JPH07123529A - Small electric car - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To improve maneuverability in a small electric vehicle while ensuring driving safety in an emergency. [Structure] A vehicle body is configured to be driven and driven by an electric motor, and the operation tool 9 for the electric motor is configured to be operated by performing a grip operation together with a control grip portion 8a of the control section 6, and the operation tool 9 is In a small electric vehicle, which is provided in a traveling urged state in a return-biased state and is configured to be switched to the traveling position by the common grip operation, a holding mechanism K capable of holding the operation tool 9 at a predetermined traveling position is provided. The holding state by the holding mechanism K can be automatically released by further gripping the operation tool 9 beyond the predetermined traveling position.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a small electric vehicle, such as a small passenger electric vehicle or an electric golf cart, which is intended for the elderly and the physically handicapped. In addition to the above-mentioned configuration, by operating the operating grip together with the operating grip in the operating section, the operating tool for the electric drive mechanism is operated.
The operation tool relates to a small electric vehicle that is provided in a travel stop position in a return-biased state and is configured to be switched to the travel position by the common grip operation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the above-mentioned compact electric vehicle, conventionally, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-244701,
There has been a configuration in which the traveling speed is increased as the speed setter is gripped and operated, and while the vehicle body is traveling, the joint grip state is maintained to maintain a desired traveling speed.

[0003]

With the above-described structure, for example, in a low-speed electric vehicle intended for the elderly and the physically handicapped, the driver releases his hand from the control grip for some reason during operation. With this, the vehicle body is automatically stopped to improve driving safety. However, with the above-described conventional structure, even if the vehicle travels at a constant speed for a long time, it is necessary to always maintain the grip state of the operating tool together with the steering grip, and the traveling speed can be increased each time the hand is released. There was room for improvement due to the troublesome operation such as changes. The present invention aims to eliminate the above-mentioned problems.

[0004]

According to a characteristic configuration of the present invention, in the small electric vehicle described at the beginning, a holding mechanism for holding the operating tool at a predetermined traveling position is provided.
The holding state by the holding mechanism can be automatically released by further gripping the operating tool beyond the predetermined traveling position.

[0005]

For example, when traveling at a predetermined traveling speed for a long time, the operating tool can be grasped and operated to a predetermined traveling position and held by the holding mechanism. Therefore, even if the operator releases his / her hand from the operation tool such as a re-grip operation of the fingers, the problem that the traveling speed changes each time is solved. In addition, even when it is necessary to stop traveling while traveling in the holding state, the holding state can be released without requiring a special holding release operation simply by further grasping the operating tool from that position. Therefore, in an emergency, you will not make a mistake in making a false judgment.

[0006]

As described above, the troublesome operation such as holding the operating tool during the constant speed running for a long time is eliminated, the maneuverability is improved, and even when an emergency is required,
There is no hassle of stopping operation and running safety is secured.

[0007]

Embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 4
1 shows a walk-behind electric golf cart as an example of a small electric vehicle. This electric golf cart is of a three-wheel type having one front wheel 2 and a pair of left and right rear wheels 3 on a body frame 1, and a club case 5 for accommodating a golf club is provided above and above a body case 4. In addition, a steering section 6 is provided on the upper rear side of the vehicle body case 4, and each of the rear wheels 3 and 3 is provided with an electric motor 7 [an example of an electric drive mechanism].
The front wheels are configured so as to be steerable and swingable by an electric motor (not shown).
It is configured to be self-propelled by driving the rear wheels while steering.

Next, the traveling operation structure of this electric golf cart will be described. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the control section 6 is provided with a control handle 8 having a substantially loop shape in a plan view. It is rotatably provided around X.
Further, the operation tool 9 has a substantially T-shape in plan view, and a rod portion extending in the front-rear direction is bent in a substantially L-shape in side view, and an operation piece 11 is attached to a rotation support shaft 10 thereof so as to be integrally rotatable. or,
The operation tool 9 is provided with a gripping portion 9a by a spiral spring 12.
Is urged upward in a direction away from the steering grip 8a toward the front upper side, and the operator grips the steering grip 8a against the spring force to rotate downward. .
As described above, when the joint grip operation is performed, the operation piece 11 swings upward to turn on the drive switch SW of the electric motor 7, the electric motor 7 is driven, and the vehicle body is switched to the traveling state. I am doing it.

A holding mechanism K for holding the operating tool 9 at a predetermined traveling position is provided, and a holding state by the holding mechanism K is obtained by further gripping the operating tool 9 beyond the predetermined traveling position. Is configured to be automatically released. More specifically, in the vicinity of the operation piece 11,
When the operating piece 11 is swung upward, the operating piece 11 enters the lower side of the operating piece 11 in a restricted position to prevent the operating piece 11 from returning to the off position, and a non-acting position which allows the operating piece 11 to freely swing. A restricting member 13 rotatable about an axis Y is provided in a state of being rotationally biased to a non-acting position by a helical spring 14, and an operating lever 15 provided on a side of a grip portion 8a of a steering handle 8 is provided. And the regulating member 13 with the wire 16
The restricting member 13 is switched from the non-acting position to the restricting position when the operator pulls the operation lever 15 in cooperation with the restricting member 13. Further, the vertical surface portion 1 is provided on both left and right edges of the contact portion of the regulating member 13 with respect to the operation piece 11.
7 and 17 are formed, and the speed holding mechanism K is configured so as to prevent the spring urging force from coming off and reliably maintain the contact regulation state.

As shown in FIG. 3, in the contact regulation state by the regulation member 13, the operation tool 9 is at a position slightly before the maximum grip operation position (release), and the drive switch SW is in the ON state. Is set to a position (ON) for maintaining the position, and when releasing the restricted state, when the operating tool 9 is further grasped to the maximum grasping operation position (released), the operation piece 11 is operated. When the contact with the vertical surface portions 17 and 7 is released, the regulating member 13 is automatically returned to the non-acting position by the spring force, and then the joint grip operation of the operating tool 9 is released, the operating tool 9 is in the off position (OFF). Then, the electric motor 7 stops driving.

[Other Embodiments] The operation tool is operated by operating a potentiometer whose output changes linearly in accordance with an operation amount, instead of operating an electric motor starting switch.
It may be configured such that the traveling speed can be freely changed. or,
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be applied not only to golf carts, but also to small passenger electric vehicles for the elderly and people with disabilities, small electric vehicles for carrying luggage in factories, and the like.

It should be noted that although reference numerals are given in the claims for facilitating the comparison with the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the configurations of the accompanying drawings by the entry.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a control unit.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the control unit.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of the action of a holding mechanism.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the golf cart.

[Explanation of symbols]

 6 Control part 7 Electric drive mechanism 8a Control grip part 9 Operation tool K holding mechanism

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. The electric drive mechanism (7) is configured so as to drive the vehicle body to travel, and the electric drive mechanism (7) is operated together with the control grip (8a) in the control section (6). ) Is operated to operate the operating tool (9), the operating tool (9) is provided at the traveling stop position in a return-biased state, and is configured to be switched to the traveling position by the common grip operation. An electric vehicle comprising a holding mechanism (K) capable of holding the operating tool (9) at a predetermined traveling position, and further operating the operating tool (9) by gripping the operating tool (9) beyond the predetermined traveling position. A small electric vehicle configured to automatically release the holding state by the holding mechanism (K).