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:
Nov. 10, 2009
Filed:
Dec. 20, 2002
Dirk Sickert, Bruehl, DE;
Frank Peter Engels, Solingen, DE;
Frank Odenthal, Leverkusen, DE;
Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
The invention relates to a rack-and-pinion gear mechanism (), for example for use in a steering mechanism of a motor vehicle, and to a method for the production of the rack-and-pinion gear mechanism (). The mechanism comprises a housing (), in which a pinion shaft () is mounted so as to be rotatable about an axis (). The pinion shaft () is connected to a rack () which is mounted in the housing () in such a way as to be longitudinally displaceable. A counter-pressure device () compensates for reaction forces between the pinion shaft () and the rack (), having a thrust piece () and an adjusting/closing nut (), between which a spring () is supported. The adjusting/closing nut () is composed of a material which has a softening/melting point such that the adjusting/closing nut () can be softened and/or melted locally while installed in the housing () without damaging the housing (). Softened and/or melted and resolidified partial areas of the adjusting/closing nut () are in form-locking engagement with the housing ().