Professional Documents
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ABSTRACT
The project here is all about Front wheel stearing
system with moveable headlights with latest electronics
technology.
The most conventional steering arrangement is to turn
the front wheels using a hand–operated steering wheel
which is positioned in front of the driver, via the
steering column, which may contain universal joints to
allow it to deviate somewhat from a straight line. Other
arrangements are sometimes found on different types
of vehicles, for example, a tiller or rear–wheel steering.
Tracked vehicles such as tanks usually employ
differential steering — that is, the tracks are made to
move at different speeds or even in opposite directions
to bring about a change of course.
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Rack and pinion, recirculating ball, worm and sector
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The recirculating ball mechanism has the advantage of
a much greater mechanical advantage, so that it was
found on larger, heavier vehicles while the rack and
pinion was originally limited to smaller and lighter
ones; due to the almost universal adoption of power
steering, however, this is no longer an important
advantage, leading to the increasing use of rack and
pinion on newer cars. The recirculating ball design also
has a perceptible lash, or "dead spot" on center, where
a minute turn of the steering wheel in either direction
does not move the steering apparatus; this is easily
adjustable via a screw on the end of the steering box to
account for wear, but it cannot be entirely eliminated
or the mechanism begins to wear very rapidly. This
design is still in use in trucks and other large vehicles,
where rapidity of steering and direct feel are less
important than robustness, maintainability, and
mechanical advantage. The much smaller degree of
feedback with this design can also sometimes be an
advantage; drivers of vehicles with rack and pinion
steering can have their thumbs broken when a front
wheel hits a bump, causing the steering wheel to kick to
one side suddenly (leading to driving instructors telling
students to keep their thumbs on the front of the
steering wheel, rather than wrapping around the inside
of the rim). This effect is even stronger with a heavy
vehicle like a truck; recirculating ball steering prevents
this degree of feedback, just as it prevents desirable
feedback under normal circumstances.
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The steering linkage connecting the steering box and
the wheels usually conforms to a variation of
Ackermann steering geometry, to account for the fact
that in a turn, the inner wheel is actually traveling a
path of smaller radius than the outer wheel, so that the
degree of toe suitable for driving in a straight path is
not suitable for turns.
The worm and sector was an older design, used for
example in Willys and Chrysler vehicles, and the Ford
Falcon (1960s).[1]
Power steering
As vehicles have become heavier and switched to front
wheel drive, the effort to turn the steering wheel
manually has increased - often to the point where
major physical exertion is required. To alleviate this,
auto makers have developed power steering systems.
There are two types of power steering systems—
hydraulic and electric/electronic. A hydraulic-electric
hybrid system is also possible.
A hydraulic power steering (HPS) uses hydraulic
pressure supplied by an engine-driven pump to assist
the motion of turning the steering wheel. Electric power
steering (EPS) is more efficient than the hydraulic
power steering, since the electric power steering motor
only needs to provide assistance when the steering
wheel is turned, whereas the hydraulic pump must run
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constantly. In EPS the assist level is easily tunable to
the vehicle type, road speed, and even driver
preference. An added benefit is the elimination of
environmental hazard posed by leakage and disposal of
hydraulic power steering fluid.
Four-wheel steering
Four-wheel steering (or all wheel steering) is a system
employed by some vehicles to improve steering
response, increase vehicle stability while maneuvering
at high speed, or to decrease turning radius at low
speed.
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In most active four-wheel steering systems, the rear
wheels are steered by a computer and actuators. The
rear wheels generally cannot turn as far as the front
wheels. Some systems, including Delphi's Quadrasteer
and the system in Honda's Prelude line, allow for the
rear wheels to be steered in the opposite direction as the
front wheels during low speeds. This allows the vehicle
to turn in a significantly smaller radius — sometimes
critical for large trucks or vehicles with trailers. An
electronic four-wheel steer system is an option available
on the JCB Fastrac.
Many modern vehicles offer a form of passive rear
steering to counteract normal vehicle tendencies. For
example, Subaru used a passive steering system to
correct for the rear wheel's tendency to toe-out. On
many vehicles, when cornering, the rear wheels tend to
steer slightly to the outside of a turn, which can reduce
stability. The passive steering system uses the lateral
forces generated in a turn (through suspension
geometry) and the bushings to correct this tendency
and steer the wheels slightly to the inside of the corner.
This improves the stability of the car, through the turn.
