Rack ball nut assembly for a vehicle steering gear and related components thereof
AssigneeTRW Automotive U.S. LLC
InventorsPraful Bari, Jeffrey Beyerlein
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rack ball nut assembly for a vehicle steering gear has a ball nut, a ball return tube, and a tube retention clip. The ball nut has first and second recesses and the ball return tube has first and second tube portions. There is a snap fit between the first and second tube portions. The tube retention clip has first and second retention tabs. The first tab is engaged in the first recess and the second tab is engaged in the second recess. The ball return tube is secured between the ball nut and the tube retention clip.
Claims18
A rack ball nut assembly for a vehicle steering gear comprising:
- a ball nut having first and second recesses;
- a ball return tube having first and second tube portions;
- a snap fit between the first and second tube portions;
- and
- a tube retention clip having first and second retention tabs, wherein the first tab is engaged in the first recess, the second tab is engaged in the second recess, and the ball return tube is secured between the ball nut and the clip.
A rack ball nut assembly for a vehicle steering gear comprising:
- a ball nut having first and second openings;
- a ball return tube having first and second tube portions, wherein the ball return tube connects the first and second openings;
- a snap fit between the first and second tube portions;
- a plurality of balls circulating through the ball return tube between the first and second openings;
- a male snap extending from the first tube portion, the male snap having head and stem portions, the head portion having a greater width than the stem portion;
- and
- a female snap in the second tube portion, the female snap having receiving and channel portions, the receiving portion having a greater width than the channel portion, wherein the head portion is restrained in the receiving portion by the channel portion.
A rack ball nut assembly for a vehicle steering gear comprising:
- a ball nut having first and second recesses;
- a tube retention clip having first and second opposing legs;
- a first retention tab on the first leg;
- a second retention tab on the second leg, wherein the first tab is engaged in the first recess, and the second tab is engaged in the second recess;
- a first spring portion in the first leg;
- and
- a second spring portion in the second leg, wherein the first and second spring portions produce a tension force that secures a ball return tube between the ball nut and the clip.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.