US3635304A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Resettable load limiting safety decouplers for a remotely controlled toy automotive vehicle steering mechanism
Assignee: MY TOY CO Inc
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Filing: 1970-11-23
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Granted: 1972-01-18
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Expires: 1990-11-23
Abstract
Abstract A remotely controlled locally powered steering mechanism for a toy automotive vehicle utilizing a servomotor for actuating the steering train, wherein there is interposed in the train between the servomotor and the steerable wheels a resettable decouplable device for limiting the force transmitted from the servomotor, said mechanism comprising the resilient arms of a yoke having facing ribs on the interior of the yoke arms extending along the length of the vehicle and jointly engaging opposed portions of a neck in a transversely disposed tie rod, the ends of which are connected to steering knuckles that oscillate steering arms. The yoke arms are adjustably spring biased toward one another to enable the connection between the yoke and tie rod to be selectively adjusted in a fashion such that when the axial impact exerted on the tie rod due to a steerable wheel striking a heavy or stationary object exceeds the maximum force exertable by the servomotor, the arms of the yoke spread and ride off the neck and onto the tie rod whereby the servomotor is not damaged. A restoring spring automatically returns the ribs to their neckengaging position when the impact force on the tie rod is diminished to less than the maximum force exertable by the servomotor to thereby reestablish a preset coordination between the servomotor and the steerable wheels. Because the yoke arms and ribs run longitudinally of the vehicle chassis, the ribs accommodate movement of the tie rod in a front-to-back direction as the servomotor is actuated without affecting the coordinated control of the steerable wheels. Each steering knuckle includes a ball engaged by an oppositely disposed pair of seats that are biased toward one another with a force greater than the maximum force exerted by the servomotor; moreover axial movement of the tie rod is limited so that in the case of a severe wheel turning shock a ball steering knuckle will decouple after the tie rod has reached the extreme of its travel and thus prevent damage to the kinematic steering train, or to a kingpin, kingpin bracket, steering arm or steering wheel.
Inventors
- 👤 Isaac Hills
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 13:29
CPC Classifications
B; B62; B62D; B62D1/00; B62D1/24; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/18; Y10T74/18856; Y10T74/18888; Y10T74/1892
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
97 words
A steering assembly for a model remotely controlled wheeled vehicle having an elongated chassis, said steering assembly including a single axially shiftable tie rod positioned to extend perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle chassis, a servo actuatable element arranged to reciprocate longitudinally on the tie rod and intermediate the ends thereof, a pair of members on opposite sides of and spaced from said element, means to fix said members on said tie rod, and coil springs encircling the tie rod, each spring being under compression between said element and a different one of said members.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
97 words
A steering assembly for a model remotely controlled wheeled vehicle having an elongated chassis, said steering assembly including a single axially shiftable tie rod positioned to extend perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle chassis, a servo actuatable element arranged to reciprocate longitudinally on the tie rod and intermediate the ends thereof, a pair of members on opposite sides of and spaced from said element, means to fix said members on said tie rod, and coil springs encircling the tie rod, each spring being under compression between said element and a different one of said members.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
81 words
A steering assembly for a model remotely controlled wheeled vehicle, said steering assembly including a servomotor having a linear output aboard the vehicle, steering wheels and a kinematic train between the servomotor and the steering wheels, said kinematic train including a tie rod and a first force limiting decouplable means, wherein said first force limiting decouplable means includes a yoke having arms on opposite sides of the tie rod, said tie rod and yoke having a cooperating disengageable projection and depression.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
81 words
A steering assembly for a model remotely controlled wheeled vehicle, said steering assembly including a servomotor having a linear output aboard the vehicle, steering wheels and a kinematic train between the servomotor and the steering wheels, said kinematic train including a tie rod and a first force limiting decouplable means, wherein said first force limiting decouplable means includes a yoke having arms on opposite sides of the tie rod, said tie rod and yoke having a cooperating disengageable projection and depression.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
A steering assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein the protuberance and depression on the yoke and tie rod have cooperative camming surfaces.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
A steering assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein the servomotor has a maximum load capability and said first force limiting decouplable means has a maximum force transmission value less than said maximum load capability of the servomotor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
A steering assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein the first force limiting decouplable means includes means to vary the force at which said force limiting decouplable means becomes kinematically ineffective.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
