Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Dennis J Jones

Thomas J Milton

William R Schipper

James J St Germain, Jr

An automotive power steering system including a power steering gear with detent reaction and a control system for the detent reaction. The detent reaction includes an annular collar in a detent pressure chamber, radially shiftable detent balls on a pinion head of the steering gear, and detent grooves in a stub shaft of the steering gear. A tension spring biases the collar to a retracted position away from the detent balls and detent pressure in the pressure chamber urges the collar toward the detent balls for detent reaction. The control system includes a detent pressure valve connecting the detent pressure chamber to a power steering pump between the pump and a rotary control valve of the steering gear. In a low vehicle speed range, the detent pressure valve exhausts the detent pressure chamber so that the detent balls are unloaded. In an intermediate speed range and a high speed range, the detent pressure valve communicates open-center backpressure to the detent pressure chamber to move the annular collar against the detent balls for detent reaction.

Automotive power steering system

A speed sensitive detent system for a variable effort power steering gear. A detent support portion on the output member of the steering gear has a plurality of internally threaded radial insert bores therein. A detent insert is threaded into each insert bore and includes a detent bore the centerline of which is offset from the centerline of the corresponding detent insert. A detent ball is received in each detent bore and biased by a servo fluid pressure into a detent groove in the input member of the steering gear angularly aligned with the insert bore. After the rotary valve of the steering gear is balanced during assembly of the gear, the detent inserts are rotated in their insert bores until the centerlines of the detent bores intersect the centers of the detent grooves so that the detent balls do not upset the hydraulic balance of the rotary valve when biased into the grooves by the servo fluid pressure.

Steering gear with speed sensitive detent switch

An engine turbocharger includes a turbine housing having wastegate passages integral therewith and a cartridge wastegate valve including a ported stationary bushing and a ported tubular valve member rotatable in the bushing to close or open wastegate flow. The arrangement provides simplicity of manufacture and installation as well as a self-cleaning valve design that is unbiased by exhaust gas pressures and thus requires a minimum of operating force.

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Saginaw, MI, United States of America

Dennis J Jones