Patent ID: 6591706
Filing Date: 2003-07-15
Classification: B62D,F16H,Y10T

Abstract:
A rack and pinion steering gear comprising:a housing having a longitudinally extending passage and a yoke bore that extends perpendicular to the longitudinally extending passage and connects with the longitudinally extending passage within the housing; a pinion gear rotatably mounted in the housing, the pinion gear having teeth; a rack bar extending through the longitudinally extending passage of the housing and being movable relative to the pinion gear, the rack bar having teeth in meshing engagement with the teeth of the pinion gear; and a yoke assembly located in the yoke bore of the housing for at least partially supporting and guiding movement of the rack bar relative to the pinion gear, the yoke assembly including a yoke, a yoke plug, and an elastomeric spring, the yoke being axially spaced from the yoke plug by the elastomeric spring, the elastomeric spring being secured to the yoke and the elastomeric spring being secured to the yoke plug so that the yoke, the elastomeric spring, and the yoke plug form a unitized assembly; the elastomeric spring being adhered to both the yoke and the yoke plug; a bonding agent being interposed between the elastomeric spring and the yoke and between the elastomeric spring and the yoke plug; and the bonding agent adhering the elastomeric spring to both the yoke and the yoke plug.