IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0631166
(2012-09-28)
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등록번호 |
US-8844953
(2014-09-30)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Smyth, Desmond Mark Robertson
- Baer, Stanley Arthur
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
2 인용 특허 :
66 |
초록
▼
A steering system for a riding lawn mower includes a wheel frame pivotally coupled to a vehicle frame about a roll axis. The wheel frame has spaced apart upper and lower wheel frame members. Steering knuckles are pivotally coupled to opposing sides of the wheel frame for rotatably supporting wheels.
A steering system for a riding lawn mower includes a wheel frame pivotally coupled to a vehicle frame about a roll axis. The wheel frame has spaced apart upper and lower wheel frame members. Steering knuckles are pivotally coupled to opposing sides of the wheel frame for rotatably supporting wheels. Each steering knuckle is straddle mounted between the upper and lower wheel frame members. A rack and pinion steering mechanism for pivoting the steering knuckles is coupled to a steering wheel via a steering column. The steering column includes a shaft portion extending along a shaft axis and has at least one socketed connection. The socketed connection transmits rotational movement about the shaft axis between the shaft portion and another rotatable component. The socketed connection also permits axial movement of the shaft portion along the shaft axis in response to the wheel frame rolling relative to the vehicle frame.
대표청구항
▼
1. A riding lawnmower comprising: (a) a vehicle frame extending along a longitudinal axis;(b) left and right rear wheels for supporting a rear portion of the vehicle frame;(c) left and right front wheels for supporting a front portion of the vehicle frame; and(d) a steering system for steering the f
1. A riding lawnmower comprising: (a) a vehicle frame extending along a longitudinal axis;(b) left and right rear wheels for supporting a rear portion of the vehicle frame;(c) left and right front wheels for supporting a front portion of the vehicle frame; and(d) a steering system for steering the front wheels, the steering system comprising: (i) a front wheel frame pivotally coupled to the vehicle frame about a longitudinally extending roll axis for permitting the front wheel frame to roll relative to the vehicle frame, the front wheel frame having spaced apart upper and lower wheel frame members;(ii) left and right steering knuckles pivotally coupled to opposing sides of the front wheel frame for rotatably supporting the front wheels, each steering knuckle being straddle mounted between the upper and lower wheel frame members and being adapted for pivotal movement about a respective steering axis;(iii) a rack and pinion steering mechanism coupled to the left and right steering knuckles for pivoting the steering knuckles about each respective steering axis;(iv) a steering wheel for operating the rack and pinion steering mechanism; and(v) a steering column for coupling the steering wheel to the rack and pinion steering mechanism, the steering column including at least one shaft portion extending along a shaft axis, the shaft portion having at least one socketed connection;(vi) wherein the socketed connection is adapted to provide engagement between the shaft portion and a rotatable component so as to transmit rotational movement about the shaft axis between the shaft portion and the rotatable component; and(vii) wherein the socketed connection is adapted to permit axial movement of the shaft portion along the shaft axis in response to the front wheel frame rolling relative to the vehicle frame about the roll axis. 2. The riding lawn mower of claim 1, wherein the shaft portion is a lower shaft portion extending along a lower shaft axis, and wherein the rotatable component is a pinion of the rack and pinion steering mechanism. 3. The riding lawn mower of claim 2, further comprising a lower shaft coupler for coupling the lower shaft portion to the pinion, and wherein the lower shaft coupler provides the socketed connected between the lower shaft portion and the pinion. 4. The riding lawn mower of claim 3, wherein the lower shaft coupler has an upper socket with a hexagonal cross-section configured to radially engage a corresponding hexagonal cross-section of the lower shaft portion. 5. The riding lawn mower of claim 2, further comprising: (a) an upper shaft portion extending along an upper shaft axis inclined upwardly relative to the lower shaft axis; and(b) an upper shaft coupler for coupling the upper shaft portion to the lower shaft portion, and wherein the upper shaft coupler provides the socketed connection between the upper shaft portion and the lower shaft portion. 6. The riding lawn mower of claim 1, wherein the rack and pinion steering mechanism comprises: (a) a rack supported between the upper and lower wheel frame members, the rack extending between the left and right steering knuckles and coupled thereto; and(b) a pinion coupled to the steering column and positioned to engage the rack such that rotational movement of the shaft portion about the shaft axis rotates the pinion so as to shift the rack back and forth and thereby pivot the steering knuckles. 