FR2867438A1 - Vehicle for use in e.g. agricultural field, has guiding control units for controlling orientation of running gears according to half of angle formed between longitudinal axle of hitch and longitudinal axle of towed unit - Google Patents

Abstract

The vehicle has a tractor unit (1), and a towed unit (2) with a longitudinal axle (5), and running gears (7, 8). The tractor unit and towed unit are connected with each other by a hitch (3) having a longitudinal axle (6). The towed unit has guiding control units (9, 10) to control orientation of the running gears according to half of an angle formed between the longitudinal axle of the hitch and the longitudinal axle of the towed unit.

Description

The invention relates to a vehicle comprising at least one member

  tractor and at least one towed member.

  It will particularly find application in all fields, whether motor vehicles or animal-drawn vehicles, which is coupled to a trailer, or even a train of trailers, with running gear or sliding, traveling on a track devoid of guiding.

  In particular, it will find its application in the case of vehicles equipped with luggage trailers or caravans. The present invention will also apply in the context of industrial vehicles semitrailer or trailer of any type, including trailer trains for handling on private roads. Another application may concern public transport, and in particular articulated trailer buses, as well as bus trains that run on tracks without guide rail.

  Other applications of the present invention may relate to the field of public works machinery and construction equipment, for which trailers are used possibly with propulsive wheels hitched or connected by joints to machines or tractor trucks. Other applications of the present invention may also relate to the agricultural field, in which different trailers or agricultural machines are attached to a tractor.

  For all cases of applications, whether professional or recreational, the present invention relates to single trailers as well as vehicles coupled in trains and trains trains trailers shuttle.

  Of course, horse-drawn vehicles for leisure or transport, provided they have two axles, one assimilated to the tractor body and the other or similar to the towed body, will also find application of the invention .

  In other words, in general, the present invention is applicable to any trailer or mobile device on wheels, or similar, regardless of size and use, provided that the vehicle can be equipped with a device steering wheel pivots or axles or the like.

  That being so, in the majority of cases, the vehicles comprising at least one tractor member and at least one towed member successively connected by a hitch are generally controlled in the direction by the effect of the front axle of the tractor member. Although satisfactory in some cases, it is not unusual to see traffic accidents caused by such difficult-to-drive vehicles. In addition, the configuration of certain roads, narrow or tight radii of curvature, prevents the access of these vehicles, because they are impossible to circulate there.

  To take the example of a car equipped with a fixed-axle caravan, when the towing vehicle follows a certain trajectory during the turning, the trailer has a different turning circle generated, which increases the necessary width of the driving lane . For example, for an outside turning radius of nearly 9 m, the inside turning radius of the trailer is of the order of 5 m, which requires a necessary track width of about 4 m for a vehicle of about 2 meters wide.

  For heavy goods vehicles, the phenomenon is accentuated, and for example for a 30 tonne semi-trailer with a width of about 2.50 m, a track width of about 9 m is required for an outside turning radius. about 20 m.

  Naturally, this reasoning also applies to articulated buses or even tractors with agricultural trailers.

  To overcome these disadvantages, particularly in the agricultural field, it is known to make agricultural trailers with several axles, floating wheels, that is to say, free in the direction. However, such devices are limited to driving on roads at reduced speed, and the only axle which remains guide, supports most lateral forces including centrifugal force.

  Such achievements provide little benefit in terms of handling, and detract from lateral stability and must be most often inhibited in reverse.

  Also known in the field of building and public works, or even in the agricultural field, machines with all their axles are independent and guiding. Such machines are limited in speed because they require a great dexterity of control. In addition, the necessity of producing independent steering axles necessarily increases the cost price.

  The object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle, comprising at least one tractor member and at least one towed member successively assembled by means of a hitch, which overcomes the disadvantages of known systems and improves the trajectory by reducing the congestion in terms of track width in curve. In particular, according to the present invention, the towed member will follow substantially the same trajectory as the tractor member which precedes, which will further improve guide accuracy.

