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US 6,554,087 B2Granted
Steering assembly for children's ride on vehicles
AssigneeMattel, Inc.
InventorsKurt J. Huntsberger, Daniel J. Damon, Steven Robert Drosendahl
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A steering assembly for a children's ride-on vehicle having a pair of wheels. The assembly includes a pair of pivotal control arms that are coupled to the pair of wheels. The pair of pivotal control arms is also coupled to a pair of moveable handles that operate in tandem and move reciprocally to steer the pair of wheels.
Claims23
A children's ride-on vehicle, comprising:
- a vehicle body shaped to resemble a skid steer loader having a passenger region sized to receive a child and including a seat adapted to accommodate a child;
- a plurality of wheels rotatably coupled to the body, wherein the plurality of wheels includes two rear wheels;
- a bucket assembly attached to the vehicle body;
- a simulated roll cage extending from the vehicle body to define at least a portion of the passenger region;
- a motor assembly configured to drive the two rear wheels;
- a battery assembly configured to provide power to the motor assembly;
- and
- a steering assembly configured to effect turning of the vehicle by steering the two rear wheels, the steering assembly comprising:
- a pair of pivotal control arms, each control arm attached to a respective one of the rear wheels, wherein each one of the rear wheels is turned when the associated control arm is pivoted;
- a coupler operatively attached to the pair of control arms, the coupler configured to link the control arms to pivot cooperatively;
- and
- a pair of moveable handles adapted to be grasped by a child sitting on the seat of the vehicle, each handle attached to a respective one of the control arms, wherein the handles operate in tandem and move reciprocally to steer the rear wheels.
9 more elements
A children's ride-on vehicle, comprising:
- a vehicle body having a seat adapted to accommodate a child;
- a plurality of wheels rotatably coupled to the body, wherein the plurality of wheels includes a first rear wheel and a second rear wheel;
- a motor assembly configured to drive at least one of the first rear wheel and the second rear wheel;
- a battery assembly configured to provide power to the motor assembly;
- and
- a steering assembly configured to effect turning of the vehicle by steering the first and second rear wheels, the steering assembly comprising:
- a displaceable first handle operatively coupled to the first rear wheel, where when the first handle is displaced the first rear wheel is turned about a generally vertical axis;
- a displaceable second handle operatively coupled to the second rear wheel, where when the second handle is displaced the second rear wheel is turned about a generally vertical axis;
- and
- a coupler adapted to link turning of the first rear wheel and the second rear wheel, wherein movement of the first handle in a first direction is accompanied by a reciprocal motion of the second handle in a second direction which is opposite and parallel to the first direction and wherein the first rear wheel and the second rear wheel turn cooperatively to steer the vehicle responsive to movement of the handles.
7 more elements
A children's ride-on vehicle, comprising:
- a vehicle body having a seat adapted to accommodate a child;
- a plurality of wheels rotatably coupled to the body, including a pair of rear wheels;
- a motor assembly configured to drive at least one of the rear wheels;
- a battery assembly configured to provide power to the motor assembly;
- and
- a steering assembly configured to turn the vehicle by steering the pair of rear wheels, the steering assembly comprising:
- at least two pivotal control arms, each control arm pivotal about a generally vertical axis, wherein each control arm is coupled to a respective wheel and wherein the control arms are coupled to each other such that the pair of wheels turn in tandem when the control arms are pivoted;
- and
- a steering control assembly adapted to be grasped by a child sitting on the seat of the vehicle body, wherein the steering control assembly is coupled to the control arms and configured to pivot the control arms.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.