Rack and pinion steering gear

Claim 2

Rack and pinion steering gear for automotive vehicles comprising, a housing having a longitudinal bore of a diameter and a cross bore, a rack guide tube received in said longitudinal bore having an outer diameter so-related to that of said longitudinal bore as to permit predetermined limited bodily adjusting movement of said tube within said bore in directions both radially and tiltably relative to the axis of the latter, injection molding passage means defined in said housing and said tube, a rack received reciprocably within said guide tube, pinion and pinion shaft means received rotatably within said cross bore and meshingly associated with said rack so that rotation of said pinion and pinion shaft means effects reciprocation of the latter and conversely, and in situ injection molded retaining means within said passage means interconnecting said tube and said housing and holding a radially and tiltably adjusted relationship therebetween.

Claim 3

Rack and pinion steering gear for automotive vehicles comprising, a housing having a longitudinal bore of predetermined diameter and a cross bore, a rack guide tube received in said longitudinal bore having an outer diameter so-related to thatof said longitudinal bore as to permit predetermined limited bodily adjusting movement of said tube within said bore radially relative to the axis of the latter, injection molding passage means defined in said housing and said tube, a rack received reciprocably within said guide tube, pinion and pinion shaft means received rotatably within said cross bore and meshingly associated with said rack so that rotation of said pinion and pinion shaft means effects reciprocation of the latter and conversely, preloading spring means seated between said housing and said pinion and pinion shaft means responsive to radial adjustment of said rack tube within said longitudinal bore to exert varying degrees of resilient meshing preload between said rack and said pinion and pinion shaft means, and in situ injection molded retaining means within said passage means interconnecting said tube and said housing and holding a radially adjusted relationship therebetween.

Claim 4

Rack and pinion steering gear for automotive vehicles comprising, a housing having a longitudinal bore of predetermined diameter and a cross bore, a rack guide tube received in said longitudinal bore having an outer diameter so-related to thatof said longitudinal bore as to permit predetermined limited bodily adjusting movement of said tube within said bore radially relative to the axis of the latter, injection molding passage means defined in said housing and said tube, a rack received reciprocably within said guide tube, pinion and pinion shaft means received rotatably within said cross bore and meshingly associated with said rack so that rotation of said pinion and pinion shaft means effects reciprocation of the latter and conversely, preloading spring means seated between said housing and said pinion and pinion shaft means responsive to radial adjustment of said rack tube within said longitudinal bore to exert varying degrees of resilient meshing preload between said rack and said pinion and pinion shaft means, and in situ injection molded retaining means within said passage means interconnecting said tube and said housing and holding a radially adjusted relationship therebetween.

Claim 5

Rack and pinion steering gear for automotive vehicles comprising, a housing having a longitudinal bore and a cross bore, a rack guide tube received for slidable adjustment within said longitudinal housing bore, injection molding passage means in said housing of a limited width communicating with said bore, complementary injection molding passage means in the outer surface of said rack guide tube of a width adapted for juxtaposition of at least a portion thereof with said housing passage means over a selected limited range of relatively axially displaced positions between said housing and said tube, a rack member reciprocably received within said rack tube, pinion and pinion shaft means received rotatably within said cross bore and meshingly engaged with said rack so that rotation of said pinion and pinion shaft means will effect reciprocation of the latter and conversely, and in situ molded retaining means within said juxtaposed passage means in said housing and said tube holding a selected axially displaced relationship therebetween.

Claim 6

Rack and pinion steering gear for automotive vehicles comprising, a housing having a longitudinal bore and a cross bore, a rack guide tube received for slidable adjustment within said longitudinal housing bore, injection molding passage means in said housing of a limited width communicating with said bore, complementary injection molding passage means in the outer surface of said rack guide tube of a width adapted for juxtaposition of at least a portion thereof with said housing passage means over a selected limited range of relatively axially displaced positions between said housing and said tube, a rack member reciprocably received within said rack tube, pinion and pinion shaft means received rotatably within said cross bore and meshingly engaged with said rack so that rotation of said pinion and pinion shaft means will effect reciprocation of the latter and conversely, and in situ molded retaining means within said juxtaposed passage means in said housing and said tube holding a selected axially displaced relationship therebetween.

