Steering control of tracked vehicle

A steering control system for a tracked vehicle having a left drive sprocket and a right drive sprocket, wherein power of an engine is transmitted to said right drive sprocket by a right driving shaft which is coupled to an output shaft via a right clutch and a right brake, and power of an engine is transmitted to the left drive sprocket by a left driving shaft which is coupled to an output shaft via a left clutch and a left brake, said system comprising:

• control valves for separately controlling hydraulic pressure to said right clutch, said left clutch, said right brake, and said left brake;
• a steering lever which is movable between a neutral position and a full stroke position;
• a steering signal generator for generating a steering signal corresponding to the amount of movement of said steering lever from said neutral position;
• and
• a controller for receiving the steering signal from said steering signal generator and for outputting steering control signals to the control valve for one of said clutches and to the control valve for the brake associated with said one of said clutches;
• wherein changes with time of the steering control signals outputted from said controller to the control valve of said one of said clutches and to the control valve of the brake associated therewith, when the amount of operation of said steering lever increases from its neutral position to its full stroke position, include:
• (a) a first range in which the clutch hydraulic pressure changes from a clutch completely engaging pressure to a clutch engagement maintaining pressure corresponding to the stroke position of said steering lever, while the brake hydraulic pressure is a brake completely disengaging pressure, and
• (b) a second range in which the clutch hydraulic pressure changes from the clutch engagement maintaining pressure to a clutch completely disengaging pressure while the brake hydraulic pressure changes from a braking preparation pressure, which is slightly higher than an initiating brake engagement pressure, to a brake completely engaging pressure;
• wherein the changes with time of the steering control signals outputted from said controller to the control valve of said one of said clutches and to the control valve of the brake associated therewith, when the amount of operation of said steering lever decreases from its full stroke to its neutral position, include:
• (c) a third range in which the brake hydraulic pressure changes from a brake completely engaging pressure to a brake engagement maintaining pressure corresponding to the stroke of said steering lever, with the clutch hydraulic pressure being the clutch completely disengaging pressure, and
• (d) a fourth range in which the brake hydraulic pressure changes from the brake engagement maintaining pressure to the brake completely disengaging pressure while the clutch hydraulic pressure changes from a clutch preparation pressure, which is slightly higher than a clutch engagement initiating pressure, to the clutch completely engaging pressure;
• and
• wherein said first range has:
• an initial portion wherein the clutch hydraulic pressure changes from a clutch completely engaging pressure to a maximum value of a clutch engagement maintaining pressure while the brake hydraulic pressure is a brake completely disengaging pressure, and
• a subsequent portion wherein the clutch hydraulic pressure remains at the maximum value of a clutch engagement maintaining pressure while the brake hydraulic pressure remains at a brake completely disengaging pressure;
• wherein said second range has:
• an initial portion wherein the brake hydraulic pressure changes from the brake completely disengaging pressure to said braking preparation pressure and the clutch hydraulic pressure changes from the maximum value of a clutch engagement maintaining pressure to a clutch completely disengaging pressure, and
• a subsequent portion wherein the brake hydraulic pressure changes from said braking preparation pressure to a brake completely engaging pressure while the clutch hydraulic pressure is a clutch completely disengaging pressure;
• wherein said third range has:
• an initial portion wherein the brake hydraulic pressure changes from a brake completely engaging pressure to a maximum value of a brake engagement maintaining pressure while the clutch hydraulic pressure is a clutch completely disengaging pressure, and
• a subsequent portion wherein the brake hydraulic pressure remains at the maximum value of a brake engagement maintaining pressure while the clutch hydraulic pressure remains at a clutch completely disengaging pressure;
• wherein said fourth range has:
• an initial portion wherein the clutch hydraulic pressure changes from a clutch completely disengaged pressure to a clutch preparation pressure and the brake hydraulic pressure changes from the maximum value of a brake engagement maintaining pressure to a brake completely disengaging pressure, and
• a subsequent portion wherein the clutch hydraulic pressure changes from said clutch preparation pressure to a clutch completely engaging pressure while the brake hydraulic pressure is a completely disengaging pressure.

