Lean-induced steerable wheel assembly

• US 20030141689A1
• Filed: 01/07/2003
• Published: 07/31/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trebmotion, LLC
• Original Assignee: Trebmotion, LLC
• Inventors: Hamy, Norbert
• Granted Patent: US 6,938,907 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/87.042
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/01 Skateboards A63C17/02 - A63C17/28 take precedence; rolling devices on skis A63C5/035
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/013 with parallelograms, follow up wheels or direct steering action
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/015 with wheels arranged in two pairs
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 2203/52 Direct actuation of steering of roller skate or skateboards, e.g. by a foot plate
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 9/02 combined with means for inwardly inclining vehicle body on bends
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/10 with means for inwardly inclining the vehicle body on bends
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 1/00 Rider propulsion of wheeled vehicles rider propulsion with additional source of power B62M6/00; propulsion by ground-engaging rods B62M29/02

Abstract

A lean-induced steerable wheel assembly has a pair of parallel wheel hub carriers arranged on either side of a leanable chassis spine. A linkage connects the wheel hub carriers to the chassis spine so that the wheels lean in unison with the chassis spine. A steering mechanism couples the wheel hub carriers to the chassis spine so that an induced lean on the chassis spine steers the wheel hub carriers through a steering angle dependent on the angle of induced lean.

Claims

1. A lean-induced steerable wheel assembly, comprising:

a pair of parallel wheel hub carriers arranged on either side of a leanable longitudinal frame member;

a linkage connecting said wheel hub carriers to said frame member so that said wheel hub carriers lean in unison with said frame member; and

a steering mechanism coupling said wheel hub carriers to said frame member so that an induced lean on said frame member steers said wheel hub carriers through a steering angle dependent on the angle of induced lean.

2. A lean-induced steerable wheel assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said linkage comprises a pair of upper and lower suspension beams pivotally coupled at their ends to said respective wheel hub carriers and in the vicinity of a mid point thereof to said frame member.

3. A lean-induced steerable wheel assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein said upper and lower suspension beams form a parallelogram linkage.

4. A lean-induced steerable wheel assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein said upper and lower suspension beams are coupled to said wheel hub carriers by universal joints.

5. A lean-induced steerable wheel assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein said steering mechanism comprises an elbow member pivotally connected to said frame member in the vicinity of a mid-point thereof and coupled at respective end portions thereof to said wheel hub carriers by universal joints such that as said frame member adopts a lean attitude, said elbow member pulls said wheel hub carriers around a steering axis.

6. A lean-induced steerable wheel assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein said universal joints coupling said end portions of said elbow member to said wheel hub carriers are mounted on a common shaft with said respective universal joints coupling one of said suspension beams to said wheel hub carriers.

7. A lean-induced steerable wheel assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein said universal joints are ball joints.

8. A lean-induced steerable wheel assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein said upper and lower suspension beams are mounted in a fore and aft arrangement to provide a caster angle.

9. A lean-induced steerable wheel assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein said elbow member is pivotally mounted to said frame member below said upper suspension member.

10. A lean-induced steerable wheel assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said suspension members is coupled to said frame member by a torsion bar that acts to restore said frame member to the non-lean position.

11. A lean-induced steerable wheel assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein said torsion bar forms an extension of a pivot shaft fixed to said suspension member.

12. A lean-induced steerable wheel assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said frame member imparts an equal lean angle to said wheel hub carriers.

13. A vehicle comprising:

a leanable chassis platform for supporting a rider and having front and rear wheel assemblies; and

at least one of said wheel assemblies comprising a pair of parallel wheel hub carriers arranged on either side of a longitudinal frame member;

a linkage connecting said wheel hub carriers to said frame member so that said wheel hub carriers lean in unison with said frame member; and

a steering mechanism coupling said wheel hub carriers to said frame member so that an induced lean on said frame member steers said wheel hub carriers through a steering angle dependent on the angle of induced lean.

