Patent ID: 7055646

Claim:
A rack drive assembly adapted for use in a vehicle electric power steering assembly comprising: a steering member disposed in a rack housing and including a rack portion operatively connected to a vehicle steering wheel and a screw portion; a ball nut assembly operatively connected to said screw portion of said rack portion of said steering member for effecting axial movement of said steering member upon rotation of a vehicle steering wheel, said ball nut assembly including a ball nut and a rotor shaft, said ball nut operatively coupled to said rotor shaft for rotation therewith, said ball nut including an outer surface and said rotor shaft including an inner surface; a bearing assembly carried by said rotor shaft for rotatably supporting said ball nut assembly relative to said steering member; an electric motor operatively connected to said rotor shaft by a pulley assembly; and wherein an insulator is molded in place between said ball nut and said rotor shaft during a molding process so as to operatively couple said ball nut to said rotor therewith and wherein said insulator is disposed between said outer surface of said ball nut and said inner surface of said rotor shaft to thereby isolate said ball nut from said bearing assembly.