Claim 7

Rack and pinion steering gear for automotive vehicles comprising, a housing having a longitudinal bore of predetermined diameter and a cross bore aligned in generally orthogonal planes of said housing, a rack guide tube received slidably in said longitudinal bore and having an outer diameter so related to the diameter of such bore as to permit predetermined limited bodily movement of said tube within such bore in directions radially of the axis of the latter and also tiltably therewithin to effect skewing adjustment between the axis thereof, injection molding passage means in said housing of a limited width communicating with the longitudinal bore thereof, injection molding passage means in the outer surface of said rack tube of a width selected for juxtaposition of at least a portion of such width with said housing passage means over a predetermined range of axially slidably displaced positions between said housing and said tube, a rack received reciprocably with said tube, pinion and pinion shaft means received rotatably within said cross bore of said housing and meshingly associated with said rack so that rotation of said pinion and pinion shaft means will effect reciprocation of the latter and conversely, and in situ molded retaining means within said juxtaposed passage means of said housing aNd said tube holding a selected axial, radial and skew adjusted interrelationship between said housing and said tube.

Claim 8

Rack and pinion steering gear for automotive vehicles comprising, a housing having a longitudinal bore of predetermined diameter and a cross bore aligned in generally orthogonal planes of said housing, a rack guide tube received slidably in said longitudinal bore and having an outer diameter so related to the diameter of such bore as to permit predetermined limited bodily movement of said tube within such bore in directions radially of the axis of the latter and also tiltably therewithin to effect skewing adjustment between the axis thereof, injection molding passage means in said housing of a limited width communicating with the longitudinal bore thereof, injection molding passage means in the outer surface of said rack tube of a width selected for juxtaposition of at least a portion of such width with said housing passage means over a predetermined range of axially slidably displaced positions between said housing and said tube, a rack received reciprocably with said tube, pinion and pinion shaft means received rotatably within said cross bore of said housing and meshingly associated with said rack so that rotation of said pinion and pinion shaft means will effect reciprocation of the latter and conversely, and in situ molded retaining means within said juxtaposed passage means of said housing aNd said tube holding a selected axial, radial and skew adjusted interrelationship between said housing and said tube.

Claim 9

Rack and pinion steering gear for automotive vehicles comprising, a housing having a longitudinal bore of predetermined diameter and a cross bore, a rack guide tube received in said longitudinal bore having an outer diameter so-related to that of said longitudinal bore as to permit predetermined limited bodily adjusting movement of said tube within said bore radially relative to the axis of the latter, a rack received reciprocably within said guide tube, a pair of shaft bushings mounted in said cross bore in axially spaced relation and for limited radial movement therein, pinion and pinion shaft means received rotatably within said bushings and meshingly associated with said rack so that rotation of said pinion and pinion shaft means effects reciprocation of the latter and conversely, and bowed blade spring means in said housing having a midportion seated on the latter and end portions each seated on a respective said bushing, said spring means being responsive to said radial adjustment of said tube to flex about said midportion thereof and effect variable degrees of meshing preload between said rack and said pinion and pinion shaft means.

Claim 10

Rack and pinion steering gear for automotive vehicles comprising, a housing having a longitudinal bore of predetermined diameter and a cross bore, a rack guide tube received in said longitudinal bore having an outer diameter so-related to that of said longitudinal bore as to permit predetermined limited bodily adjusting movement of said tube within said bore radially relative to the axis of the latter, a rack received reciprocably within said guide tube, a pair of shaft bushings mounted in said cross bore in axially spaced relation and for limited radial movement therein, pinion and pinion shaft means received rotatably within said bushings and meshingly associated with said rack so that rotation of said pinion and pinion shaft means effects reciprocation of the latter and conversely, and bowed blade spring means in said housing having a midportion seated on the latter and end portions each seated on a respective said bushing, said spring means being responsive to said radial adjustment of said tube to flex about said midportion thereof and effect variable degrees of meshing preload between said rack and said pinion and pinion shaft means.

