Vehicle steering assembly

A steering control assembly for controlling movement of a vehicle having left and right traction elements, the steering control assembly comprising:

• a steering handle comprising an upright shaft and a cross-member fixed to a top of the upright shaft, wherein the cross-member is configured for manual grasping by an operator of the vehicle;
• a steering controller actuated by the steering handle and configured to control movement of the vehicle based on the positioning of the steering handle by the operator;
• a flexible protective cover attached to the shaft and configured to prevent dust and debris from entering the steering controller;
• and
• an attachment ring for attaching the flexible protective cover to the shaft,
• wherein the attachment ring comprises an inner portion and an outer portion,
• wherein the shaft defines a circumferential recess receiving the inner portion of the attachment ring,
• wherein the flexible protective cover defines an interior recess receiving the outer portion of the attachment ring,
• wherein the attachment ring acts as a bushing between the shaft and the flexible protective cover so that the shaft can be rotated without causing corresponding rotation of the flexible protective cover,
• wherein the steering handle is biased toward a neutral position so that the steering handle automatically returns to the neutral position when not acted upon by the operator of the vehicle, wherein the steering control assembly is configured such that (i) tilting the steering handle forward from the neutral position toward a forward position causes forward rotation of both the left and right traction elements, (ii) tilting the steering handle rearward from the neutral position toward a rearward position causes rearward rotation of both the left and right traction elements, (iii) twisting of the steering handle clockwise from the neutral position toward a clockwise twisted position causes forward rotation of the left traction element and rearward rotation of the right traction element, and (iv) twisting of the steering handle counterclockwise from the neutral position toward a counterclockwise twisted position causes forward rotation of the right traction element and rearward rotation of the left traction element.

A vehicle steering assembly for controlling movement of a vehicle having independently rotatable left and right ground-engaging traction elements, the vehicle comprising a control panel within reach of an operator of the vehicle, the control panel comprising a panel support structure for supporting one or more control or display mechanisms of the vehicle, the steering assembly comprising:

• a T-shaped steering handle extending above the panel support structure, wherein the steering handle comprises an upright shaft and a laterally extending crossmember rigidly coupled to the upright shaft;
• a steering controller positioned at least partly below the panel support structure, wherein the upright shaft comprises a base that actuates the steering controller;
• a flexible protective cover extending around and attached to the shaft, wherein the flexible protective cover is configured to prevent dust and debris from entering the controller at the base of the shaft,
• wherein the steering handle is shiftable relative to the panel support structure in forward and rearward directions to thereby cause corresponding forward and rearward rotation of both of the left and right traction elements,
• wherein the steering handle is rotatable relative to the panel support structure in clockwise and counterclockwise directions to thereby cause a change in the relative speeds and directions of rotation of the left and right traction elements, and
• an attachment ring for attaching the flexible protective cover to the shaft, wherein the attachment ring comprises at least one of a polyamide and a fluoropolymer.

A vehicle steering assembly for controlling movement of a vehicle having independently rotatable left and right ground-engaging traction elements, the vehicle comprising a control panel within reach of an operator of the vehicle, the control panel comprising a panel support structure for supporting one or more control or display mechanisms of the vehicle, the steering assembly comprising:

• a T-shaped steering handle extending above the panel support structure, wherein the steering handle comprises an upright shaft and a laterally extending crossmember rigidly coupled to the upright shaft;
• a steering controller positioned at least partly below the panel support structure, wherein the upright shaft comprises a base that actuates the steering controller;
• a flexible protective cover extending around and attached to the shaft, wherein the flexible protective cover is configured to prevent dust and debris from entering the controller at the base of the shaft,
• wherein the steering handle is shiftable relative to the panel support structure in forward and rearward directions to thereby cause corresponding forward and rearward rotation of both of the left and right traction elements,
• wherein the steering handle is rotatable relative to the panel support structure in clockwise and counterclockwise directions to thereby cause a change in the relative speeds and directions of rotation of the left and right traction elements, and
• an attachment ring for attaching the flexible protective cover to the shaft,
• wherein the shaft includes a circumferential recess for attaching the flexible protective cover to the shaft, wherein the attachment ring includes an inner portion received in the circumferential recess and an outer portion engaging the flexible protective cover,
• wherein the flexible protective cover includes an upper internal recess, wherein the outer portion of the attachment ring is received in the upper internal recess of the flexible protective cover.