Highly Maneuverable Vehicle

The present vehicle (further referred to as the Vehicle) provides possibility to carry out pivot turns and any sideways motion of the Vehicle. High Vehicle maneuverability is achieved by providing maximum turning angle of the steerable traction wheel up to 95˚ and with any given steerable nearside and off-side wheel turning angle relation. Taking into consideration general and specific requirements to a highly maneuverable vehicle, certain changes have been made to the traditional design of chassis unit, namely to steering, independent suspension and steerable traction wheel drive, having used only mechanical assemblies and connections. Stage of development is prototype, Vehicle chassis with all steerable wheels are designed on the basis of an economy car ZAZ-968.

         Fig. 1               Fig. 2                     Fig. 3         Fig. 4

Vehicle Turning Diagrams

p - distance between front and rear wheel steering axes
b - Vehicle wheelbase, distance between steering axes of front and rear nearside wheels
RÎ, R× - turning radiuses of nearside and off-side steerable wheels
θÎ, θ× - turning angle of nearside and off-side steerable wheels
ã.ð. - center of Vehicle turn

Fig. 1. The layout:
1 - steering wheel; 2 - upper steering shaft; 3 - front wheel steering; 4 - lower steering shaft; 5 - rear wheel steering; 6 - frame; 7 - power supply unit.
Fig. 2. Front nearside wheel turning angle is up to 90˚, minimum turning radius measured along the front off-side wheel track amounts to ~1,3 of the Vehicle wheelbase with the centre of turn located on the rear wheel axis.
Fig. 3. Nearside wheel turning angle is up to 90˚, minimum turning radius measured along the front off-side wheel track amounts ~0,8 of the Vehicle wheelbase with the centre of turn on the line between the nearside wheel steering axes, enabling a pivot turn of the Vehicle.
Fig. 4. Nearside and off-side wheel turning angles are 90˚, enabling side motion perpendicular to the Vehicle axis.