US 7,568,541 B2
Self-centering return mechanism
Michael C. Pfeil, South Charleston, Ohio (US); Gary C. Fulks, Spring Valley, Ohio (US); Timothy A. Haerr, Enon, Ohio (US); Scott J. Saiki, Dousman, Wis. (US); and Andrew H. Roth, West Bend, Wis. (US)
Assigned to Delphi Technologies, Inc., Troy, Mich. (US); and Harley-Davidson Motor Company Group, Inc.,
Filed on May 12, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/432,976.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/722821, filed on Sep. 30, 2005.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/722686, filed on Sep. 30, 2005.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/680588, filed on May 13, 2005.
Prior Publication US 2006/0255550 A1, Nov. 16, 2006
Int. Cl. B62D 61/06 (2006.01); B60G 21/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 180—210  [180/41; 280/5.509; 280/6.155; 280/6.15; 280/124.103] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A lean control system for controlling a lean angle of at least a portion of a vehicle, the lean control system comprising:
an energy storage device for storing energy to actuate the lean control system;
a stabilizing mechanism coupled to the energy storage device and to the at least a portion of the vehicle for applying energy received from the energy storage device to the at least a portion of the vehicle
to adjust the lean angle of the at least a portion of a vehicle; and
a linkage coupled to the energy storage device and to the stabilizing mechanism for transferring energy from the energy storage device to the stabilizing mechanism; wherein the linkage comprises a shaft translatably coupled to the at least a portion of the vehicle so as to provide rotation of the shaft in correspondence with rotation of the at least a portion of the vehicle, the shaft having a first portion coupled to the energy storage device and a second portion coupled to the stabilizing mechanism, and wherein the stabilizing mechanism comprises a cam secured to the vehicle so as to substantially prevent rotation of the cam with respect to the vehicle and a roller rotatably coupled to the second portion of the shaft for rollingly engaging a surface of the cam during translation of the shaft, whereby rolling engagement between the roller and the surface of the cam produces rotation of the shaft, thereby producing a corresponding rotation of the at least a portion of the vehicle.