Patent ID: 11951785
Assignee: UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI FIRENZE
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 0:
1. A coupling device of the type envisaged between a first vehicle (A) with at least two axes and a second vehicle (B) with at least two axes and comprising steering members (S) with the first vehicle (A) arranged to precede the second vehicle (B), said coupling device being particularly suitable for the application to convoys of automatically guided vehicles, said coupling device comprising a hinge coupling section associated with said first vehicle (A) and a drawbar section associated with the second vehicle (B), said sections each having a proximal portion rigidly connected to the respective vehicle and a distal reciprocal connection portion with the possibility of rotation, wherein said drawbar section comprises:
an arc-shaped guide integral with said second vehicle (B), said arc-shaped guide being extended horizontally between a right side and a left side of said second vehicle (B), the radius of curvature and the positioning of said arc-shaped guide being such that the centre of the relative radius of curvature is in a rear area of said second vehicle (B);
a slider arranged to slide along said arc-shaped guide;
a telescopic connecting arm rigidly connected at one end to said slider and rotatably connected at the other end thereof to said coupling section, said telescopic connecting arm having a maximum length and a minimum length such as to define a maximum distance and a minimum distance, respectively, between said first vehicle (A) and said second vehicle (B),
wherein said drawbar section comprises a steering assistance mechanism associated with said slider and said steering members (S) of said second vehicle (B), said steering assistance mechanism being configured to act on said steering members (S) so as to tend to maintain a steering position of said second vehicle (B) which is a function of the position of said slider along said arc-shaped guide.