Abstract: A rack-and-pinion type steering device includes a ball joint for connecting a rack shaft and a tie rod. The ball joint includes a socket and a ball. The socket is provided with a regulated surface allowed to contact a regulating surface of a rack housing, and a screw projecting from the regulated surface to be connected to the rack shaft. The regulated surface includes an intermediate portion having a curved surface shape that recedes from a regulating surface in a longitudinal direction of the rack shaft toward the outer circumference, and the regulated surface has such a shape that a pointed portion toward the regulating surface is less likely to be formed on the regulated surface even if a processing error occurs in the processing for forming the regulated surface of the socket.

Abstract: A rack-and-pinion type steering device includes a ball joint for connecting a rack shaft and a tie rod. The ball joint includes a socket and a ball. The socket is provided with a regulated surface allowed to contact a regulating surface of a rack housing, and a screw projecting from the regulated surface to be connected to the rack shaft. The regulated surface includes an intermediate portion having a curved surface shape that recedes from a regulating surface in a longitudinal direction of the rack shaft toward the outer circumference, and the regulated surface has such a shape that a pointed portion toward the regulating surface is less likely to be formed on the regulated surface even if a processing error occurs in the processing for forming the regulated surface of the socket.

Abstract: A steering apparatus comprises a bearing for supporting a pinion shaft so as to be rotatable and a high-rigidity member for holding the bearing in a state where it is positioned with respect to a housing. The housing comprises cylindrical first and second housings whose respective ends are fitted to each other. The first and second housings respectively comprise first and second receiving sections directly or indirectly receiving an outer ring of the bearing in an axial direction. The outer ring of the bearing is held between the high-rigidity member and the second receiving section, so that the axial movement of the bearing relative to the first and second housings is regulated.

Abstract: An annular recess 73 is provided in a fitting hole 71 of a bracket 7 into which a cylinder tube 53 of a housing is fitted that accommodates a steering drive shaft capable of moving in right and left directions of a car body in response to a steering operation and that has the cylinder tube 53 made of metal, while a part of the cylinder tube 53 ranging from an inner periphery surface to an outer periphery surface is bent into said recess 73, so that an escape preventing protrusion 8 is provided, thereby increasing an escape preventing strength of the bracket 7. This increases the escape preventing strength of the bracket joined to the cylinder tube, without generation of thermal distortion in the cylinder tube. Further, the components such as the steering drive shaft can be assembled without disturbance from said bracket.

Abstract: A steering apparatus comprises a bearing for supporting a pinion shaft so as to be rotatable and a high-rigidity member for holding the bearing in a state where it is positioned with respect to a housing. The housing comprises cylindrical first and second housings whose respective ends are fitted to each other. The first and second housings respectively comprise first and second receiving sections directly or indirectly receiving an outer ring of the bearing in an axial direction. The outer ring of the bearing is held between the high-rigidity member and the second receiving section, so that the axial movement of the bearing relative to the first and second housings is regulated.