A vehicle drive unit and land vehicle comprising the drive unit are disclosed. Each drive unit comprises a pair of longitudinally spaced apart rotatable drive structures. The land vehicle comprises a pair of drive units on opposite sides thereof. The drive units comprise an electric motor for powering the rotatable drive structures and a gear drive assembly comprising structure for disengaging the electric motor. The drive units may be remotely controllable, may be water-tight and may be floatable. The vehicle comprising the drive unit may be amphibious.

A method is provided for determining whether or not ground contact loss is imminent for a wheel of a vehicle, the vehicle including a vehicle body having a vertical extension in a vertical direction, the wheel being allowed to be subjected to a relative vertical displacement, in the vertical direction, in relation to the vehicle body, the vehicle further being such that a maximum value of a vertical displacement of the wheel relative to the vehicle body is limited to a relative vertical displacement limit, the method including determining an actual relative vertical displacement of the wheel relative to the vehicle body, determining a limit margin as the difference between the actual relative vertical displacement and the relative vertical position limit, and determining that ground contact loss is imminent for a wheel if the limit margin is within a predetermined vertical threshold range.

A method is provided for determining whether or not ground contact loss is imminent for a wheel of a vehicle, the vehicle including a vehicle body having a vertical extension in a vertical direction, the wheel being allowed to be subjected to a relative vertical displacement, in the vertical direction, in relation to the vehicle body, the vehicle further being such that a maximum value of a vertical displacement of the wheel relative to the vehicle body is limited to a relative vertical displacement limit, the method including determining an actual relative vertical displacement of the wheel relative to the vehicle body, determining a limit margin as the difference between the actual relative vertical displacement and the relative vertical position limit, and determining that ground contact loss is imminent for a wheel if the limit margin is within a predetermined vertical threshold range.

A right shock absorber and a left shock absorber are provided on outer sides of a left front wheel and a right front wheel that define a steering allowable space therebetween. At a lower portion of the right shock absorber, an outer edge of a right front fender is positioned farther radially outwards than an outer edge of the right front wheel, and a right guide wall that extends from the outer edge inwards is provided in an upper rear area to the left of the right front wheel. At a lower portion of the left shock absorber, an outer edge of a left front fender is positioned farther radially outwards than an outer edge of the left front wheel, and a left guide wall that extends from the outer edge inwards is provided in an upper rear area to the right of the left front wheel.

A right shock absorber and a left shock absorber are provided on outer sides of a left front wheel and a right front wheel that define a steering allowable space therebetween. At a lower portion of the right shock absorber, an outer edge of a right front fender is positioned farther radially outwards than an outer edge of the right front wheel, and a right guide wall that extends from the outer edge inwards is provided in an upper rear area to the left of the right front wheel. At a lower portion of the left shock absorber, an outer edge of a left front fender is positioned farther radially outwards than an outer edge of the left front wheel, and a left guide wall that extends from the outer edge inwards is provided in an upper rear area to the right of the left front wheel.

A vehicle suspension arrangement includes mounting brackets configured to couple to a vehicle frame assembly, trailing arms coupled to the mounting brackets, a first axle member coupled to the trailing arms, an air spring arrangement coupled to the vehicle frame assembly and one of the trailing arms, and an air spring arrangement, wherein the first end, the second end and the air spring arrangement cooperate to define an interior space, a second axle member spaced from the first axle member, a sensor arrangement position within the interior space and configured to sense an operational parameter of the air spring arrangement, and a control arrangement operably coupled to the sensor arrangement and configured to receive information from the first sensor arrangement, wherein the control arrangement is configured to control at least one operational characteristic of the second axle member based upon the information received from the sensor arrangement.

The invention relates to a bogie axle (10) for a vehicle (12) with a preferred travelling direction (V). The bogie axle (10) comprises at least one axle rocker (14) which has, as output, two hubs (16) which are arranged spaced apart for the arrangement of a front wheel (18) and a rear wheel (18), and which has an eccentric axle rocker mounting (20) which is arranged between the hubs (16) for pivotable mounting of the axle rocker (14) on an axle carrier, wherein the axle rocker mounting (20) has, as input, an input shaft (22) which, in order to drive the front wheel (18) and the rear wheel (18), is coupled thereto via at least one transmission (24). A geometry of the at least one axle rocker (14) corresponds to formula (I): in which e denotes an eccentricity of a rotational axis (D) of the axle rocker mounting (20) in the preferred travelling direction (V) starting from a centre axis (M) which is arranged between the hubs (16). The invention further relates to a vehicle (12) with a bogie axle (10) of this type.

[00001]$\begin{array}{cc}0.05?\frac{e}{R\left(1-\frac{i_{BB}}{t}\right)+a}=\frac{\mathrm{FT}}{\mathrm{FG}}?0.4& \left(I\right)\end{array}$

The invention relates to a bogie axle (10) for a vehicle (12) with a preferred travelling direction (V). The bogie axle (10) comprises at least one axle rocker (14) which has, as output, two hubs (16) which are arranged spaced apart for the arrangement of a front wheel (18) and a rear wheel (18), and which has an eccentric axle rocker mounting (20) which is arranged between the hubs (16) for pivotable mounting of the axle rocker (14) on an axle carrier, wherein the axle rocker mounting (20) has, as input, an input shaft (22) which, in order to drive the front wheel (18) and the rear wheel (18), is coupled thereto via at least one transmission (24). A geometry of the at least one axle rocker (14) corresponds to formula (I): in which e denotes an eccentricity of a rotational axis (D) of the axle rocker mounting (20) in the preferred travelling direction (V) starting from a centre axis (M) which is arranged between the hubs (16). The invention further relates to a vehicle (12) with a bogie axle (10) of this type.

[00001]$\begin{array}{cc}0.05?\frac{e}{R\left(1-\frac{i_{BB}}{t}\right)+a}=\frac{\mathrm{FT}}{\mathrm{FG}}?0.4& \left(I\right)\end{array}$

A trackless train with complementary steering couplings between axles and cars transmits steering forces from one axle to the next, in succession. Couplings couple axles of cars, as well as adjacent axles between adjacent cars. Each axle assembly may either pivot about a central bearing or include a pivoting steering arm for each wheel that pivots about a steering pin, with wheels on the inside of a turn pivoting more than wheels on the outside of a turn. Differentials may be provided to transfer power to each wheel, including from car to car.

A trackless train with complementary steering couplings between axles and cars transmits steering forces from one axle to the next, in succession. Couplings couple axles of cars, as well as adjacent axles between adjacent cars. Each axle assembly may either pivot about a central bearing or include a pivoting steering arm for each wheel that pivots about a steering pin, with wheels on the inside of a turn pivoting more than wheels on the outside of a turn. Differentials may be provided to transfer power to each wheel, including from car to car.