Driveline on Truck

• US 20090253547A1
• Filed: 05/30/2007
• Published: 10/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Atlas Copco Rock Drills AB (Atlas Copco AB)
• Original Assignee: Atlas Copco Rock Drills AB (Atlas Copco AB)
• Inventors: Niva, Karl-Erik
• Granted Patent: US 8,069,942 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 475/224
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 35/00 Antineoplastic agents
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/3462 with means for changing distribution of torque between front and rear wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/348 having differential means for driving one set of wheels, e.g. the front, at one speed and the other set, e.g. the rear, at a different speed B60K17/346 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 53/026 With all wheels powered

Abstract

A device and a method for engaging and disengaging a longitudinal differential (10) disposed between a forward wheelshaft (4) and a rear wheelshaft (5) of an articulated vehicle (1) which has a front element (2) and a rear element (3) pivotable about a steering linkage (6) disposed between them and which comprises a distribution box (9) which supplies power from an engine (7) to the forward wheelshaft (4) in the front element (2) via a first shaft (11) and to the near wheelshaft (5) in the rear element (3) via a second shaft (12), wherein the longitudinal differential (10) is disposed between the first shaft (11) and the second shaft (12), whereby a steering angle v formed between the front element (2) and the rear element (3) is detected by a detection means (25a) so arranged that the detection means (25a) causes a differential brake (20) for the longitudinal differential (10) to be kept locked, or braked, when the detection means (25a) detects a steering angle v which is smaller than a predetermined steering angle V₁.

Claims

1. An articulated vehicle (1) comprising:

a front element and a rear element which are pivotable about a steering linkage disposed between them,

a distribution box which supplies power from an engine to a forward wheelshaft of the front element via a first shaft and to a rear wheelshaft of the rear element via a second shaft.

characterised in that

a differential is disposed between the first shaft and the second shaft,

a detection means detects a steering angle v formed between the front element and the rear element,

the detection means detects whether the steering angle v is greater than a predetermined steering angle v₁,

a brake is disposed relative to said differential in order to lock, or brake, the differential when the steering angle v is smaller than said predetermined steering angle v₁.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined steering angle v₁ is preferably between 10°

and 30°

, preferably between 15° and

25° and

, in particular, the steering angle is 20°

.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the detection means takes the form of an operating arm of a valve, which operating arm is provided with a guide roller which bears upon an outer contour of a spindle of the steering linkage.

4. The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the outer contour of the steering linkage spindle in a region which the operating arm bears upon takes the form of a planar surface.

5. The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the valve takes the form of a hydraulic valve which causes a piston in the differential brake to engage or disengage the differential brake.

6. The vehicle according to claim 5, where the valve switches between allowing high oil pressure or low oil pressure in a connecting conduit supplying oil to the differential brake in order respectively to engage and disengage the differential brake.

7. The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein loss of oil pressure in the connecting conduit causes the differential brake to revert to a locked state, whereby the differential is provided with fail-safe function.

8. The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein said high oil pressure in the connecting conduit is determined by a throttling which is:

preset at a predetermined pressure value or set at a pressure value selected by an operator.

9. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the differential brake can be disengaged manually from a locked state by means of a manually operable valve.

13. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the detection means takes the form of an operating arm of a valve, which operating arm is provided with a guide roller which bears upon an outer contour of a spindle of the steering linkage.

14. The vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the valve takes the form of a hydraulic valve which causes a piston in the differential brake to engage or disengage the differential brake.

15. The vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the valve takes the form of a hydraulic valve which causes a piston in the differential brake to engage or disengage the differential brake.

16. The vehicle according to claim 13, where the valve switches between allowing high oil pressure or low oil pressure in a connecting conduit supplying oil to the differential brake in order respectively to engage and disengage the differential brake.

17. The vehicle according to claim 13, wherein loss of oil pressure in the connecting conduit causes the differential brake to revert to a locked state, whereby the differential is provided with fail-safe function.

18. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the differential brake can be disengaged manually from a locked state by means of a manually operable valve.

19. The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the differential brake can be disengaged manually from a locked state by means of a manually operable valve.

20. The vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the differential brake can be disengaged manually from a locked state by means of a manually operable valve.

10. A method for engaging and disengaging a longitudinal differential disposed between a forward wheelshaft (4) and a rear wheelshaft (5) of an articulated vehicle which comprises:

a front element and a rear element which are pivotable about a steering linkage disposed between them and

a distribution box which supplies power from an engine to a forward wheelshaft of the front element via a first shaft and to a rear wheelshaft of the rear element via a second shaft.

characterised by comprising the following steps;

the longitudinal differential being disposed between the first shaft and the second shaft,

a steering angle v formed between the front element and the rear element being detected by a detection means,

the detection means causing a differential brake for the longitudinal differential to be kept locked when the detection means detects a steering angle v which is smaller than a predetermined steering angle v₁.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of:

a valve being acted upon by the detection means to raise or lower the oil pressure in a connecting conduit connected to the differential brake in order thereby respectively to lock or disengage the differential brake.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of:

high or low oil pressure in the connecting conduit acting upon a piston in the differential brake in order respectively to free or lock, or brake, discs in the brake package which respectively disengage from one another or connect the first shaft and the second shaft.