A steering control system for a tracked vehicle having a left drive sprocket and a right drive sprocket, wherein power of an engine is transmitted to said right drive sprocket by a right driving shaft which is coupled to an output shaft via a right clutch and a right brake, and power of an engine is transmitted to the left drive sprocket by a left driving shaft which is coupled to an output shaft via a left clutch and a left brake, said system comprising:

• electrically actuated proportional control valves for separately controlling hydraulic pressure to said right clutch, said left clutch, said right brake, and said left brake;
• a steering lever which is movable between a neutral position and a full stroke position;
• a steering signal generator for generating a steering signal corresponding to the amount of movement of said steering lever from said neutral position;
• and
• a controller for receiving the steering signal from said steering signal generator and for outputting steering control signals to the control valve for one of said clutches and to the control valve for the brake associated with said one of said clutches;
• wherein changes with time of the steering control signals outputted from said controller to the control valve of said one of said clutches and to the control valve of the brake associated therewith, when the amount of operation of said steering lever increases from its neutral position to its full stroke position, include:
• (a) a first range in which the clutch hydraulic pressure changes from a clutch completely engaging pressure to a clutch engagement maintaining pressure corresponding to the stroke position of said steering lever, while the brake hydraulic pressure is a brake completely disengaging pressure, and
• (b) a second range in which the clutch hydraulic pressure changes from the clutch engagement maintaining pressure to a clutch completely disengaging pressure while the brake hydraulic pressure changes from a braking preparation pressure, which is slightly higher than an initiating brake engagement pressure, to a brake completely engaging pressure;
• wherein the changes with time of the steering control signals outputted from said controller to the control valve of said one of said clutches and to the control valve of the brake associated therewith, when the amount of operation of said steering lever decreases from its full stroke to its neutral position, include:
• (c) a third range in which the brake hydraulic pressure changes from a brake completely engaging pressure to a brake engagement maintaining pressure corresponding to the stroke of said steering lever, with the clutch hydraulic pressure being the clutch completely disengaging pressure, and
• (d) a fourth range in which the brake hydraulic pressure changes from the brake engagement maintaining pressure to the brake completely disengaging pressure while the clutch hydraulic pressure changes from a clutch preparation pressure, which is slightly higher than a clutch engagement initiating pressure, to the clutch completely engaging pressure;
• and
• wherein, in the changes with time of the steering control signals outputted from said controller to said electrically actuated proportional control valves, each of the braking preparation pressure of the second range and the clutch preparation pressure of the fourth range first rises to a predetermined pressure for a predetermined period of time and then gradually lowers.

A steering control system for a tracked vehicle having a left drive sprocket and a right drive sprocket, wherein power of an engine is transmitted to said right drive sprocket by a right driving shaft which is coupled to an output shaft via a right clutch and a right brake, and power of an engine is transmitted to the left drive sprocket by a left driving shaft which is coupled to an output shaft via a left clutch and a left brake, said system comprising:

• control valves for separately controlling hydraulic pressure to said right clutch, said left clutch, said right brake, and said left brake;
• a steering lever which is movable between a neutral position and a full stroke position;
• a steering signal generator for generating a steering signal corresponding to the amount of movement of said steering lever from said neutral position;
• and
• a controller for receiving the steering signal from said steering signal generator and for outputting steering control signals to the control valve for one of said clutches and to the control valve for the brake associated with said one of said clutches;
• wherein changes with time of the steering control signals outputted from said controller to the control valve of said one of said clutches and to the control valve of the brake associated therewith, when the amount of operation of said steering lever increases from its neutral position to its full stroke position, include:
• (a) a first range in which the clutch hydraulic pressure changes from a clutch completely engaging pressure to a clutch engagement maintaining pressure corresponding to the stroke position of said steering lever, while the brake hydraulic pressure is a brake completely disengaging pressure, and
• (b) a second range in which the clutch hydraulic pressure changes from the clutch engagement maintaining pressure to a clutch completely disengaging pressure while the brake hydraulic pressure changes from a braking preparation pressure, which is slightly higher than an initiating brake engagement pressure, to a brake completely engaging pressure;
• wherein the changes with time of the steering control signals outputted from said controller to the control valve of said one of said clutches and to the control valve of the brake associated therewith, when the amount of operation of said steering lever decreases from its full stroke to its neutral position, include:
• (c) a third range in which the brake hydraulic pressure changes from a brake completely engaging pressure to a brake engagement maintaining pressure corresponding to the stroke of said steering lever, with the clutch hydraulic pressure being the clutch completely disengaging pressure, and
• (d) a fourth range in which the brake hydraulic pressure changes from the brake engagement maintaining pressure to the brake completely disengaging pressure while the clutch hydraulic pressure changes from a clutch preparation pressure, which is slightly higher than a clutch engagement initiating pressure, to the clutch completely engaging pressure;
• and
• wherein braking is initiated at the end of a first predetermined period of time after a complete clutch disengagement in the second range, and clutch engagement is initiated at the end of a second predetermined period of time after a complete brake disengagement in the fourth range.

