Belt driven rotary assist apparatus for recirculating ball steering gears

A steering actuator comprising:

• a worm gear fixed to a spur gear;
• a pulley set including a belt engaged with a shaft of a motor and a pulley wheel;
• a first gear set including a pinion of the pulley wheel engaged with an internal surface of the spur gear;
• and
• a second gear set including a ball nut engaged with a portion of the worm gear, the ball nut to translate as the worm gear rotates.

A steering apparatus comprising:

• a worm gear fixed to a spur gear, the worm gear and the spur gear aligned along a first axis of rotation;
• a belt engaged with a pulley wheel, the pulley wheel fixed to a pinion, the pulley wheel and the pinion aligned along a second axis of rotation parallel to the first axis of rotation, the second axis of rotation different from the first axis of rotation, the pinion engaged with the spur gear;
• and
• a motor fixed to a shaft, the motor and the shaft aligned along a third axis of rotation parallel to the second axis of rotation, the shaft engaged with the belt.