Vehicle with steering-controlled torsion bar stabilizer
AssigneeYamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsGregory J. Marier, Wayne L. Warnke, Tetsuo Imai
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An anti-sway system for a steerable vehicle of the type employing a torsion bar suspension system. Operatively coupled to the torsion bar for each of the vehicle's steerable wheels or skis is a mechanism for increasing the effective spring rate of the suspension upon cornering over that prevailing when steering a straight line course.
Claims7
An anti-sway apparatus for a recreational vehicle having a frame, first and second steerable members coupled to the frame respectively through independent first and second suspension devices having respective first and second support springs with respective first and second spring constants, each of said support springs alternatively compressible and extensible to allow reciprocating motion of its associated steerable member toward and away from said frame, and a steering means movable relative to the frame for simultaneously controlling said steerable members, comprising:
- first and second auxiliary spring means, having respective third and fourth spring constants, disposed between said first and second steerable members;
- a first actuatable means coupled to said first auxiliary spring means for selectively forming a coupling of the first auxiliary spring means between said frame and said first steerable member to provide a combined spring force based on the combination of said first and third spring constants in response to first steerable member displacement relative to said frame, and a second actuatable means coupled to said second auxiliary spring means for selectively forming a coupling of said auxiliary spring means between said frame and said second steerable member to provide a combined spring force based on the combination of said second and fourth spring constants in response to second steerable member displacement relative to said frame;
- and
- a control means operatively coupled to said steering means and to said first and second actuatable means for selectively actuating only said first actuatable means responsive to movement of said steering means to a first position relative to the frame, and for selectively actuating only said second actuatable means responsive to movement of said steering means to a second position relative to the frame, said control means actuating neither of said actuatable means when said steering means is intermediate said first and second positions;
- wherein each of said first and second actuatable means when actuated couples its associated auxiliary spring means between said frame and associated steerable member when its associated support spring is being compressed;
- wherein each said actuatable means, during the extension of its associated support spring and while it is actuated, releases its associated auxiliary spring means to prevent the associated auxiliary spring means from resisting movement of its associated steerable member away from said frame during the extension of the associated support spring.
An anti-sway apparatus for a recreational vehicle having a frame, first and second steerable members coupled to the frame respectively through independent first and second suspension devices having respective first and second support springs with respective first and second spring constants, each of said support springs alternatively compressible and extensible to allow reciprocating motion of its associated steerable member toward and away from said frame, and a steering means movable relative to the frame for simultaneously controlling said steerable members, comprising:
- first and second elongated torsion bars, having respective third and fourth spring constants, operatively and individually coupled at first ends thereof respectively to said first and second steerable members, each to receive a torque upon compressive reciprocating movement of its associated suspension device;
- first and second unidirectionally actuatable means coupled to the respective second ends of said first and second torsion bars for selectively coupling each of said second ends of said torsion bars to said frame when its associated one of said support springs is being compressed, thereby coupling its associated one of said torsion bars between said frame and said associated steerable member to provide a combined spring force based on the combination of said spring constants of said associated support spring and torsion bar in response to displacement of its associated steering member toward said frame;
- each of said first and second unidirectionally actuatable means, during the extension of its associated support spring and while actuated, releasing its associated auxiliary spring means to prevent the associated auxiliary spring means from resisting movement of the associated steerable member away from the frame;
- and
- control means operatively coupled to said steering means and to said first and second actuatable means for selectively actuating said first actuatable means responsive to movement of said steering means to a first position relative to said frame, for selectively actuating said second actuatable means responsive to movement of said steering means to a second position relative to said frame, and for actuating neither actuatable means when said steering means is intermediate said first and second positions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.