Mechanical steering linkage for battery powered mower with zero turning radius

摘要

A steering system for a riding lawn mower includes a wheel frame pivotally coupled to a vehicle frame about a roll axis. The wheel frame has spaced apart upper and lower wheel frame members. Steering knuckles are pivotally coupled to opposing sides of the wheel frame for rotatably supporting wheels. Each steering knuckle is straddle mounted between the upper and lower wheel frame members. A rack and pinion steering mechanism for pivoting the steering knuckles is coupled to a steering wheel via a steering column. The steering column includes a shaft portion extending along a shaft axis and has at least one socketed connection. The socketed connection transmits rotational movement about the shaft axis between the shaft portion and another rotatable component. The socketed connection also permits axial movement of the shaft portion along the shaft axis in response to the wheel frame rolling relative to the vehicle frame.

主权项

1. A riding lawnmower comprising:
(a) a vehicle frame extending along a longitudinal axis; (b) left and right rear wheels for supporting a rear portion of the vehicle frame; (c) left and right front wheels for supporting a front portion of the vehicle frame; and (d) a steering system for steering the front wheels, the steering system comprising:
(i) a front wheel frame pivotally coupled to the vehicle frame about a longitudinally extending roll axis for permitting the front wheel frame to roll relative to the vehicle frame, the front wheel frame having spaced apart upper and lower wheel frame members;(ii) left and right steering knuckles pivotally coupled to opposing sides of the front wheel frame for rotatably supporting the front wheels, each steering knuckle being straddle mounted between the upper and lower wheel frame members and being adapted for pivotal movement about a respective steering axis;(iii) a rack and pinion steering mechanism coupled to the left and right steering knuckles for pivoting the steering knuckles about each respective steering axis;(iv) a steering wheel for operating the rack and pinion steering mechanism; and(v) a steering column for coupling the steering wheel to the rack and pinion steering mechanism, the steering column including at least one shaft portion extending along a shaft axis, the shaft portion having at least one socketed connection;(vi) wherein the socketed connection is adapted to provide engagement between the shaft portion and a rotatable component so as to transmit rotational movement about the shaft axis between the shaft portion and the rotatable component; and(vii) wherein the socketed connection is adapted to permit axial movement of the shaft portion along the shaft axis in response to the front wheel frame rolling relative to the vehicle frame about the roll axis.