The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 31, 2000
Filed:
Mar. 18, 1998
Zhejun Fan, Dunlap, IL (US);
Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, IL (US);
Abstract
The present invention is an apparatus and method to control the steering of a tracked machine having a clutch/brake steering system. The tracked machine has a left drive and a right drive. The left drive has a clutch and brake and the right drive has a clutch and brake. The present invention includes a navigator to determine a desired trajectory, determine a desired left drive velocity and a desired right drive velocity, and generate desired left and right drive velocity signals. The present invention also includes a left speed sensor and a right speed sensor to determine actual left and right drive velocities, and generate actual left and right drive velocity signals. A clutch/brake controller is included to receive the desired left and right drive velocity signals and the actual left and right drive velocity signals, and control at least one of the left and right drive velocities.