Patent ID: 8911332
Filing Date: 2014-12-16
Classification: A63B,A63C,B62K,B62M

Abstract:
1. A steering mechanism capable of altering the toe angle in conjunction with camber angle of a wheel, the mechanism comprising a dextral wheel assembly, a sinistral wheel assembly, and an upright member configured to lean relative to the wheel assemblies, the dextral wheel assembly comprising: (a) a dextral wheel; (b) a dextral steering knuckle fastened to the wheel comprising a dextral steering arm; (c) a dextral kingpin positioned such that the dextral steering knuckle is free to swivel about the swivel axis of the dextral kingpin; (d) a dextral kingpin bracket bracketing the dextral kingpin; (e) a dextral steering linkage having an inboard end and an outboard end, the outboard end fastened to the dextral steering arm in a configuration to control the degree of swivel of the dextral steering knuckle about the swivel axis of the dextral kingpin, the inboard end fastened to the upright member at a first dextral attachment point; (f) a dextral support member supportingly fastened to the kingpin bracket; wherein the dextral wheel has an axis of rotation, a toe angle, and a caster angle; wherein the dextral kingpin has a caster angle and a KPI; the sinistral wheel assembly comprising: (g) a sinistral wheel; (h) a sinistral steering knuckle fastened to the wheel comprising a sinistral steering arm; (i) a sinistral kingpin positioned such that the sinistral steering knuckle is free to swivel about the swivel axis of the sinistral kingpin; (j) a sinistral kingpin bracket bracketing the sinistral kingpin; (k) a sinistral steering linkage having an inboard end and an outboard end, the outboard end fastened to the sinistral steering arm in a configuration to control the degree of swivel of the sinistral steering knuckle about the swivel axis of the sinistral kingpin, the inboard end fastened to the upright member at a first sinistral attachment point; (l) a sinistral support member supportingly fastened to the kingpin bracket; wherein the sinistral wheel has an axis of rotation, a toe angle, and a camber angle; wherein the sinistral kingpin has a caster angle and a KPI, and configured such that the caster angle of the dextral kingpin may be adjusted by rotating the dextral kingpin bracket, and the caster angle of the sinistral kingpin may be adjusted by rotating the sinistral kingpin bracket.