Articulated vehicle, an articulation device and a drive transmission

• US 20040226760A1
• Filed: 10/03/2003
• Published: 11/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Singapore Technologies Kinetics Limited (Singapore Technologies Engineering Limited)
• Original Assignee: Singapore Technologies Kinetics Limited (Singapore Technologies Engineering Limited)
• Inventors: Shu, Jun, Leong, Hin Chee, Tay, Choon Mong, Poon, Yew Chuen, Yong Soon, Dominic Phoon, Tu, Shi Jin, Loh, Heng Fong
• Granted Patent: US 6,880,651 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/6.7
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 12/00 Steering specially adapted for vehicles operating in tandem or having pivotally connected frames steering endless tracks or the like B62D11/00; steering specially adapted for trailers B62D13/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 12/02 for vehicles operating in tandem
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/0655 Articulated endless track vehicles steering specially adapted for trailers B62D13/00; articulated buses B62D47/025; tractor-trailer combinations or road trains comprising a uni-axle unit and a uni-axle trailer B62D53/02
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 59/04 driven from propulsion unit on trailer

Abstract

An articulated vehicle is made up of two independently moveable vehicle bodies, for instance tracked vehicle bodies. The first vehicle body has an engine and the second one has a motor/generator. An articulation device connects them to allow the first vehicle body to drive the second vehicle body or vice versa or even for them to act together. A drive transmission that can be used in the vehicle allows power to be input from two shafts or for one of the shafts to be an additional power output. An articulation device that can be used in the vehicle allows quick alignment and/or coupling and decoupling of the two bodies.

Claims

1. An articulated vehicle comprising at least a first vehicle body and a second vehicle body, with a releasable articulation device therebetween;

wherein

the first vehicle body comprises a first drive means for driving the first vehicle body when it is separate from the second vehicle body;

the second vehicle body comprises a second drive means for driving the second vehicle body when it is separate from the first vehicle body;

the first drive means is operable to drive both the first and second vehicle bodies when the first drive vehicle body is articulated thereto;

the second drive means is operable to drive both the first and second vehicle bodies when the second vehicle body is articulated thereto; and

the first and second vehicle bodies are independently steerable when separate.

2. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the articulation device is operable to couple the first and second drive means together.

3. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, when the first and second vehicle bodies are articulated together, the second drive means is further operable to provide additional power to compliment the drive power provided by the first drive means.

4. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the first drive means comprises an engine.

5. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the second drive means comprises a motor.

6. A vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the second drive means further comprises a generator.

7. A vehicle according to claim 6, wherein, when the first and second vehicle bodies are articulated together, the second drive means is further operable to generate electricity, being driven by the first drive means.

8. A vehicle according to claim 6, wherein, when the first and second vehicle bodies are articulated together, the second drive means is further operable to brake at least the first vehicle body by braking the first drive means through regenerative braking.

9. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said vehicle bodies is tracked.

10. A vehicle according to claim 9, being a tracked vehicle wherein the first and second vehicle bodies are tracked vehicle bodies.

11. A vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the first and second vehicle bodies are steerable via active articulated yaw control to initiate a relative angle therebetween when articulated together.

12. A vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the or each tracked vehicle body is steerable via skid steering when separate.

13. A vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the or each tracked vehicle body is steerable via regenerative traction control when separate.

14. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the articulation device is operable to allow quick release and separation of the first and second vehicle bodies from within at least one of the first and second vehicle bodies.

15. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second drive means comprises:

a first power input means;

a second power input means coupled to the first power input means; and

two power output shafts, coupled to at least the first power input means through a clutch;

wherein

the first power input means is operable to input power without additional power being provided by the second power input means, the second power input means is operable to input power without additional power being provided by the first power input means and the second power input means is operable to input power in addition to power provided by the first power input means.

16. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the articulation device comprises first and second articulation portions, couplable to and releasable from each other by the operation of one or more actuators.

