Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to perform a tank turn. An example apparatus includes programmable circuitry to determine that a first brake associated with a first wheel is engaged and a second brake associated with a second wheel is engaged, the first wheel located on an end of a first axle of a vehicle, the second wheel located on an end of a second axle of the vehicle, the end of the first axle opposite to the end of the second axle, cause a first suspension to decrease a first suspension load of the first wheel, cause a second suspension to decrease a second suspension load of the second wheel, cause a first motor to drive the first axle in a first direction, and cause a second motor to drive the second axle in a second direction, the second direction different from the first direction.

An apparatus including a command front wheel angle acquirer to acquire a command front wheel angle, a four-wheel target angle calculator to calculate a turning radius, which is a distance from a center of rotation when a vehicle is turning to a center of gravity in a Bicycle model, using the model in a state in which a front wheel angle of the model is simulated as the command front wheel angle, to calculate a rotation angle at the center of gravity of the model on the basis of a ratio of rotation angles of front and rear wheels of the vehicle calculated from a state parameter of the vehicle, and to calculate a target angle of each of the four wheels on the basis of the turning radius and the rotation angle, and a controller to independently control steering of the four wheels using the calculated each target angle.

The invention relates to a heavy goods vehicle in which the steering system (12) comprises, in addition to a normal steering mode steering device (26) that transfers steering power purely mechanically by means of connecting rods (34) from axle to axle, a crab steering mode steering device (28) that also transfers steering power purely mechanically by means of connecting rods (46) from axle to axle. The individual wheel assemblies (14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24) can be connected by means of coupling devices (56) either to the normal steering mode steering device (26) or to the crab steering mode steering device (28).

A hydraulic steering system, comprising a steering pump and a plurality of digital steering cylinder assemblies Each digital steering cylinder assembly includes a steering cylinder and a digital hydraulic valve configured to selectively communicate a rodless cavity of the steering cylinder with one of the steering pump and a return oil circuit, and communicate a rod cavity of the steering cylinder with the other of the steering pump and the return oil circuit.A controller can be configured to emit a digital pulse signal to a motorand cause the digital hydraulic valve to move towards a first working position or a second working position andA mechanical feedback structure can be configured to be driven by a piston rod of the steering cylinder when the valve core of the digital hydraulic valve moves towards the first working position or the second working position, so as to drive the digital hydraulic valve to return to a neutral position. The system can improve the control precision and the response speed of the steering system.

A vehicle is provided of which the four wheels are steerable, and which is prevented from unexpectedly moving forward or backward when switching the travel mode. The vehicle includes a steering device for front right and front left wheels of the vehicle capable of steering the front right and front left wheels, respectively, in one and the other of the right and left directions, a steering device for rear right and rear left wheels of the vehicle configured, simultaneously when the steering device for the front right and front left wheels are actuated, to be capable of steering the rear right and rear left wheels in the other and the one of the right and left directions, respectively, and in-wheel motors provided in at least one of each of the front right and front left wheels and each of the rear right and rear left wheels.

The technology relates to fine maneuver control of large autonomous vehicles that employ multiple sets of independently actuated wheels. The control is able to optimize the turning radius, effectively negotiate curves, turns, and clear static objects of varying heights. Each wheel or wheel set is configured to adjust individually via control of an on-board computer system. Received sensor data and a physical model of the vehicle can be used for route planning and selecting maneuver operations in accordance with the additional degrees of freedom provided by the independently actuated wheels. This can include making turns, moving into or out of parking spaces, driving along narrow or congested roads, construction zones, loading docks, etc. A given maneuver may include maintaining a minimum threshold distance from a neighboring vehicle or other object.

A pedestrian truck (50) steered with a tiller (56) is operable in a first mode where a controllable front wheel (64) is aligned generally parallel with a front-rear centre line of the truck, or a second mode where the wheel is generally perpendicular to the front-rear centre line. A steering controller can operate in either a normal steering mode to steer the rear steerable wheel (52) in the same sense (clockwise or anticlockwise) as the tiller is rotated and in an alternate steering mode to steer the rear steerable wheel in the opposite sense to the rotation of the tiller. A steering mode selector is provided which automatically engages the alternate steering mode when the truck is in the second mode of operation and either (i) the tiller is positioned on the same side of the centre line as the controllable front wheel and the drive direction is such that the tiller leads the truck (FIGS. 12-14), or (ii) the tiller is positioned on the same side of the centre line as the castor front wheel (58) and the drive direction is such that the tiller trails the truck (FIGS. 4, 5).

Aspects of the invention are directed to running gear for transport devices comprising a guide ring, a wheel carrier configured and arranged to be pivoted within the guide ring about a vertical main axis of rotation and two wheels configured and arranged to be rotated about a common axis of rotation, and an inner ring pivotably mounted in the guide ring via a rotary bearing about the main axis of rotation, and the wheel carrier is pivotably mounted via at least one pivot bearing about a pivot axis perpendicular to the main axis of rotation.

A steering method of a multi-directional industrial truck for controlling a movement of the multi-directional industrial truck from a starting position into a target position. The method includes selectively controlling automatically at least one of a rotatory component of the movement and a translatory component of the movement.

A sport-wheeled chassis is provided for connecting to a mobility device, which comprises a suspension set up under the bottom of the mobility device, a steering pivotally connected to the suspension, a controller connected to the suspension and steering electrically, tires which are pivotally connected to the steering and disposed under the steering, and a steering shaft of the steering which coincides axially with the steering shaft of the tire so that the controller can operate the turning direction of the tire and the height of the suspension through the suspension and the steering. The chassis is not only with a simple structure, but also with a suspension to control the height of the chassis off the ground, so that the chassis can maintain stability in any rugged environment, and, with its attached wheels, the chassis can move to desired places fast and accurately.