A system and method of increasing the traction and mobility of a tandem axled vehicle by disposing an endless track 16 around the vehicle tires 18,20 and using a tensioning device 22 to impart a force on the endless track 16 to maintain an optimal track tension. The tensioning device 22 may impart a
A system and method of increasing the traction and mobility of a tandem axled vehicle by disposing an endless track 16 around the vehicle tires 18,20 and using a tensioning device 22 to impart a force on the endless track 16 to maintain an optimal track tension. The tensioning device 22 may impart a constant force, a force within a set range, or a variable force controlled by a processor 64 on the endless track 16. The processor 64 monitors vehicle parameters to determine if endless track slipping is occurring. The slip-control processor 64 sends signals to the tension device 22 to increase endless track tension when a track slip condition is sensed, and sends signals to decrease endless track tension when slipping is not occurring, thereby allowing for greater suspension movement and improving overall vehicle mobility.
대표청구항▼
1. A track over tire system for a ground based vehicle with a multiple axle set connected to the vehicle through a suspension, the system comprising: an endless track at least partially disposed around a front tire and a rear tire associated with the multiple axle set, the endless track having a mai
1. A track over tire system for a ground based vehicle with a multiple axle set connected to the vehicle through a suspension, the system comprising: an endless track at least partially disposed around a front tire and a rear tire associated with the multiple axle set, the endless track having a main track body with an inner surface, such that portions of the inner surface contact portions of the front tire and the rear tire, an outer surface opposite the inner surface, such that portions of the outer surface may contact the ground, and a plurality of edge guide projections connected to the main track body and extending away from the inner surface, such that some of the plurality of edge guide projections contact portions of the front tire and portions of the rear tire;a tensioning device disposed between the front tire and the rear tire, the tensioning device having an actuator disposed between a base and an idler wheel, wherein the base is attached to the vehicle and the idler wheel is in contact with the inner surface of the endless track, such the actuator may actuate away from the base and apply a force to the inner surface of the endless track through the idler wheel, thereby varying endless track tension around the front and rear tires, and reducing slippage between the endless track and the front and rear tires; andwherein the endless track and the tensioning device cooperate to increase vehicle traction and allow for axle suspension movement. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the actuator actuates providing a substantially constant force through the idler wheel to the endless track, thereby maintaining a substantially constant endless track tension around the front and rear tires while allowing variable distances between the front tire and the rear tire caused by axle suspension movement. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the tensioning device applies a force between 3600 pounds and 4400 pounds on the endless track, thereby maintaining a substantially constant endless track tension around the front and rear tire while allowing varying distance changes between the front tire and the rear tire caused by axle suspension movement. 4. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a track speed sensor in cooperation with the endless track, such that the track speed sensor measures track speed;a wheel speed sensor in cooperation with either the front tire or the rear tire, such that the wheel speed sensor measures tire speed; anda slip control processor electrically connected to the track speed sensor, the wheel speed sensor, and the actuator, such that the slip control processor executes a control loop algorithm to increase vehicle traction, the algorithm having the steps of: receiving a track speed signal from the track speed sensor;receiving a wheel speed signal from the wheel speed sensor;determining a track slip condition if the track speed signal differs from the wheel speed signal; andsending an actuation signal to the actuator to increase the force applied by the actuator to the endless track if a slip condition is determined. 5. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a track speed sensor in cooperation with the endless track, such that the track speed sensor measures track speed;a wheel speed sensor in cooperation with either the front tire or the rear tire, such that the wheel speed sensor measures tire speed; anda slip control processor electrically connected to the track speed sensor, the wheel speed sensor, and the actuator, such that the slip control processor executes a control loop algorithm to increase axle suspension movement, the algorithm having the steps of: receiving a track speed signal from the track speed sensor;receiving a wheel speed signal from the wheel speed sensor;determining a track no-slip condition if the track speed signal is substantially equivalent to the wheel speed signal; andsending a reduction signal to the actuator to decrease the force applied by the actuator to the endless track if a no-slip condition is determined. 6. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a force sensor in cooperation with the tensioning device to measure force applied by the tensioning device on the endless track; anda slip control processor electrically connected to the force sensor and the tensioning device, such that the slip control processor executes a control loop algorithm to increase vehicle traction, the algorithm having the steps of: receiving a tensioning device force signal from the force sensor;comparing the force signal to a predetermined operating force range;determining if the force signal is below the predetermined operating force range; andsending an increasing actuation signal to the actuator to increase force applied to the endless track by the actuator if the force signal is below the predetermined operating force range. 7. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a force sensor in cooperation with the tensioning device to measure force applied by the tensioning device on the endless track; anda slip control processor electrically connected to the force sensor and the tensioning device, such that the slip control processor executes a control loop algorithm to increase axle suspension movement, the algorithm having the steps of: receiving a tensioning device force signal from the force sensor; comparing the force signal to a predetermined operating force range;determining if the force signal is above the predetermined operating force range; andsending a reduction signal to the actuator to decrease force applied to the endless track by the actuator if the force signal is above the predetermined operating force range. 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the actuator has a pneumatic port in fluid connection with a vehicle pneumatic system. 