US3905277A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Servo-assisted steering mechanism
Assignee: BENDEBERICA SA
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Filing: 1973-12-27
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Granted: 1975-09-16
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Expires: 1993-12-27
Abstract
Abstract A servo-assisted steering mechanism, especially for vehicles, of the type having a double-acting piston which is moved in dependence on the steering action of the mechanism, pressurized fluid being selectively fed to opposite ends of the piston to urge it in the appropriate direction so as to provide servoassistance of the steering action, has the improvement of at least one valve arranged to reduce or annul fluid pressure difference between the two ends of the piston during travel of the piston over at least one predetermined portion of the travel path of the piston. In the embodiment illustrated there are two valves controlling fluid flow in a passage interconnecting chambers at the two ends of the piston, the valves having actuating arms engaged by a pin on a part moved by the piston. The valves are arranged to be opened to permit fluid flow through the passage at respective portions at opposite ends of the travel of the piston.
Inventors
- 👤 Jorge Estela Rosell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 02:22
CPC Classifications
B; B62; B62D; B62D5/00; B62D5/06; B62D5/061
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
405 words
In a servo-assisted steering mechanism, piston means having a pair of opposed ends and cylinder means having a hollow interior in which said piston means is slidable with said cylinder means providing at said ends of said piston means a pair of pressure chambers, respectively, one or the other of which is adapted to receive pressure for driving said piston means in said cylinder means in one direction or the other depending upon the direction of steering, said piston means forming one of a number of components of a transmission means for transmitting movement of said piston means to a steering mechanism, said transmission means including a portion of said piston means which is formed with rack teeth, and said cOmponents of said transmission means including a rotary gear sector meshing with said rack teeth and a shaft fixed to said gear sector for rotary movement therewith in one direction or the other depending upon the direction of movement of said piston means in said cylinder means, one of said components of said transmission means carrying a control projection which initially has a neutral position beyond which said control projection can freely move in one direction or the other without engaging any other elements, and a pair of normally closed valve means for each providing when displaced to an open position communication between said chambers at said opposite ends of said piston for reducing a pressure differential between said chambers and thus terminating the operation of said transmission means, said pair of normally closed valve means respectively having connected thereto valve-actuating projections respectively situated on opposite sides of and in the path of movement of said control projection while being spaced from said control projection when the latter is in its neutral position, said control projection after moving in one direction or the other from its neutral position through a given distance engaging one of said valve-actuating projections for displacing the valve means connected thereto from its closed to its open position so as to provide communication between said chambers, so that until said control projection engages one of said valve-actuating projections said control projection can move freely without any restraint and after engaging one of said valve-actuating projections will continue to move until the valve means connected to the latter valve-actuating projection has been opened sufficiently to bring about a reduction in said pressure differential sufficient to terminate the operation of said transmission means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
405 words
In a servo-assisted steering mechanism, piston means having a pair of opposed ends and cylinder means having a hollow interior in which said piston means is slidable with said cylinder means providing at said ends of said piston means a pair of pressure chambers, respectively, one or the other of which is adapted to receive pressure for driving said piston means in said cylinder means in one direction or the other depending upon the direction of steering, said piston means forming one of a number of components of a transmission means for transmitting movement of said piston means to a steering mechanism, said transmission means including a portion of said piston means which is formed with rack teeth, and said cOmponents of said transmission means including a rotary gear sector meshing with said rack teeth and a shaft fixed to said gear sector for rotary movement therewith in one direction or the other depending upon the direction of movement of said piston means in said cylinder means, one of said components of said transmission means carrying a control projection which initially has a neutral position beyond which said control projection can freely move in one direction or the other without engaging any other elements, and a pair of normally closed valve means for each providing when displaced to an open position communication between said chambers at said opposite ends of said piston for reducing a pressure differential between said chambers and thus terminating the operation of said transmission means, said pair of normally closed valve means respectively having connected thereto valve-actuating projections respectively situated on opposite sides of and in the path of movement of said control projection while being spaced from said control projection when the latter is in its neutral position, said control projection after moving in one direction or the other from its neutral position through a given distance engaging one of said valve-actuating projections for displacing the valve means connected thereto from its closed to its open position so as to provide communication between said chambers, so that until said control projection engages one of said valve-actuating projections said control projection can move freely without any restraint and after engaging one of said valve-actuating projections will continue to move until the valve means connected to the latter valve-actuating projection has been opened sufficiently to bring about a reduction in said pressure differential sufficient to terminate the operation of said transmission means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
157 words
The combination of claim 1 and wherein each of said valve means includes an outer sleeve and an inner sleeve coaxial with said outer sleeve and situated within and engaging said outer sleeve, said sleeves respectively being formed with ports which are out of registry with each other when said valve means is in its closed position and one of said sleeves being turnable about the common axis of said sleeves with respect to the other of said sleeves while a spring means is connected to said one sleeve for normally maintaining said ports out of registry with each other, said one sleeve of each valve means having said valve-actuating projection connected thereto and said control projection when engaging a valve-actuating projection turning said one sleeve of one of said valve means with respect to the other until said ports of the latter sleeves register with each other to place the valve means in an open position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The combination of claim 2 and wherein said gear sector is the component of said transmission means which carries said control projection.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The combination of claim 3 and wherein said valve-actuating projections are respectively in the form of pins respectively situated on opposite sides of said control projection and respectively extending radially from said one sleeve of each valve means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
The combination of claim 4 and wherein an adjusting means is operatively connected with each valve means for adjusting the angular position of the pin forming the valve-actuating projection so as to regulate the distance through which said control projection can move before engaging one or the other of said valve-actuating projections.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The combination of claim 4 and wherein said valve-actuating projections are respectively connected with the inner sleeves of the pair of valve means while said outer sleeves thereof normally remain fixed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
The combination of claim 6 and wherein an adjusting means is operatively connected with at least one of said outer sleeves for adjusting the angular position thereof so as to adjust the position of one of said valve-actuating projections with respect to said control projection.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The coMbination of claim 4 and wherein said control projection is in the form of a pin which is parallel to said sleeves.
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) | 1978-09-15 | 1979-03-17 | 1979-09-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-09-15 | 1983-03-17 | 1983-09-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-09-15 | 1987-03-17 | 1987-09-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |