Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
16 words
A power steering system adapted to be driven by an engine of a motor vehicle, comprising
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
16 words
A power steering system adapted to be driven by an engine of a motor vehicle, comprising
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
5 words
a reservoir for hydraulic fluid;
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
5 words
a reservoir for hydraulic fluid;
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
4 words
a power steering mechanism;
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
4 words
a power steering mechanism;
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
a pump communicating with said reservoir for supplying hydraulic fluid under pressure to said mechanism;
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
a pump communicating with said reservoir for supplying hydraulic fluid under pressure to said mechanism;
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
means forming a hydraulic circuit having a supply branch which connects said pump with said mechanism;
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
means forming a hydraulic circuit having a supply branch which connects said pump with said mechanism;
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
201 words
a flow-control valve interposed in said supply branch for controlling the rate of fluid flow to said mechanism, said valve having a fluid outlet port, a chamber upstream of said port and provided with an inlet and with an outlet which communicates with said port, an annular member mounted intermediate said outlet and said port and having an axial bore communicating with said chamber and said port and an axial end face facing away from said chamber and formed with an orifice groove provided with an inner end which communicates with said bore and also with an outer end open to said port, and a valve member slidable in said chamber and having a rod-shaped extension projecting with clearance through said bore and provided adjacent said axial end face with an enlarged-diameter portion dimensioned to substantially block said bore so that, when said valve member slides in a direction in which said portion approaches said axial end face, said portion and said orifice groove together form a variablearea orifice the area of which becomes increasingly smaller as said portion approaches said axial end face whereby the flow of fluid out of said clearance and through said orifice is concomitantly progressively throttled.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
201 words
a flow-control valve interposed in said supply branch for controlling the rate of fluid flow to said mechanism, said valve having a fluid outlet port, a chamber upstream of said port and provided with an inlet and with an outlet which communicates with said port, an annular member mounted intermediate said outlet and said port and having an axial bore communicating with said chamber and said port and an axial end face facing away from said chamber and formed with an orifice groove provided with an inner end which communicates with said bore and also with an outer end open to said port, and a valve member slidable in said chamber and having a rod-shaped extension projecting with clearance through said bore and provided adjacent said axial end face with an enlarged-diameter portion dimensioned to substantially block said bore so that, when said valve member slides in a direction in which said portion approaches said axial end face, said portion and said orifice groove together form a variablearea orifice the area of which becomes increasingly smaller as said portion approaches said axial end face whereby the flow of fluid out of said clearance and through said orifice is concomitantly progressively throttled.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system as defined in claim 1, wherein said valve member is a spool valve member provided with lands.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
A system as defined in claim 1, wherein said bore is a central bore in said annular member.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
51 words
A system as defined in claim 1; and further comprising means interchangeably mounting said annular member intermediate said outlet and said port so that said annular member may be replaced at will with another annular member having a differently configurated orifice groove to thereby change the damping characteristic of said valve.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
A system as defined in claim 1, wherein said groove is of arcuate cross-section.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
A system as defined in claim 1, wherein said groove is of polygonal cross-section.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system as defined in claim 1, wherein the cross-section of said groove converges continuously in direction from said axial end face towards said outlet of said chamber.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system as defined in claim 1, wherein the cross-section of said groove converges discontinuously in direction from said axial end face towards said outlet of said chamber.