Patent ID: 9505433
Filing Date: 2016-11-29
CPC Classification: B62D,F16H

Claim Text:
1. A power steering apparatus, comprising: a steering mechanism that has a steering shaft connected to a steering wheel and transmits a steering force of the steering wheel to steerable wheels; an electric motor that applies a rotational force as a steering assist force to the steering mechanism; a reduction gear mechanism arranged between the steering mechanism and the electric motor and including: a worm gear that has a worm shaft coupled at one end portion thereof to the electric motor and a worm wheel engaged with the worm shaft and coupled to the steering mechanism and transmits the rotational force of the electric motor to the steering mechanism; and a gear housing that has a shaft accommodation part in which the worm shaft is accommodated and a wheel accommodation part in which the worm wheel is accommodated: a ball bearing mounted to the other end portion of the worm shaft within the shaft accommodation part of the gear housing and having an inner race, an outer race and a plurality of balls to rotatably support the worm shaft; a slider movable in a movement direction substantially perpendicular to a rotation axis of the worm shaft; a holder member arranged in the gear housing and having a bearing accommodation part in which the ball bearing is accommodated; a first sliding surface provided on an outer circumferential side of the holder member; and a second sliding surface provided on the slider in an inclined shape with respect to the movement direction of the slider and brought in sliding contact with the first sliding surface such that forward movement of the slider in the movement direction causes relative sliding of the first and second sliding surfaces to bias the worm shaft in an engagement direction that brings the rotation axis of the worm shaft closer to a rotation axis of the worm wheel, wherein the slider is arranged to move circumferentially about the rotation axis of the worm shaft.