7. The riding lawn mower of claim 1, wherein the front wheel frame comprises a pivot member extending upward from the upper wheel frame member for pivotally coupling the front wheel frame to the vehicle frame along the roll axis. 8. The riding lawn mower of claim 7, wherein the pivot member has an aperture for receiving a corresponding pin so as to pivotally couple the front wheel frame to the vehicle frame about the roll axis. 9. The riding lawn mower of claim 1, wherein the at least one shaft portion comprises: (a) an upper shaft portion coupled to the steering wheel, the upper shaft portion extending along an upper shaft axis; and(b) a lower shaft portion for coupling the upper shaft portion to the rack and pinion steering mechanism, the lower shaft portion extending along a lower shaft axis;(c) wherein the upper shaft axis is inclined upwardly relative to the lower shaft axis. 10. The riding lawn mower of claim 9, wherein the steering system further comprises a set of bevel gears for coupling the upper shaft portion to the lower shaft portion. 11. The riding lawn mower of claim 1, wherein the steering system is adapted to provide a zero turning radius. 12. The riding lawn mower of claim 11, wherein each steering knuckle is sized and shaped to fit between the upper and lower wheel frame members such that the steering knuckle can pivot freely therebetween so as to provide the zero turning radius. 13. The riding lawn mower of claim 11, wherein the opposing sides of the front wheel frame extend transversely outward beyond the front portion of the vehicle frame by an overhang distance. 14. The riding lawn mower of claim 13, wherein the overhang distance is at least as large as about the radius of the front wheels. 15. The riding lawn mower of claim 1, further comprising left and right link arms for coupling the rack and pinion steering mechanism to the steering knuckles. 16. A steering system for a vehicle, the steering system comprising: (a) a wheel frame configured to be pivotally coupled to a vehicle frame about a longitudinally extending roll axis for permitting the wheel frame to roll relative to the vehicle frame, the wheel frame having spaced apart upper and lower wheel frame members;(b) left and right steering knuckles pivotally coupled to opposing sides of the wheel frame for rotatably supporting wheels, each steering knuckle being straddle mounted between the upper and lower wheel frame members for pivotal movement about a respective steering axis;(c) a steering mechanism coupled to the left and right steering knuckles for pivoting the steering knuckles about each respective steering axis;(d) a steering wheel for operating the steering mechanism; and(e) a steering column for coupling the steering wheel to the steering mechanism, the steering column including at least one shaft portion extending along a shaft axis, the shaft portion having at least one socketed connection;(f) wherein the socketed connection is adapted to provide engagement between the shaft portion and a rotatable component so as to transmit rotational movement about the shaft axis therebetween; and(g) wherein the socketed connection is adapted to permit axial movement of the shaft portion along the shaft axis in response to the wheel frame rolling relative to the vehicle frame about the roll axis. 17. The steering system of claim 16, wherein the shaft portion comprises a lower shaft portion coupled to the steering mechanism and extending along a lower shaft axis, and an upper shaft portion for coupling the steering wheel and the lower shaft portion, the upper shaft portion extending along an upper shaft axis that is inclined upwardly relative to the lower shaft axis. 18. A vehicle comprising: (a) a vehicle frame;(b) first and second wheels for supporting at least a portion of the vehicle frame; and(c) a steering system for steering the first and second wheels, the steering system comprising: (i) a wheel frame pivotally coupled to the vehicle frame and adapted to roll relative to the vehicle frame about a longitudinally extending roll axis;(ii) first and second steering knuckles pivotally coupled to the wheel frame for rotatably supporting the first and second wheels, respectively, each steering knuckle adapted for pivotal movement about a respective steering axis;(iii) a steering mechanism coupled to the first and second steering knuckles for pivoting each of the first and second steering knuckles about the respective steering axis; and(iv) a steering column coupled to the steering mechanism, the steering column comprising at least one shaft portion extending along a shaft axis, the at least one shaft portion comprising at least one socketed connection,wherein the socketed connection is adapted to provide engagement between the at least one shaft portion and the steering mechanism so as to transmit rotational movement about the shaft axis between the at least one shaft portion and the steering mechanism, andwherein the socketed connection is adapted to permit axial movement of the at least one shaft portion along the shaft axis in response to the wheel frame rolling relative to the vehicle frame about the roll axis. 19. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein the at least one shaft portion comprises a lower shaft portion, the steering mechanism comprises a pinion, and the at least one socketed connection comprises a lower shaft coupler for coupling the lower shaft portion to the pinion. 20. The vehicle of claim 19, wherein the at least one shaft portion comprises an upper shaft portion, the at least one socketed connection comprises an upper shaft coupler for coupling the upper shaft portion to the lower shaft portion, the lower shaft portion extends along a lower shaft axis, and the upper shaft portion extends along an upper shaft axis that is inclined upwardly relative to the lower shaft axis.
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