# US 11,299,200 B1 · Steering systems for vehicles > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,299,200 B1 - Document ID: US11299200B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 17/501,673 - Filed: 2021-10-14 - Granted: 2022-04-12 - Earliest claimed: 2020-11-03 - Assignees: Ree Automotive Ltd - Applicants: Ree Automotive Ltd. - Inventors: Eran Starik; Eylon Avigur - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11299200B1 ## CPC - B60G 3/20: all arms being rigid - B62D 7/16: Arrangement of linkage connections (pivots per se F16C) - B60G 3/26: Means for maintaining substantially-constant wheel camber during suspension movement {; Means for controlling the variation of the wheel position during suspension movement (B60G3/202, B60G3/22, B60G7/003, B60G7/006 take precedence; means for adjusting camber, castor, or toe-in B62D17/00)} - B60G 7/02: Attaching arms to sprung part of vehicle {(B60G7/006 takes precedence)} - B60G 17/0162: {mainly during a motion involving steering operation, e.g. cornering, overtaking (B60G17/0164 takes precedence)} - B60G 2200/1442: including longitudinal rods - B60G 2200/182: with one longitudinal arm or rod and lateral rods - B60G 2200/44: steerable - B60G 2200/46: camber angle - B60G 2200/462: Toe-in/out - B60G 2200/464: Caster angle - B60G 2204/143: on the vehicle body or chassis - B60G 2204/148: on the unsprung part of the vehicle, e.g. wheel knuckle or rigid axle - B60G 2204/15: Mounting of subframes - B62D 5/0418: {Electric motor acting on road wheel carriers} - B62D 7/06: for individually-pivoted wheels, e.g. on king-pins - B62D 7/20: Links, e.g. track rods (means for adjusting camber, castor, or toe-in B62D17/00) - B60G: VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS (air-cushion vehicles B60V; {cycle suspensions B62K25/00}) - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) ## Abstract A steering system for a wheel of a vehicle includes a pivot member having multiple pivot-node locations. The pivot member is connectable at a first pivot-node location to a sub-frame of the wheel. A steering rod is actuatable to rotate the wheel about a steering axis and is mechanically coupled with the pivot member to be co-pivotable with the pivot member. A suspension-connector rod has a first end that is connected to the pivot member at a second pivot-node location, and has a second end that is connectable to a suspension arm linking the wheel of the vehicle to the sub-frame. When the steering system is installed in a vehicle, a lateral force acting upon the wheel is transmitted via the steering rod to the pivot member so as to rotate the pivot member, and the rotation is effective to transmit a substantially-vertical force vector to the sub-frame. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A steering system for a wheel of a vehicle, the steering system comprising: a. a pivot member having multiple pivot-node locations, the pivot member connectable at a first pivot-node location to a sub-frame of the wheel; b. a steering rod, actuatable to rotate the wheel about a steering axis, the steering rod mechanically coupled with the pivot member to be co-pivotable therewith; and c. a suspension-connector rod connected at a first end thereof to the pivot member at a second pivot-node location, the suspension-connector rod connectable at a second end thereof to a suspension arm linking the wheel of the vehicle to the sub-frame, wherein a lateral force acting upon the wheel is transmitted via the steering rod to the pivot member so as to rotate the pivot member, the rotation being effective to transmit a substantially-vertical force vector to the sub-frame, wherein at least one condition selected from the group consisting of a first condition, a second condition, a third condition, a fourth condition, a fifth condition, and a sixth condition is true, and wherein: I. according to the first condition, the lateral force is an inwardly-directed loan on the steering rod, and the substantially-vertical force vector is a downward force vector; II. according to the second condition, the lateral force is an outwardly-directed load on the steering rod, and the substantially-vertical force vector is an upward force vector; III. according to the third condition, when: (A) the steering system is installed in the vehicle, (B) the vehicle is in motion in a curve and (C) the wheel is a wheel facing inside the curve, the substantially-vertical force vector is a downward force vector; IV. according to the fourth condition, when: (A) the steering system is installed in the vehicle, (B) the vehicle is in motion in a curve and (C) the wheel is a wheel facing outside the curve, the substantially-vertical force vector is an upward force vector; V. according to the fifth condition, the rotation is additionally effective to transmit an at-least-partly vertical force vector to the suspension-connector rod, a vertical component of the at-least-partly vertical force vector being in a direction opposite to that of a vertical component of the substantially-vertical force vector; and VI. according to the sixth condition, the steering system comprises an actuator connected to the steering rod and configured to cause the steering rod to move inwardly and outwardly, and an actuator-coupling connecting the actuator and the pivot member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The steering system of claim 1, wherein at least the first condition is true. