Assembly and method for enabling rotational motion in a vehicle or mobile working machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10793205-B2
Application number	US-201716323983-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2017
Priority date	Aug 31, 2016
Publication date	Oct 6, 2020
Grant date	Oct 6, 2020

Abstract

An assembly for enabling rotational motion in a vehicle or mobile working machine is disclosed which includes at least two sections arranged in an overlying position relative to the vehicle's or working machine's working surface. A top section can be led to motion relative to a bottom section and a longitudinal rotation axis, the top section and the bottom section being movably coupled to each other by at least one trajectory element which generates a curvilinear trajectory. The relative motion of the top section and the bottom section proceeds along a curvilinear trajectory in a section plane which is perpendicular relative to the lengthwise rotation axis. The trajectory can be at least partly in the shape of a circular arc, the midpoint of this curvilinear trajectory being disposed below the bottom section. An actuator mounted on the vehicle or working machine affects the top section and/or the bottom section.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An assembly for enabling rotational motion in a vehicle or mobile working machine comprising:
at least two sections arranged in at least a partially overlying position relative to a working surface of the vehicle or a working surface of the working machine, the at least two sections making up a top section and a bottom section, said top section and bottom section being coupled movably to each other by way of at least one trajectory element providing a curvilinear trajectory;
the bottom section having at least motion elements for enabling a movement of the vehicle or working machine;
the at least one trajectory element being configured to enable a motion of the top section with respect to the bottom section, the motion being arranged to proceed along the curvilinear trajectory and in a section plane which is in a perpendicular position relative to a substantially longitudinal rotation axis of the vehicle or working machine, wherein the curvilinear trajectory is at least over a part of its length in a shape of a circular arc with the trajectory extending around the vehicle's or working machine's longitudinal rotation axis;
at least one actuator fitted on the vehicle or working machine and bearing on the top section and/or the bottom section for generating motion; and
the bottom section being formed at least in part by a front section and a rear section, which are successive in lengthwise direction and connected to each other by a frame pivot with at least two degrees of freedom, said frame pivot being configured to allow a rotation of the front section and rear section with respect to the vehicle's or working machine's longitudinal rotation axis as well as with respect to a vertical axis extending through the frame pivot.

2. An assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one trajectory elements comprise:
on one hand, a curved guide rail provided in the top section and fitted in a substantially perpendicular position relative to the rotation axis; and
on another hand, guide rollers provided in the bottom section and fitted on opposite outer edges which are co-directional with the rotation axis and provided on both sides of the bottom section; such that:
the guide rollers have a rotational axis which is substantially parallel to the rotation axis; and
the guide rollers are in cooperation with the at least one curved guide rail.

3. An assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the curved guide rail comprises:
two guide rail segments fitted on opposite edges of the top section, which edges are co-directional with the rotation axis and provided on both sides thereof.

4. An assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the curved guide rail comprises:
a continuous curved guide rail segment.

5. An assembly according to claim 2 , comprising:
a control element on which the curved guide rail is mounted, whereby the curved guide rail is fitted on opposite ends of the elongated control element; and
a retaining mechanism, having a guide slot configured to be fitted with a middle roller protruding from the bottom section for delimiting a lateral movement of the control element.

6. An assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one trajectory element comprises:
a slide guide rail extending to opposite outer edges of the bottom section, which edges are co-directional with the rotation axis and provided on both sides thereof;
the slide guide rail being configured to be in a substantially perpendicular position relative to the rotation axis; and
the slide guide rail being arranged in cooperation with a curved guide rail fitted on the top section, said curved guide rail being configured to be in a substantially perpendicular position relative to the rotation axis.

7. An assembly according to claim 6 , wherein the curved guide rail comprises:
two curved guide rail segments parallel to the slide guide rail and fitted on opposite outer edges of the top section, which edges are co-directional with the rotation axis and provided on both sides thereof.

8. An assembly according to claim 6 , wherein the curved guide rail comprises:
a continuous guide rail segment parallel to the slide guide rail.

9. An assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one actuator is arranged to produce a push or pull motion.

10. An assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the front section and/or the rear section constitute the bottom section.

11. An assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle or working machine comprises:
a plurality of frame pivots;
at least three sections which include the front section, the rear section, and at least one middle section, connected to each other by a respective frame pivot of the plurality of frame pivots, whereby
at least one frame pivot of the plurality of frame pivots includes a joint with at least two degrees of freedom, which allows the front section and middle section, the middle section and rear section, or two adjacent middle sections to rotate with respect to the vehicle's or working machine's substantially longitudinal rotation axis as well as with respect to a vertical axis extending through the frame pivot.

12. An assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the front section and/or the at least one middle section and/or the rear section make up the bottom section.

13. An assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the assembly comprises:
measuring instruments for determining a component of a moment applied by the top section to the bottom section, said component prevailing around the vehicle's or working machine's substantially longitudinal rotation axis;
determining instruments for determining a magnitude and direction of at least one support moment needed for stabilizing at least the bottom section, said determining being based on the moment applied by the top section to the bottom section to be supported;
the at least one actuator includes at least one set of actuators for generating the at least one support moment; and
control elements for controlling the at least one set of actuators so as to provide the at least one support moment.

14. An assembly according to claim 1 , comprising:
means for introducing a change in a radius of curvature of the curvilinear trajectory established by the at least one trajectory element to obtain a displacement in location of a rotation axis defined by the at least one trajectory element.

15. An assembly according to claim 14 , wherein the radius of curvature for the curvilinear trajectory established by the at least one trajectory element is selected in such a way that the rotation axis defined by the at least one trajectory element will be located below a suspension arrangement for motion elements provided in the bottom section, so as to be flush with or below the working surface.

16. An assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the bottom section and the top section are fitted to each other with the at least one trajectory element installed therebetween and arranged to make up a shared stabilization module.

17. An assembly according to claim 16 , wherein the vehicle or working machine is configured to be fitted with one or more of the stabilization modules connected to each other in a substantially rigid manner.

18. A method for enabling rotation motion in a vehicle or mobile working machine, said vehicle or working machine having at least two sections, arranged in at least a partially overlying position relative to a working surface of the vehicle or a working surface of the working machine, the at least two sections making up a top section an

Assignees

• Ponsse Oyj

Inventors

• Hukkanen Pentti

Classifications

• A01G23/00

  Forestry · CPC title

• B62D53/023 Primary

  with two or more coupling joints allowing staggering of the units from a central plane · CPC title

• B62D53/021

  comprising a universal coupling joint · CPC title

• B62D33/077

  characterised by the connection of the superstructure to the vehicle frame {(B62D33/06 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B62D21/186

  for building site vehicles or multi-purpose tractors (tracked vehicles B62D55/10; tractors in general B62D49/00; building site vehicles in general E02F; lift-trucks B66F) · CPC title