STEERING AXLE FOR A STEERABLE VEHICLE AND INDUSTRIAL TRUCK

Abstract

A steering axle for a steerable vehicle includes an axle housing, a steering motor, a steering gear, a first steering knuckle with a first steering arm, a second steering knuckle with a second steering arm, a coupling rod, a first tie rod, and a second tie rod. The first and second steering arms are each rigidly arranged on a respective steering knuckle that is hinged in the axle housing. The first and second tie rods are each hinged at a first end to a respective steering arm and hinged at a second end to the coupling rod. The steering axle is configured so that the steering motor can set a steering angle of the steering axle via the steering gear. The steering axle has first and second intermediate steering levers, each hinged at its first end to the axle body and hinged at its second end to the coupling rod.

Claims

1-11. (canceled)

12. A steering axle (20) for a steerable vehicle, comprising: an axle housing (1); a steering motor (6); a steering gear (16); a first steering knuckle (4) hinged in the axle housing and having a first steering arm (4′) rigidly arranged on the first steering knuckle, a second steering knuckle (5) hinged in the axle housing and having a second steering arm (5′) rigidly arranged on the second steering knuckle; a coupling rod (9); a first tie rod (7) with a first end and a second end, the first tie rod (7) hinged at the first end to the first steering arm (4′) and hinged at the second end to the coupling rod (9); a second tie rod (8) with a first end and a second end, the second tie rod (8) hinged at the first end to the second steering arm (5′) and hinged at the second end to the coupling rod (9); a first intermediate steering lever (11) hinged at a first end to the axle housing (1) and hinged at a second end to the coupling rod (9); and a second intermediate steering lever (12) hinged at a first end to the axle housing (1) and hinged at a second end to the coupling rod (9); wherein the steering axle (20) is configured so that the steering motor (6) can set a steering angle of the steering axle (20) via the steering gear (16).

13. The steering axle (20) according to claim 12, wherein the steering motor (6) and the steering gear (16) are arranged on the axle housing (1) coaxially with a steering axis of the first steering knuckle (4), and wherein an output shaft of the steering gear (16) is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to a bearing bolt of the first steering knuckle (4).

14. The steering axle (20) according to claim 12, wherein the steering motor (6) is arranged on the axle housing (1) coaxially with a steering axis of the first steering knuckle (4), wherein the steering gear (16) is arranged in the first steering knuckle (4), and wherein an output shaft of the steering motor (6) is connected fixedly in terms of rotation to an input shaft of the steering gear (16).

15. The steering axle (20) according to claim 12, wherein the steering motor (6) is arranged on the axle housing (1) parallel to a steering axis of the first steering knuckle (4), the steering gear (16) is arranged in the first steering knuckle (4), and an output shaft of the steering motor (6) is connected to an input shaft of the steering gear (16) via an intermediate gear (17).

16. The steering axle (20) according to claim 12, wherein the steering motor (6) and the steering gear (16) are arranged on the axle housing (1) in such a way that an axis of rotation of an output shaft of the steering gear (16) is identical to an axis of rotation of the first intermediate steering lever (11), and wherein the output shaft is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the first intermediate steering lever (11).

17. The steering axle (20) according to claim 12, further comprising: a steering lever (14) having a first end and a second end, the steering lever (14) connected at the first end in a rotationally fixed manner to an output shaft of the steering gear (16) and connected at the second end in an articulated manner to the coupling rod (9); wherein the steering motor (6) and the steering gear (16) are arranged centrally on the axle housing (1); and wherein the steering lever (14) can be pivoted about an axis of rotation of the output shaft, and being.

18. The steering axle (20) according to claim 17, wherein the coupling rod (9) comprises a first part and a second part, the first part connected in an articulated manner to the second part and to the steering lever (14) via a common articulation point (13).

19. The steering axle (20) according to claim 12, wherein at least the first tie rod (7) has at least partially a circular arc shape.

20. The steering axle (20) according to claim 12, wherein the first intermediate steering lever (11) has at least partially a circular arc shape and the second intermediate steering lever (12) has at least partially a circular arc shape, and wherein a circular outer side of the first intermediate steering lever (11) faces a circular outer side of the second intermediate steering lever (12).

