US 6,474,426 B2 · Steering method and steering system for tracklaying vehicle

Abstract

A steering method and steering system which enable a minimum turn radius more than the discharge capacities of a hydraulic motor and a hydraulic pump and which positively prevent the unstable traveling and turning behavior of a vehicle when the vehicle makes a pivot turn. The vehicle is provided with a pair of brakes for right and left output shafts and designed to transmit the driving force of the hydraulic motor to the output shafts through planetary gear mechanisms. During a pivot turn of the vehicle, an operation of the brake of either one of the right and left output shafts and a transmission of a driving force from the hydraulic motor to a planetary gear mechanism are simultaneously carried out for a specified period of time and thereafter, the transmission of the driving force from the hydraulic motor to the planetary gear mechanism is interrupted.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A steering method for a tracklaying vehicle provided with a pair of brakes for right and left output shafts and designed to allow the driving force of a hydraulic motor to be transmitted to each of the output shafts through differential steering means,

wherein, during a pivot turn of a vehicle, an operation of the brake for either one of the output shafts and a transmission of the driving force from the hydraulic motor to the differential steering means are simultaneously carried out for a specified period of time and thereafter, the transmission of the driving force from the hydraulic motor to the differential steering means is interrupted.

A steering system for a tracklaying vehicle provided with a pair of brakes for right and left output shafts and designed to allow the driving force of a hydraulic motor to be transmitted to each of the output shafts through differential steering means, the steering system comprising:

(a) brake operating means for independently operating the right and left brakes;
(b) driving force transmission interrupting means for interrupting a transmission of the driving force from the hydraulic motor to the differential steering means;
(c) pivot turn control command signal detecting means for detecting an issue of a vehicle pivot turn control command signal;
and
(d) controlling means for controlling the brake operating means and the driving force transmission interrupting means, in response to an output from the pivot turn control command signal detecting means, such that after an operation of the brake for either one of the right and left output shafts by the brake operating means and a transmission of the driving force from the hydraulic motor to the differential steering means have been simultaneously carried out for a specified period of time, the transmission of the driving force from the hydraulic motor to the differential steering means is interrupted by the driving force transmission interrupting means.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Steering method and steering system for tracklaying vehicle

Life of this patent

Steering method and steering system for tracklaying vehicle

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10