STEERING SYSTEM FOR A GOLF VEHICLE

1 . A golf vehicle comprising:

a chassis;

a front tractive assembly coupled to the chassis, the front tractive assembly including a first tractive element on a first side of the golf vehicle and a second tractive element on an opposing second side of the golf vehicle;

a rear tractive assembly coupled to the chassis, the rear tractive assembly including a third tractive element on the first side of the golf vehicle and a fourth tractive element on the opposing second side of the golf vehicle; and

a steering system comprising:

a first actuator assembly coupled to the first tractive element and the third tractive element, the first actuator assembly configured to simultaneously steer the first tractive element and the third tractive element; and

a second actuator assembly coupled to the second tractive element and the fourth tractive element, the second actuator assembly configured to simultaneously steer the second tractive element and the fourth tractive element.

2 . The golf vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first actuator assembly is configured to simultaneously pivot the first tractive element in a first direction while pivoting the third tractive element in an opposing second direction.

3 . The golf vehicle of claim 1 , wherein:

the first actuator assembly includes:

a first movable body; and

a first actuator configured to move the first movable body between a first position and a second position to steer the first tractive element and the third tractive element; and

the second actuator assembly includes:

a second movable body; and

a second actuator configured to move the second movable body between a third position and a fourth position to steer the second tractive element and the fourth tractive element.

4 . The golf vehicle of claim 3 , further comprising:

a first front steering assembly coupled between a first end of the first movable body and the first tractive element, the first front steering assembly configured to steer the first tractive element; and

a first rear steering assembly coupled between an opposing second end of the first movable body and the third tractive element, the first rear steering assembly configured to steer the third tractive element.

5 . The golf vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the first rear steering assembly includes:

a first bar coupled to the first end of the first movable body;

a first plate pivotably coupled to the first bar and pivotably coupled to the chassis;

a second bar pivotably coupled to the first plate; and

a first steering body pivotably coupled to the chassis, pivotably coupled to the second bar, and coupled to the third tractive element, wherein pivoting of the first steering body relative to the chassis steers the third tractive element.

6 . The golf vehicle of claim 5 , wherein movement of the first movable body from the first position to the second position causes the first plate to pivot relative to the chassis in a first rotational direction and the first steering body to pivot relative to the chassis in an opposing second rotational direction.

7 . The golf vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the first front steering assembly includes:

a third bar coupled to the opposing second end of the first movable body; and

a second steering body pivotably coupled to the chassis, pivotably coupled to the third bar, and coupled to the first tractive element, wherein pivoting of the second steering body relative to the chassis steers the first tractive element.

8 . The golf vehicle of claim 7 , further comprising:

a second front steering assembly coupled between a first end of the second movable body and the second tractive element, the second front steering assembly configured to steer the second tractive element, the second front steering assembly including:

a fourth bar coupled to a first end of the second movable body; and

a third steering body pivotably coupled to the chassis, pivotably coupled to the fourth bar, and coupled to the second tractive element, wherein pivoting of the third steering body relative to the chassis steers the second tractive element; and

a second rear steering assembly coupled between an opposing second end of the second movable body and the fourth tractive element, the second rear steering assembly configured to steer the fourth tractive element, the second rear steering assembly including:

a fifth bar coupled to an opposing second end of the second movable body;

a second plate pivotably coupled to the fifth bar and pivotably coupled to the chassis;

a sixth bar pivotably coupled to the second plate; and

a fourth steering body pivotably coupled to the chassis, pivotably coupled to the sixth bar, and coupled to the fourth tractive element, wherein pivoting of the fourth steering body relative to the chassis steers the fourth tractive element.

9 . The golf vehicle of claim 7 , wherein movement of the first movable body from the first position to the second position causes the first steering body to pivot relative to the chassis in a first rotational direction and the second steering body to pivot relative to the chassis in an opposing second rotational direction.

10 . The golf vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising one or more processing circuits configured to:

acquire steering data;

determine, based on the steering data, a control decision for the steering system; and

operate the steering system according to the control decision to simultaneously steer (i) the first tractive element and the third tractive element and (ii) the second tractive element and the fourth tractive element.

11 . The golf vehicle of claim 10 , further comprising:

an operator input device associated with the steering system; and

a sensor configured to generate the steering data corresponding to an orientation of the operator input device;

wherein the one or more processing circuits are configured to acquire the steering data from the sensor.

