STEERING SYSTEM FOR A ONE OR TWO TRACK VEHICLES

Abstract: Steering device for steering of one- two-track vehicule by the user's sideways displacement where the steering device comprises at least one steering element (2) for abutment towards a base (15), that the steering element is journalled in a supporting arm (7) which in angular position to the vertical has an upward extending top (1) with upper rounded end which abuts a correspondingly rounded bottom in a bore in the underside of the vehicule (14), that the one end of a mounting arm (4) is rotably connected to the upperside of the supporting arm (7) with a rotating bearing (9) the axes of which extend in an acute angle to the axes of the pin (1), that the mounting arm (4) is being designed in such a way that an axis through its other end the axes of the pin (1) and the rotating bearing (9) will in the neutral position of the steering device be on the same level and intersect in the abutment point of the driving element (2) against the base (15), that the other end of the mounting arm (4) is mounted rotably about the other axes of the other end and that elastic means (5) act against the other end ofthe mounting arms (4) and force the mounting arm towards a desired neutral position by moving the rotating bearing (9) away from the common level and thus turning the mounting arm (4) about the axes of the other end, return forces of the elastic mean towards the mounting arm can be adjusted to desired value.

Description: S teering system for a one or two track vehicles This invention relates to one or two track vehicles designed for steering by the lateral weight displacement of 5 the user. The invention relates to one or two track vehicles which in two places rest on a base with one or two drive ele¬ ments on each place, the drive elements being wheels, rolers , chains, mows etc. 10 The steering of some of the above-mentioned types of vehicles is already known where steering can be achieved by displacement of the user's weight. One example is a skate board where the forward and the rearward pair of wheels are journalled on angular shafts which by the user's weight dis- 15placement will tilt the pairs of wheels in relation to the neutral position with the shaft of the pairs of wheels perpen¬ dicular on the longitudinal direction of the skate board so that the pairs of wheels will be adjusted to follow a desired course. The bases for such designs is a desire to be released 0from an active steering of one or both of the pairs of wheels, for instance by means of a steering lever or a steering wheel. A limitation to widespread use of such vehicles has been the functionally safety and principle of the steering system and the costs involved. With most of the steering sys- 5terns of the above-mentioned type there are not available within all areas optimum conditions with regard to the course achieved by weight displacement, and likewise all possibilities for developing the vehicles of the above-mentioned type seem to have come forward failing the functional safety and optimum 0 steering system. As in other fields, new areas of application will be discovered when new principle solutions emerge. Particularly within the field of sporting goods strong demands are made on the course of stability of the vehicle and precise steering possibilities for the user. By developing 5 functional safety and optimum steering principle, the possi¬ bilities for training for winter sports also in the summer and the other way round, therefore be of great importance • for the users and could also further develop areas within * sports which today, owing to unsatisfactory equipment have not received the popularity that could be expected. An improved steering system will therefore make such areas of sports more attractive by more precise steering of the movements and sim¬ plification of the equipment itself. The reluctance among performers to use for instance skis on wheels as a training means for winter skiing is partly due to the relatively poor steering ability and relatively high safety risk among other things because of lacking possi- 0 bilities for braking. Further the drive elements are often not suitable for difficult terrain and also protests from environment groups have come forward because of maltreatment of the terrain. With the vehicle according to the invention, which 5 can be used in one or two track versions, there is a possibili¬ ty for steering which will meet the above objects and condit¬ ions by an easily influencial reaction of weight displacement and a simple and safe construction, thus at low manufacturing costs. The vehicle according to the invention satisfies these 0 objects and conditions as found in the stated features in the characterizing parts of the claims. Fig. 1 in the drawing shows a longitudinal section through a -steering device of a vehicle, Fig. 2 shows a practi¬ cal embodiment of the principle drawing of Fig. 1, Fig. 3A, 5 B, and C show a sectional view through the flexible journalling of the supporting arm in various positions, Fig. 4 shows a vehicle according to the invention i the form of a roller ski, Fig. 5 discloses a vehicle in the form of a roller bob. Fig. 6 