Multifunctional traction or carrier vehicle

Abstract

In accordance with the disclosure provision is made for a vehicle. The vehicle is characterized in that a vehicle chassis of this vehicle includes a roughly tubular frame, a gearbox housing and underbody paneling. The frame, the gearbox housing and the underbody paneling are connected in such a manner that they form the vehicle chassis and hence a load-bearing frame for engine, bodywork and/or payload.

Claims

1. A multifunctional tractor and carrier vehicle (1) with a vehicle chassis (5), wherein the vehicle chassis (5) comprises: an underbody (12) of plate-form design, a gearbox (3) arranged in a gearbox housing (2) connected to the underbody (12), and a frame (14) which is connected to the underbody (12) and/or the gearbox housing (2) and which comprises tubular members, wherein the underbody (12), the gearbox housing (2) and the frame (14) form a load-bearing structure of the vehicle, a drive shaft (15) and a power take-off shaft (16) which extend axially on either side of the gearbox (3) through the carrier vehicle (1) from rear to front, and an engine (4), wherein the engine (4) and the gearbox (3) are arranged parallel to each other and each are arranged in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle (8).

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein at least one tubular member of the frame (14) is designed as a compressed air reservoir (21) for at least a pneumatic means of the vehicle.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein a center axis (9) extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and the gearbox (3) is arranged approximately to the side of the center axis (9), wherein this side is designated as the gearbox side (10), and a drive section of the gearbox is arranged centrally in the center of the vehicle so that the gearbox (3) is designed to drive a drive shaft (15) extending in the direction of the center axis (9) and/or a power take-off shaft (16) extending in the direction of the center axis (9), and wherein the engine (4) of the vehicle is arranged in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (8) centrally adjacent to the gearbox (3) on a different side of the center axis (9), this side of the vehicle being designated as the engine side (11).

4. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein on the engine side (11) are arranged an engine radiator (17) and/or an intercooler (18), the end walls of which extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (8).

5. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein on the gearbox side (10) are arranged a gearbox cooler (19) and/or a cooler for a hydraulic equipment (20), the end walls of which extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (8).

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle chassis (5) extends over three levels arranged vertically above one another, wherein the underbody (12) is provided at a lower level, the gearbox housing (2) at mid-level and the frame (14) at an upper level.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the underbody (12) is connected to the gearbox housing (2) and the underbody (12) is connected to the frame (14) by way of a coupling device (13), the coupling device (13) being a docking receiver, positioned at the front in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (8) and/or at the back in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (8).

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein a central tubular module (22) is arranged between the gearbox housing (2) and each of a front axle (23) and a rear axle (24).

9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the central tubular modules (22) are load-bearing parts inside the chassis (5) of the vehicle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) A detailed description of various aspects, features, and embodiments of the subject matter described herein is provided with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are briefly described below. The drawings are illustrative and are not necessarily drawn to scale, with some components and features being exaggerated for clarity. The drawings illustrate various aspects and features of the present subject matter and may illustrate one or more embodiment(s) or example(s) of the present subject matter in whole or in part.

(2) FIG. 1: a schematic plan view of a multifunctional tractor and carrier vehicle suitable for use on hilly terrain according to the disclosure,

(3) FIG. 2: a schematic laterally fragmented representation of the chassis of the vehicle according to the disclosure,

(4) FIG. 3: a perspective view of a docking receiver,

(5) FIG. 4: a lateral plan view of the docking receiver,

(6) FIG. 5: a plan view of the docking receiver from the front, and

(7) FIG. 6: a plan view of the docking receiver from above.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

(8) The vehicle 1 according to the disclosure may, for example, be designed with all-wheel drive and includes a gearbox 3 provided in a gearbox housing 2, an engine 4, a vehicle chassis 5 and two axles 6 connected thereto, each with two wheels 7. With reference to a centre axis 9 extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 8 the gearbox 3 is arranged approximately to the side of the centre axis in a central region of the vehicle 1. This side of the vehicle is designated the gearbox side 10.

(9) The engine 4 is arranged in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 8 centrally adjacent to the gearbox 3 on a side of the centre axis 9 opposite the gearbox side 10. This side of the vehicle 1 is designated as the engine side 11. Vertically underneath the gearbox housing is provided a plate-type underbody 12 which is connected to the gearbox housing. In the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 8 at the front and in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 8 at the rear the underbody 12 is connected to a frame 14 by a coupling means 13. The gearbox 3 and the gearbox housing 2, the underbody 12 connected thereto and the frame 14 form the vehicle chassis 5.

