Military vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11866019-B2
Application number	US-202217693973-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2022
Priority date	Mar 26, 2012
Publication date	Jan 9, 2024
Grant date	Jan 9, 2024

Abstract

A military vehicle includes a passenger capsule, a front module coupled to a front end of the passenger capsule, and a rear module coupled to a rear end of the passenger capsule. The passenger capsule has a frame rail-less monocoque hull structure. The front module includes a front axle, a front differential coupled to the front axle, and a prime mover. The rear module includes a rear axle and a transaxle coupled to the prime mover, the rear axle, and the front differential.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A military vehicle comprising:
a passenger capsule having a frame rail-less monocoque hull structure;
a front module coupled to a front end of the passenger capsule, the front module including:
a front axle;
a front differential coupled to the front axle; and
a prime mover; and

a rear module coupled to a rear end of the passenger capsule, the rear module including:
a rear axle; and
a transaxle coupled to the prime mover, the rear axle, and the front differential.

2. The military vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the transaxle includes an internal mechanical disconnect that facilitates decoupling the transaxle from the front differential.

3. The military vehicle of claim 2 , further comprising an actuator configured to facilitate engaging the internal mechanical disconnect.

4. The military vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the actuator is accessible from an exterior of the passenger capsule.

5. The military vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the rear module includes a rear suspension system including a first gas spring, a second gas spring, a first hydraulic damper, and a second hydraulic damper, wherein the first hydraulic damper and the second hydraulic damper are cross-plumbed to provide a hydraulic body roll control function.

6. The military vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the transaxle includes a housing that functions as a structural component of the rear module, and wherein at least one of (i) the first gas spring and the second gas spring or (ii) the first hydraulic damper and the second hydraulic damper are directly coupled to the housing of the transaxle.

7. The military vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the front differential defines a mount to which the prime mover is coupled such that the front differential functions as a structural component of the front module.

8. The military vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the passenger capsule includes sidewalls and a floor coupled to the sidewalls, wherein bottom edges of the sidewalls extend past and below the floor.

9. The military vehicle of claim 8 , further comprising a belly deflector having lateral ends coupled to the bottom edges of the sidewalls, wherein the belly deflector is positioned beneath and isolated from the floor.

10. The military vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the passenger capsule defines a front door aperture, a rear door aperture, and an interlocking door frame portion positioned along and protruding outward from an exterior of the passenger capsule between the front door aperture and the rear door aperture, and wherein the passenger capsule includes (i) a front door positioned to selectively enclose the front door aperture and engage with the interlocking door frame portion when closed and (ii) a rear door positioned to selectively enclose the rear door aperture and selectively engage with the interlocking door frame portion when closed.

11. The military vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the frame rail-less monocoque hull structure includes a structural tunnel extending along a floor thereof, the structural tunnel having an arcuate-shaped profile extending into an interior of the passenger capsule (i) with a driver seat on a first side thereof and a passenger seat on a second side thereof and (ii) which increases a distance between a ground surface and the floor relative to portions of the floor adjacent the structural tunnel.

12. The military vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a brake system including:
a brake configured to facilitate braking a tractive element of the military vehicle;
a brake housing defining an inner volume;
a piston separating the inner volume into a first chamber and a second chamber;
a rod extending through an end of the brake housing and coupled to the piston, the rod positioned to selectively engage with the brake to inhibit movement of the tractive element;
a resilient member positioned within the inner volume and configured to generate a brake biasing force against the piston such that the rod is biased into engagement with the brake; and
an air-to-hydraulic intensifier coupled to the brake housing, the air-to-hydraulic intensifier configured to receive a supply of air and provide a hydraulic fluid to the brake housing based on the supply of air to overcome the brake biasing force to disengage the rod from the brake to permit movement of the tractive element.

13. The military vehicle of claim 12 , further comprising:
a valve positioned between the air-to-hydraulic intensifier and the brake housing; and
a hydraulic reservoir fluidly coupled to the valve and the air-to-hydraulic intensifier;
wherein the valve includes a first port fluidly coupled to the air-to-hydraulic intensifier, a second port fluidly coupled to the hydraulic reservoir, and a third port fluidly coupled to the brake housing.

14. The military vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the valve includes a valve gate that is repositionable between a first position and a second position, the first position coupling the first port to the third port to fluidly couple the air-to-hydraulic intensifier to the brake housing, the second position coupling the second port to the third port to fluidly couple the hydraulic reservoir to the brake housing.

15. The military vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the valve includes:
an air pilot positioned at a first end of the valve gate; and
a biasing element positioned at an opposing second end of the valve gate, the biasing element configured to provide a valve biasing force to the valve gate to bias the valve gate into the second position.

16. The military vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the brake biasing force of the resilient member is configured to bias the piston to force the hydraulic fluid out of the brake housing, through the valve, and into the hydraulic reservoir in response to the valve being in the second position.

17. The military vehicle of claim 15 , further comprising an air supply line coupled to the air-to-hydraulic intensifier and the air pilot, the air supply line configured to provide the supply of air to the air-to-hydraulic intensifier and the air pilot, wherein the supply of air provided to the air pilot overcomes the valve biasing force to reposition the valve gate into the first position to place the air-to-hydraulic intensifier into fluid communication with the brake housing to facilitate disengaging the brake.

18. The military vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the passenger capsule includes a floor that defines a structural tunnel having an arcuate-shaped profile extending into an interior of the passenger capsule, further comprising:
energy absorbing seats positioned on opposing sides of the structural tunnel, the energy absorbing seats including a shock attenuating system; and
footpads positioned beneath the energy absorbing seats and spaced from the floor.

19. A military vehicle comprising:
a passenger capsule having a frame rail-less monocoque hull structure, the passenger capsule including sidewalls and a floor coupled to the sidewalls, wherein bottom edges of the sidewalls extend past and below the floor, and wherein the floor defines a structural tunnel having an arcuate-shaped profile extending into an interior of the passenger capsule;
a belly deflector coupled to the bottom edges of the sidewalls of the passenger capsule, wherein the belly deflector is isolated from the floor of the passenger capsule;
energy absorbing seats positioned on opposing sides of the structural tunnel, the energy absorbing seats including a shock attenuating system; and
footpads positioned beneath the energy absorbing sea

Assignees

• Oshkosh Defense Llc

Inventors

• Verhoff Don
• Schmiedel Gary
• Yakes Chris
• Messina Rob
• Wilkins Brian
• Schulte Kent
• Seffernick Daniel R
• Holda Joseph
• Peotter Michael
• Mcgraw David
• Seefeldt Anthony
• Pelko Dave
• Gander Jesse
• Reineking Jerry
• Steinke Jesse

Classifications

• B60T7/20 Primary

  specially for trailers, e.g. in case of uncoupling of {or overrunning by} trailer (inertia-actuated overrun brakes B60T13/08) · CPC title

• B60G17/04 Primary

  fluid spring characteristics · CPC title

• B60T13/14

  using accumulators or reservoirs {fed by pumps} · CPC title

• B60T13/16

  using pumps directly, i.e. without interposition of accumulators or reservoirs · CPC title

• B60T13/249

  Hydraulic command of the control valve, hydraulic transmission to the brakes · CPC title