Patents Examined by Willam C Joyce
  • Worm gear mechanism and electric power steering apparatus equipped with the worm gear mechanism
    Patent number: 7377194
    Abstract: Worm gear mechanism is provided which includes a worm, a torque-transmitting worm wheel and an auxiliary worm wheel. In order to secure a sufficient face width of the torque-transmitting worm wheel, a pitch diameter of the auxiliary worm wheel is set to be greater than a pitch diameter of the torque-transmitting worm wheel. Thus, undesired backlash can be eliminated by the auxiliary worm wheel meshing with the worm with a different meshing phase from the torque-transmitting worm wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuo Shimizu, Katsuji Watanabe