# US 8,783,125 B2 · Slide plate and rack guide of rack and pinion type steering device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,783,125 B2 - Document ID: US8783125B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/325,970 - Filed: 2008-12-01 - Published: 2009-06-04 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2007-11-30 - Assignees: Daido Metal Company Ltd. - Applicants: Hiroichi Matsuhisa - Inventors: Hiroichi Matsuhisa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8783125B2 ## CPC - B62D 3/123: {characterised by pressure yokes} - F16H 55/283: {using pressure yokes} - Y10T 74/1967: Rack and pinion - Y10T 74/20636: Detents - Y10T 74/2066: Friction - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) - F16H: GEARING - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A slide plate and a rack guide for supporting a rack bar in a casing of a rack and pinion type steering device are provided. The slide plate can be mounted on a rack guide base body while being restricted to be in a regular state with respect to a recessed portion of the rack guide base body. The rack guide is constituted by the slide plate and the rack guide base body on which the slide plate is mounted. The slide plate is constituted by a main body portion receiving the rack bar, and restricting portions on both sides of the main body portion in a moving direction of the rack bar, which restricting portions are in contact with both flanks of the rack guide base body. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A rack guide for receiving and supporting a rack bar of a rack and pinion type steering device which converts rotation of a pinion rotated by a steering wheel into linear movement of the rack bar, the rack guide being provided within a casing of the rack and pinion type steering device, comprising: a slide plate having a main body portion for receiving and supporting the rack bar; and a rack guide base body having a recessed portion formed in an end portion thereof for receiving the slide plate, and a flank formed on each of two sides of the recessed portion in a moving direction of the rack bar, each flank having a surface extending in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the rack bar, wherein the slide plate comprises: restricting portions extending at an angle from the main body portion and each restricting portion being provided on opposite sides of the main body portion with respect to the moving direction of the rack bar to be configured to be in direct contact with the surfaces of the flanks and a corner between each restricting portion and the main body portion; and a gusset defined in the corner between the main body portion and each of the restricting portions, each gusset comprising a groove extending through the corner and having a first portion defined in the restricting portion and a second portion defined in the main body portion, the groove becoming gradually shallower toward the main body portion side from the restricting portions side on an outer side on the rack bar side, and a projected portion coextending with the groove of each gusset and which projects on an inner side on the rack guide base body side, and wherein the rack guide base body comprising engaging grooves defined on opposite sides of the recessed portion with respect to the moving direction of the rack bar such that each groove extends through a corner between the rack guide base body and the respective flank, and each groove has a first portion defined in the recessed portion and a second portion defined in the respective flanks, whereby the slide plate is mounted on the recessed portion of the rack guide base body so that both restricting portions are in direct contact with the respective flanks of the rack guide base body, and the projected portions of the gussets directly engage in the engaging grooves. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The rack guide according to claim 1, wherein the main body portion is integral with the restricting portions. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The rack guide according to claim 2, wherein the main body portion has a curved shape, and the restricting portions comprise bent pieces bent toward the rack guide base body on the opposite sides of the main body portion with respect to the moving direction of the rack bar. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The rack guide according to claim 2, wherein the angle formed by each respective restricting portion and the main body portion is less than 90 degrees, and tip end portions of the restricting portions are in contact with the respected flanks of the rack guide base body. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The rack guide according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the gussets are defined in a circular arc direction of the main body portion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The rack guide according to claim 1, wherein engaging recessed portions in which the restricting portions are fitted are defined in both flanks of the rack guide base body, and the restricting portions are in contact with inner surfaces of the engaging recessed portions. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The rack guide according to claim 1, wherein each of the restricting portions of the slide plate is configured to satisfy the formula: L≧12T, where L is a length of the restricting portion in a circular arc direction, and T is a thickness of the restricting portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The slide plate according to claim 1, wherein each gusset is shorter than an entire surface of the slide plate in the moving direction of the rack bar.