Road wheel actuator assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10322744-B2
Application number	US-201715619254-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 9, 2017
Priority date	Jun 9, 2017
Publication date	Jun 18, 2019
Grant date	Jun 18, 2019

Abstract

A pulley assembly for a road wheel actuator assembly includes a driven pulley assembly, a driven pulley, and a belt. The driven pulley assembly includes a driven pulley and a retainer. The driven pulley is at least partially disposed about a ball nut that is operatively connected to a rack bar. The retainer is received within the driven pulley. The belt is arranged to connect the driven pulley assembly to the drive pulley.

First claim

Having thus described the present disclosure, it is claimed:

1. A road wheel actuator assembly, comprising:
a rack bar that extends along a first axis; and
a pulley assembly, comprising:
a drive pulley disposed about a drive pulley shaft that extends along a second axis that is disposed parallel to the first axis, and
a driven pulley assembly disposed about the rack bar, the driven pulley assembly including:
a ball nut that is disposed about the rack bar,
a driven pulley having an interior surface that is at least partially disposed about the ball nut and a driven pulley protrusion that extends from the interior surface towards the first axis,
a retainer that is at least partially disposed within the driven pulley and is operatively connected to the ball nut, the retainer has a retainer flange and a retainer protrusion that extend from an outer surface of the retainer towards the interior surface, and
a biasing member that is disposed between the retainer flange and the driven pulley protrusion.

2. The road wheel actuator assembly of claim 1 , wherein the interior surface of the driven pulley is spaced apart from the outer surface of the retainer defining a clearance slot.

3. A steering assist system having a road wheel actuator assembly, comprising:
a rack bar that extends along a first axis; and
a pulley assembly, comprising:
a drive pulley disposed about a drive pulley shaft that extends along a second axis that is disposed parallel to the first axis, and
a driven pulley assembly disposed about the rack bar, the driven pulley assembly including:
a ball nut that is disposed about the rack bar,
a driven pulley at least partially disposed about the ball nut, the driven pulley includes an interior surface having a driven pulley protrusion that extends from the interior surface towards the first axis, and
a retainer that is at least partially disposed within the driven pulley and is operatively connected to the ball nut, the retainer has a retainer protrusion that extends from an outer surface of the retainer towards the interior surface of the driven pulley,

the driven pulley is arranged to rotate relative to the ball nut while the driven pulley protrusion is spaced apart from the retainer protrusion.

4. The road wheel actuator assembly of claim 3 , wherein the driven pulley assembly further includes a damper that is disposed about the retainer protrusion.

5. The road wheel actuator assembly of claim 4 , wherein the driven pulley is arranged to rotate with the ball nut while the driven pulley protrusion is engaged with at least one of the damper and the retainer protrusion.

6. A pulley assembly of a road wheel actuator assembly, comprising:
a driven pulley assembly comprising:
a driven pulley that is at least partially disposed about a ball nut that is operatively connected to a rack bar, the driven pulley includes a driven pulley protrusion that extends towards a retainer,
a bearing member disposed between the ball nut and the driven pulley, and
the retainer received within the driven pulley, the retainer includes a retainer protrusion that extends towards the driven pulley and a retainer flange that is spaced apart from the retainer protrusion and extends towards the driven pulley;

a drive pulley;
a belt arranged to connect the driven pulley assembly to the drive pulley; and
a biasing member that is disposed between the retainer flange and the driven pulley protrusion.

7. The pulley assembly of claim 6 , wherein the bearing member is at least partially disposed between the driven pulley protrusion and the ball nut.

8. The pulley assembly of claim 6 , wherein the biasing member urges the driven pulley protrusion towards engagement with the bearing member.

9. The pulley assembly of claim 6 , further comprising a damper disposed about the retainer protrusion.

10. The pulley assembly of claim 6 , wherein the retainer is radially spaced apart from the driven pulley and is operatively connected to the ball nut.

11. The pulley assembly of claim 10 , wherein the driven pulley rotates relative to the retainer while the driven pulley protrusion is spaced apart from the retainer protrusion.

12. The pulley assembly of claim 11 , wherein the driven pulley and the retainer rotate together while the driven pulley protrusion engages the retainer protrusion.

13. A pulley assembly, comprising:
a driven pulley assembly comprising:
a driven pulley that is at least partially disposed about a ball nut that is operatively connected to a rack bar, the driven pulley includes a driven pulley protrusion, and
a retainer received within the driven pulley, the retainer having a retainer protrusion that extends towards the driven pulley;

a damper disposed about the retainer protrusion;
a drive pulley; and
a belt arranged to connect the driven pulley assembly to the drive pulley, the driven pulley is arranged to rotate with the ball nut while the driven pulley protrusion is engaged with at least one of the damper and the retainer protrusion.

14. The pulley assembly of claim 13 , wherein the driven pulley rotates relative to the retainer while the driven pulley protrusion is spaced apart from at least one of the damper and the retainer protrusion.

Assignees

• Steering Solutions Ip Holding

Inventors

• Eickholt Michael A
• Golda Fred N
• Kern Paul E
• Marr Jeffrey L
• Otto Jeffrey M
• Stilwell Emily N

Classifications

• F16H55/36

  Pulleys (with features essential for adjustment F16H55/52) · CPC title

• B62D3/12

  of rack-and-pinion type · CPC title

• F16H2025/2096

  using endless flexible members · CPC title

• B62D5/0448 Primary

  Ball nuts · CPC title

• F16H7/02

  with belts; with V-belts · CPC title