Claim 11

Rack and pinion steering gear for automotive vehicles comprising, a housing having a longitudinal bore of predetermined diameter and a cross bore aligned in generally orthogonal planes of said housing, a rack guide tube received slidably in said longitudinal bore and having an outer diameter so related to the diameter of such bore as to permit predetermined limited bodily movement of said tube within such bore in directions both radially of the axis of the latter and tiltably therewithin to effect skewing adjustment between the axes thereof, injection molding passage means in said housing of a limited width communicating with the longitudinal bore thereof, injection molding passage means in the outer surface of said rack tube of a width selected for juxtaposition of at least a portion of such width with said housing passage means over a predetermined range of axially slidably displaced interrelationships between said housing and tube, a rack received reciprocably within said tube, a limitedly radially movable pair of shaft bushings mounted in said cross bore in axially spaced relation, pinion and pinion shaft means received rotatably within said bushings and meshingly associated with said rack so that rotation of the said pinion and pinion shaft means will effect reciprocation of the latter and conversely, bowed blade spring means in said housing having a midportion seated on the latter and end portions each seated on a respective said bushing, said spring means being responsive to said radial adjustment of said tube transferred through corresponding motion of said bushings and pinion and pinion shaft means to exert varying degrees of resilient tooth meshing preload force between said rack and said pinion and pinion shaft means, and in situ molded retaining means within said juxtaposed passage means of said housing and said tube holding a selected axial, radial and skew adjusted interrelationship between said housing and said tube.

Claim 12

Rack and pinion steering gear for automotive vehicles comprising, a housing having a longitudinal bore of predetermined diameter and a cross bore aligned in generally orthogonal planes of said housing, a rack guide tube received slidably in said longitudinal bore and having an outer diameter so related to the diameter of such bore as to permit predetermined limited bodily movement of said tube within such bore in directions both radially of the axis of the latter and tiltably therewithin to effect skewing adjustment between the axes thereof, injection molding passage means in said housing of a limited width communicating with the longitudinal bore thereof, injection molding passage means in the outer surface of said rack tube of a width selected for juxtaposition of at least a portion of such width with said housing passage means over a predetermined range of axially slidably displaced interrelationships between said housing and tube, a rack received reciprocably within said tube, a limitedly radially movable pair of shaft bushings mounted in said cross bore in axially spaced relation, pinion and pinion shaft means received rotatably within said bushings and meshingly associated with said rack so that rotation of the said pinion and pinion shaft means will effect reciprocation of the latter and conversely, bowed blade spring means in said housing having a midportion seated on the latter and end portions each seated on a respective said bushing, said spring means being responsive to said radial adjustment of said tube transferred through corresponding motion of said bushings and pinion and pinion shaft means to exert varying degrees of resilient tooth meshing preload force between said rack and said pinion and pinion shaft means, and in situ molded retaining means within said juxtaposed passage means of said housing and said tube holding a selected axial, radial and skew adjusted interrelationship between said housing and said tube.

Claim 13

In a method of assembling a rack and pinion steering gear of a type including a housing having a longitudinal rack bore and a cross bore for a pinion shaft, further including a rack guide tube receivable within the housing longitudinal bore and in turn receiving a rack member slidable therewithin, said housing and said rack guide tube being provided with injection molding passage means for effecting retention of a selected interrelationship between said housing and said tube, the steps comprising, inserting said rack tube within said longitudinal bore of said housing and said rack member within said tube, adjusting the position of said rack member axially of said tube relative to said cross bore so as to effect a generally equal amount of available reciprocation of said rack relative tO said tube from said adjusted position in either direction therefrom, inserting a pinion and pinion shaft assembly within said cross bore and into meshing engagement with said rack in the adjusted position of the latter, adjusting said rack tube within the longitudinal bore of said housing in directions both radially and tiltably therewithin for adjusting the meshing relation between the pinion and the rack, and injecting in situ moldable material within said housing and rack tube passage means to hold said adjusted relationships of said parts of the gear upon curing thereof.

