JPH057572U - Rack and pinion type steering device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Structure] The rack 4 is supported by a support yoke 7 inserted into the housing 5. A blocking member 12 is disposed inside the support yoke 7, and an abutted portion 17 along the vehicle width direction is formed on the side of the rack 4 opposite to the side meshing with the pinion 3, and the blocking member 12 is abutted on the abutted portion 17. A second spring 16 that presses against is arranged inside the support yoke 7. The blocking member 12 and the contacted portion 17 are in contact with each other so as to prevent rotation of the rack 4 around its axis. The blocking member 12 by the second spring 16
Is smaller than the pressing force of the support yoke 7 by the spring 9. [Effect] Rotation around the axis of the rack can be reliably prevented without increasing the size of the device and while maintaining the support of the rack by the support yokes, and a change in steering operation feeling and abnormal noise can be prevented. Occurrence can be prevented.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a rack and pinion type steering device including a rack supported by a support yoke.

[0002]

[Prior Art]

 The rack and pinion type steering device 101 shown in FIG. The support yoke 105 and the spring 106 that presses the support yoke 105 against the arc surface 103a of the rack 103 on the side opposite to the meshing side with the pinion 102 are provided. The rack 103 is supported by a support yoke 105 at two positions A and B in the circumferential direction. Steering wheels are connected to both ends of the rack 103, and the vehicle is steered by the movement of the rack 103 in the vehicle width direction by the rotation of the pinion 102.

In the rack and pinion type steering device 101 as described above, the spring 106 is interposed between the plug 107 screwed into the housing 104 and the support yoke 105, and the support yoke 105 and the plug 107 are connected to each other. The gap S is provided between the racks 103 to allow the rack 103 to move in the left-right direction in the drawing. As a result, the meshing between the rack 103 and the pinion 102 is made smooth, and the friction between the rack 103 and the support yoke 105 is prevented from increasing.

[0004]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 In the rack and pinion type steering device 101 as described above, when steering resistance acts on the rack 103 from the steering wheels, the rack 103 rotates around the rack axis as indicated by an arrow C in the figure, and thus the pinion. There is a problem that the meshing state between the rack 102 and the rack 103 is deteriorated, the steering operation feeling is changed, and an abnormal sound is generated.

An object of the present invention is to provide a rack and pinion type steering device that can solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 The feature of the present invention is that a pinion that rotates by a steering operation input, a rack that meshes with the pinion, a housing that covers the rack, a support yoke that is inserted into the housing, and a support yoke that connects the support yoke to the pinion of the rack. A rack and pinion steering device that includes a spring that presses against the surface on the side opposite to the side that meshes with the A blocking member is disposed inside the support yoke, and a contacted portion along the vehicle width direction is formed on the side of the rack opposite to the side meshing with the pinion, and the blocking member is pressed against the contacted portion. Two springs are arranged inside the support yoke, and the blocking member and the contacted part rotate around the axis of the rack. Blocked can abut and press with only the force of the blocking member due to the second spring is in that it is smaller than the pressing force of the support yoke by the spring.

[0007]

[Action]

 According to the configuration of the present invention, the rotation of the rack about the axis is blocked by the contact between the blocking member inserted in the support yoke and the contacted portion formed on the rack. At this time, since the blocking member is pressed against the contacted portion by the second spring inserted in the support yoke, the rotation can be reliably blocked. The pressing force of the blocking member to the contacted portion by the second spring is smaller than the pressing force of the support yoke to the rack by the spring, so that the support yoke can maintain the rack support. . Further, since the blocking member and the second spring are arranged inside the support yoke, the size of the device does not increase.

[0008]

【Example】

 Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

A rack and pinion type steering device 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 has an input shaft 2 connected to a vehicle handle (not shown), a helical pinion 3 integrated with the input shaft 2, and an input shaft 2. It is provided with a helical rack 4 that meshes with the helical pinion 3. The pinion 3 and the rack 4 are covered with a housing 5, and both ends of the rack 4 project outside the housing 5. Steering wheels are connected to both ends of the rack 4 via ball joints, tie rods, and the like, not shown. Accordingly, the rotation of the input shaft 2 due to the steering operation of the steering wheel is transmitted from the pinion 3 to the rack 4, and the rack 4 moves in the vehicle width direction to steer the vehicle.

The rack 4 is supported on the inner surface of the housing 5 on the left side in FIG. 3 via a bush 6 inserted into the housing 5, and on the right side in a cylindrical support yoke 7 as shown in FIG. Is supported through.

That is, the support yoke 7 is inserted into the insertion hole 5a formed in the housing 5 so as to be movable in the left-right direction in FIG. 1, and the female screw 5b formed in the insertion hole 5a and the male screw 8a on the outer periphery are inserted. The formed plug 8 is screwed in, and the coil spring 9 is interposed between the plug 8 and the support yoke 7. The support yoke 7 is pressed by the coil spring 9 against the arcuate surface 4a of the rack 4 opposite to the meshing side with the pinion 3. The contact surface of the support yoke 7 with the rack 4 is a concave curved surface 7a having a smaller curvature than the circular arc surface 4a of the rack 4. As a result, the rack 4 is supported by the support yoke 7 at the two circumferential positions A and B, and the rack 4 and the support yoke 7 are in line contact with each other at the support positions A and B, and are supported as indicated by arrows in the figure. Reaction force acts.

Further, by adjusting the screwing amount of the plug 8, the pressing force of the support yoke 7 against the rack 4 by the spring 9 can be adjusted, and the meshing between the pinion 3 and the rack 4 can be facilitated. ing. In addition, a gap S is formed between the support yoke 7 and the plug 8, and even if there is a processing error in the pinion 3 or the rack 4, the support yoke 7 is allowed to move in the left-right direction in the drawing so that It prevents the friction with the support yoke 7 from becoming excessive. A lock nut 10 is screwed onto the outer circumference of the plug 8.

A concave portion 7b is formed in a portion of the support yoke 7 facing the rack 4, and a cylindrical holder 11 is inserted into the concave portion 7b so as to be movable in the left-right direction in FIG. The blocking member 12 is inserted. The blocking member 12 has a ring shape whose outer peripheral surface is a curved surface, and is attached to a shaft 13 attached to the holder 11 via a needle bearing 14, and is rotatable about a vertical axis in FIG. There is. In addition, a synthetic resin sheet 15 is interposed between the blocking member 12 and the inner surface of the holder 11.

A disc spring 16 is interposed as a second spring between the holder 11 and the support yoke 7. The disc spring 16 pushes the holder 11 to the left in FIG. It is pressed against the contacted portion 17 formed on the. The pressing force of the blocking member 12 by the disc spring 16 is smaller than the pressing force of the support yoke 7 by the spring 9.

The contacted portion 17 is formed along the vehicle width direction on the side opposite to the side where the rack 4 meshes with the pinion 3 and has a concave groove shape in this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the inner surface 17a of the contacted portion 17 is a curved surface, which makes point contact with the outer peripheral surface of the blocking member 12 at two upper and lower positions D and E in the figure, and a reaction force as indicated by an arrow in the figure. Works. Accordingly, the rotation of the rack 4 around the axis is blocked by the blocking member 12.

The pressing force of the blocking member 12 against the rack 4 by the disc spring 16 is equal to the elastic force of the disc spring 16 itself and the method at the contact positions D and E between the blocking member 12 and the contacted portion 17. It can be adjusted by changing the angle θ formed by the line direction with respect to the radial direction of the blocking member 12.

According to the rack and pinion type steering device 1 having the above-mentioned configuration, even if the rack 4 tries to rotate around the axis due to the steering resistance, the rotation is blocked by the contact between the blocking member 12 and the contacted portion 17. As a result, the steering feeling does not change and no abnormal noise is generated. At this time, the disc spring 16 presses the blocking member 12 against the abutted portion 17, whereby the rotation of the rack 4 around the axis can be reliably blocked. Since the blocking member 12 rotates around the shaft 13, the friction between the blocking member 12 and the rack 17 does not increase, and the steering effort does not increase.

Further, since the blocking member 12 is arranged inside the support yoke 7, the device does not become large.

Further, since the force of pressing the blocking member 12 against the contacted portion 17 is smaller than the force of pressing the support yoke 7 against the rack 4, the support of the rack 4 by the support yoke 7 is reliably maintained. be able to.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, although the present invention is applied to the manual steering device in the above embodiment, it may be applied to the power steering device. Further, in the above embodiment, the outer peripheral surface of the blocking member 12 is a convex curved surface and the inner surface of the abutted portion 17 is a concave curved surface. However, the abutted portion 17 is a convex curved surface and the outer peripheral surface of the blocking member 12 is a curved surface. It may be a concave curved surface. Further, although the blocking member 12 is configured to be rotatable in the above embodiment, it may be one that does not rotate.

[0021]

[Effect of the device]

 According to the rack and pinion type steering device of the present invention, rotation of the rack around the axis can be reliably prevented without increasing the size of the device and while maintaining the support of the rack by the support yoke. It is possible to prevent changes in the direction control feeling and the occurrence of abnormal sounds.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a rack and pinion type steering device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing a blocking member and an abutted portion according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a rack and pinion type steering device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a rack and pinion type steering device according to a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 Pinion 4 Rack 5 Housing 7 Support yoke 9 Spring 12 Blocking member 16 Second spring 17 Contacted part

Claims (1)

[Claims for utility model registration] [Claim 1] A pinion that rotates by a steering operation input, a rack that meshes with the pinion, a housing that covers the rack, a support yoke that is inserted into the housing, and a support yoke. The rack and pinion type steering is equipped with a spring that presses the rack against the surface of the rack opposite to the side meshing with the pinion, and the rack is supported by the support yoke, and the vehicle is steered by the movement of the rack in the vehicle width direction due to the rotation of the pinion. In the device,
A blocking member is arranged inside the support yoke, and a contacted portion along the vehicle width direction is formed on a side of the rack opposite to the side where the rack meshes with the pinion, and the second spring presses the blocking member against the contacted portion. Is disposed inside the support yoke, the blocking member and the contacted portion are in contact with each other so as to prevent rotation of the rack about the axis, and the pressing force of the blocking member by the second spring of the support yoke of the support yoke A rack and pinion steering device characterized by being made smaller than the pressing force.