a first tilt range with respect to a surface on which the tilting wheels are disposed, and a tilt-limiter operably associated with the tilt-mechanism to restrict the tilting of the vehicle body to less than the first tilt range, and releasable to allow the tilting through the first tilt range.
[0006] Conventionally, there exist various methods and systems for enabling a swing auto-unlock mechanism when the vehicle moves at a high speed. Some systems disclose a tilt mechanism of a vehicle at multiple speeds.
[0007] However, none of the solutions mentioned take into consideration unlocking the swing while slowing down the vehicle also.
[0008] In order to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks, there is a need to provide a swing auto lock/unlock system that is used for unlocking the swing at a slow speed (even if less than a threshold speed set for auto-lock) of a vehicle so that the rider easily take turns by moving their vehicle in a swinging manner.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The principal object of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantage of the prior art.
[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a swing auto lock/unlock system for enabling a swing at a slow speed also so that the rider makes a turn by swinging their vehicle.
[0011] Another object of the present invention is to provide a swing auto lock/unlock system that enables a swing auto-unlock mechanism when the rider tilts the vehicle at the slow speed (even less than a threshold speed set for auto-lock) and the vehicle is not positioned at a center point.
[0012] Another object of the present invention is to provide a swing auto lock/unlock system that enables the swing auto-unlock mechanism when the vehicle’s average speed for the trip is less than the threshold average speed set.
[0013] Another object of the present invention is to provide a swing auto lock/unlock system that enables the swing auto-unlock mechanism when an average throttle input is less than the threshold average value set for the throttle.
[0014] Another object of the present invention is to provide safety and comfort to the rider while driving a tri-wheeled vehicle at the slow speed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0015] The present invention relates to a swing auto lock/unlock system of a vehicle for enabling a swing auto-unlock mechanism when the vehicle moves at slow speed or when the rider tilts the vehicle, and the vehicle is not positioned at a center point so that the rider finds it easier to drive their vehicle in a huge traffic area at a slow speed (even less than a threshold speed set for auto-lock).
[0016] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a vehicle comprising, a vehicle body that includes a front part and a rear part, a swing auto unlock mechanism configured with the vehicle body, wherein the swing auto-unlock mechanism supports the vehicle body to enable a swing according to an average speed or an average throttle input of the vehicle, a detector that is anyone of an accelerometer, a speed sensor, and a throttle detector configured to sense the speed or the throttle input of the vehicle, a vehicle control unit, wherein the vehicle control unit is configured with the detector for obtaining the average speed/throttle input of the vehicle for the trip, enabling the swing auto-unlock mechanism when the vehicle's average speed is less than a threshold average speed, or the average throttle input is less than a threshold average value set for the throttle, and enabling the swing auto-unlock mechanism when a rider tilts the vehicle at a slow speed (even less than the threshold speed set for auto-lock) and the vehicle is not positioned at a center point.
[0017] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a swing auto lock/unlock system for a vehicle, comprising, a swing auto unlock mechanism, a vehicle control unit, wherein the vehicle control unit is configured with a vehicle that is a tri-wheeled vehicle to generate an unlocking signal when the vehicle's average speed is less than a threshold average speed, or an average throttle input is less than a threshold average value set for the throttle, and when a rider tilts the vehicle at a slow speed (even less than the threshold speed set for auto-lock) and the vehicle is not positioned at a center point, and a switch that is in auto lock/unlock position and is configured with the vehicle control unit to unlock the swing by activating the swing auto-unlock mechanism upon receiving the unlocking signal from the vehicle control unit, wherein a detector that is anyone of an accelerometer, a speed sensor, and a throttle detector is configured with the vehicle control unit for determining the speed of the vehicle and the throttle input of the vehicle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] The accompanying drawings illustrate various embodiments of systems, 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 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-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.
[0019] Fig.1 illustrates a tri-wheel vehicle 100 with a swing auto-unlock mechanism, according to an embodiment of a present invention; and
[0020] Fig.2 illustrates a swing auto lock/unlock system 200, according to an embodiment of a present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0021] 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, 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 non-limiting examples and are merely examples among other possible examples.
[0022] 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 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.
[0023] 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 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.
[0024] The present invention relates to a swing auto lock/unlock system of a vehicle. This invention provides a flexibility to a rider to easily take turns and curves on a road while riding the vehicle at a slow speed. This invention helps in automatically activate the swing (by auto-unlock or not doing auto-lock at slow speeds on detection of mentioned inputs) of the vehicle so that the rider does not face any issues while driving in a huge traffic area. This system provides safety and increases the driving comfort of the rider while driving the vehicle.
[0025] Fig.1 illustrates a tri-wheel vehicle 100 with a swing auto-unlock mechanism 108, according to an embodiment of a present invention. The vehicle 100 comprises, a vehicle body 102 that includes a front part 104 and a rear part 106. The vehicle 100 further includes the swing auto-unlock mechanism 108 that connects the front 104 and the rear part 106 of the vehicle 100. In one embodiment, the swing auto-unlock mechanism 108 is configured with the vehicle body 102 to enable a swing according to an average speed or an average throttle input of the vehicle 100. In another embodiment, a swing auto-lock mechanism is configured with the vehicle body 102 to disable the swing according to the average speed or the average throttle input of the vehicle. In the present embodiment, the vehicle 100 is a tri-wheeled vehicle. The vehicle 100 preferably has at least one wheel on the front part 104 and two wheels on the rear part 106. Other embodiment may include vehicle 100 with two wheels or four wheels, and additional wheels on the body 102 of the vehicle 100 are maintained.