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The steering system of claim 1, wherein at least the second condition is true. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The steering system of claim 1, wherein at least the third condition is true. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The steering system of claim 1, wherein at least the fourth condition is true. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The steering system of claim 1, wherein at least the fifth condition is true. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The searing system of claim 6, wherein the at least-partly-vertical force vector and the substantially-vertical force vector combine to mitigate body roll of the vehicle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The steering system of claim 1, wherein at least the sixth condition is true. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The steering system of claim 8, wherein the actuator-coupling includes a bearing arrangement to allow the steering system to swivel relative to the pivot member such that a distal end of the steering rod can move to describe a generalized cone. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The steering system of claim 1, wherein the wheel of the vehicle is one of two opposing, independently-suspended wheels. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein at least the first and fifth conditions are true. ### Claim 12 A wheel assembly for an axle-less, independently-suspended wheel, the wheel assembly comprising: a. a sub-frame configured to be mounted to a reference frame of a vehicle; b. a wheel interface; and c. a steering system comprising: i. a pivot member having multiple pivot-node locations and connected at a first pivot-node location to the sub-frame; ii. a suspension-connector rod connected at a first and thereof to the pivot member at a second pivot-node location, and at a second end thereof to a suspension arm linking the wheel interface to the sub-frame, and iii. a steering assembly comprising (1) a steering rod connected distally to the wheel interface and proximally actuatable to rotate the wheel about a steering axis, and (2) a actuator for causing the steering rod to move inwardly and outwardly, the actuator mechanically coupled to the pivot member such that the steering assembly is co-pivotable with the pivot member about the first and second pivot-node locations, wherein the pivot member is arranged to transfer a lateral force from a roadway surface to multiple at-least-partly vertical force vectors that combine to mitigate body roll of the vehicle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The wheel assembly of claim 12, wherein the mechanical coupling of the actuator includes a bearing arrangement to allow the steering assembly to swivel relative to the pivot member such that a distal and of the steering rod can move to describe a generalized cone. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The wheel assembly of claim 12, additionally comprising a drivetrain assembly comprising a drivetrain motor mounted to the sub-frame, and a rotatable drivetrain shaft extending from the drivetrain motor towards the wheel interface to connect thereto. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) A vehicle comprising: a pair of opposing wheel assemblies according to claim 12, a corresponding pair of opposing wheels, and the reference frame. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The vehicle of claim 15, wherein for each one of the two wheel assemblies, a lateral force acting upon the wheel is transmitted via the steering rod to the pivot member so as to rotate the pivot member, the rotation being effective to transmit a substantially-vertical force vector to the reference frame. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The vehicle of claim 16, wherein, for the two opposing wheel assemblies, the respective substantially-vertical force vectors transmitted to the reference frame are in opposing directions. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the rotation is additionally effective to transmit an at-least-partly vertical force vector to the respective suspension-connector rod, a vertical component of the respective at-least-partly vertical force vector being in a direction opposite to that of a vertical component of the respective substantially-vertical force vector. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The vehicle of claim 18, wherein the respective at least-partly-vertical force vectors and the respective substantially-vertical force vectors combine to mitigate body roll of the vehicle. ### Claim 20 An axle-less vehicle comprising a passive anti-roll system, the passive anti-roll system comprising, for each wheel of a pair of opposing independently-suspended wheels: a pivot member arranged to transfer a lateral force from a roadway surface to multiple at-least-partly vertical force vectors that combine to mitigate body roll of the vehicle, and a steering assembly comprising (i) a steering rod connected distally to a wheel interface and proximally actuatable to rotate the wheel about a steering axis, and (ii) and actuator for causing the steering rod to move inwardly and outwardly, the actuator mechanically coupled to the pivot member such that the steering assembly is co-pivotable with the pivot member about first and second pivot-node locations of the pivot member.