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:
Apr. 23, 2002
Filed:
Apr. 26, 2000
Yoshihiro Kawabe, Kanagawa, JP;
Yoshiteru Minagawa, Yokohama, JP;
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Kanagawa, JP;
Abstract
A variable-ratio steering system includes a steering shaft connected to a manually-operated handle, a ball nut engaging with the steering shaft and a ball-bearing-screw mechanism converting rotary motion of the steering shaft into axial displacement of the ball nut in the axial direction of the steering shaft. Also provided is a second motion converter which generates a rotational displacement of the ball nut about the axis of the steering shaft with the axial displacement of the ball nut. A steering pinion gear block is connected to the ball nut by means of serrations to rotate together with the ball nut. A rack is engaged with the pinion gear block and connected at both ends via knuckle mechanisms to steered wheels for varying a steer angle at the steered wheels depending on the displacement of the rack. The second motion converter having a variable steering ratio mechanism which varies a ratio of a rotational displacement of the ball nut about the axis of the steering shaft to the axial displacement of the ball nut to vary a steering ratio of steering wheel rotation angle to road-wheel steer angle.