US4653339A — Rack-and-pinion steering gear for a vehicle

Claim 1

Independent Claim 153 words

A rack-and-pinion steering gear structure, comprising: (a) a rack housed in a fluid-filled cylinder and driven by means of a pinion shaft linked to a steering wheel; (b) a bolt having a threaded portion screwed into a threaded hole in one end surface of said rack, a head, and a straight bolt shaft integral with said head and threaded portion to limit the depth to which said bolt can be screwed into the end of said rack, said bolt shaft being smaller in diameter than both said rack and said bolt head but greater in diameter than said threaded portion; and (c) a single substantially annular piston member housed within the cylinder and elastically retained within a groove formed and defined by said bolt shaft, said head and said end surface of said rack having small clearances axially and radially so as to retain said piston member with respect to said rack floatingly.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 153 words

A rack-and-pinion steering gear structure, comprising: (a) a rack housed in a fluid-filled cylinder and driven by means of a pinion shaft linked to a steering wheel; (b) a bolt having a threaded portion screwed into a threaded hole in one end surface of said rack, a head, and a straight bolt shaft integral with said head and threaded portion to limit the depth to which said bolt can be screwed into the end of said rack, said bolt shaft being smaller in diameter than both said rack and said bolt head but greater in diameter than said threaded portion; and (c) a single substantially annular piston member housed within the cylinder and elastically retained within a groove formed and defined by said bolt shaft, said head and said end surface of said rack having small clearances axially and radially so as to retain said piston member with respect to said rack floatingly.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 54 words

The steering gear structure of claim 1, wherein the axial length of said shaft is greater than the axial width of the piston member and including means associated with said piston member and said groove in said rack for cancelling any dimensional errors resulting from preparation of the axial width of said piston member.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 15 words

The steering gear structure of claim 2, wherein said associated means includes annular block means.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 22 words

The steering gear structure of claim 2, wherein said associated means includes an annular skim seating onto a portion of said bolt.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 29 words

The steering gear structure of claim 1, which further comprises an elastic sealing member interposed between the inner periphery of the piston member and the shaft of the bolt.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 16 words

The steering gear structure of claim 1, wherein the piston member has a constant axial dimension.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 42 words

The steering gear structure of claim 5, wherein said piston member comprises an insert block received in the annular groove direction and a substantially annular block disposed radially outside of the groove and having a larger axial dimension than the insert block.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 16 words

The steering gear structure of claim 7, wherein said sealing member is an annular sealing ring.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 28 words

The steering gear structure of claim 5, wherein said sealing member is retained by a substantially annular sealing groove formed in the inner periphery of the piston member.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 36 words

The steering gear structure of claim 9, wherein said sealing member comprises an inner sealing ring in contact with the other periphery of the bolt shaft and an elastic sealing ring encircling the inner seal ring.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 16 words

The steering gear structure of claim 9, wherein said sealing member is an annular sealing ring.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 141 words

A steering gear structure including a rack housed in a fluid-filled cylinder and driven by means of a pinion shaft linked to a steering wheel, comprising: (a) an end face of the rack oriented substantially perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder and having a central hole lying along said axis; (b) a first member having a first part fitting into the hole for engaging said end face, a second cylindrical part integral to the first part, greater in diameter than the first part and coaxial with the cylinder, and a third part integral to the second part having a surface parallel to and directly opposing said end face; and (c) a second member elastically retained between the inner wall of the cylinder and the outer surface of the second part of the first member for partitioning the cylinder into two.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 141 words

A steering gear structure including a rack housed in a fluid-filled cylinder and driven by means of a pinion shaft linked to a steering wheel, comprising: (a) an end face of the rack oriented substantially perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder and having a central hole lying along said axis; (b) a first member having a first part fitting into the hole for engaging said end face, a second cylindrical part integral to the first part, greater in diameter than the first part and coaxial with the cylinder, and a third part integral to the second part having a surface parallel to and directly opposing said end face; and (c) a second member elastically retained between the inner wall of the cylinder and the outer surface of the second part of the first member for partitioning the cylinder into two.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 31 words

The steering gear structure of claim 12, wherein known clearances are present between surfaces of the second and third parts of the first member and opposing surfaces of the second member.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 68 words

The steering gear structure of claim 12, which further comprises at least one elastic member mounted on the outer surface of the second member for flexibly engaging the second member to the inner wall of the cylinder and another elastic member mounted on the inner surface of the second member for flexibly engaging the second member to the outer surface of the second part of the first member.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 43 words

The steering gear structure of claim 13, which further comprises a third member attached to one of the second and third parts of the first member and said end face for adjusting the axial clearance between said third part and the second member.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 14 words

The steering gear structure of claim 15, wherein said third member is a shim.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 60 words

The steering gear structure of claim 12, wherein said second member comprises a first block received between the end face of the rack and the opposing surface of the third part of the second member and a second block which is attached to the first block and opposing the third part of the first member with a known clearance therebetween.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 69 words

The steering gear structure of claim 12, wherein said first member comprises a bolt having a shoulder located between a seating face of its bolt head and threaded portion and which is larger in outer diameter than the threaded portion but smaller than the seating face and wherein said central hole located on the end of the rack is threaded for mating with the threaded portion of said bolt.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 17 words

The steering gear structure of claim 12, wherein said second member is a substantially annular piston member.

Claim 22

Independent Claim 64 words

A method for assemblying a piston on an end of a rack of a rack-and-pinion steering gear structure comprising the steps of: (a) screwing a bolt having a shoulder between seating face of its head and threaded portion into a central hole lying vertical to the planar end of the rack together with the piston elastically lied on the outer periphery of the shoulder.

Claim 23

Independent Claim 64 words

A method for assemblying a piston on an end of a rack of a rack-and-pinion steering gear structure comprising the steps of: (a) screwing a bolt having a shoulder between seating face of its head and threaded portion into a central hole lying vertical to the planar end of the rack together with the piston elastically lied on the outer periphery of the shoulder.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1990-03-30	1990-09-29	1991-03-31	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1994-03-30	1994-09-29	1995-03-31	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1998-03-30	1998-09-29	1999-03-31	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Rack-and-pinion steering gear for a vehicle

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