Vehicle control systems and methods
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A vehicle control system for a vehicle having a steering wheel, left and right front steerable non-driving wheels, and left and right rear drivable wheels, the vehicle control system comprising:
- a first gear pair that turns the right front steerable non-driving wheel in response to movement of a rigid rod that moves due to movement of the steering wheel;
a second gear pair that turns the left front steerable non-driving wheel in response to movement of another rigid rod that moves due to movement of the steering wheel;
a pair of links, each link having a slot that is straight over substantially all of the length of the slot;
a first follower positioned in the slot of one of the links, the first follower movable in an arc in response to steering wheel movement to a right-hand turn from a straight-ahead position;
a second follower positioned in the slot of the other of the links, the second follower movable in an arc in response to steering wheel movement to a left-hand turn from a straight-ahead position;
a pair of speed cams, one speed cam coupled to one of the links and the other speed cam coupled to the other of the links, each speed cam including a curved slot and rotating about an axis extending vertically through the curved slot in response to a movement of a speed pedal to a forward position;
where rotation of the speed cams in response to the movement of the speed pedal while the first follower is in a position corresponding to a right-hand turn will cause each link to move in a plane that is parallel to any flat surface on which vehicle is positioned, causing the left and right drivable wheels to rotate in forward directions, with the left drivable wheel rotating at a faster rate than the right drivable wheel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems for controlling the speed and direction of vehicles such as tractors, including vehicles that have low to zero turning radius capability. Systems include steering and speed coordination systems that control the direction and speed of rotation of vehicle drive units.
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Citations
88 Claims
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1. A vehicle control system for a vehicle having a steering wheel, left and right front steerable non-driving wheels, and left and right rear drivable wheels, the vehicle control system comprising:
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a first gear pair that turns the right front steerable non-driving wheel in response to movement of a rigid rod that moves due to movement of the steering wheel; a second gear pair that turns the left front steerable non-driving wheel in response to movement of another rigid rod that moves due to movement of the steering wheel; a pair of links, each link having a slot that is straight over substantially all of the length of the slot; a first follower positioned in the slot of one of the links, the first follower movable in an arc in response to steering wheel movement to a right-hand turn from a straight-ahead position; a second follower positioned in the slot of the other of the links, the second follower movable in an arc in response to steering wheel movement to a left-hand turn from a straight-ahead position; a pair of speed cams, one speed cam coupled to one of the links and the other speed cam coupled to the other of the links, each speed cam including a curved slot and rotating about an axis extending vertically through the curved slot in response to a movement of a speed pedal to a forward position; where rotation of the speed cams in response to the movement of the speed pedal while the first follower is in a position corresponding to a right-hand turn will cause each link to move in a plane that is parallel to any flat surface on which vehicle is positioned, causing the left and right drivable wheels to rotate in forward directions, with the left drivable wheel rotating at a faster rate than the right drivable wheel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A vehicle control system for a vehicle having a mower deck, a steering wheel, left and right front steerable non-driving wheels, and left and right rear drivable wheels, the vehicle control system comprising:
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a first gear pair that turns the right front steerable non-driving wheel in response to movement of a rigid rod that moves due to movement of the steering wheel; a second gear pair that turns the left front steerable non-driving wheel in response to movement of another rigid rod that moves due to movement of the steering wheel; a pair of links, each link having a slot that is straight over substantially all of the length of the slot; a first follower positioned in the slot of one of the links, the first follower movable in an arc in response to steering wheel movement to a right-hand turn from a straight-ahead position; a second follower positioned in the slot of the other of the links, the second follower movable in an arc in response to steering wheel movement to a left-hand turn from a straight-ahead position; a pair of speed cams, one speed cam coupled to one of the links and the other speed cam coupled to the other of the links, each speed cam including a curved slot and pivoting about an axis extending vertically through the curved slot in response to a movement of a speed pedal to a forward position; where pivoting of the speed cams in response to the movement of the speed pedal while the first follower is in a position corresponding to a right-hand turn will cause each link to move in a plane that is parallel to any flat surface on which vehicle is positioned, causing the left and right drivable wheels to rotate in forward directions, with the left drivable wheel rotating at a faster rate than the right drivable wheel. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A vehicle control system for a vehicle having a steering wheel, left and right front steerable non-driving wheels, and left and right rear drivable wheels, the vehicle control system comprising:
