Patent ID: 8467937

Claim:
A steer assist system for a material handling vehicle having a steerable drive wheel, the steer assist system comprising: a steering mechanism including: a handle; a tiller arm mechanically coupled to the handle through a flexible joint; a joint assembly forming at least a part of the flexible joint, the joint assembly including: a pivot assembly, a handle biasing mechanism, and a torque determining arrangement including a magnet having a magnetic field and a sensor which produces a signal responsive to a change in a direction of the magnetic field as seen by the sensor, the magnet being disposed within or on one of the handle and the tiller arm and the sensor being disposed within or on the other of the handle and the tiller arm; an electric motor operable to adjust the heading angle of the drive wheel; and a controller which, upon receiving the signal from the torque determining arrangement, directs the electric motor to adjust the heading angle of the drive wheel based, at least in part, on the received signal.