  Furthermore, for maneuvers, it will facilitate using a much smaller track width, running in reverse and allow several assembled trailers in the process of making rear steps and sets of vehicles can operate shuttle when equipped with a driving position at each end.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide such a vehicle that is independent of the mode of traction and / or propulsion, whether it is a human, animal traction, or any type of mechanical engine.

  In addition, an advantage of the present invention is to provide a significant improvement in the field of maneuverability. The vehicle of the present invention will also be particularly advantageous economically and in terms of safety.

  Furthermore, as said above, the present invention will find application in many fields, whether vehicles on wheels with hitched or semi-mounted trailer, regardless of the number of axles of tractor bodies and that of the towed organs themselves, or possibly to trailers coupled in trains, all in safe operation, without external intervention of steering other than the driver who directs the head axle, forward, backward, and shuttle.

  Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, accompanied by the drawings, which is not intended to limit it.

  According to the present invention, the vehicle, comprising at least one tractor member and at least one towed member, each said towed member having a longitudinal axis and being equipped with at least one lift train, said tractor and / or towed bodies being brought together successively by means of a hitch, each said hitch having a longitudinal axis, is characterized in that each said towed member comprises first guiding means for guiding the orientation of at least one lift train of the organ towed corresponding, depending on the angle formed between firstly the longitudinal axis of the coupling, preceding said drawn member, and secondly the longitudinal axis of the towed member, subsequent to said coupling.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, the vehicle, comprising at least two towed members, said tractor and / or towed members being successively joined by means of a coupling, each towed member, said intermediate, comprises second guide means guiding for controlling the orientation of at least one lift train of the corresponding intermediate towed member as a function of the angle formed between on the one hand the longitudinal axis of the intermediate towed member, preceding the so-called consecutive coupling, and secondly the longitudinal axis of said consecutive hitch.

  According to one embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle comprises at least one tractor member and a single towed member, the latter being equipped with at least one lift train.

  In this particular embodiment, on the one hand, said towed member is equipped with two levitation trains, and on the other hand, said orientation of the two trains is controlled at an angle a / 2 equal to, or substantially equal to, the half of the angle formed between the longitudinal axis of said hitch and that of said towed member.

  That being the case, the present invention will be better understood on reading the following description accompanied by the drawings which form an integral part of the present application, and in particular: FIG. 1 schematically shows a first embodiment of a vehicle according to the present invention; invention comprising a tractor member and a towed member with two levitation trains, - Figure 2 shows an alternative embodiment of the vehicle, illustrated in Figure 1, wherein the towed member has only one lift train, - 3 schematically shows another embodiment of the vehicle of the present invention having a tractor member which is successively coupled two towed bodies with double lift train, - Figure 4 shows an alternative embodiment of the vehicle, illustrated in Figure 3 , in which the last towed member has only one lift train, - Figure 5 shows a realization schematic ion of a hypomobile vehicle equipped according to the present invention with a towed member; FIG. 6 illustrates a detail of operation of a lift gear with a double axle running on a towed member; FIG. 7 schematically illustrates the correction of operation due to an offset of the coupling point of the towed member, - Figures 8a and 8b illustrate, respectively for a vehicle not in accordance with the invention, and for a vehicle according to the invention, the driving lane When a change of direction is required, FIG. 9 schematically illustrates in an exploded view an embodiment of the steering means of the vehicle according to the present invention. The invention relates to a vehicle comprising at least one tractor member and at least one towed member.

  Tractor member means any traction device 5 human, animal, or mechanical, regardless of the mode of traction and / or propulsion of the vehicle.

  Similarly, towed member means any trailer element or semitrailer, unitary or harnessed, regardless of their mode of sustenance and their final destination.

  Thus the vehicle of the present invention can be applied to the transport of goods, road transport, public transport, tourist transport, recreational vehicles and also to any agricultural field.

  Likewise, the present invention will apply to vehicles equipped with any type of lift train, whether for example undercarriage or slip train, to which the known techniques of steering can be adapted or suspension.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle of the present invention comprises at least one tractor member 1 and at least one towed member 2 successively joined by means of a hitch 3.

