Servo-steering device for vehicles

Claim 2

A servo-steering arrangement for vehicles comprising: housing means, a working piston displaceably supported within a working cylinder formed in said housing means, a steering shaft having toothed segment means in meshing engagement with toothed rack profile means provided on said working piston, a steering nut rotatably supported in said working piston in a position axially fixed with respect to said working piston, a steering worm axially non-displaceably supported within said housing means, said steering nut being helically movably connected with said steering worm, and control slide valve means for controlling fluid flow to working spaces adjacent the working piston, the axes of the steering shaft and the control slide valve means being substantially perpendicular to one another, the axis of the steering shaft being disposed in a diametric plane extending substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the steering nut, the toothed segment means of said steering shaft having a tooth width disposed approximately centric to an axial plane of the housing means, said axial plane extending substantially perpendicularly to the axis of the steering shaft, the longitudinal axis of the working piston being disposed in said axial plane, the working piston being provided with substantially radial aperture means within the area of its toothed rack profile means for the insertion of the steering nut, the center axis of the aperture means being substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the working piston.

Claim 3

A servo-steering arrangement according of claim 1, characterized in that the steering shaft is provided with a single toothed segment means.

Claim 4

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the center axis of the aperture means extends substantially parallel to the plane of the root of the teeth of the toothed rack profile means.

Claim 5

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the working piston is stepped in diameter and the radial aperture means is arranged in the relatively narrow piston portion.

Claim 6

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 4, characterized in that the aperture means for the insertion of the steering nut extends completely through the working piston.

Claim 7

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that the aperture means has a substantially constant and essentIally rectangular cross section.

Claim 8

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 6, characterized in that the steering nut is provided with a control bar disposed substantially perpendicular to its axis of rotation for the actuation of the control slide valve means which control bar is formed in one piece with the steering nut.

Claim 9

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 7, characterized in that the control slide valve means is inserted directly into a housing bore of the housing means.

Claim 10

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 8, characterized in that the steering nut is supported at one end with respect to the working piston exclusively by an axial bearing.

Claim 11

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 9, characterized in that said last-mentioned axial bearing is a roller bearing.

Claim 12

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 9, characterized in that a member which supports said axial bearing of the steering nut is operable to travel over an inner end of a sealing bush means forming a radial inner seal of the working piston, said sealing bush means being fixedly inserted into the gear housing and surrounding a steering spindle rigidly connected to the steering worm.

Claim 13

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 11, characterized in that said last-mentioned axial bearing is a roller bearing.

Claim 14

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 12, characterized in that a cage at the bearing place associated with the axial bearing nut is provided, said cage having a radial inner part with axial engaging means for centering the cage at the steering nut.

Claim 15

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 13, characterized in that the steering spindle is provided with a collar which is supported axially and radially with respect to the housing means by means of respective axial and radial roller bearings, and in that the associated radial roller bearing is arranged at the circumference of the collar.

Claim 16

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 14, characterized in that the steering nut is supported at one bearing place exclusively by an axial bearing, and at another spaced bearing place the steering nut is supported both radially and axially non-displaceably with respect to the working piston.

Claim 17

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 14, characterized in that the steering nut is supported axially non-displaceably in the working piston but is supported radially displaceably at two spaced bearing places, and in that the steering worm is supported at both ends radially non-displaceably in the housing.

Claim 18

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 14, characterized in that the steering nut is non-displaceably supported in the working piston at one of its bearing places by both a radial and an axial roller bearing.

Claim 19

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that a housing bore provided in the housing for the control slide valve means is closed off in the outward direction by a recessed housing cover, said cover being supported inwardly directly at a housing shoulder and abutting in the outward direction at an elastic retaining ring.

Claim 20

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 18, characterized in that the control slide valve means is arranged at an end of the housing associated with an inner end of the steering shaft.

Claim 21

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the structural length of the steering nut is approximately equal to its screw length.

Claim 22

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the structural length of the steering nut is equal to its screw length.

Claim 23

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 18, characterized in that the housing cover for the bore of the control slide valve means is constructed in the shape of a pot and the control slide valve means extends into the interior space of the pot.

Claim 24

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 1, charaCterized in that a steering spindle portion rigidly connected with the steering worm projects out of the housing means on that housing end face which is adjacent the narrow guide piston portion provided in said housing means.

