Hydraulic Wheel Coupling Layout for Utility Vehicle Drift Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Utility vehicles experience undesirable lateral drift due to differences in traction between wheels and the ground, exacerbated by terrain type and slope, leading to potential safety hazards.
Innovation Solution
A utility vehicle with a hydraulic system that includes controllable valves to selectively couple front and rear motors in parallel or cross-coupling configurations, adjusting torque distribution to counteract lateral sliding based on detected slope and traction conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the motors are arranged in a parallel-coupling configuration, then the vehicle can operate on flat ground and uphill, but lateral drift occurs when traveling downhill due to unequal traction between left and right wheels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic hydraulic coupling system that can switch between parallel-coupling and cross-coupling configurations based on terrain conditions. When traveling downhill, the system automatically transitions to cross-coupling to transfer torque between opposite sides of the vehicle, counteracting lateral drift caused by unequal traction. This dynamic reconfiguration resolves the contradiction by adapting the torque distribution pattern to match the specific terrain challenge.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the hydraulic coupling parameter (connection configuration between motors and pump) in response to detected slope conditions. The controller receives slope information and modifies the hydraulic circuit configuration accordingly, switching from parallel-coupling on flat/uphill terrain to cross-coupling on downhill terrain. This parameter change enables the system to maintain lateral stability while preserving adaptability across different operating conditions.
2Device complexity
If a fixed parallel-coupling configuration is used, then the hydraulic system is simple, but the vehicle cannot counteract lateral sliding on downhill slopes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a dynamic switching mechanism controlled by a controller that monitors slope conditions. The system transitions from a static parallel-coupling configuration to a dynamic system capable of switching between parallel-coupling and cross-coupling modes. This adds controlled complexity only when needed (on downhill slopes) while maintaining simplicity on flat or uphill terrain, thus improving reliability without unnecessarily complicating the overall system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a controllable hydraulic valve as an intermediary component that enables switching between coupling configurations. This valve acts as a mediator between the fixed hydraulic pump and the motors, allowing the system to reconfigure torque distribution pathways based on terrain conditions. The intermediary component provides the necessary flexibility to improve vehicle stability on downhill slopes while maintaining relative system simplicity through a single well-placed switching element.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the cross-coupling configuration is always used, then lateral drift is counteracted on downhill slopes, but torque distribution is optimized for downhill conditions only
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic switching system that adapts the coupling configuration to match terrain conditions. Rather than using cross-coupling continuously, the system switches to parallel-coupling on flat or uphill terrain where lateral drift is not an issue, and only engages cross-coupling when downhill slopes are detected. This dynamic adaptation ensures optimal torque distribution for each specific terrain condition, maintaining both lateral stability when needed and overall versatility across different operating environments.
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
Effectively reduces and counteracts lateral sliding by optimizing torque distribution, enhancing vehicle stability and safety, particularly when traveling downhill.
Implementation Method 1
a pump, wherein the front left motor, the first rear left motor, the front right motor, and the first rear right motor are parallelly coupled to the pump, the front left motor and the second rear right motor are serially coupled to the pump, and the front right motor and the second rear left motor are serially coupled to the pump
Data Source
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AI summary
A utility vehicle (201) comprising: a front left wheel (203L), hydraulically powered by a front left motor (213L), a rear left wheel (204L), hydraulically powered by a first rear left motor (214L) and a second rear left motor (215L), a front right wheel (203R), hydraulically powered by a front right motor (213R), a rear right wheel (204R), hydraulically powered by a first rear right motor (214R) and a second rear right motor (215R), a pump (222), wherein the front left motor (213L), the first rear left motor (214L), the front right motor (213R), and the first rear right motor (214R) are parallelly coupled to the pump (222), the front left motor (213L) and the second rear right motor (215R) are serially coupled to the pump (222), and the front right motor (213R) and the second rear left motor (215L) are serially coupled to the pump (222).