A steering control system for a tracked vehicle having a left drive sprocket and a right drive sprocket, wherein power of an engine is transmitted to said right drive sprocket by a right driving shaft which is coupled to an output shaft via a right clutch and a right brake, and power of an engine is transmitted to the left drive sprocket by a left driving shaft which is coupled to an output shaft via a left clutch and a left brake, said system comprising:

• control valves for separately controlling hydraulic pressure to said right clutch, said left clutch, said right brake, and said left brake;
• a steering lever which is movable between a neutral position and a full stroke position;
• a steering signal generator for generating a steering signal corresponding to the amount of movement of said steering lever from said neutral position;
• a controller for receiving the steering signal from said steering signal generator and for outputting steering control signals to the control valve for one of said clutches and to the control valve for the brake associated with said one of said clutches;
• and
• an inclination angle detector for detecting an angle of inclination of the vehicle in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and for inputting to said controller an inclination signal responsive to said angle of inclination;
• and
• wherein said controller varies said steering control signals responsive to said inclination signal;
• wherein changes with time of the steering control signals outputted from said controller to the control valve of said one of said clutches and to the control valve of the brake associated therewith, when the amount of operation of said steering lever increases from its neutral position to its full stroke position, include:
• (a) a first range in which the clutch hydraulic pressure changes from a clutch completely engaging pressure to a clutch engagement maintaining pressure corresponding to the stroke position of said steering lever, while the brake hydraulic pressure is a brake completely disengaging pressure, and
• (b) a second range in which the clutch hydraulic pressure changes from the clutch engagement maintaining pressure to a clutch completely disengaging pressure while the brake hydraulic pressure changes from a braking preparation pressure, which is slightly higher than an initiating brake engagement pressure, to a brake completely engaging pressure;
• wherein the changes with time of the steering control signals outputted from said controller to the control valve of said one of said clutches and to the control valve of the brake associated therewith, when the amount of operation of said steering lever decreases from its full stroke to its neutral position, include:
• (c) a third range in which the brake hydraulic pressure changes from a brake completely engaging pressure to a brake engagement maintaining pressure corresponding to the stroke of said steering lever, with the clutch hydraulic pressure being the clutch completely disengaging pressure, and
• (d) a fourth range in which the brake hydraulic pressure changes from the brake engagement maintaining pressure to the brake completely disengaging pressure while the clutch hydraulic pressure changes from a clutch preparation pressure, which is slightly higher than a clutch engagement initiating pressure, to the clutch completely engaging pressure.

A steering control system for a tracked vehicle having a left drive sprocket and a right drive sprocket, wherein power of an engine is transmitted to said right drive sprocket by a right driving shaft which is coupled to an output shaft via a right clutch and a right brake, and power of an engine is transmitted to the left drive sprocket by a left driving shaft which is coupled to an output shaft via a left clutch and a left brake, said system comprising:

• control valves for separately controlling hydraulic pressure to said right clutch, said left clutch, said right brake, and said left brake;
• a steering lever which is movable between a neutral position and a full stroke position;
• a steering signal generator for generating a steering signal corresponding to the amount of movement of said steering lever from said neutral position;
• a controller for receiving the steering signal from said steering signal generator and for outputting steering control signals to the control valve for one of said clutches and to the control valve for the brake associated with said one of said clutches;
• and
• an inclination angle detector for detecting an angle of inclination of the vehicle in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and for inputting to said controller an inclination signal responsive to said angle of inclination;
• and wherein said controller varies said steering control signals responsive to said inclination signal.

