Land vehicles – Wheeled – Running gear
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-07
2001-10-09
Johnson, Brian L. (Department: 3618)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Running gear
C280S124117
Reexamination Certificate
active
06299187
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a steering assembly for means of transport.
In the field of the means of transport for people, goods and animals, driven by an onboard and/or remote operator or automatically, without an operator, conventional steering systems are used, which are constituted by a set of mechanical and hydraulic elements, such as racks, pinions and/or cylinders, which steer the wheels about vertical axes and allow the means of transport to change direction.
However, these systems are not devoid of drawbacks, including the fact that they do not allow the simultaneous rotation of the wheel pairs of the two or more axles, which are connected to each other with respect to the vertical axis passing through the centerline of each axle.
Moreover, the means of transport provided with these steering systems require considerable turning space, since their pairs of front and rear wheels necessarily trace curves having a different radius. In fact, when steering of the front wheels begins, the means of transport advances together with the rear axles, whose wheels therefore do not trace the same curve as the front ones.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The aim of the present invention is to eliminate the above-noted drawbacks of the conventional types of steering system, providing a steering assembly for means of transport which allows the simultaneous steering of two or more axles, allows to trace curves having a constant or variable radius and minimizes turning space requirements.
Within the scope of this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a structure which is simple, relatively easy to provide in practice, safe in use, effective in operation and has a relatively low cost.
This aim and this object are both achieved by the present steering assembly for means of transport, characterized in that it comprises at least one truck supported by a supporting structure, which is rigidly coupled to the means of transport and has, in an upward region, a central center bearing for the coupling of at least one axle so as to allow rotation about a vertical axis, the axle having, at its two ends, wheels for resting on the ground or on another support, the wheels being provided with electric or hydraulic motors or the like which are controlled by electric and/or electronic control means and are adapted to produce the rotation of the axle.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1940798 (1933-12-01), Hanna
patent: 2437823 (1948-03-01), Jonkhoff
patent: 2848244 (1958-08-01), Georgi
patent: 3591203 (1971-07-01), Steiner
patent: 5207443 (1993-05-01), Mitchell
patent: 5240286 (1993-08-01), Vandenbark et al.
patent: 5392872 (1995-02-01), Ducote
patent: 5987671 (1999-11-01), Heimbrock et al.
Klun Franco
Rossi Paolo
Fantuzzi-Reggiane S.p.A.
Johnson Brian L.
Luby Matthew
Wolf Greenfield & Sacks P.C.
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