Patent ID: 6170599
Filing Date: 2001-01-09
Classification: B62D

Abstract:
A power steering apparatus comprising:an input shaft adapted to be coupled to a steering wheel;an output shaft adapted to be connected to wheels to be steered;a groove member having a groove and rotating together with one of the input shaft and the output shaft;a reaction force generating member that is supported by another of the input shaft and the output shaft and is unmovable in a radial direction with respect to one of the input shaft and the output shaft and movable in an axial direction of the input shaft and the output shaft by a distance smaller than a predetermined value;an elastic member urging one of the groove member and the reaction force generating member toward another of the groove member and the reaction force generating member; andmeans for generating a steering assisting force corresponding to an operational angle formed between the input shaft and the output shaft,wherein the operational angle formed between the input shaft and the output shaft is limited to a value smaller than a predetermined maximum operational angle, a maximum relative displacement amount in the axial direction is generated between the groove member and the reaction force generating member in correspondence with the maximum operational angle, and the groove has a depth larger than the maximum relative displacement amount.