A tracked vehicle comprising an engine, a right drive sprocket, a left drive sprocket, a right driving shaft connected to said right drive sprocket, a left driving shaft connected to said left drive sprocket, an output shaft which receives power from said engine, said right driving shaft being coupled to said output shaft by a right clutch and a right brake, said left driving shaft being coupled to said output shaft by a left clutch and a left brake, and a steering control system;

• said steering control system comprising:
• control valves for separately controlling hydraulic pressure to said right clutch, said left clutch, said right brake, and said left brake;
• a steering lever which is movable between a neutral position and a full stroke position;
• a steering signal generator for generating a steering signal corresponding to the amount of movement of said steering lever from said neutral position;
• a controller for receiving the steering signal from said steering signal generator and for outputting steering control signals to the control valve for one of said clutches and to the control valve for the brake associated with said one of said clutches;
• wherein said steering lever has a full stroke position for rightward turning of the vehicle and a full stroke position for leftward turning of the vehicle;
• wherein said controller outputs a steering control signal to the control valve for said right clutch and a steering control signal to the control valve for said right brake when said steering lever is moved between the neutral position and said full stroke position for rightward turning;
• wherein said controller outputs a steering control signal to the control valve for said left clutch and a steering control signal to the control valve for said left brake when said steering lever is moved between the neutral position and said full stroke position for leftward turning;
• wherein changes with time of the steering control signals outputted from said controller to the control valve of said one of said clutches and to the control valve of the brake associated therewith, when the amount of operation of said steering lever increases from its neutral position to its full stroke, include:
• (a) a first range in which the clutch hydraulic pressure changes from a clutch completely engaging pressure to a clutch engagement maintaining pressure corresponding to the stroke position of said steering lever, while the brake hydraulic pressure is a brake completely disengaging pressure, and
• (b) a second range in which the clutch hydraulic pressure changes from the clutch engagement maintaining pressure to a clutch completely disengaging pressure while the brake hydraulic pressure changes from a braking preparation pressure, which is slightly higher than an initiating brake engagement pressure, to a brake completely engaging pressure;
• and wherein the changes with time of the steering control signals outputted from said controller to the control valve of said one of said clutches and to the control valve of the brake associated therewith, when the amount of operation of said steering lever decreases from its full stroke to a neutral position, include:
• (c) a third range in which the brake hydraulic pressure changes from a brake completely engaging pressure to a brake engagement maintaining pressure corresponding to the stroke of said steering lever, with the clutch hydraulic pressure being the clutch completely disengaging pressure, and
• (d) a fourth range in which the brake hydraulic pressure changes from the brake engagement maintaining pressure to the brake completely disengaging pressure while the clutch hydraulic pressure changes from a clutch preparation pressure, which is slightly higher than a clutch engagement initiating pressure, to the clutch completely engaging pressure;
• wherein said first range has:
• an initial portion wherein the clutch hydraulic pressure changes from a clutch completely engaging pressure to a maximum value of a clutch engagement maintaining pressure while the brake hydraulic pressure is a brake completely disengaging pressure, and
• a subsequent portion wherein the clutch hydraulic pressure remains at the maximum value of a clutch engagement maintaining pressure while the brake hydraulic pressure remains at a brake completely disengaging pressure;
• wherein said second range has:
• an initial portion wherein the brake hydraulic pressure changes from the brake completely disengaging pressure to said braking preparation pressure and the clutch hydraulic pressure changes from the maximum value of a clutch engagement maintaining pressure to a clutch completely disengaging pressure;
• and
• a subsequent portion wherein the brake hydraulic pressure changes from said braking preparation pressure to a brake completely engaging pressure while the clutch hydraulic pressure is a clutch completely disengaging pressure;
• wherein said third range has:
• an initial portion wherein the brake hydraulic pressure changes from a brake completely engaging pressure to a maximum value of a brake engagement maintaining pressure while the clutch hydraulic pressure is a clutch completely disengaging pressure, and
• a subsequent portion wherein the brake hydraulic pressure remains at the maximum value of a brake engagement maintaining pressure while the clutch hydraulic pressure remains at a clutch completely disengaging pressure;
• wherein said fourth range has:
• an initial portion wherein the clutch hydraulic pressure changes from a clutch completely disengaged pressure to a clutch preparation pressure and the brake hydraulic pressure changes from the maximum value of a brake engagement maintaining pressure to a brake completely disengaging pressure, and
• a subsequent portion wherein the clutch hydraulic pressure changes from said clutch preparation pressure to a clutch completely engaging pressure while the brake hydraulic pressure is a completely disengaging pressure.