This effect is called compliance understeer and it, or its
opposite, is present on all suspensions. Typical methods
of achieving compliance understeer are to use a Watt's
Link on a live rear axle, or the use of toe control
bushings on a twist beam suspension. On an
independent rear suspension it is normally achieved by
changing the rates of the rubber bushings in the
suspension. Some suspensions will always have
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compliance oversteer due to geometry, such as
Hotchkiss live axles or a semi trailing arm IRS.
Recent application
In an active 4ws system all four wheels turn at the same
time when the driver steers. There can be controls to
switch off the rear steer and options to steer only the
rear wheel independent of the front wheels. At slow
speeds (e.g. parking) the rear wheels turn opposite of
the front wheels, reducing the turning radius by up to
twenty-five percent, while at higher speeds both front
and rear wheels turn alike (electronically controlled), so
that the vehicle may change position with less yaw,
enhancing straight-line stability. The "Snaking effect"
experienced during motorway drives while towing a
travel trailer is thus largely nullified. Four-wheel
steering found its most widespread use in monster
trucks, where maneuverability in small arenas is
critical, and it is also popular in large farm vehicles and
trucks.
General Motors offers Delphi's Quadrasteer in their
consumer Silverado/Sierra and Suburban/Yukon.
However, only 16,500 vehicles have been sold with this
system since its introduction in 2002 through 2004. Due
to this low demand, GM will not offer the technology on
the 2007 update to these vehicles.
Previously, Honda had four-wheel steering as an option
in their 1987-2000 Prelude, and Mazda also offered
four-wheel steering on the 626 and MX6 in 1988.
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Neither system was very popular, in that whatever
improvement they brought to these already excellent-
handling vehicles was offset by an unavoidable decrease
in sensitivity caused by the increased weight and
complexity.
A new "Active Drive" system is introduced on the 2008
version of the Renault Laguna line. It was designed as
one of several measures to increase security and
stability. The Active Drive should lower the effects of
under steer and decrease the chances of spinning by
diverting part of the G-forces generated in a turn from
the front to the rear tires. At low speeds the turning
circle can be tightened so parking and maneuvering is
easier.
A movable car-headlight device located at an
appropriate place on a car body, for automatically
illuminating an area into which said car turns, which
comprises:
(a) bracket means mounted on a forward portion of
said car for mounting said headlight device thereon;
(b) receiving table means mounted on said bracket
means, said receiving table means having a vertically
extending opening therethrough and having a V-shaped
wedge upper surface;
(c) a rotating body rotatably supported on said
receiving table means and having a vertically extending
opening therethrough which is co-extensive with said
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opening in said receiving table means, the bottom
portion of said rotating body being V-shaped
complimentary to said V-shaped upper surface of said
receiving table means for contacting and being
supported by said V-shaped upper surface of said
receiving table, said rotating body further having
engaging means located on its upper surface;
(d) lever means extending horizontally and angularly
spaced from each other in a direction toward the rear
of said car and attached to said rotating body and
having weight balance means attached to the ends
furthest from said rotating body;
(e) axle means having a rod portion extending
downward through said openings in said rotating body
and said receiving table means and secured to said
bracket;
(f) casing means attached to said rotating body by said
rotating body engaging means; and
(g) a headlight mounted on said casing means whereby
rotation of said headlight is caused by centrifugal force
acting upon said weight balance means when said car is
turned thereby causing said rotating body to turn and
climb up said V-shaped surface portion, thereby
rotating said casing means having said headlight
mounted thereon, said headlight being rotated back to
its original position once said car completes said turn
and centrifugal force no longer acts on said weight
balance means.
