Abstract: A wear indicator for a disk brake having a caliper that slides in a carrier to apply friction pads against a disk. The wear indicator comprises a continuous variation sensor, such as a capacitive sensor, connected to a monitor. The capactive sensor has first and second electrodes having a variable overlap area. A guide pin for the caliper forms the first electrode. As the guide pin moves during a brake application, the monitor periodically measures the overlap area to define a current operational output signal which is compared with a predetermined signal and when the comparison differs from a normal result a failure signal is provided to indicate that the disk brake in not properly operating.

Abstract: A power-assisted steering device having a piston located in a casing and driven by a rotational input from an input shaft. The piston has a sealing section for separating a first chamber from a second chamber and a transmission section. The transmission section having a U-shaped profile formed by two branches which are coplanar with the main axis of the casing. The branches form racks and mesh at respective geometric sites with toothed sectors which are integral with one another and an output shaft. A sleeve located in the U-shaped profile and connected to the piston prevents relative rotation of the piston and sleeve with respect to the main axis of the input shaft while allowing some relative radial translations with respect to the input shaft as the piston is moved in response to a pressure difference in fluids supplied to the first and second chambers to provide assistance in rotating the output shaft in response to an input applied to the input shaft.

Abstract: A roller-contact bearing device with a reduced clearance for a power-assisted steering system having a first roller-contact bearing for absorbing axial forces exerted on a steering shaft and a second roller-contact bearing for transmitting the axial forces to a casing. The second roller-contact bearing is urged toward shaft by an spring disc to oppose the axial forces being applied to the shaft.

Abstract: A hydraulic control device comprises a valve (4) which can be moved inside a casing (1) and a stop for opening the valve at one point, the position of which may be set. The stop (6) slides in an axial housing (7) under the effect of a spring (8) and a stop screw (9). The opening position of the valve (4) may be easily set from outside the casing (1).

Abstract: Device for guiding a sliding caliper (4) for a disk-brake, comprising a support (1), a screw (2) and a carrier (3). The carrier is rotationally and translationally blocked, except in a direction perpendicular to its axis (3a) by virtue of an open ring (10) housed with a small clearance in a bore (1b) of the support, itself rotationally blocked, and clamping flats made on the external surface of the carrier (3).

Abstract: A fluid pressure regulating valve has an inlet (10) connected to a pressurized fluid source (12) and an application outlet (14). It comprises a reference piston (30) one face of which is biased by a reference force, and a regulating piston (42) upon one face of which is applied the fluid pressure at the application outlet (14). The regulating piston (42) acts as a slide valve between the inlet (10), the application outlet (14), and a low pressure fluid reservoir (18). The other faces of the pistons (30, 42) each bias a respective end of a lever (60) the fulcrum (62) of which is movable between its ends according to the biasing force generated by each of the pistons (30, 42). Such a valve is useful for power steering for vehicles.

Abstract: The assembly comprises a rack (2) and a pinion (1) each having an axis of symmetry (7, 8) perpendicular to each other in their transversal section. The rack (2) is located in a chamber (6) provided within a rigid body (5), this chamber (6) having a partly cylindrical inner wall (9), the axis of symmetry of the chamber (6) being merged into the rack axis (8). The track (2) includes a front face engaged with the pinion (1) and a rear face opposite the front face, this rear face comprising two lateral tapered sides (15) converging toward the rack axis (8) and an extending rib (13) having flat lateral sides (17) parallel to the rack axis.

Abstract: A variable rate shock absorber comprising a tubular working cylinder (10) destined to be mounted on a suspended part of a vehicle, a piston rod assembly (24) slidably received in the working cylinder (10) and having an end (34) destined to be mounted on a fixed part of a vehicle, the piston rod assembly (24) having at its free end a piston member (48) cooperating with the working cylinder (10) to divide the interior thereof into an upper (44) and a lower working chamber (56), a valve mechanism in the piston member (48) to permit controlled two-way flow between the upper and lower working chambers an electro-magnetic valve mechanism (62) disposed between the upper working chamber (44) and a reservoir (18) and selectively actuatable to allow fluid flow therebetween, the valve mechanism (62) comprising a first member (80, 114) slidably mounted with respect to a second member (72, 116) between a closed position and an open position, characterized in that the first member (80, 114) is movable into at least one par

Abstract: A gear assembly, for example for use in a vehicle steering assembly, includes a rack and pinion system in which the output shaft is rotatably supported in eccentric bushings mounted in the gear housing. Rotation of the bushings relative to the housing changes the alignment of the output shaft. In order to lock the bushings in position relative to the housing, each includes a projection, for example a steel ball which engages and deforms the material of the housing and fixes the bushing in position. In an alternative embodiment the steel ball is mounted in the housing and engages and deforms the bushing.

