Motor vehicles – Steering by driving – Endless flexible track
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-18
2001-04-17
Mai, Lanna (Department: 3619)
Motor vehicles
Steering by driving
Endless flexible track
C180S009320
Reexamination Certificate
active
06216807
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drive system for tracked vehicles in the form of an electrical drive system, whereby a drive engine is coupled with an electrical generator to supply power to electric motors and whereby the electric motors are associated with sprocket wheels and can be interconnected and adjusted by means of control devices.
2. Background Information
German Patent No. 195 37 945 A1 discloses a known electrical drive system for tracked vehicles, whereby sprocket wheels or track drive wheels are associated with electric motors.
One general problem with drive concepts for tracked vehicles is the realization of increasing armor protection requirements against the effects of bombardments and fragmentation. These requirements relate in particular to armored vehicles, whereby essentially drive systems located in the front of the vehicle are used to achieve a wide area for the crew to exit at the rear of the vehicle. With increasing protection requirements, this arrangement results in ever increasing vehicle gross weights, because the entire drive unit, with the crew compartment behind it, must be located in the protected area of the vehicle housing. The crew's forward visibility is also adversely affected, on account of the longer front section of the vehicle.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention, on a generic layout with electrical drive mechanisms, is to make more efficient utilization of the protected interior of the vehicle and to place parts of the crew quarters relatively far forward in the forward part of the vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention teaches that this object can be accomplished if there are at least two drive units, each drive unit can have a drive engine and generator, and there can be one drive unit on each side of the vehicle housing in the vicinity of the track shoulders, track guards, or in other words fenders, above the tracks.
This arrangement has the advantage that the central portions of the front and rear areas can be kept substantially free of drive components, which makes possible the following advantages:
the realization of a wide exit area for the crew in the rear of the vehicle,
the reduction of the mobility kill in the event of a hit in the front portion of the vehicle,
in other words, in at least one embodiment of the present invention, damage to the front portion of the tracked vehicle can lead to lessened decrease in mobility than in a standard configuration,
an improved view of the ground for the crew toward the front, and better weapons placements in the forward portion of the vehicle,
reduced probability of thermal detection ahead in the direction of primary threat, because none or essentially none of the hot or heat generating drive components are installed in the nose of the vehicle,
the use of standardized drive modules for a whole family of vehicles, because within certain limits, a large number of installation sites are available on the vehicle, and smaller units can be realized,
in other words, this modular construction can have the benefit of having standardized drive modules, which can be smaller than comparable drives, which standardized drive modules can be installed in any of a number of vehicles, which vehicles have a variety of installation sites and available spaces for installation of the drive modules,
the combination of standardized drive modules that can be subdivided into a few modular power classes and can be used to achieve a plurality of drive systems of different power classes,
the realization of a substantially uniform or standardized layout of the drive system in different vehicles, because the drive modules are not installed in the core areas of the vehicle (center, front or rear).
The present invention teaches that in at least one favorable configuration, each drive unit is associated with and is located in or about the rear vehicle housing, in the vicinity of the track shoulders or fenders above the tracks.
In other words, in at least one preferable embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle can have at least two drive units, with at least one of the drive units associated with each side of the vehicle and the track on the side of the vehicle. The units can be located in the vehicle housing in the vicinity of the track shoulders or fenders, and can also be located essentially above the tracks.
To make possible a flexible adaptation to meet the requirements of the corresponding different configurations, the present invention teaches that the elements of the drive motor and of the generator can be integrated into each of the drive units in the form of modules.
The present invention further teaches that the drive motor and the generator can be located one behind the other, whereby the generator can be in front of the drive motor in the direction of travel.
To maintain operational readiness even in the event of the failure of individual assemblies, the invention teaches that the elements of the drive unit located on both sides of the vehicle housing can be connected to one another by means of electronic control units.
In other possible embodiments of the present invention, the units on opposite sides of the vehicle can be connected by mechanical or other possible structures to one another to possibly control one another or, in possible embodiments, to provide power to one another.
To essentially guarantee a combination of individual subassemblies that corresponds to the specific requirements and makes easy replacement possible, the invention teaches that each drive unit can be constructed with its elements in the form of a modular system.
The above discussed embodiments of the present invention will be described further hereinbelow with reference to the accompanying figures. When the word “invention” is used in this specification, the word “invention” includes “inventions”, that is, the plural of “invention”. By stating “invention”, the Applicant does not in any way admit that the present application does not include more than one patentably and non-obviously distinct invention, and maintains that this application may include more than one patentably and non-obviously distinct invention. The Applicant hereby asserts that the disclosure of this application may include more than one invention, and, in the event that there is more than one invention, that these inventions may be patentable arid non-obvious one with respect to the other.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4554989 (1985-11-01), Gruich et al.
patent: 4809803 (1989-03-01), Ahern et al.
patent: 4998591 (1991-03-01), Zaunberger
patent: 5162707 (1992-11-01), Joseph
patent: 5195600 (1993-03-01), Dorgan
patent: 5289100 (1994-02-01), Joseph
patent: 5799743 (1998-09-01), Robinson
patent: 19537945 (1997-04-01), None
Fischer Andrew J.
Mai Lanna
MaK System Gesellschaft mbH
Nils H. Ljungman & Associates
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