21. The steering axle (20) according to claim 12, wherein the first intermediate steering lever (11) is configured as a rigid articulated lever with an articulation tip and the second intermediate steering lever (12) is configured as a rigid articulated lever with an articulation tip, and wherein the articulation tip of the first intermediate steering lever (11) faces the articulation tip of the second intermediate steering lever (12).

22. An industrial truck comprising the steering axle (20) according to claim 12.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] The invention is explained below by way of examples of embodiments shown in the figures.

[0042] It shows:

[0043] FIGS. 1a and 1b: examples of a possible form of a steering axle according to the invention for a steerable vehicle,

[0044] FIGS. 2a and 2b: examples of a further possible design of a steering axle according to the invention,

[0045] FIG. 3: example and schematic of a further possible design of a steering axle according to the invention,

[0046] FIG. 4: example and schematic a further possible design of a steering axle according to the invention and

[0047] FIG. 5: example and schematic of a further possible design of a steering axle according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] Identical objects, functional units and comparable components are designated with the same reference signs across all figures. These objects, functional units and comparable components are designed identically with regard to their technical features, unless explicitly or implicitly stated otherwise in the description.

[0049] FIG. 1 (including FIGS. 1a and 1b) shows an example embodiment of a steering axle 20 for a steerable vehicle (not shown in FIG. 1), according to one embodiment. FIG. 1a shows a section from the front and FIG. 1b shows a section from above. The steering axle 20 comprises an axle housing 1, a steering motor 6 a steering gear 16, a first steering knuckle 4 with a first steering arm 4′, a second steering knuckle 5 with a second steering arm 5′, a coupling rod 9, a first tie rod 7, a second tie rod 8, and a first steerable wheel 3 and a second steerable wheel 2.

[0050] The first steering arm 4′ is rigidly arranged on the first steering knuckle 4, likewise the second steering arm 5′ is rigidly arranged on the second steering knuckle 5, the first steering knuckle 4 being mounted steerably in the axle housing 1 and the second steering knuckle 5 also being mounted steerably in the axle housing 1. The first tie rod 7 is articulated at a first end to the first steering arm 4′ and at a second end to the coupling rod 9. In identical fashion, the second tie rod 8 is hinged at a first end to the second steering arm 5′ and hinged at a second end to the coupling rod 9.

[0051] As can further be seen in FIG. 1, the steering motor 6 is arranged coaxially to a steering axis of the wheel 3 or the first steering knuckle 4. In addition, the steering gear 16 is arranged in the first steering knuckle 4. This results in a very space-saving form of the steering axle according to the invention. Since the steering gear 16 is arranged in the first steering knuckle 4, the first steering knuckle 4 accordingly also represents a housing of the steering gear 16. The housing or the first steering knuckle are also an output shaft of the steering gear 16. An input shaft of the steering gear 16, on the other hand, is non-rotatably connected to a motor shaft of the steering motor 6.

[0052] As can be seen in FIG. 1, the first tie rod 7 and the second tie rod 8 each have a circular arc shape. This makes it mechanically possible for comparatively larger steering angles to be set on the steering axle 20, since the circular arc shape allows the first and second tie rods 7, 8 to be guided around the respective steering knuckles 4, 5 and not to strike against them. This is particularly advantageous for the first steering knuckle 4, since the first steering knuckle 4 includes the steering gear 16 and thus has an increased diameter.

[0053] The steering axle 20 further comprises a first intermediate steering lever 11 and a second intermediate steering lever 12, the first intermediate steering lever 11 having a first end hinged to the axle body 1 and a second end hinged to the coupling rod 9. Similarly, the second intermediate steering lever 12 is hinged to the axle body 1 at a first end and is hinged to the coupling rod 9 at a second end.

