Rotary shafts – gudgeons – housings – and flexible couplings for ro – Torque transmitted via flexible element – Nonmetallic element
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-09
2001-02-20
Browne, Lynne H. (Department: 3629)
Rotary shafts, gudgeons, housings, and flexible couplings for ro
Torque transmitted via flexible element
Nonmetallic element
C464S092000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06190259
ABSTRACT:
This application claims the benefit of Japanese Application No. 9-291808 which is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a steering joint device for a vehicle, such as car. Specially, the present invention relates to a steering joint device for coupling a steering device with a steering gear device in a vehicle.
2. Related Background Art
A steering joint device of this kind is adapted to couple a terminal side of a steering shaft to a steering gear device, as disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-197820. such steering joint device is provided with an anti-vibration device or vibration prevention device for preventing a vibration which is caused by the tires on a road, a vibration which is caused by an engine suspension, or the like, from being transmitted to the inside of the vehicle through a steering shaft.
An example of the conventional steering joint device will be described below with reference to
FIGS. 8
to
10
B. Referring to
FIG. 8
, a steering joint device is comprised of a first universal joint
1
which is fixed to the fore end side of a steering shaft (not shown), a second universal joint
2
which is connected to the steering gear device side, and an anti-vibration device
3
for coupling these two universal joints.
The first universal joint
1
includes a first yoke member
11
, a second yoke member
12
, and a cross shaft member
13
for coupling the first yoke member
11
with the second yoke member
12
.
The first yoke member
11
integrally has a cylindrical portion lla which is fitted on and fixed to the tip end of the steering shaft and a yoke portion
11
b
which has bifurcated opposed portions. The second yoke member
12
integrally has two side plate portions
12
a
,
12
b
which are extended in parallel to face each other, and a bottom plate portion
12
c
for connecting these side plate portions
12
a
,
12
b.
One shaft
13
a
of the first cross shaft member
13
is extended perpendicular to the sheet plane of the FIG.
8
and is pivotally supported on the yoke portion
11
b
of the first yoke member
11
at the two shaft ends thereof, whereas the two shaft ends of the other shaft
13
b
which is extended at right angles with the former shaft
13
a
are respectively supported by the two side plate portions
12
a
,
12
b
of the second yoke member
12
through bearings
13
c
,
13
d
. To this end, the two side plate portions
12
a
,
12
b
of the second yoke member
12
are respectively provided with bearing holes
12
d
,
12
e
(
FIG. 9A
) so as to face each other.
On the bottom plate portion
12
c
of the second yoke member
12
, there are formed two holes
12
f
,
12
g
on a straight line which makes a right angle with a straight line obtained by projecting the straight line X
1
—X
1
connecting the centers of the bearing holes
12
d
,
12
e
onto the bottom plate portion
12
c
, and which passes a point 0
1
obtained by projecting the middle point of a segment of a line connecting the centers of the bearing holes
12
d
,
12
e
onto the bottom plate portion
12
c
, with this point 0
1
as the middle point therebetween.
On the other hand, a third yoke member
21
of the second universal joint
2
integrally has a cylindrical portion
21
a
to be fitted on and fixed to an shaft (not shown) on the steering gear side and a yoke portion
21
b
which has bifurcated opposed portions. A fourth yoke member
22
integrally has side plate portions
22
a
,
22
b
which extend in parallel to oppose to each other, and a bottom plate portion
22
c
connecting these side plate portions
22
a
,
22
b
as an integral structure.
One shaft
23
a
of a second cross shaft member
23
is extended perpendicular to the sheet plane and is pivotally supported on the yoke portion
21
b
of the third yoke member
21
at the two shaft ends, whereas the both shaft ends of the other shaft
23
b
which extends perpendicular to the shaft
23
a
are respectively supported by the two side plate portions
22
a
,
22
b
of the fourth yoke member
22
through bearings
23
c
,
23
d.
To this end, the two side plate portions
22
a
,
22
b
of the fourth yoke member
22
are respectively provided with bearing holes
22
d
,
22
e
(
FIG. 9B
) to face each other.
The anti-vibration device
3
has a circular anti-vibration rubber
31
. This anti-vibration rubber
31
has a rigid structure with internal reinforced fibers. Four through holes for pin insertion are formed through the rubber
31
on crossing lines perpendicular to each other and passing the center of the structure. Only one of the holes is shown in the drawing.
A pair of through holes out of the through holes for pin insertion which face each other in the diameter direction are opposed to the two holes
12
f
,
12
g
which are formed on the bottom plate portion
12
c
of the first yoke member
12
of the first universal joint
1
, and pins
32
a
,
32
b
are inserted through these corresponding holes
12
f
,
12
g
. A structure for connecting the pins
32
a
,
32
b
with the bottom plate portion
12
c
and the anti-vibration rubber
31
is the same as a structure for connecting the anti-vibration rubber
31
with an oval flange portion
33
a
of a lower shaft
33
, the structure of which will be described later. The latter is shown in the drawing and will be fully described.
More specifically, holes for pin insertion are formed through the oval flange
33
a
of the lower shaft
33
to face the two remaining through holes of the anti-vibration rubber
31
, and pins
34
a
,
34
b
are inserted through these holes, respectively.
FIG. 8
shows a cross section of a part of the pin
34
a
out of the two pins
34
a
,
34
b
. The pin
34
a
is inserted through a hole of the anti-vibration rubber
31
through a bush
35
. A stopper
36
made of a metallic plate is interposed between an enlarged end portion
34
c
of the pin
34
a
and the anti-vibration rubber
31
, and the pin
34
a
is caulked onto the oval flange
33
a
at the opposite end portion to connect the anti-vibration rubber
31
to the oval flange portion
33
a
. The bush
35
is provided to surround the pin
34
a
from the stopper
36
to the oval flange
33
a
. The stopper
36
is extended as if striding over the pins
32
a
,
32
b
described above which are adapted to connect the bottom plate portion
12
c
of the second yoke member
12
of the first universal joint
1
to the anti-vibration device
3
, so as to form a predetermined space between the stopper
36
and the outer periphery of the pin
32
a
or
32
b.
The bottom plate portion
12
c
of the second yoke member
12
and the anti-vibration rubber
31
, and the anti-vibration rubber
31
and the oval flange
33
a
of the lower shaft are respectively connected by the pins in the above-mentioned manner. Thus, a torque is transmitted through the anti-vibration rubber
31
with respect to a normal torque load. However, when the torque load exceeds a predetermined value, the stopper
36
starts to function.
Generally, in the steering joint device, it is required to dispose the first universal joint
1
and the second universal joint
2
with an optimal phase angle therebetween in accordance with a state of the used space. This phase angle is an angle made by the first cross shaft member
13
and the second cross shaft member
23
, which is an angle made by the first yoke member
11
and the third yoke member
21
. This is at the same time an angle &thgr;′ which is made by the above-mentioned straight line X
1
—X
1
, and a line Y
1
—Y
1
connecting the centers of holes
22
d
,
22
e
. A setting of this phase angle was conventionally adjusted when the lower shaft
33
is secured to the bottom plate portion
22
c
of the second yoke member
22
of the second universal joint
2
by welding, or the like.
This phase setting has also been conducted by serration connection or by using a yoke integrally forged, instead of by welding.
However, there may be spatial limitations depending on the geometry of
Browne Lynne H.
Dunwoody Aaron
NSK Ltd.
Vorys Sater Seymour and Pease LLP
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