Patent ID: 6199649
Filing Date: 2001-03-13
Classification: B62B,B62M

Abstract:
A snowmobile ski suspension and steering mechanism comprising a left and a right steerable ski adapted for a snowmobile, each ski being pivotally attached on a horizontal axis transverse to its length to the lower end of a generally upright ski leg, said ski leg being rigidly mounted about its longitudinal axis in a respective bearing support, and suspension linkage means connecting said bearing support and comprising:a bearing, generally vertical in axis, supporting a rotatable suspension mounting adapted to a snowmobile and,a suspension steering control arm having an inboard end and an outboard end, said inboard end being rigidly attached to said rotatable suspension mounting and said outboard end having attached to it an articulating moveable steering control rod, said articulating moveable steering control rod being either a left moveable steering control rod or a right moveable steering control rod, such that moving said moveable steering control rod linearly on its longitudinal axis rotates said suspension control arm and said rotatable suspension mounting on its axis about said generally vertical support bearing adapted to a snowmobile; andan upper and a lower parallel suspension arm, vertically spaced, each having an outboard end articulated to said ski leg bearing support and an inboard end articulated to said rotatable suspension mounting adapted to a snowmobile and defining a parallelogram linkage for guiding said ski leg bearing support to move generally vertically with respect to the terrain; andyieldable suspension spring and damper means operatively associated with each ski to urge it downwardly to support said rotatable suspension mounting, adapted to a snowmobile, thereon and dampen vertical movement thereof, said suspension spring and damper means having one end attached to said rotatable suspension mounting adapted to a snowmobile and the opposite end connected to said bearing support of said generally upright ski leg; anda steering assembly for rotating said rotatable suspension mounting adapted to a snowmobile, said steering assembly comprising; said left moveable steering control rod and said right moveable steering control rod connected on each respective outboard end to said left and right rotatable suspension steering control arms and each respective inboard end connected to a steering control arm, said steering control arm having pivotal connections to said left and right moveable steering control rods on its outboard end and being fixed to a rotatable steering column on its inboard end such that rotation of said steering column about its longitudinal axis causes said steering control arm to rotate about said longitudinal axis thereby moving both left and right moveable steering control rods generally horizontally either to the left or right and pivoting said rotatable suspension mountings, said suspension arms, said ski leg bearing supports, said ski legs and said skis.