Patent ID: 7121379

Claim:
Steering unit for an electric vehicle, the steering unit comprising an electric motor ( 4 ) having a tubular output shaft ( 9 ) assembled so as to rotate around its own particular longitudinal axis ( 8 ); and a steering rod ( 13 ) assembled through said output shaft ( 9 ) and connected to the same output shaft ( 9 ) by means of a recirculating ball screw-nut screw coupling ( 12 ) in order to move along said axis ( 8 ) and control the steering of a pair of wheels ( 2 ) of the vehicle; the screw-nut screw coupling ( 12 ) comprising at least one closed ring recirculating track ( 16 ) and a train of balls ( 15 ) engaged in said recirculating track ( 16 ), the recirculating track ( 16 ) comprising, in turn, a first section ( 17 ) defined between the output shaft ( 9 ) and the steering rod ( 13 ), a second section ( 18 ) extending between the ends of the first section ( 17 ), and two third sections ( 19 ) connecting the first and the second section ( 17 , 18 ) with one another; wherein the second section ( 18 ) extends through the steering rod ( 13 ) and is disposed at an angle (a) other than 90° with respect to a reference plane (P) basically at a right angle to said axis ( 8 ); and wherein the steering unit further comprises a latching device ( 34 ) to angularly lock the output shaft ( 9 ) around said axis ( 8 ) in the absence of power supply of the electric motor ( 4 ).