Steering assembly and method
First Claim
1. A method of obtaining a desired range of movement between a rack and a pinion of a steering assembly in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the rack, said method comprising the steps of:
- applying force to the rack to position the rack at a first end of the desired range of movement;
pressing a yoke against the rack when the rack is at the first end of the desired range of movement to position the yoke at a first reference position;
moving the yoke away from the first reference position;
measuring the distance through which the yoke moves away from the first reference position;
interrupting movement of the yoke away from the first reference position when the measured distance is equal to the desired range of transverse movement between the rack and pinion and the yoke has moved to a second reference position for the yoke; and
blocking further movement of the yoke away from the first reference position when the yoke is at the second reference position.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A steering assembly (10) for use in turning steerable vehicle wheels includes a rack (12) and a pinion (14). A yoke (28) is continuously pressed against the rack (12) by a yoke spring (32). The yoke (28) has a stem (62) which extends through an opening (64) in a housing (16). During construction of the steering assembly (10), a desired range of transverse movement between the rack (112) and the pinion (14) is obtained by applying force (114) to the rack to position the rack at a first end of the range of transverse movement. The direction of the force applied to the rack (12) is then reversed and the rack and yoke (28) are moved together away from the reference position until the yoke stem (62) has moved through the desired range of transverse movement. A yoke plug (20) is then fixed against movement relative to a main housing section (18). After the rack and pinion steering assembly (10) has been constructed, it may be desired to check the range of transverse movement between the rack (12) and pinion (14). The distance between opposite ends of the range of transverse movement is determined by determining the distance through which the stem (62) on the yoke (28) moves relative to the housing (16).
-
Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A method of obtaining a desired range of movement between a rack and a pinion of a steering assembly in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the rack, said method comprising the steps of:
-
applying force to the rack to position the rack at a first end of the desired range of movement; pressing a yoke against the rack when the rack is at the first end of the desired range of movement to position the yoke at a first reference position; moving the yoke away from the first reference position; measuring the distance through which the yoke moves away from the first reference position; interrupting movement of the yoke away from the first reference position when the measured distance is equal to the desired range of transverse movement between the rack and pinion and the yoke has moved to a second reference position for the yoke; and blocking further movement of the yoke away from the first reference position when the yoke is at the second reference position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A method of determining the range of movement between a rack and a pinion of a steering assembly in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the rack, said method comprising the steps of:
-
applying force to the rack to position the rack at a first end of the range of movement; pressing a yoke against the rack when the rack is at the first end of the range of movement to position the yoke at a first reference position; moving the rack away from the first end of the range of movement to a second end of the range of movement; pressing the yoke against the rack when the rack is at the second end of the range of movement to position the yoke in a second reference position; and measuring the extent of movement of the yoke between the first and second reference positions to determine the distance which the rack moves between the first and second ends of the range of movement. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A method comprising the steps of:
-
engaging a rack of a rack and pinion steering assembly with a yoke; moving the rack from a first end of a range of transverse movement of the rack relative to the pinion to a second end of the range of transverse movement of the rack relative to the pinion with the yoke in engagement with the rack; and measuring the distance through which the yoke moves during movement of the rack from the first end of the range of transverse movement of the rack relative to the pinion to the second end of the range of transverse movement of the rack relative to the pinion. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
-
Specification