Terry O Peterson

US Patent:

7487984, Feb 10, 2009

Filed:

Oct 1, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/865264

Inventors:

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

Assignee:

GM Global Technology Operations, Inc. - Detroit MI

International Classification:

B62D 3/12
F16H 1/04

US Classification:

280 93514, 74422, 74409, 74388 PS

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.