Steering control system for use in a track-laying vehicle

• US 5,473,541 A
• Filed: 06/30/1994
• Issued: 12/05/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Komatsu Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Komatsu Seisakusho
• Inventors: Yamada, Hideki, Ishino, Tsutomu, Maruyama, Ryoichi
• Primary Examiner(s): ZANELLI, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US08/268,934
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• Field of Search: 364/424.01, 364/424.07, 364/426.01, 364/565, 180/6.2, 180/6.44, 180/6.48, 180/6.5, 180/6.7, 180/9.1, 180/9.21, 180/9.44, 477/1
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 11/183 Control systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2037/0886 with switching means, e.g. to change ranges
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 47/04 the mechanical gearing being of the type with members having orbital motion

Abstract

A steering control system for use in a track-laying vehicle comprising: a power source; a steering motor driven by the rotation of the power source, for driving crawler belts provided at both sides of the vehicle such that a relative travel difference is caused between the crawler belts, thereby turning the vehicle rightwards or leftwards; a steering instructing device which can be displaced from a neutral position by operation and which instructs, according to the direction and distance of its displacement, a turning direction and a turning radius for the vehicle, the turning radius decreasing as the displacement distance increases; a displacement detector for detecting the displacement of the steering instructing device; and a steering motor revolution speed control unit for obtaining a target steering motor revolution speed which is made proportional to the revolution speed of the power source based on the displacement of the steering instructing device detected by the displacement detector and controlling the revolution speed of the steering motor with the target steering motor revolution speed.

Claims

1. A steering control system for use in a track-laying vehicle comprising:

(a) a rotary power source;

(b) a steering motor driven by the rotation of the power source for driving crawler belts provided at both sides of the vehicle such that a relative travel difference results between the crawler belts, thereby turning the vehicle rightwards or leftwards;

(c) steering instructing means which can be displaced from a neutral position by operation and which instructs, according to the direction and distance of the displacement of the steering instructing means, a turning direction and a turning radius for the vehicle, the turning radius decreasing as the displacement distance increases;

(d) displacement detector means for detecting the displacement of the steering instructing means; and

(e) steering motor revolution speed control means for obtaining a target steering motor revolution speed which is made proportional to the revolution speed of the power source based on the displacement of the steering instructing means detected by the displacement detector means and controlling the revolution speed of the steering motor with the target steering motor revolution speed.

2. The steering control system for use in a track-laying vehicle as set forth in claim 1, which further comprises power source revolution speed detector means for detecting the actual revolution speed of the power source and wherein the steering motor revolution speed control means obtains a target steering motor revolution speed which is made proportional to the actual revolution speed of the power source detected by the power source revolution speed detector means, based on the displacement of the steering instructing means detected by the displacement detector means.

3. The steering control system for use in a track-laying vehicle as set forth in claim 2, wherein the steering motor revolution speed control means obtains the target steering motor revolution speed which is made proportional to the actual revolution speed of the power source detected by the power source revolution speed detector means, based on the displacement of the steering instructing means detected by the displacement detector means, by first obtaining a target steering motor speed ratio which is the ratio of a revolution speed of the steering motor to the revolution speed of the power source based on the displacement of the steering instructing means, and then the target steering motor speed ratio is multiplied by the actual revolution speed of the power source.

4. The steering control system for use in a track-laying vehicle as set forth in claim 3, wherein the revolution speed of the power source for the target steering motor speed ratio, which is the ratio of the revolution speed of the steering motor to the revolution speed of the power source, is any one of a set target revolution speed and the actual revolution speed of the power source detected by the power source revolution speed detector means, and the revolution speed of the steering motor is the target revolution speed.

5. The steering control system for use in a track-laying vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein the steering motor revolution speed control means obtains a target steering motor revolution speed which is made proportional to a target revolution speed set for the power source, based on the displacement of the steering instructing means detected by the displacement detector means.

6. The steering control system for use in a track-laying vehicle as set forth in claim 5, wherein the steering motor revolution speed control means obtains a target revolution speed set for the steering motor which is made proportional to a target revolution speed set for the power source, based on the displacement of the steering instructing means detected by the displacement detector means, by first obtaining a target steering motor speed ratio which is the ratio of a revolution speed of the steering motor to the revolution speed of the power source based on the displacement of the steering instructing means, and then the target steering motor speed ratio is multiplied by the set target revolution speed for the power source.

7. The steering control system for use in a track-laying vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein the steering motor revolution control means obtains a target revolution speed set for the steering motor by first obtaining a target steering motor speed ratio which is the ratio of a revolution speed of the steering motor to the revolution speed of the power source based on the displacement of the steering instructing means detected by the displacement detector means, and then the revolution speed of the power source is made proportional to the target steering motor speed ratio.

8. The steering control system for use in a track-laying vehicle as set forth in claim 7, which further comprises power source revolution speed detector means for detecting the actual revolution speed of the power source, and wherein the steering motor revolution speed control means obtains a target steering motor revolution speed by multiplying the target steering motor speed ratio by the actual revolution speed of the power source detected by the power source revolution speed detector means to make the revolution speed of the power source proportional to the target steering motor speed ratio.

9. The steering control system for use in a track-laying vehicle as set forth in claim 7, wherein the steering motor revolution speed control means obtains a target steering motor revolution speed by multiplying the target steering motor speed ratio by the target revolution speed set for the power source to make the revolution speed of the power source proportional to the target steering motor speed ratio.

10. The steering control system for use in a track-laying vehicle as set forth in any one of claims 5, 6, 9 or 4, which further comprises throttle position detector means for detecting the position of a throttle with respect to the power source and wherein a target revolution speed for the power source is set according to the throttle position detected by the throttle position detector means.

11. The steering control system for use in a track-laying system as set forth in claim 6 or 7, which further comprises power source revolution speed detector means for detecting the actual revolution speed of the power source, and wherein the revolution speed of the power source for the target steering motor speed ratio, which is the ratio of a revolution speed of the steering motor to the revolution speed of the power source, is either a set target revolution speed or the actual revolution speed of the power source detected by the power source revolution speed detector means, and the revolution speed of the steering motor is the target revolution speed.

12. The steering control system for use in a track-laying vehicle as set forth in claim 11, which further comprises throttle position detector means for detecting the position of a throttle with respect to the power source and wherein a target revolution speed for the power source is set according to the throttle position detected by the throttle position detector means.

13. The steering control system for use in a track-laying vehicle as set forth in any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 5, or 6 to 9 wherein the steering motor is rotated in forward and reverse directions, thereby driving the crawler belts at the same speed in different directions such that a relative travel difference results between the crawler belts.

14. The steering control system for use in a track-laying vehicle as set forth in claim 13, wherein the steering motor is any one of a hydrostatic steering motor and an electric steering motor.

15. The steering control system for use in a track-laying vehicle as set forth in any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 5, or 6 to 9, wherein the rotary driving force of the power source is transmitted through a non-stage transmission such that the crawler belts are driven at the same speed in the same direction, thereby driving the vehicle forwards or backwards.

16. The steering control system for use in a track-laying vehicle as set forth in claim 15, wherein the non-stage transmission is any one of a hydrostatic-mechanical transmission, a hydrostatic transmission and a belt-type transmission.

17. The steering control system for use in a track-laying vehicle as set forth in any of one of claims 1, 2, 3, 5, or 6 to 9, wherein the steering instructing means is any one of a steering lever and a steering handle.