The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 26, 2018
Filed:
May. 03, 2016
Ford Global Technologies, Llc, Dearborn, MI (US);
Bradley G. Hochrein, Dexter, MI (US);
Jack E. Barry, Dearborn, MI (US);
James Philip Cooper, Milford, MI (US);
Alex Parker, Novi, MI (US);
Joseph Washnock, Canton, MI (US);
Salvador Toledo, Ypsilanti, MI (US);
Timothy Patrick Diez, Dearborn Heights, MI (US);
Thomas Philip Flanagan, Saline, MI (US);
FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
A steering assistance actuator for a vehicle includes a actuator shaft, a torque sensor, a motor, a drive mechanism and a drive housing. The actuator shaft is rotatable about a first axis. The actuator shaft includes an integral torque sensor. The motor has an output shaft rotatable about a second axis. The second axis is substantially parallel to the first axis. The drive mechanism is disposed between and drivingly connects the motor and the steering column. The drive mechanism provides a speed reduction from the motor to the actuator shaft. The drive housing encloses the torque sensor and the drive mechanism and is separate from a steering gear. The drive housing also has a mounting feature to which a housing of the motor is fixed. The drive housing also has a first bearing and a second bearing rotatably supporting the actuator shaft in the drive housing.