Granted Patent B2

US 12,722,691 · App. 18/101,584 · Granted Sep 1, 2026

Inventors: Matthew Dye (Kerman, CA); Gary Crook (Kerman, CA)

B62D5/046B62D5/0418B62D15/021B62D17/00B62D21/02B66F9/07568B66F11/042B62D7/09

Abstract

Claims (49)

1 . A mobile elevated work platform vehicle, comprising:

a. a vehicle chassis;

b. a first independently steerable wheel rotatably coupled to a first steering axis that is geometrically fixed relative to said vehicle chassis;

c. a first linear steering actuator in mechanical communication with said first independently steerable wheel and nested within a first lateral compartment of said vehicle chassis;

d. a second independently steerable wheel rotatably coupled to a second steering axis that is geometrically fixed relative to said vehicle chassis;

e. a second linear steering actuator in mechanical communication with said second independently steerable wheel and nested within a second lateral compartment of said vehicle chassis, wherein there is no mechanical steering connection between said first independently steerable wheel and said second independently steerable wheel; and

f. a retractable lifting mechanism operable to extend away from and retract into said vehicle chassis, wherein said vehicle chassis includes a central compartment extending an entire length of said vehicle chassis, and wherein said retractable lifting mechanism is nested and stored in said central compartment when in a retracted position.

2 . The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising directionally static rear wheels independently mounted at or near a back end of the vehicle chassis, wherein there is no mechanical linkage between the rear wheels.

3 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first steering actuator is nested within said first lateral compartment and is not present in said central compartment.

4 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the second steering actuator is nested within a second lateral compartment and is not present in said central compartment.

5 . The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a controller having a processor for processing data, a memory, and a data storage device for storing data.

6 . The vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the data storage device stores machine readable instructions to cause the processor to perform the steps of:

a. receiving a first signal representative of a first toe angle of said first independently steerable wheel, wherein said first signal corresponds to a position of said first linear steering actuator,

b. calculating a target toe angle for said second independently steerable wheel based on first toe angle and a predetermined steering geometry,

c. receiving a second signal representative of a starting toe angle of said second independently steerable wheel,

d. calculating an angular difference between said target toe angle and said starting toe angle to determine an angle adjustment for said second independently steerable wheel, and

e. sending a steering command from said controller to said second linear steering actuator for said second independently steerable wheel to turn said second independently steerable wheel according to said angle adjustment.

7 . The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a retractable lifting mechanism actuator operable to extend said retractable lifting mechanism from the vehicle chassis and to retract said retractable lifting mechanism into said vehicle chassis.

8 . The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a platform assembly positioned at a superior end of the retractable lifting mechanism and operable to move vertically with extension of said retractable lifting mechanism.

9 . The vehicle of claim 5 , further comprising an operator input device for inputting data.

10 . A mobile elevated work platform vehicle comprising:

a. a vehicle chassis having a central compartment, a first lateral compartment, and a second lateral compartment;

b. a first independently steerable wheel mounted to rotate about a first geometrically fixed steering axis relative to said vehicle chassis;

c. a first linear steering actuator in mechanical communication with said first independently steerable wheel and nested within said first lateral compartment;

d. a second independently steerable wheel mounted to rotate about a second geometrically fixed steering axis relative to said vehicle chassis;

e. a second linear steering actuator in mechanical communication with said second independently steerable wheel and nested within said second lateral compartment, wherein there is no mechanical linkage between said first independently steerable wheel and said second independently steerable wheel; and

f. a controller having a processor for processing data, a memory, and a data storage device for storing data, wherein the data storage device has instructions, executable by the processor, to perform the machine-implemented steps of:

i. receiving a first signal representative of a first toe angle based on the position of said first linear steering actuator of said first independently steerable wheel,

ii. calculating a target toe angle for said second independently steerable wheel based on a predetermined steering geometry, said position of said first linear steering actuator, and at least one wheelbase geometric dimension of said vehicle,

iii. receiving a second signal representative of a second toe angle of said second independently steerable wheel;

iv. calculating an angular difference between said target toe angle and said second toe angle to create a steering command, and sending said steering command from said controller to said second linear steering actuator for said second independently steerable wheel to turn said second independently steerable wheel to the target toe angle.

11 . The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein said first signal representative of a first toe angle is determined by the positional displacement of said first linear steering actuator, wherein a neutral position of said first linear steering actuator aligns said first independently steerable wheel with said first lateral compartment, and wherein said first and second linear steering actuators are operatively connected to said first and second independently steerable wheels, respectively, such that an actuation of said first or second linear steering actuator induces a corresponding rotational movement of the associated independently steerable wheel about the geometrically fixed steering axis.

12 . The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein said second signal representative of a second toe angle is measured by an electromechanical sensor and is compared to the position of said second linear steering actuator to perform said calculating an angular difference between said target toe angle and said second toe angle.

13 . The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein said compared position of said linear steering actuator and said second toe angle generates a steering command for said second linear steering actuator to turn said second independently steerable wheel to the target toe angle until said angular difference between said target toe angle and said second toe angle is zero.

14 . The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein said at least one wheelbase geometry characteristic comprises a wheelbase value representing a length of a vehicle wheel base or a wheel base width value of said vehicle.

15 . A method for determining steering geometry of a vehicle of a type having first and second independently steerable wheels, wherein each independently steerable wheel is mounted to rotate about a geometrically fixed steering axis relative to a vehicle chassis, and a steering system comprises a controller, wheel angle sensor devices for generating toe angle signals representative of toe angles of the steerable wheels, the method comprising the machine-implemented steps of:

i. receiving a first signal representative of a first toe angle of a first independently steerable wheel, wherein said first toe angle is determined relative to a predetermined reference point corresponding to a zero position of a first linear steering actuator associated with said first independently steerable wheel;

ii. calculating a target toe angle for a second independently steerable wheel based on a predetermined steering geometry;

iii. receiving a second signal representative of a second toe angle of a second independently steerable wheel;

iv. calculating an angular difference between said target toe angle and said second toe angle to create a steering command, wherein the steering command eliminates scrub of said second independently steerable wheel; and

v. sending said steering command from said controller to a linear steering actuator for said second independently steerable wheel to turn said second independently steerable wheel.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising the steps of:

a. determining an Ackermann angle of said second independently steerable wheel based on the toe angle of said first independently steerable wheel; and

b. calculating an electrical signal value operable to actuate said linear steering actuator of said second independently steerable wheel to achieve said Ackermann angle; and

c. transmitting said electrical signal value from said controller to said linear steering actuator of said second independently steerable wheel.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the controller is further operable to receive a third signal representative of a third toe angle of the first independently steerable wheel when the first independently steerable wheel is being turned to a second direction by manipulation of a steering mechanism, wherein said third toe angle is determined by the position of said first linear steering actuator.

18 . The method of claim 17 , calculating a second target toe angle for said second independently steerable wheel based on said third toe angle and said predetermined steering geometry.

19 . The method of claim 18 , calculating a second angular difference between said second target toe angle and a toe angle of said second independently steerable wheel to create a second steering command.

20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein said zero position is a halfway point in a range of toe angles of said first linear steering actuator, and wherein said first toe angle is determined by a distance of extension or retraction of said first linear steering actuator from said predetermined reference point, and wherein said second toe angle is determined relative to a second predetermined reference point corresponding to a zero position of a second linear steering actuator associated with said second independently steerable wheel.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (301)