Rolling element intermediate shaft assembly
AssigneeSteering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
InventorsTroy A. Daenzer, Daniel C. Simon, Brian J. Magnus, Patrik M. Ryne
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In one aspect, a rolling element intermediate shaft assembly is provided. The assembly includes a solid shaft having a first end and a second end and a tubular shaft configured to receive the shaft first end. The tubular shaft includes an inner wall with an axially extending groove formed therein, and the axially extending groove includes an inner surface. The assembly further includes a wear plate having a bottom surface and defining an axially extending channel, the wear plate being received in the tubular shaft axially extending groove, and at least one ball bearing disposed within the wear plate channel between the wear plate and the solid shaft.
Claims20
A wear plate for a rolling element intermediate shaft assembly having a tubular shaft with an axially extending groove formed in an inner surface of the tubular shaft, the wear plate comprising:
- an elastically deformable body having a first end and a second end, the body defining an axially extending channel configured to receive a plurality of ball bearings, the body configured to be oriented within the axially extending groove of the tubular shaft.
The wear plate of claim 5, wherein bottom surfaces are oriented to define an offset angle that is transverse to the axially extending groove of about between 0° and 10°.
A rolling element intermediate shaft assembly comprising:
- a solid shaft having a first end and a second end;
- a tubular shaft configured to receive the shaft first end, the tubular shaft having an inner wall with an axially extending groove formed therein, the axially extending groove having an inner surface;
- a wear plate having a bottom surface and defining an axially extending channel, the wear plate received in the tubular shaft axially extending groove;
- and
- at least one ball bearing disposed within the wear plate channel between the wear plate and the solid shaft.
The assembly of 12, wherein the solid shaft includes a second axially extending groove formed therein.
A method of assembling a rolling element intermediate shaft assembly, the method comprising:
- providing a solid shaft having a first end and a second end;
- providing a tubular shaft having an inner wall with an axially extending groove formed therein, the axially extending groove having an inner surface;
- providing a wear plate having a bottom surface and defining an axially extending channel;
- orienting the wear plate in the tubular shaft axially extending groove;
- inserting the solid shaft into the tubular shaft;
- inserting at least one ball bearing within the wear plate channel between the wear plate and the solid shaft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.