shows schematically a skate board on mows. Fig. 7 shows 0 a skate board in Fig. 6 along A-A, Fig. 8 shows a vehicle according to the invention in the form of a snow scooter and Fig. 9 shows schematically a longitudinal section of a base for a roller skate. Fig. 1 discloses the principle of the invention sche- 5 matically. A drive element 2 which can have a form of a single wheel, two wheels arranged side by side on a shaft, one or two mows, skis etc., rests on a base and transfers, together with a further steering device or a fixed drive element, the • weight of the user to a base. A supporting arm 7 is connected to the drive element 2 and comprises a pin 1 arranged in an acute angle to the vertical of the drive element, journalled in the base of the vehicle in a hole provided for, which hole 5 corresponding with the preferably hemispherical end of the pin 1 width of which in the transversal direction coincides with the diameter of the pin 1, while the hole in the longitud¬ inal direction of the vehicle is tapered in order to permit rotating of the pin 1 in the hole. 0 In an acute angle to the axes of the pin 1 is arranged a" rotating bearing 9 on the upper surface of the arm 7 with a shaft journal 3. The rotating bearing is fixed the one end of a supporting arm 4 in such manner that the end of the sup¬ porting arm can be moved only about the shaft journal 3. The supporting arm 4 is designed with curves that the other end extends in such a way that the axes of the pin 1, the axes through the other end of the supporting arm 4 and the axes of the shaft journal 3 which extends between the other axes, will intersect in the point where the drive element 2 will abut the base 14. The other end of the supporting arm 4 is journalled pivotally about it's axes to the underside of the vehicle, preferably by means of elastic elements 5 which permit turning the supporting arm 4 to abut the axes of the other end, however pressing through it's elasticity the supporting arm to a neutral position if no side forces act on the vehicle. In this neutral position the axes of the pin 1, the axes of the shaft journal 3 and the shaft journal of the other end will be on the same level. Through tilting of the vehicle, for instance inwards in Fig. 1 at the same time an affect force on the vehicle from the rearward side the rotating bearing 9 will be tilted out of the Figure about the abutment point 10 against the base. Through this tilting the drive element will also be turned about the shaft through the pin and the other end of the supporting arm 4 will be moved slightly towards the right in the drawing since the mounting of the other end through a bolt 6 is connected to the vehicle and being carried through a slit in the other end, a supporting arm being mounted to • the bolt between the elastic elements 5. From the drawing it will appear that the drive element 2 will turn in proportion to the longitudinal axes of the vehicle, thus force the vehicle into a curved path. 5 Satisfactory steering is achieved with a vehicle where the drive element 2 is fixed and the other drive element r preferably the other end of the vehicle, is steerable by means of the above-mentioned mechanism. It is however possible to employ two steerable mechanisms arranged symmetrically on 10 the vehicle,, for instance where the device shown in Fig. 1 form the rearward mechanism and a corresponding, invertedly arranged device is mounted on a forward part of the vehicle (not shown). The vehicle's two drive elements will thereby follow the same course in curves, while the two tracks of 15 the drive elements will be somewhat different if one of them is fixed. Fig. 3 shows in detail an embodiment of the mounted of the other end of the supporting arm 4, where a bolt 6 is fixed to the underside of the vehicle and extends through 20the other end of the supporting arm and is fixed towards two elastic elements 5 by means of for instance a nut 11. From Fig. 3A and C it is clearly seen that the elastic elements 5 are compressed on one side if the other end of the supporting arm 4 is tilted in proportion to the tension bolt 6 thus trying 25 to bring the other end of the supporting arm back to the neu¬ tral position as shown in Fig. 3B. An extra contribution to a precise steering can be achieved by means of pin 8 in the extension of the other end of the supporting arm 4, the pin 8 being- carried in a groove 30 12 which allow movement of the guiding pin 8 in the axes of the other end and also upwards and downwards in the Figure. The movement of the guiding pin 8 in the transvers direction is however being restricted by the groove 12 and the guiding pin 8 may, in order to improve the abutment of the guiding 5 pin 8 against the side walls of the groove 12, be equipped with an abutment ring 13 of suitable material. Dependent on the user's weight and other parameter, the force is adjusted by means of which the elastic elements • 5 are acting downwards against the other end of the supporting arm 4, by means of the nut 11 on the tension bolt 6. In this manner the user may, depending of the conditions, adjust for the desired turning radius proportion to his own activation. 