Electronic steering control

U.S. Patent Number: 5379220

Abstract: Vehicles having front and rear steerable wheels (14,16) and a plurality of steering modes are commonly used in many applications. A vehicle (10) includes a steering input device (24) having a plurality of positions corresponding to the desired rate of turn of the vehicle (10) and a steering control (23) for changing the steering mode in which the vehicle (10) is operating. The steering control accomplishes (23) the steering mode transition while causing the rate of turn of the vehicle (10) to be substantially equal to the desired rate of turn throughout the transition.

Inventors: Allen; William E. (Peoria, IL), Paul; David A. (Peoria, IL)

Assignee: Caterpillar Inc. (Peoria, IL)

Application Number: 07/972,465

Issued: 1995-01-03

Expired: 2007-01-03

Classes: 701/41 ; 180/415; 280/99

Field of search: 364/424.05 180/140,79.1,141,142,143 280/91,99

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