  Each tractor member, towed member and coupling, respectively has a longitudinal axis, respectively marked 4, 5, 6 on the vehicle of Figure 1 In addition, said towed member 5 is equipped with at least one lift 25, and in in this case, these include two undercarriages, one marked before 7 and the other rear marked 8.

  According to the main characteristic of the present invention, each said towed member comprises first guide means for controlling the orientation of at least one lift train of the corresponding towed member, as a function of the angle formed between one side the longitudinal axis of the coupling, preceding said drawn member, and secondly, the longitudinal axis of the towed member, subsequent to said coupling.

  In the case of FIG. 1, the towed member 5 thus comprises first guide guiding means, schematized by the markers 9 and 10, controlling, in this variant, the orientation of the two levitation trains 7 and 8 of the towed body 5.

  In this case, according to the invention, the orientation of the undercarriage 7, 8 is made according to the angle formed on the one hand between the longitudinal axis 6 of the hitch 3 preceding said towed member 2 , and on the other hand the longitudinal axis 5 of the towed member 2, consecutive to said hitch 3.

  As shown particularly in Figure 1, said orientation of each of the two levitation trains 7, 8 of the towed member 2 is controlled at an angle a / 2 equal to or substantially equal to half the angle formed between the longitudinal axis 6 of said coupling 3 and the longitudinal axis 5 of said towed member 2.

  This orientation is performed according to the trajectory and the displacement of the tractor member 1 and according to the center of gyration and the turning radius generated, when it is a forward step.

  In this regard, it may be provided a separate control of the orientation of the undercarriage 8 of the towed member 5, in case of reverse, to intentionally change the trajectory of the towed member, and possibly a disengagement of the system orientation.

  As regards the material realization of the undercarriage of the towed member 5, it will be carried out according to techniques known to those skilled in the art, for example by using an orientation pivot axles thus allowing the steering of each axle according to said angle a / 2 above.

  Moreover, with regard to the hitch 3, it will also be performed according to conventional techniques known to those skilled in the art, with a hinge 11 at the rear of the tractor member 1 and a hinge 12 at the front of the towed organ 5.

  FIG. 2 shows a variant of a vehicle of the present invention comprising a tractor member 21, and a single towed member 22 equipped with a single lift train 28.

  In this case, the hitch is reduced to the hinge 23, and the longitudinal axis of said hitch, according to the principle developed above is coincident with the longitudinal axis 24 of said tractor member 21. This being the case, in the case of FIG. 1, said orientation, caused by said first directing means, here marked at 29, is controlled at an angle equal to, or substantially equal to, the angle α formed between the longitudinal axis 24 of said tractor member 21 and that 25 of said towed member 22.

  As before, to constitute said lift train 28, use will be made of a drive axle undercarriage, according to conventional techniques known to those skilled in the art.

  The maneuvers, in reverse in particular, can be greatly facilitated by a motorized control regardless of the energy used, modifying for the member 28 the value of the angle a In this regard, we note, in Figure 2, the correction, also according to a known principle, between the angles of each of the wheels in which the inner wheel is oriented by an additional value g, and the outer wheel is oriented by the angle decreased by said shift c.

  FIG. 5 illustrates a variant of the embodiment of the vehicle of FIG. 1 in which the tractor member is an element with animal traction.

  In FIG. 5, two horses identified 31 'and 31 "are shown schematically on either side of said hitch 33. The hitch has, in the sense of the invention, a longitudinal axis marked 36 which forms an angle a with the longitudinal axis 35 of the towed member 32.

  For this horse-drawn embodiment, the towed member 32 has two lift trains 37, 38 whose orientation is controlled as a function of the angle formed between the tractor hitch 31 ', 31 ", 33 and the towed member 32.

  More specifically, said orientation of each of the two trains 37, 38 is controlled at an angle a / 2 equal to or substantially equal to half the angle α formed between the longitudinal axis 36 of said hitch 33 and the longitudinal axis 35 of said towed member 32.