Claim 25

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 23, characterized in that a concentric opening of the working piston for the insertion of the steering worm is closed in a pressure-tight manner at the end of the working piston opposite said steering spindle portion.

Claim 26

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the aperture means has a substantially constant and essentially rectangular cross section.

Claim 27

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the steering nut is provided with a control bar disposed substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the steering nut for the actuation of the control slide valve means, said control bar being formed in one piece with the steering nut.

Claim 28

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the control slide valve means is inserted directly into a housing bore of the housing means.

Claim 29

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 9, characterized in that the steering shaft is provided with a single toothed segment means.

Claim 30

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 28, characterized in that the center axis of the aperture means extends substantially parallel to the plane of the root of the teeth of the toothed rack profile means.

Claim 31

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the steering nut is supported at one end with respect to the working piston exclusively by an axial bearing.

Claim 32

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 30, characterized in that a bearing place of the member which supports said axial bearing of the steering nut is operable to travel over an inner end of a sealing bush means forming a radial inner seal of the working piston, said sealing bush means being fixedly inserted into the gear housing and surrounding a steering spindle rigidly connected to the steering worm.

Claim 33

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 30, characterized in that a cage at the bearing associated with the axial bearing is provided, said cage having a radial inner part with axial engaging means for centering the cage at the steering nut.

Claim 34

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 30, characterized in that the steering spindle is provided with a collar which is supported axially and radially with respect to the housing means by means of respective axial and radial roller bearings, and in that the associated radial roller bearing is arranged at the circumference of the collar.

Claim 35

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 30, characterized in that the steering nut is supported at one bearing place exclusively by said axial bearing, and at another spaced bearing place the steering nut is supported both radially and axially non-displaceably with respect to the working piston.

Claim 36

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 30, characterized in that the steering nut is supported axially non-displaceably in the working piston but is supported radially displaceably at two spaced bearing places, and in that the steering worm is supported at both ends radially non-displaceably in the housing means.

Claim 37

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 30, characterized in that the steering nut is non-displaceably supported in the working piston at one of its bearing places by both a radial and an axial roller bearing.

Claim 38

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that a steering spindle rigidly connected to the steering worm is provided with a collar which is supported axially and radially with respect to the housing means by means of respective axial and radial roller bearings, and in that the associated radial roller bearing is arranged at the circumference of the collar.

Claim 39

A servo-steerinG arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the steering nut is supported at one bearing place exclusively by an axial bearing, and at another spaced bearing place the steering nut is supported both radially and axially non-displaceably with respect to the working piston.

Claim 40

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the steering nut is supported axially non-displaceably in the working piston but is supported radially displaceably at two spaced bearing places, and in that the steering worm is supported at both ends radially non-displacably in the housing means.

Claim 41

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the steering nut is non-displaceably supported in the working piston at one of its bearing places by both a radial and an axial roller bearing.

Claim 42

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said diametric plane is congruent with a center plane of the steering nut, said center plane and said axis of rotation being substantially perpendicular to one another.

Claim 43

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said diametric plane is spaced from a center plane of the steering nut, said center plane and said axis of rotation being substantially perpendicular to one another.

Claim 44

A servo-steering arrangement for vehicles comprising: housing means, a working piston displaceably supported within a working cylinder formed in said housing means, a steering shaft having toothed segment means in meshing engagement with toothed rack profile means provided on said working piston, a steering nut rotatably supported in said working piston in a position axially fixed with respect to said working piston, a steering worm axially non-displaceably supported within said housing means, said steering nut being helically movably connected with said steering worm, and control slide valve means for controlling fluid flow to working spaces adjacent the working piston, wherein the axes of the steering shaft and the control slide valve means are substantially perpendicular to one another, the axis of the steering shaft being disposed in a diametric plane extending substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the steering nut.

Claim 45

A servo-steering arrangement for vehicles comprising: housing means, a working piston displaceably supported within a working cylinder formed in said housing means, a steering shaft having toothed segment means in meshing engagement with toothed rack profile means provided on said working piston, a steering nut rotatably supported in said working piston in a position axially fixed with respect to said working piston, a steering worm axially non-displaceably supported within said housing means, said steering nut being helically movably connected with said steering worm, and control slide valve means for controlling fluid flow to working spaces adjacent the working piston, wherein the axes of the steering shaft and the control slide valve means are substantially perpendicular to one another, the axis of the steering shaft being disposed in a diametric plane extending substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the steering nut.

