The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 27, 2004
Filed:
Mar. 28, 2003
James C. Keane, Chapel Hill, NC (US);
Brian C. Doklovic, Hillsborough, NC (US);
Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An apparatus and method for steering a vehicle with zero turning radius capability includes a movable steering handle, first and second CVT devices for independently driving first and second drive wheels, respectively, a transmission control device, and first and second biased guide members. The transmission control device interconnects the steering handle and the first and second CVT devices, and includes a mixing lever for controlling operations of the first and second CVT devices. Movement of the steering handle in a first steering direction causes the first guide member to move the mixing lever in a first actuating direction, and movement of the steering handle in a second steering direction causes the second guide member to move the mixing lever in a second actuating direction. The mixing lever can be positioned so as to cause the first and second CVT devices to drive the drive wheels in a manner permitting the vehicle to be steered at a zero turn radius in response to movement of the steering handle in a selected steering direction.