Back to results
US 2014/0260742 A1Published application
Rack and pinion wear compensation
AssigneeSteering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
InventorsGeorge E. Arlt, Cory R. Ricker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automotive steering system includes a steering assembly including a rack and a pinion, and a rack bearing configured to contact the rack, the rack bearing disposed in a rack bearing bore of a housing. The system also includes a wear compensation assembly in fluid communication with a rack bearing bore cavity disposed within the rack bearing, the wear compensation assembly configured to draw fluid into the rack bearing bore cavity in response to movement of the rack bearing within the rack bearing bore.
Claims19
An automotive steering system, comprising:
- a steering assembly including a rack and a pinion;
- a rack bearing configured to contact the rack, the rack bearing disposed in a rack bearing bore of a housing;
- and
- a wear compensation assembly in fluid communication with a rack bearing bore cavity disposed within the rack bearing, the wear compensation assembly configured to draw fluid into the rack bearing bore cavity in response to movement of the rack bearing within the rack bearing bore.
1 more element
A wear compensation assembly comprising:
- a fluid source in fluid communication with a rack bearing bore of a housing, the rack bearing bore configured to have a rack bearing disposed therein, the rack bearing configured to contact a rack of a rack and pinion steering assembly;
- and
- a fluid control device configured to advance fluid from the fluid source into the rack bearing bore in response to a channel forming between the rack bearing and an adjuster plug seated with the rack bearing bore and configured to retain the rack bearing bore with the rack bearing bore.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.