Claim 14

In a method of assembling a rack and pinion steering gear of a type including a housing having a longitudinal rack bore and a cross bore for a pinion shaft, further including a rack guide tube receivable within the housing longitudinal bore and in turn receiving a rack member slidable therewithin, said housing and said rack guide tube being provided with injection molding passage means for effecting retention of a selected interrelationship between said housing and said tube, the steps comprising, inserting said rack tube within said longitudinal bore of said housing and said rack member within said tube, adjusting the position of said rack member axially of said tube relative to said cross bore so as to effect a generally equal amount of available reciprocation of said rack relative tO said tube from said adjusted position in either direction therefrom, inserting a pinion and pinion shaft assembly within said cross bore and into meshing engagement with said rack in the adjusted position of the latter, adjusting said rack tube within the longitudinal bore of said housing in directions both radially and tiltably therewithin for adjusting the meshing relation between the pinion and the rack, and injecting in situ moldable material within said housing and rack tube passage means to hold said adjusted relationships of said parts of the gear upon curing thereof.

Claim 15

In a method of assembling a rack and pinion steering gear of a type including a housing having a longitudinal rack bore and a cross bore for a pinion shaft, further including a rack guide tube receivable within the housing longitudinal bore and in turn receiving a rack member slidable therewithin, said housing and said rack guide tube being provided with an injection molding passage means for effecting retention of a selected interrelationship between said housing and said tube, the steps comprising, inserting said rack tube within said longitudinal bore of said housing and inserting said rack member within said tube, adjusting the position of said rack member axially of said tube relative to said cross bore so as to coarsely effect a generally equal amount of available reciprocation of said rack relative to said tube from said adjusted position in either direction therefrom, inserting a pinion and pinion shaft assembly within said cross bore and into meshing engagement with said rack in the adjusted position of the latter, adjusting said rack tube within the longitudinal bore of said housing in directions both radially and tiltably therewithin for adjusting the meshing relation between the pinion and the rack axially displacing said tube relative to said rack and said housing to effect a fine adjustment for a fairly precisely equal amount of said available rack reciprocation in either direction, and injecting in situ moldable material within said housing and rack tube passage means to hold said adjusted relationships of said parts of the gear upon curing thereof.

Claim 16

In a method of assembling a rack and pinion steering gear of a type including a housing having a longitudinal rack bore and a cross bore for a pinion shaft, further including a rack guide tube receivable within the housing longitudinal bore and in turn receiving a rack member slidable therewithin, said housing and said rack guide tube being provided with an injection molding passage means for effecting retention of a selected interrelationship between said housing and said tube, the steps comprising, inserting said rack tube within said longitudinal bore of said housing and inserting said rack member within said tube, adjusting the position of said rack member axially of said tube relative to said cross bore so as to coarsely effect a generally equal amount of available reciprocation of said rack relative to said tube from said adjusted position in either direction therefrom, inserting a pinion and pinion shaft assembly within said cross bore and into meshing engagement with said rack in the adjusted position of the latter, adjusting said rack tube within the longitudinal bore of said housing in directions both radially and tiltably therewithin for adjusting the meshing relation between the pinion and the rack axially displacing said tube relative to said rack and said housing to effect a fine adjustment for a fairly precisely equal amount of said available rack reciprocation in either direction, and injecting in situ moldable material within said housing and rack tube passage means to hold said adjusted relationships of said parts of the gear upon curing thereof.