Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US20020195795?ie=ISO-8859-1
Timestamp: 2015-05-25 02:56:18
Document Index: 283871274

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 105', 'art 106', 'art 105', 'art 106', 'art 105', 'art 105']

Patent US20020195795 - Vehicle with trailer - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA connecting section (3) is connected to the tractor (1) and trailer (2) so as to allow pivoting about a transverse axis (26), and the rearward end part (33) of the connecting section (3) is connected to the forward end part (13) so as to be pivotable about a vertical axis (38). The rearward end part...http://www.google.com/patents/US20020195795?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US20020195795 - Vehicle with trailerAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS20020195795 A1Publication typeApplicationApplication numberUS 10/139,108Publication dateDec 26, 2002Filing dateMay 3, 2002Priority dateMay 3, 2001Also published asEP1254827A2, EP1254827A3Publication number10139108, 139108, US 2002/0195795 A1, US 2002/195795 A1, US 20020195795 A1, US 20020195795A1, US 2002195795 A1, US 2002195795A1, US-A1-20020195795, US-A1-2002195795, US2002/0195795A1, US2002/195795A1, US20020195795 A1, US20020195795A1, US2002195795 A1, US2002195795A1InventorsDavid John BrownOriginal AssigneeBrown David John BowesExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManReferenced by (5), Classifications (8), Legal Events (2) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetVehicle with trailer
US 20020195795 A1Abstract
A connecting section (3) is connected to the tractor (1) and trailer (2) so as to allow pivoting about a transverse axis (26), and the rearward end part (33) of the connecting section (3) is connected to the forward end part (13) so as to be pivotable about a vertical axis (38). The rearward end part (33) is additionally pivotable about a longitudinal axis (34). Images(15) Claims(15)
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0036] The articulated vehicle shown in FIGS. 1 to 8 comprises a leading steerable unit or tractor 1 and a trailing unit or trailer 2 which are connected by a connecting section 3. The tractor 1 has a chassis 6 which mounts a cab 7, an engine 5 and transmission 10, a steerable front axle 8, and a fixed rear axle 9, both axles 8,9 being driven from the transmission via respective cardan shafts 11,12. [0037] The connecting section 3 of the trailer 2 has a forward end part or frame 13 with a rear portion 13 a, which lies behind the tractor 1 and is at approximately the same level as the chassis 6, and a front portion 13 b which extends over the chassis 6 and carries a load-carrying body comprising a flat bed 14 and a headboard 16. The trailer 2 has a chassis 17 which is approximately at the same level as the rear portion 13 a of the frame 13 and which mounts three drivable axles (18 a, 18 b, 18 c) and a load-carrying body comprising a flat bed 19 and a headboard 21. [0038] The chassis 6 of the tractor 1 has brackets 22 supporting mutually aligned transverse pivot pins 23 which in turn support respective brackets 24 integral with the front portion 13 b of the frame 13 so that the connecting section 3 is pivotable about a transverse axis 26 ahead of the rear axle 9 of the tractor 1. The size of the brackets 22,24 and the relative spacing of the chassis 6,13 allow the trailer 2 to be inclined upwards and downwards relative to the tractor 1 by an angle of up to 15�, for example, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. On each side of the center line of the tractor 1 a hydraulic cylinder 27 has its lower end connected by a pivot 28 to a frame member 29 rigid with the chassis 6, while a piston 31 extends from the other end of the cylinder 27 and has its free end connected by a pivot 32 to a frame member of the connecting section 3. The cylinders 27 can be used to apply to the chassis 6 of the tractor 1 a moment of force (relative to the trailer) acting about the transverse axis 26 in order to control the load acting on the rear axle 9 of the tractor 1. The cylinders 27 also damp oscillation about the transverse axis 26. [0039] The front end of the trailer chassis 17 carries an annular bearing member 33 forming the rearward end part of the connecting section 3, defining a longitudinal axis 34 and supporting a rear hinge member 36 of the connecting section 3, for rotation about the axis 34. The hinge member 36 is connected to a front hinge member 37 (integral with the rear portion 13 a of the frame 13) so as to be pivotable about a vertical axis 38. The hinge (36,37) allows the trailer 2 to pivot through an angle of up to 45�, for example, relative to the tractor 1, as shown in FIG. 5. The bearing (33) allows the trailer 2 to tilt sideways, in both directions, through an angle of up to 30� or more, for example, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. [0040] An accumulator comprising a hydraulic cylinder 39 with a piston 41 has one end connected to the rear portion 13 a of the frame 13 by a pivot 42 in front of the vertical axis 38 and has the other end connected to a rearward extension 44 of the rear hinge member 36 by a pivot 43 behind the vertical axis 38. When the distance between the pivots 42,43 shortens during turning of the vehicle, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the piston 41 pressurises nitrogen (or another gas) in an accumulation chamber in the cylinder 39. This pressure constitutes potential energy which is generated and stored by the cylinder 39 in response to changes in the angle between the center lines of the rearward and forward parts of the connection section 3, due to relative turning of the parts about the vertical axis 38. As the angle increases, energy (in the form of pressure) is generated and stored and the angular increase is resisted; this counteracts the tendency of the trailer 2 to travel in a straight line. As the angle decreases, the stored pressure acts on the piston 41 so