12 . The golf vehicle of claim 10 , wherein, during a left turn, (a) the first tractive element and the third tractive element are inner tractive elements and (b) the second tractive element and the fourth tractive element are outer tractive elements, wherein, during a right turn, (a) the second tractive element and the fourth tractive element are the inner tractive elements and (b) the first tractive element and the third tractive element are the outer tractive elements, and wherein the one or more processing circuits are configured to control the first actuator assembly and the second actuator assembly differently such that (a) the inner tractive elements are steered a different amount than (b) the outer tractive elements.

13 . The golf vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the inner tractive elements are turned more than the outer tractive elements.

14 . The golf vehicle of claim 10 , wherein:

the first actuator assembly includes:

a first movable body; and

a first actuator configured to move the first movable body between a first position and a second position to steer the first tractive element and the third tractive element; and

the second actuator assembly includes:

a second movable body; and

a second actuator configured to move the second movable body between a third position and a fourth position to steer the second tractive element and the fourth tractive element; and

the one or more processing circuits are configured to operate the first actuator according to the control decision to move the first movable body between the first position and the second position and to operate the second actuator according to the control decision to move the second movable body between the third position and the fourth position to move the second movable body between the third position and the fourth position such that the first actuator assembly steers the first tractive element and the third tractive element and the second actuator assembly steers the second tractive element and the fourth tractive element.

15 . A recreational vehicle comprising:

a chassis;

a front tractive assembly including a first tractive element and a second tractive element;

a rear tractive assembly including a third tractive element and a fourth tractive element; and

a steering system including:

a first movable body movable between a first position and a second position;

a second movable body movable between a third position and a fourth position;

a first bar coupled to a first end of the first movable body;

a first steering knuckle pivotably coupled to the chassis, pivotably coupled to the first bar, and coupled to the first tractive element;

a second bar coupled to a first end of the second movable body;

a second steering knuckle pivotably coupled to the chassis, pivotably coupled to the second bar, and coupled to the second tractive element;

a third bar coupled to an opposing second end of the first movable body;

a first plate pivotably coupled to the third bar and pivotably coupled to the chassis;

a fourth bar pivotably coupled to the first plate;

a third steering knuckle pivotably coupled to the chassis, pivotably coupled to the fourth bar, and coupled to the third tractive element;

a fifth bar coupled to an opposing second end of the second movable body;

a second plate pivotably coupled to the fifth bar and pivotably coupled to the chassis;

a sixth bar pivotably coupled to the second plate; and

a fourth steering knuckle pivotably coupled to the chassis, pivotably coupled to the sixth bar, and coupled to the fourth tractive element.

16 . The recreational vehicle of claim 15 , wherein movement of the first movable body from the first position to the second position causes the first steering knuckle to pivot relative to the chassis in a first rotational direction and the third steering knuckle to pivot relative to the chassis in an opposing second rotational direction.

17 . The recreational vehicle of claim 15 , wherein movement of the first movable body in a first direction and movement of the second movable body in the first direction causes the first steering knuckle and the second steering knuckle to pivot relative to the chassis in a first rotational direction.

18 . The recreational vehicle of claim 15 , wherein, during a left turn, (a) the first tractive element and the third tractive element are inner tractive elements and (b) the second tractive element and the fourth tractive element are outer tractive elements, and wherein, during a right turn, (a) the second tractive element and the fourth tractive element are the inner tractive elements and (b) the first tractive element and the third tractive element are the outer tractive elements, further comprising one or more processing circuits configured to control the first movable body and the second movable body differently such that (a) the inner tractive elements are steered a different amount than (b) the outer tractive elements.

19 . A steering system for a vehicle, the steering system comprising:

a first actuator assembly;

a second actuator assembly;

a first rear steering assembly coupled to the first actuator assembly, the first rear steering assembly configured to couple to a first rear tractive element of the vehicle;

a second rear steering assembly coupled to the second actuator assembly, the second rear steering assembly configured to couple to a second rear tractive element of the vehicle;

a first front steering assembly coupled to the first actuator assembly, the first front steering assembly configured to couple to a first front tractive element of the vehicle; and

a second front steering assembly coupled to the second actuator assembly, the second front steering assembly configured to couple to a second front tractive element of the vehicle.

20 . The steering system of claim 19 , wherein, during a left turn, (a) the first front tractive element and the first rear tractive element are inner tractive elements and (b) the second front tractive element and the second rear tractive element are outer tractive elements, and wherein, during a right turn, (a) the second front tractive element and the second rear tractive element are the inner tractive elements and (b) the first front tractive element and the first rear tractive element are the outer tractive elements, further comprising one or more processing circuits configured to control the first movable body actuator assembly and the second actuator assembly differently such that (a) the inner tractive elements are steered a different more than (b) the outer tractive elements.