VEHICLE STEERING HEAD

• US 20090108558A1
• Filed: 01/06/2009
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kettler International Incorporated (HEINZ KETTLER GMBH & CO. KG)
• Original Assignee: HEINZ KETTLER GMBH & CO. KG
• Inventors: Kettler, Joachim, Rocholl, Reinhard, KETTLER, Heinz
• Granted Patent: US 8,201,840 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/279
• CPC Class Codes: B62H 5/06 acting on the front wheel fork or steering head tube
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 15/04 Mud flaps
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 21/00 Steering devices steering devices specially adapted for one particular kind of cycle specified in groups B62K1/00 - B62K17/00, see the relevant group
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 21/02 Front wheel forks or equivalent, e.g. single tine
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 21/10 Mechanisms for restoring steering device to straight-ahead position
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 21/18 Connections between forks and handlebars or handlebar stems
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 9/00 Children's cycles toy vehicles A63H17/00

Abstract

A system for limiting a range of motion of a handlebar including a support tube adapted to be fixed to a frame, a member adapted to connect a wheel fork to the handlebar, an upper bearing support mounted to an upper end of the support tube, a plastic lower bearing support mounted to a lower end of the support tube, the member being rotatably mounted to the support tube via the upper and lower bearing supports, and a movement limiting system limiting a range of rotational movement of the member and utilizing stop surfaces arranged on the lower bearing support.

Claims

1. A system for limiting a range of motion of a handlebar, comprising:

a support tube adapted to be fixed to a frame;

a member adapted to connect a wheel fork to the handlebar;

an upper bearing support mounted to an upper end of the support tube;

a plastic lower bearing support mounted to a lower end of the support tube;

the member being rotatably mounted to the support tube via the upper and lower bearing supports;

a movement limiting system limiting a range of rotational movement of the member and utilizing stop surfaces arranged on the lower bearing support.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a mudguard rotating with the member.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the member is cylindrically shaped.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is arranged on a children'"'"'s tricycle, the handlebar is connected to one end of the member, and a wheel fork is connected to another end of the member.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising a mudguard arranged between the wheel fork and the lower bearing support.

6. A steering head for a tricycle, comprising:

a hollow support tube fixed to a frame;

a member adapted to connect a wheel fork to a handlebar;

the member being rotatably mounted to the hollow support tube via upper and lower bearing supports and having a limited range of rotational motion in each of two directions; and

the lower bearing support comprising stop surfaces adapted to provide the limited range of rotational motion.

7. The steering head of claim 6, wherein the stop surfaces are disposed within the hollow support tube.

8. The steering head of claim 7, wherein the lower bearing support is non-rotatably mounted to a lower end of the hollow support tube.

9. The steering head of claim 6, wherein the member is cylindrically shaped.

10. The steering head of claim 6, further comprising a handlebar connected to one end of the member and a wheel fork connected to another end of the member.

11. A steering head, comprising:

a hollow support tube;

a member connecting a wheel fork to a handlebar;

the member being rotatably mounted to the hollow support tube via plastic upper and lower bearing supports; and

a plastic projection contacting one stop surface to limit rotational movement of the member in one direction and contacting another stop surface to limit rotational movement of the member in another direction

12. The steering head of claim 11, wherein the steering head is arranged on a children'"'"'s tricycle.

13. The steering head of claim 11, wherein said stop surfaces are arranged on the lower bearing support.

14. The steering head of claim 11, wherein the member is cylindrically shaped.

15. A method of limiting a range of steering motion for a vehicle comprising a support tube fixed to a frame, a member adapted to connect a wheel fork to a handlebar, an upper bearing support mounted to an upper end of the support tube, and a lower bearing support mounted to a lower end of the support tube, the method comprising;

mounting the member to the support tube via the upper and lower bearing supports; and

limiting a range of rotational movement of the member in each of two directions utilizing stop surfaces arranged on the lower bearing support,

wherein a portion of the stop surfaces extends into a lower end of the support tube.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising allowing a mudguard to rotate with the member.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the member is cylindrically shaped.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the limiting utilizes a plastic projection which contacts each of the stop surfaces.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the vehicle comprises a children'"'"'s tricycle.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the lower bearing support comprises a plastic lower bearing support.