(10) A drive section of the gearbox is arranged roughly centrally in the centre of the vehicle in such a manner that the gearbox 3 is designed to drive a drive shaft 15 extending in the direction of the centre axis and a power take-off shaft 16 provided vertically above it and also extending in the direction of the center axis 9. Drive shaft 15 and power take-off shaft 16 thus extend axially on either side of the gearbox through the vehicle 1 from rear to front. An engine radiator 17 is arranged on the engine side 11, with an air aspirating end wall of the engine radiator 17 extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 8. An intercooler 18 is arranged on the engine side, with an air-aspirating end wall of the intercooler 18 likewise extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 8. The engine radiator 17 and the intercooler 18 are arranged adjacent to one another in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

(11) A gearbox cooler 19 is arranged on the gearbox side 10, with an air-aspirating end wall of the gearbox cooler 19 extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 8. A cooler for hydraulic equipment is arranged on the gearbox side 10, with an air aspirating end wall of the cooler 20 for hydraulic equipment likewise extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 8. The frame 14 comprises at least one tubular member designed as a compressed air reservoir 21 for the pneumatic equipment of the vehicle 1.

(12) At the front and rear the gearbox is connected by way of central tubular modules 22 to a front axle 23 and a rear axle 24. The central tubular modules 22 are preferably part of the load-bearing structure of the chassis together with the underbody 12 and the frame 14. These axles 6, 23, 24 are designed as swing axles with hydro-pneumatic suspension. Provision is also made for a permanent all-wheel drive with a longitudinal lock and transverse differential locks in the axles 6. The vehicle 1 preferably has all-wheel steering. The power of the engine 4 is, for example, approx. 220 kw to 340 kw. The length of the wheelbase or the distance between the front and rear axle is, for example, approx. 3300 mm. The unladen weight is approx. 11,500 kg. The axle load is around 10,500 kg.

(13) The gearbox 3 is envisaged as a hydraulically/mechanically power-split gearbox with an infinitely variable transmission ratio. In a slow driving mode speeds of 0 to 60 km are possible, and in a fast driving mode 0 to 80 km. The maximum towing force can, for example, be up to bis 136 kN. It is further possible to connect to the vehicle any add-on units or work modules having an appropriate coupling means, for example a docking plug-in module via the on-board coupling means, e.g. a docking receiver of the vehicle. The engine power take-off shaft, which is connectable to the add-on units at the front and rear of the vehicle, rotates at 1,000 revolutions per minute and a torque of 3,000 Nm.

(14) Due to the fact that the engine power take-off is designed to pass through the entire vehicle, it is possible for the first time to provide the full power take-off shaft output both at the front of the vehicle as well as the rear. The performance of the front power take-off shaft in known vehicles is considerably weaker. Provision is also made for a hydraulic pump of, for example, 180 l per minute at 210 bar and up to 360 l per minute as an option. According to another embodiment the coupling means may be a structural component of the car chassis with a load-bearing function. In addition to absorbing external forces introduced by add-on units, the coupling means also absorbs the chassis forces of axle steering and suspension cylinders, and is provided at least at the front and rear of the vehicle and connected to the underbody paneling and the frame in order to form the vehicle chassis.

(15) The vehicle has suspension cylinders with piston accumulators. The latter are mounted on the side wall in order to create the shortest possible conduction paths to the suspension cylinders, this having a positive impact on the suspension's response behavior (short lines—low flow resistance). In the insertion direction at the front are provided symmetrically and structurally identically two receivers for steering cylinders or reset cylinders on the back of a docking plate arranged at the rear and in reverse at the front of a vehicle. Vehicles licensed for up to 50 km/h preferably have a steering cylinder on the front axle. Vehicles licensed for up to 80 km/h preferably have two steering cylinders on the front axle.

(16) On one side of a rear axle a steering cylinder is installed and a reset cylinder is installed on the other side. The reset cylinders are preloaded by means of a membrane reservoir and ensure that the axle is set to run in a straight line should a rear axle steering system fail. By providing a docking receiver it is possible to connect numerous add-on units to the basic vehicle. Such a docking receiver 31 (coupling means) of a docking device 30 (coupling device) to receive a docking plug-in module 32 (coupling means) is described below. The docking receiver 31 comprises a roughly U-shaped pre-centering means 33 with an insertion pan 35 roughly conically tapering in an insertion direction 34 to pre-centre a docking plug-in module 32 corresponding in design to the docking receiver.

