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. 15, 2008
Filed:
Jan. 04, 2006
James T. Hamilton, Indianapolis, IN (US);
James T. Hamilton, Indianapolis, IN (US);
Other;
Abstract
A steering drive mechanism utilizes a pair of planetary gear arrangements between the input (or engine drive shaft) and the output shafts driving each wheel of a vehicle. The input is supplied to each sun gear in equal magnitude but opposite direction to account for driving the left or right wheels. The output shafts are connected to the planet carriers. In normal straight line driving, the ring gears are held fixed. The drive mechanism further comprises a steering motor that drives a steering gear that meshes with each ring gear. When the steering motor is activated, the steering gear rotates each ring gear in the same direction, so that the ring gear for one side increases the speed of the planet carrier and output shaft, while the ring gear for the opposite side decreases the output shaft speed.