# US 5,699,873 A · Operation control system for traveling vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,699,873 A - Document ID: US5699873A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/741,824 - Filed: 1996-10-31 - Granted: 1997-12-23 - Earliest claimed: 1992-08-27 - Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Komatsu Seisakusho - Inventors: Yukio Moriya; Satoru Koyanagi; Tetsuya Fujimura; Masayuki Nagahama; Kazuyuki Yamazaki; Toru Hishiyama - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5699873A ## CPC - B62D 7/08: the pivotal axes being situated in a single plane transverse to the longitudinal centre line of the vehicle - B62D 7/142: {specially adapted for particular vehicles, e.g. tractors, carts, earth-moving vehicles, trucks} - 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) - B62D 15/00: Steering not otherwise provided for - 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 When a longitudinal straight traveling mode position A, an oblique traveling mode position B, a transverse traveling mode position C, or spin turning mode position D is selected by a traveling mode changeover switch 21, a signal corresponding to the selection is input to a controller 27. The controller outputs signals to turning actuators 15a and 15b for orienting driving wheels 11a and 11b toward the selected position. With this signal, the turning actuators 15a and 15b cause turning of the driving wheels 11a and 11b. At the same time, turning angle detection sensors 16a and 16b input signal indicative of turning angle of the driving wheels. When the turning angle becomes coincident with a preliminarily set angle, a signal for terminating turning is output to the turning actuators 15a and 15b. By this control, turning action of the turning actuators 15a and 15b is terminated with setting the driving wheels 11a and 11b at the position of the selected orientation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An operation control system for a plurality of traveling vehicles coupled together, each vehicle having first and second driving wheels located at diagonally spaced positions along one diagonal line of a vehicle body thereof for turning by means of respective turning actuators coupled to said driving wheels, the operation control system comprising: a traveling mode selection changeover device mounted to each traveling vehicle for selecting a desired traveling mode among a plurality of traveling modes; and a control unit mounted in each vehicle for controlling driving of at least one of said turning actuators of a respective said vehicle in response to a traveling mode signal input from either one of said traveling mode selection changeover devices, to turn the respective driving wheel associated with said at least one turning actuator to a predetermined initial position in the selected traveling mode, the control unit of each vehicle being connected to the control unit of at least one other of said vehicles. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An operation control system for a plurality of traveling vehicles as set forth in claim 1, wherein said plurality of traveling modes includes at least one of a longitudinal straight traveling mode, an oblique traveling mode, a lateral traveling mode, a turning traveling mode, and a spin turning mode. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) An operation control system for a plurality of traveling vehicles as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an angle detector for detecting a turning angle of at least one of said driving wheels, and wherein said control unit controls said at least one of said turning actuators to move said at least on said driving wheel to the predetermined initial position in the selected traveling mode in response to the turning angle detected by said angle detecting means. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) An operation control system for a plurality of traveling vehicles as set forth in claim 1, wherein the control unit for each vehicle controls driving of both of said turning actuators of the respective said vehicle in response to a traveling mode signal input from either one of said traveling mode selection changeover devices. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) An operation control system for a plurality of traveling vehicles as set forth in claim 1, wherein, in at least one driving mode, said control units control the first driving wheels of the plurality of vehicles to be in parallel relation at one angular orientation and control the second driving wheels of the plurality of vehicles to be in parallel relation at a different angular orientation.