A steering control method for a tracked vehicle having a steering lever, a right drive sprocket which is powered via a right clutch and a right brake, and a left drive sprocket which is powered via a left clutch and a left brake, said method comprising the steps of:

• generating electrical steering control signals corresponding to an amount of movement of said steering lever from its neutral position;
• and
• separately controlling said right clutch, said left clutch, said right brake, and said left brake in response to said steering control signals;
• wherein said steering lever has a full stroke position for rightward turning of the vehicle and a full stroke position for leftward turning of the vehicle;
• wherein said right clutch and said right brake are controlled when said steering lever is moved between said neutral position and said full stroke position for rightward turning;
• and wherein said left clutch and said left brake are controlled when said steering lever is moved between said neutral position and said full stroke position for leftward turning;
• wherein each of said right clutch and said left clutch is controlled by varying a clutch hydraulic pressure applied thereto;
• wherein each of said right brake and said left brake are controlled by varying a brake hydraulic pressure applied thereto;
• wherein in response to said steering control signals changes with time of the steering control signals for one of said clutches and for the brake associated therewith, when amount of operation of said steering lever increases from a neutral position to its full stroke, include:
• (a) a first range in which the clutch hydraulic pressure changes from a clutch completely engaging pressure to a clutch engagement maintaining pressure corresponding to the stroke position of said steering lever, while the brake hydraulic pressure is a brake completely disengaging pressure, and
• (b) a second range in which the clutch hydraulic pressure changes from the clutch engagement maintaining pressure to a clutch completely disengaging pressure while the brake hydraulic pressure changes from a braking preparation pressure, which is slightly higher than an initiating brake engagement pressure, to a brake completely engaging pressure;
• and wherein the changes with time of the steering control signals outputted to control valve of said one of said clutches and to control valve of the brake associated therewith, when the amount of operation of said steering lever decreases from its full stroke to a neutral position, include:
• (c) a third range in which the brake hydraulic pressure changes from a brake completely engaging pressure to a brake engagement maintaining pressure corresponding to the stroke of said steering lever, with the clutch hydraulic pressure being the clutch completely disengaging pressure, and
• (d) a fourth range in which the brake hydraulic pressure changes from the brake engagement maintaining pressure to the brake completely disengaging pressure while the clutch hydraulic pressure changes from a clutch preparation pressure, which is slightly higher than a clutch engagement initiating pressure, to the clutch completely engaging pressure;
• wherein said first range and said third range overlap, and further comprising adjusting the degree of overlap of said first range and said third range.

A steering control method for a tracked vehicle having a steering lever, a right drive sprocket which is powered via a right clutch and a right brake, and a left drive sprocket which is powered via a left clutch and a left brake, said method comprising the steps of:

• generating electrical steering control signals corresponding to an amount of movement of said steering lever from its neutral position;
• and
• separately controlling said right clutch, said left clutch, said right brake, and said left brake in response to said steering control signals;
• determining an angle of inclination of the vehicle in a longitudinal direction thereof;
• and
• controlling a time interval from a disengagement of the clutch to an initiation of the braking and a time interval from a disengagement of the brake to an engagement of the clutch on the basis of the angle of inclination of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction thereof.