MULTIPLE-POSITION STEERING CONTROL DEVICE

• US 20090012677A1
• Filed: 07/06/2007
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyster-Yale Group Inc.
• Original Assignee: NMHG Oregon, LLC
• Inventors: PASSERI, GIANNI, MARIANI, MARCO, BETTI, MARCO
• Granted Patent: US 8,235,161 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/41
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/06 Hand moving equipment, e.g. handle bars for cycles B62K11/14, B62K21/12
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/063 for low-lift hand trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 51/002 comprising safety arrangements safety devices for vehicle propulsion unit control B60K28/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 51/02 the driver standing in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 51/04 the driver walking
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/07568 Steering arrangements

Abstract

A steering system includes a steered tire and a steering control device that controls the steered tire from a first operating position. The steering system further includes a steering control mount that supports the steering control device and is configured to allow the steering control device to rotate to a second operating position opposite the first operating position. An interlock is operable to disable the steering control device as it rotates between the first and second operating positions.

A method includes detecting a position of a steering control that is configured to provide a steering function of a vehicle in either of a first operating position or a second operating position, where the first operating position is oriented opposite that of the second operating position. The method further includes receiving an interlock signal and enabling the steering function and a traction function when the interlock signal indicates that the position of the steering control is in the first or second operator position. The steering function is disabled when the interlock signal indicates that the position of the steering control is not an operating position.

Claims

1. A steering apparatus for controlling a motorized vehicle, comprising:

a mounting structure attached to the vehicle; and

a tiller arm pivotably connected to the mounting structure so as to provide a full range of steering control from a first operator position on one side of the mounting structure, and where the tiller arm is configured to be rotated to an opposite side of the mounting structure and provide the full range of steering control from a second operator position located on the vehicle.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 including an interlock mechanism that enables an operation of the tiller arm in either the first or second operator position and disables the operation when the tiller arm is rotated between the first and second operator positions.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 where the tiller arm is configured to provide a neutral steering position of a steered tire of the vehicle when the tiller arm is located on either side of the mounting structure.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 where the first operator position is associated with an operator walking behind or in front of the vehicle.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 where the second operator position is associated with the operator riding on the vehicle.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 where the first and second operator positions are substantially aligned along a longitudinal centerline of the vehicle.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 where the first operator position is at an end of the vehicle and is associated with a forward direction of travel facing the vehicle and the second operator position is associated with a forward direction of travel facing the first operator position.

8. A steering system comprising:

a steered tire;

a steering control device that controls the movement of the steered tire from a first operating position;

a steering control mount that supports the steering control device and is configured to allow the steering control device to rotate to a second operating position opposite the first operating position; and

an interlock operable to disable the steering control device as it is rotated between the first and second operating positions.

9. The system according to claim 8 where the steering control device is alternatively provided as both an onboard and off-board steering control device.

10. The system according to claim 9 where the steering control device is a tiller arm.

11. The system according to claim 9 where the steering control device is a multiple-position steering control device which includes a steering wheel.

12. The system according to claim 11 where a rotational steering sense of the steering wheel in the first operating position is reversed as compared with a rotational steering sense of the steering wheel in the second operating position.

13. The system according to claim 12 where rotating the steering wheel located in the second operating position in a clockwise direction results in the steered tire being turned clockwise about a vertical axis, whereas rotating the steering wheel located in the first operating position in the clockwise direction results in the steered tire being turned counterclockwise about the vertical axis.

14. The system according to claim 8 where the steered tire does not turn as the steering control device is rotated between the first and second operating positions.

15. The system according to claim 8 including a vehicle traction control system that is automatically disabled when the steering control device is at any intermediate location between the first and second operating positions.

16. The system according to claim 8 including vehicle brakes which are automatically applied when the steering control device is at any intermediate location between the first and second operating positions.

17. An industrial vehicle comprising:

an operator compartment;

a steering control device mounted for access from a first selectable operator position located outside of the operator compartment; and

a steering column supporting the steering control device, the steering control device configured to rotate about the steering column and provide steering control from the operator compartment in a second selectable operator position opposite the first selectable operator position.

18. The industrial vehicle according to claim 17 where an orientation of the second operator position is opposite that of the first operator position.

19. The industrial vehicle according to claim 17 including an operator platform associated with the first operator position.

20. The industrial vehicle according to claim 17 including an interlock that disables steering and traction operations of the industrial vehicle when the steering control device is at any intermediate location between the first and second operating positions.

21. The industrial vehicle according to claim 20 where the interlock enables automatic application of a vehicle braking function and disables operator control of the vehicle braking function when the steering control device is positioned in the intermediate location.

22. The industrial vehicle according to claim 20 where the interlock enables operator control of the braking function when the steering control device is positioned in the intermediate location.

23. The industrial vehicle according to claim 17 including a tiller arm that pivots down and away from the operator compartment in the first operator position and that pivots down and towards the operator compartment in the second operator position.

24. The industrial vehicle according to claim 23 where a pivot angle of the tiller arm that provides a braking function of the industrial vehicle varies according to a selection of the first or second operator position.

25. The industrial vehicle according to claim 24 where the pivot angle of the tiller arm located in the first operator position is greater than the pivot angle of the tiller arm located in the second operator position.

26. The industrial vehicle according to claim 17 where the steering control device is a steering wheel that is mounted on a multiple position steering control device and has an opposite rotational steering sense in the first operator position as compared with the second operator position.

27. The industrial vehicle according to claim 17 where a maximum travel speed of the industrial vehicle varies according to whether the steering control device is in the first or second operator position.

28. A method comprising:

detecting a position of a steering control that is configured to provide a steering function of a vehicle in either of a first operating position or a second operating position, where the first operating position is oriented opposite that of the second operating position;

receiving an interlock signal;

enabling the steering function when the interlock signal indicates that the position of the steering control is in the first or second operator position, and

disabling the steering function when the interlock signal indicates that the position of the steering control is not an operating position.

29. The method according to claim 28 further comprising:

turning a steered tire in a same rotational direction as a steering wheel when the position of the steering control is detected in the second operating position; and

turning the steered tire in an opposite rotational direction as the steering wheel when the position of the steering control is detected in the first operating position, where the steering control includes the steering wheel.

30. The method according to claim 28 including limiting the vehicle to a different maximum travel speed that varies according to the detected position of the steering control.

31. The method according to claim 28 further comprising:

detecting a pivot position of the steering control along a vertical plane; and

decelerating the vehicle when the pivot position exceeds a braking position, where the braking position of the steering control along the vertical plane varies according to the detected position of the steering control.

32. The method according to claim 28 further comprising:

enabling operator control of a traction function when the interlock signal indicates that the position of the steering control is in the first or second operator position; and

disabling the traction function when the interlock signal indicates that the position of the steering control is not in the first or second operator position.

33. The method according to claim 28 further comprising:

permitting operator control of a brake function when the interlock signal indicates that the position of the steering control is in the first or second operator position; and

applying the brake function automatically when the interlock signal indicates that the position of the steering control is not in the first or second operator position.