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2. A movable car-headlight device located at an
appropriate place on a car body, for automatically
illuminating an area into which said car turns, which
comprises:
(a) bracket means mounted on a forward portion of
said car for mounting said headlight device thereon;
(b) receiving table means mounted on said bracket
means, said receiving table means having a vertically
extending opening therethrough and a V-shaped wedge
upper surface;
(c) a rotating body rotatably supported on said
receiving table means and having a vertically extending
opening therethrough which is co-extensive with said
opening in said receiving table means, the bottom
portion of said rotating body being V-shaped
complementary to said V-shaped upper surface of said
receiving table means for contacting and being
supported by said V-shaped upper surface of said
receiving table, said rotating body further having
engaging means located on its upper surface;
(d) lever means extending horizontally and angularly
spaced from each other in a direction toward the rear
of said car and attached to said rotating body and
having weight balance means attached to the ends
furthest from said rotating body;
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(e) axle means having a rod portion extending
downward through said openings in said rotating body
and said receiving table means and secured to said
bracket means by a nut;
(f) casing means having bearing means for securing
said casing means to the upper portion of said axle
means for preventing said axle means from dropping
out through the bottom of said bracket means, said
casing means having engaging members for engaging
said engaging means on said rotating body; and
(g) a headlight mounted on said casing means whereby
rotation of said headlight is caused by centrifugal force
acting upon said weight balance means when said car is
turned thereby causing said rotating body to turn and
climb up said V-shaped surface portion which in turn
rotates said axle means and said casing means for
rotating said headlight, said headlight being rotated
back to its original position once said car completes
said turn and centrifugal force no longer acts on said
weight balance means.
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Description:
This invention relates to a car headlight and more
particularly, to a movable car headlight device which,
when turning the car, illuminates the area into which
the car is turning.
Conventional headlights and auxiliary lights are
generally fixed at a certain angle to the front of a car
body for lighting up the area in front of the car.
Therefore, upon turning the steering wheel to change
the direction of travel of the car, the front-wheel forms
an angle corresponding to the angle at which the
steering wheel was turned in relation to the direction of
travel of the car. Thus, the car body moves in a
direction which is not being illuminated by the
headlights and therefore poses a danger because it is
turned into a dark area.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to
provide a novel headlight device for cars, which is
designed so that when turning the car it automatically
directs a light in the direction in which the car is
turned. More specifically, the movable car headlight
device of the present invention comprises a
perpendicular main axis fixed to a bracket mounted on
an appropriate part of the car body; a receiving table
through which the main axis passes; a rotating body
with balance weights on either side attached to the
main axis the body rotatable resting on the receiving
table; and a casing with a lamp at its rear part
rotatable supported at the upper end of the main axis.
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The casing is connected to the rotating body so as to
allow the rotating body to rise or fall independently and
co-rotates with the casing. The receiving table and the
rotating body are adapted to contact each other in the
form of a V-shaped wedge so that the rotating body is
allowed to ride up from the contact surface as it is
rotated due to centrifugal force exerted by the balance
weights caused by the turning of the car, whereby the
casing having a lamp is rotated and the rotating body is
given a restoring force due to potential energy
accumulated by riding up the V-shaped surface of the
receiving table.
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The nature and advantages of the present invention will
be understood more clearly from the following
description made with reference to the accompanying
drawing, in which:
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section of the car headlight
device of the present invention,
FIG. 2 is a cross section taken along the II--II line in
FIG. 1, and
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the receiving table and
the revolving body.
In the drawing, numeral 1 denotes a bracket which
comprises a base 2 fixed to an appropriate part of a car
body (a front bumper B, for example) and a supporting
table 4 movably fixed to said base 2 by means of a bolt
3. A main axle 5 is fixed perpendicularly to the
supporting table 4 by means of a nut 6. The main axis 5
passes through a receiving table 7 which is fixed to the
supporting table 4 or to the lower part of the main axle
5. A rotating body 9 is fitted rotatable about the main
axle 5 and rests on the receiving table 7. The upper
surface of the receiving table 7 has a V-shaped notch 8
and the rotating body 9 has a corresponding V-shaped
projection 10 at its lower part. Thus, a wedge-shaped
contact surface A (FIG. 3) is formed by both the notch
8 and the projection 10. The angle of the contact
surface A between the notch 8 and the projection 10 is
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determined so that when the rotating body 9 has a
turning force exerted on it, it rides up from the notch 8
and thereby rotates.
Fitted to the upper end of the main axis 5 are radial
bearings 11 and thrust bearings 12 which are
supported by a supporting tube 13 which is fixed to the
front part of a casing 14 which carries a sealed beam
lamp 15 at its upper rear part. Ball-and-roller bearings
are used in this embodiment but such bearings can be
replaced by plain bearings or other universal bearings.
The above-described casing 14 also acts as a cover.
Preferably, it is shaped in such a fashion that its cross
section is substantially triangular, with a slight
concavity at each of two of its sides facing forward in
the direction of travel of the car, to which is fixed a fin
16. This fin 16, when the car is running, is subjected to
air pressure and prevents the casing 14 from shaking
due to vibration of the car body and other factors. As
illustrated in FIG. 2, it is preferable that the three
apexes of the casing 14 and the fin combine to lie in a
circle.
