Patent ID: 9086104
Filing Date: 2015-07-21
Classification: B60K,B60W,B60Y,F16D,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of operating a machine having a cab and a rear body connected by an articulating joint for relative movement about a vertical axis, wherein the cab has a front axle set having a first front axle with a first front traction device and a second front axle with a second front traction device coupled by a front differential having a front clutch and the rear body has a rear axle set having a first rear axle with a first rear traction device and a second rear axle with a second rear traction device coupled by a rear differential having a rear clutch, wherein the machine is steered by changing an angle between the cab and the rear body about the vertical axis in response to an input at a steering device, and wherein a main power source of the machine is operatively coupled to the front differential and the front differential is operatively coupled to the rear differential such that the front axle set and the rear axle set both receive torque output by the main power source, the method comprising: sensing a rotational speed each of the traction devices with a corresponding speed sensor to determine a sensed rotational speed signal for each the traction devices; sensing a first rate of change of an orientation of the cab relative to an operating surface to determine a sensed rate of change of orientation of the cab; determining a second rate of change of an orientation of the rear body relative to the operating surface as a function of the sensed first rate of change of the orientation of the cab and the sensed rotational speeds of the traction devices; determining a speed of the machine relative to the operating surface as a function of the sensed rotational speed signals for the traction devices; determining a corner speed signal associated with each of the front traction devices as a function of the speed of the machine and the sensed first rate of change of orientation of the machine and determining a corner speed signal associated with each of the rear traction devices as a function of the speed of the machine and the second rate of change of the orientation of the rear body, the corner speed signal for each of the traction devices being indicative of a speed of the corresponding traction device relative to the operating surface; determining an ideal target speed signal for each of the traction devices as a function of the corner speed signal associated with the traction device; comparing the sensed rotational speed signal for each of the traction devices with the ideal target speed signal for the traction device; and selectively reducing a rotational speed of one of the traction devices if the sensed rotational speed signal for the traction device is greater than the ideal target speed signal for the traction device by actuating a corresponding one of the front clutch and the rear clutch to engage a corresponding one of the front differential and the second differential.