Vehicle with auxiliary rear wheel steering mechanism

US6615944B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Daimlerchrysler AG · US

Inventors

• Jochen Horwath · Unterensingen, DE
• Ralf Kaufmann · Walldürn, DE
• Claus Kochendörfer · Weingarten, DE
• Hans-Christian Pflug · Winnenden, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 25, 2001
• Grant date: Sep 9, 2003
• Expiry date: Jun 25, 2021

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B62D7/159
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A nontrack-bound vehicle with arbitrarily steerable front wheels includes an additional rear-wheel steering system that operates automatically or may be switched to automatic operation and controls or regulates the steering angle of the rear wheels as a function of the steering angle of the front wheels and of further parameters. The additional rear-wheel steering system switches in a parameter-dependent manner between a drive-away mode and a normal mode to improve maneuverability and to reduce the swinging out of the rear during the drive-away mode. In the drive-away mode, the steering angle of the rear wheels is controlled or regulated so that the rear wheels are not adjusted beyond a steering angle assumed when the vehicle last halted.