Patent ID: 7461571
Filing Date: 2008-12-09
Classification: B62D,F16F

Abstract:
1. A vehicle steering apparatus comprising: a rack shaft supported by a housing so as to be axially slidable; a joint for connecting an end of the rack shaft and an end of a tie rod; and a stopper for regulating a stroke amount of the rack shaft through a spacer, the stopper and the joint respectively comprising end surfaces opposed to each other, the spacer being held between the end surface of the stopper and the end surface of the joint when the rack shaft is at a final end position of the stroke, the spacer comprising an annular elastic member and an annular metal member, the elastic member comprising an inner annular section fitted in an outer periphery at the end of the rack shaft and an outer annular section, the metal member comprising an annular section surrounding an outer periphery of the outer annular section of the elastic member, the annular section of the metal member comprising a first abutment section that is abuttable on the end surface of the stopper when the stopper regulates the stroke amount of the rack shaft, and the outer annular section of the elastic member comprising a projection section which projects farther to the stopper than the first abutment section of the metal member does when the stopper does not regulate the stroke amount of the rack shaft.