JPH0681870U - Rack support device for rack and pinion type steering device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To provide a rack support device for a rack and pinion type steering device capable of preventing generation of hitting sound and appropriately adjusting a retainer set load. A gear housing 3 accommodating a pinion 1 that is rotated by a steering operation and a rack 2 that reciprocates with the rotation of the pinion 1 is attached to a rack 2 from the side opposite to the meshing position of the pinion 1 and the rack 2. A cylinder portion 3a slidably accommodating a retainer 7 abutting against the retainer 7 is formed, and a first adjusting screw 11 screwed to an end portion of the cylinder portion 3a is closely attached to the retainer 7 via a first spring 17. A second adjusting screw 19 is screwed into the central portion of the first adjusting screw 11 at a distance from the retainer 7, and a second spring 21 is provided between the second adjusting screw 19 and the retainer 7. It was reduced.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a rack support device for a rack-and-pinion type steering device that facilitates reciprocating motion of a rack during steering operation.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 Conventionally, as a rack supporting device of a rack and pinion type steering device, for example, there is one described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 62-29973. In this rack supporting device, as shown in FIG. 5, a gear housing 32 that accommodates a pinion 30 that is rotated by a steering operation and a rack 31 that reciprocates with the rotation of the pinion 30 is attached to the pinion 30. Also, a cylinder portion 32a that slidably accommodates a retainer 33 that abuts on the rack 31 is formed from the side opposite to the meshing position of the rack 31, and a cover 35 is fixed to the end portion of the cylinder portion 32a. A gap G is formed between the retainer 33 and the retainer 33. Then, an adjusting screw 36 is screwed into the central portion of the cover 35, a first spring 37 is contracted between the adjusting screw 36 and the retainer 33, and a first spring 37 is provided between the cover 35 and the retainer 33. The second spring 38 is contracted, and the gap G between the cover 35 and the retainer 33 is formed so that a gap remains when the first spring 37 is fully compressed by retracting the retainer 33. There is.

With the above configuration, the force of the first spring 37 is adjusted by the screwing amount of the adjusting screw 36 with respect to the cover 35 to set the retainer set load, and the rack 31 via the pinion 30 via the retainer 33 is set by this retainer set load. When the rack 31 receives an external force and a load in the bending direction, the retainer 33 retreats while compressing the first spring 37 and the second spring 38. , The retainer 33 is supported by the adjusting screw 36 when the first spring 37 (disc spring) is fully compressed, so that the bending of the rack 31 is restricted within a certain range, and the retainer 33 is supported by the adjusting screw 36. At this time, a gap G is secured between the retainer 33 and the cover 35, and the retainer The striking sound is prevented from being generated due to the collision between the corner 33 and the cover 35.

[0004]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, in the above-described conventional rack supporting device, when the center portion of the rack 31 is supported by the adjusting screw 36 due to the compression deformation of the first spring 37, a tapping sound is generated. Further, although the load is applied from the rack 31 to the entire width of the retainer 33, the central portion of the rack 31 is supported by the adjusting screw 36 via the compressed first spring 37. Both sides of the retainer 33 are not supported because a gap G remains between them and the cover 35. Therefore, stress concentration occurs in the central portion of the rack 31, and thus the durability of the retainer 33 deteriorates.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and provides a rack support device for a rack-and-pinion type steering device capable of preventing the generation of hammering sound and appropriately adjusting the retainer set load. Is intended.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a gear housing that accommodates a pinion that is rotated by a steering operation and a rack that reciprocates with the rotation of the pinion, on the side opposite to the meshing position of the pinion and the rack. To form a cylinder that slidably accommodates a retainer that abuts against the rack, and a first adjusting screw screwed to the end of the cylinder is closely attached to the retainer via a first spring. (1) A second adjusting screw is screwed into the central portion of the adjusting screw with a gap between the adjusting screw and the retainer, and a second spring is contracted between the second adjusting screw and the retainer.

[0007]

[Action]

 The retainer set load is set by adjusting the force of the spring with the screwing amount of the second adjust screw with respect to the first adjust screw, and this retainer set load pushes the rack to the pinion through the retainer to eliminate the rattling (backlash) of the gear. It can be lost.

Further, when the rack receives an external force and a load in the bending direction, the first adjusting screw closely adheres to the retainer and supports the retainer without retracting, so that the rack supported by the retainer is supported. No bending occurs.

Further, since the retainer and the first adjusting screw are in close contact with each other, and the retainer and the second adjusting screw are opposed to each other at an interval enough to expand and contract the spring and do not come into contact with each other, a tapping sound is generated. There is no occurrence.

[0010]

【Example】

 An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the outline of the entire apparatus, and FIG. 2 is a right side view of FIG.

In the figure, 1 is a pinion rotated by a steering operation (only the shaft center of the pinion is shown), 2 is a rack reciprocating with the rotation of the pinion 1, 3 is a gear housing, and a gear housing is provided in the gear housing 3. The pinion 1 and the rack 2 are housed. The gear housing 3 is provided with a cylinder portion 3a. Inside the cylinder portion 3a, a retainer hole 4 and a female screw 5 are formed to face the rack insertion hole 6 in the gear housing 3 and the outside, respectively, and to be adjacent to each other. ing.

Reference numeral 7 denotes a retainer that contacts the rack 2 from the side opposite to the meshing position of the pinion 1 and the rack 2, and is slidably accommodated in the retainer hole 4 of the cylinder portion 3a.

