Steering assembly having an injected isolator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9759307-B1
Application number	US-201615069238-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 14, 2016
Priority date	Mar 14, 2016
Publication date	Sep 12, 2017
Grant date	Sep 12, 2017

Abstract

A steering assembly includes a rack assembly coupled to a road wheel. The rack assembly includes a housing, a ball screw, a bearing, and a retainer. The housing defines an injection port. The ball screw is at least partially received within the housing. The bearing is received within the housing and rotatably supports the ball screw. The retainer is received within the housing and includes a first retainer portion and a second retainer portion. The first retainer portion cooperates with the housing. The second retainer portion extends from the first retainer portion and is spaced apart from the housing. The second retainer portion defines a channel. The channel, the second retainer portion, and a surface of the housing defines an injection pocket.

First claim

Having thus described the invention, it is claimed:

1. A steering assembly, comprising:
a rack assembly coupled to a road wheel, the rack assembly including:
a housing defining an injection port;
a ball screw at least partially received within the housing;
a bearing received within the housing and rotatably supports the ball screw; and
a retainer received within the housing, the retainer including:
a first retainer portion that cooperates with the housing, and
a second retainer portion that extends from the first retainer portion and is spaced apart from the housing, the second retainer portion defining a channel and the channel, the second retainer portion, and a surface of the housing defining an injection pocket.

2. The steering assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing defines an overflow port radially spaced apart from the injection port.

3. The steering assembly of claim 1 , wherein the injection port is proximately aligned with the injection pocket.

4. The steering assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an injected component within the injection pocket through the injection port.

5. The steering assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a ball nut coupled to the ball screw and extending through the bearing.

6. The steering assembly of claim 5 , wherein the first retainer portion of the retainer and the second retainer portion engages the bearing.

7. A rack assembly provided with a steering assembly, comprising:
a housing having a first step surface extending from a first surface towards a second surface and a bearing shoulder extending from the second surface, the housing defining an injection port extending through at least one of the first step surface and the second surface;
a ball nut disposed on a ball screw that extends through the housing;
a bearing disposed about the ball nut, the bearing includes an outer race that engages the bearing shoulder; and
a retainer disposed about the ball nut, the retainer including:
a first retainer portion that engages the first surface and the first step surface,
an inner retainer portion that extends radially from the first retainer portion towards the ball nut, the inner retainer portion engages the ball nut and the outer race, and
a second retainer portion that extends axially from the first retainer portion, the second retainer portion engages the outer race and is spaced apart from the second surface, the first retainer portion, the second retainer portion, the first step surface, and the second surface defines an injection pocket.

8. The steering assembly of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first retainer portion and the second retainer portion defines a channel.

9. The steering assembly of claim 8 , wherein the injection pocket is further defined by the channel.

10. The steering assembly of claim 9 , wherein the injection port is proximately aligned with the channel.

11. The steering assembly of claim 10 , wherein the housing defines a chamfered region extending between the first step surface and the second surface.

12. The steering assembly of claim 11 , wherein the injection port extends through the chamfered region.

13. The steering assembly of claim 7 , wherein an end of the second retainer portion, the outer race, and the second surface defines a seal gland.

14. The steering assembly of claim 13 , wherein the seal gland is in fluid communication with the injection pocket.

15. The steering assembly of claim 14 , further comprising an injected component that is injected into the injection pocket and the seal gland through the injection port.

16. The steering assembly of claim 15 , further comprising an elastomeric isolator disposed about the outer race and received within the seal gland.

17. The steering assembly of claim 16 , wherein the injected component compresses the elastomeric isolator and varies a stiffness of the rack assembly.

18. A rack assembly provided with a steering assembly, comprising:
a housing having a first step surface extending from a first surface towards a second surface, a chamfered region extending between the first step surface and the second surface, the housing defining an injection port extending through the chamfered region; and
a retainer disposed within the housing, the retainer including:
a first retainer portion that engages the first surface and the first step surface,
an inner retainer portion that extends radially from the first retainer portion towards a ball nut disposed about a ball screw, and
a second retainer portion that extends axially from the first portion, the second retainer portion engages a bearing disposed within the housing, the second retainer portion is spaced apart from the second surface, the first retainer portion and the second retainer portion define a channel and the channel, the second retainer portion, the chamfered region, and the second surface define an injection pocket.

19. The steering assembly of claim 18 , wherein an end of the second retainer portion, the second surface, and the bearing define a seal gland disposed adjacent to the injection pocket.

20. The steering assembly of claim 19 , further comprising an injected component that is injected through the injection port into at least one of the injection pocket and the seal gland.

Assignees

• Steering Solutions Ip Holding

Inventors

• Mcclendon Kevin M
• Von Matt Niklaus A
• Kern Paul E
• Bentoski Casey M
• Krueger Jeffrey H

Classifications

• B62D5/0448

  Ball nuts · CPC title

• F16C27/066 Primary

  Ball or roller bearings · CPC title

• F16C2326/24

  Steering systems, e.g. steering rods or columns · CPC title

• B62D5/0403

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

• F16H57/028 Primary

  characterised by means for reducing vibration or noise · CPC title