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a first gear pair that turns the right front steerable non-driving wheel in response to movement of a rigid rod that moves due to movement of the steering wheel; a second gear pair that turns the left front steerable non-driving wheel in response to movement of another rigid rod that moves due to movement of the steering wheel; a pair of links, each link having a slot that is straight over substantially all of the length of the slot; a first follower positioned in the slot of one of the links, the first follower movable in an arc in response to steering wheel movement to a right-hand turn from a straight-ahead position; a second follower positioned in the slot of the other of the links, the second follower movable in an arc in response to steering wheel movement to a left-hand turn from a straight-ahead position; a pair of speed cams, one speed cam coupled to one of the links and the other speed cam coupled to the other of the links, each speed cam including a curved slot and rotating about an axis extending vertically through the curved slot in response to a movement of a speed pedal to a forward position; where rotation of the speed cams in response to the movement of the speed pedal while the first follower is in a position corresponding to a right-hand turn will cause the links to move to cause the left and right drivable wheels to rotate in forward directions, with the left drivable wheel rotating at a faster rate than the right drivable wheel. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A vehicle control system for a vehicle having a mower deck, a steering wheel, left and right front steerable non-driving wheels, and left and right rear drivable wheels, the vehicle control system comprising:
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a first gear pair that turns the right front steerable non-driving wheel in response to movement of a rigid rod that moves due to movement of the steering wheel; a second gear pair that turns the left front steerable non-driving wheel in response to movement of another rigid rod that moves due to movement of the steering wheel; a pair of links, each link having a slot that is straight over substantially all of the length of the slot; a first follower positioned in the slot of one of the links, the first follower movable in an arc in response to steering wheel movement to a right-hand turn from a straight-ahead position; a second follower positioned in the slot of the other of the links, the second follower movable in an arc in response to steering wheel movement to a left-hand turn from a straight-ahead position; a pair of speed cams, one speed cam coupled to one of the links and the other speed cam coupled to the other of the links, each speed cam including a curved slot and pivoting about an axis extending vertically through the curved slot in response to a movement of a speed pedal to a forward position; where pivoting of the speed cams in response to the movement of the speed pedal while the first follower is in a position corresponding to a right-hand turn will cause the links to move to cause the left and right drivable wheels to rotate in forward directions, with the left drivable wheel rotating at a faster rate than the right drivable wheel. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A vehicle control system for a vehicle having a steering wheel, left and right front steerable non-driving wheels, and left and right rear drivable wheels, the vehicle control system comprising:
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a first gear pair that turns the right front steerable non-driving wheel, the first gear pair having a first steering gear and a first steered gear; a second gear pair that turns the left front steerable non-driving wheel, the second gear pair having a second steering gear and a second steered gear; a rigid rod connecting the first and second steering gears; a pair of links, each link having a slot that is straight over substantially all of the length of the slot; a first follower positioned in the slot of one of the links, the first follower movable in an arc in response to steering wheel movement to a right-hand turn from a straight-ahead position; a second follower positioned in the slot of the other of the links, the second follower movable in an arc in response to steering wheel movement to a left-hand turn from a straight-ahead position; a pair of speed cams, one speed cam coupled to one of the links and the other speed cam coupled to the other of the links, each speed cam including a curved slot and rotating about an axis extending vertically through the curved slot in response to a movement of a speed pedal to a forward position; where rotation of the speed cams in response to the movement of the speed pedal while the first follower is in a position corresponding to a right-hand turn will cause each link to move in a plane that is parallel to any flat surface on which vehicle is positioned, causing the left and right drivable wheels to rotate in forward directions, with the left drivable wheel rotating at a faster rate than the right drivable wheel. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A vehicle control system for a vehicle having a mower deck, a steering wheel, left and right front steerable non-driving wheels, and left and right rear drivable wheels, the vehicle control system comprising:
