Patent ID: 6119540
Filing Date: 2000-09-19
Classification: B62D,F16H,Y10T

Abstract:
A yoke apparatus (34) useful in conjunction with a steering system having a pinion gear (20) and a longitudinally movable rack (24) engaged with the pinion gear (20) mounted within a housing, said housing having a sleeve formed to receive said yoke assembly, the sleeve having a smooth cylindrical inner wall, said yoke apparatus comprising:a bearing (36) having an outer circumferential wall and a boss, said boss extending in an axial direction from a lower portion of said bearing disc, said circumferential wall having a lower portion adjacent said lower portion of said bearing disc, said lower portion being spaced inwardly and apart from said inner wall of said sleeve; anda pair of biasing members (40 and 38) disposed in parallel with one another and adapted to bias the bearing disc (36) against the longitudinally movable rack (24), in turn biasing the longitudinally movable rack (24) against the pinion gear (20), one of the biasing members mounted between the lower portion of said bearing disc and said boss to constrain the disc in a lateral direction;wherein the biasing members (40 and 38) have different spring constants and different compliances.