Vehicle drive control systems and the related vehicles
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
A01B-069/00
G05D-001/00
B62D-006/00
B62D-011/00
B62D-011/24
출원번호
US-0841061
(2013-03-15)
등록번호
US-8855861
(2014-10-07)
발명자
/ 주소
Goebel, Michael
Kaesgen, Derek
출원인 / 주소
MTD Products Inc
대리인 / 주소
Fulbright & Jaworski LLP
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
11인용 특허 :
39
초록▼
Vehicle control systems that can be used, for example, to configure a vehicle (e.g., a lawn tractor or riding lawn mower) to make low- to substantially zero-radius turns. Some of the present vehicle control systems utilize at least one steered wheel position sensor to generate a signal that indicate
Vehicle control systems that can be used, for example, to configure a vehicle (e.g., a lawn tractor or riding lawn mower) to make low- to substantially zero-radius turns. Some of the present vehicle control systems utilize at least one steered wheel position sensor to generate a signal that indicates the actual position of the steerable structure (e.g., wheel) to which the sensor is coupled, rather than a projected or anticipated position of that steerable structure. Vehicles that include such control systems.
대표청구항▼
1. A control system for a vehicle capable of making a small radius turn that has steerable wheels and drivable wheels, the control system comprising: a steered wheel position sensor coupled to one of the steerable wheels and configured to generate a signal corresponding to the actual position of suc
1. A control system for a vehicle capable of making a small radius turn that has steerable wheels and drivable wheels, the control system comprising: a steered wheel position sensor coupled to one of the steerable wheels and configured to generate a signal corresponding to the actual position of such steerable wheel, regardless of a commanded position of such steerable wheel;a speed input sensor configured to generate a signal representative of a commanded speed input; anda control unit coupled to the steered wheel position sensor and the speed input sensor, the control unit being configured to generate signals for controlling the drivable wheels as a function of at least: the signal corresponding to the actual position of the steerable wheel to which the steered wheel position sensor is coupled, the signal representative of the commanded speed input, a wheel base of the steerable wheels, a wheel base of the drivable wheels, a track width, any steerable wheel offset, and any drivable wheel offset. 2. The control system of claim 1, where the control unit is coupled to each drivable wheel through a separate electric drive motor. 3. The control system of claim 1, where the control unit is coupled to each drivable wheel through a separate hydrostatic transmission. 4. The control system of claim 1, where the control unit is configured to, during an extreme turn, reduce the speed of the drivable wheel positioned on an outboard side of the extreme turn at least when an operator commands a full forward speed input. 5. The control system of claim 1, where the control unit is configured to generate signals for controlling the drivable wheels that, together with the steering assembly, are capable of driving the vehicle in a substantially zero-radius turn. 6. A vehicle having steerable wheels and one or more drivable structures, comprising: a steering assembly comprising: a steering input member capable of receiving a commanded steering input;a steered wheel position sensor coupled to one of the steerable wheels and configured to generate a signal corresponding to the actual position of such steerable wheel, regardless of the commanded steering input;a speed input device;a speed input sensor configured to generate a signal representative of a commanded speed input;one or more drive units respectively coupled to the one or more drivable structures; anda control unit coupled to the steered wheel position sensor, the speed input sensor, and the one or more drive units, the control unit being configured to generate signals for controlling the one or more drive units as a function of at least: the signal corresponding to the actual position of the steerable wheel to which the steered wheel position sensor is coupled, the signal representative of the commanded speed input, a wheel base of the steerable wheels, a track width, any steerable wheel offset, and any drivable structure offset. 7. The vehicle claim 6, where the speed input device comprises a forward pedal and a reverse pedal, the vehicle also comprises a shaft to which the forward and reverse pedals are coupled, and the speed input sensor is coupled to the shaft and configured to generate a signal representative of an actual position of the shaft. 8. The vehicle of claim 6, where the one or more drivable structures are drivable wheels, and the control unit is configured to, during an extreme turn, reduce the speed of the drivable wheel positioned on an outboard side of the extreme turn at least when the speed input device has been moved to a full forward position. 