Electric power steering system

• US 20060060414A1
• Filed: 09/20/2005
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jtekt Corporation (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd. (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakano, Shirou, Kuroumaru, Yoshikazu
• Application Number:
  US11/229,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20060060414A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/444
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/0412 the axes of motor and steering column being parallel
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 7/224 acting between the steering wheel and the steering gear, e.g. on the steering column
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 15/124 Elastomeric springs F16F15/123, F16F15/127 take precedence

Abstract

An electric power steering system which assists in steering by driving an electric motor in accordance with an operation of a steering member, comprising a drive gear connected to a rotation shaft of the electric motor and a driven gear securely fitted on a steering shaft so as to mesh with the drive gear, wherein the driven gear includes a gear body and a ring element that is mounted on the gear body in such a manner as to slide relative to the gear body.

Claims

1. An electric power steering system which assists in steering by driving an electric motor in accordance with an operation of a steering member, comprising:

a drive gear connected to a rotation shaft of the electric motor; and

a driven gear securely fitted on a steering shaft so as to mesh with the drive gear;

wherein the driven gear includes a gear body and a ring element that is mounted on the gear body in such a manner as to slide relative to the gear body.

2. The electric power steering system according to claim 1, wherein the ring element is slidable in a circumferential direction of the gear body.

3. The electric power steering system according to claim 2, wherein the gear body is provided with an annular groove on which the ring element is arranged.

4. The electric power steering system according to claim 3, wherein the ring element is fitted to the annular groove by a transition fit.

5. The electric power steering system according to claim 1, wherein the ring element is slidable in an axial direction of the gear body.

6. The electric power steering system according to claim 1, wherein a pair of the ring elements are arranged at opposite sides of the gear body.

7. The electric power steering system according to claim 1, wherein the gear body is made of steel or resin, and the ring element is made of steel.

8. The electric power steering system according to claim 1, wherein the gear body is provided with a toothed portion at an outer circumference thereof.

9. The electric power steering system according to claim 1, wherein the ring element is arranged at one of axial sides of the gear body.