US3753375A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Rack and pinion steering gear
Assignee: Northrop Grumman Space and Mission Systems Corp
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Filing: 1971-11-29
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Granted: 1973-08-21
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Expires: 1991-11-29
Abstract
Abstract A rack and pinion steering gear wherein the rack bar is supported in the rack tube by bearing sleeves journalled in the axial open ends of the tube without use of a yoke. In order to provide alignment adjustment, the pinion has at least one end thereof supported in an adjustable eccentrically mounted spherical bearing to allow movement of the pinion with regard to the rack.
Inventors
- 👤 J Colletti
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 11:44
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16C; F16C23/00; F16C23/10; B; B62; B62D; B62D3/00; B62D3/02; B62D3/12; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/19; Y10T74/1956; Y10T74/19565; Y10T74/19642; Y10T74/1967
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 3
Claim 1
Independent Claim
224 words
A rack and pinion steering wheel assembly comprising a rack housing, said rack housing having spaced-apart open axial ends, a rack tube projecting through said housing axially thereof and projecting beyond the axial ends, bushings received in the housing adjacent the axial ends thereof, the bushings slidably supporting the rack bar in the housing, a pinion projecting transversely of said rack bar through said housing, means attached to said housing transversely of said rack bar on both sides of said rack bar rotatably supporting said pinion in said housing, said pinion having teeth intermeshing with the rack bar, said means supporting said pinion including bearings on both sides of said rack bar supporting said pinion, at least one of said bearings eccentrically mounted in said housing, the eccentric distance between the centerline of the one bearing and the centerline of the pinion lying in a plane parallel to the centerline of the rack, the eccentrically mounted bearing being a spherical bearing having a spherical outer surface received in an opening in a mounting member, said mounting member having a cylindrical outer diameter surface rotatably received in a cylindrical portion of the housing, said opening in the said mounting member eccentric to the cylindrical outer diameter of the mounting member, said mounting member rotatable in said housing, and means restricting rotation of said mounting member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
224 words
A rack and pinion steering wheel assembly comprising a rack housing, said rack housing having spaced-apart open axial ends, a rack tube projecting through said housing axially thereof and projecting beyond the axial ends, bushings received in the housing adjacent the axial ends thereof, the bushings slidably supporting the rack bar in the housing, a pinion projecting transversely of said rack bar through said housing, means attached to said housing transversely of said rack bar on both sides of said rack bar rotatably supporting said pinion in said housing, said pinion having teeth intermeshing with the rack bar, said means supporting said pinion including bearings on both sides of said rack bar supporting said pinion, at least one of said bearings eccentrically mounted in said housing, the eccentric distance between the centerline of the one bearing and the centerline of the pinion lying in a plane parallel to the centerline of the rack, the eccentrically mounted bearing being a spherical bearing having a spherical outer surface received in an opening in a mounting member, said mounting member having a cylindrical outer diameter surface rotatably received in a cylindrical portion of the housing, said opening in the said mounting member eccentric to the cylindrical outer diameter of the mounting member, said mounting member rotatable in said housing, and means restricting rotation of said mounting member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
The assembly of claim 1 wherein another of said bearings having a spherical outer surface received in a mating mounting member supports the pinion in the housing on the opposite side of the rack bar from the one of said bearings.
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) | 1976-08-20 | 1977-02-19 | 1977-08-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-08-20 | 1981-02-19 | 1981-08-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-08-20 | 1985-02-19 | 1985-08-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |