US 12,227,260 B1
Vehicle and vehicle components
Jeffrey Michael, Greenbrier, TN (US)
Assigned to LiteCycle, Inc., Vancouver, WA (US)
Filed by LiteCycle, Inc., Vancouver, WA (US)
Filed on Jun. 15, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/841,099.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/210,780, filed on Jun. 15, 2021.
Int. Cl. B62K 21/14 (2006.01); B62K 15/00 (2006.01); B62K 21/16 (2006.01)
CPC B62K 21/14 (2013.01) [B62K 21/16 (2013.01); B62K 2015/001 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A cable steering system for use in a wheeled vehicle having a main vehicle body and a steerable wheel that supports the main vehicle body, the steerable wheel having a wheel axis around which the steerable wheel rotates in a wheel rotation plane that is perpendicular to the wheel axis, the steerable wheel assisting in providing directional control of the vehicle and stability in a lateral direction relative to a normal straight-ahead direction of travel for the vehicle, said cable steering system comprising:
a steering control system that controls movement of the steerable wheel relative to the main vehicle body such that the steerable wheel pivots about a steering axis, said steering control system comprising:
a handlebar coupled with the main vehicle body for allowing a rider to control the steerable wheel;
a steering tube assembly coupled at a first end to the steerable wheel and at a second end to the main vehicle body, wherein the longitudinal axis of said steering tube assembly defines the steering axis, said steering tube assembly having a rotatable portion that is rotatable relative to said main vehicle body about said steering axis;
a handlebar support for connecting said handlebar to the main vehicle body, wherein said handlebar is moveable relative to said handlebar support about a handlebar axis that is different than the steering axis;
a plurality of pulleys disposed in spaced arrangement on at least one of said handlebar support and the main vehicle body between said handlebar and said steering tube assembly; and
a cable coupled between said handlebar and the rotatable portion of said steering tube assembly and routed through said plurality of pulleys such that as the handlebar moves about the handlebar axis said rotatable portion of said steering tube assembly rotates relative to the main vehicle body about the steering axis and thereby the steerable wheel rotates relative to the main vehicle body about the steering axis.