Back to results
US 8,136,613 B2Granted
Vehicle control systems and methods
AssigneeMTD Products Inc
InventorsAxel Schaedler, Tim Dilgard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems for controlling the speed and direction of vehicles such as tractors, including vehicles that have low to zero turning radius capability. Systems include steering and speed coordination systems that control the direction and speed of rotation of vehicle drive units.
Claims31
A vehicle control system comprising:
- a steering input member;
- a laterally oriented first control member operatively engaged with the steering input member such that movement of the steering input member causes movement of the first control member;
- a first steering link coupled to the first control member and to a steering system for a first steered wheel;
- and
- a first integration link coupled to the first control member and to a control system for a first drive unit, the first integration link being movable in response to a speed input.
2 more elements
A vehicle control system comprising:
- a steering input member;
- a first control member operatively engaged with the steering input member;
- a first steering link coupled to the first control member and to a steering system for a first steered wheel;
- a first integration link coupled to the first control member and to a control system for a first drive unit;
- a second control member operatively engaged with the steering input member;
- a second steering link coupled to the second control member and to a steering system for a second steered wheel;
- a second integration link coupled to the second control member and to a control system for a second drive unit;
- a first coupling member coupling the first integration link to the first control member;
- and
- a second coupling member coupling the second integration link to the second control member;
- where the first and second integration links each includes a straight slot, the first coupling member engages the slot of the first integration link, and the second coupling member engages the slot of the second integration link.
8 more elements
A vehicle control system comprising:
- a steering input member;
- a first control member operatively engaged with the steering input member;
- a first steering link coupled to the first control member and to a steering system for a first steered wheel;
- a first integration link coupled to the first control member and to a control system for a first drive unit;
- a first speed input member;
- and
- a first speed input coupling member that couples the first integration link to the first speed input member.
4 more elements
A vehicle control system comprising:
- a steering input member;
- a first control member operatively engaged with the steering input member;
- a first steering link coupled to the first control member and to a steering system for a first steered wheel;
- a first integration link coupled to the first control member and to a control system for a first drive unit;
- and
- a first speed input coupling member that couples the first integration link to the first speed input member.
3 more elements
A vehicle control system comprising:
- a steering input member;
- a first control member operatively engaged with the steering input member;
- a first steering link coupled to the first control member and to a steering system for a first steered wheel;
- a first speed input member coupled to a speed control device;
- and
- a first integration link coupling the first control member to the first speed input member, the first integration link also being coupled to a control mechanism for a first drive unit;
- the vehicle control system being configured such that a steering input received through the steering input member is transferred through the steering input member to the first control member, then through the first control member to the steering system and through the first integration link to the first speed input member, which can then transfer a speed input received from the speed control device through the first integration link and to the first drive unit as a driving and steering signal.
4 more elements
A vehicle control system comprising:
- a pair of integration links, each integration link having a slot that is straight over substantially all of the length of the slot, and each integration link being movable in response to a speed input and configured to:
- lie in a plane parallel to any flat surface on which a vehicle that incorporates the steering control system is used;
- and
- transmit a drive signal that is a product of any received steering input and any received speed input.
1 more element
A vehicle control system comprising:
- a first speed input member configured to pivot about a first axis;
- a second speed input member configured to pivot about a second axis;
- a first control member configured to pivot about a third axis;
- a second control member configured to pivot about a fourth axis, where the first, second, third and fourth axes are parallel to each other and are normal to any flat surface on which a vehicle that incorporates the steering control system is used;
- and
- a pair of integration links, each integration link having a slot that is straight over substantially all of the length of the slot, and each integration link being configured to:
- lie in a plane parallel to any flat surface on which a vehicle that incorporates the steering control system is used;
- and
- transmit a drive signal that is a product of any received steering input and any received speed input.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.