Land vehicles – Wheeled – Running gear
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-22
2001-03-06
Dickson, Paul N. (Department: 3618)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Running gear
C180S905000, C301S124100, C029S897200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06196563
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for reducing moments of a reversible steering axle while substantially increasing ground clearance and strength of the reversible steering axle. The reversible steering axle is typically employed in heavy duty off-road vehicles.
2. Description of the Background Art
The conventional art of
FIG. 13
is a schematic of a standard U-shaped steering axle
10
which includes kingpin bore cylinders
12
. The kingpin bore cylinders
12
support a kingpin (not shown) that connects a steering knuckle (not shown) to the steering axle
10
. In off-road environments, the steering axle
10
is subjected to large forces that interact with the kingpin bore cylinders
12
of the steering axle
10
. The forces, in turn, create moments which place the steering axle
10
under tremendous stress.
The conventional steering axle
10
does not permit a vehicle to travel over substantially rough terrains due to low ground clearance C between the conventional steering axle
10
and the ground G. The steering axle
10
of the conventional art is subjected to moments M
1
and M
2
1
, M
2
2
that are created by forces F
1
and F
2
and their respective perpendicular distances X
1
and X
2
. The perpendicular distances X
1
and X
2
define the spacing between the forces and their respective rotational axes R
1
, or R
2
1
, R
2
2
. Due to the substantial magnitude of forces F
1
, F
2
generated in an off-road environment and due to the significant distance between the rotational axes and these forces, large torsional stress M
1
and bending M
2
1
, M
2
2
are produced.
An additional drawback of the conventional art steering axle
10
is the reversibility of such an axle. Reversibility of an axle defines whether a steering axle is capable of being used in two or more types of vehicles. In particular, such a reversibility feature is desirable when the steering axle can be used in two or more distinct types of vehicles made by different manufacturers. The conventional art in
FIG. 14
illustrates kingpin bore cylinders
12
which include a first projecting stop
14
and a second projecting stop
16
which are mounted or formed on either side of a kingpin bore cylinder
12
.
The first stop
14
is spaced from a top surface of kingpin bore cylinder
12
by a predetermined distance dl while stop
16
is spaced from the top surface of kingpin bore cylinder
12
by a second predetermined distance d2. In the conventional art, distances d1 and d2 are substantially equal. The projecting stops
14
,
16
are designed to interact with a stop bolt (not shown) that is attached to a steering knuckle (not shown). In different types of vehicles, the stop bolts interact at distances which are smaller or greater than the first and second distances d1, d2 illustrated in the conventional art. Since both the first and second stops
14
,
16
are disposed at the same predetermined distance from the top surface of the kingpin bore cylinder, the conventional steering axle
10
can only be employed in vehicles which have a stop pin at one predetermined location or distance from a steering knuckle. This design does not permit the conventional steering axle
10
to be mounted on different vehicles.
Accordingly, a need in the art exists for a method and an apparatus for substantially reducing moments of a steering axle while substantially increasing ground clearance and strength thereof. Further, a need in the art exists for a method and apparatus for increasing the reversibility of a steering axle so that the axle can be employed with numerous types of vehicles with out substantial retrofitting or increased manufacturing steps of the steering axle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for substantially reducing moments of a steering axle while substantially increasing clearance between the axle and a ground surface and increasing strength of the axle. Another primary object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for providing a reversible high ground clearance steering axle which can be mounted on more than one type of vehicle.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for providing a reversible high ground clearance steering axle that substantially reduces manufacturing costs while substantially reducing retrofitting of the axle when mounting the axle on different types of vehicles.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus that increases the strength of a steering axle while substantially reducing moments thereof by providing curved sections of a steering axle having a predetermined shape. An additional object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus that enables reversibility of a steering axle by employing projections disposed on a kingpin bore a different relative locations.
These and other objects of the present invention are fulfilled by providing a steering axle comprising: a central beam region having a substantially I-shaped cross section, the I-shaped cross section being defined by a first flange spaced apart from a second flange with a web; a first support pad region disposed adjacent to the central beam section; a second support pad region disposed adjacent to the central beam section on a side opposite to the first support pad region, each pad region defining a geometric plane having a geometric normal, each geometric normal pointing away from the second flange; and means for substantially reducing moments of the axle, for substantially increasing clearance between the axle and a ground surface, and for increasing strength of the axle, the means for reducing moments, increasing ground clearance, and strength including: a first curved region disposed adjacent to the first support pad region, the first curved region including a substantially cylindrical bore disposed at an end thereof; a second curved region disposed adjacent to the first support pad region, the second curved region including a substantially cylindrical bore disposed at an end thereof, each first flange of each curved region having a substantially concave shape relative to a respective geometric normal of a respective planar surface, each cylindrical bore being spaced from a respective geometric plane in a direction opposite to a respective normal by a predetermined distance.
In addition, these and other objects of the present invention are also accomplished by providing a method of substantially reducing moments of steering axle while substantially increasing ground clearance and strength of the steering axle, the method comprising: forming a central beam region having a substantially I-shaped cross section; forming the I-shaped cross section by casting a first flange spaced apart from a second flange with a web; forming a first support pad region disposed adjacent to the central beam section; forming a second support pad region disposed adjacent to the central beam section on a side opposite to the first support pad region, each support pad region being continuous with the central beam region, each pad region defining a geometric plane having a geometric normal, each geometric normal pointing away from the second flange; forming a first curved region disposed adjacent to the first support pad region; forming a second curved region disposed adjacent to the first support pad region, each first flange of each curved region having a substantially concave shape relative to a respective geometric normal of a respective planar surface; and spacing ends of each curved region from a respective geometric plane in a direction opposite to a respective normal by a predetermined distance.
Other objects of the present invention are also accomplished by providing a steering axle comprising: a central beam region having a first flange spaced apart from a second flange with a web; a first support pad region disposed adjacent to the central beam section; a second support pad
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Dickson Paul N.
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