US 12,084,838 B2
Work machine and method of controlling the same
Shintaro Kobayashi, Tokyo (JP); Yuki Arai, Tokyo (JP); and Takeshi Kamimae, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to KOMATSU LTD., Tokyo (JP)
Appl. No. 16/971,504
Filed by KOMATSU LTD., Tokyo (JP)
PCT Filed Feb. 26, 2019, PCT No. PCT/JP2019/007333
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 20, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/207946, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 31, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 2018-085208 (JP), filed on Apr. 26, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2020/0399858 A1, Dec. 24, 2020
Int. Cl. E02F 9/22 (2006.01); B60K 17/356 (2006.01); B60K 17/36 (2006.01); B62D 6/02 (2006.01); B62D 9/00 (2006.01); B62D 11/04 (2006.01); B62D 12/00 (2006.01); E02F 3/76 (2006.01); E02F 3/84 (2006.01); E02F 9/08 (2006.01)
CPC E02F 9/225 (2013.01) [B62D 6/02 (2013.01); B62D 9/002 (2013.01); B62D 12/00 (2013.01); E02F 9/0841 (2013.01); B60K 17/356 (2013.01); B60K 17/36 (2013.01); B62D 11/04 (2013.01); E02F 3/7636 (2013.01); E02F 3/841 (2013.01); E02F 9/2292 (2013.01); E02F 9/2296 (2013.01)] 4 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A work machine comprising:
a right rear wheel, a left rear wheel, a right front wheel and a left front wheel;
a front frame provided with the right front wheel and the left front wheel;
a rear frame provided with the right rear wheel and the left rear wheel and coupled to the front frame; and
an articulation sensor that detects an articulation angle between the front frame and the rear frame;
a first sensor that measures a rotation speed of the right rear wheel;
a second sensor that measures a rotation speed of the left rear wheel;
a first drive source that provides driving force to the right front wheel;
a second drive source that provides driving force to the left front wheel; and
a controller that controls the first drive source and the second drive source based on the rotation speed of the right rear wheel measured by the first sensor and the rotation speed of the left rear wheel measured by the second sensor, to thereby independently control a rotation speed of each of the right front wheel and the left front wheel,
wherein the controller:
calculates a turning radius of rear wheels including the right rear wheel and the left rear wheel based on the rotation speed of the right rear wheel measured by the first sensor and the rotation speed of the left rear wheel measured by the second sensor;
determines a front wheel speed-up ratio, from a front wheel speed-up ratio table, for each of the right front wheel and the left front wheel from the calculated turning radius of the rear wheels and the articulation angle detected by the articulation sensor; and
determines a target front wheel rotation speed of the right front wheel and a target front wheel rotation speed of the left front wheel based on the determined front wheel speed-up ratio for each of the right front wheel and the left front wheel and the rotation speed of the right rear wheel measured by the first sensor and the rotation speed of the left rear wheel measured by the second sensor.