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The development of the economy and the associated growth in trade both within the country and international transport, the associated construction and development of transport routes using elements of intelligent transport systems constantly require increasing the efficiency of trunk transportation. In addition, the development of new economic regions with an undeveloped road network is impossible without high-capacity motor vehicles and cross-country ability. To achieve these goals, the creation of active road trains, including multi-link ones, based on non-traditional technical solutions, is required. The idea of using multi-link trains in the system of intercity and international transportation is not new. However, at the present stage of development of automotive technology requires rethinking and use of new achievements of science and technology.

The inertial continuously variable transmissions are transmissions of mechanical type. They have a number of advantages in comparison with other types of transmissions. For example, they have a big value of the coefficient of efficiency, since the principle of their action does not imply the need to convert energy from one type to another one. These transmissions have a compact design, a wide range of torque transformation. They can operate in direct mode, smoothing the torsional vibrations in the system. At the moment when the output shaft is stopped, the input transmission shaft continues to rotate, that prevents the engine from overloading. There are other advantages. But despite these advantages, the inertial transmissions are not widely used in the automotive industry. The main reason for this is the inadequate durability of the freewheel mechanisms involved in the designs of the inertial transmissions.

The inertial continuously variable transmissions are mechanical transmissions that are based on the principle of inertia. These transmissions have a lot of advantages. Usually, the design of the inertial continuously variable transmissions consists of inertia pulsed mechanism with unbalanced inertial elements and two overrunning clutches. Dynamics of the transmissions is described by systems of substantial nonlinear differential equations. In general, precise methods of solution for such equations do not exist. Therefore, in practice, approximate analytical and numerical methods must be employed. The main analytical methods employ successive approximation, a small parameter, or power series expansion. Each approach has its advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, we need to compare them in order to select the best method for dynamic study of such kind of transmissions.

The inertial continuously variable transmission is a mechanical transmission which is based on the principle of inertia. This transmission has a lot of advantages, namely: compactness, minimum friction losses and high efficiency as a result of the relatively small number of rotating components, a wide range of transformation of the torque. It does not need any conventional friction clutches. This transmission protects the engine from overload when the output shaft is braked. This drive guarantees optimum conditions of work for the engine regardless of the changing of load, and smoothly changes output speed according to the load. Mostly, design of this transmission consists of a pulsed mechanism with unbalanced inertial units and two overrunning clutches. The objects of the investigation are structural dynamic analysis of the continuously variable transmission. The physical and mathematical models of this transmission are developed.

Trucks are one of the most common modes of transport and they are operated in various road conditions. As a rule, all-wheel drive trucks are equipped with special systems and mechanisms to improve their off-road capability and overall efficiency. The usage of blocked mechanisms for power distribution is one of the most popular and effective ways to improve the off-road vehicle performance. However, the lock of differential may adversely affect the stability and control of vehicle because of the unobvious redistribution of reactions acting on wheels, which consequently leads to poor performance and safety properties. Problems of rational distribution of power in transmissions of all-wheel drive vehicles, as well as research in the field of improving directional stability and active safety systems are among the priorities in modern automotive industry.

In this paper we consider a new design of adaptive suspension systems of vehicles with better technical characteristics and functional abilities in comparison with existing designs. We have developed the following main suspension components of vehicles: a lockable adaptive shock absorber with a wide range of control performance, implementing "lockout" mode by means of blocking adaptive shock absorber, and an elastic element with progressive non-linear characteristic and automatic optimization of localization of work areas. Advantages of our developments in the vehicle suspensions are the following: 1) when the vehicle is in a wide range of speeds in a so-called "comfort zone", we have managed, by applying the non-linear elastic element, to reduce significantly the stiffness of the elastic suspension elements in compare with the regular structures - at least in two times. This means that comfort, smooth motion, high performance the vehicle when driving over bumps are improved in times.

Overrunning clutches are devices for transmitting rotary motion in one direction only. These mechanisms are widely used in automotive industry, for example, in torque converters, impulse stepless transmissions, inertial continuously variable transmissions, starter engine starting system, and in other similar devices, where torque transmission is performed only in one direction. There are many different designs of the overrunning clutches, for example, ball, roller, cam, ratchet, spring ones, etc. But despite such a variety of designs and great efforts to establish reliable overrunning clutches, these mechanisms are still the weakest parts of many drive systems. Therefore, creation of reliable overrunning clutches is an urgent problem of mechanical engineering. Unfortunately, existing designs of the overrunning clutches have insufficient reliability and durability, which in many cases limits reliability of drive as a whole.

This paper is devoted to development of methodology of system analysis of power distribution systems and development of methods of synthesis of objective laws in the power distribution among drive wheels of a multipurpose wheel vehicle. The methodology of system analysis provides for formulation of the problem; structural analysis of power distribution systems; the synthesis of objective laws in the power distribution; development of methods for their implementation. The methodology is based on the theory of the synthesis of technical systems. In this paper it has been solved the inverse problem of dynamics, namely: in accordance with specified requirements to effectiveness of the multipurpose wheeled vehicle, expressed in the form of formulated performance criteria, it is necessary to determine parameters of characteristics of control actions.

