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:
Aug. 06, 1996
Filed:
Sep. 26, 1995
Jon W Martin, Los Alamitos, CA (US);
TRW Inc., Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Abstract
A hydraulic power rack and pinion steering assembly (10) includes a valve core (98) and a valve sleeve (100) which are supported for relative rotation. A damping ring assembly (150) is interposed between the valve parts (98, 100) to reduce vibrations and thereby to attenuate noise. The damping ring assembly (150) includes an inner ring (160) press fit on the valve core (98) and an outer ring (170) press fit in the valve sleeve (100). An elastomeric member (180) is disposed in the annulus between the inner ring (160) and the outer ring (170). The elastomeric member (180) is bonded to the inner ring (160). Ribs (210-216) on the inner ring (170) are received in grooves (270-276) in the elastomeric member (180). The ribs (210-216) sequentially engage the elastomeric member (180) upon incremental relative rotation between the valve parts (98, 100) to provide a damping effect which changes at an increasing rate as the valve parts move from the centered condition.