(17) At least a first and second centering means 36, 37 are further provided at the docking receiver 31, wherein the first and second centering means 36, 37 each comprise two coupling members and/or counter-coupling members for connecting to corresponding coupling members and/or counter-coupling members of a docking plug-in module 32. The first and second centering means 36, 37 for centering the docking plug-in module 32 with reference to the docking receiver 31 are furthermore designed along four centering axes 38 corresponding to the four coupling and counter-coupling members in one of the insertion direction 34.

(18) The docking receiver 31 additionally comprises a drawing-in means with two hydraulically actuated catch hooks 44 for drawing the docking plug-in module 23 into the docking receiver 31 in the insertion direction 34. The docking receiver 31 includes two docking walls 39, 40 extending vertically and arranged horizontally offset to each other. These two docking walls 39, 40 are connected by an insertion pan 35 extending in a roughly horizontal direction. Accordingly a first docking wall 39 is arranged vertically in the region below the insertion pan 35 and a second docking wall is arranged as a delimitation of the insertion pan 35 in a horizontal direction above the insertion pan 35.

(19) The insertion pan assumes the function of pre-centering when a docking plug-in module is inserted into the docking receiver by receiving a body of the docking plug-in module 32 designed to correspond with the insertion pan 35. In the context of the present disclosure an insertion direction is defined as a direction which extends roughly horizontally and in which a docking plug-in module is inserted into a docking receiver. To pre-center the docking plug-in module 32 when it is inserted in the docking receiver 31 the geometry of the insertion pan 35 tapers in the insertion direction 34 to allow pre-centering of the docking plug-in module.

(20) Transversely to the insertion direction on both sides of the insertion pan 35 roughly transversely to the insertion direction 34 provision is made for internal and external side walls 41, 42 extending roughly vertically. These internal and external side walls 41, 42 are arranged at a predetermined angle in the insertion direction 34 in such a manner that a receiving space 43, limited by the internal side walls 41 and the insertion pan 35, tapers in the insertion direction.

(21) In the internal side walls 41 are formed catch recesses/catch pin guides 45 provided to guide and receive corresponding formed catch hooks/catch pins on a docking plug-in module 32. In the internal and external side walls 41, 42 shafts on which the catch hooks 44 are pivoted are arranged in corresponding drillings. The catch hooks are therefore arranged in a catch hook space delimited by the internal and external side walls. The catch hooks can be activated by corresponding catch hook cylinders 46.

(22) In the region of the first docking wall 39 are provided roughly sleeve-form centering pin receivers 47 (counter-coupling members), which form the first centering means 36 of the docking receiver 31. In the insertion direction 34 is firstly provided the first docking wall 39, which has two drillings 48 to receive the sleeve-form centering pin receivers 47. The sleeve-form centering pin receivers 47 are arranged in the drillings 48. The sleeve-form centering pin receivers 47 are therefore arranged in the insertion direction 34 behind the first docking wall 39. In the insertion direction 34 the sleeve-form centering pin receivers 47 comprise a tubular insertion/centering section 49 and a securing section 54.

(23) The tubular insertion/centering section 49 has a conically tapering insertion recess 50, wherein a vertical end face arranged against the insertion direction 34 projects from the first docking wall 39 and forms a first axial stop face 51 of a first stop means 52. In this circular first stop face 51 are formed radially-running and equally spaced debris discharge slots 53 to receive and remove contaminants. These kinds of contaminant would alter the position of the stop. This is disadvantageous in that an exact coupling is not possible between docking receiver and docking means. The tubular insertion/centering section 49 has a cylindrical centering recess 55 connecting in the insertion direction 34 to the insertion recess 50.

(24) On a circular end face positioned against the insertion direction 34 the tubular securing section 57 has drillings 56 to connect with the first docking wall 39, for example by means of appropriate bolted connections. This end face has a larger diameter than the tubular insertion/centering section 49, thereby forming a radially-running stop shoulder which prevents movement of the sleeve-form centering recess against the insertion direction 34.

(25) The locking bodies are received from the rear in a cylindrical drilling and have a flange which is supported on the back of the first plate. The advantage of this design is that the longitudinal force firstly applied by add-on units and secondly overlaid by the wedge force of the wedge forks, need not be introduced into the docking recess by way of a screw assembly.

(26) Furthermore, in the tubular securing section 57 are present vertically extending slots 58 to receive hydraulically actuated wedge forks 59. The wedge forks 59 are provided for fixing a corresponding centering pin of a docking plug-in module 32 and are vertically movable from a release position to a fixing position. The wedge forks 59 therefore form an axial securing means 60.

