US 4,353,568 A · Programmable steering control apparatus for motor vehicles

Abstract

Programmable motor vehicle steering control apparatus, which enables zero settings of front wheel caster, camber, toe-in and steering axis inclination, comprises left and right pairs of first and second, tangentially loaded helical spring elements and means for connecting the left pair of spring elements between a left front wheel steering arm and tie rod and the right pair of spring elements between a right front wheel steering arm and tie rod. Parallel connecting arms of each second spring element cross so that when either pair of spring elements in push or pull loaded during vehicle turns, the two spring elements in each pair act in opposite, spring coil opening or closing directions. The connecting means includes means for offsetting outboard ends of the spring elements in each pair and preloading means are provided for selectively preloading each of the spring elements. Together, the offsetting means and preloading means cooperate to enable non-symmetrical spring element loading and unloading in vehicle turns to provide, for example, greater spring restoring forces on outside wheels in a turn, according to required steering control and wheel return-to-center characteristics.

Claims20

Dependent claims

Programmable steering control apparatus, for motor vehicles having steering gear which includes a plurality of steering linkages interconnected between a steering wheel or the like and one or more steerable wheels, said apparatus comprising:

(a) spring means adapted for causing steering control and steerable wheel return-to-center biasing for a motor vehicle, said spring means comprising first and second spring elements;
(b) means for attaching said first spring element between an adjacent pair of the vehicle steering gear linkages and for attaching the second spring element between an adjacent pair of vehicle steering gear linkages, said attaching means including offsetting means enabling nonsymmetrical spring element deflection during opposite turns of the steerable wheels;
and
(c) means for preloading the spring elements to selected separate preload levels enabling, in any turn of the steerable wheels, one of the spring elements to partially unload from the preloaded level associated therewith and the other one of the spring elements to load more heavily from the preload level associated therewith.

1 more element

Programmable steering control apparatus for motor vehicles having left and right steerable wheels, left and right steering arms connected, respectively, to the left and right steerable wheels, left and right tie rods pivotally connected to ends of the first and second steering arms and wheel steering linkages connected to the tie rods, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a pair of first spring elements, each of said first spring elements having tangentially loaded, helical spring coils with attachment ends connected thereto, said first spring element attachment ends being configured to cause opening of said coils in response to said ends being pulled apart and closing of said coils in response to said ends being pushed together;
(b) a pair of second spring elements, such of said spring elements having tangentially loaded, helical spring coils with attachment ends connected thereto, said second spring element attachment ends being configured to cause closing of said coils in response to said ends being pulled apart and opening of the coils in response to said ends being pushed together;
(c) means for connecting one each of the first and second spring elemens, in mutual parallel relationship, between the left steering arm and left tie rod and the other one each of the first and second spring elements, in mutual parallel relationship, between the right steering arm and right tie rod, to cause, when the wheels are swiveled from one turn direction to the other turn directional change in loading of the spring elements between push and pull loading;
and
(d) means for selectively preloading said first and second spring elements after said spring elements are connected between the steering arm and the tie rods for enabling, when one of the spring elements connected between one of the steering arms and tie rods is unloaded from the selected preload thereof by swiveling of the wheels, the spring element connected in parallel therewith is loaded more heavily from the selected preload thereof.

2 more elements

(a) spring means adapted for causing steering control and steerable wheel return-to-center movement with zero wheel settings of caster, camber, toe-in and steering axis inclination,
said spring means including two first, compression spring elements and two second, tension spring elements;
(b) means for connecting a first pair of the first and second spring elements, in parallel, between the left steering arm and tie rod and for connecting a second pair of the first and second spring elements, in parallel, between the right steering arm and tie rod,
said connecting means including offsetting means for offsetting, in a side-to-side direction, corresponding outboard ends of the first pair of spring elements and for similarly offsetting corresponding outboard ends of the second pair of spring elements;
and
(c) preloading means associated with inboard ends of the spring elements for enabling separate preloading of individual ones of the spring elements to preselected preload levels.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Programmable steering control apparatus for motor vehicles

Life of this patent

Programmable steering control apparatus for motor vehicles

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20