Compact Vehicle

Abstract

A seat section protecting structure, having a seat at the center thereof, is supported on a chassis frame so that it can swivel horizontally. While running, the lateral side of the seat is covered by the seat section protecting structure so as to protect the passenger from the risk of a collision from the side of the vehicle or a rollover, and while the passenger gets on/off, the seat section protecting structure swivels so that the opening, which allows the passenger to get on/off therethrough, is located on the lateral side of the vehicle. The vehicle has its seat and batteries arranged at optimal positions so as to increase the space efficiency and safety within a limited volume space. Moreover, a steering handle is provided, which is made while taking passenger accessibility into consideration, and an airbag unique to this vehicle is provided in order to increase safety.

1 . A compact vehicle comprising:
 a chassis frame supporting a front wheel, a rear wheel, a driving device for driving the front wheel or the rear wheel, and a steering device for steering the front wheel or the rear wheel;   a passenger compartment arranged generally at a center of the chassis frame; and   a single passenger seat in a width direction of the vehicle, the passenger seat being arranged in the passenger compartment, wherein a passenger protecting structure is formed by an outer shell of the passenger compartment and a sub-frame;   the passenger protecting structure includes a seat section protecting structure;   battery protection cases for accommodating batteries for supplying power to the driving device are supported on the chassis frame in a distributed manner in left-right symmetry, between an inner rear side of the front wheel and the passenger protecting structure or between an inner front side of the rear wheel and the passenger protecting structure, and   wherein the passenger protecting structure and at least a portion of the battery protection cases overlap with each other as viewed from above; or   an outer profile of the front wheel or the rear wheel and at least a portion of the battery protection cases overlap with each other as viewed from side; or   the passenger protecting structure and at least a portion of the battery protection cases overlap with each other as viewed from side.   
     
     
         2 . The compact vehicle according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a slope inclined upwardly away from a center of the vehicle is formed on a lower outer side of the passenger protecting structure;   the battery protection cases being located between an inner rear side of the front wheel and the passenger protecting structure or between an inner front side of the rear wheel and the passenger protecting structure, wherein the battery support members have an impact strength set to be lower than an impact strength of the battery protection cases;   a slope corresponding to a slope in a lower outer portion of the passenger protecting structure is formed on a surface of the battery protection case facing toward a center of the vehicle; and   when the vehicle undergoes a collision, the battery support member can deform and break, thereby allowing the battery protection case to move along the lower outer slope of the passenger protecting structure.