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:
Jan. 01, 2002
Filed:
Apr. 04, 2000
Sosuke Kinouchi, Kakogawa, JP;
Masatoshi Inoue, Himeji, JP;
Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Kobe, JP;
Abstract
A steering apparatus for a four-wheeled vehicle transmits a steering force through a steering shaft, a spur gear type reduction gear mechanism, a steering lever and right and left tie rods to right and left knuckles. The reduction gear mechanism includes a pinion gear formed integrally with a pinion shaft, a steering gear mounted on a lever shaft which is combined with the steering lever, and a gear case housing the pinion gear and the steering gear. The steering gear has internal teeth which are engaged with the pinion gear. The lever shaft has a first end portion supported in a bearing held on the gear case. The bearing permits the lever shaft to be turned therein. The lever shaft also has a second end portion supported in a bearing hole. The bearing hole is elongated along the back-and-forth direction so that the second end portion of the lever shaft is able to be shifted along the back-and-forth direction. The second end portion of the lever shaft is biased by a spring so as to press the internal teeth against the pinion gear so that backlash between the pinion gear and the steering gear is eliminated.