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US 9,845,110 B2Granted
Heavy road vehicle with normal steering and crab steering
AssigneeGoldhofer AG
InventorsFelix Merkel, Benjamin Scholl
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to a heavy goods vehicle in which the steering system (12) comprises, in addition to a normal steering mode steering device (26) that transfers steering power purely mechanically by means of connecting rods (34) from axle to axle, a crab steering mode steering device (28) that also transfers steering power purely mechanically by means of connecting rods (46) from axle to axle. The individual wheel assemblies (14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24) can be connected by means of coupling devices (56) either to the normal steering mode steering device (26) or to the crab steering mode steering device (28).
Claims18
Heavy goods vehicle comprising:
- a plurality of axles, each of which comprises at least one left wheel assembly and at least one right wheel assembly,
- a steering system, which is configured so that it enables:
- both a normal steering mode in which the left wheel assemblies and the right wheel assemblies each have a steering angle which is dependent on a position of the respective axle in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the wheel assemblies of adjacent axles having a different steering angle from one another,
- and a crab steering mode in which the wheel assemblies assigned to the plurality of axles all have the same steering angle,
- wherein the steering system comprises for each axle:
- at least one steering rotary element which is rotatable about an axis of rotation and is in steering connection with the at least one left wheel assembly and/or the at least one right wheel assembly of the axle,
- for each steering rotary element a normal steering mode steering power introduction unit assigned thereto,
- for each steering rotary element a crab steering mode steering power introduction unit assigned thereto,
- for each steering rotary element a coupling device, which connects the steering rotary element either to the normal steering mode steering power introduction unit or to the crab steering mode steering power introduction unit in a rotationally engaged manner,
- wherein, when the coupling device connects the steering rotary element to the normal steering mode steering power introduction unit, the steering rotary element is not connected by the coupling device to the crab steering mode steering power introduction unit, and
- wherein the steering system further comprises:
- at least one normal steering mode connecting element, which mechanically connects the normal steering mode steering power introduction units of axles that are adjacent to one another in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle,
- at least one crab steering mode connecting element, which mechanically connects the crab steering mode steering power introduction units of axles that are adjacent to one another in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and
- at least one power device which is arranged on the vehicle and is connected to at least one of the steering power introduction units and provides the steering power.
11 more elements
Heavy goods vehicle comprising
- a plurality of axles, each axle comprising at least one left wheel assembly and at least one right wheel assembly;
- a steering system configured to enable, for the left wheel assemblies and the right wheel assemblies:
- a normal steering mode in which said wheel assemblies each have a steering angle which is dependent on a position of the respective axle in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the wheel assemblies of adjacent axles having a different steering angle from one another, and
- a crab steering mode in which said wheel assemblies all have a same steering angle,
- wherein each said axle is steered utilizing:
- at least one steering rotary element which is rotatable about an axis of rotation and is in steering connection with at least one of:
- at least one left wheel assembly;
- and/or
- at least one right wheel assembly,
- a normal steering mode steering power introduction unit associated with the at least one steering rotary element;
- a crab steering mode steering power introduction unit associated with the at least one steering rotary element;
- and
- a coupling device configured to connect the steering rotary element either to the normal steering mode steering power introduction unit or to the crab steering mode steering power introduction unit in a rotationally engaged manner,
- wherein the axles are connected to one another via a steering system that comprises:
- at least one normal steering mode connecting element mechanically connecting the normal steering mode steering power introduction units of axles adjacent to one another in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle,
- at least one crab steering mode connecting element mechanically connecting the crab steering mode steering power introduction units of axles adjacent to one another in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and
- at least one power device arranged on the vehicle, being connected to at least one of the steering power introduction units, and being configured to provide steering power,
- wherein, when the coupling device connects the steering rotary element to the normal steering mode steering power introduction unit, the steering rotary element can rotate relative to the crab steering mode steering power introduction unit.
15 more elements
Heavy goods vehicle comprising
- a plurality of axles each comprising left and right wheel assembles;
- each said axle being configured to assume:
- a normal steering mode in which said wheel assemblies each have a steering angle which is dependent on a position of the respective axle in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, wherein the wheel assemblies of adjacent axles can be configured to have different steering angles, and
- a crab steering mode in which said wheel assemblies all have a same steering angle,
- wherein each said axle is steered utilizing:
- at least one steering rotary element which is rotatable about an axis of rotation and is in steering connection with at least one of:
- a left wheel assembly;
- and/or
- a right wheel assembly,
- a normal steering mode steering power introduction unit which can rotate about the axis of rotation and is associated with the at least one steering rotary element,
- a crab steering mode steering power introduction unit which can rotate about the axis of rotation and is associated with the at least one steering rotary element,
- a coupling device configured to selectively couple the steering rotary element with the normal steering mode steering power introduction unit in a rotationally engaged manner the coupling device also configured to selectively couple the steering rotary element with the crab steering mode power introduction unit in a rotationally engaged manner,
- wherein said axles are connected to one another via a steering system that comprises:
- at least one normal steering mode connecting rod connecting the normal steering mode steering power introduction units of adjacent axles to one another,
- at least one crab steering mode connecting rod connecting the crab steering mode steering power introduction units of adjacent axles to one another, and
- at least one power device arranged on the vehicle, being connected to at least one of the steering power introduction units, and being configured to provide steering power.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.