TURRET ENVELOPE CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A FIRE FIGHTING VEHICLE

• US 20080215190A1
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
• Original Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
• Inventors: Pillar, Duane R., Bjornstad, Neil, Woolman, William M., Squires, Bradley C.
• Application Number:
  US11/929,845
• Publication Number:
  US 20080215190A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/221 Procedure or apparatus for checking or keeping in a correct functioning condition of brake systems hydraulic pressure systems in general F15B19/00, F15B21/04; testing structures or apparatus G01M

Abstract

A turret control system and method is disclosed. The turret control system includes one or more control modules, such as an envelope control module, turret targeting module, a turret pan module, a turret deploy module, a turret store module. The preferred turret control system also provides improved turret control flexibility and improved operator feedback.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a turret having an adjustable mount assembly, the adjustable mount assembly being mounted to a chassis and vehicle body combination;

a power distribution and control system, the power distribution and control system further including;

(A) a power source;

(B) a power transmission link;

(C) a plurality of output devices, the plurality of output devices including a plurality of actuators capable of adjusting the mount assembly to adjust the position and orientation of the turret;

(D) a plurality of input devices, the plurality of input devices including a plurality of position indicators capable of providing position information pertaining to the position and orientation of the turret, and the plurality of input devices further including an input device associated with an operator interface,

(E) a communication network, and

(F) a plurality of microprocessor-based interface modules, the plurality of interface modules being coupled to the power source by way of the power transmission link, the plurality of interface modules being interconnected to each other by way of the communication network, and the plurality of interface modules being coupled to the plurality of input devices and to the plurality of output devices by way of respective dedicated communication links, and the plurality of interface modules including one or more interface modules that are coupled to the plurality of position sensors, the plurality of actuators, and the input device associated with an operator interface; and

wherein the plurality of interface modules, the plurality of input devices, and the plurality of output devices are distributed throughout the vehicle; and

wherein each respective interface module is locally disposed with respect to the respective input and output devices to which the respective interface module is coupled so as to permit distributed data collection from the plurality of input devices and distributed power distribution to the plurality of output devices;

wherein the one or more interface modules process information from the plurality of position sensors to detect an imminent impact of the turret with an obstruction in a path of the turret and, in response, constrain movement of the turret to avoid impact with the obstruction.