Patent ID: 6196563
Filing Date: 2001-03-06
Classification: B60B,B60G,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
A steering axle comprising:a central beam region having a substantially I-shaped cross section, said I-shaped cross section being defined by a first flange spaced apart from a second flange with a web;a first support pad region disposed adjacent to said central beam section;a second support pad region disposed adjacent to said central beam section on a side opposite to said first support pad region, each pad region defining a geometric plane having a geometric normal, each geometric normal pointing away from said second flange and each support pad region having a first flange;means for substantially reducing moments of said axle, for substantially increasing clearance between said axle and a ground surface, and for increasing strength of said axle, said means for reducing moments, increasing ground clearance, and strength including:a first curved region disposed adjacent to said first support pad region, said first curved region including a substantially cylindrical bore disposed at an end thereof;a second curved region disposed adjacent to said second support pad region, said second curved region including a substantially cylindrical bore disposed at an end thereof, a first flange of each curved region having a substantially concave shape relative to a respective geometric normal of a respective geometric plane, each cylindrical bore being spaced from a respective geometric plane in a direction opposite to a respective normal by a predetermined distance; and wherein each first flange of said first and second curved regions is horizontally positioned so that each first flange of said first and second curved regions lies at or below the first flange of the central beam region.