Motor vehicles – Special wheel base – Five or more wheels
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-22
2001-07-31
Rice, Kenneth R. (Department: 3611)
Motor vehicles
Special wheel base
Five or more wheels
C180S065600
Reexamination Certificate
active
06267188
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The subject invention relates to a drive assembly for independently driving dual-wheel assemblies of a vehicle.
In general, dual-wheel assemblies are utilized to increase the load capacity of a vehicle. Typically, the dual-wheel assemblies are disposed at each side of the vehicle and include inner and outer wheels with tires secured together to rotate in unison during a vehicle turn. Commonly, dual-wheel assemblies are necessary in container-loading environments, such as ship yards where cargo containers are being loaded and unloaded, and the resulting tire loads would be too large for a single tire to withstand. In such environments, vehicles are often required to continuously undergo tight turns due to the relatively confined quarters and the general congestion of such environments. The tires of the dual-wheel assemblies experience uneven and excessive wear caused by scrubbing or dragging of the tires upon the repeated turning of the vehicle. Each wheel of the dual-wheel assemblies must travel different linear distances to complete a turn. Since the inner and outer wheels are secured together, the tires scrub or drag thereby causing excessive wear.
Prior art vehicles have incorporated a primary differential between a pair of dual-wheel assemblies. A secondary conventional differential has also been arranged between the wheels of each dual-wheel assembly. Such conventional assemblies are limited in that the assemblies cannot independently drive the wheels of the dual-wheel assemblies. These assemblies do not permit one dual-wheel assembly at one side of the vehicle to be driven with driving forces which are different than those applied to the dual-wheel assembly at the other side of the vehicle, which limits maneuverability. Therefore, what is needed is a drive assembly that reduces scrub and increases maneuverability of the vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND ADVANTAGES
A drive assembly for independently driving wheels of a vehicle is disclosed. More specifically, the drive assembly of the subject invention independently drives the wheels of a vehicle that incorporates at least one wheel set at a lateral side of the vehicle. The first wheel set includes a first inner wheel and a first outer wheel. The drive assembly also includes a first drive mechanism for rotatably driving the wheels.
Additionally, the drive assembly incorporates a first differential that is disposed between the first inner and outer wheels and responsive to the first drive mechanism to permit one of the first inner and outer wheels to rotate independent of the other of the first inner and outer wheels. The first inner and outer wheels realize different rotational speeds as the wheels are being rotatably driven by the first drive mechanism, and tires incorporated with the first inner and outer wheels do not experience uneven or excessive wear due to scrubbing or dragging of the tires upon a turn of the vehicle because the first inner wheel is permitted to rotate independent of the second inner wheel throughout the turn.
The drive assembly of the subject invention also incorporates a second wheel set having a second inner wheel and a second outer wheel that is positioned at a second lateral side of the vehicle. Additionally, a second drive mechanism and a second differential are positioned at a second lateral side of the vehicle in the preferred embodiment of the subject invention. The second wheel set, the second drive mechanism, and the second differential operate the same as the first wheel set, the first drive mechanism, and the first differential described above. Consequently, wear of tires due to scrubbing or dragging is also eliminated at the second lateral side of the vehicle.
Accordingly, the subject invention provides a drive assembly that independently reduces scrub and increases maneuverability of the vehicle.
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Bowman Larry W.
Clisch Richard M.
El-Kassouf Raji S.
Ford Gary P.
Laper Patrick D.
Carlson & Gaskey & Olds
Meritor Heavy Vehicle Systems LLC
Rice Kenneth R.
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