Claim 46

An arrangement according to claim 43, wherein said toothed segment means of said steering shaft has a toothed width dsposed approximately centric to an axial plane of the housing means, said axial plane extending substantially perpendicularly to the axis of the stering shaft, the longitudinal axis of the working piston being disposed in said axial plane, and wherein the working piston is provided with substantially radial aperture means within the area of its toothed rack profile means for the insertion of the steering nut, the center axis of the aperture means being substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the working piston.

Claim 47

An arrangement according to claim 43, wherein said diametric plane is associated with a substantially center stroke position of the working piston.

Claim 48

An arrangement according to claim 43, wherein said diametric plane is spaced from the center plane of the steering nut, said center plane and said axis of rotation being substantially perpendicular to one another.

Claim 49

An arrangement according to claim 45, wherein said diametric plane is spaced from the center plane of the steering nut, said center plane and said axis of rotation being substantially perpendicular to one another.

Claim 50

An arrangement according to claim 46, wherein one end of said steering worm has connecting means for connecting said steering worm to a steering wheel, and wherein said diametric plane is located closer to said connecting means than is said center plane.

Claim 51

An arrangement according to claim 47, wherein one end of said steering worm has connecting means for connecting said steering worm to a steering wheel, and wherein said diametric plane is located closer to said connecting means than is said center plane.

Claim 52

An arrangement according to claim 43, wherein the axis of said control slide valve means is disposed in said diametric plane.

Claim 53

An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the axis of said control slide valve means is disposed in said diametric plane.

Claim 54

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said diametric plane is associated with a substantially center stroke position of the working piston.

Claim 55

An arrangement according to claim 43, wherein the axis of said control slide valve means is disposed in a plane extending substantially perpendicularly to said axis of rotation.

Claim 56

A servo-steering arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the axis of said control slide valve means is disposed in a plane extending substantially perpendicularly to said axis of rotation.

Claim 57

A servo-steering arrangement for vehicles wherein a working piston, stepped in diameter to form a narrow guide piston section and a wide working piston section exhibiting the effective cross-section for the pressure medium, is displaceably supported in a correspondingly stepped gear box and wherein a steering shaft in driving connection with the working piston and a control slide valve cooperating with a steering nut are disposed in the zone of the narrow gear box section, and wherein the steering nut is mounted in the guide piston section to be rotationally movable and axially non-displaceable and is connected by a screw connection with a steering worm axially fixed in the gear box, characterized in that a steering spindle section connected to the steering worm for rotation therewith penetrates the front side of the narrow gear box section toward the outside, and in that a sealing closure is inserted in a face of the working piston section which faces away from said steering spindle section, which sealing closure seals, in a pressure-tight manner, the central bore of the working piston for the entrance of the steering worm with respect to the working pressure chamber disposed oppositely to the steering spindle section.

Claim 58

A servo-steering arrangement for vehicles wherein a working piston, stepped in diameter to form a narrow guide piston section and a wide working piston section exhibiting the effective cross-section for the pressure medium, is displaceably supported in a correspondingly stepped gear box and wherein a steering shaft in driving connection with the working piston and a control slide valve cooperating with a steering nut are disposed in the zone of the narrow gear box section, and wherein the steering nut is mounted in the guide piston section to be rotationally movable and axially non-displaceable and is connected by a screw connection with a steering worm axially fixed in the gear box, characterized in that a steering spindle section connected to the steering worm for rotation therewith penetrates the front side of the narrow gear box section toward the outside, and in that a sealing closure is inserted in a face of the working piston section which faces away from said steering spindle section, which sealing closure seals, in a pressure-tight manner, the central bore of the working piston for the entrance of the steering worm with respect to the working pressure chamber disposed oppositely to the steering spindle section.

