STEERABLE VEHICLE
First Claim
1. A steerable vehicle, comprising:
- a steering mechanism having a rotatable steering column;
a first steering servomechanism comprising a hydraulic steering servomechanism, wherein the hydraulic steering servomechanism comprises a hydraulic steering valve coupled to the rotatable steering column and at least one hydraulic steering cylinder fluidly coupled to the hydraulic steering valve by hydraulic lines, and wherein the hydraulic steering valve is configured to control a hydraulic flow in the hydraulic lines based on a rotational angle of the rotatable steering column to drive the at least one hydraulic steering cylinder to adjust a steering angle of at least one ground-engaging member of the steerable vehicle;
a second steering servomechanism comprising an electric power steering servomechanism, wherein the electric power steering servomechanism comprises a motor configured to control a torque on the rotatable steering column to establish a steering assistance characteristic; and
a controller configured to control the steering assistance characteristic by outputting control signals indicative of a magnitude and a direction of the torque to influence steering of the steerable vehicle;
wherein the at least one ground-engaging member is not coupled to the rotatable steering column by a mechanical linkage.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A steerable, self-propelled vehicle includes a rotatable steering column that is connected to control the steering angle of one or more ground-engaging members of the vehicle. The vehicle includes between the steering column and the ground-engaging member a first steering servomechanism having at least a first steering assistance characteristic; a second steering servomechanism having a second steering assistance characteristic also being connected to act on the steering column. A controller is provided for causing the first and second steering assistance characteristics to influence the steering of the vehicle in dependence on one or more one or more control commands generated in the controller.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A steerable vehicle, comprising:
-
a steering mechanism having a rotatable steering column; a first steering servomechanism comprising a hydraulic steering servomechanism, wherein the hydraulic steering servomechanism comprises a hydraulic steering valve coupled to the rotatable steering column and at least one hydraulic steering cylinder fluidly coupled to the hydraulic steering valve by hydraulic lines, and wherein the hydraulic steering valve is configured to control a hydraulic flow in the hydraulic lines based on a rotational angle of the rotatable steering column to drive the at least one hydraulic steering cylinder to adjust a steering angle of at least one ground-engaging member of the steerable vehicle; a second steering servomechanism comprising an electric power steering servomechanism, wherein the electric power steering servomechanism comprises a motor configured to control a torque on the rotatable steering column to establish a steering assistance characteristic; and a controller configured to control the steering assistance characteristic by outputting control signals indicative of a magnitude and a direction of the torque to influence steering of the steerable vehicle; wherein the at least one ground-engaging member is not coupled to the rotatable steering column by a mechanical linkage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A steerable vehicle, comprising:
-
a steering mechanism having a rotatable steering column; a first sensor configured to output a first sensor signal indicative of a steering angle of at least one ground-engaging member of the steerable vehicle; a first steering servomechanism comprising a hydraulic steering servomechanism, wherein the hydraulic steering servomechanism comprises a hydraulic steering valve coupled to the rotatable steering column and at least one hydraulic steering cylinder fluidly coupled to the hydraulic steering valve by hydraulic lines, and wherein the hydraulic steering valve is configured to control a hydraulic flow in the hydraulic lines based on a rotational angle of the rotatable steering column to drive the at least one hydraulic steering cylinder to adjust the steering angle of the at least one ground-engaging member; a second steering servomechanism comprising an electric power steering servomechanism, wherein the electric power steering servomechanism comprises a motor configured to control a torque on the rotatable steering column to establish a steering assistance characteristic; and a controller communicatively coupled to the first sensor and to the motor, wherein the controller is configured to control the steering assistance characteristic by outputting control signals indicative of a magnitude and a direction of the torque based at least in part on the first sensor signal to influence steering of the steerable vehicle; wherein the at least one ground-engaging member is not coupled to the rotatable steering column by a mechanical linkage. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A steerable vehicle, comprising:
-
a steering mechanism having a rotatable steering column configured to be mechanically connected to at least one ground-engaging member of the steerable vehicle to control a steering angle of the at least one ground-engaging member; a first steering servomechanism comprising a hydraulic steering servomechanism configured to establish a first steering assistance characteristic, wherein the hydraulic steering servomechanism comprises a hydraulic steering valve coupled to the rotatable steering column and at least one hydraulic steering cylinder fluidly coupled to the hydraulic steering valve by hydraulic lines, wherein the hydraulic steering valve is configured to control a hydraulic flow in the hydraulic lines based on a rotational angle of the rotatable steering column to drive the at least one hydraulic steering cylinder to adjust the steering angle of the at least one ground-engaging member, and wherein the hydraulic steering valve is coupled to the rotatable steering column at a first location; a second steering servomechanism comprising an electric power steering servomechanism, wherein the electric power steering servomechanism comprises a motor configured to control a torque on the rotatable steering column to establish a second steering assistance characteristic, and wherein the motor is coupled to the rotatable steering column at a second location, different from the first location; and a controller communicatively coupled to the motor, wherein the controller is configured to control at least the second steering assistance characteristic by outputting control signals indicative of a magnitude and a direction of the torque to influence steering of the steerable vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
-
Specification