JPS6238048Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to an improvement of a rack shaft holding mechanism of a rack and pinion type steering gear device for automobiles and the like.

Conventionally, as a rack shaft holding mechanism used in a rack and pinion type steering gear device, there is one shown in FIG. 1, for example.

In Fig. 1, a rack shaft 2 is slidably provided in a gear housing 1 of a rack and pinion type steering gear device, and a rack gear 3 formed around the shaft of the rack shaft 2 is rotated by operating a steering wheel. In order to prevent the moving pinion gear 4 from meshing with each other and the meshing play between the pinion gear 4 and the rack gear 3,
A rack shaft presser 6 pressed by a spring 5 is in contact with the outer periphery of the rack shaft 2 facing the rack gear 3.

However, since the rack shaft presser 6 in such a conventional rack shaft presser mechanism is generally manufactured by die casting or sintering, there are problems such as high material and processing costs.

The present invention was made with an eye on the problems of the conventional gearbox. In order to simplify the processing of the rack shaft holder used in the rack shaft holder mechanism of the rack pinion type steering gear device and reduce costs, one end of a cylindrical member is bent inward to form a cylindrical groove-shaped rack shaft pressing portion, and part of the cylindrical groove is cut off and bent inward to form a spring holder. This aims to solve the above problems.

The present invention will be explained below based on the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

First, to explain the configuration, a rack shaft 2 that can freely slide in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing is provided in a gear housing 1 of a rack and pinion type steering gear device, and a rack gear 3 cut around the axis of the rack shaft 2 is provided. A pinion gear 4, which rotates when the steering wheel is operated, is engaged with the pinion gear 4. On the periphery of the rack shaft 2 opposite to the rack gear 3, a rack shaft presser 1 according to the present invention is formed by pressing a cylindrical member.
0 is provided, and the rack shaft presser 10 forms a spring presser 12 by bending the rack shaft pressing part 11 that contacts the rack shaft 2, and cutting off a part of the rack shaft pressing part 11 and bending it inward. A spring 5, one end of which is in contact with this spring retainer 12, is housed in the gear housing 1 by a plug bolt 8.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the rack shaft holder 10 taken out in the embodiment shown in FIG. It has a pair of rack shaft pressing parts 11 that form bent grooves in the form of a shape, and an end of a cylindrical member perpendicular to the direction of the cylindrical groove of the rack shaft pressing part 11 is bent inward to form a pair of spring retainers 1.
2, and such a rack shaft pressing portion 11 and spring presser 12 can be integrally formed by press working.

Next, the action will be explained.

As shown in FIG. 3, a rack shaft pressing part 11 and a spring presser 1 are attached to one end of the cylindrical member by press working.
As shown in the sectional view of FIG. 2, the rack shaft presser 10 formed with a rack shaft 2 is a rack shaft presser mechanism part of a gear housing 1 of a rack and pinion type steering gear device having a pinion gear 4 that meshes with a rack gear 3 of a rack shaft 2. When the spring 5 is inserted as shown in the figure and assembled by inserting the spring 5 and screwing in the plug bolt 8, the rack shaft pressing portion 11 comes into contact with the spring load of the spring 5 that is in contact with the spring retainer 12. A predetermined meshing load is applied to the gear meshing portion between the rack gear 3 and pinion gear 4 of the rack shaft 2, and the rotation of the pinion gear 4 in response to steering wheel operation prevents meshing play when sliding the rack shaft 2 in the axial direction. This prevents uneven wear of the rack gear 3 and pinion gear 4 due to meshing play.

In addition, since the rack shaft holder 10 is formed by pressing a cylindrical member, the material cost is low because a general steel pipe can be used as the material, and the rack shaft holder 10 can be formed by pressing. Therefore, processing is easy and processing costs can be reduced. Furthermore, since a cylindrical member is used, sufficient strength can be maintained even if the wall thickness is reduced to some extent, and it is also possible to reduce the weight of the rack shaft holder 10 itself.

In the above embodiment, the end of the cylindrical member was pressed to form the rack shaft presser 10 having the rack shaft pressing portion 11 and the spring presser 12, but in another embodiment, the end portion of the cylindrical member was press-worked. A rack shaft presser 10 having the structure shown in FIG. 3 may be manufactured.

As explained above, according to the present invention, in a rack shaft holding mechanism of a rack and pinion type steering gear device, one end of a cylindrical member is bent inward as a rack shaft holding mechanism, and a cylindrical groove-shaped Since the rack shaft pressing part is formed and a spring retainer is formed by cutting off a part of this cylindrical groove and bending it inward, materials such as steel pipes or steel plates can be used as the rack shaft retainer. In addition to being able to reduce material costs, the simple shape of the rack shaft presser and spring retainer, which is suitable for press processing, improves workability and reduces processing costs. It will be done.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a sectional view showing an example of a conventional device;
The figure is a sectional view showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the rack shaft presser taken out from the embodiment of FIG. 2. 1... Gear housing, 2... Rack shaft, 3...
...Rack gear, 4...Pinion gear, 5...Spring, 8...Plug bolt, 10...Rack shaft holder, 11...Rack shaft pressing part, 12...Spring holder.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim for Utility Model Registration] In a rack shaft holding mechanism of a rack and pinion type steering gear device in which a rack shaft having a rack gear meshing with a pinion gear is pressed by a spring via a rack shaft presser, as the rack shaft presser, One end of the cylindrical member is bent inward to form a cylindrical groove-shaped rack shaft pressing part perpendicular to the cylinder axis direction, and a part of the cylindrical end located on both sides of the rack shaft pressing part is cut off and folded inward. A rack shaft holding mechanism for a rack and pinion type steering gear device, characterized in that a spring holding mechanism is formed by bending.