  That being said, according to an additional feature of the present invention, the vehicle may comprise at least two towed members, said tractor and / or towed members being successively connected by a hitch, thereby defining a so-called intermediate towing member, in particular between the tractor member. and the last drawn organ.

  In addition, each intermediate towed member comprises, according to the invention, second guiding guide means for controlling the orientation of at least one lift train of the corresponding intermediate towed member according to the angle formed between d on the one hand the longitudinal axis of the intermediate towed member, preceding the said coupling consecutive, and secondly, the longitudinal axis of said consecutive hitch.

  This is particularly illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 which show two variants of vehicles each equipped with two towed organs.

  According to FIG. 3, the vehicle of the present invention comprises a tractor member 101, a first towed member 102, called an intermediate towed member, and a third towed member 103, called the last towed member.

  Each tractor or tow member 101, 102, 103 has a longitudinal axis marked 106, 107, 108, respectively.

  Furthermore, said tractor members 101 and / or towed 102, 103 are successively joined by a hitch 104, 105 which, for its part, also has a longitudinal axis, respectively marked 109, 110.

  In this case, the intermediate towed member 102 is equipped with two levitation trains 111, 112, respectively denoted front axle 111 and rear axle 112. Similarly, the last towed member 103 is equipped with two levitation trains, marked 113 and 114, respectively designated front train 113 and rear train 114.

  As mentioned above, said intermediate towed member 102 comprises first guide means 115 which control the orientation of said front axle 111 of the intermediate towed member 102 corresponding.

  This orientation of said train 111 is performed at an angle α; / 2 equal to or substantially equal to half the angle a; formed between the longitudinal axis 109 of the hitch 104 preceding said intermediate towed member 102, and the longitudinal axis 107 of said intermediate towed member 102.

  In addition, as also mentioned above, the vehicle of Figure 3 has second guiding guide means 116 which control the orientation of said rear axle 112 of the corresponding intermediate towed member 102.

  This orientation, as shown precisely in Figure 3, is performed at an angle a / 2 equal to or substantially equal to half the angle α formed between the longitudinal axis 107 of the corresponding intermediate towed member 102, and that 110 of the hitch equal to, or substantially equal to, half the angle α formed between the longitudinal axis 107 of the corresponding intermediate towed member 102 and that 110 of the towed hitch 105 consecutive thereto 102.

  The vehicle of the present invention, shown in Figure 3, further comprises a last drawn member 103 having two levitation trains 113, 114 whose operation is identical to that of the towed member 2 described with reference to FIG. 1. For the variant of FIG. 3, the intermediate towed member 102 becomes a tractor member within the meaning of the present invention for the last towed member 103.

  Thus, said last drawn member 103 comprises said directing means 117, 118 for controlling the respective orientation of the two levitation trains 113, 114 of the corresponding towed member 103 as a function of the angle formed between part of the longitudinal axis 110 of the coupling 105 preceding said drawn member 103 and secondly the longitudinal axis 108 of the drawn member 103 subsequent to said coupling 105.

  More precisely, for said last drawn member 103 of FIG. 3, said orientation of each of the two trains 113, 114 is controlled at an angle ad / 2 equal to or substantially equal to half the angle ad formed between the longitudinal axis 110 of said coupling 105 preceding said drawn member 103, and the longitudinal axis 108 of said drawn member 103.

  Operation in reverse is obtained by uncoupling the means 117 and 118, the means 118 must then be controlled by an independent control motorized by any energy.

  In the case of shuttle operation, these independent means 118 are then controlled as main steering means. The vehicle 101 is then used in the same way as when the member 108 is the head member.

  FIG. 4 shows a variant of a vehicle equipped with several towed bodies, in particular two, in which the last towed member has a single lift train.

  With respect to the vehicle of Figure 3, there is the tractor vehicle, marked 201 instead of 101, having a longitudinal axis of 206, and an intermediate drawn member, marked 202 instead of 102, having a longitudinal axis 207. The intermediate towed member 202 is joined to the tractor member 201 by a hitch, marked 204 instead of 104, having a longitudinal axis 209.