The main indicators for mobility of a multipurpose wheeled vehicle are the maximum and average technical velocity (it is defined as the distance traveled divided by the time elapsed), and they are mainly determined by power-to-weight ratio and the parameters of the suspension. As our analysis shows, with the increase of the power-to-weight ratio of the vehicle and its weight, the growth rate of the velocity is reduced, and after reaching a certain value, the velocity remains almost constant. This is due to the fact that for operating conditions of the multi-purpose wheeled vehicle, movement on roads with different degrees of uneven distribution of the rolling resistance and adhesion, in both transverse and longitudinal directions, is typical.

The main indicators for mobility of a multipurpose wheeled vehicle are the maximum and average technical velocity (it is defined as the distance traveled divided by the time elapsed), and they are mainly determined by power-to-weight ratio and the parameters of the suspension. As our analysis shows, with the increase of the power-toweight ratio of the vehicle and its weight, the growth rate of the velocity is reduced, and after reaching a certain value, the velocity remains almost constant. This is due to the fact that for operating conditions of the multi-purpose wheeled vehicle, movement on roads with different degrees of uneven distribution of the rolling resistance and adhesion, in both transverse and longitudinal directions, is typical.

The main indicators for mobility of a multipurpose wheeled vehicle are the maximum and average technical velocity, and they are mainly determined by power-to-weight ratio and the parameters of the suspension. As our analysis shows, with the increase of the power-to-weight ratio of the vehicle and its weight, the growth rate of the velocity is reduced, and after reaching a certain value, the velocity remains almost constant. This is due to the fact that for operating conditions of the multi-purpose wheeled vehicle, movement on roads with different degrees of uneven distribution of the rolling resistance and adhesion, in both transverse and longitudinal directions, is typical. In this investigation we evaluate the effectiveness of the main methods of power distribution among drive wheels of the multi-purpose wheeled vehicles.

This paper is devoted to development of methodology of system analysis of power distribution systems and methods of synthesis of objective laws in the power distribution among drive wheels of a multipurpose wheel vehicle. The methodology of system analysis provides for formulation of the problem; structural analysis of power distribution systems; the synthesis of objective laws in the power distribution; development of methods for their implementation. The methodology is based on the theory of the synthesis of technical systems. In this paper parameters of characteristics of control actions have been determined in accordance with specified requirements to effectiveness of the multipurpose wheeled vehicle expressed in the form of formulated performance criteria.

Free-wheel mechanisms transmit rotary motion in only one direction. They are widely used, for example, in hydraulic transformers, pulsed continuous transmissions, inertial automatic torque transformers, electrical starters for motors, and metal- and wood-working drives. Unfortunately, existing free-wheel mechanisms are insufficiently reliable and durable and in many cases limit the reliability of the drive as a whole. Thus, the insufficient life of free-wheel mechanisms delays the use of inertial automatic continuous transmissions, which have many benefits over existing transmissions. In most known free-wheel mechanism, the whole torque is transmitted through locking elements such as balls, rollers, eccentric wheels, pawls, slide blocks, and wedges, whose operation at large loads may limit the life of the mechanism.

The problem of the theory of power transmission to wheels of a vehicle, as part of the theory of cars, has always been in the center of attention of specialists. With the improvement of designs of a vehicle there was a need of thorough scientific review of theoretical and experimental aspects of creating and applying of mechanical, hydrostatic, electrical, and combined transmissions. This has always remained one of the most important questions of the rational allocation of power among drive wheels. In the present paper, it has been done study of different methods of power distribution among the drive wheels of an all-wheel-drive truck, namely: method of partial solution; method of introducing a rigid kinematic connection; method of periodical action; and method of limit of excessive action. Assessment how these methods influence on the performance characteristics of a multi-purpose vehicle has been done.

Overrunning clutches are devices for transmitting rotary motion in one direction only. These mechanisms are widely used in automotive industry, for example, in torque converters, impulse stepless transmissions, inertial continuously variable transmissions, starter engine starting system, and in other similar devices, where torque transmission is performed only in one direction. There are many different designs of the overrunning clutches, for example, ball, roller, cam, ratchet, spring ones, etc. But despite such a variety of designs and great efforts to establish reliable overrunning clutches, these mechanisms are still the weakest parts of many drive systems. Therefore, creation of reliable overrunning clutches is an urgent problem of mechanical engineering. Unfortunately, existing designs of the overrunning clutches have insufficient reliability and durability, which in many cases limits reliability of drive as a whole.

The main indicators for mobility of a multipurpose wheeled vehicle (MWV) are the maximum and average technical velocity, and they are mainly determined by power-to-weight ratio and parameters of the suspension. As our analysis shows, with the increase of the power-to-weight ratio of the vehicle and its weight, the growth rate of the velocity is reduced, and after reaching a certain value, the velocity remains almost constant. This is due to the fact that for operating conditions of the multipurpose wheeled vehicle, movement on roads with different degrees of uneven distribution of the rolling resistance and tire traction, in both transverse and longitudinal directions, is typical. In this investigation we evaluate the effectiveness of the main methods of power distribution between the drive wheels of the multipurpose wheeled vehicles: disabling of drive axles, blocking of cross-axle and inter-axle differentials, a slowdown of slipping wheels.