Claim 59

A servo-steering arrangement for vehicles comprising: housing means, a working cylinder formed in said housing means, said working cylinder being of stepped configuration with a narrow cylinder guide section and a wider cylinder working section, said narrow cylinder guide section being disposed closer to a first end of said housing means than to a second opposite end of said housing means and said wider cylinder working section being disposed between said narrow cylinder guide section and said second end of said housing means, a working piston displaceably supported within said working cylinder, said working piston being of stepped configuration with a narrow piston guide section guided within said narrow cylinder guide section and a wide working piston section disposed in said wider cylinder working section, a steering shaft having steering shaft interengaging means for interengagement with corresponding working piston interengaging means on said working piston to effect movement of said steering shaft in response to movement of said working piston, a steering worm supported within said housing means, a steering nut rotatably supported in said working piston, said steering nut being movably connected with said steering worm, means for controlling fluid flow to working spaces in said cylinder working section at respective opposite sides of said working piston section, and a steering spindle section connected to the steering worm for rotation therewith, said steering spindle section extending outwardly through said first end of said housing means for accommodating application of external steering guide forces to said steering spindle section.

Claim 60

A servo-steering arrangement for vehicles comprising: housing means, a working cylinder formed in said housing means, said working cylinder being of stepped configuration with a narrow cylinder guide section and a wider cylinder working section, said narrow cylinder guide section being disposed closer to a first end of said housing means than to a second opposite end of said housing means and said wider cylinder working section being disposed between said narrow cylinder guide section and said second end of said housing means, a working piston displaceably supported within said working cylinder, said working piston being of stepped configuration with a narrow piston guide section guided within said narrow cylinder guide section and a wide working piston section disposed in said wider cylinder working section, a steering shaft having steering shaft interengaging means for interengagement with corresponding working piston interengaging means on said working piston to effect movement of said steering shaft in response to movement of said working piston, a steering worm supported within said housing means, a steering nut rotatably supported in said working piston, said steering nut being movably connected with said steering worm, means for controlling fluid flow to working spaces in said cylinder working section at respective opposite sides of said working piston section, and a steering spindle section connected to the steering worm for rotation therewith, said steering spindle section extending outwardly through said first end of said housing means for accommodating application of external steering guide forces to said steering spindle section.

Claim 61

An arrangement according to claim 56, wherein said steering shaft interengaging means and said working piston interengaging means are disposed in said housing means in the area of said narrow cylinder guide section.

Claim 62

An arrangement according to claim 56, wherein said working piston interengaging means are spaced from said working piston section in the direction toward said narrow cylinder guide section.

Claim 63

An arrangement according to claim 58, wherein said steering shaft interengaging means and said working piston interengaging means are disposed in said housing means in the area of said narrow cylinder guide section.

Claim 64

An arrangement according to claim 56, wherein said first end of said housing means includes an opening for accommodating insertion of said steering spindle section and said steering worm into said housing means during assembly of said arrangement.

Claim 65

An arrangement according to claim 56, wherein a detachable cover is provided at said second end of said housing means for accommodating insertion of said working piston into said housing means during assembly of said arrangement.

Claim 66

An arrangement according to claim 60, wherein a detachable cover is provided at said second end of said housing means for accommodating insertion of said working piston into said housing means during assembly of said arrangement.

Claim 67

An arrangement according to claim 56, wherein said steering nut is supported in said working piston in a position axially fixed with respect to said working piston, wherein said steering worm is axially non-displaceably supported within said housing means, and wherein said steering nut is helically movably connected with said steering worm.

Claim 68

An arrangement according to claim 62, wherein said steering nut is supported in said working piston in a position axially fixed with respect to said working piston, wherein said steering worm is axially non-displaceably supported within said housing means, and wherein said steering nut is helically movably connected with said steering worm.

Claim 69

An arrangement according to claim 56, wherein said working piston includes a radial aperture means for accommodating radial insertion of said steering nut into position in said working piston means during assembly of said arrangement.

Claim 70

An arrangement according to claim 65, wherein said radial aperture means extends completely through said working piston.

Claim 71

An arrangement according to claim 65, wherein said radial aperture means is arranged in the narrow piston guide section.

Claim 72

An arrangement according to claim 65, wherein said aperture means has a substantially constant and essentially rectangular cross-section.

Claim 73

An arrangement according to claim 67, wherein said radial aperture means extends completely through said working piston.

Claim 74

An arrangement according to claim 69, wherein said aperture means has a substantially constant and essentially rectangular cross-section.

Claim 75

An arrangement according to claim 56, wherein a sealing closure is inserted in the face of the working piston which faces said second end of said housing, said sealing closure including means for sealing, in a pressure-type manner, the central bore of the working piston for the entrance of the steering worm with respect to the working space at the side of said working piston facing said second end of said housing.

Claim 76

An arrangement according to claim 56, wherein said means for controlling fluid flow includes control valve means.