US 2016/0107685 A1 · Steering Knuckle for a Vehicle

Abstract

A steering knuckle to be used with the steering assembly of a vehicle such as a farming tractor is disclosed. The steering knuckle comprises preconfigured attachment areas where attachment element(s) or bracket(s) can be releasably yet rigidly secured. The attachment areas may be further reinforced with additional knuckle material (e.g. metal, metallic alloy). The steering knuckle therefore provides predetermined and preconfigured attachment location(s) where a wheel-replacing track system can be secured, thereby allowing the track system to be mounted to the vehicle while avoiding attachment at inconvenient or weak locations.

Claims21

Dependent claims

1) A steering knuckle for use with a steering assembly of a vehicle equipped with a track system, the knuckle comprising:

a) a main portion having an inner side configured to be coupled to a steering assembly to communicate a steering constraint around a vertical axis to a track system attached thereto and an opening configured to receive a power driving mechanism;
b) an attachment portion, located underneath and integrated to the main portion, the attachment portion having at least one attachment area configured to mate with an attachment element, the attachment element is configured to pivotally secure the track system to the attachment areas with fasteners.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

14/922,610Filed 26 Oct 2015

Priority

23 Dec 2011

Published

21 Apr 2016

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

B62D 7/18
Steering linkage; Stub axles or their mountings: steering knuckles; King pins
B62D 11/20
Steering non-deflectable wheels; Steering endless tracks or the like: endless-track steering having pivoted bogie carrying track
B62D 55/04
Endless track vehicles: with tracks and alternative ground wheels, e.g. changeable from endless track vehicle into wheeled vehicle and vice versa
B62D 55/065
With tracks without ground wheels: multi-track vehicles, i.e. more than two tracks

Family

Application61/579,701Us provisional application · filed 23 Dec 2011

Application13/724,111Continuation in part · filed 21 Dec 2012

Application14/668,801Continuation in part · filed 25 Mar 2015

Application14/922,610Continuation in part

US 2013/0161918 A1Published application

US 2015/0197279 A1Published application

US 9,010,781 B2Related patent

US 9,193,383 B2Related patent

US 9,505,432 B2Related patent

US 2016/0107685 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Steering Knuckle for a Vehicle

Life of this patent

Steering Knuckle for a Vehicle

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21