as to assist the angular decrease, thereby reducing the steering force needed to return the articulated vehicle to a straight line after turning. [0041] Drive is transferred from the rear axle 9 of the tractor 1 to the front axle 18 a of the rearward section 4 by a series of drive shafts 46 a,46 b,46 c which maintain constant velocity transmission of rotation between the respective axles 9,18 a at all angles between the tractor 1, the connecting section 3, and the trailer 2. The axles 18 a,18 b,18 c of the trailer 2 are connected for rotation by drive shafts 47 a,47 b. Thus all the wheels of the vehicle are driven from the engine 5 and transmission 10 located in the tractor 1. [0042] The second embodiment of the articulated vehicle, shown in FIGS. 9 to 16, is similar to the first embodiment, and only the differences will be specifically described. The tractor 1 has a load-carrying body comprising a flat bed 51 and a headboard 52, mounted on the chassis 6. The connecting section 3 comprises a forward end part or frame 53 which is approximately level with the chassis 6 of the tractor 1 and the chassis 17 of the trailer 2 and which has front end portions connected to the rear end of the chassis 6 so as to allow pivoting about the transverse axis 26, which in this embodiment lies behind the rear axle 9 of the tractor 1. The rear end of the frame 53 is provided with the above-mentioned front hinge member 37. The above-described piston-and-cylinder device (27, 31) for controlling the load on the rear axle 9 of the tractor 1 (and damping oscillation) is connected between a frame member 29 rigid with the rear end of the chassis 6 and the frame 53 (FIG. 15). As shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B, the maximum angle of relative inclination of the tractor 1 and trailer 2 can be somewhat greater in this embodiment, for example, up to 20�. [0043] The third embodiment of the articulated vehicle is shown in FIGS. 17 to 25. [0044] Referring to FIGS. 17 to 19, the tractor 1 is connected to the trailer 2 by a center section or connecting section 3 which is connected by a transverse pivot 103 (axis 26) on the tractor chassis 6 and by a transverse pivot 104 on the trailer chassis 17. The centre section 3 has a forward end part 105 connected to a rearward end part 106 by a vertical pivot 107 (axis 38) and a longitudinal pivot (bearing) 108 (axis 34). [0045]FIGS. 17 and 18 show how the trailer 2 can tilt about a longitudinal axis relative to the tractor 1. FIG. 20 shows the trailer 2 rotated downwards relative to the tractor 1. [0046]FIG. 21 shows the center section 3 (105,106) rotated downwards about the pivot 103 and the trailer 2 rotated downward about the pivot 104. A hydraulic cylinder 27 a is connected at one end to the tractor chassis 6 at a pivot 109 and to the forward part 105 of the center section 3 at a pivot 110. A second hydraulic cylinder 27 b is connected to the trailer chassis 17 at a pivot 112 and to the rearward part 106 of the center section 3 at a pivot 113. Angular movement up or down of the trailer 2 lengthens or shortens the hydraulic cylinders 27 a and 27 b enabling weight transfer and a damping of tractor-to-trailer nodding forces. FIG. 22 shows the upward movement of the trailer 2 in relation to the tractor 1. FIG. 23 shows the corresponding pivotal details. Downward movement of the trailer 2 causes the cylinder 27 b to extend as in FIG. 21. Upward movement causes it to retract as in FIG. 23. [0047]FIG. 24 shows the tractor 1 with the trailer 2 rotated about the vertical pivot 107 so as to allow the combination to turn about an axis X. [0048] Two hydraulic cylinders 114 and 115 (accumulators) are connected to the forward part 105 of the center section 3 at pivots 116 and 117 and at their other end are connected at pivots 118 and 119 to the front (non-rotating) portion of the bearing 108. Referring to FIG. 25, turning the tractor 1 in relation to the trailer 2 has compressed a gas in cylinder 115 and expanded a gas in cylinder 114, thereby giving a corrective steering force to assist the steering wheels on the tractor 1 to overcome the straight-line effect of the trailer tandem axles. As the vehicle approaches the straight ahead condition the corrective forces are equalised. [0049] Drive for the tractor 1 is transmitted from an output on a transfer gearbox or (as shown) from the rearmost axle 120 via a drive shaft 121 to a bearing 122 located in the forward part 105 of the center section 3 connected to a drive shaft 123 supported at its other end by a bearing 124 which is equidistant from the pivot 107 with bearing 122. The drive is continued to the leading trailer axle 125 by a drive shaft 126. Any additional axles 127 are driven from the leading trailer axle 125. Referenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS7784812 *May 23, 2006Aug 31, 2010Francisco Javier LaresCentral multi directional transmission systemUS7913782 *Aug 12, 2008Mar 29, 2011Polaris Industries Inc.Pull behind unit for use with a self-propelled unitUS8333401Jun 28, 2010Dec 18, 2012Lares Technologies, LLCCentral multi directional transmission systemUS20130264136 *Dec 17, 2010Oct 10, 2013Volvo Lastvagnar AbWheel-steered vehicleWO2014189432A1 *Apr 25, 2014Nov 27, 2014BAE Systems H�gglunds AktiebolagArticulated vehicle* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification280/492, 180/14.4International ClassificationB62D59/02, B62D53/00Cooperative ClassificationB62D59/02, B62D53/005European ClassificationB62D59/02, B62D53/00BLegal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionSep 10, 2007ASAssignmentOwner name: PRO-CHALLENGE LIMITED, UNITED KINGDOMFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:MULTIDRIVE LIMITED;REEL/FRAME:019795/0805Effective date: 20070618Aug 14, 2002ASAssignmentOwner name: MULTIDRIVE LIMITED, UNITED KINGDOMFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:BROWN, DAVID JOHN BOWES;REEL/FRAME:013195/0982Effective date: 20020717RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services