The afore-mentioned rotating body 9 rotates when the
car body changes its direction of travel. This turning is
transmitted to the casing 14 but when the car body is
restored to straight driving, the rotating body also
returns to its original state immediately. By means of
lever 17 the main axis 5 is connected to balance weights
18 which are preferably positioned away from the main
axis or more specifically, at the apexes at the rear part
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of the casing 14. Inserting holes 19 are located in the
surface of the rotating body 9 and pins 20 are provided
which protrude from the under surface of the
supporting tube 13 and are inserted in the holes 19.
Thus, rotation of the rotating body 9 is transmitted
through the supporting tube 13 to the casing 14 but the
rotating body 9 is allowed to move up and down,
independently of the supporting tube 13.
In the above described arrangement, while the car body
is being driven in a straight direction the rotating body
9 is locked in the notch 8 of the receiving table 7 by its
own weight and the weight of the balance weights 18
and therefore, the headlight is kept pointing in the
straight direction of travel of the car. The lamp 15
normally points to the front but upon change of
direction of travel of the car body, the balance weights
18 cause the rotating body 9 to rotate around the main
axis 5 because of centrifugal force acting upon the
weights. The lower part of the rotating body 9 which is
normally locked in the receiving table 7 in V-shape 9 is
rotated as it rides up from the receiving table 7. This
rotation of the rotating body 9 causes the supporting
tube 13 and the casing 14 to rotate by engagement with
pins 20. By providing the lamp 15 at the rear of the
main axis 5, the lamp 15 illuminates the direction
opposite the transition caused by centrifugal force,
namely, lights up the direction in which the car body is
turned.
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Thus, when the car body returns to straight driving
and the balance weights 18 are freed from turning
caused by centrifugal force, the rotating body 9 returns
to its original position (at which point it makes contact
with the receiving table) as it turns in a reverse
direction due to its weight and the weight of the balance
weights 18. In this embodiment, a lamp is mounted on
the casing 14 but it is also possible to mount a lamp on
a place other than the casing and both are connected by
a connector.
According to the present invention, while the car body
is traveling in a straight path the rotating body 9 is
locked in the receiving table 7 by its weight and the
weight of the balance weights 18. Therefore, the casing
14 is free from lateral movement due to vibration of the
car body and the lamp 15 always points to the front.
Upon a change of the direction of travel, the casing 14
carrying the lamp 15 is caused to rotate by the riding
up rotation of the rotating body 9 in relation to the
receiving table 7 due to centrifugal force acting on the
balance weights. Therefore, a satisfactory turning force
can always be obtained and even when the driving
speed is comparatively slow, the lamp is capable of
turning in the direction in which the car is turned
thereby illuminating that area. Furthermore, when
straight driving is resumed upon completing the turn,
the rotating body immediately descends from its riding
up position to its original position, resulting in the lamp
being again directed to the front. Such movement is
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done automatically without the necessity of the driver's
operation.
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A movable vehicle headlight system as described in
claim 15, wherein said steering arm of a respective said
headlight drive assembly has a ball-like first end which
is removably and securely received in said socket of a
respective said steering arm support member.
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Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sensory maneuver-
activated road-tracking headlamps and more
particularly pertains to a new movable vehicle
headlight system for automatically aiming the
headlights in the direction of travel regardless of the
terrain of the road.
Description of the Prior Art
The use of a sensory maneuver-activated road-tracking
headlamps is known in the prior art. More specifically,
a sensory maneuver-activated road-tracking headlamps
heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist
basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural
configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs
encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been
developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and
requirements.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular
objectives and requirements, the aforementioned
patents do not disclose a new movable vehicle headlight
system. The inventive device includes base assemblies
each including a base member; and also includes
headlight assemblies each including a headlight frame
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being securely mounted upon the base assembly and
each including a headlight being pivotally mounted to
the headlight frame; and further includes headlight
drive assemblies for pivoting the headlight according to
a terrain of a road being driven upon; and also includes
a control unit assembly for controlling the headlight
drive assemblies.
In these respects, the movable vehicle headlight system
according to the present invention substantially departs
from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior
art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily
developed for the purpose of automatically aiming the
headlights in the direction of travel regardless of the
terrain of the road.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the
known types of sensory maneuver-activated road-
tracking headlamps now present in the prior art, the
present invention provides a new movable vehicle
headlight system construction wherein the same can be
utilized for automatically aiming the headlights in the
direction of travel regardless of the terrain of the road.
