Front wheel steering device for motor vehicles
AssigneeHonda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsKenji Honma, Tsutomu Sakuma
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A front wheel supporting member comprises a steering handle, a member supporting a single front wheel, an arm which supports the front wheel supporting member on a motor vehicle body, and a link assembly by which the steering handle and the front wheel supporting member are angularly movable coupled to each other. The link assembly includes a first universal joint operatively coupled to the steering handle and a second universal joint operatively coupled to the front wheel supporting member. The second universal joint has a center on the axis of angular movement of the front wheel supporting member.
Claims10
A front wheel steering device for a motor vehicle, comprising:
- a motor vehicle body;
- a steering handle angularly movably mounted on said motor vehicle body;
- a front wheel supporting member;
- a single front wheel rotatably supported by said front wheel supporting member;
- an arm means extending forwardly from said motor vehicle body and supporting said front wheel supporting members on said motor vehicle body;
- and
- a link assembly by which said steering handle and said front wheel supporting member are angularly movably interconnected, said link assembly including a first joint operatively coupled to said steering handle and a second joint operatively coupled to said front wheel supporting member;
- said front wheel supporting member having an axis about which it is angularly movable, an extension of said axis extending through a center of said second joint;
- said link assembly comprises an upper link having one end coupled by said first joint to said steering handle and a lower link having one end coupled by said second joint to said front wheel supporting member;
- said upper and lower links having opposite ends which are pivotally coupled to each other by means of a single shaft;
- and
- said front wheel supporting member comprising a knuckle having a lower end portion supporting an axle of the front wheel in a cantilevered fashion, an extension extending upwardly from the lower end portion, and an upper end portion directed transversely over the front wheel.
A motor vehicle and a front wheel steering device for the motor vehicle, comprising:
- a motor vehicle body;
- a steering handle angularly movably mounted on said motor vehicle body;
- a front wheel supporting member;
- a single front wheel rotatably supported by said front wheel supporting member;
- an arm means extending forwardly from said motor vehicle body and supporting said front wheel supporting member on said motor vehicle body;
- and
- a link assembly by which said steering handle and said front wheel supporting member are angularly movably interconnected, said link assembly including a first joint operatively coupled to said steering handle and a second joint operatively coupled to said front wheel supporting member;
- said front wheel supporting member having an axis about which it is angularly movable, an extension of said axis extending through a center of said second joint;
- said link assembly comprises an upper link having one end coupled by said first joint to said steering handle and a lower link having one end coupled by said second joint to said front wheel supporting member;
- said upper and lower links having opposite ends which are pivotally coupled to each other by means of a single shaft;
- and
- said front wheel supporting member comprising an knuckle having a lower end portion supporting an axle of the front wheel in a cantilevered fashion, an extension extending upwardly from the lower end portion, and an upper end portion directed transversely over the front wheel;
- said link assembly having at least one window to allow air to flow therethrough while the motor vehicle is travelling.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.