Work vehicle steering and suspension system

• US 6,311,795 B1
• Filed: 05/02/2000
• Issued: 11/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.), CNH Industrial America LLC (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Case Corporation (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Skotnikov, Andrey V., Schubert, William L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): YEAGLEY, DANIEL S
• Application Number:
  US09/562,199
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 280/5.5, 280/5.514, 280/6.15, 280/6.154, 280/6.157, 280/5.502, 280/5.504, 280/5.505, 280/5.506, 280/5.507, 280/5.508, 280/5.509, 280/5.513, 280/6.16, 280/124.104, 280/124.106, 280/6.158, 280/124.159, 180/252, 180/264, 180/266, 180/209, 180/8.3, 239/161
• US Class Current: 180/8.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0152 characterised by the action on a particular type of suspension unit B60G17/01941 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/019 characterised by the type of sensor or the arrangement thereof B60G17/01941 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/04 fluid spring characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/13 with longitudinal arms only
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/44 steerable
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/154 with an accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/07 Off-road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/08 Agricultural vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/09 Construction vehicles, e.g. graders, excavators
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/40 Variable track or wheelbase vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/051 Angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/0511 Roll angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/102 vertical
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/204 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/252 vertical
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/41 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2401/00 Indexing codes relating to the type of sensors based on the principle of their operation
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/20 Spring action or springs
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2500/30 Height or ground clearance
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/01 Attitude or posture control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/164 : Heaving; Squatting
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/914 : Height Control System
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 49/0678 : Tractors of variable track width or wheel base for vehicles in general B60B23/12 and B60B35/10
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 7/026 : characterised by comprising more than one bogie, e.g. situated in more than one plane transversal to the longitudinal centre line of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 7/1509 : with different steering modes, e.g. crab-steering, or steering specially adapted for reversing of the vehicle

Abstract

A work vehicle steering system for a work vehicle having a frame, a plurality of wheels, and a coupling assembly coupled to at least one of the wheels is provided. The coupling assembly includes first, second, and third rotatable assemblies. The first rotatable assembly is coupled to the frame and is configured to rotate on a first axis. The second rotatable assembly is coupled to the first rotatable assembly and is configured to rotate on a second axis. The third rotatable assembly is coupled between the second rotatable assembly and the wheel and is configured to rotate on a third axis. The coupling assembly provides the wheel with three degrees of movement.

Claims

1. A work vehicle steering system for a work vehicle having a frame, a plurality of wheels, and a coupling assembly coupled to at least one of the wheels, the coupling assembly comprising:

a first rotatable assembly coupled to the frame and configured to rotate on a first axis;

a second rotatable assembly coupled to the first rotatable assembly and configured to rotate on a second axis;

a third rotatable assembly coupled between the second rotatable assembly and the wheel and configured to rotate on a third axis, whereby the coupling assembly provides the wheel with three degrees of movement;

a control circuit coupled to at least one of the first, second, and third rotatable assemblies configured to rotate at least one of the first, second, and third assemblies on their respective axes; and

first, second, and third position sensors coupled to the first, second, and third rotatable assemblies, respectively, each position sensor configured to provide a position signal to the control circuit representative of the position of the respective rotatable assembly.

2. The work vehicle steering system of claim 1, wherein the second rotatable assembly comprises a parallelogram assembly configured to rotate on first and second pins, the second axis extending through one of the first and second pins.

3. The work vehicle steering system of claim 1, the coupling assemblies further comprising an actuator coupled to the second rotatable assembly, the actuator configured to adjust the height of the wheel with respect to the frame and further configured to provide suspension to the wheel.

4. The work vehicle steering system of claim 2, wherein the first and third rotatable assemblies rotate on vertical axes.

5. The work vehicle steering system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to adjust at least one of the distance and the height between wheels on opposite sides of the work vehicle.

6. The work vehicle steering system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to adjust at least one of the distance and the height between wheels on the same side of the work vehicle.

7. The work vehicle steering system of claim 1, further comprising an accelerometer coupled to the work vehicle configured to sense the acceleration of the work vehicle and provide an acceleration signal to the control circuit, wherein the control circuit is configured to monitor the resonance of the work vehicle based on the acceleration signal and to adjust one of wheel base, wheel width, and suspension constants to reduce the resonance.

8. The work vehicle steering system of claim 1, further comprising a tilt sensor coupled to the work vehicle configured to sense the tilt of the work vehicle with respect to gravity and to provide a tilt signal to the control circuit, the control circuit configured to adjust at least one of the three rotatable assemblies to maintain the frame of the work vehicle in a substantially horizontal position with respect to a gravity vector.

9. The work vehicle steering system of claim 1, the control circuit configured to actuate the second rotatable assembly of each wheel to adjust the clearance of the work vehicle with respect to the ground.

10. The work vehicle steering system of claim 1, the coupling assembly further comprising a hydrostatic motor configured to drive the wheel.

11. A work vehicle steering system for a work vehicle having a frame, a plurality of wheels, and a coupling means coupled to each of the wheels, the coupling means each comprising:

first means coupled to the frame for rotating on a first axis;

second means coupled to the first means for rotating on a second axis;

third means coupled between the second means and the wheel for rotating on a third axis, whereby the coupling means provides the wheel with three degrees of movement;

a control means for rotating the first means, second means, and third means on their respective axes; and

an accelerometer means coupled to the work vehicle for sensing the acceleration of the work vehicle and providing an acceleration signal to the control means, wherein the control means monitors the resonance of the work vehicle based on the acceleration signal and adjusts one of the wheel base and the wheel width to reduce the resonance.

12. The work vehicle steering system of claim 11, wherein the second means comprises a parallelogram means for rotating on first and second pins, the second axis extending through one of the first and second pins.

13. The work vehicle steering system of claim 11, wherein the first and third means rotate on vertical axes.

14. The work vehicle steering system of claim 11, wherein the control means adjusts the distance between wheels on opposite sides of the work vehicle.

15. The work vehicle steering system of claim 11, wherein the control means adjusts the distance between wheels on the same side of the work vehicle.

16. The work vehicle steering system of claim 11, further comprising a tilt sensor means for sensing the tilt of the work vehicle with respect to gravity and providing a tilt signal to the control means, the control means for adjusting at least one of the first, second, and third means to maintain the frame of the work vehicle in a substantially horizontal position with respect to a gravity vector.

17. A work vehicle steering system for a work vehicle having a frame, a plurality of wheels, and a coupling assembly coupled to at least one of the wheels, the coupling assembly comprising:

a first rotatable assembly coupled to the frame and configured to rotate on a first axis;

a second rotatable assembly coupled to the first rotatable assembly and configured to rotate on a second axis;

a third rotatable assembly coupled between the second rotatable assembly and the wheel and configured to rotate on a third axis, whereby the coupling assembly provides the wheel with three degrees of movement;

a control circuit coupled to at least one of the first, second, and third rotatable assemblies configured to rotate at least one of the first, second, and third assemblies on their respective axes; and

an accelerometer coupled to the work vehicle configured to sense the acceleration of the work vehicle and provide an acceleration signal to the control circuit, wherein the control circuit is configured to monitor the resonance of the work vehicle based on the acceleration signal and to adjust one of wheel base, wheel width, and suspension constants to reduce the resonance.

18. The work vehicle steering system of claim 17, wherein the control circuit is configured to adjust the wheel base to reduce the resonance.

19. The work vehicle steering system of claim 17, wherein the control circuit is configured to adjust the wheel width to reduce the resonance.

20. The work vehicle steering system of claim 17, wherein the control circuit is configured to adjust the suspension constants to reduce the resonance.