Patent ID: 8408353

Claim:
A vehicle steering apparatus, comprising: an electric motor including a cylindrical motor housing and a rotatable shaft; a control device that controls the driving of the electric motor; a first housing and a second housing that define an accommodation chamber that accommodates the control device and contact each other; a transmission mechanism that transmits power from the electric motor to a steering mechanism; a transmission mechanists housing that houses the transmission mechanism; and a preload applying mechanism, wherein the first housing is at least a part of the motor housing, the first housing includes a first interior wall surface that partially partitions the accommodation chamber, the second housing includes a second interior wall surface that partially partitions the accommodation chamber, the first interior wall surface and the second interior wall surface are opposite to each other in an axial direction of the rotatable shaft, the transmission mechanism includes a driving member coaxially connected to the rotatable shaft together rotatably via a connection member, and a driven member that is driven by the driving member, the driving member includes a first end relatively closer to the rotatable shaft, and a second end relatively farther from the rotatable shaft, the first end of the driving member is rotatably supported by a first bearing held in the transmission mechanism housing, the second end of the driving member is rotatably supported by a second bearing held in the transmission mechanism housing, the preload applying mechanism presses the second bearing, to apply a preload to the first bearing and the second bearing, the second housing is provided in the transmission mechanism housing, the electric motor includes a rotor that rotates together with the rotatable shaft, and a stator opposite to the rotor, the control device is arranged between the rotor and the first bearing in the axial direction of the rotatable shaft, the rotatable shaft includes an end connecting to the connection member, the end of the rotatable shaft is rotatably supported by a third bearing held in the motor housing, the control device includes a power substrate having a power circuit for supplying power to the electric motor mounted thereon, and at least a of the power substrate and at least part of the third bearing are arranged at positions that overlap each other in the axial direction of the rotatable shaft.