Patent ID: 7694913

Claim:
A method for steering a mobile platform, the method comprising: providing a steering component graspable and rotatable by an operator of the mobile platform from a neutral position to first and second positions; coupling an input shaft to the steering component; coupling an input arm to the input shaft so that rotational movement of the input shaft causes rotational movement of said input arm, the input arm being in said neutral position when said steering component is in said neutral position; supporting an idler arm adjacent said input arm and such that portions of said idler arm and said input arm are in contact when said steering component is in said neutral position; positioning a fixedly disposed stop on a portion of a housing used to house said input arm and said idler arm, said stop being positioned adjacent to said idler arm and said input arm, and wherein a first portion of said idler arm is in contact with the stop and a second portion of said idler arm is in contact with the input arm when the steering component is in the neutral position; using a biasing system configured to act on said steering component and said idler arm to maintain said steering component in said neutral position when no force is being applied by said operator to said steering component, to reduce a backlash generated by at least one of said input arm and said idler arm, but to enable clockwise and counterclockwise motion of said input arm in response to an input from the operator using the steering component; and configuring said biasing system to include a first spring for urging said idler arm against said stop and a second spring for urging said input arm against said idler arm.