9. The vehicle of claim 6, where the control unit is configured to generate signals for controlling the one or more drivable structures that, together with the steering assembly, are capable of driving the vehicle in a substantially zero-radius turn. 10. A control system for a vehicle having steerable wheels and one or more drivable structures, the control system comprising: a steered wheel position sensor coupled to one of the steerable wheels and configured to generate a signal corresponding to the actual position of such steerable wheel, regardless of a commanded position of such steerable wheel;a speed input sensor configured to generate a signal representative of a commanded speed input; anda control unit coupled to the steered wheel position sensor and the speed input sensor, the control unit being configured to generate signals for controlling the one or more drivable structures as a function of at least: the signal corresponding to the actual position of the steerable wheel to which the steered wheel position sensor is coupled, the signal representative of the commanded speed input, a wheel base of the steerable wheels, a track width, any steerable wheel offset, and any drivable structure offset. 11. The control system of claim 10, where the control unit is coupled to each drivable structure through a separate electric drive motor. 12. The control system of claim 10, where the speed input sensor is coupled to a foot pedal. 13. The control system of claim 10, where the speed input sensor is configured to generate a signal representative of a commanded speed input and indicative of both a speed and a direction. 14. The control system of claim 10, where the control unit is coupled to each drivable wheel through a separate hydrostatic transmission. 15. The control system of claim 14, where the one or more drivable structures are drivable wheels, and the control unit is configured to, during an extreme turn, reduce the speed of the drivable wheel positioned on an outboard side of the extreme turn at least when an operator commands a full forward speed input. 16. The control system of claim 10, where the one or more drivable structures are drivable wheels, and the control unit is configured to generate signals for controlling the drivable wheels that, together with a steering assembly, are capable of driving the vehicle in a substantially zero-radius turn. 17. The control system of claim 10, where the steerable wheels comprise left and right steerable wheels, the control system further comprising: a steering assembly coupled to the left and right steerable wheels and including the steered wheel position sensor, the steering assembly also including: a steering input gear coupled to a steering input member;two geared members engaged with the steering input gear and pivotable in response to turning of the steering input gear;a left drivable gear coupled to one of the two geared members through a left linkage and engaged with a left driven gear, the left driven gear being coupled to the left steerable wheel such that the left steerable wheel rotates with the left driven gear; anda right drivable gear coupled to the other of the two geared members through a right linkage and engaged with a right driven gear, the right driven gear being coupled to the right steerable wheel such that the right steerable wheel rotates with the right driven gear;the steered wheel position sensor being coupled to one of the left steerable wheel and the right steerable wheel and configured to generate a signal corresponding to the actual position of such steerable wheel. 18. A vehicle having non-wheel steerable structures and one or more drivable structures, comprising: a steering assembly comprising: a steering input member capable of receiving a commanded steering input;a steered non-wheel structure position sensor coupled to one of the non-wheel steerable structures and configured to generate a signal corresponding to the actual position of such non-wheel steerable structure, regardless of the commanded steering input;a speed input device;a speed input sensor configured to generate a signal representative of a commanded speed input;one or more drive units respectively coupled to the one or more drivable structures; anda control unit coupled to the steered wheel position sensor, the speed input sensor, and the one or more drive units, the control unit being configured to generate signals for controlling the one or more drive units as a function of at least: the signal corresponding to the actual position of the steerable non-wheel structure to which the steered non-wheel structure position sensor is coupled, and the signal representative of the commanded speed input, a base of the non-wheel steerable structures, a track width, any non-wheel steerable structure offset, and any drivable structure offset. 19. The vehicle claim 18, where the speed input device comprises a forward pedal and a reverse pedal, the vehicle also comprises a shaft to which the forward and reverse pedals are coupled, and the speed input sensor is coupled to the shaft and configured to generate a signal representative of an actual position of the shaft. 20. The vehicle of claim 18, where the control unit is configured to generate signals for controlling the one or more drivable structures that, together with the steering assembly, are capable of driving the vehicle in a substantially zero-radius turn.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (39)
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Callahan William L. (Lafayette IN) Noah Bruce C. (W. Lafayette IN) Kulp Jonathan B. (Terre Hill PA), Apparatus for controlling a steering-by-driving system.
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Brandt Chris D. (Peoria IL) Coffman Michael F. (Metamora IL) Mitchell Randall M. (Washington IL), Electrohydraulic control device for a drive train of a vehicle.
Mochizuki Teruhiko,JPX ; Ueno Hiroshi,JPX ; Yamaguchi Masanori,JPX, Electron shutter control with exposure control responsive to shutter gain differences.
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