A track assembly is to be mounted on a drive axle of a vehicle. The track assembly has a frame, at least one leading idler wheel mounted to the front of the frame for rotation about a transverse leading idler wheel axis, at least one trailing idler wheel mounted to the rear of the frame for rotation about a traverse trailing idler wheel axis parallel to the leading idler wheel axis, a single drive wheel assembly, and at least two slide rails. The slide rails have corresponding forward-facing portions, central portions, and rearward-facing portions. The forward-facing portions project from the front ends of the central portions by a projection that is greater than a length of the central portions. A vehicle having the track assembly is also encompassed. A kit of track assemblies is also encompassed.

A smart steering control system a paving or texturing machine receives path elements corresponding to current and future positions of the machine. By comparing the current and future elements, an expected completion time is derived for exiting the current position and entering the future position; the smart steering control system synchronizes adjustments of the machine's steerable tracks from the current path to the future path. The smart steering control system functions as a virtual tie rod, preventing damage, enhancing the traction control and pulling power of the machine, and preserving the operating life of its components.

A smart steering control system a paving or texturing machine receives path elements corresponding to current and future positions of the machine. By comparing the current and future elements, an expected completion time is derived for exiting the current position and entering the future position; the smart steering control system synchronizes adjustments of the machine's steerable tracks from the current path to the future path. The smart steering control system functions as a virtual tie rod, preventing damage, enhancing the traction control and pulling power of the machine, and preserving the operating life of its components.

A track assembly is to be mounted on a drive axle of a vehicle. The track assembly has a frame, at least one leading idler wheel mounted to the front of the frame for rotation about a transverse leading idler wheel axis, at least one trailing idler wheel mounted to the rear of the frame for rotation about a traverse trailing idler wheel axis parallel to the leading idler wheel axis, a single drive wheel assembly, and at least two slide rails. The slide rails have corresponding forward-facing portions, central portions, and rearward-facing portions. The forward-facing portions project from the front ends of the central portions by a projection that is greater than a length of the central portions. A vehicle having the track assembly is also described.

A track assembly is to be mounted on a drive axle of a vehicle. The track assembly has a frame, at least one leading idler wheel mounted to the front of the frame for rotation about a transverse leading idler wheel axis, at least one trailing idler wheel mounted to the rear of the frame for rotation about a traverse trailing idler wheel axis parallel to the leading idler wheel axis, a single drive wheel assembly, and at least two slide rails. The slide rails have corresponding forward-facing portions, central portions, and rearward-facing portions. The forward-facing portions project from the front ends of the central portions by a projection that is greater than a length of the central portions. A vehicle having the track assembly is also described.

A mobile machine includes a computerized system for determining a synchronized free-floating center of rotation. The synchronized free-floating center of rotation effectively coordinates the rotation of the machine's tracks or wheels in that it constrains the angles of rotation. The synchronized free-floating center of rotation is calculated based on a line-line intersection derived from a combined attack angle and one or more known reference points. Such system may allow rotation and counter-rotation utilizing a uniform hydraulic pressure for hydraulically driven tracks.

A giant six-legged polar research vehicle with tracked feet, including a platform, six legs arranged at six ends of the platform and six tracked feet arranged below the six legs. A monitoring device is arranged on a top cover. Six power compartments each having a steering device are arranged at six ends of a chassis in the platform. Each leg includes a main traveling device with an upper end and a lower end respectively connected to the steering device and a tracked foot, an auxiliary traveling device with an upper end and a lower end respectively connected to the chassis and the main traveling device, and a connecting device arranged on the main traveling device. The tracked foot includes a main flipping mechanism, an auxiliary flipping mechanism, a tracked foot slewing device, a crawler, a sliding plate and a suspension.

Steering a vehicle in an electronic steering mode of operation that includes a front axle steering system, a rear axle steering system, one or more vehicle environment sensors, and a controller operatively coupled with the front axle steering system, the rear axle steering system, and the vehicle environment sensors. Commanding the vehicle to operate at a desired vehicle speed, detecting a lateral force acting on the vehicle in response to input from the vehicle environment sensors, and determining an actual lateral acceleration of the vehicle and a predicted lateral acceleration of the vehicle from the desired vehicle speed. Determining a lateral acceleration error by comparing the predicted lateral acceleration to the actual lateral acceleration, and determining if the lateral acceleration error exceeds a lateral acceleration limit, then turning both of the front axle steering system and the rear axle steering system to a crab steering correction angle.

A track system includes an attachment assembly including at least one of a first pivot defining a roll pivot axis, a second pivot defining a pitch pivot axis, and a third pivot defining a yaw pivot axis of the track system. A frame assembly is disposed laterally outwardly from the attachment assembly and connected to the attachment assembly. The track system further includes at least one actuator for pivoting the frame assembly about at least one of the roll and yaw pivot axes, and at least one monitoring for determining, at least indirectly, at least one of a state of the track system and a ground surface condition. The at least one monitoring sensor is communicating with a track system controller to control the operation of the at least one actuator based on the at least one of the state of the track system and the ground surface condition.

A track system includes an attachment assembly including at least one of a first pivot defining a roll pivot axis, a second pivot defining a pitch pivot axis, and a third pivot defining a yaw pivot axis of the track system. A frame assembly is disposed laterally outwardly from the attachment assembly and connected to the attachment assembly. The track system further includes at least one actuator for pivoting the frame assembly about at least one of the roll and yaw pivot axes, and at least one monitoring for determining, at least indirectly, at least one of a state of the track system and a ground surface condition. The at least one monitoring sensor is communicating with a track system controller to control the operation of the at least one actuator based on the at least one of the state of the track system and the ground surface condition.