5 Fig. 4 shows schematically an elevation of a roller ski with a drive element and a rotating mechanism corresponding to Fig. 2. The user may here simply turn on the roller ski depending of the degree of tilting adjusted by the user and the force applied by the user in accordance with the speed. 0 For safety reasons the roller ski can be equipped with a brak¬ ing device for instance in connection with one or both ski sticks. Fig. 5 shows a vehicle in the form of a roller bob made according to the same principles as the roller ski in 5 Fig. 4, preferably equipped with roller as drive elements. Fig. 6 shows the vehicle according to the invention in an embodiment as a mono ski, with forward and rearward steering devices where the drive elements are short, wide skis or mows. The coordination of the various parts of this 0 invention will permit very low building hight for the mono ski and will nevertheless provide excellent steering capabilit¬ ies which will also add to the versatility. A particular embodiment of the invention is shown schematically in Fig. 8, namely a vehicle in the form of a snow scooter where the forward drive element constitutes a belt around two at the distance from each other arranged rol¬ lers, these rollers being driven by a motor mounted between the rollers. The bearing and steering of the snow scooter will be according to the principle shown in Fig. 1. For such a design of a snow scooter, this can be steered by means of weight displacement alone to one side or another side and the principle makes possible a simple construction which is also so light that it can be used in connection with for in¬ stance mountain rescue services. Further the construction has very few parts which will add to it's operation safety and will also reduce the noice level. The snow scooter can also through a modification be made water proof, thus making it able to float. By a special embodiment the snow scooter • can be equipped with wheels to be lowered in order to use the snow scooter in areas without snow. Fig. 9 shows schematically the invention used in con¬ nection with roller skates, the roller skates in principle 5 being constructed with one forward fixed drive element and one rearward steered drive element, while a preferred embodi¬ ment will comprise steered drive elements both at the front and the rear such as shown in the Figure. Through special embodiments of the invention the roller TOroller can be equipped with 2, 4 or 6 rollers all of which can be steered and where all rollers in curved courses at all times will have the same center for the turning radii, i.e. that the forward and the rearward axes of the drive ele¬ ments intersect in the center of the track. This in particular 15 makes the roller skates according to the invention very suit¬ able for figure skating since known roller skates of this type do not satisfy these features. Users may at any time select the number of rollers to adapt the number of rollers to the ground, weather condit- 0 ions and purpose in question. Fig. 1 disloses schematically the principle design of the vehicle steering according to the invention where the vehicle 14 is moved on the drive element 2 straight forward line when the vehicle 14 is arranged perpendicularly to the 5 driving surface 15. If the vertical axes of the vehicle 1 through activation of the user is moved away from the vertical plane, for instance towards the left as seen in the direction of movement, a reaction force upwards in the abutment point 10 from the left hand side of the drive element 2, turns the 0 drive element 2 towards right from it's center axes. Likewise the supporting arm 4 will be turned about the rotating bearing 9 towards right from the center line of the vehicle 14, since the supporting arm 4 will turn about an axis 16 extending through the other end of the supporting arm 4. Such a turn 5 is made possible by elastic elements 5, the bearing of the pin 1 and the displacement originated by the other end of the supporting arm 4, which is made possible by the slit-formed opening through which the tension bolt 6 is carried. Through the axial turning of the supporting arm 4 in axis of the other end of the supporting arm 4, the elastic members 5 are deformed. If the drive element 2 is lifted from the base, the elastic members 5 will provide for the drive element into immediate return to the neutral center position. Fig. 3 shows how the driving course can be adjusted by means of the elastic elements 5. Thus Fig. 3A shows the elastic mounting by a turn towards the left in the forward direction, correspondingly Fig. 3C shows turning towards the right while 3B shows the elastic member in neutral position and thus for a straight forward course. By asymmetrical design of the lower elastic element 5, it is possible to obtain a continous pre-adjustment of the course. Through the present autocinematic steering system there is achieved in correlation to each tilting position of the vehicle, a corresponding steering adjustment, other conditions being the same. Activation of the steering will also be achieved by the weight against the drive member, the friction against the ground, the speed, the centrifugal force and thus the cinematic energy.