[0026] In the present embodiment, a detector 110 is installed in the vehicle 100 to detect the speed or the throttle input of the vehicle 100. In one embodiment, the detector 110 is anyone of an accelerometer, a speed sensor, and a throttle detector. Further, a vehicle control unit 202 (ref fig.2) is configured with the detector 110 for obtaining the average speed/throttle input of the vehicle 100, enabling the swing auto-unlock mechanism 108 to be in unlocked state when the vehicle 100 average speed is less than a threshold speed, or the average throttle input is less than a threshold average value set for the throttle, and enabling the swing auto-unlock mechanism 108 when a rider tilts the vehicle 100 at a slow speed (even less than the threshold speed set for auto-lock) and the vehicle 100 is not positioned at a center point.
[0027] In an alternative embodiment, the vehicle control unit 202 (ref fig.2) obtains the average speed or average throttle input of the vehicle 100 and enables the swing auto lock mechanism when the vehicle 100 average speed is greater than a threshold speed, or the average throttle input is greater than a threshold value of the average throttle set, and also enables the swing auto-unlock mechanism 108 when the rider tilts the vehicle 100 at a high speed (greater than the threshold speed). This helps the rider to drive at greater comfort & make a balance by unlocking the swing in the vehicle 100 at the high speed.
[0028] Fig.2 illustrates a swing auto lock/unlock system 200, according to an embodiment of a present invention. The system 200 includes a swing auto-unlock mechanism 108. Further, a vehicle control unit 202 is configured with a vehicle 100 (ref. fig. 1) to generate an unlocking signal when the vehicle’s 100 average speed is less than a threshold average speed, or an average throttle input is less than a threshold average value set for the throttle, and when a rider’s tilts the vehicle 100 at a slow speed (even less than the threshold speed set for auto-lock) and the vehicle 100 is not positioned at a center point. In the present embodiment, the vehicle 100 is a tri-wheeled vehicle.
[0029] In one embodiment, a detector 110 is configured with the vehicle control unit 202 for determining the speed of the vehicle 100 and the throttle input of the vehicle 100. Further, the detector 110 is anyone of an accelerometer, a speed sensor, and a throttle detector. The accelerometer is used for measuring the acceleration generated in the vehicle body 102. Similarly, the speed detector and throttle detector detect the speed of the vehicle 100 (ref. fig. 1) at which it is moving and the throttle input of the vehicle 100 that is generated while the vehicle is in motion.
[0030] In the present embodiment, the system 200 further includes a switch 204 that is kept at auto lock/unlock of the vehicle 100 (ref. fig. 1). The switch 204 is configured with the vehicle control unit 202 to lock/unlock the swing by activating/deactivating the swing auto lock/unlock mechanism 108.The switch 204 is used for unlocking the swing by activating the swing auto-unlock mechanism 108 upon receiving the unlocking signal from the vehicle control unit 202. The switch 204 is configured in the vehicle 100 in order to activate the swing auto lock or unlock mechanism 108 either automatically or manually. The switch 204 is anyone of a push button switch, selector switch, speed switch, etc.
[0031] ’Moreover, although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions 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, 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 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 vehicle body 102;
a swing auto-unlock mechanism 108 configured with the vehicle body 102;
a detector 110 configured to sense a speed or a throttle input of the vehicle 100; and
a vehicle control unit 202, wherein the vehicle control unit 202 is configured with the detector 110 for:
obtaining the average speed or average throttle input of the vehicle 100;
enabling the swing auto-unlock mechanism 108 when the vehicle's 100 average speed is less than a threshold average speed, or the average throttle input is less than a threshold average value set for the throttle; and
enabling the swing auto-unlock mechanism 108 when a rider tilts the vehicle 100 at a slow speed (even less than the threshold speed set for auto-lock) and the vehicle 100 is not positioned at a center point.
2. The vehicle 100 of claim 1, wherein the vehicle body 102 includes a front part 104 and a rear part 106.
3. The vehicle 100 of claim 1, wherein the swing auto-unlock mechanism 108 supports the vehicle body 102 to enable a swing according to the average speed or the average throttle input of the vehicle 100 during a trip.
4. The vehicle 100 of claim 1, wherein a swing auto-lock mechanism may also be configured with the vehicle body 102 to lock the swing when the vehicle 100 is positioned at the center point.
5. The vehicle 100 of claim 1, wherein the detector 110 is anyone of an accelerometer, a speed sensor, and a throttle detector.
6. A swing auto lock/unlock system for a vehicle, comprising;
a swing auto unlock mechanism 108;
a vehicle control unit 202, wherein the vehicle control unit 202 is configured with a vehicle 100 to generate an unlocking signal when:
the vehicle's 100 average speed is less than a threshold average speed, or an average throttle input is less than a threshold average value set for the throttle;
a rider tilts the vehicle 100 at a slow speed (even less than the threshold speed set for auto-lock) and the vehicle 100 is not positioned at a center point; and
a switch 204, wherein the switch 204 is configured with the vehicle control unit 202 to unlock the swing by activating the swing auto-unlock mechanism 108 upon receiving the unlocking signal from the vehicle control unit 202.
7. The swing auto-lock/unlock system 200 of claim 6, wherein the switch 204 is kept at auto-lock/unlock position in the vehicle 100 & not a manual Lock/unlock position.
8. The swing auto-lock/unlock system 200 of claim 6, wherein a detector 110 is configured with the vehicle control unit 202 for determining the speed of the vehicle 100 and the throttle input of the vehicle 100.
9. The swing auto-lock/unlock system 200 of claim 8, wherein the detector 110 is anyone of an accelerometer, a speed sensor, and a throttle detector.
10. The swing auto-lock/unlock system 200 of claim 6, wherein the vehicle 100 is a tri-wheeled vehicle.