17. A first vehicle body comprising:

a releasable articulation device for articulating the first vehicle body to a second vehicle body;

wherein

a first drive means for driving the first vehicle body when it is separate from the second vehicle body;

wherein

the first drive means is operable to drive both the first and second vehicle bodies when the first drive vehicle body is articulated thereto;

the first vehicle body is operable to be driven by the second vehicle body when the first drive vehicle body is articulated thereto; and

the first vehicle body is independently steerable when separate from the second drive body.

18. A steerable and independently drivable vehicle body comprising:

drive means to provide power to drive the vehicle body; and

a power input shaft operable to be rotated from outside said vehicle body, to drive the vehicle body, with or without power from the drive means and operable to be rotated by said drive means.

19. A vehicle body according to claim 18, wherein the drive means is a motor/generator.

20. A vehicle body according to claim 19, wherein the power input shaft is operable to drive the motor/generator as a generator, when rotated from outside said vehicle body.

21. A vehicle body according to claim 18, further comprising articulation means for articulating the vehicle body to a second vehicle body arranged to rotate the power input shaft and drive said first vehicle body.

22. A vehicle body according to claim 18, being a tracked vehicle body.

23. A vehicle body according to claim 18, wherein the drive means of the vehicle body comprises:

a first power input means;

a second power input means coupled to the first power input means; and

two power output shafts, coupled to at least the first power input means through a clutch;

wherein

the first power input means is operable to input power without additional power being provided by the second power input means, the second power input means is operable to input power without additional power being provided by the first power input means and the second power input means is operable to input power in addition to power provided by the first power input means.

24. A drive transmission comprising:

a first power input means;

a second power input means coupled to the first power input means; and

two power output shafts, coupled to at least the first power input means through a clutch;

wherein

the first power input means is operable to input power without additional power being provided by the second power input means, the second power input means is operable to input power without additional power being provided by the first power input means and the second power input means is operable to input power in addition to power provided by the first power input means.

25. A drive transmission according to claim 24, wherein the second power input means is not coupled to the first power input means through said clutch.

26. A drive transmission according to claim 24, wherein the two power output shafts are provided with traction control.

27. A drive transmission according to claim 24, wherein at least one of the first and second power input means is operable to take out power from the other of the first and second power input means.

28. A drive transmission according to claim 24, wherein at least one of the first and second power input means is operable to take out power from the two power output shafts.

29. A drive transmission according to claim 24, wherein the first and second power input means comprise a single shaft, and are at opposing sides of the drive transmission.

30. An articulation device comprising first and second articulation portions, couplable to and releasable from each other by the operation of one or more actuators.

31. An articulation device according to claim 30, wherein the first and second articulation portions are at least one of couplable to and releasable from each other solely by the operation of the one or more actuators.

32. An articulation device according to claim 30, wherein the one or more actuators are controlled remotely from the articulation device.

33. An articulation device according to claim 30, wherein the or each actuator is operable to extend a detent on one of the first and second articulation portions into a recess in the other of the first and second articulation portions.

35. An articulation device according to claim 30, wherein the first and second articulation portions have coupling faces for coupling to each other, wherein the faces are shaped such that when one approaches the other, it is automatically aligned to a particular relative position and orientation.

39. An articulation device according to claim 30 being for coupling together first and second vehicle bodies.

34. An articulation device comprising first and second articulation portions, having coupling faces for coupling to each other, wherein the faces are shaped such that when one approaches the other, it is automatically aligned to a particular relative position and orientation.

36. An articulation device according to claim 34, wherein the coupling faces have curved portions and the curved portion of at least one of the coupling faces corresponds to a portion of the surface of a non-spherical ellipsoid.

37. An articulation device according to claim 36, wherein the curved portions of both coupling faces correspond to a portion of the surface of a non-spherical ellipsoid.

38. An articulation device according to claim 37, wherein the curved portions of both coupling faces correspond to a portion of the surface of the same non-spherical ellipsoid.