Rack and Pinion Steering Device
AssigneeNsk Ltd.
InventorToshiyuki AIZAWA
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rack and pinion steering device which can restrict a pinion shaft from moving in an axial direction even when a snap ring of supporting a thrust load of the pinion shaft is detached or broken, and in which when the snap ring is detached or broken, the pinion shaft is moved to an upper side in the axial direction. Then, a raised portion of the pinion on a side of a lower end face is brought into contact with an outer peripheral face of a rack. The pinion shaft does not move further in the axial direction. Therefore, the thrust load can be supported, and a predetermined performance of the rack and pinion steering device can be maintained.
Claims5
A rack and pinion steering device comprising:
- a housing;
- a pinion shaft which is axially supported rotatably by the housing, and to one end of which a steering force of a steering wheel is transmitted;
- a pinion which is configured at other end of the pinion shaft;
- a rack which is brought in mesh with the pinion for transmitting the steering force to a side of a wheel;
- a large diameter shaft portion which is configured at one end of the pinion with a diameter thereof larger than a gear tooth root circle diameter of the pinion;
- a first bearing which axially supports the large diameter shaft portion rotatably at the housing;
- a small diameter shaft portion which is configured at other end of the pinion with a diameter thereof smaller than the gear tooth root circle diameter of the pinion;
- a second bearing which axially supports the small diameter shaft portion rotatably at the housing;
- a first raised portion which is configured at a gear tooth root of the pinion on a side of the large diameter shaft portion;
- and
- a second raised portion which is configured at the gear tooth root of the pinion on a side of the small diameter shaft portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.