Controller for steering a vehicle
First Claim
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1. A vehicle for traveling along the ground, the vehicle comprising:
- at least one rear wheel;
at least one front wheel;
an actuator coupled to the at least one rear wheel for rotating the at least one rear wheel about a steering axis;
an input device operable to select one of a plurality of steering modes, the input device providing an input signal corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of steering modes;
a means for providing an enabling signal for enabling the selected one of the plurality of steering modes, the means for providing an enabling signal including at least one sensor and a comparator, the comparator operably coupled to the at least one sensor for detecting a degree of slippage between either one of the front and rear wheels and the ground, the comparator comparing the degree of slippage to a threshold and generating the enabling signal when the degree of slippage is greater than the threshold; and
a controller responsive to the input signal and the enabling signal for controlling the actuator to rotate the at least one rear wheel in accordance with the selected one of the plurality of steering modes.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for steering a vehicle are disclosed. A vehicle in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is capable of operating in a first steering mode and a second steering mode. The vehicle may comprise an input device capable of providing an input signal indicating that operation in the second steering mode is desired. The vehicle may comprise an electronic control unit (ECU) capable of providing an enabling signal when the ECU determines that operation in the second steering mode is appropriate for the present riding conditions.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. A vehicle for traveling along the ground, the vehicle comprising:
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at least one rear wheel; at least one front wheel; an actuator coupled to the at least one rear wheel for rotating the at least one rear wheel about a steering axis; an input device operable to select one of a plurality of steering modes, the input device providing an input signal corresponding to the selected one of the plurality of steering modes; a means for providing an enabling signal for enabling the selected one of the plurality of steering modes, the means for providing an enabling signal including at least one sensor and a comparator, the comparator operably coupled to the at least one sensor for detecting a degree of slippage between either one of the front and rear wheels and the ground, the comparator comparing the degree of slippage to a threshold and generating the enabling signal when the degree of slippage is greater than the threshold; and a controller responsive to the input signal and the enabling signal for controlling the actuator to rotate the at least one rear wheel in accordance with the selected one of the plurality of steering modes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method comprising the steps of:
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providing a vehicle having at least one rear wheel and an actuator coupled to the at least one rear wheel for rotating the wheel about a steering axis; receiving an input signal from an input switch; providing an enabling signal for enabling a second steering mode of the vehicle when a degree of slippage is greater than a threshold; producing a control signal in response to the input signal and the enabling signal for actuating the actuator to rotate the at least one rear wheel about the steering axis thereof.
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28. A vehicle comprising:
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at least one rear wheel; an actuator coupled to the at least one rear wheel for rotating the at least one rear wheel about a steering axis; a sensor array including a plurality of sensors each generating a sensor signal, the plurality of sensors including a vehicle acceleration sensor and a wheel rotation sensor, the vehicle acceleration sensor including an accelerometer positioned on the vehicle and measuring the linear acceleration of the vehicle, the vehicle acceleration sensor generating a first sensor signal indicative of the vehicle acceleration;
the wheel rotation sensor coupled to at least one of the wheels and measuring the acceleration of a ground contacting portion of the at least one of the wheels, the wheel rotation sensor generating a second sensor signal indicative of the acceleration of the ground contacting portion of the at least one rear wheel;an ECU coupled to the actuator and the sensor array; and the ECU calculating a steering angle responsive to the first and the second sensor signals and providing a control signal to the actuator so that the at least one wheel is rotated about the steering axis by the steering angle.
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29. A recreational vehicle having a first rear wheel, a second rear wheel, a pair of front wheels, and a steering member operably coupled to the pair of front wheels and adapted to be operated by the operator to steer the pair of front wheels about respective front steering axes, the vehicle comprising:
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an input device switch positioned on the steering member and switchable by the operator between a plurality of steering mode selections, the input device switch generating an input signal corresponding to the selected steering mode; at least one actuator operably coupled to the first and second rear wheels and adapted to selectively and independently rotate the first and second rear wheels about respective first and second rear steering axes; a sensor array including a plurality of sensors each generating a sensor signal, the plurality of sensors including a vehicle movement sensor and a wheel rotation sensor, the vehicle movement sensor positioned on the vehicle and measuring the linear movement of the vehicle, the vehicle movement sensor generating a first sensor signal indicative of the vehicle movement;
the wheel rotation sensor coupled to at least one of the wheels and measuring the movement of a ground contacting portion of the at least one of the wheels, the wheel rotation sensor generating a second sensor signal indicative of the movement of the ground contacting portion of the at least one wheel; anda control unit coupled to the sensor array, the input device and the actuator, the control unit receiving the input signal, the first signal and the second signal, the control unit storing at least one threshold parameter, the control unit including a comparator operable to detect inconsistency between the first sensor signal and the second sensor signal and compare the inconsistency to the at least one threshold parameter, the comparator operable to generate an enabling signal enabling the selected steering mode when the inconsistency is greater than the at least one threshold parameter, the control unit controlling the actuator to affect the selective and independent rotation of first and second rear wheels about respective first and second rear steering axes in accordance with the selected steering mode. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A recreational vehicle having a vehicle frame, a pair of front wheels rotatably coupled to the vehicle frame and a steering member operably coupled to the pair of front wheels and adapted to be operated by the operator to steer the pair of front wheels about respective front wheel axes, the vehicle comprising:
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a pair of rear wheel assemblies, each rear wheel assembly including a rear wheel, a knuckle rotatably coupled to said rear wheel and having an upper end and a lower end, upper and lower ball joints respectively disposed on the upper and lower ends of the knuckle, and upper and lower support arms pivotably coupled at one end to the upper and lower ball joints, respectively, and coupled at the opposite end to the vehicle frame, the knuckle defining a rear steering axis; an input device switch positioned on the steering member and switchable by the operator between a plurality of steering mode selections, the input device generating an input signal corresponding to the selected steering mode; at least one actuator operably coupled to the pair of rear wheel assemblies and adapted to selectively and independently rotate the rear wheels about the rear steering axes; a sensor array including a plurality of sensors each generating a sensor signal; and a control unit coupled to the sensor array, the input device and the actuator, the control unit receiving the sensor signal of each of the plurality of sensors and the input signal, the control unit storing at least one threshold parameter, the control unit including a comparator, the comparator comparing the sensor signal to said at least one threshold parameter, the control unit generating an enabling signal enabling the selected steering mode, the enabling signal based on said comparator'"'"'s comparisons, the control unit controlling said actuator to affect the selective and independent rotation of the rear wheels about respective said rear steering axes in accordance with the selected steering mode. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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Specification