The general purpose of the present invention, which
will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to
provide a new movable vehicle headlight system which
has many of the advantages of the sensory maneuver-
activated road-tracking headlamps mentioned
heretofore and many novel features that result in a new
movable vehicle headlight system which is not
anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even
implied by any of the prior art sensory maneuver-
activated road-tracking headlamps, either alone or in
any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally
comprises base assemblies each including a base
member; and also includes headlight assemblies each
including a headlight frame being securely mounted
upon the base assembly and each including a headlight
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being pivotally mounted to the headlight frame; and
further includes headlight drive assemblies for pivoting
the headlight according to a terrain of a road being
driven upon; and also includes a control unit assembly
for controlling the headlight drive assemblies.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more
important features of the invention in order that the
detailed description thereof that follows may be better
understood, and in order that the present contribution
to the art may be better appreciated. There are
additional features of the invention that will be
described hereinafter and which will form the subject
matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one
embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be
understood that the invention is not limited in its
application to the details of construction and to the
arrangements of the components set forth in the
following description or illustrated in the drawings.
The invention is capable of other embodiments and of
being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it
is to be understood that the phraseology and
terminology employed herein are for the purpose of
description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the
conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may
readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other
structures, methods and systems for carrying out the
several purposes of the present invention. It is
important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as
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including such equivalent constructions insofar as they
do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present
invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to
enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the
public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers
and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with
patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine
quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and
essence of the technical disclosure of the application.
The abstract is neither intended to define the invention
of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor
is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the
invention in any way.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to
provide a new movable vehicle headlight system which
has many of the advantages of the sensory maneuver-
activated road-tracking headlamps mentioned
heretofore and many novel features that result in a new
movable vehicle headlight system which is not
anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even
implied by any of the prior art sensory maneuver-
activated road-tracking headlamps, either alone or in
any combination thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a
new movable vehicle headlight system which may be
easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
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It is a further object of the present invention to provide
a new movable vehicle headlight system which is of a
durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to
provide a new movable vehicle headlight system which
is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard
to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is
then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming
public, thereby making such movable vehicle headlight
system economically available to the buying public.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to
provide a new movable vehicle headlight system which
provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior
art some of the advantages thereof, while
simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages
normally associated therewith.
Still another object of the present invention is to
provide a new movable vehicle headlight system for
automatically aiming the headlights in the direction of
travel regardless of the terrain of the road.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide
a new movable vehicle headlight system which includes
base assemblies each including a base member; and
also includes headlight assemblies each including a
headlight frame being securely mounted upon the base
assembly and each including a headlight being pivotally
mounted to the headlight frame; and further includes
headlight drive assemblies for pivoting the headlight
according to a terrain of a road being driven upon; and
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also includes a control unit assembly for controlling the
headlight drive assemblies.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to
provide a new movable vehicle headlight system that
relieves some of the tension and anxiety of driving at
night.
Even still another object of the present invention is to
provide a new movable vehicle headlight system that
would prevent many unnecessary accidents because the
headlights are always directed upon the road.
These together with other objects of the invention,
along with the various features of novelty which
characterize the invention, are pointed out with
particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a
part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of
the invention, its operating advantages and the specific
objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to
the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in
which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of
the invention.
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As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and
operation of the present invention, the same should be
apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no
further discussion relating to the manner of usage and
operation will be provided.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be
realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for
the parts of the invention, to include variations in size,
materials, shape, form, function and manner of
operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily
apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all
equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the
drawings and described in the specification are
intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative
only of the principles of the invention. Further, since
numerous modifications and changes will readily occur
to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the
invention to the exact construction and operation
shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable
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modifications and equivalents may be resorted to,
falling within the scope of the invention.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Design of machine elements by V.B.Bhandari
2. A text book of machine design by Rajendra Karwa
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STREENGSYSTEM_(devi
ce)
http://hubpages.com/hub/STREENG SYSTEM
http://www.powerjacks-de.com/STEERINGSYSTEM-
FAQ.html
http://www.radicon.com/ STEERINGSYSTEM.php
http://www.powerjacks.com/PowerJacks-
STEERINGSYSTEM -Story.php
http://www.scribd.com/doc/38577261/
STEERINGSYSTEM -Design
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