Patent US4081049A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4081049A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Steerable front wheel drive unit
Assignee: FMC Corp
•
Filing: 1977-03-03
•
Granted: 1978-03-28
•
Expires: 1997-03-03
Abstract
Abstract A final gear-reduction unit is mounted at each wheel of a motor vehicle and is pivotally connected to one end of a lower control arm so that the unit may be turned to steer the vehicle. The other end of the lower control arm is pivotally connected to the frame of the motor vehicle on the side of the vehicle opposite the side on which the wheel is mounted. This allows a considerable amount of up and down movement of the wheel relative to the frame of the vehicle. The wheel is rotatably mounted to the gear-reduction unit with the gear-reduction unit positioned above the axle of the wheel to provide greater ground clearance for the drive to the gear-reduction unit. A pair of universal joints and a length of axle shaft connected between motor-driven differential gears of the vehicle and the gear-reduction unit provides the drive to rotate the wheel. This combination of universal joints and axle shaft allows the wheel to turn to steer the vehicle and allows up and down movement of the wheel relative to the frame of the vehicle. The axle shaft is mounted in a swept-back position so that the angle at the wheel between the axle shaft and the direction of movement of the motor vehicle is less than 90° when the wheel is pointed straight ahead. The swept-back axle shaft decreases the turning radius of the motor vehicle by permitting a greater permissible turn angle on the inside wheel of the vehicle.
Inventors
- 👤 Donald W. Youmans
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 22:08
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60K; B60K17/00; B60K17/30; B60G; B60G11/00; B60G11/22; B60G3/00; B60G3/18; B60G3/20; B60G2200/00; B60G2200/10; B60G2200/14; B60G2200/143
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
167 words
In a motor vehicle having a wheel-steering arrangement and a motor-driven differential gear mounted on the frame of said vehicle, a steerable power-driven wheel combination comprising: a gear-reduction unit having an input shaft and an output shaft, said input shaft being located above said output shaft; means for mounting said wheel on said output shaft of said unit so that said unit is mounted directly adjacent to said wheel; a rigid control arm extending transversely of said vehicle; means for connecting one end of said control arm to said frame of said vehicle for pivotal movement about an axis extending longitudinally of said vehicle; means for pivotally connecting said gear-reduction unit to the other end of said control arm so that said wheel can pivot about a generally vertical axis; spring support means connected between said control arm and said frame of said vehicle and extending above said control arm; and flexible drive means connected between said differential gear and said input shaft of said gear-reduction unit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
167 words
In a motor vehicle having a wheel-steering arrangement and a motor-driven differential gear mounted on the frame of said vehicle, a steerable power-driven wheel combination comprising: a gear-reduction unit having an input shaft and an output shaft, said input shaft being located above said output shaft; means for mounting said wheel on said output shaft of said unit so that said unit is mounted directly adjacent to said wheel; a rigid control arm extending transversely of said vehicle; means for connecting one end of said control arm to said frame of said vehicle for pivotal movement about an axis extending longitudinally of said vehicle; means for pivotally connecting said gear-reduction unit to the other end of said control arm so that said wheel can pivot about a generally vertical axis; spring support means connected between said control arm and said frame of said vehicle and extending above said control arm; and flexible drive means connected between said differential gear and said input shaft of said gear-reduction unit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A steerable power-driven wheel combination as defined in claim 1 including: a shock absorber connected between said control arm and said frame of said vehicle.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
75 words
A steerable power-driven wheel combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said flexible drive means includes: a pair of universal joints and a length of axle shaft extending therebetween; means for connecting a first of said universal joints between said input shaft of said gear-reduction unit and one end of said axle shaft; and means for connecting a second of said universal joints between said differential gear and the other end of said axle shaft.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
A steerable power-driven wheel combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for pivotally connecting said gear-reduction unit to said control arm includes a pair of vertically spaced thrust bearings mounted on said other end of said control arm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
A steerable power-driven wheel combination as defined in claim 4 wherein said thrust bearings are aligned to define an upwardly inclined pivot axis.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