A steering assembly as set forth in claim 4 including restoring means to reengage the first force limiting decouplable means after the same becomes kinematically ineffective upon application of a drive-back force and when the drive-back force becomes less than the value to render said first force limiting decouplable means kinematically ineffective.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
A steering assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein the restoring means constitutes springs under compression between opposite sides of the first force limiting decouplable means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
A steering assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein the steering assembly includes a tie rod and wherein the restoring springs are held under compression between the first force limiting decouplable means and abutment elements secured to the tie rod.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
A steering assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein means is included to provide a force biasing the arms of the yoke toward one another.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
A steering assembly as set forth in claim 9 wherein the force provided by said biasing means is selectively variable.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
A steering assembly as set forth in claim 10 wheRein the biasing means comprises a compression spring urging the arms toward one another and means to vary the compression of the spring.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
A steering assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein the means to vary the compression of the spring includes a screw.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
51 words
A steering assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein the screw extends freely through one arm and is threadedly engaged with the other arm, and wherein the compression spring encircles the shank of the screw and is held under compression between the first-named arm and the head of the screw.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
40 words
A steering assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein the kinematic train includes a pair of second force limiting decouplable means each kinematically interposed between the first force limiting decouplable means and a different one of the steering wheels.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
A steering assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein the maximum force transmission value of the first force limiting decouplable means is less than the maximum force transmission value of each of the second force limiting decouplable means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
A steering assembly as set forth in claim 15 wherein the maximum force transmission value of the first force limitable decouplable means is less than the maximum load capability of the servomotor.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
35 words
A steering assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein the maximum force transmission value of each of the second force limiting decouplable means is in excess of the maximum load capability of the servomotor.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
62 words
A steering assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein the kinematic train includes an axially shiftable tie rod, the first force limiting decouplable means being interposed between the servomotor and an intermediate portion of the tie rod and each of the second force limiting decouplable means being interposed between a different end of the the rod and an associated steering wheel.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
107 words
A steering assembly as set forth in claim 18 wherein the tie rod is axially shiftable and wherein means is included to limit axial shifting of the tie rod between two extreme positions, the first force limiting decouplable means having a maximum force transmission value less than the maximum force transmission value of each of the second force limiting decouplable means whereby a drive-back force which decouples the first force limiting decouplable means shifts the tie rod to an extreme position whereupon if the drive-back force exceeds the maximum force transmission value of the associated second force limiting decouplable means such second force limiting decouplable means decouples.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
39 words
A steering assembly as set forth in claim 18 wherein the maximum force transmission value of the first force limiting decouplable means is less than the maximum force transmission value of each of the second force limiting decouplable means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
A steering assembly as set forth in claim 20 wherein the maximum force transmission value of the first force limiting decouplable means is less than the maximum load capability of the servomotor.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
35 words
A steering assembly as set forth in claim 21 wherein the maximum force transmission value of each of the second force limiting decouplable means is in excess of the maximum load capability of the servomotor.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
43 words
A steering assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein the kinematic train includes a different steering knuckle associated with each different steering wheel and wherein each different second force limiting decouplable means is incorporated in a different one of the steering knuckles.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
46 words
A steering assembly as set forth in claim 23 wherein each steering knuckle includes as a second force limiting decouplable means a ball and a pair of opposed ball seats and wherein means is included to resiliently urge the seats against opposite sides of the ball.
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) | 1975-01-17 | 1975-07-19 | 1976-01-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-01-17 | 1979-07-19 | 1980-01-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-01-17 | 1983-07-19 | 1984-01-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |