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Steerable vehicle

  • US 10,053,146 B2
  • Filed: 09/15/2016
  • Issued: 08/21/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2011
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A steerable, self-propelled vehicle including an agricultural tractor, the steerable self-propelled vehicle comprising:

  • a steering mechanism having a rotatable steering column that is connected to control a steering angle of one or more ground-engaging members of the vehicle, the vehicle includinga first steering servomechanism acting on the steering mechanism in a first location, the first steering servomechanism having at least a first steering assistance characteristic;

    a second steering servomechanism acting on the steering mechanism in a second location, the second servo mechanism having a second steering assistance characteristic; and

    a programmable controller for causing the first and second steering assistance characteristics to influence the steering of the vehicle in dependence on one or more control commands generated in the controller; and

    a human-machine interface (HMI) configured to receive driver input commands selecting two or more programmed modes of operation of the steering servomechanisms,wherein the HMI includes respective switches for selecting between programmed modes that control steering during movement of the tractor respectively in a field headland and in other locations, and sequentially selecting sub-modes following selection of a said programmed mode, andwherein the sub-modes available following selection of a headland operation include a damped steering sub-mode, a maximal assistance sub-mode, an automatic steering centring sub-mode, and a lock-to-lock assistance sub-mode, and the sub-modes available following selection of other location operation include an on-road sub-mode, a damped steering sub-mode, and a maximal assistance sub-mode.

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