US 12,345,004 B2
Crawler vehicle and control method of said vehicle
Martin Kirchmair, Vipiteno (IT); Alberto Paoletti, Vipiteno (IT); Alex Wood, Grand Junction, CO (US); and Jean Francois Labbe, Granby (CA)
Assigned to PRINOTH S.P.A., Vipiteno (IT)
Filed by PRINOTH S.P.A., Vipiteno (IT)
Filed on Oct. 18, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/968,419.
Claims priority of application No. 102021000027110 (IT), filed on Oct. 21, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0125266 A1, Apr. 27, 2023
Int. Cl. E01H 4/02 (2006.01); B62D 55/06 (2006.01)
CPC E01H 4/02 (2013.01) [B62D 55/06 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A crawler vehicle comprising:
a frame extending along a first longitudinal axis;
a first motorized track;
a second motorized track;
a tilt sensor configured to detect a tilt signal indicative of an inclination of the crawler vehicle;
a working tool that extends transversely and symmetrically with respect to a second longitudinal axis, the working tool being hinged at a rear of the frame about a yaw axis;
an actuation system configured to act between the working tool and the frame; and
a control device in communication with the tilt sensor, the control device comprising a memory that stores a reference interval for a steering radius of the crawler vehicle, the control device configured to:
calculate a value for the steering radius of the crawler vehicle to vary, in real time and based on the detected tilt signal, the stored reference interval, and
control the actuation system to selectively perform at least one of:
enabling a free oscillation of the working tool about the yaw axis when the calculated value of the steering radius is within the reference interval, and
keeping the position of the working tool blocked, with respect to the frame and to align the second longitudinal axis of the working tool with the first longitudinal axis of the frame, when the calculated value of the steering radius is outside the reference interval.