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US 11,730,073 B2Granted
Mounting assembly for a steerable wheel with variable track width
AssigneeAGCO Corporation
InventorMark Aron Crowley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wheel-mounting assembly for a utility vehicle includes a chassis and a wheel support assembly mounted to respective outboard ends of first and second telescopic axle assemblies. The first and second telescopic axle assemblies are laterally spaced from one another and are each secured to the chassis. The first and second telescopic axle assemblies each include a respective actuator arranged to control extension and retraction thereof for steering and track-width control.
Claims19
A wheel-mounting assembly for a utility vehicle comprising a chassis, the wheel-mounting assembly comprising:
- first and second telescopic axle assemblies laterally spaced from one another and each secured to the chassis, wherein the first and second telescopic axle assemblies each comprise an actuator arranged to control extension and retraction of a respective telescopic axle assembly;
- and
- a wheel support assembly coupled to outboard ends of each of the first and second telescopic axle assemblies;
- wherein the outboard end of the first telescopic axle assembly is coupled to the wheel support assembly by a link arm having a first end coupled to the first telescopic axle assembly by a first pivotable connection and a second, opposite end coupled to the wheel support assembly by a second pivotable connection;
- and
- wherein the outboard end of the second telescopic axle assembly is coupled directly to a crank arm by a third pivotable connection, and the crank arm is rigidly connected to the wheel support assembly.
3 more elements
A utility vehicle comprising:
- a chassis;
- and
- a plurality of wheel-mounting assemblies coupled to the chassis, each wheel-mounting assembly comprising:
- first and second telescopic axle assemblies laterally spaced from one another and each secured to the chassis, wherein the first and second telescopic axle assemblies each comprise an actuator arranged to control extension and retraction of a respective telescopic axle assembly;
- and
- a wheel support assembly coupled to outboard ends of each of the first and second telescopic axle assemblies;
- wherein the outboard end of each first telescopic axle assembly is coupled to a respective wheel support assembly by a link arm having a first end coupled to the first telescopic axle assembly by a first pivotable connection and a second, opposite end coupled to the respective wheel support assembly by a second pivotable connection;
- and
- wherein the outboard end of each second telescopic axle assembly is coupled directly to a crank arm by a third pivotable connection, and the crank arm is rigidly connected to the respective wheel support assembly.
6 more elements
A method of adjusting a track width of a utility vehicle, the method comprising:
- providing a utility vehicle comprising:
- a chassis;
- and
- a plurality of wheel-mounting assemblies coupled to the chassis, each wheel-mounting assembly comprising:
- first and second telescopic axle assemblies laterally spaced from one another and each secured to the chassis, wherein the first and second telescopic axle assemblies each comprise an actuator arranged to control extension and retraction of a respective telescopic axle assembly;
- and
- a wheel support assembly coupled to outboard ends of each of the first and second telescopic axle assemblies;
- wherein the outboard end of each first telescopic axle assembly is coupled to a respective wheel support assembly by a link arm having a first end coupled to the first telescopic axle assembly by a first pivotable connection and a second, opposite end coupled to the respective wheel support assembly by a second pivotable connection;
- and
- wherein the outboard end of each second telescopic axle assembly is coupled directly to a crank arm by a third pivotable connection, and the crank arm is rigidly connected to the respective wheel support assembly;
- simultaneously extending the first and second telescopic axle assemblies secured to a first wheel support assembly;
- and
- simultaneously extending the first and second telescopic axle assemblies secured to a second wheel support assembly.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.