Patent ID: 7213677

Claim:
A motor-driven power steering apparatus comprising: a drive gear connected to an output shaft of a motor; a follower gear meshed with the drive gear, which is connected to a steering unit; a bearing for supporting one end of the drive gear; a support portion in which the bearing is disposed; and a curved leaf spring comprising a length larger than a peripheral length of the bearing and fitted between the bearing and the support portion in a resiliently deformed state, said curved leaf spring being fitted along an outer peripheral surface of the bearing and an inner surface of the support portion, wherein the curved leaf spring urges the bearing such that a distance between an axis of the follower gear and an axis of the drive gear decreases, wherein said curved leaf spring comprises end portions, said end portions being selected from the group consisting of overlapping end portions and end portions having a bent portion, and wherein a substantially entire intermediate portion of said curved leaf spring except opposite said overlapping end portions or said end portions having a bent portion of said curved leaf spring contacts said inner surface of said support portion and said outer peripheral surface of said bearing.