Patent US3572459A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3572459A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vehicle steering mechanism
Assignee: Eaton Corp
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Filing: 1969-03-19
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Granted: 1971-03-30
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Expires: 1989-03-19
Abstract
Abstract A vehicle disclosed herein has an improved steering mechanism for effecting geometric steering of steer wheels of the vehicle. The steering mechanism includes a plurality of sets of pinion gears which are driven by rack gears. The rack gears are moved into and out of meshing engagement with the pinion gears to rotate the steer wheels through a steering angle in either one of two directions. When the vehicle is to be turned in its minimum turning radius, one of the steer wheels is turned through a steering angle of more than 90* while the other steer wheel is turned through a steering angle of less than 90*.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert A Nieminski
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 14:21
CPC Classifications
B; B62; B62D; B62D7/00; B62D7/02; B66; B66F; B66F9/00; B66F9/06; B66F9/075; B66F9/07568
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
326 words
In a vehicle, a pair of spaced-apart steer wheels mounted for rotation relative to each other and a steering mechanism operatively interconnecting said steer wheels for varying an angular relationship of said steer wheels upon a turning of said vehicle, said steering mechanism including first gear means operatively connected with one of said steer wheels for rotating said one steer wheel relative to the other steer wheel and second gear means operatively connected with said other steer wheel for rotating said other steer wheel relative to said one steer wheel, and first and second gear means each including first and second pinion gears one of which has a larger effective diameter than the other, first rack gear means for driving said first pinion gear of said first gear means to rotate said one steer wheel in a first direction at a first speed to provide for a turning of said vehicle in one direction, second rack gear means for driving said second pinion gear of said second gear means to rotate said other steer wheel in said first direction at a second speed different than said first speed to further provide for turning of said vehicle in said one direction and for driving said second pinion gear of said first gear means to rotate said one steer wheel in a second direction opposite from said first direction at a third speed to provide for a turning of said vehicle in another direction opposite from said one direction, third rack gear means for driving said first pinion gear of said second gear means to rotate said other steer wheel in said second direction at a fourth speed different from said third speed to further provide for turning of said vehicle in said other direction, and drive means for effecting translational movement of said rack gear means to drive said first and second gear means to turn said vehicle in either said one direction or said other direction.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
326 words
In a vehicle, a pair of spaced-apart steer wheels mounted for rotation relative to each other and a steering mechanism operatively interconnecting said steer wheels for varying an angular relationship of said steer wheels upon a turning of said vehicle, said steering mechanism including first gear means operatively connected with one of said steer wheels for rotating said one steer wheel relative to the other steer wheel and second gear means operatively connected with said other steer wheel for rotating said other steer wheel relative to said one steer wheel, and first and second gear means each including first and second pinion gears one of which has a larger effective diameter than the other, first rack gear means for driving said first pinion gear of said first gear means to rotate said one steer wheel in a first direction at a first speed to provide for a turning of said vehicle in one direction, second rack gear means for driving said second pinion gear of said second gear means to rotate said other steer wheel in said first direction at a second speed different than said first speed to further provide for turning of said vehicle in said one direction and for driving said second pinion gear of said first gear means to rotate said one steer wheel in a second direction opposite from said first direction at a third speed to provide for a turning of said vehicle in another direction opposite from said one direction, third rack gear means for driving said first pinion gear of said second gear means to rotate said other steer wheel in said second direction at a fourth speed different from said third speed to further provide for turning of said vehicle in said other direction, and drive means for effecting translational movement of said rack gear means to drive said first and second gear means to turn said vehicle in either said one direction or said other direction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
213 words
A vehicle as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first rack gear means is in meshing engagement with said first pinion of said first gear means when said vehicle is turning in said one direction and is out of meshIng engagement with said first pinion of said first gear means when said vehicle is turning in said other direction, said second rack gear means is in meshing engagement with said second pinion of said second gear means when said vehicle is turning in said one direction and is out of meshing engagement with said second pinion of said first gear means when said vehicle is turning in said one direction, said second rack gear means being in meshing engagement with said second pinion of said first gear means when said vehicle is turning in said other direction and being out of meshing engagement with said second pinion of said second gear means when said vehicle is turning in said other direction, said third rack gear means is in meshing engagement with said first pinion of said second gear means when said vehicle is turning in said other direction and is out of meshing engagement with said first pinion of said second gear means when said vehicle is turning in said one direction.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
111 words
A vehicle as set forth in claim 1 wherein one of said rack gear means drives the pinion gear of said first gear means having the larger effective diameter and another of said rack gear means drives the pinion gear of said second gear means having the smaller effective diameter upon turning of said vehicle in said one direction and wherein one of said rack gear means drives the pinion gear of said first gear means having the smaller effective diameter and another of said rack gear means drives the pinion gear of said second gear means having the larger effective diameter upon turning of said vehicle in said other direction.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
80 words
A vehicle as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said first and second gear means further includes a rotatable shaft secured to said first and second pinions for rotation therewith and operatively connected to an associated one of said steer wheels, said steer wheels, said shafts of said first and second gear means being rotated through a plurality of revolutions under the influence of said rack gear means upon turning of said vehicle in either of said directions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
149 words
In a vehicle, first and second rotatable steer wheels and means for effecting substantially geometric steering of said steer wheels, said means including first and second sets of pinions each including a pair of pinion gears of different effective diameters operatively connected to said first and second steer wheels respectively, linear rack means for driving said sets of pinions to rotate said first steer wheel through a steering angle greater than 90* and said second steer wheel through a steering angle less than 90* to provide for a turning of said vehicle in its minimum turning radius in one direction and for driving said sets of pinions to rotate said first steer wheel through a steering angle of less than 90* and said second steer wheel through a steering angle greater than 90* to provide for a turning of said vehicle in its minimum turning radius in another direction.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