Abstract: This invention relates to a rotating and sealed bearing assembly of a first member (12) rotating in a second member (10), comprising a bearing outer track structure (28) mounted in a bore (11) of the second member traversed by the first member (12) and bearing a lip seal (40), the bearing inner track (24) being formed on the first member (12), the bearing outer track structure being made of a sheet steel backing plate (28) shaped in order to a present an intermediate zone of rounded profile (26) forming the bearing outer track.According to the invention, the intermediate zone (26) is extended on one side by a first end zone (30) extending axially and on the other side by a second end zone (36) extending axially, the second end zone (36) being connected to the intermediate zone (26) by a median zone (34) extending radially.

Abstract: A variable rate shock absorber having the interior of a working cylinder divided by a piston into an upper and lower working chamber. The lower working chamber is connected to a reservoir by a bi-directional valve member. A solenoid valve housed in a hollow piston rod has an actuated state connecting the upper working chamber to the reservoir. The output of the solenoid valve is connected to the reservoir by an axially disposed telescoping cylinder passing through the piston and the bi-directional valve member. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: The end zones (11) of the C-springs (9) of the resilient device for the centering and coupling with backlash of first (1) and second (7) coaxial rotary components form lugs (12) extending radially inward in order to cooperate with stop surfaces (15) in the first rotary component (1), and external shoulders (19) in order to cooperate with facing shoulders (18) formed in the inside wall (16) of the second rotary component (7), the shoulders (18) being angularly offset from the stop surfaces (15) and substantially contiguous with the latter in projection onto the median plane (M) of the device in the centered position of the rotary components (1, 7).

Abstract: The assembly for supporting in terms of rotation and for sealing a first element (2; 5) rotating in a second element (7) comprises an outer raceway structure consisting of two sheet-metal half-raceways (11; 12) having two coupled outer collar portions (13; 14) serving for mounting the outer raceway structure in an orifice in the second element, and a first (13) of the outer half-raceways carrying the lip seal (22) interacting with the first element (2; 5) forming the inner raceway (10) typically has an extension part (21) opposite the collar portion (13), the lip seal (22) advantageously having a peripheral part (23; 23') forming a static seal and interacting in engagement contact with a wall of the orifice in the second element.

Abstract: The two stator members of the distributor (5, 6), between which the rotor of the distributor (10) is placed, are assembled under an axial prestress by an assembly tie rod (12) comprising, at one end, an annular shoulder (17) cooperating in bearing against a bearing surface of the adjacent stator member (5) and, at its other end a profiled annular groove (18) in which a metal ring (23) is fitted by force, under axial stress with radial deformation, so as to exert an axial stress on a radial bearing surface of the adjacent stator member (6). Application to the construction of rotary hydraulic distributors, especially for power-assisted vehicle steering systems.

Abstract: The hydraulic distributor, of the type comprising, in each of two parallel circuits (.alpha., .alpha.'), between a pressure source (S) and a tank (R), two modulable restrictions in series (A, B; A', B'), comprises in addition, in each circuit (.alpha., .alpha.'), a first (C; C') and a second (D; D') fixed restriction adapted to be put into operation alternately in synchronism with the modulable restrictions downstream of each of the latter, the fixed restriction put into operation being the one directly downstream of the modulable restriction operated in its closing direction.

Abstract: A modulator assembly is interposed in a fluid circuit between a source (S) and a user device (U), said assembly being composed of a metering electrovalve (E) forming a first restriction (.sigma.1) in the fluid circuit, a pressure regulation valve (R), loaded by a spring (22), being subjected to the pressure of fluid delivered by the metering electrovalve to the user device and forming a second variable restriction (.sigma.2) between the outlet of the electrovalve (E) and a tank (33). The pressure regulation valve (R) is integrated into the metering slide (14) of the electrovalve.

Abstract: The rotating and sealed bearing assembly (14) of a first member (2) rotating in a second member (10) comprises a structure of a bearing outer track constituted by a backing plate in sheet steel (18) shaped in order to present an intermediate zone of rounded profile (17) forming the bearing outer track extending, on one side, folded back (19), by a first zone with radial end (20) and, on the other side, by a second zone with axial end (21) with the lip seal (23) interacting with the first member (2) and, to advantage, a static seal (25) interacting in engagement contact with the housing (10).