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. 26, 2003
Filed:
Apr. 04, 2001
Dean W. Mielke, Sterling Heights, MI (US);
Joseph D. Miller, Farmington Hills, MI (US);
TRW Inc., Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Abstract
A vehicle steering assembly ( ) comprises a steering member ( ) having a rack portion ( ) for engagement with a pinion ( ) and a screw portion ( ). A ball nut ( ) cooperates with the screw portion ( ) to move the steering member ( ) axially upon rotation of the ball nut ( ). An electric motor ( ) is drivingly connected to the ball nut ( ). The member ( ) has an additional portion ( ) projecting from the ball nut ( ) for connection with a steerable vehicle wheel. The assembly ( ) includes a cold-formed metal housing ( ) having a generally cylindrical main body portion ( ) enclosing and supporting the electric motor ( ) and the ball nut ( ) and a generally cylindrical outboard housing portion ( ) enclosing the additional portion ( ) of the member ( ). The housing ( ) has structure associated with the outboard portion ( ) for mounting the assembly ( ) to the vehicle.