Patent ID: 7980152
Filing Date: 2011-07-19
Classification: B62D,F16H,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A power steering apparatus comprising: a housing extending along a longitudinal axis and having a chamber with an inner surface, said housing having an aperture extending therein, said aperture defining threads in said housing; a rack disposed within said chamber for movement along said longitudinal axis; a pinion supported by said housing and extending into said chamber for meshing engagement with said rack; a bearing engaging said inner surface of said chamber and disposed about said rack with said bearing having a wall of a continuous varying radial thickness circumferentially surrounding said rack; an adjustment mechanism supported by said housing and coupled to said bearing for rotatably adjusting said bearing relative to said longitudinal axis to ensure tight meshing engagement between said pinion and said rack, said adjustment mechanism having a shaft with a threaded portion and a non-threaded portion, a length of said non-threaded portion being at least two times a length of said threaded portion of said shaft, said threaded portion being in threaded engagement with said threads for rotational movement of said shaft relative to said housing; a spring supported by said housing and biasing said shaft into rotational movement within said threads of said housing to induce automatic linear movement of said shaft for adjusting a rotational position of said bearing.