Patent ID: 7604085

Claim:
An electric power steering apparatus comprising: a housing for supporting a steering shaft for axially slidable movement, the housing including a plurality of split housings connected to each other, the split housings including a main split housing, and the main split housing rotatably supporting an input gear, and having a first sleeve portion surrounding the steering shaft; a speed reduction mechanism including the input gear and being driven by an electric motor for steering assist, and an output gear meshed with the input gear and surrounding the steering shaft; a motion converting mechanism including a rotary sleeve surrounding the steering shaft and rotatable integrally with the output gear, and operating to convert a rotation of the rotary sleeve into axial movement of the steering shaft; and a first bearing and a second bearing for rotatably supporting the rotary sleeve, disposed on opposite sides of the output gear, and being supported by the main split housing; the first bearing having a first outer ring fitted in a first retaining portion formed in an inside periphery of the first sleeve portion, an outer diameter of the first bearing being larger than an outer diameter of the output gear; and the second bearing having a second outer ring fitted in a second retaining portion formed in the inside periphery of the first sleeve portion.