×

Steering system and method for train of wheeled vehicles

  • US 7,949,447 B2
  • Filed: 07/01/2009
  • Issued: 05/24/2011
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2007
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A steering system for steering a plurality of vehicles in a train comprising:

  • a selected pair of transversely aligned propelling devices each including a steerable ground engaging wheel and adapted for mounting on opposite sides of one of said vehicles;

    a first power actuator mechanism for steering said selected pair of propelling devices as the train moves over the ground;

    at least two further pairs of transversely aligned propelling devices, each pair including two steerable ground engaging wheels, each of said further pairs being connected to one or more further vehicles and supporting same and each propelling device of each further pair being adapted for mounting on a respective one of two opposite sides of its respective further vehicle;

    a second power actuator mechanism for steering each of such further pairs of propelling devices;

    one angle sensor for measuring a selected intercar angle between each of a corresponding pair of adjacent vehicles and generating a first electrical signal indicative thereof, anda control system for controlling each second power actuator mechanism in order to set a steering angle of each of said further pairs of propelling devices, said control system including a plurality of programmable logic controllers (PLCs), a respective one of said PLCs being provided for mounting on each vehicle of the train, means for indicating distances that the wheels in the train have traveled from a selected location, means for determining the current steering angle of each of the selected pair and said at least two further pairs of propelling devices and generating respective second electrical signals indicative thereof, means for storing a series of the steering angles of said selected pair measured by said determining means as the train of vehicles is travelling on a support surface, and means for sending electrical steering signals to said second power actuator mechanism in order to operate said second power actuator mechanism and to thereby steer said further pairs of propelling devices, said control system during use of said steering system adjusting the current steering angle of each further pair to a desired steering angle on the basis of the distance traveled by the train from said selected location, the determined current steering angle of the respective pair, and the measured intercar angle for the respective pair,wherein said intercar angle for each pair of adjacent vehicles is defined by central longitudinal axes of the respective pair and a pivot point about which one of the respective pair can pivot relative to the other vehicle of the respective pair in a generally horizontal plane.

View all claims
  • 2 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×