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:
Feb. 10, 2009
Filed:
Oct. 01, 2007
Charles J. Lemont, Jr., Commerce Township, MI (US);
Jose M. Lopez, Brighton, MI (US);
William C. Gregory, Milford, MI (US);
Robert S. Brines, White Lake, MI (US);
Scott R. Kloess, Rochester Hills, MI (US);
Charu S. Hayes, Huntington Woods, MI (US);
Darrin S. Mallard, Oxford, MI (US);
Terry R. Peterson, Oakley, MI (US);
David C. Pomerville, Brighton, MI (US);
Charles J. Lemont, Jr., Commerce Township, MI (US);
Jose M. Lopez, Brighton, MI (US);
William C. Gregory, Milford, MI (US);
Robert S. Brines, White Lake, MI (US);
Scott R. Kloess, Rochester Hills, MI (US);
Charu S. Hayes, Huntington Woods, MI (US);
Darrin S. Mallard, Oxford, MI (US);
Terry R. Peterson, Oakley, MI (US);
David C. Pomerville, Brighton, MI (US);
GM Global Technology Operations, Inc., Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
A wear compensator for use in a vehicle rack and pinion steering assembly and a method of biasing a rack against a pinion shaft gear in a rack and pinion steering assembly are disclosed. The wear compensator may include a rack follower, an adjuster plug, a wear cam and a torsion spring. The rack follower slides on the rack. The adjuster plug is retained by the steering gear housing and includes a plug cam surface. The wear cam includes a wear cam surface operatively engaging the plug cam surface, is mounted between the rack follower and the adjuster plug, and can rotate relative to the adjuster plug. The torsion spring connects between the adjuster plug and the wear cam in order to rotatably bias the wear cam relative to the adjuster plug.