Motor vehicles – Special wheel base – Having only two wheels
Patent
1990-09-28
1992-06-16
Marmor, Charles A.
Motor vehicles
Special wheel base
Having only two wheels
280772, 301 1, B62K 1100
Patent
active
051218097
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention concerns a motorized or tractor drawn vehicle designed for travel on a particular surface, said vehicle comprising at least two wheels, at least one of which is a drive wheel, each of these wheels comprising a central portion connected to the base structure of the vehicle and a peripheral portion concentric to the said central portion and disposed to turn about the central portion, said central portion and said peripheral portion being interconnected by means of at least a first ring shaped bearing, said first bearing comprising at least one interior annular element integral with the said central portion of the wheel and at least one peripheral annular portion concentric to the said interior annular portion and integral with the said peripheral portion, said latter portion having a contact means appropriate to the nature of the surface with which the vehicle will be in contact, and the said central portion of the wheel being connected to the base structure of the vehicle at least one connection point which is off-center on the wheel, wherein the said drive wheel is connected to the base structure of the vehicle by at least a second bearing disposed in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the said first bearing and comprising a first interior element integral with the interior annular element of the said first bearing and a second exterior element integral with the base structure of the vehicle.
Vehicles of this type are already known, particularly motorcycles in which the provision of a drive wheel such as that described above offers considerable advantages with respect to road traction, stability, ease of manipulation, braking safety, and lightness, by virtue of a new concept for the supporting structure, etc.
High performance motorcycles, especially racing motorcycles, must be able to respond to extreme conditions without endangering the driver. Nonetheless, with known vehicles, these conditions sometimes exceed performance capabilities and cause accidents. In these situations, the driver generally cannot avoid falling.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention proposes to overcome this disadvantage and has as its object the provision of a novel, auxiliary means with which the driver can extricate himself from a situation which would be irreversible if he were at the wheel of a conventional motorcycle. This means is a device for controlling deviation of the drive wheel, capable of generating restoring torque when a critical degree of tilting has been reached or even surpassed.
To achieve this, the vehicle according to the invention is characterized in that the said second bearing is excentrically mounted on a plate pivotable around an axle perpendicular to the plane of the plate and parallel to the arc of the second bearing, and in that the vehicle is provided with a device disposed to cause the said plate to pivot around its axis.
According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the plate is attached to a annular guide integral with the suspension arm of the drive wheel of the vehicle.
According to a preferred embodiment, the device which causes the said plate to pivot comprises a screw driven by an electric motor, said screw engaging a toothed portion integral with the said plate.
Preferably, the said second bearing is mounted in an off-center opening disposed in the plate and is attached to said plate by means of its second exterior element.
Said second exterior element of the second bearing may be attached to the plate by a peripheral connecting ring in the off-center opening in said plate.
According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the device which causes the said plate to pivot comprises at least one rod coupled with a piston.
The present invention will be better understood with reference to the description of one exemplary embodiment and to the attached drawings, in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a motorcycle constituting a preferred embodiment of the vehicle according to the inv
REFERENCES:
patent: 4045096 (1977-08-01), Lidov
patent: 4526249 (1985-07-01), Parker
patent: 4723621 (1988-02-01), Kawano et al.
patent: 4726603 (1988-02-01), Sugiyama et al.
patent: 4813511 (1989-03-01), Yamaguchi et al.
patent: 4836577 (1989-06-01), Abe et al.
patent: 5014808 (1991-05-01), Savard et al.
Hurley Kevin
Marmor Charles A.
SM Sbarro Mottas Engineering S.A.
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