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US 12,594,990 B1Granted
Commercial electric vehicle steering
AssigneeHarbinger Motors Inc.
InventorsAlexi Charbonneau, Soungjin Jason Wou, Kunal Gupta
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Described herein is a steering system for an electric commercial electric vehicle. The commercial electric vehicle steering system utilizes a recirculating ball steering system with a fixed height idler that allows for control of a track rod to mimic the geometry of a rack and pinion steering system. The fixed height idler includes a ball joint for distance control and a bushing to prevent rotation of the ball joint.
Claims20
A commercial electric vehicle steering system comprising:
- a recirculating ball steering unit, configured to be coupled to a commercial electric vehicle frame and comprising a rotatable output shaft configured to rotate around an output axis;
- a first tie rod;
- a second tie rod;
- a track rod, comprising:
- a first end coupled to the first tie rod;
- a second end coupled to the second tie rod;
- a pitman attachment, disposed between the first end and the second end;
- and
- an idler attachment, disposed between the first end and the second end;
- a pitman arm, coupled to the rotatable output shaft and the pitman attachment;
- an idler arm, coupled to the idler attachment;
- and
- a steering idler, comprising:
- a steering idler ball joint comprising:
- an idler ball stud, configured to couple to the commercial electric vehicle frame and comprising a steering idler ball;
- and
- a stud shaft, the stud shaft coupled to the idler arm and configured to rotate around a stud axis, the stud axis disposed substantially laterally in line with the output axis;
- a substantially cylindrical sidewall, enclosing at least a portion of the stud shaft;
- and
- a bushing, coupled to the stud shaft and the substantially cylindrical sidewall, containing an outside diameter of the stud shaft, and configured to prevent angular rotation of the idler ball stud.
17 more elements
A commercial electric vehicle comprising:
- a commercial electric vehicle frame;
- a first suspension, comprising:
- a first tie rod;
- a second tie rod;
- and
- a commercial electric vehicle steering system, comprising:
- a recirculating ball steering unit, coupled to the commercial electric vehicle frame and comprising a rotatable output shaft configured to rotate around an output axis;
- a track rod, comprising:
- a first end coupled to the first tie rod;
- a second end coupled to the second tie rod;
- a pitman attachment, disposed between the first end and the second end;
- and
- an idler attachment, disposed between the first end and the second end;
- a pitman arm, coupled to the rotatable output shaft and the pitman attachment;
- an idler arm, coupled to the idler attachment;
- and
- a steering idler, comprising:
- a steering idler ball joint comprising:
- an idler ball stud, coupled to the commercial electric vehicle frame and comprising a steering idler ball;
- and
- a stud shaft, the stud shaft coupled to the idler arm and configured to rotate around a stud axis, the stud axis disposed substantially laterally in line with the output axis;
- a substantially cylindrical sidewall, enclosing at least a portion of the stud shaft;
- and
- a bushing, coupled to the stud shaft and the substantially cylindrical sidewall, containing an outside diameter of the stud shaft, and configured to prevent angular rotation of the idler ball stud.
21 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.