An abutting portion 8 having an arcuate cross-section that directly abuts the rack 2 is formed on one end side of the retainer 7, and a spring insertion recess 9 is formed on the other end side of the retainer 7. A spring seat 10 is attached to the.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a first adjusting screw. A male screw 12 is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the first adjusting screw 11, a spring insertion recess 13 is formed on one end side, and a rotation operation recess is formed on the other end side. 14 (hexagonal hole) is formed, and a female screw 15 that opens into the recesses 13 and 14 is formed in the central portion.

A male screw 12 on the outer circumference of the first adjusting screw 11 is screwed into a female screw 6 at the end of the cylinder portion 3 a, is tightened to a retainer 7, and is fixed by a lock nut 16.

Reference numeral 17 is a first spring (disc spring in the embodiment), 18 is a washer, and the first adjusting screw 11 and the retainer 7 are in close contact with each other via the first spring 17 and the washer 18.

Reference numeral 19 denotes a second adjusting screw, and a spring receiver 19b is formed at one end of the screw shaft 19a of the second adjusting screw 19.

The screw shaft 19 a of the second adjusting screw 19 is screwed onto the female screw 15 at the central portion of the first adjusting screw 11 and fixed by the lock nut 20, whereby the second adjusting screw 19 is fixed. The spring receiver 19b and the spring insertion hole 9 of the retainer 7 are arranged to face each other with a gap.

Reference numeral 21 denotes a second spring, which is contracted between the retainer 7 (bottom of the spring insertion recess 9) and the second adjusting screw 19 (spring receiver 19b). The central portion of the retainer 7 is supported by the first adjusting screw 11 via the second spring 21 and the second adjusting screw 19. The force of the second spring 21 can be appropriately adjusted by the screwing amount of the second adjusting screw 19 with respect to the first adjusting screw 11.

Reference numeral 22 denotes a third spring, which is contracted between the retainer 7 and the first adjusting screw 11 (spring insertion recess 13). Both sides of the retainer 7 are supported by the first adjusting screw 11 via the third spring 22 and the first spring 17 and the washer 18.

In the above-mentioned configuration, the first adjusting screw 11 is fastened to the retainer 7 so as to be in close contact with the first spring 17 via the washer 18 and fixed by the lock nut 16, and the first spring 17 and the second spring 21 are fixed. Since the force is constant, the force of the second spring 21 can be adjusted by the screwing amount of the second adjusting screw 19 with respect to the first adjusting screw 11, and the retainer set load can be set appropriately. The rack 2 is pressed against the pinion 1 via the retainer 7 by this retainer set load.

Further, when the rack 2 receives an external force and a load in the bending direction, the first adjusting screw 11 closely contacts both side portions of the retainer 7 via the compressed first spring 17 and washer 18 and substantially retracts. Since the retainer 7 is supported without any action, the rack 2 supported by the contact portion 8 of the retainer 7 does not bend.

Further, as described above, the retainer 7 is in close contact with the first adjusting screw 11 via the first spring 17 and the washer 18, and the retainer 7 and the second adjusting screw 19 expand and contract the second spring 21. There is no striking sound, because they are facing each other at an interval sufficient to cause them to come into contact with each other and never come into contact with each other.

In this embodiment, the disk-shaped first adjusting screw 11 and the screw shaft-shaped second adjusting screw 19 are used, and the third spring 22 is used. As described above, the ring-shaped first adjusting screw 23 may be used, and the disc-type second adjusting screw 24 and the ring-shaped lock nut 25 may be screwed into the first adjusting screw 23.

Further, although the third spring 22 is used in combination with the first spring 17, as shown in FIG. 3, the second spring 26 having a larger diameter than that of the second spring 21 is used and the third spring 22 is omitted. Is also good.

[0027]

[Effect of device]

 As described above, in this invention, the first adjusting screw is closely attached to the retainer that abuts on the rack via the first spring and is supported so as to be hardly retracted. Therefore, the rack is not bent. . In addition, the backlash of the gear can be eliminated by pressing the rack to the pinion through the retainer with the retainer set load set by adjusting the force of the second spring with the screwing amount of the second adjusting screw with respect to the first adjusting screw. . Therefore, the reciprocating movement of the rack during the steering operation can be surely and smoothly performed.

Further, the first adjusting screw is closely attached to the retainer via the first spring and the washer, and the second adjusting screw is opposed to the retainer at an interval enough to expand and contract the second spring. Therefore, there is no hitting sound as in the past.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the outline of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a right side view of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the outline of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a right side view of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Pinion 2 Rack 3 Gear Housing 3a Cylinder Part 7 Retainer 11 1st Adjustment Screw 17 1st Spring (Disc Spring) 19 2nd Adjustment Screw 21 2nd Spring

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] June 15, 1994

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] Brief description of the drawing

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the outline of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a right side view of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the outline of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a right side view of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional example.

[Explanation of reference numerals] 1 pinion 2 rack 3 gear housing 3a cylinder part 7 retainer 11 first adjusting screw 17 first spring (disc spring) 19 second adjusting screw 21 second spring

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A retainer that abuts against a rack from a side opposite to a meshing position of the pinion and the rack, in a gear housing that accommodates a pinion rotated by a steering operation and a rack that reciprocates with the rotation of the pinion. A cylinder portion slidably accommodated is formed, and a first adjusting screw screwed to an end portion of the cylinder portion is brought into close contact with the retainer via a first spring, and a retainer is provided at a central portion of the first adjusting screw. The second adjusting screw is screwed with a space between
A rack supporting device for a rack-and-pinion type steering device, wherein a second spring is contracted between the adjusting screw and the retainer.