Mount for a steering gear box

• US 4,823,898 A
• Filed: 03/21/1988
• Issued: 04/25/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kawamoto, Yoshimichi, Seki, Kazuhiro, Abe, Masaru, Kohata, Takashi, Ogura, Masami, Yasuda, Toru, Serizawa, Mitsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Marmor, Charles A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hill, Mitchell J.
• Application Number:
  US07/170,829
• Time in Patent Office: 400 Days
• Field of Search: 180/79, 180/140, 180/141, 180/142, 180/143, 180/148, 280/89, 280/91, 280/90, 74/422, 74/499, 74/583
• US Class Current: 180/408
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 7/226 acting on the steering gear
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 15/08 with rubber springs grommet- or bushing-type resilient mountings F16F1/3732, F16F1/38; with springs made of rubber and metal arrangement of internal-combustion or jet-propulsion units B60K5/12; mounting of propulsion plants on vessels B63H21/30; mounting of vehicle drivers' cabs B62D33/0604
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/1967 Rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2147 Fluid cushion

Abstract

A steering gear box mount includes a resilient member interposed between a motor vehicle body and a steering gear box for allowing movement of the steering gear box. The mount also has a structure for limiting allowed movement of the steering gear box. The structure includes a mechanism for selectively fixing the steering gear box to a motor vehicle body, or a mechanism for continuously adjusting the allowed movement of the steering gear box.

Claims

1. A steering gear box mount comprising:

a steering gear box;

a motor vehicle body;

a first resilient member interposed between said motor vehicle body and a portion of said steering gear box for allowing said steering box to move; and

means interposed between said motor vehicle body and another portion of said steering gear box for limiting allowed movement of said steering gear box;

said means includes a mechanism for continuously adjusting the allowed movement of said steering gear box; and

said mechanism comprises;

support means supporting said steering gear box on said motor vehicle body;

an attachment portion of said steering gear box which is attached to said motor vehicle body;

a shaft extending in parallel with said steering gear box through said support means and said attachment portion;

a second resilient member disposed on opposite sides of said attachment portion and sandwiching the attachment portion in an axial direction of said shaft;

a movable member disposed on said shaft adjacent to said second resilient member and movable in the axial direction of said shaft, said second resilient member being variable in rigidity in response to movement of said movable member; and

drive means disposed around and coaxial with said shaft for moving said movable member.

2. A steering gear box mount according to claim 1, wherein said movable member is disposed on one side of said attachment portion and said second resilient member remote from said support means, said movable member cooperating with said support means for acting on said second resilient member.

3. A steering gear box mount according to claim 2, wherein said shaft engages said drive means for being movable axially by the drive means, said movable member engaging said shaft and being movable with said shaft by said drive means in a direction to increase the rigidity of said second resilient member, and also movable with said shaft under the resiliency of said second resilient member in a direction to reduce the rigidity of said second resilient member.

4. A steering gear box mount according to claim 1, wherein a pair of said movable members is disposed on opposite sides of said second resilient member with said attachment portion therebetween, said movable members cooperating with each other for acting on said second resilient member.

5. A steering gear box mount according to claim 1, wherein said shaft is coupled to said drive means for being rotated thereby, said pair of movable members engaging said shaft to move simultaneously toward or away from said attachment portion in response to rotation of said shaft.

6. A steering gear box mount according to claim 1, wherein said motor vehicle body supports a steering gear box for front wheels and a steering gear box for rear wheels, said steering gear box mount supporting at least one of the said steering gear boxes.

7. A steering gear box mount according to claim 6, wherein said means for for said steering gear boxes limits allowed movement of said steering gear box for the front wheels to a larger extent than allowed movement of said steering gear box for the rear wheels at a vehicle speed lower than a prescribed speed, and the limits allowed movement of said steering gear box for the rear wheels to a larger extent than allowed movement of said steering gear box for the front wheels at a vehicle speed higher than the prescribed speed.