  The operation of said intermediate towed member 202 is identical to that shown in FIG. 3.

  The first steering means 215 control the orientation of the nose gear 211 at an angle α; / 2 equal to, or substantially equal to, half of a; formed between the longitudinal axis 207 of the intermediate towed member 202 and the longitudinal axis 209 of the preceding coupling 204.

  Similarly, the second directing means 216 control the orientation of the rear axle 212 at an angle α / 2 equal to or substantially equal to half the angle α formed between the longitudinal axis 207 of the corresponding intermediate towed member 202 and the longitudinal axis 208 of the towed member 203 consecutive. In this case, the axis of the coupling is considered merged with the longitudinal axis 208 of the last towed member 203.

  With regard to this last towed member 203, as shown in Figure 4, it has a single lift train 213 and said first steering means 217, operating according to the principle described with respect to the towed member 202 of the vehicle of the In this case, it must be considered that the longitudinal axis of the so-called preceding hitch 205 coincides with the axis 207 of the preceding towed member 202, which acts here as a tractor member.

  Also, said orientation caused, by the guiding guide means 217 of the lift gear 213 of said last drawn member 203, is controlled at an angle ad formed between the longitudinal axis 207 of the preceding towed member 202, and the longitudinal axis 208 of said last drawn member 203. It should be noted here, of course that the angle ai is equal to, or substantially equal to, the angle ad which is opposite.

  However, as said above, according to the present invention, there is no limitation as to the main tractor member which will be advantageously constituted by an automotive element. It should be noted that there may be several automotive elements if the traction or propulsion forces require it. Note that the operation will be identical to that described above, a towed member can become a tractor member for the next towed member, and vice versa.

  It should be noted in this regard that all levitation means moves on a path whose radii of curvature are substantially the same. This characteristic makes it possible to reduce, or even not to require, means for distributing differential-type power.

  As regards the couplers, there too they can be formed according to techniques known to those skilled in the art. In the case of a member towed with a single lift train, this is the case in Figures 2 and 4, the coupling will be substantially in a ball joint, marked 23 or 205.

  In other cases, the hitch will have a double articulation, one on the side of the tractor member and the other on the side of the towed member, or on the side of the towed member and the towed member next.

  These two joints are for example marked 61 and 62 in Figure 1, 1041, 1042 or 105 1, 105 2 in Figure 3, 2041, 2042 in Figure 4.

  Moreover, when a lift train consisting of a two-axle undercarriage, as shown particularly in FIG. 6, is used, depending on the needs, the orientation of each of the axles will be made according to a correction. known to those skilled in the art.

  More specifically, Figure 6 shows a vehicle such as that shown in Figure 2 with a tractor member which is coupled to a towed member having a single rear axle double axle.

  We find the angle formed between the respective longitudinal axes of the two mobiles, and the orientation imposed, according to the present invention, the last axle of said rear axle. Nevertheless, the relation between the angles of the directions of the various axles is established according to the values of impasto and of center distance according to: tg [i = d1 / x & tga = d2 / x and consequently tgR / ta = d1 / d2 and so f3 = Arctg [(di / d2). tga]. In the above formulas, x corresponds to the distance between the turning center O of the vehicle and the longitudinal axis of the towed member, d1 corresponds to the distance between the center of gyration reported on the longitudinal axis of the towed member and positioning the first axle of the rear axle, and d2 is the distance similar to the second axle of the rear axle.

  Figure 7 corresponds to the correction to be made when the hinge pin axes A are offset relative to the reference axis B of the tractor member 30.

  In this case, according to the orientation principle of the present invention, the angle y imposed on the second axle of the rear axle of the towed member is slightly different from the angle formed between the two mobiles.

  In fact, the angle a has its value reduced as a function of the value of the overhang d, where d is the offset distance between the hinged pivot axis A and the reference axis B. This value d is taken into consideration with respect to the impasto E of the towed organ, by a trigonometric law of the same nature as that linking the angles of the axles object of Figure 6.

