Crawler Vehicle Turning Control for Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional crawler-type traveling vehicles experience instability and poor ride quality during turns due to excessive inertial forces, as they primarily decelerate only the inwardly positioned crawler travel device, leading to unfavorable centrifugal forces on the vehicle and rider.
Innovation Solution
The vehicle employs a control system that decelerates both transversely opposite crawler travel devices by equal velocities and further decelerates the inwardly positioned device during turns, while adjusting motor velocities based on the workbench's position relative to the vehicle body to manage inertial forces, thereby improving stability and ride quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If only the inwardly positioned crawler travel device is decelerated during turning, then the turning operation is simplified and responsive, but excessive inertial forces are generated causing vehicle instability and poor ride quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the deceleration control into two distinct components: (1) a common deceleration applied equally to both crawler travel devices, and (2) an additional differential deceleration applied specifically to the inwardly positioned device. This segmentation allows the control system to achieve both responsive turning (through the differential component) and stable vehicle behavior (through the common component), resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and vehicle stability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If equal velocity deceleration is applied to both crawler travel devices during turning, then inertial forces are reduced improving stability, but turning responsiveness is diminished
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetric deceleration by imposing different velocity reductions on the two crawler travel devices. The outwardly positioned device receives a first deceleration value, while the inwardly positioned device receives a second deceleration value that is greater than the first. This asymmetry enables the vehicle to achieve both stability (through the common deceleration component) and responsive turning (through the additional deceleration on the inward device), resolving the contradiction between stability and turning velocity.
3Productivity
If high traveling velocity is maintained during turning, then productivity is improved, but centrifugal forces increase causing ride quality deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic velocity control during turning operations by automatically adjusting the traveling velocities of both crawler travel devices based on the turning amount. The control device calculates appropriate deceleration values that maintain productive turning speeds while limiting centrifugal forces through equal velocity reduction. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between productivity (maintaining high velocity) and ride quality (reducing centrifugal force), as the system adapts velocities in real-time based on operating conditions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration reduces inertial forces, enhances traveling stability, and improves ride quality by evenly distributing deceleration across both crawler devices, and generates electric power to prolong battery life and conserve energy.
Implementation Method 1
the travel motors have a function of generating electric power when driven to rotate
Data Source
AI summary
A travel control section 60b is configured to control the revolution velocities of transversely opposite travel motors 51 and 52 such that when turning amount command signals are inputted from a turning amount operation dial 48, transversely opposite crawler travel devices 12a and 12b are caused to realize a turn according to the turning amount command signals by decelerating the traveling velocities of the transversely opposite crawler travel devices 12a and 12b from a target straight traveling velocity set by a travel operation lever 47 by equal values of velocity which are predetermined according to the turning amount command signals inputted from the turning amount operation dial 48 and further decelerating the traveling velocity of the crawler travel device 12a or 12b which is positioned inwardly relative to the other in the turning direction.