End of Travel Relief System for Power Steering System

A steering gear for a power steering system, comprising:

• a housing defining a fluid chamber;
• a piston disposed within the fluid chamber and configured for movement within the fluid chamber along a first axis responsive to movement of an associated steering wheel and fluid pressure on first and second axial ends of the piston to cause corresponding movement of an associated steering linkage, the piston defining a fluid bore extending through the piston along a second axis from the first axial end of the piston to the second axial end of the piston;
• and,
• an end of travel relief system comprising:
• a first poppet valve having
• a sleeve configured to be received within a first axial end of the fluid bore, the sleeve of the first poppet valve having an inboard end disposed within the fluid bore and an outboard end extending outward from the fluid bore and defining a valve seat between the inboard and outboard ends of the sleeve of the first poppet valve;
• a valve stem disposed within the sleeve of the first poppet valve, the valve stem of the first poppet valve having an inboard end defining a poppet configured for engagement with the valve seat in the sleeve of the first poppet valve and an outboard end defining a stem configured to extend beyond the outboard end of the sleeve of the first poppet valve when the poppet of the valve stem of the first poppet valve engages the valve seat in the sleeve of the first poppet valve;
• a second poppet valve having
• a sleeve configured to be received within the second axial end of the fluid bore, the sleeve of the second poppet valve having an inboard end disposed within the fluid bore and an outboard end extending outward from the fluid bore and defining a valve seat between the inboard and outboard ends of the sleeve of the second poppet valve;
• a valve stem disposed within the sleeve of the second poppet valve, the valve stem of the second poppet valve having an inboard end defining a poppet configured for engagement with the valve seat in the sleeve of the second poppet valve and an outboard end defining a stem configured to extend beyond the outboard end of the sleeve of the second poppet valve when the poppet of the valve stem of the second poppet valve engages the valve seat in the sleeve of the second poppet valve;
• and,
• reset position establishment means for establishing a reset position of the first poppet valve and a reset position of the second poppet valve.

A method for positioning an end of travel relief system in a steering gear of a power steering system in a vehicle, comprising:

• inserting a reset body through a housing of the steering gear and into a piston disposed within a fluid chamber defined within the housing, the piston configured for movement within the fluid chamber along a first axis responsive to movement of an associated steering wheel and fluid pressure on first and second axial ends of the piston to cause corresponding movement of an associated steering linkage, the reset body inserted into a fluid bore in the piston extending through the piston along a second axis from the first axial end of the piston to the second axial end of the piston to position the reset body between first and second poppet valves of an end of travel relief system for the piston disposed in opposite ends of the fluid bore by moving the reset body in a first direction along a third axis, perpendicular to the second axis;
• moving the piston in a first direction in the fluid chamber to cause engagement of the reset body with an inboard end of the first poppet valve and movement of the first poppet valve in a second direction, opposite the first direction, within the fluid bore to a reset position for the first poppet valve;
• and,
• moving the piston in the second direction in the fluid chamber to cause engagement of the reset body with an inboard end of the second poppet valve and movement of the second poppet valve in the first direction within the fluid bore to a reset position for the second poppet valve.