Method for manufacturing rack housing and rack housing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9797500-B2
Application number	US-201514747600-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 23, 2015
Priority date	Jul 3, 2014
Publication date	Oct 24, 2017
Grant date	Oct 24, 2017

Abstract

Two laminating sheets each formed by laminating a carbon fiber sheet and a film of a thermoplastic resin are set on heating in an area of a mold corresponding to a tubular portion of a rack housing. The mold is clamped, the carbon fiber sheet is impregnated with the thermoplastic resin of the film, each of the two laminating sheets is pressed into a shape with a half tube corresponding to a half circumference of the tubular portion and connection portions at both ends of the half tube in a circumferential direction, and two half tubes are bonded together at the connection portions thereof to form the tubular portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for manufacturing a rack housing, the method comprising:
setting two laminating sheets on heating in an area of a mold corresponding to a three-dimensional shape of the rack housing with a tubular portion that covers a rack shaft, the area corresponding to the tubular portion, the laminating sheets each being formed by laminating a carbon fiber sheet and a film of a thermoplastic resin; and
clamping the mold, impregnating the carbon fiber sheet with the thermoplastic resin of the film, pressing each of the two laminating sheets into a shape with a half tube corresponding to a half circumference of the tubular portion and connection portions at both ends of the half tube in a circumferential direction, and bonding two half tubes together at the connection portions thereof to form the tubular portion.

2. The method for manufacturing a rack housing according to claim 1 , comprising injecting a thermoplastic resin into the tubular portion formed by the pressing to form the thermoplastic resin into ribs covering the bonded connection portions.

3. The method for manufacturing a rack housing according to claim 2 , wherein
the rack housing includes a coupling portion coupled to at least one of two ends of the tubular portion in an axial direction of the tubular portion,
the method includes setting a collar through which a separate component is inserted, in an area of the mold corresponding to the coupling portion when the two laminating sheets are set in the mold on heating, and
in injecting the thermoplastic resin into the tubular portion, the thermoplastic resin is formed into the coupling portion with which the collar is integrated, and the tubular portion and the coupling portion are integrated together.

4. The method for manufacturing a rack housing according to claim 3 , wherein the thermoplastic resin injected into the tubular portion includes fillers.

5. The method for manufacturing a rack housing according to claim 2 , wherein
the rack housing includes:
a metallic ring coupled to at least one of two ends of the tubular portion; and
a coupling portion coupled to the metallic ring,

the method includes setting the metallic ring in the mold when the two laminating sheets are set in the mold on heating, and
in forming the tubular portion by the pressing, the metallic ring is internally fitted into at least one of the two ends of the tubular portion to integrate the tubular portion with the metallic ring.

6. The method for manufacturing a rack housing according to claim 5 , wherein the thermoplastic resin injected into the tubular portion includes fillers.

7. The method for manufacturing a rack housing according to claim 2 , wherein the thermoplastic resin injected into the tubular portion includes fillers.

Assignees

• Jtekt Corp

Inventors

• Kunishima Takeshi

Classifications

• F16H2057/02082

  for application in vehicles other than propelling, e.g. adjustment of parts · CPC title

• B29D23/001

  Pipes; Pipe joints (pleated hoses B29D23/18) · CPC title

• B29L2031/75

  Shafts · CPC title

• B29C45/1418

  the inserts being deformed or preformed, e.g. by the injection pressure · CPC title

• B29C45/14786

  Fibrous material or fibre containing material, e.g. fibre mats or fibre reinforced material · CPC title