Patent ID: 7328762
Filing Date: 2008-02-12
Classification: B62D

Abstract:
1. An electric vehicle comprising: a machine body; an operation panel disposed on the machine body; first and second traveling units disposed on opposite sides of the machine body; first and second electric motors for driving the respective first and second traveling units; a speed adjusting lever disposed on the operation panel for adjusting a speed of the first and second traveling units, the speed adjusting lever comprising a first spot-turn switch operable to cause the first electric motor to rotate in a reverse direction and simultaneously cause the second electric motor to rotate in a forward direction, a second spot-turn switch operable to cause the second electric motor to rotate in the reverse direction and simultaneously cause the first electric motor to rotate in the forward direction, a lever body, a rotational operating member rotatably mounted on the lever body to undergo rotational movement in a first direction or in a second direction opposite to the first direction from a neutral position of the rotational operating member, a rotational-angle restriction mechanism that restricts a rotational angle of the rotational operating member, and an automatic return mechanism that automatically returns the rotational operating member to the neutral position upon removal of an operating force having turned the rotational operating member in the first direction or in the second direction from the neutral position; speed adjustment means for generating a speed adjusting signal in response to operation of the speed adjusting lever; and a control unit for controlling rotation of the first and second electric motors in accordance with the speed adjusting signal generated by the speed adjustment means.