Reconfigurable steering device
A vehicle steering device is reconfigurable between a joystick mode to a steering wheel mode. The vehicle steering device includes a body, a rotary stand, and a grip. The body is configured to be oriented around a first pivot axis via a hinge at a first position corresponding to the joystick mode and a second position corresponding to the steering wheel mode. The rotary stand is coupled to the body via a shaft and pivotable around a second pivot axis.
1 . A vehicle steering device, comprising:
a body configured to be oriented around a first pivot axis via a hinge at a first position corresponding to a joystick mode and a second position corresponding to a steering wheel mode;
a rotary stand coupled to the body via a shaft and pivotable around a second pivot axis; and
a grip pivotably coupled to the rotary stand around a third pivot axis, the grip pivotable to a first grip position relative to the rotary stand when the body is disposed at the first position and pivotable to a second grip position relative to the rotary stand when the body is disposed in the second position, and the grip defining a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the second pivot axis in the first grip position and parallel to the second pivot axis in the second grip position.
2 . The vehicle steering device of claim 1 , wherein an edge of the rotary stand forms a recess to receive a bottom of the grip.
3 . The vehicle steering device of claim 1 , wherein the grip defines the longitudinal axis and includes a grip shaft pivotable around the third pivot axis, a grip housing covering the grip shaft, and a bearing disposed between the grip shaft and the grip housing and configured to allow the grip housing to rotate relative to the grip shaft around the longitudinal axis.
4 . The vehicle steering device of claim 3 , further comprising a collar positioned between the grip housing and the rotary stand in a direction of the longitudinal axis and slidable along the grip shaft to lock or unlock a rotation of the grip housing relative to the grip shaft around the longitudinal axis.
5 . The vehicle steering device of claim 4 , further comprising a spring positioned between the grip housing and the collar in the direction of the longitudinal axis.
6 . The vehicle steering device of claim 5 , wherein the rotary stand includes a guiding piece having a first collar location and a second collar location, which define a curved path for the collar to move between the first collar location and the second collar location and to pivot around the third pivot axis, wherein the grip is disposed at the first grip position when the collar is at the first collar location and is disposed at the second grip position when the collar is at the second collar location.
7 . The vehicle steering device of claim 6 , wherein the guiding piece is eccentric and includes a first notch at the first collar location configured to receive a protrusion of the collar and a second notch at the second collar location configured to receive the protrusion of the collar, a radial distance between a bottom of the first notch relative to the third pivot axis is longer than a radial distance between a bottom of the second notch relative to the third pivot axis.
8 . The vehicle steering device of claim 7 , wherein when the first notch receives the protrusion of the collar, the collar engages with the grip housing with the spring compressed, and when the second notch receives the protrusion of the collar, the collar disengages from the grip housing by a spring force from the spring.
9 . The vehicle steering device of claim 4 , wherein a bottom of the grip housing has teeth, and a top of the collar has teeth facing the teeth of the grip housing and configured to interlock the teeth of the grip housing.
10 . The vehicle steering device of claim 4 , wherein the grip housing extends radially relative to the longitudinal axis to form a platform, and the collar extends upward and radially relative to the longitudinal axis to form a frusto-conical portion with an opening facing the platform.
11 . The vehicle steering device of claim 1 , further comprising a locking mechanism coupled to the body and configured to engage with the hinge to selectively secure the body at the first position and the second position.
12 . The vehicle steering device of claim 11 , wherein the locking mechanism includes:
a bell crank having a first lever and a second lever and pivotably coupled to the body;
a handle connected to the first lever and configured to pivot the bell crank in a first direction; and
a locking pin, one end of which connected to the second lever and another end of which is insertable into a first hole of the hinge for securing the first position of the body and into a second hole of the hinge for securing the second position of the body, is released from the hinge when the bell crank is pivoted in the first direction.
13 . The vehicle steering device of claim 1 , further comprising a linkage coupled to the hinge and a gas spring, one end of the gas spring is connected to the linkage to facilitate a reorientation between the first position and the second position of the body.
14 . The vehicle steering device of claim 13 , wherein another end of the gas spring is connected to an arm of an operator seat disposed at a vehicle.
15 . The vehicle steering device of claim 1 , further comprising a collar interconnecting the grip and the rotary stand and operable to secure the grip at one of the first grip position and the second grip position;
wherein the rotary stand includes a guiding piece having a first collar location and a second collar location, which define a curved path for the collar to move between the first collar location and the second collar location and to pivot around the third pivot axis.
16 . The vehicle steering device of claim 15 , wherein the collar includes a protrusion, the guiding piece includes a first notch at the first collar location and a second notch at the second collar location, the grip is disposed at the first grip position when the first notch receives the protrusion and is disposed at the second grip position when second notch receives the protrusion.
17 . The vehicle steering device of claim 1 , further comprising a motor operatively connected to the rotary stand and configured to rotate the rotary stand about the second pivot axis.