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Claims of
EP1000846
1. A steering
assembly for a vehicle, the assembly comprising:
a hub (31) mechanically connected to the
steering mechanism of the vehicle for changing the
direction of a wheel (1) rotatably coupled to the hub
(31);
wishbone means (9) coupled to a main body
portion (5) of the vehicle, the two arms (11, 13) of
which extend either side of the wheel (1);
a member
(55) which passes through the hub (31) and which is
rigidly coupled (56) to each of the arms (11, 13) of the
wishbone means (9);
a sleeve (35) mounted around the
member (55) for allowing relative rotation therebetween,
the sleeve (35) being pivotally coupled to the hub (31)
so as to provide for changing the direction of the wheel
(1); and
a link (27) extending from the sleeve (35)
and connected to a main body portion (5) of the vehicle.
2. A steering assembly according to claim 1,
wherein a further, outer hub (29) is mounted around said
hub (31) for rotation relative thereto, the further hub
(29) being attached to or integral with the wheel (1),
and having an aperture (63) therein to allow adjustment
of and/or access to the pivotal coupling between the hub
(15) and the sleeve (35).
3. A steering assembly
according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the pivotal coupling
between the hub (31) and the sleeve (35) comprises taper
roller bearing means (41, 43) secured between the hub
(31) and the sleeve (35).
4. A steering assembly
according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the pivotal coupling
between the hub (31) and the sleeve (35) is located
relative to the hub by a pin (45, 47), the arrangement
being such that removal or adjustment of the pivotal
coupling is facilitated by the aperture (63) in the
further hub (29).
5. A steering assembly
according to claim 4, wherein removal of the pin (45,
47) through the aperture (63) allows the sleeve (35) to
be withdrawn from the hub (31).
6. A steering
assembly according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, wherein the
sleeve (35) is mounted around the member (55) by needle
roller bearing means (57, 59).
7. A steering
assembly according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, wherein
the sleeve (35) includes an extension part (25)
extending therefrom to which the link (27) is connected.
8. A steering assembly according to claim 7,
wherein the arrangement is such that the orientation of
the extension part (25) sets the steering axis angle of
the wheel (1) of the vehicle.
9. A steering
assembly according to claim 8, wherein means (70-78) is
provided for adjusting the length of the link (27) so as
to change the orientation of the extension part (25) in
order to set the steering axis angle of the wheel (1) of
the vehicle.
10. A steering assembly according
to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hub (31)
is provided with an extension part (17) and a further,
steering link (19) is connected between the extension
part (17) and the steering mechanism (7, 21, 23) of the
vehicle.
11. A steering assembly according to
claim 10, wherein an imaginary line (I) connecting at
least one attachment point of said further link (19) and
at least one attachment point of said link (27) lies
substantially parallel to an axis (X2) of rotation of
the wheel (1) when in the straight ahead position.
12. A steering assembly according to claim 10 or
11, wherein said further link (19) is substantially the
same length as said link (27).
13. A steering
assembly according to claim 10, 11 or 12, wherein means
(70-78) is provided for adjusting the length of said
further link (19).
14. A steering assembly for a
vehicle, the assembly comprising:
handlebars (7)
attached to a steering column (23);
a first lever
(21) extending from the steering column (23);
a hub
(31) for changing the direction of a wheel (1) rotatably
coupled to the hub (31);
a second lever (17)
extending from the hub; and
a link (19) mechanically
connecting the first (21) and second (17) levers;
the arrangement being such that steering inputs from
the handlebars (7) are translated into direction changes
of the wheel (1).
15. A steering assembly
according to claim 14, wherein the arrangement is such
that the axis (Y2) of rotation of the wheel (1) for
steering and the axis (Y1) of rotation of the handlebars
(7) are different.
16. A steering assembly
according to claim 15, wherein said axes (Y1, Y2) are
not parallel.
17. A steering assembly for a
vehicle, the assembly comprising:
a hub (31)
mechanically connected by means of a first linkage (19)
to the steering mechanism (7, 21, 23) of the vehicle for
changing the direction of a wheel (1) rotatably coupled
to the hub (15); and
a member (25) pivotally coupled
to the hub (31) so as to provide for changing the
direction of the wheel (1), the member (25) being
connected by means of a second linkage (27) to a main
body portion (5) of the vehicle;
wherein an imaginary
line (I) connecting at least one attachment point of the
first linkage (19) and at least one attachment point of
said second linkage (27) lies substantially parallel to
an axis (X2) of rotation of the wheel (1) when in the
straight ahead position.
18. A steering
assembly according to claim 17, wherein the first (19)
and second (27) linkages are of substantially equal
length.
19. A steering assembly for a vehicle,
the assembly comprising:
a hub (31) mechanically
connected by means of a first linkage (19) to the
steering mechanism (7, 21, 23) of the vehicle for
changing the direction of a wheel (1) rotatably coupled
to the hub (31); and
a member (25) pivotally coupled
to the hub (31) so as to provide for changing the
direction of the wheel (1), the member (25) being
connected by means of a second linkage (27) to the main
body portion (5) of the vehicle;
wherein the length
of at least one of the first (19) and second (27)
linkages is/are adjustable.
20. A steering
assembly for a vehicle, the assembly comprising:
an inner hub (31) mechanically connected to the
steering mechanism (7, 21, 23) of the vehicle;
a
member (25) pivotally coupled to the inner hub (31) so
as to provide for changing the direction of the wheel
(1), the member (25) being connected to a main body
portion (5) of the vehicle; and
an outer hub (29)
mounted around said inner hub (31) for rotation relative
thereto, the outer hub (29) being attached to or
integral with a wheel (1) of the vehicle, and having an
aperture (63) therein to allow adjustment of and/or
access to the pivotal coupling between the inner hub
(31) and the member (25).
21. A steering
assembly according to claim 20, wherein the pivotal
coupling between the inner hub (31) and the member (25)
comprises taper roller bearing means (41, 43) secured
between the inner hub (31) and the member (25).
22. A steering assembly according to claim 20 or
21, wherein the pivotal coupling between the inner hub
(31) and the member (25) is located relative to the
inner hub (31) by a pin (45, 47), the arrangement being
such that removal or adjustment of the pivotal coupling
is facilitated by the aperture (63) in the outer hub
(29).
23. A steering assembly according to claim
22, wherein removal of the pin (45, 47) through the
aperture (63) allows the member (25) to be withdrawn
from the inner hub (31).
24. A motorcycle
including a steering assembly according to any one of
the preceding claims.
Data supplied from the esp@cenet database
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