Joints and connections – With adjunctive protector – broken parts retainer – repair,... – Holding means or protector functioning only during...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-31
2002-09-03
Pezzuto, Robert E. (Department: 3671)
Joints and connections
With adjunctive protector, broken parts retainer, repair,...
Holding means or protector functioning only during...
C403S290000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06443650
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connection structure of a lateral insert type yoke and a shaft, used for a steering device etc of an automobile, for connecting the shaft to the lateral insert type yoke with its one side end to which a universal joint is connected.
2. Related Background Art
A steering device for giving a steering angle to a front wheel of the automobile is generally constructed to transfer a motion of a steering shaft rotating with an operation of a steering wheel to an input shaft of a steering gear via a spider type universal joint.
This universal joint is constructed such that a couple of U-shaped yokes are axially supported each other via a spider or cross shaft. In the case of assembling the steering device by use of this type of universal joint, for example, one yoke is previously joined and fixed by welding or fastening with a screw to a side end of one shaft such as the steering shaft etc, and the other yoke is joined to a side end of the other shaft. Normally, for executing this assembling operation, after one shaft has been supported on a vehicle body, this shaft and the other shaft are joined through the universal joint. Accordingly, what is preferable is a so-called lateral insert type yoke in which at least one yoke of those two yokes of the universal joint can perform the fixing operation without moving the shaft in an axial direction.
This lateral insert type yoke is constructed of a member constituting one part of the universal joint, and a joint member provided integrally with this member and taking a U-shape in section within a plane orthogonal to the axial direction. A side end of the shaft taking a sectional configuration suited to the concave of the U-shape, is inserted sideways from an opening into the concave area of the U-shaped joint member then, two pieces of side end portions extending in parallel of the U-shape are penetrated, screwed and fastened with a bolt, thereby joining the shaft to the lateral insert type yoke. On this occasion, it is a general practice that a cam (cam member) provided integrally with the bolt or given a predetermined frictional resisting force performs positioning (centering) within the joint member of the shaft.
Thus, an assembling method in the conventional connection structure of the lateral insert type yoke and the shaft, in which the cam provided at the bolt performs centering of the shaft, is roughly classified into two types. One type is, as disclosed in, e.g., Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 10-318272, that the nut is fastened by use of a cam bolt. The other type is, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication Nos. 10-169664 and 10-148215, that the bolt is fastened.
In the former assembling method in the conventional connection structure of the lateral insert type yoke and the shaft, for convenience of fastening the nut, the assembling operation is required to be carried out in the following way. After the bolt has been inserted from backward, and a front side end of the bolt is protruded on the near side, or after the bolt has been inserted from the near side, the universal joint is rotated through 180 degree, and the nut is set on the near side. However, the intrusion of the bolt from the backward may be done by groping invisible to eyes, which might not be easy. Further, a labor is needed for rotating the universal joint through 180 degrees, resulting in an increase in the number of steps of the operation.
Moreover, there is needed a bolt temporary holding mechanism for supporting the bolt so as not to be pushed backward till the nut is screwed once or twice along the front side end of the bolt. The head of the bolt must be held by turning the hands backwards if this mechanism is not used. This operation is laborious enough to use both of the hands. Thus, some problems have existed in the former method.
Further, in the latter assembling method, the bolt is inserted from the near side and fastened as it is. Therefore, unlike the former method, there is no necessity of inserting the bolt from backward and rotating the universal joint through 180 degree. When in the assembly, it is required for ensuring the fastening by a tool that after the bolt has been inserted by the hand, the front side end of the screw portion of the bolt is lightly screwed once or twice into the nut fixed to the yoke or into a thread portion (thread forming portion) of the yoke, and final fastening is effected. As described above, however, the cam member of the bolt is fitted to the screw portion with a predetermined frictional resisting force, and a load resistance for rotating the bolt is large. Hence, there arises a problem, wherein the front side end of the screw portion can not be lightly screwed into the nut or the thread portion of the yoke by pinching the head of the bolt.
According to the former method of those assembling methods, for the convenience of fastening the nut, after the bolt has been inserted from backward, the front side end of the bolt is protruded on the near side, or after the bolt has been inserted from the near side, the universal joint is rotated through 180 degrees, and it is required that the nut be set on the near side. According to the latter method of fastening the bolt, however, the bolt is inserted from the near side and fastened as it is. Therefore the latter method has more of operability than the former method.
According to the assembling method of fastening the bolt on the near side, however, the nut is required to be fitted to the yoke so as not to come off or rotate. Further, there is a drawback in which a shaft
203
inserted into a yoke
201
is, as shown in
FIG. 23
, easy to come off till the bolt is inserted and at first screwed into the nut, and hence the assembly needs an operation while supporting the shaft
203
with the hands.
Such being the case, there have been proposed several assembling methods capable of fastening the bolt without supporting the shaft with the hands. Patent Publication No. 2735260 discloses that a special nut including a rotation stopper and a bolt-insert-sided portion formed comparatively long, is slidably held in a nut hole of the yoke by use of a leaf spring member, and, after inserting the shaft into the yoke, the shaft is held by the bolt-insert-sided portion of the nut.
Further,. U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,350 discloses that a temporary holding clip taking substantially a C-shape and including an engagement portion defined as a protruded member with its one side end warped outwards, is fitted into one side end of the yoke with this engagement portion being set inwards, when the shaft is inserted, the engagement portion is pushed to permit the shaft to pass through, the warp of the engagement portion elastically reverts after the shaft has passed through, and this engagement portion engages with the shaft, thus temporarily holding the shaft.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 11-280777 discloses that a shaft
203
is, as shown in
FIG. 24
, let through a hole
214
of a temporary stopper
208
for joint, when set in a concave portion of a yoke
201
, a pawl
215
of the joint temporary stopper
208
is caught by a rear surface side of the yoke
201
, and the shaft
203
is thereby temporarily held.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 1130241 discloses that a clip
220
having, as shown in
FIG. 26
, a protruded portion
220
a
elastically shiftable in an arrow direction, is internally fixedly fitted into a bolt hole
211
e
of a yoke
201
as shown in
FIG. 25
, when the shaft
203
is inserted from an arrow direction, the protruded portion
220
a
is intruded into the bolt hole
211
e
to permit the shaft
203
to pass through, when the shaft
203
is fitted into the concave portion of the yoke
201
, the protruded portion
220
a
elastically reverts to its original shape, and the front side end of the protruded portion engages with the shaft
203
.
The Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-280781 discloses that,
Miles & Stockbridge P.C.
NSK Ltd.
Pezzuto Robert E.
LandOfFree
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