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a first gear pair that turns the right front steerable non-driving wheel, the first gear pair having a first steering gear and a first steered gear; a second gear pair that turns the left front steerable non-driving wheel, the second gear pair having a second steering gear and a second steered gear; a rigid rod connecting the first and second steering gears; a pair of links, each link having a slot that is straight over substantially all of the length of the slot; a first follower positioned in the slot of one of the links, the first follower movable in an arc in response to steering wheel movement to a right-hand turn from a straight-ahead position; a second follower positioned in the slot of the other of the links, the second follower movable in an arc in response to steering wheel movement to a left-hand turn from a straight-ahead position; a pair of speed cams, one speed cam coupled to one of the links and the other speed cam coupled to the other of the links, each speed cam including a curved slot and pivoting about an axis extending vertically through the curved slot in response to a movement of a speed pedal to a forward position; where pivoting of the speed cams in response to the movement of the speed pedal while the first follower is in a position corresponding to a right-hand turn will cause each link to move in a plane that is parallel to any flat surface on which vehicle is positioned, causing the left and right drivable wheels to rotate in forward directions, with the left drivable wheel rotating at a faster rate than the right drivable wheel. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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67. A vehicle control system for a vehicle having a steering wheel, left and right front steerable non-driving wheels, and left and right rear drivable wheels, the vehicle control system comprising:
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a first gear pair that turns the right front steerable non-driving wheel, the first gear pair having a first steering gear and a first steered gear; a second gear pair that turns the left front steerable non-driving wheel, the second gear pair having a second steering gear and a second steered gear; a rigid rod connecting the first and second steering gears; a pair of links, each link having a slot that is straight over substantially all of the length of the slot; a first follower positioned in the slot of one of the links, the first follower movable in an arc in response to steering wheel movement to a right-hand turn from a straight-ahead position; a second follower positioned in the slot of the other of the links, the second follower movable in an arc in response to steering wheel movement to a left-hand turn from a straight-ahead position; a pair of speed cams, one speed cam coupled to one of the links and the other speed cam coupled to the other of the links, each speed cam including a curved slot and rotating about an axis extending vertically through the curved slot in response to a movement of a speed pedal to a forward position; where rotation of the speed cams in response to the movement of the speed pedal while the first follower is in a position corresponding to a right-hand turn will cause the links to move to cause the left and right drivable wheels to rotate in forward directions, with the left drivable wheel rotating at a faster rate than the right drivable wheel. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77)
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78. A vehicle control system for a vehicle having a mower deck, a steering wheel, left and right front steerable non-driving wheels, and left and right rear drivable wheels, the vehicle control system comprising:
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a first gear pair that turns the right front steerable non-driving wheel, the first gear pair having a first steering gear and a first steered gear; a second gear pair that turns the left front steerable non-driving wheel, the second gear pair having a second steering gear and a second steered gear; a rigid rod connecting the first and second steering gears; a pair of links, each link having a slot that is straight over substantially all of the length of the slot; a first follower positioned in the slot of one of the links, the first follower movable in an arc in response to steering wheel movement to a right-hand turn from a straight-ahead position; a second follower positioned in the slot of the other of the links, the second follower movable in an arc in response to steering wheel movement to a left-hand turn from a straight-ahead position; a pair of speed cams, one speed cam coupled to one of the links and the other speed cam coupled to the other of the links, each speed cam including a curved slot and pivoting about an axis extending vertically through the curved slot in response to a movement of a speed pedal to a forward position; where pivoting of the speed cams in response to the movement of the speed pedal while the first follower is in a position corresponding to a right-hand turn will cause the links to move to cause the left and right drivable wheels to rotate in forward directions, with the left drivable wheel rotating at a faster rate than the right drivable wheel. - View Dependent Claims (79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88)
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Specification