(27) In roughly the center of the first docking wall 39 is provided a drive shaft connection means in the region between the two sleeve-form centering pin receivers 47. A drive shaft connection means is part of a drive shaft connection device for connecting the on-board end of a drive shaft with the end of a drive shaft on the add-on unit. In the second docking wall 40 is formed a recess 66 to receive a coupling plate 100 for the provision of electric, electronic, hydraulic and/or pneumatic connections between a vehicle and an add-on unit. The coupling plate 100 with a flange-mounted valve block can very quickly and easily be disassembled for repair purposes by loosening only four bolts against the insertion direction 34. In the transverse direction the coupling plate 100 might have some play, but in operation it is axially fixed to the docking means.

(28) Furthermore, in the region of the second docking wall 40 are provided two centering pins 61 (coupling members) extending against the insertion direction 34, which form the second centering means 37 of the docking receiver 31. In the insertion direction the centering pins 61 have a conical insertion section 62 and a cylindrical centering section 63 connected thereto. A circular vertical end face positioned at the front in the insertion direction 34 connecting to the centering section 63 forms a second stop face 64 of a second stop means 65.

(29) The coupling members and/or the counter-coupling members of the first and second centering means thus form at least two axial stop means which limit relative movement between docking receiver and docking plug-in module in the insertion direction. The stops are preferably formed on the first and/or second centering pin and/or the first or second centering recess extending in a plane vertical to the insertion direction circular stop faces.

(30) Roughly in the center of the second docking wall 40 a power take-off shaft connection means 68 is provided in the region between the two centering pins 66. A power take-off shaft connection means 68 is part of a power take-off shaft connection device for connecting the on-board end of a power take-off shaft with the end of a power take-off shaft on the add-on unit.

(31) The docking receiver is positioned above a large machined drilling approx. 258 mm in diameter in the first plate on a centering spigot on a central pipe flange of an axle centre section. This precision makes it possible to use a connecting shaft with toothed sleeves for connecting the power take-off shaft drive of the gearbox and the power take-off shaft connection means. This obviates the need for a connection using a cardan shaft, which is expensive and, above all, not maintenance-free.

(32) The vehicle according to the disclosure has a driver's cab with a variable cockpit. So that these numerous add-on units can also be optimally operated from the driver's cab, provision is made for all the electric, hydraulic and pneumatic working groups to be controlled either by way of the existing controls (armrest on the right, joystick on the left) or by external controllers. Examples of external controls or actuating means are switches/buttons, joysticks, displays, etc. These electrical signals may be transmitted through the modular connector system in the cab and thus passed on to the add-on unit. Here a distinction is made between two different operating methods. Operation by way of the joystick and/or the arm rest. The user input is converted by the vehicle into the requested signals of the add-on unit. The corresponding visualization appears on a display means in the driver's cab.

(33) Control using OEM and/or external control: Input devices are plugged into the existing connectors; the signals are transmitted direct to the docking add-on unit; Output devices are plugged into the existing connectors and communicate directly with the add-on unit. Combinations of both the aforementioned methods are also possible. The advantage of the disclosure is that a very compact vehicle is created which can be employed in a great variety of ways while delivering very high performance, and in addition can provide optimum power both at the front and the rear.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(34) 1 vehicle 2 gearbox housing 3 gearbox 4 engine 5 vehicle chassis 6 axle 7 wheels 8 longitudinal direction of vehicle 9 centre axis 10 gearbox side 11 engine side 12 underbody paneling 13 coupling means 14 frame 15 drive shaft 16 power take-off shaft 17 engine radiator 18 intercooler 19 gearbox cooler 20 cooler for hydraulic equipment 21 compressed air reservoir 22 central tubular module 23 front axle 24 rear axle 25 cooling means 30 docking device 31 docking receiver 32 docking plug-in module 33 precentering means 34 insertion direction 35 insertion pan 36 first centering means 37 second centering means 38 centering axis 39 first docking wall 40 second docking wall 41 internal side wall 42 external side wall 43 receiving space 44 catch hook 45 catch pin guide 46 catch hook cylinder 47 centering pin receiver 48 drilling 49 insertion/centering section 50 conical insertion opening 51 first axial stop face 52 first stop means 53 debris discharge slots 54 tubular centering section 55 cylindrical centering recess 56 drilling 57 securing section 58 slots 59 wedge fork 60 axial securing device 61 centering pin 62 insertion section 63 centering section 64 second stop face 65 second stop means 66 recess 67 drive shaft connecting means 68 power take-off shaft connecting means 69 catch recesses