149 words
In a vehicle, first and second rotatable steer wheels and means for effecting substantially geometric steering of said steer wheels, said means including first and second sets of pinions each including a pair of pinion gears of different effective diameters operatively connected to said first and second steer wheels respectively, linear rack means for driving said sets of pinions to rotate said first steer wheel through a steering angle greater than 90* and said second steer wheel through a steering angle less than 90* to provide for a turning of said vehicle in its minimum turning radius in one direction and for driving said sets of pinions to rotate said first steer wheel through a steering angle of less than 90* and said second steer wheel through a steering angle greater than 90* to provide for a turning of said vehicle in its minimum turning radius in another direction.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
101 words
In a vehicle as set forth in claim 5 wherein the pinion gear having the largest effective diameter is driven by said linear rack means to rotate the associated steer wheel through a steering angle of less than 90* to provide for a turning of the vehicle in its minimum turning radius in one direction and the pinion gear having the smallest effective diameter is driven by said linear rack means ro rotate the associated steer wheel through a steering angle of more than 90* to provide for a turning of the vehicle in its minimum turning radius in another direction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
83 words
A vehicle as set forth in claim 5 wherein said first and second sets of pinions each include a pair of pinion gears and said linear rack means includes a plurality of linear rack gears which are moved into and out of meshing engagement with the pinion gears of said first and second sets of pinions to thereby effect the aforesaid rotation of said steer wheels to provide for turning of said vehicle in its minimum turning radius in either of said directions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
A vehicle as set forth in claim 7 further including drive means connected to said linear rack means for effecting simultaneous translational movement of said plurality of rack gears upon a turning of said vehicle in either of said directions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
46 words
In a vehicle as set forth in claim 5 wherein a summation of the steering angles through which said first and second steer wheels are rotated upon a turning of said vehicle in its minimum turning radius in either of said directions is equal to 180*.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
133 words
A vehicle as set forth in claim 5 wherein said first and second sets of pinions each include a pair of pinion gears, said linear rack means being in meshing engagement with one of the pinion gears of said first set of pinion gears and one of the pinion gears of said second set of pinion gears and out of meshing engagement with the other pinion gears of said first and second sets of pinions when said vehicle is turning in said one direction, said linear rack means being in meshing engagement with said other pinion gear of said first and second sets of pinion gears and out of meshing engagement with said one pinion gears of said first and second sets of pinions when said vehicle is turning in said other direction.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
271 words
In a vehicle, a pair of spaced-apart steer wheels mounted for rotation relative to each other and a steering mechanism operatively interconnecting said steer wheels for varying an angular relationship of said steer wheels upon a turning of said vehicle, said steering mechanism including first gear means operatively connected with one of said steer wheels for rotating said one steer wheel relative to the other steer wheel and second gear means operatively connected with said other steer wheel for rotating said other steer wheel relative to said one steer wheel, said first and second gear means each including a first pinion gear having a relatively large effective diameter and a second pinion gear having a relatively small effective diameter, rack gear means for driving said first pinion gear of said first gear means to rotate said one steer wheel through a relatively large steer angle in a first direction and for driving said second pinion gear of said second gear means to rotate said other steer wheel through a relatively small steer angle in said first direction to provide for a turning of said vehicle in one direction, said rack gear means being operable to drive said second pinion gear of said first gear means to rotate said one steer wheel through a relatively small steer angle in a second direction opposite from said first direction and to drive said first pinion gear gear of said second gear means to rotate said other steer wheel through a relatively large steer angle in said second direction to provide for a turning of said vehicle in another direction opposite from said one direction.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
271 words
In a vehicle, a pair of spaced-apart steer wheels mounted for rotation relative to each other and a steering mechanism operatively interconnecting said steer wheels for varying an angular relationship of said steer wheels upon a turning of said vehicle, said steering mechanism including first gear means operatively connected with one of said steer wheels for rotating said one steer wheel relative to the other steer wheel and second gear means operatively connected with said other steer wheel for rotating said other steer wheel relative to said one steer wheel, said first and second gear means each including a first pinion gear having a relatively large effective diameter and a second pinion gear having a relatively small effective diameter, rack gear means for driving said first pinion gear of said first gear means to rotate said one steer wheel through a relatively large steer angle in a first direction and for driving said second pinion gear of said second gear means to rotate said other steer wheel through a relatively small steer angle in said first direction to provide for a turning of said vehicle in one direction, said rack gear means being operable to drive said second pinion gear of said first gear means to rotate said one steer wheel through a relatively small steer angle in a second direction opposite from said first direction and to drive said first pinion gear gear of said second gear means to rotate said other steer wheel through a relatively large steer angle in said second direction to provide for a turning of said vehicle in another direction opposite from said one direction.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
107 words
In a vehicle as set forth in claim 11 wherein said rack gear means includes a plurality of linear rack gears for meshingly engaging and driving said pinion gears and base means for supporting said plurality of linear rack gears for simultaneous movement relative to said pinion gears in such a manner that some of said linear rack gears drive some of said pinion gears while other of said linear rack gears are moved out of meshing engagement with other of said pinion gears upon movement of aid base means, said steering mechanism including drive means for selectively moving said base means relative to said pinion gears.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-03-29 | 1974-09-28 | 1975-03-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-03-29 | 1978-09-28 | 1979-03-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-03-29 | 1982-09-28 | 1983-03-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |