Control method, computer program and control device of a tracked vehicle

• US 9,862,386 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2013
• Issued: 01/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Prinoth, Spa (Leitner Snow BV)
• Original Assignee: Prinoth, Spa (Leitner Snow BV)
• Inventors: Pelletier, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): KLEINMAN, LAIL A
• Application Number:
  US14/402,056
• Publication Number:
  US 20150134221A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,687 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 23/00 Arrangement or mounting of control devices for vehicle transmissions, or parts thereof, not otherwise provided for movable cabs having special adaptations of vehicle control devices B62D33/06; such control devices per se F16D, F16H
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18172 Preventing, or responsive to skidding of wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 11/003 Electric or electronic control systems
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 11/02 by differentially driving ground-engaging elements on opposite vehicle sides
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/00 Endless track vehicles steering aspects B62D11/00; characterised by the driver not being seated B62D51/007
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/06 with tracks without ground wheels

Abstract

A control method of a tracked vehicle having a track belt and configured to advance the tracked vehicle provides for acquiring the driving speed of the tracked vehicle; acquiring the speeds of the tracks with respect to the tracked vehicle; calculating a range of expected values of traveling speed as a function of speed of the track; and varying the speed of the track when the traveling speed of the tracked vehicle is outside the range of expected values.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a tracked vehicle including a track configured to advance the tracked vehicle, said method comprising:

acquiring a traveling speed of the tracked vehicle;

acquiring a speed of the track with respect to the tracked vehicle;

acquiring a signal indicative of a longitudinal tilt of the tracked vehicle;

determining, based on the acquired signal indicative of the longitudinal tilt of the tracked vehicle, an operating condition; and

responsive to the determined operating condition being deterministic of an anti-skid operating mode;

for the determined operating condition, calculating a range of expected traveling speeds as a function of the acquired speed of the track, wherein a first determined operating condition associated with an ascent of the tracked vehicle has a first range of expected travelling speeds as a function of the acquired speed of the track and a second, different determined operating condition associated with a descent of the tracked vehicle has a second, greater range of expected travelling speeds as a function of the acquired speed of the track; and

varying the speed of the track when the acquired traveling speed of the tracked vehicle is outside the calculated range of expected traveling speeds to reduce slippage of the track.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the tracked vehicle includes two tracks configured to be driven at respective speeds with respect to the tracked vehicle and which includes:

acquiring the speeds of the tracks with respect to the tracked vehicle, and

calculating the range of expected traveling speeds as a function of the acquired speeds of the tracks.

3. The method of claim 2, which includes:

acquiring a steering signal to differentiate the speeds of the tracks from one another; and

calculating the range of expected traveling speeds as a function of the acquired steering signal.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the tracked vehicle includes a motor configured to generate power and two adjustable power transmissions configured to transfer part of the generated power of the motor to the respective tracks, and which includes adjusting the two respective power transmissions to modulate the power transmitted to the respective tracks.

5. The method of claim 1, which includes calculating the range of expected traveling speeds as a function of the acquired signal indicative of the longitudinal tilt.

6. The method of claim 1, which includes cyclically reiterating the calculation of the range of expected traveling speeds.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein acquiring the speed of the track includes detecting the speed via a sensor mounted on the tracked vehicle, said sensor configured to detect a relative movement of the track with respect to the tracked vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein acquiring the traveling speed of the tracked vehicle includes acquiring the traveling speed of the tracked vehicle through a GPS receiver.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the tracked vehicle is associated with one selected from the group consisting of:

a preparation of ski slopes and a maintenance of woods.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium including a plurality of instructions, which when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to control a tracked vehicle by:

acquiring a traveling speed of the tracked vehicle;

acquiring a speed of a track of the tracked vehicle with respect to the tracked vehicle, said track configured to advance the tracked vehicle;

acquiring a signal indicative of a longitudinal tilt of the tracked vehicle;

determining, based on the acquired signal indicative of the longitudinal tilt of the tracked vehicle, an operating condition; and

responsive to the determined operating condition being deterministic of an anti-skid operating mode;

for the determined operating condition, calculating a range of expected traveling speeds as a function of the acquired speed of the track, wherein a first determined operating condition associated with an ascent of the tracked vehicle has a first range of expected travelling speeds as a function of the acquired speed of the track and a second, different determined operating condition associated with a descent of the tracked vehicle has a second, greater range of expected travelling speeds as a function of the acquired speed of the track; and

varying the speed of the track when the acquired traveling speed of the tracked vehicle is outside the calculated range of expected traveling speeds to reduce slippage of the track.

11. A tracked vehicle control device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

acquire a traveling speed of a tracked vehicle,

acquire a speed of a track of the tracked vehicle with respect to the tracked vehicle, said track configured to advance the tracked vehicle,

acquire a signal indicative of a longitudinal tilt of the tracked vehicle;

determine, based on the acquired signal indicative of the longitudinal tilt of the tracked vehicle, an operating condition; and

responsive to the determined operating condition being deterministic of an anti-skid operating mode;

for the determined operating condition, calculate a range of expected traveling speeds as a function of acquired speed of the track, wherein a first determined operating condition associated with an ascent of the tracked vehicle has a first range of expected travelling speeds as a function of the acquired speed of the track and a second, different determined operating condition associated with a descent of the tracked vehicle has a second, greater range of expected travelling speeds as a function of the acquired speed of the track, and

cause a varying of the speed of the track when the traveling speed of the tracked vehicle is outside the calculated range of expected traveling speeds to reduce slippage of the track.

12. The tracked vehicle control device of claim 11, wherein when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to:

acquire a speed of each of two tracks of the tracked vehicle, said two tracked configured to be driven at respective speeds with respect to the tracked vehicle, and

calculate the range of expected traveling speeds as a function of the acquired speeds of the tracks.

13. The tracked vehicle control device of claim 12, wherein when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to:

acquire a steering signal adapted to differentiate the speeds of the tracks from one another; and

calculate the range of expected traveling speeds as a function of the acquired steering signal.

14. The tracked vehicle control device of claim 11, wherein when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to calculate the range of expected traveling speeds as a function of the acquired signal indicative of longitudinal tilt.

15. The tracked vehicle control device of claim 11, wherein when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to cyclically reiterate the calculation of the range of expected traveling speeds.

16. The tracked vehicle control device of claim 11, which includes a sensor mountable on the tracked vehicle and configured to:

detect a relative movement of the track with respect to the tracked vehicle, and

acquire the speed of the track.

17. The tracked vehicle control device of claim 11, which includes a GPS receiver mountable on the tracked vehicle and configured to acquire the traveling speed of the tracked vehicle.

18. The tracked vehicle control device of claim 11, wherein when executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions cause the processor to:

respectively adjust a first power transmission of the tracked vehicle and a second power transmission of the tracked vehicle to modulate power transmitted to respective tracks of the tracked vehicle via a tracked vehicle motor, and

vary the respective speeds of the tracks.

19. A ski run tracked vehicle comprising:

a track configured to advance the ski run tracked vehicle; and

a tracked vehicle control device including;

a processor; and

a memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

acquire a traveling speed of the ski run tracked vehicle,

acquire a speed of the track with respect to the ski run tracked vehicle,

acquire a signal indicative of a longitudinal tilt of the ski run tracked vehicle;

determine, based on the acquired signal indicative of the longitudinal tilt of the ski run tracked vehicle, an operating condition; and

responsive to the determined operating condition being deterministic of an anti-skid operating mode;

for the determined operating condition, calculate a range of expected traveling speeds as a function of acquired speed of the track, wherein a first determined operating condition associated with an ascent of the ski run tracked vehicle has a first range of expected travelling speeds as a function of the acquired speed of the track and a second, different determined operating condition associated with a descent of the ski run tracked vehicle has a second, greater range of expected travelling speeds as a function of the acquired speed of the track, and

cause a varying of the speed of the track when the traveling speed of the ski run tracked vehicle is outside the calculated range of expected traveling speeds to reduce slippage of the track.

20. A woods maintenance tracked vehicle comprising:

a track configured to advance the woods maintenance tracked vehicle; and

a tracked vehicle control device including;

a processor; and

a memory device which stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

acquire a traveling speed of the woods maintenance tracked vehicle,

acquire a speed of the track with respect to the woods maintenance tracked vehicle,

acquire a signal indicative of a longitudinal tilt of the woods maintenance tracked vehicle;

determine, based on the acquired signal indicative of the longitudinal tilt of the woods maintenance tracked vehicle, an operating condition; and

responsive to the determined operating condition being deterministic of an anti-skid operating mode;

for the determined operating condition, calculate a range of expected traveling speeds as a function of acquired speed of the track, wherein a first determined operating condition associated with an ascent of the woods maintenance tracked vehicle has a first range of expected travelling speeds as a function of the acquired speed of the track and a second, different determined operating condition associated with a descent of the woods maintenance tracked vehicle has a second, greater range of expected travelling speeds as a function of the acquired speed of the track, and

cause a varying of the speed of the track when the traveling speed of the woods maintenance tracked vehicle is outside the calculated range of expected traveling speeds to reduce slippage of the track.