Claims: P a t e n t C l a i m s 1. Steering device for steering of a one or two track vehicle by the user's sideward weight displacement, CHARACTER- 5 IZED BY a steering device comprising at least one drive ele¬ ment (2) for abutment towards a base (15), the drive element being mounted to a supporting arm (7) which in an angle to vertical has an upward extending top (1) with upper rounded end which abuts a corresponding rounded bottom in a bore 10 in the underside of the vehicle (14), the one end of the mounting arm (4) is rotably connected to the upper side of the supporting arm (7) by means of a rotating bearing (9) the axes of which extends in an acute angle to the axes of the pin (1), the mounting arm (4) being designed in such T5 a manner that an axis through it's other end, through the axes of the pin (1) and the axes of the rotating bearing (9) in the neutral position of the steering device, will be on the same plane and intersect in the abutment point of the drive element (2) against the base (15), the other 0 end of the mounting arm (4) being mounted pivotally about the axes of the other end, and the elastic means (5) will act against the other end of the mounting arm (4) and force the mounting arm towards a desired neutral position by move¬ ment of the rotating bearing (9) away from the common plane 5 and thus turning the mounting arm (4) about the axes of the other end, the returning forces of the elastic means (5) towards the mounting arm thereby being adjustable to a desired value. 2. Steering device according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED 0 BY the elastic means (5) comprising rubber bushings (5) above and below the other end of the mounting arm (4) which in the area where the rubber bushings abut, are made flat on both sides, a tension bolt (6) being fixed to the vehicle (14) and extending through the two rubber bushings (5) and 5 the other end of the mounting arm (4), a nut being mounted on the tension bolt in such a manner that the two rubber bushings (5) and the other end of the mounting arm (4) with desired force can be tightened against the underside of the vehicle (14) thereby obtaining a desired resistance against movement of the axes of rotation of the rotating bearing (9) away from the common plane of the axes and at the same time obtaining a desired returning force to this plane from the rubber bushings ( 5 ) . 3. Vehicle according to claims 1-2, CHARACTERIZED BY an extension of the other end of the mounting arm (4) being formed as a guiding pin (8) and arranged in a groove in the underpart of the vehicle (14), a guiding pin preferably surrounded by a rotably sleeve (13) abutting the wall of the groove (12), the sleeve (13) and the groove (12) cooperat¬ ing in order to ensure that movement of the other end of the mounting arm (4) mainly will be restricted to rotation about the axes of the other end. 4. Vehicle according to claims 1-3, CHARACTERIZED BY the vechicle having a fixed forward drive element and a rearward drive element in the form of a steering device. 5. Vehicle according to claims 1-3, CHARACTERIZED BY the vehicle having a rearward fixed drive element ( 2 ) and a forward steerable drive element in the form of a steer¬ ing device. 6. Vehicle according to claims 1-3, CHARACTERIZED BY the vehicle having one forward and one rearward steerable element (2) in the form of steering devices. 7. Vehicle according to claims 1-6, CHARACTERIZED BY each drive element (2) comprising one single wheel, one ski, on belt, one mow etc. 8. Vehicle, according to claims 1-6, CHARACTERIZED BY each drive element (2) comprising two at a distance from each other arranged wheels, skis etc.

Inventors: KUBIERSCHKY STEFAN, KUBIERSCHKY, STEFAN
Applicants: KUBIERSCHKY STEFAN, KUBIERSCHKY, STEFAN
Application year: 1987
Main classification: A63C17
IPC codes: A63C5, A63C17