JPS633552Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Field of industrial application] The present invention is a rack that makes it possible to easily determine a predetermined meshing position between a pinion shaft and a rack rod, which is necessary when adjusting the toe of a steering wheel.・It relates to an and pinion type steering device.

[Prior Art] As shown in FIG. 1, in this type of steering device, brackets 12 and 15 each having a U-shaped cross section are supported by bolts on the lower side of a dash panel 19. Column 13
is supported. A steering shaft 9 connecting a handle 18 to the steering column 13 is rotatably supported. The leading end of the steering shaft 9 is connected to one end of an intermediate shaft 7 through a universal joint 8, and the other end of the intermediate shaft 7 is connected through a universal joint 4 to a pinion shaft 3 of the steering gear mechanism 2. The rotation of the handle 18 is transmitted to the pinion shaft 3 of the steering gear mechanism 2, driving the rack rod 21 that meshes with the pinion shaft 3, and deflecting the steering wheel via the link mechanism. The intermediate shaft 7 is for changing the direction of the steering shaft 9 and the pinion shaft 3 due to the arrangement of the steering gear mechanism 2, and is arranged to penetrate the floor panel 6.
This penetrating portion is covered by a dustproof boot 5.

As shown in FIG. 2, the steering gear mechanism 2 includes a housing 20 that supports a pinion shaft 3, and a rack rod 2.
A housing 22 that supports 1 is integrally constructed. Both ends of the rack rod 21 are connected to tie rods 26 with ball joints and covered with dustproof boots 23. The outer end of tie rod 26 is connected to ball joint 3
3, and the lock nut 32
It is concluded with. When the handle 18 is turned as far as possible to one side, the rack rod 21 moves relative to the housing 22, and the step of the aforementioned ball joint abuts the end wall of the housing 22, preventing the handle from being turned any further. It's getting old. Other internal configurations are disclosed in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 57-27164.

Further, the present applicant has proposed a device in which the through holes provided in the rack housing and the rack rod are aligned at a predetermined position of the rack rod in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 58-167276, but this is not easy. There is a risk of reducing the strength of the rod.

In such a conventional steering device, a stepped portion serving as a stopper is built into the housing 22, so if the mesh between the center stroke position of the rack rod 21 and the pinion shaft 3 becomes out of alignment, the center of the left and right wheels will be dislocated. In addition to the important angle, in the case of variable pitch type rack rods, the characteristics of the left and right cutting angles are also uneven. Conventionally, alignment marks were placed on the inner end surface 25 (FIG. 1) of the housing 22 of the steering gear mechanism 2 and the pinion shaft 3 in order to adjust the maximum cutting angles of the left and right steering wheels to be equal. However, since this alignment mark cannot be seen from outside the passenger compartment,
If the pinion shaft 3 freely rotates during toe adjustment work, there is a problem in that the adjustment becomes erroneous.

[Problems to be solved by the invention] In view of the above-mentioned problems, the purpose of the invention is to provide a rack-and-pinion steering device that allows the left-right symmetry between the steering wheel and the rack rod to be easily adjusted from the outside of the vehicle body. It is about providing.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the configuration of the present invention includes a dowel mark on the rack rod that coincides with the peephole in the rack housing when engaged with the pinion at the center of the stroke. It was established.

[Function] When the rack rod 21 is in a predetermined position with respect to the rack housing 22 fixed to the vehicle body side, the alignment mark 16 formed as a flat surface on the rack rod 21
coincides with the viewing window 17 of the rack housing 22, so for example, align the light from the viewing window 17 and see the mark 1.
6, the reflected light can be easily seen from the outside, and from this it can be determined whether or not the toe adjustment is normal.

[Embodiment of the invention] To explain the invention based on an embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the steering gear mechanism 2 includes a housing 20
A pinion shaft 3 integral with a pinion 35 is rotatably supported with bearings 30 and 36 inside the pinion 35, and a rack rod 21 that engages with the pinion 35 is pressed by a pressure pad that receives the force of a spring (not shown). There is. The bearing 30 has an inner ring supported by a pair of retaining rings 29 and 31 to prevent axial movement of the pinion shaft 3, and an outer ring pressed against a stepped portion of the housing 20 by a plug 27. There is. This plug 27 is connected to the housing 20
and is fastened with a lock nut 28. An oil seal 42 is installed between the plug 27 and the pinion shaft 3.

An important feature of the present invention is that a viewing window 17 is provided in the peripheral wall of the rack housing 22 that is integral with the housing 20.
is provided so that the alignment mark 16 provided on the rack rod 21 can be seen through this viewing window 17. Rack rod 2 is used as alignment mark 16.
1 shall be provided with a protrusion or a stamp. Then, the viewing window 17 is closed by fitting a closing body made of transparent synthetic resin, or a screw plug is screwed into the viewing window 17, and when adjustment is required, the screw plug is removed and the alignment mark of the rack rod 21 is inserted. Try to look at 16.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, a flat surface 39 that easily reflects light is provided as an alignment mark on the rack rod 21, or a fluorescent paint is applied thereto.
Light may be applied to this through the viewing window 17, and the reflected light may be detected by a sensor. vice versa,
The portion corresponding to the alignment mark may be a surface that does not reflect light, and the other portion may be a surface that reflects light.

By configuring the present invention as described above,
Alignment mark 1 from the viewing window 17 on the outside of the vehicle compartment
6 can be seen, and when the handle 18 is fixed in the neutral position when performing toe adjustment, the pinion shaft 3
The alignment mark 16 of the lock rod 21 that engages with the lock rod 21 coincides with the center of the viewing window 17. In this state, the stroke center position of the rack rod 21 is at the pinion 35.
It's meshing with each other. Therefore, Locknut 3
2 and rotate the tie rod 26, the distance between the end of the rack rod 21 and the socket of the ball joint 33 can be adjusted, thereby connecting it to the pin 34 and supporting the wheel. The inclination (toe) of the known knuckle changes, and the toe of the left and right steering wheels can be adjusted equally.

[Effects of the invention] As mentioned above, this invention provides a matching mark on the rack rod that matches the peephole in the rack housing when it is engaged with the pinion at the stroke center position, so the toe of the steering wheel can be adjusted. If you do,
The meshing between the pinion shaft and the stroke center of the rack rod at the neutral position (straight ahead position) of the handle is
This can be confirmed from the outside of the vehicle by looking at the relationship between the alignment mark on the rack rod and the viewing window on the rack housing.
Work becomes much easier.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a side view schematically showing the steering device, Fig. 2 is a plan view of the steering gear mechanism in the same device, and Fig. 3 is a rack-and-pinion type steering device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional plan view of the easy-to-use structure according to a partially modified embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view showing the main parts of the pinion steering device. 2: Steering gear mechanism, 3: Pinion shaft, 16: Alignment mark, 17: Peep window, 20: Housing, 2
1: Rack rod, 22: Rack housing, 35:
Pinion, 39: flat surface.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A rack-and-pinion type steering device characterized in that the rack rod is provided with a matching mark that matches the peephole of the rack housing when the rack rod is engaged with the pinion at the center of the stroke.