Momentum steering system for a vehicle or carriers

Abstract

The present invention relates to a steering system for use in a vehicle or carrier. In embodiments, the steering system comprises a first tilt shaft for connecting to a first load-bearing body of a vehicle and a second tilt shaft for connecting to a second load-bearing body of a vehicle. In embodiments, a spacer element connects the first tilt shaft to the second tilt shaft. The spacer element and tilt shafts are adapted such that the first tilt shaft and second tilt shaft are capable of partially rotating about the longitudinal direction of the tilt shafts independently of each other. The invention also relates to a vehicle, carrier and/or a split deck pushboard comprising one or more embodiments of the steering system.

1 . A steering system for use in a vehicle or carrier, the steering system comprising:
 a first tilt shaft configured to connect to a first load-bearing body and a second tilt shaft configured to connect to a second load-bearing body; and   a spacer element configured to connect the first tilt shaft to the second tilt shaft;   wherein the spacer element and tilt shafts are adapted such that when connected the first tilt shaft and second tilt shaft are each capable of partially rotating about a longitudinal direction independently of each other.   
     
     
         2 . The steering system of  claim 1  wherein the first and second tilt shafts are substantially cylindrical and each comprise at least one engagement slot positioned on each tilt shaft substantially perpendicular to a direction of projection of the tilt shaft;
 and wherein the spacer element comprises a substantially hollow interior, the substantially hollow interior adapted to rotatably house a distal end of each tilt shaft therein, the spacer element comprising a pair of engagement apertures positioned to align with respective engagement slots when the first and second tilt shafts are housed within the spacer element;   and wherein the pushboard further comprises a pair of engagement pins adapted to project through aligned engagement apertures and engagement slots to attach the spacer element to the tilt shafts, each engagement pin configured to slide along a direction of the respective engagement slot through which it projects such that each tilt shaft is able to partially rotate independently within the spacer element.   
     
     
         3 . The steering system of  claim 1  wherein the spacer element is substantially cylindrical and comprises at least two engagement slots positioned on the spacer element substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the spacer element;
 and wherein a distal end of each of the first and second tilt shafts comprise a substantially hollow interior, the substantially hollow interior of the tilt shafts being adapted to rotatably house distal ends of the spacer element therein, the first and second tilt shafts each comprising at least one engagement aperture positioned to align with at least one respective engagement slot when the spacer element is housed within the tilt shafts;   and wherein the pushboard further comprises a pair of engagement pins adapted to project through aligned engagement apertures and engagement slots to attach the spacer element to the tilt shafts, each engagement pin configured to slide along a direction of the respective engagement slot through which it projects such that each tilt shaft is able to partially rotate independently within the spacer element.   
     
     
         4 . The steering system of  claim 1  wherein the first and second tilt shafts are substantially cylindrical and each comprise at least one engagement aperture;
 and wherein the spacer element comprises a substantially hollow interior, the substantially hollow interior adapted to rotatably house a distal end of each tilt shaft therein, the spacer element comprising a pair of engagement slots positioned on the spacer element substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the spacer element, each engagement slot being positioned to align with at least one respective engagement aperture when the first and second tilt shafts are housed within the spacer element;   and wherein the pushboard further comprises a pair of engagement pins adapted to project through aligned engagement apertures and engagement slots to attach the spacer element to the tilt shafts, each engagement pin configured to slide along the direction of the respective engagement slot through which it projects such that each tilt shaft is able to partially rotate independently within the spacer element.   
     
     
         5 . The steering system of  claim 1  wherein the spacer element is substantially cylindrical and comprises at least two engagement apertures;
 and wherein a distal end of each of the first and second tilt shafts comprises a substantially hollow interior, the substantially hollow interior of each of the tilt shafts being adapted to rotatably house distal ends of the spacer element therein, the first and second tilt shafts each comprising at least one engagement slot positioned substantially perpendicular to a direction of projection of the tilt shafts and positioned to align with at least one respective engagement slot when the spacer element is housed within the tilt shafts;   and wherein the pushboard further comprises a pair of engagement pins adapted to project through aligned engagement apertures and engagement slots to attach the spacer element to the tilt shafts, each engagement pin configured to slide along the direction of the respective engagement slot through which it projects such that each tilt shaft is able to partially rotate independently within the spacer element.   
     
     
         6 . The steering system of  claim 2 , wherein each tilt shaft comprises a pair of opposing engagement slots near a distal end of each tilt shaft and each end of the spacer element comprises a pair of opposing engagement apertures adapted to align with respective engagement slots when the tilt shafts are connected to the spacer element. 
     
     
         7 . The steering system of  claim 3 , wherein the spacer element comprises a pair of opposing engagement slots near each end of the spacer element and each tilt shaft comprises a pair of opposing engagement apertures adapted to align with respective engagement slots when the tilt shafts are connected to the spacer element. 
     
