Abstract: A motor vehicle steering column having thereon a column mounted electric power assist apparatus including a tubular mast jacket, a structural housing of the assist apparatus, a socket in an end wall of the housing consisting of an annular seat in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal centerline of the housing and a cylindrical guide wall around the annular seat, and an annular end plate rigidly attached to the bottom of the mast jacket in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal centerline thereof having a circular edge machined concentric with the longitudinal centerline of the mast jacket. The end plate plugs into the socket and bears flush against the seat with the circular edge of the end plate fitted closely in the cylindrical guide wall of the socket so that the longitudinal centerlines of the mast jacket and the housing are precisely aligned. A C-shaped retainer in an annular groove in the cylindrical guide wall overlaps the end plate to prevent dislodgment of the mast jacket from the housing.

Abstract: A motor vehicle steering column having thereon an electric power assist apparatus including a tubular mast jacket, a structural housing, a socket in an end wall of the housing consisting of an annular seat and a cylindrical guide wall, and an annular plate attached to the mast jacket. The plate plugs into the socket and bears flush against the seat with the edge of the plate fitted in the cylindrical guide wall of the socket so that the centerlines of the mast jacket and the housing are precisely aligned. A C-shaped retainer in an annular groove in the cylindrical guide wall overlaps the plate to prevent dislodgment of the mast jacket from the housing. The retainer has a beveled shoulder which bears on an edge of the groove and converts circumferential expansion of the retainer into longitudinal thrust on the plate to eliminate lash between the plate and the housing.

Abstract: An electric power steering assist mechanism with an isolated output shaft for a motor vehicle. An output shaft has a steering hand wheel disposed on an upper end and has an opposing lower end ultimately operably connected to the steerable wheels of the motor vehicle. The output shaft is concentrically received and rotatably supported within a tubular speed reducing gear, which is driven by a worm gear connected to an electric motor. An elastomeric isolator is disposed within an annular space between the speed reducing gear and the output shaft to provide compliance in the steering assist mechanism between the gears and the output shaft thereby reducing vibrations.

Abstract: A drag link (26) for a steer-by-wire system (10) in a motor vehicle in which the steer-by-wire system has a separate electrical actuator (20,24) for each front wheel (12,14) of the motor vehicle, the drag link comprising a first rod (30) connectable with one of the electrical actuators; a second rod (28) connectable with the other of the electrical actuators; and a locking device (32) connecting the first and second rods; wherein the first and second rods are substantially axially aligned on a common axis (A) at the locking device; wherein the locking device includes a housing member (38) having an internal surface (44) defining a bore (36) with an axis aligned with the common axis, a piston member (34) positioned in the bore in sliding engagement with the internal surface, and lock means (46) having a de-actuated state in which the piston member can move in the axial direction relative to the housing member, and an actuated state in which the piston member and the housing member are locked together; wherein

Abstract: A power assist apparatus for a motor vehicle steering shaft including a speed reducer housing mounted on a steering column, an electric motor on the speed reducer housing, and a speed reducer consisting of a worm gear and a worm wheel. The worm gear is supported on the speed reducer housing for rotation with an output shaft of the electric motor. The worm wheel is rigidly connected to the steering shaft. The steering shaft is rotatably mounted on a bearing carrier having a cylindrical pilot which cooperates with a cylindrical journal on the speed reducer housing in rotatably supporting the bearing carrier on the speed reducer housing. The cylindrical pilot is eccentric relative to a longitudinal centerline of the steering shaft so that the steering shaft and the worm wheel traverse a circular orbit in the plane of the worm wheel when the bearing carrier rotates relative to the speed reducer housing.

Abstract: A shaft coupling including a socket in an end of a first shaft element and a plunger on an end of a second shaft element. The plunger is divided by a longitudinal slot in the second shaft element into a pair of laterally flexible cantilever springs each having a pair of converging planar sides. Each of the converging planar sides of the cantilever springs has a transverse convex lobe at a distal end thereof and a concave recess inboard of the transverse convex lobe. The socket has a plurality of planar sides which define wedge-shaped corners facing the cantilever springs when the plunger is in the socket. The cantilever springs bias the transverse convex lobes thereon toward the wedge-shaped corners of the socket to rotatably couple the first and second shaft elements with zero dimensional tolerance therebetween. A flat shim in the longitudinal slot in the second shaft element limits additional flexure of the cantilever springs during torque transfer.