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US 4,581,952 AGranted
Steering apparatus of rack and pinion type
AssigneeJidosha Kiki Co., Ltd.
InventorChiaki Yabe
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A steering apparatus of rack and pinion type includes a rack, the back surface of which is configured to change continuously in the axial direction thereof. A support member slidably carries the back surface of the rack and is configured as a curve, as viewed in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rack, whereby the point of contact between the rack and the support member moves over the contacting surface of the support member as the rack reciprocates.
Claims12
A steering apparatus of the rack and pinion type, including:
- a pinion disposed for rotation in interlocked relationship with a steering wheel, an elongated rack meshed with said pinion for reciprocal movement in the direction of the longitudinal axis of said rack as the pinion rotates, a support member slidably carrying said rack on two zones of contact on first contact surfaces of said support member, which contact surfaces are of a curved shape when viewed in an imaginary cutting plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said rack, said contact surfaces being shaped to maintain the longitudinal axis of said rack a constant, predetermined distance from said support member as said rack is moved longitudinally with respect to said support member, said rack having second contact surfaces specially adapted for being carried by said first contact surfaces of said support member so that as said rack is reciprocally moved along said support member said zones of contact move continuously in the vertical direction perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said rack, wherein said second contact surfaces are configured so that the shape of the cross-section of said rack continuously changes along the longitudinal axis of said rack.
In a steering apparatus of the rack and pinion type comprising:
- a housing;
- a pinion rotatably mounted in said housing and adapted to be rotated by a steering wheel;
- an elongated rack mounted for reciprocable, longitudinal sliding movement in said housing, said rack having a longitudinally extending row of rack teeth on the side thereof that is adjacent to said pinion, said rack teeth being meshed with said pinion so that said rack is adapted to be moved longitudinally in response to rotation of said pinion;
- an elongated support member mounted in said housing and slidably engaging the side of said rack which is remote from said pinion so that said rack is supported for longitudinal sliding movement in said housing;
- a spring urging said support member against said rack whereby to urge said rack teeth into meshed engagement with said pinion, the improvement which comprises:
- said support member and said rack each have two elongated contact surfaces extending lengthwise thereof and respectively located on opposite lateral sides of the longitudinal axis of said rack, the contact surfaces of said rack being in sliding engagement with the corresponding contact surfaces of said support member at lengthwise extending zones of contact therebetween, said two contact surfaces of said support member having corresponding curved shapes when viewed in cross-section which curved shapes are uniform along the length of said support member, said contact surfaces of said rack having corresponding cross-sectional shapes which continuously change along the lengthwise extent of said rack so that the points of contact that lie in any given imaginary cutting plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said rack move vertically on said support member as said rack is slid longitudinally along said support member, without changing the distance between the longitudinal axis of said rack and said support member, whereby to vary the sliding resistance between said rack and said support member in response to longitudinal movement of said rack and thereby impose on the steering wheel a variable reaction force in opposition to the steering effort.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.