     
         8 . A vehicle, comprising:
 a first load-bearing body and a second load-bearing body;   a first cylindrical tilt shaft projecting from the first load-bearing body and a second cylindrical tilt shaft projecting from the second load-bearing body, the first and second tilt shafts configured to be connected together by a spacer element;   wherein the spacer element and tilt shafts are configured such that when connected the first tilt shaft and second tilt shaft are each capable of partially rotating about a longitudinal direction of the tilt shaft independently of the other tilt shaft.   
     
     
         9 . The vehicle of  claim 8  wherein the first and second tilt shafts are substantially cylindrical and each comprise at least one engagement slot positioned on each tilt shaft substantially perpendicular to a direction of projection of the tilt shaft;
 and wherein the spacer element comprises a substantially hollow interior, the substantially hollow interior adapted to rotatably house a distal end of each tilt shaft therein, the spacer element comprising a pair of engagement apertures positioned to align with respective engagement slots when the first and second tilt shafts are housed within the spacer element;   and wherein the vehicle further comprises a pair of engagement pins adapted to project through aligned engagement apertures and engagement slots to attach the spacer element to the tilt shafts, each engagement pin being able to slide along the direction of the respective engagement slot through which it projects such that each tilt shaft is able to partially rotate independently within the spacer element.   
     
     
         10 . The vehicle of  claim 8  wherein the spacer element is substantially cylindrical and comprises at least two engagement slots positioned substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the spacer element;
 and wherein distal ends of the first and second tilt shafts each comprise a substantially hollow interior, the substantially hollow interior of each of the tilt shafts being adapted to rotatably house a distal end of the spacer element therein, the first and second tilt shafts each comprising at least one engagement aperture positioned to align with at least one respective engagement slot when the spacer element is housed within the tilt shaft;   and wherein the pushboard further comprises a pair of engagement pins adapted to project through aligned engagement apertures and engagement slots to attach the spacer element to the tilt shafts, each engagement pin being able to slide along the direction of the respective engagement slot through which it projects such that each tilt shaft is able to partially rotate independently within the spacer element.   
     
     
         11 . The vehicle of  claim 8  wherein the first and second tilt shafts are substantially cylindrical and each comprise at least one engagement aperture;
 and wherein the spacer element comprises a substantially hollow interior, the substantially hollow interior adapted to rotatably house distal ends of each tilt shaft therein, the spacer element comprising a pair of engagement slots positioned on the spacer element substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the spacer element, each engagement slot being positioned to align with at least one respective engagement aperture when the first and second tilt shafts are housed within the spacer element;   and wherein the vehicle further comprises a pair of engagement pins adapted to project through aligned engagement apertures and engagement slots to attach the spacer element to the tilt shafts, each engagement pin being able to slide along the direction of the respective engagement slot through which it projects such that each tilt shaft is able to partially rotate independently within the spacer element.   
     
     
         12 . The vehicle of  claim 8  wherein the spacer element is substantially cylindrical and comprises at least two engagement apertures;
 and wherein distal ends of the first and second tilt shafts comprise substantially hollow interiors, the substantially hollow interior of the tilt shafts being adapted to rotatably house distal ends of the spacer element therein, the first and second tilt shafts each comprising at least one engagement slot positioned substantially perpendicular to a direction of projection of the tilt shafts and positioned to align with at least one respective engagement slot when the spacer element is housed within the tilt shafts;   and wherein the vehicle further comprises a pair of engagement pins adapted to project through aligned engagement apertures and engagement slots to attach the spacer element to the tilt shafts, each engagement pin being able to slide along the direction of the respective engagement slot through which it projects such that each tilt shaft is able to partially rotate independently within the spacer element.   
     
     
         13 . The vehicle of  claim 9  wherein each tilt shaft comprises a pair of opposing engagement slots near a distal end of each tilt shaft and each end of the spacer element comprises a pair of opposing engagement apertures adapted to align with respective engagement slots when the tilt shafts are connected to the spacer element. 
     
     
         14 . The vehicle of  claim 10  wherein the spacer element comprises a pair of opposing engagement slots near each end of the spacer element and each tilt shaft comprises a pair of opposing engagement apertures adapted to align with respective engagement slots when the tilt shafts are connected to the spacer element. 
     
     
         15 . A pushboard, comprising:
 a first platform having a lower surface from which projects a wheel assembly and a first shaft support; and   a second platform having a lower surface from which projects a wheel assembly and a second shaft support;   a first tilt shaft projecting from the first shaft support and a second tilt shaft projecting from the second shaft support, the first and second tilt shafts being connected together by a spacer element;   wherein the spacer element and tilt shafts are adapted such that the first tilt shaft and second tilt shaft are capable of partially rotating about a longitudinal direction of the pushboard independently of each other.   
     
