US3593593A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Rack and pinion assemblies
Assignee: TRW Steering Systems Ltd
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Filing: 1969-12-12
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Granted: 1971-07-20
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Expires: 1989-12-12
Abstract
Abstract Rack and pinion automotive steering gear with shock absorbing means between the rack bar and rack for damping transfer of road shocks from the rack bar to the pinion. The rack bar has a reduced diameter portion receiving a rack sleeve and shock absorbing means, such as resilient washers, are interposed between the ends of the sleeve and shoulders of the rack bar. The rack bar is preferably cylindrical, and the reduced diameter portion thereof has an eccentric axis. The rack sleeve is preferably cylindrical with an eccentric bore so located to provide a thick rack tooth wall and to position the external cylindrical sleeve surface concentric and flush with the main rack bar. The bar and sleeve are slidably supported in a spring biased yoke.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth Clifton Bradshaw
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 05:06
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16H; F16H19/00; F16H19/02; F16H19/04; B; B62; B62D; B62D3/00; B62D3/02; B62D3/12; F16H55/00; F16H55/02; F16H55/26; F16H55/28; F16H55/283; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/19; Y10T74/19642; Y10T74/1967; Y10T74/1987; Y10T74/19893; Y10T74/19907
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
53 words
A rack and pinion assembly comprising a housing, a rack bar slidably mounted in said housing, a rack sleeve on said rack bar, a pinion meshed with said rack sleeve, and shock absorbing means between the sleeve and rack bar for damping transfer of shock forces from the rack bar to the pinion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
53 words
A rack and pinion assembly comprising a housing, a rack bar slidably mounted in said housing, a rack sleeve on said rack bar, a pinion meshed with said rack sleeve, and shock absorbing means between the sleeve and rack bar for damping transfer of shock forces from the rack bar to the pinion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
86 words
A rack and pinion assembly for automotive steering gear which comprises a housing, a rack bar longitudinally slidable in said housing, a pinion rotatably mounted in said housing, a rack sleeve on the rack bar meshed with said pinion, spring biased yoke means urging said sleeve toward said pinion for maintaining the rack and pinion teeth in meshed engagement, and resilient means between the ends of said sleeve and said rack bar for damping transfer of longitudinal shock forces from the rack bar to the pinion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
86 words
A rack and pinion assembly for automotive steering gear which comprises a housing, a rack bar longitudinally slidable in said housing, a pinion rotatably mounted in said housing, a rack sleeve on the rack bar meshed with said pinion, spring biased yoke means urging said sleeve toward said pinion for maintaining the rack and pinion teeth in meshed engagement, and resilient means between the ends of said sleeve and said rack bar for damping transfer of longitudinal shock forces from the rack bar to the pinion.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The rack and pinion assembly of claim 1 wherein said shock absorbing means provide a bias of progressive resistance to displacement of the sleeve in either sense of longitudinal direction from a neutral position on the rack bar.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
The rack and pinion assembly of claim 1 wherein the rack bar has a reduced diameter portion receiving said sleeve and the shock absorbing means are interposed between the ends of the sleeve and the ends of the reduced diameter portion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The rack and pinion assembly of claim 1 wherein the shock absorbing means are resilient washers interposed between the ends of the sleeve and abutments on the rack bar.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The rack and pinion assembly of claim 2 wherein the rack bar has a plurality of longitudinally connected parts together defining a recess in which the sleeve is carried.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
The rack and pinion assembly of claim 2 wherein the rack bar and the sleeve are cylindrical and so related as to provide concentric external surfaces slidably mounted in the housing.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
155 words
A rack and pinion assembly comprising a housing, a cylindrical rack bar slidable longitudinally in said housing, said rack bar having an elongated recess provided by a reduced diameter portion eccentric with the larger diameter portion of the rack bar, a rack sleeve having an external substantially cylindrical surface and an eccentric bore receiving said reduced diameter portion of the rack bar, said rack sleeve having a rack located in the thicker walled part thereof and the eccentric bore of the sleeve coacting with the eccentric reduced diameter portion of the rack bar to provide an external cylindrical surface of the sleeve and the larger diameter portions of the rack bar which are substantially concentric, a pinion rotatably mounted in said housing meshed with the teeth of the rack sleeve, and a spring biased yoke in the housing slidably receiving the sleeve and rack bar therethrough for urging the rack teeth against the pinion teeth.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
155 words
A rack and pinion assembly comprising a housing, a cylindrical rack bar slidable longitudinally in said housing, said rack bar having an elongated recess provided by a reduced diameter portion eccentric with the larger diameter portion of the rack bar, a rack sleeve having an external substantially cylindrical surface and an eccentric bore receiving said reduced diameter portion of the rack bar, said rack sleeve having a rack located in the thicker walled part thereof and the eccentric bore of the sleeve coacting with the eccentric reduced diameter portion of the rack bar to provide an external cylindrical surface of the sleeve and the larger diameter portions of the rack bar which are substantially concentric, a pinion rotatably mounted in said housing meshed with the teeth of the rack sleeve, and a spring biased yoke in the housing slidably receiving the sleeve and rack bar therethrough for urging the rack teeth against the pinion teeth.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
The rack and pinion assembly of claim 8 wherein the reduced diameter portion has radial end shoulders and shock absorbing means are interposed between the ends of the sleeve and said shoulders.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-07-19 | 1975-01-18 | 1975-07-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-07-19 | 1979-01-18 | 1979-07-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-07-19 | 1983-01-18 | 1983-07-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |