Steering system for motor vehicle

A steering system for a motor vehicle, comprising:

• a steering wheel;
• a steering assembly for steering vehicle wheels in response to angular movement of said steering wheel;
• and
• a centering mechanism mounted on at least a portion of said steering assembly for establishing a neutral steering position of said steering assembly;
• said steering assembly comprises a front wheel steering mechanism and a rear wheel steering mechanism which have respective steering gear boxes and are mechanically connected to each other, said centering mechanism being disposed in the steering gearbox of said rear wheel steering mechanism;
• said front and rear wheel steering mechanisms include output and input shafts, respectively, which are mechanically interconnected by a linkage shaft, said rear wheel steering mechanism further including an eccentric shaft on said input shaft, a pinion rotatably fitted over said eccentric shaft, an eccentric member integral with said pinion, an internal ring gear meshing with the pinion and fixedly mounted in said steering gearbox of said rear wheel steering mechanism, and a joint member engaging said eccentric member and connecting tie rods for supporting rear wheels, respectively;
• and
• said centering mechanism comprising a tooth-free area on said pinion and a projection disposed on said internal ring gear and engagable in said tooth-free area only in the neutral steering position.

A steering system for a motor vehicle, comprising:

• a steering wheel;
• a steering assembly for steering vehicle wheels in response to angular movement of said steering wheel,
• said steering assembly including a front wheel steering mechanism and a rear wheel steering mechanism mechanically connected to each other;
• and
• a locking mechanism disposed at least one of said steering mechanisms for locking operation thereof in a neutral steering position while said steering assembly is being assembly and serviced,
• said locking mechanism having an engaging portion engageable with a locking device outside of said steering assembly.

A steering mechanism for a motor vehicle, comprising:

• a steering wheel;
• a steering assembly for steering vehicle wheels in response to angular movement of said steering wheel;
• and
• a centering mechanism mounted on at least a portion of said steering assembly for establishing a neutral steering position of said steering assembly;
• said steering assembly including a front wheel steering mechanism having a steering gear box, and said centering mechanism being disposed in the steering gear box of said front wheel steering mechanism.