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US 10,766,550 B2Granted
Load divider dolly with active pitch angle adjustment for on-the-fly load distribution
OwnerLawrence Strossinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A load divider dolly has: a chassis; ground engaging wheels; a tow vehicle mount pivotally mounted to the chassis; a variable volume element mounted to adjust a pitch angle between the chassis and the tow vehicle mount; and a pressure control system configured to, during use, supply and exhaust fluid such as gas to and from the variable volume element to distribute load between a tow vehicle and the ground engaging wheels of the load divider dolly.
Claims13
A load divider dolly comprising:
- a chassis;
- ground engaging wheels;
- a tow vehicle mount pivotally mounted to the chassis;
- a variable volume element mounted to adjust a pitch angle between the chassis and the tow vehicle mount;
- and
- a pressure control system configured to, during use, supply and exhaust gas to and from the variable volume element to distribute load between a tow vehicle and the ground engaging wheels of the load divider dolly;
- in which the pressure control system is configured to maintain, during use, a pressure in the variable volume element within a predetermined range by reducing and increasing the pressure in the variable volume element when the pressure in the variable volume element is above or below the predetermined range, respectively;
- in which the pressure control system is configured to adjust the predetermined range during use;
- in which the pressure control system is configured to set the predetermined range based on the variable volume element being in a neutral intermediate expansion state;
- and
- further comprising a position sensor, which is connected to the pressure control system and configured to detect the neutral intermediate expansion state;
- in which:
- the position sensor comprises a pitch angle sensor;
- and
- the variable volume element is mounted between planar surfaces, with one of the planar surfaces forming part of the tow vehicle mount and another of the planar surfaces forming part of the chassis.
12 more elements
A method comprising:
- advancing a tow vehicle over a ground surface, in which a load divider dolly is connected to a rear end of the tow vehicle, the load divider dolly having:
- a chassis pivotally mounted to the tow vehicle;
- a variable volume element mounted to adjust a pitch angle between the chassis and the tow vehicle;
- and
- wheels mounted to the chassis and engaging the ground surface;
- while advancing the tow vehicle, supplying and exhausting gas to the variable volume element to distribute load between a tow vehicle and the ground engaging wheels of the load divider dolly;
- in which supplying and exhausting gas to the variable volume element further comprises:
- exhausting gas from the variable volume element while the load divider dolly and tow vehicle traverse a section of ground surface corresponding to a positive rate of slope change;
- and
- supplying gas to the variable volume element while the load divider dolly and tow vehicle traverse a section of ground surface corresponding to a negative rate of slope change.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.