A steerable power-driven wheel combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said spring support means comprises an elastomeric spring connected between said frame and said control arm.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
A steerable power-driven wheel combination as defined in claim 5 including a steering arm; and means for connecting said steering arm to said gear-reduction unit whereby the direction of travel of said wheel is determined by pivoting said gear-reduction unit on said control arm.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
63 words
A steerable power-driven wheel combination as defined in claim 1 including a trailing arm for controlling the transverse movement of said control arm; means for connecting one end of said trailing arm to said frame of said vehicle rearwardly of said control arm; and means for connecting the other end of said trailing arm to said control arm adjacent said other end thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
A steerable power-driven wheel combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for connecting said control arm to said frame is located on the side of the vehicle opposite the side on which said wheel is mounted.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
62 words
A steerable power-driven wheel combination as defined in claim 1 including means for connecting said flexible drive means between said differential gear and the input shaft of said gear-reduction unit so that the angle at said wheel between said drive means and the direction of heading of said vehicle is less than 90° when said wheel is pointed in a straight-ahead direction.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
A steerable power-driven wheel combination as defined in claim 3 wherein said drive means extends downwardly from said differential gear to said wheel.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
171 words
In a motor vehicle having a wheel-steering arrangement and a motor-driven differential gear mounted on the frame of said vehicle, said vehicle having a pair of steerable power-driven wheels, the combination comprising: a pair of gear-reduction units each having an input shaft and an output shaft, each of said wheels being mounted on said output shaft of a corresponding one of said units so that the unit is mounted directly adjacent to said wheel; means for pivotally mounting said gear-reduction units on opposite sides of said frame adjacent one end of said vehicle so that said wheels can pivot about a generally vertical axis to steer said vehicle; a pair of flexible drive means; means for connecting each of said drive means between said differential gear and the input shaft of a corresponding one of said gear-reduction units so that the angle at a wheel between the associated drive means and the direction of heading of said vehicle is less than 90° when said wheels are pointed in a straight-ahead direction.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
171 words
In a motor vehicle having a wheel-steering arrangement and a motor-driven differential gear mounted on the frame of said vehicle, said vehicle having a pair of steerable power-driven wheels, the combination comprising: a pair of gear-reduction units each having an input shaft and an output shaft, each of said wheels being mounted on said output shaft of a corresponding one of said units so that the unit is mounted directly adjacent to said wheel; means for pivotally mounting said gear-reduction units on opposite sides of said frame adjacent one end of said vehicle so that said wheels can pivot about a generally vertical axis to steer said vehicle; a pair of flexible drive means; means for connecting each of said drive means between said differential gear and the input shaft of a corresponding one of said gear-reduction units so that the angle at a wheel between the associated drive means and the direction of heading of said vehicle is less than 90° when said wheels are pointed in a straight-ahead direction.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
69 words
The combination as defined in claim 12 wherein each of said flexible drive means includes: a pair of universal joints and a length of axle shaft, a first of said universal joints being connected between said input shaft of said gear-reduction unit and one end of said axle shaft, the second of said universal joints being connected between said differential gear and the other end of said axle shaft.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
46 words
The combination as defined in claim 12 wherein said means for pivotally mounting each of said gear-reduction units to said frame includes a control arm that is connected to a fixed portion of the frame for pivotal movement about an axis extending longitudinally of said frame.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1305061A
Cited
DE1069477B
Cited
US1396102A
Cited
US1856831A
Cited
US1843146A
Cited
US2026283A
Cited
US2410557A
Cited
US2395333A
Cited
US2762632A
Cited
US2942893A
Cited
US2954089A
Cited
US3351037A
Cited
US2982369A
Cited
DE1095135B
Cited
US3075600A
Cited
US3221832A
Cited
US3162262A
Cited
US3227237A
Cited
GB1049140A
Cited
US3420327A
Cited
US3295624A
Cited
US3469647A
Cited
US3446305A
Cited
US3642084A
Cited
US3703215A
Cited
DE2036637A1
Cited
US3948337A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-03-27 | 1981-09-26 | 1982-03-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-03-27 | 1985-09-26 | 1986-03-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-03-27 | 1989-09-26 | 1990-03-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |