Steering and driving systems and related vehicles
AssigneeMTD Products Inc
InventorHans Hauser
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ZTR vehicle includes true or proper ZTR steering in the forward and reverse directions. The vehicle has independently driven locomotive drives that drive the wheels to provide mobility and steering to the vehicle. A steering wheel is included that pivots one of two steering input members that rotate to independently shift the drive units. A speed and direction pedal is also included, which is communicated to provide direction and magnitude input to the drive units. The steering input and speed and direction inputs coordinate propelling the vehicle such the vehicle turns in the same direction when traveling forward as well as in reverse.
Claims15
A vehicle capable of making a small radius turn, comprising:
- a frame;
- two drive wheels coupled to the frame;
- two drive units, one coupled to each drive wheel;
- a steering device coupled to the frame;
- a speed control member coupled to the frame;
- and
- a mechanical control assembly that actuates the two drive units based on a steering input received from the steering device and a speed input received from the speed control member;
- the vehicle being steerable in a single direction in both forward and reverse in response to a single steering input.
A vehicle capable of making a small radius turn, comprising:
- a frame;
- two drive wheels coupled to the frame;
- two drive units, one coupled to each drive wheel;
- a steering wheel coupled to the frame;
- a speed control member coupled to the frame;
- and
- a mechanical control assembly configured to:
- actuate the two drive units to drive and steer the vehicle based at least on a steering input received from the steering wheel and a speed input received from the speed control member;
- and
- steer the vehicle the same direction in forward and reverse in response to a single steering input.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.