Apparatus and method for controlling the steering of a tracked machine

United States Patent [w]

Fan

US006141613A [ii] Patent Number: 6,141,613 [45] Date of Patent: *Oct. 31,2000

[54] APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR

CONTROLLING THE STEERING OF A
TRACKED MACHINE

[75] Inventor: Zhejun Fan, Dunlap, 111.

[73] Assignee: Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, 111.

[ * ] Notice: This patent issued on a continued prosecution application filed under 37 CFR 1.53(d), and is subject to the twenty year patent term provisions of 35 U.S.C. 154(a)(2).

[21] Appl. No.: 09/040,634 [22] Filed: Mar. 18, 1998

[51] Int. CI.7 F16D 43/20; B62D 11/08

[52] U.S. CI 701/50; 701/41; 701/67;

180/6.7; 192/54.3

[58] Field of Search 701/50, 41, 42,

701/67; 180/6.7, 8.7, 9.44, 9.64, 411, 422;

172/2, 7, 4.5; 192/54.3

[56] References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

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5,462,122 10/1995 Yamamoto et al 172/2

5,503,232 4/1996 Matsushita et al 172/2

5,566,288 10/1996 Koerhsen 395/142

5,631,658 5/1997 Gudat et al 342/457

5,648,901 7/1997 Gudat et al 364/424.02

5,680,917 10/1997 Bray 192/54.3

5,781,870 7/1998 Okawa 701/25

5,787,374 7/1998 Fergunson et al 701/41

5,875,854 3/1999 Yamamoto et al 172/4.5

5,897,603 4/1999 Henderson 701/207

5,928,309 7/1999 Korver et al 701/214

5,935,192 8/1999 Henderson et al 701/208

Primary Examiner—-Tan Nguyen

Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Steve D. Lundquist

[57] ABSTRACT

The present invention is an apparatus and method to control the steering of a tracked machine having a clutch/brake steering system. The tracked machine has a left drive and a right drive. The left drive has a clutch and brake and the right drive has a clutch and brake. The present invention includes a navigator to determine a desired trajectory, determine a desired left drive velocity and a desired right drive velocity, and generate desired left and right drive velocity signals. The present invention also includes a left speed sensor and a right speed sensor to determine actual left and right drive velocities, and generate actual left and right drive velocity signals. A clutch/brake controller is included to receive the desired left and right drive velocity signals and the actual left and right drive velocity signals, and control at least one of the left and right drive velocities.

11 Claims, 5 Drawing Sheets