Patent ID: 8066092

Claim:
A rack and pinion electric power steering device comprising: an operator; a torque sensor configured to detect a steering torque generated by an input from the operator; an electric motor configured to generate an auxiliary torque in accordance with at least the steering torque generated by the input from the operator which is detected by the torque sensor; a steering unit for steering front wheels of a vehicle, the steering unit comprising a pinion shaft to which the auxiliary torque is transmitted; a rotation terminating mechanism which provides a motion terminating end of the operator, the rotation terminating mechanism being disposed between the operator and the torque sensor; and a rack end mechanism including a housing end adjacent to a housing that stores a rack shaft, the rack shaft having a rack end, the rack end mechanism disposed between the torque sensor and a front wheel, wherein when the operator is at a maximum turning angle defined by the rotation terminating mechanism, the rack end and the housing end on a side where a rotation of the operator is regulated by the rotation terminating mechanism do not come in contact with each other.