9. The system of claim 8, further comprising: a pressure sensor in cooperation with the tensioning device to measure pressure in the actuator; anda pneumatic regulator fluidly connected between the pneumatic port and the vehicle pneumatic system, such that the pneumatic regulator: receives an actuator pressure reading from the pressure sensor;compares the actuator pressure reading to a predetermined operating pressure range;determines if the actuator pressure reading is below the predetermined operating pressure range; andincreases pressure inside the actuator through the pneumatic port if the actuator pressure is below the predetermined operating pressure range. 10. The system of claim 8, further comprising: a pressure sensor in cooperation with the tensioning device to measure pressure in the actuator; anda pneumatic regulator fluidly connected between the pneumatic port and the vehicle pneumatic system, such that the pneumatic regulator: receives an actuator pressure reading from the pressure sensor;compares the actuator pressure reading to a predetermined operating pressure range;determines if the actuator pressure reading is above the predetermined operating pressure range; anddecreases pressure inside the actuator if the actuator pressure is above the predetermined operating pressure range. 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the multiple axle set is a tandem axle set. 12. A track over tire system for use on a vehicle with a plurality of axles connected to the vehicle by a suspension, the system comprising: a front axle having at least one front wheel with a front tire, and a rear axle having at least one rear wheel with a rear tire;an endless track at least partially disposed around the front tire and the rear tire, such that portions of the endless track contact portions of the front tire and the rear tire; anda tensioning device in contact with the endless track and attachably disposed to the vehicle between the front tire and the rear tire, the tensioning device having an active actuator used to apply a force to the endless track to maintain a tension range on the endless track while reducing tire slippage and allowing for vehicle suspension movement. 13. The system of claim 12, further comprising: a track speed sensor in cooperation with the endless track, such that the track speed sensor measures track speed;a wheel speed sensor in cooperation with either the front tire or the rear tire, such that the wheel speed sensor measures tire speed; anda slip control processor electrically connected to the track speed sensor, the wheel speed sensor, and the active actuator, such that the slip control processor executes a control loop algorithm to vary the force applied by the active actuator on the endless track, thereby increasing tire traction or allowing increased vehicle suspension movement, the algorithm having the steps of: receiving a track speed signal from the track speed sensor;receiving a wheel speed signal from the wheel speed sensor;determining a track slip condition if the track speed signal differs from the wheel speed signal;determining a track no-slip condition if the track speed signal is substantially equivalent to the wheel speed signal;sending an actuation signal to the active actuator to increase the force applied by the active actuator to the endless track if a slip condition is determined, thereby increasing track tension and increasing tire traction; andsending a reduction signal to the active actuator to decrease the force applied by the active actuator to the endless track if a no-slip condition is determined, thereby reducing track tension and increasing vehicle suspension movement. 14. The system of claim 12, further comprising: a force sensor in cooperation with the tensioning device to measure force applied by the tensioning device on the endless track; anda force regulator electrically connected between the force sensor and the active actuator, such that the force regulator varies the force applied by the active actuator on the endless track, thereby increasing tire traction or allowing increased vehicle suspension movement, by: receiving a tensioning device force reading from the force sensor;comparing the tensioning device force reading to a predetermined operating force range;determining if the tensioning device force reading is outside of the predetermined operating force range;reducing force applied by the active actuator if the force reading is above the predetermined operating force range; andincreasing force applied by the active actuator if the force reading is below the predetermined operating force range. 15. The system of claim 12, further comprising: the active actuator having a pneumatic port connected to a vehicle pneumatic system, such that the tensioning device uses compressed air from the vehicle pneumatic system to actuate;a pressure sensor in cooperation with the tensioning device to measure pressure inside the active actuator; anda pneumatic regulator fluidly connected between the pneumatic port and the vehicle pneumatic system, such that the pneumatic regulator in cooperation with the vehicle pneumatic system and the active actuator varies the force applied by the active actuator on the endless track, thereby increasing tire traction or allowing increased vehicle suspension movement, by: receiving an actuator pressure reading from the pressure sensor;comparing the actuator pressure reading to a predetermined operating pressure range;determining if the actuator pressure reading is outside of the predetermined operating pressure range;reducing pressure inside the active actuator if the actuator pressure is above the predetermined operating pressure range; andincreasing pressure inside the active actuator if the actuator pressure is below the predetermined operating pressure range. 16. The system of claim 12, wherein the active actuator applies a varying force up to 4000 pounds on the endless track. 17. A method of increasing vehicle traction on a vehicle with multiple axles connected to the vehicle through a suspension, in which each axle has at least one wheel with a tire, the method comprising: providing an endless track to partially surround the tires of the multiple axles resulting in an increased vehicle footprint; andproviding a means for variably exerting a force on the endless track to increase track tension, decrease track slippage relative to the tires, allow for suspension travel, and in combination with the increased vehicle footprint increase overall vehicle traction. 18. The method of claim 17 further comprising: means for determining if there is relative movement between the endless track and at least one tire; andmeans for exerting a greater tension force on the endless track if relative movement between the endless track and the at least one tire is detected thereby decreasing tire slippage relative to the endless track. 19. The method of claim 17 further comprising: providing a tensioning device as a means for variably exerting the force on the endless track;means for determining force exerted by the tensioning device on the endless track;means for comparing the tensioning device force exerted on the endless track to a predetermined force range; andmeans for modifying the force exerted by the tensioning device on the endless track to be within the predetermined operating range. 20. The method of claim 17 further comprising: providing a pneumatic actuator as a means for variably exerting the force on the endless track;means for determining pneumatic actuator pressure;means for comparing the pneumatic actuator pressure signal to a predetermined operating range; andmeans for modifying the pressure in the pneumatic actuator to be within the predetermined operating range.
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