  Here we have: [E - d] tga = [E + d] tgy; hence: y = Arctg [tga. (E - d) / (E + d)].

  Thanks to the present invention, it is advantageous to reduce the path required for a vehicle equipped with the device according to the present invention. By way of example, when a semi-trailer vehicle embodying the present invention is produced, for a vehicle approximately 18 m long and 2.5 m wide, with an angle of 45 between the tractor and the semi-trailer, the vehicle follows a gyration path between an inside radius of approximately 4.5 m and an outer radius of approximately 10.5 m. On the contrary, the same semi-trailer vehicle not equipped with the device of the present invention, will require a path defined by an inner radius of 4.5 m and an outer radius of 18.5 m.

  In other words, with a given lane, the semi-trailer vehicle equipped according to the present invention may have a length of about 18 m, whereas a semi-trailer vehicle not equipped with the present invention will be able to pass on this lane only if it is less than 10 m overall length.

  This is particularly illustrated in Figures 8a and 8b which schematically illustrate respectively the situation with a standard vehicle, and a vehicle equipped according to the present invention. FIG. 8a is a diagrammatic view from above of a semitrailer vehicle whose towed member is not equipped with the device of the present invention. The center of gyration being marked by O, for a vehicle of 18 m and width of 2.5 m, the trajectory of the vehicle will require the existence of a taxiway between the inner radius R; and the outer ray spotted Re.

  It can be seen in FIG. 8a that the traffic lane is substantially greater than that required for the vehicle equipped according to the present invention illustrated in FIG. 8b.

  It is substantially necessary, as shown in Figure 8a, a lane of the order of 14 m for the vehicle shown; while with the system of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 8b, for an inside radius of approximately 4.5 m, an outside radius of approximately 10.5 m is obtained, ie a path of the order of 6 m.

  Naturally, this advantage is found in all types of vehicles, whether articulated transport vehicles, rowing vehicles and agricultural vehicles in particular.

  FIG. 9 schematically illustrates an exploded perspective view of a vehicle according to the present invention, and more particularly of the trailer-shaped towed member, such as that identified in FIG. 2.

  It contains with the common references the longitudinal axis 25, the rear rolling stock 28, the steering means 29 and the coupling hinge 23.

  Said directing guide means 29 consist of a notched sector 291 disposed at the hinge joint 23 provided between the tractor member, not shown in FIG. 9, and the towed member 22.

  Said notched sector 291 is able, on the one hand, to give an image of said angle α and, on the other hand, to cooperate, by a rack and pinion system 292, with a running gear 293 with a steering axle for controlling the orientation of the wheels 294 according to said angle a.

  Of course, other implementations of the present invention, within the reach of those skilled in the art, could be envisaged, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims (3)

  A vehicle, comprising at least one tractor member (1; 31 ', 31 ") and a single towed member (2; 32), said towed member (2; 32) having a longitudinal axis (5; 35) and being equipped at least one lift train (7, 8; 37, 38), said tractor and trailer members being connected by a hitch (3; 33), each hitch (3; 33) having a longitudinal axis (6; 36); characterized by: - said towed member (2; 32) having first guide means (9, 10;) for controlling the orientation of at least one lift train (7, 8; 37, 38) of the towed member (2; 32) as a function of the angle formed between on the one hand the longitudinal axis (6; 36) of the hitch (3; 33) preceding said towed member (2; ), and on the other hand the longitudinal axis (5; 35) of the towed member (2; 32), subsequent to said hitch (3; 33), - said towed member (2; 32) is equipped with two levitation trains (7, 8, 37, 38), that said orientation of each of s two trains (7, 8; 37, 38) is controlled at an angle a / 2 equal to, or substantially equal to, half the angle α formed between the longitudinal axis (6; 36) of said hitch (3; 33) and that (5; 35) of said towed member (2; 32).   2. Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the tractor member (1) is an automotive element.   3. Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the tractor member (31 ', 31 ") is an animal traction element secured to said hitch (33).