Yoke apparatus for rack and pinion
US6142031A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 28, 1998 |
| Grant date | Nov 7, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 28, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T74/1967
- WIPO fieldMechanical elements
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A yoke assembly for a rack and pinion steering system includes a bearing disc member having a pair of bearing surfaces for slidingly supporting and urging the rack toward the pinion. The bearing disc member is kinematically supported by elastomeric members along an adjustment axis. In the pitch direction elastomerically derived forces are applied toward an apex located well within the rack and away from the bearing surfaces. This results in the bearing disc member rotating slightly in a contra-pitch direction and forming a lubrication wedge whenever the rack moves along its axis of translation. Additionally along the adjustment axis, the bearing disc is supplementally supported in a stiffer manner in opposition to heavy shock loads. In the yaw direction, elastomerically derived forces are laterally directed to compliantly bias the bearing disc in a lateral direction orthogonal to a plane defined by the adjustment and translation axes toward a preferred central location.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.