Steering mechanism of all-terrain vehicle and all-terrain vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11939007-B2
Application number	US-202117231187-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 15, 2021
Priority date	Apr 15, 2020
Publication date	Mar 26, 2024
Grant date	Mar 26, 2024

Abstract

A steering mechanism of an all-terrain vehicle includes: a steering shaft; a power steering system; and an adjusting mechanism including a ball joint, a first connecting shaft and a second connecting shaft. The first connecting shaft has a first end provided with a first ball groove, the second connecting shaft has a first end provided with a second ball groove, and the first ball groove and the second ball groove each accommodate a partial structure of the ball joint, such that the first connecting shaft and the second connecting shaft are rotatably coupled by the ball joint; and a second end of the first connecting shaft away from the first ball groove is coupled to the steering shaft, and a second end of the second connecting shaft away from the second ball groove is coupled to the power steering system. An all-terrain vehicle is also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A steering mechanism of an all-terrain vehicle, comprising:
a steering shaft;
a power steering system; and
an adjusting mechanism comprising a ball joint, a first connecting shaft and a second connecting shaft,
wherein the first connecting shaft has a first end provided with a first ball groove, the second connecting shaft has a first end provided with a second ball groove, and each of the first ball groove and the second ball groove is configured to accommodate a partial structure of the ball joint, to allow the first connecting shaft and the second connecting shaft to be rotatably coupled by the ball joint;
a second end of the first connecting shaft away from the first ball groove is coupled to the steering shaft, and a second end of the second connecting shaft away from the second ball groove is coupled to the power steering system,
wherein the first connecting shaft comprises a first body and a first ball yoke arranged at an end of the first body, and the first ball yoke has the first ball groove; and the second connecting shaft comprises a second body and a second ball yoke arranged at an end of the second body, and the second ball yoke has the second ball groove; and
the first ball yoke and the second ball yoke are staggered to enable a partial area of the first ball groove to overlap with a partial area of the second ball groove, and the partial structure of the ball joint is located in an overlap area,
wherein the ball joint is provided with a first groove cooperating with the first ball yoke and a second groove cooperating with the second ball yoke, along a great circle of the ball joint, and the first groove and the second groove are arranged in a crisscross pattern; and
the adjusting mechanism further comprises:
a first pin passing through the first ball groove, a partial structure of the first pin being located in the first groove, and both ends of the first pin being fixedly coupled to the first ball yoke; and
a second pin passing through the second ball groove, a partial structure of the second pin being located in the second groove, and both ends of the second pin being fixedly coupled to the second ball yoke.

2. The steering mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein two end portions of the first ball yoke are configured to slide in the first groove, and two end portions of the second ball yoke are configured to slide in the second groove.

3. The steering mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the adjusting mechanism further comprises a dust cover covering the ball joint, the first ball groove and the second ball groove.

4. The steering mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the power steering system is splined to the second connecting shaft.

5. The steering mechanism according to claim 4 , wherein the power steering system comprises a connecting rod having an external spline, the second connecting shaft is provided with a shaft hole having an internal spline, and the internal spline is arranged on an inner wall of the shaft hole; and
the second connecting shaft is fitted over the connecting rod, and the external spline is fitted with the internal spline.

6. The steering mechanism according to claim 5 , wherein the second connecting shaft has a side wall provided with a second through hole; in a fitted-over state, the second connecting shaft is fastened to the connecting rod by the second through hole.

7. The steering mechanism according to claim 4 , wherein the power steering system comprises a connecting rod having an internal spline, the second connecting shaft is provided with an external spline, and the connecting rod is fitted over the second connecting shaft.

8. The steering mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the power steering system is fastened to the second connecting shaft.

9. The steering mechanism according to claim 1 , comprising at least one of the first connecting shaft being splined to the steering shaft, and the first connecting shaft being fastened to the steering shaft.

10. The steering mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the steering mechanism further comprises a steering rocker arm and two steering links; and
the steering rocker arm has a first end rotatably coupled to the power steering system and a second end rotatably coupled to the two steering links.

11. The steering mechanism according to claim 1 , further comprising a steering handle assembly coupled to the steering shaft.

12. The steering mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the power steering system is an electric power steering system.

13. An all-terrain vehicle with a straddle, comprising:
a frame; and
a steering mechanism, comprising:
a steering shaft;
a power steering system fixed to the frame; and
an adjusting mechanism comprising a ball joint, a first connecting shaft and a second connecting shaft,
wherein the first connecting shaft has a first end provided with a first ball groove, the second connecting shaft has a first end provided with a second ball groove, and each of the first ball groove and the second ball groove is configured to accommodate a partial structure of the ball joint, to allow the first connecting shaft and the second connecting shaft to be rotatably coupled by the ball joint;
a second end of the first connecting shaft away from the first ball groove is coupled to the steering shaft, and a second end of the second connecting shaft away from the second ball groove is coupled to the power steering system,

wherein the first connecting shaft comprises a first body and a first ball yoke arranged at an end of the first body, and the first ball yoke has the first ball groove; and the second connecting shaft comprises a second body and a second ball yoke arranged at an end of the second body, and the second ball yoke has the second ball groove; and
the first ball yoke and the second ball yoke are staggered to enable a partial area of the first ball groove to overlap with a partial area of the second ball groove, and the partial structure of the ball joint is located in an overlap area,
wherein the ball joint is provided with a first groove cooperating with the first ball yoke and a second groove cooperating with the second ball yoke, along a great circle of the ball joint, and the first groove and the second groove are arranged in a crisscross pattern; and
the adjusting mechanism further comprises:
a first pin passing through the first ball groove, a partial structure of the first pin being located in the first groove, and both ends of the first pin being fixedly coupled to the first ball yoke; and
a second pin passing through the second ball groove, a partial structure of the second pin being located in the second groove, and both ends of the second pin being fixedly coupled to the second ball yoke.

14. The all-terrain vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein the power steering system is splined to the second connecting shaft.

15. The all-terrain vehicle according to claim 14 , wherein the power steering system comprises a connecting rod having an external spline, the second connecting shaft is provided with a shaft hole having an internal spline, and the internal spline is arranged on an inner wall of the shaft hole; and
the second connecting shaft is fitted over the connecting rod, and the external spline is fitted with the internal spline.

16. The all-terrain vehicle according to claim 15 , wherein the second connecting shaft has a side wall provided with a second through hole; in a fitted-over state, the second connecting shaft is fastened to the connecting rod by the second through hole.

Assignees

• Segway Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Li Xiang

Classifications

• B62D5/0421 Primary

  Electric motor acting on or near steering gear · CPC title

• B62D1/20 Primary

  Connecting steering column to steering gear · CPC title

• B62K5/08

  with steering devices acting on two or more wheels · CPC title

• B62K21/12

  Handlebars; Handlebar stems · CPC title

• B62D5/04

  electrical, e.g. using an electric servo-motor connected to, or forming part of, the steering gear · CPC title