Patent ID: 6076628
Filing Date: 2000-06-20
Classification: B62D,Y10T

Abstract:
A power assist apparatus for motor vehicle steering, comprising:a steering column on said motor vehicle including a mast jacket,a steering shaft in said mast jacket including an upper shaft segment connected to a steering wheel on said steering column and a lower shaft segment connected to a steering gear on said motor vehicle,a speed reducer housing rigidly attached to said mast jacket,an electric motor mounted on said speed reducer housing,a worm gear rotatably supported on said speed reducer housing driven by said electric motor,a worm wheel meshing with said worm gear rigidly attached to said lower shaft segment of said steering shaft in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal centerline of said steering shaft for rotation as a unit with said lower shaft segment of said steering shaft,a bearing carrier,a support means operative to rotatably support said bearing carrier on said speed reducer housing,a socket in said bearing carrier eccentric relative to said support means traversing a circular orbit in a plane parallel to the worm wheel concurrent with rotation of said bearing carrier relative to said speed reducer housing,a bearing on said lower shaft segment of said steering shaft on one side of said worm wheel interference fitted in said socket in said bearing carrier so that said bearing constitutes the exclusive rotational support of said lower shaft segment of said steering shaft on said speed reducer housing and so that said lower shaft segment of said steering shaft with said worm wheel thereon traverses said circular orbit concurrent with rotation of said bearing carrier relative to said speed reducer housing to minimize lash between said worm gear and said worm wheel; anda clamp means operative to rotationally immobilize said bearing carrier relative to said speed reducer housing.