Apparatus and method of controlling amphibious vehicle

• US 10,343,472 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2017
• Issued: 07/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hanwha Aerospace Co., Ltd. (Hanwha Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hanwha Defense Co., Ltd. (Hanwha Corporation)
• Inventors: Han, Kyung Won
• Primary Examiner(s): Avila, Stephen P
• Application Number:
  US15/527,624
• Publication Number:
  US 20190084363A1
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60F 3/0007 Arrangement of propulsion or steering means on amphibious vehicles marine propulsion or steering B63H
• CPC Class Codes: B60F 3/0015 comprising tracks specially adapted therefor articulated tracks for vehicles, in general B62D55/20
• CPC Class Codes: B60F 3/0061 Amphibious vehicles specially adapted for particular purposes or of a particular type armoured amphibious vehicles F41H7/00; equipment for working under water B63C11/00; flating bridges designed as or mounted on vehicles E01D15/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/06 of change-speed gearing B60K17/10 - B60K17/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/12 by means of a chargeable fluidic accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/10 including control of change-speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/16 Ratio selector position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/215 Selection or confirmation of options
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/00 Input parameters relating to infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0644 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/105 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/42 Amphibious vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 21/14 relating to internal-combustion engines of outboard type B63H20/00
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 21/21 Control means for engine or transmission, specially adapted for use on marine vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 21/22 : the propulsion power units being controlled from exterior of engine room, e.g. from navigation bridge; Arrangements of order telegraphs
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 61/04 : for driving propellers
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 11/02 : characterised by hand, foot, or like operator controlled initiation means
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/1002 : Output torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/702 : Road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/02 : peculiar to engines driving vehicles; peculiar to engines driving variable pitch propellers
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 31/001 : Electric control of rotation speed
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling an amphibious vehicle includes an engine, a land propeller generating a propulsion force on land, a water propeller generating a propulsion force on water, a power distributor distributing power to the land propeller and the water propeller, a transmission for changing a shift ratio of the power supplied to the land propeller, and a controller, wherein the controller selects and executes one of a land mode for controlling travel on land, a water mode for controlling travel on the water, and a transition mode controlling the travel in a transition region, and the controller maintains an engine output torque in the land mode to be constant and maintains an engine output speed in the water mode and the transition mode to be constant.

Claims

1. An amphibious vehicle comprising:

an engine configured to generate power;

a first propeller driven by the engine and configured to generate a propulsion force on land;

a second propeller driven by the engine and configured to generate a propulsion force on water;

a power distributor configured to distribute the power from the engine to the first propeller and the second propeller according to a power distribution signal;

a transmission configured to change a shift ratio of the power distributed to the first propeller according to a transmission control signal and comprising;

a power branching unit connected to a transmitting shaft connected to the power distributor;

a hydraulic transmitter including a hydraulic element rotating along with a first shaft being rotated by the power branching unit;

a mechanical transmitter rotating along with a second shaft being rotated by the power branching unit; and

a power coupler configured to combine hydraulic power generated by the hydraulic transmitter and mechanical power generated by the mechanical transmitter and configured to output the combined power to a transmission output shaft; and

a controller configured to apply the power distribution signal to the power distributor and to apply the transmission control signal to the transmission,

wherein the controller is configured to execute one of a land mode, in which the power is supplied only to the first propeller to control traveling of the amphibious vehicle on land, a water mode, in which the power is supplied only to the second propeller to control the traveling of the amphibious vehicle on the water, and a transition mode, in which the power is supplied to both the first propeller and the second propeller to control the traveling of the amphibious vehicle in a transition region, and

wherein the hydraulic transmitter is configured to generate and transmit a transmission input torque signal to the controller for the controller to determine an overload caused by an obstacle while the amphibious vehicle travels in the water mode or the transition mode.

2. The amphibious vehicle of claim 1, wherein the hydraulic transmitter comprises:

a hydraulic pump; and

a hydraulic motor, and

wherein an operating capacity of the hydraulic pump is controlled according to the transmission control signal applied by the controller so as to freely control a magnitude of the power branched to the hydraulic transmitter.

3. The amphibious vehicle of claim 2, wherein the hydraulic transmitter further comprises a hydraulic control valve, and

wherein hydraulic motor is operated by fluid pressure supplied from the hydraulic pump via the hydraulic control valve.

4. The amphibious vehicle of claim 2, wherein the hydraulic pump is configured to drive the hydraulic motor to change a speed of the power branched to the hydraulic transmitter.

5. The amphibious vehicle of claim 1, wherein the hydraulic transmitter comprises a sensor configured to sense pressure of a hydraulic line to generate the transmission input torque signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mechanical transmitter is configured to by-pass a power from the power branching unit to the power coupler, or configured to transfer a power shifted by a mechanical transmission to the power coupler.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine a required power that the transmission needs, from an inclination angle of a topography where the amphibious vehicle passes through or travel velocity of the amphibious vehicle.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmission is one of a multi-stage transmission and a continuously variable transmission.