Hydraulic motor driven rack and pinion steering assembly
AssigneeOshkosh Corporation
InventorsDavid W. Archer, Bruce D. Loomans, Troy R. Scott
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rack and pinion steering apparatus for a heavy-duty vehicle includes a housing, a gear rack slidably coupled to the housing and including a plurality of rack gear teeth, and a pinion gear including a plurality of pinion gear teeth in meshing engagement with the plurality of rack gear teeth. The apparatus also includes a hydraulic motor including an output shaft coupled to and configured to rotate the pinion gear and a limiter coupled to the housing and configured to reduce an output steering force of the gear rack.
Claims11
A rack and pinion steering apparatus for a heavy-duty vehicle, comprising:
- a housing;
- a gear rack slidably coupled to the housing and comprising a plurality of rack gear teeth, wherein the gear rack is moveable between a first lateral position and a second lateral position;
- a pinion gear comprising a plurality of pinion gear teeth in meshing engagement with the plurality of rack gear teeth;
- a hydraulic motor comprising an output shaft coupled to and configured to rotate the pinion gear;
- and
- a limiter coupled to the housing and configured to reduce an output steering force of the gear rack, wherein the limiter comprises a stop block releasably coupled to the gear rack with a fastener, and wherein the gear rack defines a slot configured to receive the stop block.
A rack and pinion steering apparatus for a heavy-duty vehicle, comprising:
- a housing;
- a gear rack slidably coupled to the housing and comprising a plurality of rack gear teeth, wherein the gear rack is moveable between a first lateral position and a second lateral position;
- a pinion gear comprising a plurality of pinion gear teeth in meshing engagement with the plurality of rack gear teeth;
- a hydraulic motor comprising an output shaft coupled to and configured to rotate the pinion gear;
- and
- a limiter coupled to the housing and configured to reduce an output steering force of the gear rack, wherein the limiter includes:
- a stop block coupled to the gear rack;
- and
- a relief valve having an engagement member configured to interface with the stop block when the gear rack is in the first lateral position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.