B62D12/00

Vehicle Articulating and Caster Steering
20220111894 · 2022-04-14 ·

A ground maintenance vehicle that includes: front steering wheels; rear drive wheels; a frame with a first and second pivot point; a single lever steering assembly with a single lever steering control, where the single lever steering assembly is coupled to the first pivot point; multi-axis articulating joint coupled to the second pivot point; a front caster steering assembly coupled to the multi-axis articulating joint; and where the front caster steering assembly and the multi-axis articulating joint simultaneously provide articulating and caster steering proportional to lateral movement from the single lever steering control.

Vehicle Articulating and Caster Steering
20220111894 · 2022-04-14 ·

A ground maintenance vehicle that includes: front steering wheels; rear drive wheels; a frame with a first and second pivot point; a single lever steering assembly with a single lever steering control, where the single lever steering assembly is coupled to the first pivot point; multi-axis articulating joint coupled to the second pivot point; a front caster steering assembly coupled to the multi-axis articulating joint; and where the front caster steering assembly and the multi-axis articulating joint simultaneously provide articulating and caster steering proportional to lateral movement from the single lever steering control.

COAXIAL CO-LOCATED VEHICLE DRIVE POWER AND STEERING SYSTEM
20210323604 · 2021-10-21 ·

A coaxial co-located vehicle power drive and steering system includes a motor coupled to a transmission having a drive shaft with a first portion and a second portion mechanically interlocked by a spline having corresponding meshing features extending parallel to the drive shaft longitudinal axis. A drive shaft housing enclosing at least a length of the drive shaft, the drive shaft housing including a first portion and a second portion mechanically interlocked by a spline having corresponding meshing features extending parallel to the drive shaft longitudinal axis. A distal end of the drive shaft terminating within a differential gearbox in mechanical communication with an axle. A steering system coupled to the drive shaft housing second portion, the steering system including one or more rotatable gears which cause an angular rotation of the housing in relation to the drive shaft.

COAXIAL CO-LOCATED VEHICLE DRIVE POWER AND STEERING SYSTEM
20210323604 · 2021-10-21 ·

A coaxial co-located vehicle power drive and steering system includes a motor coupled to a transmission having a drive shaft with a first portion and a second portion mechanically interlocked by a spline having corresponding meshing features extending parallel to the drive shaft longitudinal axis. A drive shaft housing enclosing at least a length of the drive shaft, the drive shaft housing including a first portion and a second portion mechanically interlocked by a spline having corresponding meshing features extending parallel to the drive shaft longitudinal axis. A distal end of the drive shaft terminating within a differential gearbox in mechanical communication with an axle. A steering system coupled to the drive shaft housing second portion, the steering system including one or more rotatable gears which cause an angular rotation of the housing in relation to the drive shaft.

SYSTEM ARCHITECTURES FOR STEERING AND WORK FUNCTIONS IN A WHEEL LOADER

A hydraulic system (40) for a work machine comprising a priority circuit (41) including at least a first priority actuator (47, 48) and a priority control valve (58) for controlling the supply of hydraulic fluid to the first priority actuator (47, 48) and for providing a load sense signal indicative of the load acting on the first priority actuator (47, 48); an auxiliary circuit (42) including at least a first auxiliary actuator (51) and at least a first auxiliary control valve (80) for controlling the supply of hydraulic fluid to the first auxiliary actuator (51); at least a first pump (46) for producing a flow of hydraulic fluid; and a priority valve (74) for distributing the flow from the pump (46) to the priority circuit (41) and auxiliary circuit (42) for operating the respective actuators thereof, with priority being given to the priority circuit (41) as a function of the load sense signal.

SYSTEM ARCHITECTURES FOR STEERING AND WORK FUNCTIONS IN A WHEEL LOADER

A hydraulic system (40) for a work machine comprising a priority circuit (41) including at least a first priority actuator (47, 48) and a priority control valve (58) for controlling the supply of hydraulic fluid to the first priority actuator (47, 48) and for providing a load sense signal indicative of the load acting on the first priority actuator (47, 48); an auxiliary circuit (42) including at least a first auxiliary actuator (51) and at least a first auxiliary control valve (80) for controlling the supply of hydraulic fluid to the first auxiliary actuator (51); at least a first pump (46) for producing a flow of hydraulic fluid; and a priority valve (74) for distributing the flow from the pump (46) to the priority circuit (41) and auxiliary circuit (42) for operating the respective actuators thereof, with priority being given to the priority circuit (41) as a function of the load sense signal.

Motor grader with comfort steering

A motor grader having an articulated frame that includes a first front frame portion and a second rear frame portion that is angularly moving with respect to the first frame portion around a pivoting axis. A front steering system includes front wheels that are movable around a steering axis with respect to the articulated frame and around leaning axis transversal to the steering axis so that the front wheels may turn and lean during steering operation. A control unit receives as an input a control signal representing a steering angle and outputs steering actuation commands for an hydraulic actuating system of the front steering system and for a hydraulic actuating system of the articulated frame realizing synchronized and proportional angular movements of the front wheels around the steering and leaning axes and of the first and second portions of the frame around the pivoting axis.

Motor grader with comfort steering

A motor grader having an articulated frame that includes a first front frame portion and a second rear frame portion that is angularly moving with respect to the first frame portion around a pivoting axis. A front steering system includes front wheels that are movable around a steering axis with respect to the articulated frame and around leaning axis transversal to the steering axis so that the front wheels may turn and lean during steering operation. A control unit receives as an input a control signal representing a steering angle and outputs steering actuation commands for an hydraulic actuating system of the front steering system and for a hydraulic actuating system of the articulated frame realizing synchronized and proportional angular movements of the front wheels around the steering and leaning axes and of the first and second portions of the frame around the pivoting axis.

STEER BY WIRE WITH MECHANICAL SAFETY BACKUP FOR A TRACK VEHICLE
20210291899 · 2021-09-23 ·

A hybrid hydro-mechanical/electronic steering system for a track vehicle, where the driver system can simultaneously use hydro-mechanical connections and electronic (steer by wire) connections to steer a track vehicle such as a tank, where safeguards for safety and reliability include seamless transition between electronic to hydro-mechanical control and vice versa, such that the system can be used in a single or double chassis track vehicle and is adaptable for autonomous driving.

CONSTRUCTION-VEHICLE AUTONOMOUS TRAVEL CONTROL DEVICE
20210240193 · 2021-08-05 ·

A construction-vehicle autonomous travel control device to correct a steering angle so as to direct to a target point set on a target track includes: an expected arrival point calculator to calculate an expected arrival point of a vehicle to arrive after a predetermined time based on a vehicle speed and a steering angle; and a corrected steering angle calculator to calculate a corrected steering angle so as to direct the expected arrival point to the target point.