14. A vehicle as claimed in claim 13, wherein one of said wheel assemblies comprises a single wheel.

15. A vehicle as claimed in claim 13, wherein both said wheel assemblies comprise a pair of parallel wheel hub carriers arranged on either side of a said frame member;

a linkage connecting said wheel hub carriers to a said frame member so that said wheel hub carriers lean in unison with said frame member; and

a steering mechanism coupling said wheel hub carriers to said frame member so that an induced lean on said frame member steers said wheel hub carriers through a steering angle dependent on the angle of induced lean; and

wherein said wheel assemblies are mounted 180°

in opposition to result in opposite steering angles so that all wheels steer around a common centre.

16. A vehicle as claimed in claim 13, wherein the vehicle is equipped with more than one set of wheel assemblies, each with steering mechanisms having different central pivot heights to achieve suitable steering angles induced by chassis lean.

17. A vehicle as claimed in claim 13, wherein said linkage comprises a pair of upper and lower suspension beams pivotally coupled at their end portions to said respective wheel hub carriers and in the vicinity of a mid point thereof to said frame member.

18. A vehicle as claimed in claim 17, wherein said upper and lower suspension beams form a parallelogram linkage.

19. A vehicle as claimed in claim 18, wherein said upper and lower suspension beams are coupled to said wheel hub carriers by universal joints.

20. A vehicle as claimed in claim 19, wherein said steering mechanism comprises an elbow member pivotally connected to said frame member in the vicinity of a mid-point thereof and coupled at respective end portions thereof to said wheel hub carriers by universal joints such that as said frame member adopts a lean attitude, said elbow member pulls said wheel hub carriers around a steering axis.

21. A vehicle as claimed in claim 20, wherein said universal joints coupling said end portions of said elbow member to said wheel hub carriers are mounted on a common shaft with said respective universal joints coupling said end portions of said suspension beams to said wheel hub carriers.

22. A vehicle as claimed in claim 21, wherein said universal joints are ball joints.

23. A vehicle as claimed in claim 22, wherein said upper and lower suspension beams are mounted in a fore and aft arrangement to provide a caster angle.

24. A vehicle as claimed in claim 23, wherein said elbow member is pivotally mounted to said frame member below said upper suspension member.

25. A vehicle as claimed in claim 13, wherein at least one of said suspension members is coupled to said frame member by a torsion bar that acts to restore said frame member to the non-lean position.

26. A vehicle as claimed in claim 25, wherein said torsion bar is coupled to the lower said suspension member.

27. A vehicle as claimed in claim 13, wherein said frame member imparts an equal lean angle to all said wheel hub carriers.

28. A vehicle as claimed in claim 20, wherein said elbow member has a central pivot point positioned between the upper and lower suspension beams.

29. A vehicle as claimed in claim 13, wherein said frame member forms part of a vehicle chassis.

30. A vehicle as claimed in claim 29, wherein said vehicle is a personal scooter and said chassis includes a platform for receiving a rider'"'"'s foot.

31. A lean-induced steerable wheel assembly, comprising:

a pair of parallel wheel hub carriers arranged on either side of a leanable longitudinal frame member;

a linkage connecting said wheel hub carriers to said frame member so that said wheel hub carriers lean in unison with said frame member, said linkage comprising a pair of upper and lower suspension beams pivotally coupled at their ends to said respective wheel hub carriers and in the vicinity of a mid point thereof to said frame member; and

an elbow member pivotally connected to said frame member at a mid-point thereof and coupled at respective end portions thereof to said wheel hub carriers by universal joints such that as said frame member adopts a lean attitude, said elbow member pulls said wheel hub carriers around a steering axis and thereby steers said wheel hub carriers through a steering angle dependent on the angle of induced lean.

32. A lean-induced steerable wheel assembly as claimed in claim 31, wherein said universal joints are ball joints.

33. A lean-induced steerable wheel assembly as claimed in claim 31, wherein at least one of said suspension members is coupled to said frame member by a torsion bar that acts to restore said frame member to the non-lean position.