Compact Design and Simulation of a Four-Degree-of-Freedom Articulation Mechanism for Articulated Tracked Vehicles

To address the compact design requirements of articulation mechanisms for articulated tracked vehicles, a collaborative design methodology integrating kinematic modeling and configuration optimization is proposed. First, kinematic models of the steering and pitching devices are established, and analytical relationships between hydraulic cylinder stroke and vehicle body articulation angles are derived, along with an analysis of how articulation point positions affect kinematic characteristics. Second, a calculation method for minimizing the longitudinal dimension of the articulation mechanism is established, with the constraint that the front and rear vehicle body tracks do not interfere during motion. On this basis, an integrated layout strategy and design procedure for the four-degree-of-freedom articulation mechanism are proposed by optimizing the cylinder connection method and installation angle. The proposed method is applied to the design of an unmanned articulated tracked vehicle, and a virtual prototype is developed for simulation verification. The results demonstrate that the articulation mechanism achieves a steering angle of 45.2°, a pitching angle range of −47.9° to 48.7°, and enables the vehicle to negotiate obstacles of at least 900 mm in height, which validates the effectiveness and feasibility of the design approach.