[0054] The first intermediate steering lever 11 and the second intermediate steering lever 12 each have a circular arc shape, with a circular outer side of the first intermediate steering lever 11 facing a circular outer side of the second intermediate steering lever 12. Since the first and second intermediate steering levers 11, 12 are each connected to the axle beam 1 in an articulated manner at the level of the coupling rod 9 with their first end, corresponding recesses are provided in the axle beam 1, in which the first ends of the first intermediate steering lever 11 and the second intermediate steering lever 12 are arranged. The recesses are, for example, milled recesses. The milled recesses must be large enough to also permit pivoting movements of the first and second intermediate steering levers 11, 12, such as occur during a steering movement and the associated axial displacement of the coupling rod 9. The circular arc design of the first and second intermediate steering levers 11, 12 means that the required recesses can be made comparatively smaller.

[0055] The steering motor 6 can drive an input shaft of the steering gear 16 via its motor shaft, which then steers or pivots the first steering knuckle 4. The steering movement is then transmitted to the second steering knuckle 5 via the first and second steering arms 4′ and 5′, via the first and second tie rods 7 and 8, and via the coupling rod 9. Thus, the steering motor 6 can adjust a steering angle of the steering axis 20.

[0056] FIG. 2 (including FIGS. 2a and 2b) shows an example of a further possible design of a steering axle 20 according to the invention. FIG. 2a shows a section of the steering axis 20 from the front and FIG. 2b shows a section of the steering axis 20 from above. The steering axle 20 of FIG. 2 differs from the steering axle 20 of FIG. 1 exclusively in the arrangement of the steering motor 6. In contrast to FIG. 1, the steering motor 6 is not arranged coaxially on the steering axis of the first steering knuckle 4, but it is offset in parallel in the direction of the center of the axle beam 1. The parallel offset is compensated, for example, by a spur gear stage 17 as an intermediate gear 17, which at the same time effects a speed reduction.

[0057] FIG. 3 shows an example and schematic of a further possible design of a steering axle 20 according to the invention. The steering axis 20 of FIG. 3 differs from the steering axis 20 of FIG. 1 again in the arrangement of the steering motor 6. As can be seen, the steering motor 6 and the steering gear 16 are arranged on the axle housing 1 in such a way that an axis of rotation of an output shaft of the steering gear 16 is identical to an axis of rotation of the first intermediate steering lever 11, the output shaft being connected to the first intermediate steering lever 11 in a rotationally fixed manner. The steering motor 6 thus directly actuates the first intermediate steering lever 11 via the steering gear 16, which in turn then acts on the first tie rod 7 and the coupling rod 9 and can thus set a steering angle.

[0058] FIG. 4 shows an example and schematic of a further possible design of a steering axle 20 according to the invention. The steering axis 20 of FIG. 4 also differs from the steering axis 20 of FIG. 1 again in the arrangement of the steering motor 6. According to the example in FIG. 4, the steering motor 6 together with the steering gear 16 is arranged axially centrally on the axle housing 1, with a steering lever 14 also being provided. At a first end, the steering lever 14 is connected to an output shaft of the steering gear 16 in a rotationally fixed manner so that it can be pivoted about an axis of rotation of the output shaft, and at a second end, the steering lever 14 is connected to the coupling rod 9 in an articulated manner. Thus, the steering lever 14 is operated directly by the steering motor 6 via the steering gear 16.

[0059] FIG. 5 shows an example and schematic of a further possible design of a steering axle 20 according to the invention. The steering axle 20 of FIG. 5 differs from the steering axle 20 of FIG. 4 in that the coupling rod 9 is designed in two parts, a first part of the coupling rod 9 being connected in an articulated manner to a second part of the coupling rod 9 and to the steering lever 14 via a common joint 13.

TABLE-US-00001 List of Reference Numerals 1 Axle housing 2 Second wheel 3 First wheel 4 First steering knuckle 4′ First steering arm 5 Second steering knuckle 5′ Second steering arm 6 Steering motor 7 First tie rod 8 Second tie rod 9 Coupling rod 11 First intermediate steering lever 12 Second intermediate steering lever 13 Common joint 14 Steering lever 16 Steering gear 17 Spur gear stage 20 Steering axle