Steering device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11618495-B2
Application number	US-202017130709-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2020
Priority date	Dec 25, 2019
Publication date	Apr 4, 2023
Grant date	Apr 4, 2023

Abstract

A steering device includes: a rack shaft; a rack housing; a pinion shaft that meshes with the rack shaft; a speed reducer having a worm wheel that is coupled to the pinion shaft and a worm shaft that meshes with the worm wheel; a speed reducer housing; a motor that drives the worm shaft; a plate-shaped cover that seals an opening of the speed reducer housing; and a breather valve that is mounted on the cover in a state of penetrating through the cover. An inner surface of the cover that faces the worm wheel has an entry restricting part that restricts entry of a lubricant into the breather valve.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A steering device that increases a rotary torque of a motor by a speed reducer and uses the rotary torque to turn a turning wheel, the steering device comprising:
a rack shaft that is coupled to the turning wheel;
a rack housing that houses the rack shaft;
a pinion shaft that meshes with the rack shaft;
the speed reducer having a worm wheel that is coupled to the pinion shaft and a worm shaft that meshes with the worm wheel;
a speed reducer housing that houses the worm wheel;
the motor that drives the worm shaft;
a plate-shaped cover that seals an opening of the speed reducer housing; and
a breather valve that is mounted on the cover and penetrates through the cover, wherein
the breather valve faces a center axis of rotation of the worm wheel,
the cover is disposed under the worm wheel, and
an inner surface of the cover that faces the worm wheel has an entry restricting part that restricts entry of a lubricant into the breather valve.

2. The steering device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the cover has a mount part which is depressed toward an inner side of the cover and on which the breather valve is mounted; and
the entry restricting part bulges toward the inner side along the mount part.

3. The steering device according to claim 1 , wherein the entry restricting part has, at least at a part of a region surrounding the breather valve, a wall that protrudes toward the worm wheel and wards off a flow of the lubricant.

4. The steering device according to claim 1 , wherein the entry restricting part has, at least at a part of a region surrounding the breather valve, a guide groove that is depressed toward a side opposite from the worm wheel and guides a flow of the lubricant.

5. The steering device according to claim 1 , wherein the entry restricting part includes a wall that protrudes from the inner surface of the cover toward the worm wheel and encircles the breather valve, the wall being spaced from an inner peripheral surface of the opening of the speed reducer housing to which the cover is sealed.

6. A steering device that increases a rotary torque of a motor by a speed reducer and uses the rotary torque to turn a turning wheel, the steering device comprising:
a rack shaft that is coupled to the turning wheel;
a rack housing that houses the rack shaft;
a pinion shaft that meshes with the rack shaft;
the speed reducer having a worm wheel that is coupled to the pinion shaft and a worm shaft that meshes with the worm wheel;
a speed reducer housing that houses the worm wheel;
the motor that drives the worm shaft;
a plate-shaped cover that seals an opening of the speed reducer housing; and
a breather valve that is mounted on the cover and penetrates through the cover, wherein
an inner surface of the cover that faces the worm wheel has an entry restricting part that restricts entry of a lubricant into the breather valve, and
the entry restricting part has, at least at a part of a region surrounding the breather valve, a guide groove that is depressed toward a side opposite from the worm wheel and guides a flow of the lubricant.

Assignees

• Jtekt Corp

Inventors

• Amano Akifumi

Classifications

• B62D5/0424

  the axes of motor and final driven element of steering gear, e.g. rack, being parallel · CPC title

• F16H57/027

  characterised by means for venting gearboxes, e.g. air breathers · CPC title

• B62D5/0421

  Electric motor acting on or near steering gear · CPC title

• B62D5/0403 Primary

  characterised by constructional features, e.g. common housing for motor and gear box · CPC title

• B62D3/126 Primary

  characterised by the rack · CPC title