     
         16 . The pushboard of  claim 15  wherein the first and second tilt shafts are substantially cylindrical and each comprise at least one engagement slot positioned on each tilt shaft substantially perpendicular to a direction of projection of the tilt shafts;
 and wherein the spacer element comprises a substantially hollow interior, the substantially hollow interior adapted to rotatably house distal ends of each tilt shaft therein, the spacer element comprising a pair of engagement apertures positioned to align with respective engagement slots when the first and second tilt shafts are housed within the spacer element;   and wherein the pushboard further comprises a pair of engagement pins adapted to project through aligned engagement apertures and engagement slots to attach the spacer element to the tilt shafts, each engagement pin being able to slide along the direction of the respective engagement slot through which it projects such that each tilt shaft is able to partially rotate independently within the spacer element.   
     
     
         17 . The pushboard of  claim 15  wherein the spacer element is substantially cylindrical and comprises at least two engagement slots positioned substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the spacer element;
 and wherein distal ends of the first and second tilt shafts each comprise a substantially hollow interior, the substantially hollow interiors of the tilt shafts each being adapted to rotatably house a distal end of the spacer element therein, the first and second tilt shafts each comprising at least one engagement aperture positioned to align with at least one respective engagement slot when the spacer element is housed within the tilt shafts;   and wherein the pushboard further comprises a pair of engagement pins adapted to project through aligned engagement apertures and engagement slots to attach the spacer element to the tilt shafts, each engagement pin being able to slide along the direction of the respective engagement slot through which it projects such that each tilt shaft is able to partially rotate independently within the spacer element.   
     
     
         18 . The pushboard of  claim 15  wherein the first and second tilt shafts are substantially cylindrical and each comprise at least one engagement aperture;
 and wherein the spacer element comprises a substantially hollow interior, the substantially hollow interior adapted to rotatably house distal ends of each tilt shaft therein, the spacer element comprising a pair of engagement slots positioned substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the spacer element, each engagement slot being positioned to align with at least one respective engagement aperture when the first and second tilt shafts are housed within the spacer element;   and wherein the pushboard further comprises a pair of engagement pins adapted to project through aligned engagement apertures and engagement slots to attach the spacer element to the tilt shafts, each engagement pin being able to slide along the direction of the respective engagement slot through which it projects such that each tilt shaft is able to partially rotate independently within the spacer element.   
     
     
         19 . The pushboard of  claim 15  wherein the spacer element is substantially cylindrical and comprises at least two engagement apertures;
 and wherein distal ends of the first and second tilt shafts each comprise a substantially hollow interior, the substantially hollow interior of each the tilt shaft being adapted to rotatably house a distal end of the spacer element therein, the first and second tilt shafts each comprising at least one engagement slot positioned substantially perpendicular to the direction of projection of the tilt shafts and positioned to align with at least one respective engagement slot when the spacer element is housed within the tilt shafts;   and wherein the pushboard further comprises a pair of engagement pins adapted to project through aligned engagement apertures and engagement slots to attach the spacer element to the tilt shafts, each engagement pin being able to slide along the direction of the respective engagement slot through which it projects such that each tilt shaft is able to partially rotate independently within the spacer element.   
     
     
         20 . The pushboard of  claim 16 , wherein each tilt shaft comprises a pair of opposing engagement slots near a distal end of each tilt shaft and each end of the spacer element comprises a pair of opposing engagement apertures adapted to align with respective engagement slots when the tilt shafts are connected to the spacer element. 
     
     
         21 . The pushboard of  claim 17  wherein the spacer element comprises a pair of opposing engagement slots near each end of the spacer element and each tilt shaft comprises a pair of opposing engagement apertures adapted to align with respective engagement slots when the tilt shafts are connected to the spacer element. 
     
     
         22 . The pushboard of  claim 15  wherein each tilt shaft comprises at least one lock aperture and the spacer element comprises at least two lock apertures positioned to align with lock apertures of the tilt shafts when the tilt shafts are connected to the spacer element. 
     
     
         23 . The pushboard of  claim 15  wherein the tilt shafts each comprise a pair of opposing lock apertures and the spacer element comprises two pairs of opposing lock apertures, one pair of opposing lock apertures being positioned to align with opposing lock apertures of one tilt shaft and the other pair of opposing lock apertures being positioned to align with opposing lock apertures of the other tilt shaft when the tilt shafts are connected to the spacer element via a locking pin projecting through the lock apertures. 
     
     
         24 . The pushboard of  claim 15  wherein the first and second wheel assemblies each comprises a truck that is angled generally between 30 and 75 degrees from the respective platform base to which the wheel assembly is attached.