# US 10,370,045 B2 · Implement control system for electrical actuator of steerable track assembly pivotable about three axes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,370,045 B2 - Document ID: US10370045B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/654,350 - Filed: 2017-07-19 - Published: 2019-01-24 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-07-19 - Assignees: CNH Industrial America LLC - Applicants: CNH Industrial America LLC - Inventors: Marvin A. Prickel; Shivakumar Prodduturi; Tom Lykken; David Allen Zach - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10370045B2 ## CPC - 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)} - B62D 11/20: Endless-track steering having pivoted bogie carrying track (B62D11/02 takes precedence) - B62D 13/005: {operated from tractor steering system} - B62D 55/02: with tracks and additional ground wheels {(for multi-purpose tractors B62D49/0635)} - B62D 55/04: with tracks and alternative ground wheels, e.g. changeable from endless track vehicle into wheeled vehicle and vice versa {(for multi-purpose tractors B62D49/0635)} - B62D 55/084: Endless-track units or carriages mounted separably, adjustably or extensibly on vehicles, e.g. portable track units (B62D55/07 takes precedence) - B62D 55/0845: {Protection devices} - B62D 55/0847: {Track blocking devices mounted on the frame; Track guides} - B62D 55/116: Attitude or position control of chassis by action on suspension, e.g. to compensate for a slope - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) ## Abstract A work vehicle includes left and right track assemblies, each track assembly having a main frame, a pivot member, a pivot shaft coupled to the pivot member, and an electrical actuator coupled between the pivot shaft and the main frame. The work vehicle also includes a control system having a controller communicatively coupled to each electrical actuator of the track assemblies. The controller includes processors that control the electrical actuator to steer the work vehicle about a generally vertical steering axis. Each pivot member is mounted to the main frame of the track assemblies. Each track assembly is pivotal about a generally horizontal pitch axis of the pivot shaft to permit pitch movement of the track assembly. Each track assembly is pivotal about a generally horizontal camber axis through a portion of the pivot member to permit camber movement of the track assembly. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A work vehicle comprising: left and right track assemblies, each track assembly comprising a respective main frame, a respective pivot member, a respective pivot shaft coupled to the respective pivot member, and a respective electrical actuator coupled between the respective pivot shaft and the respective main frame; and a control system, comprising a controller communicatively coupled to each respective electrical actuator of the left and right track assemblies, wherein the controller comprises one or more processors configured to control the respective electrical actuator to steer the work vehicle about a generally vertical steering axis; wherein: each respective pivot member is mounted to the respective main frame of the left and right track assemblies; each track assembly of the left and right track assemblies is pivotal about a generally horizontal pitch axis of the respective pivot shaft to permit pitch movement of the track assembly; and each track assembly is pivotal about a generally horizontal camber axis through a portion of the respective pivot member to permit camber movement of the track assembly. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The work vehicle of claim 1, wherein each respective electrical actuator comprises a respective motor configured to drive a respective rod of the respective electrical actuator. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The work vehicle of claim 2, wherein the one or more processors are configured to control each respective electrical actuator to steer the work vehicle by sending one or more instructions to the respective motor of the respective electrical actuator. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The work vehicle of claim 1, wherein each respective electrical actuator comprises a respective sensor configured to output a respective signal indicative of a respective position of a respective rod of the respective electrical actuator. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The work vehicle of claim 4, wherein the one or more processors are configured to control the respective electrical actuator based at least in part on the respective signal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The work vehicle of claim 1, wherein each respective electrical actuator is an electrical linear actuator or an electrical rotary actuator. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The work vehicle of claim 1, wherein the control system comprises a user interface communicatively coupled to the controller and configured to output instructions to the controller. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The work vehicle of claim 7, wherein the one or more processors are configured to control each respective electrical actuator based at least in part on the instructions. ### Claim 9 A control system of a work vehicle comprising: a controller communicatively coupled to each respective electrical actuator of left and right track assemblies of the work vehicle, wherein: the controller comprises one or more processors configured to control the respective electrical actuator; the respective electrical actuator is configured to drive a respective rod of the respective electrical actuator to steer the work vehicle about a generally vertical steering axis; the work vehicle comprises the left and right track assemblies, each track assembly of the left and right track assemblies comprising a respective main frame, a respective pivot member, a respective pivot shaft coupled to the respective pivot member, and the respective electrical actuator coupled between the respective pivot shaft and the respective main frame; the respective pivot member is mounted to the respective main frame; each track assembly is pivotal about a generally horizontal pitch axis of the respective pivot shaft to permit pitch movement of the track assembly; and each track assembly is pivotal about a generally horizontal camber axis through a portion of the respective pivot member to permit camber movement of the track assembly. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The control system of claim 9, wherein each respective electrical actuator comprises a respective motor coupled to the respective rod, wherein the respective electrical actuator is configured to drive the respective rod. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The control system of claim 10, wherein the one or more processors are configured to control each respective electrical actuator to steer the work vehicle by sending one or more instructions to the respective motor of the respective electrical actuator. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The control system of claim 9, wherein each respective electrical actuator comprises a respective sensor configured to output a respective signal indicative of a respective position of the respective rod. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The control system of claim 12, wherein the one or more processors are configured to control each respective electrical actuator based at least in part on the respective signal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The control system of claim 9, comprising a user interface coupled to the controller configured to send instructions to the controller. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The control system of claim 14, wherein the one or more processors are configured to control each respective electrical actuator based at least in part on the instructions. ### Claim 16 A controller coupled to each respective electrical actuator of left and right track assemblies of a work vehicle that are each pivotal about a respective horizontal pitch axis of a respective pivot shaft to permit pitch movement and pivotal about a respective horizontal camber axis through a portion of a respective pivot member to permit camber movement, comprising: one or more processors configured to control a respective motor of the respective electrical actuator coupled between the respective pivot shaft and a respective main frame of the left and right track assemblies to steer the work vehicle about a generally vertical steering axis by drive a respective rod of the respective electrical actuator. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The controller of claim 16, wherein the one or more processors are configured to control the respective electrical actuator to steer the work vehicle by sending one or more instructions to the respective motor. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The controller of claim 16, wherein the respective electrical actuator comprises a respective sensor configured to output a respective signal indicative of a respective position of the respective rod. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The controller of claim 18, wherein the one or more processors are configured to control each respective electrical actuator based at least in part on the respective signal. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The controller of claim 16, wherein the respective motor is an electrical linear motor, an electrical rotary motor, or an electrical solenoid motor.