A gearbox assembly for an electric power assisted steering apparatus comprises a gearbox housing which houses a worm shaft and a gear wheel, the worm shaft being supported relative to the housing by a main bearing assembly at an end closest to the motor and by a tail bearing assembly at an end furthest from the motor. The main bearing assembly comprises an inner race and an outer race separated by bearing elements, the outer race being supported by a carrier that is supported by an axle that is in turn secured to gearbox housing, the axle defining a pivot axis for the worm shaft that is located on the side of the worm shaft closest to the wheel gear and extends in a direction orthogonal to the axis of the worm shaft and parallel to the axis of the wheel gear.

A steering mechanism having a piezoelectric element to adjust component clearance and preload based on steering inputs, road inputs, and time in service. The piezoelectric element positioned in the steering mechanism for electric adjustment so that the clearance and preload can be adjusted electrically in response to steering inputs, road inputs, and time in service. This arrangement allows for low preload and low friction when the vehicle is being driven over smooth road conditions. When a rough road condition is detected both clearance and preload can be electrically increased to minimize noise. The disclosed inventive concept may find application in a variety of steering mechanisms to minimize or eliminate NVH when the vehicle is driven over rough surfaces. Without limitation, the piezoelectric element may be provided in rack and pinion electric power assisted steering systems or in worm and wheel (steering column) electric power assisted steering systems.

A roller gear cam mechanism is equipped with a cam and a rotating member along the outer circumferential direction of which multiple bearings are arranged. The bearings are equipped with a shaft member and an outer ring portion capable of rotating around the shaft member. The outer circumferential surface of the outer ring portion has an arc shape, and in a cross section of the cam that includes the cam axis line, a contact portion of a cam rib making contact with the outer circumferential surface of the outer ring portion has an arc shape. The arc shape of the outer ring portion is formed so as to conform to the arc shape of the cam rib. The radius of curvature of the arc of the outer ring portion and the radius of curvature of the arc of the cam rib are determined in association with each other.

Embodiments disclosed herein relates to a reducer of an electric power steering apparatus. The embodiments provide a reducer of an electric power steering apparatus that includes: a worm shaft having a first end connected to a motor shaft and a second end that is opposite the first end, in which a first worm shaft bearing and a second worm shaft bearing are coupled to the first end and the second end, respectively; a gear housing in which the first worm shaft bearing, the second worm shaft bearing, and the worm shaft are housed; and a moisture absorption compensation member which is supported on and coupled to an inner circumferential surface of the gear housing in a direction in which the worm shaft meshes with the worm wheel and supports the worm shaft in a direction opposite the direction in which the worm shaft meshes with the worm wheel.

A toothed gear for use in a gearing, comprising a base body that forms a ring gear with a number of first teeth having a first deformability and a number of second teeth having a second deformability, wherein the second deformability is greater than the first deformability and to a gear pair of a gearing, comprising such a toothed gear and at least one further toothed gear which can be made to mesh or is in mesh with the toothed gear. The invention relates moreover to a gearing with such a gear pair.

A split ring planetary drive for an engine or use with an electric phaser. The split ring planetary drive includes a sun gear, a plurality of planet gears, a spring ring gear, a camshaft ring gear, and at least one spring. The sun gear has teeth and is driven to rotate around a sun axis. The plurality of planet gears are arranged around the sun gear with each planet gear comprised of planet teeth maintaining the planet gear in meshing engagement with the sun gear teeth. The sprocket ring gear has teeth and is driven by a crankshaft. The camshaft ring gear has teeth is rotatable with a camshaft. The teeth of the sprocket and camshaft ring gears maintain the ring gears in meshing engagement with each of the planet gears. The spring biases the planet gear teeth into meshing engagement with the sprocket and camshaft ring gear teeth.

The speed reducer includes: a gear housing to enclose a worm wheel and a worm shaft and including one of a first magnetic member and a second magnetic member, which generate attractive force or repulsive force therebetween as current is applied to a position facing the worm shaft in an axial direction; a first bearing coupled to an end of the worm shaft at an opposite side to a motor shaft-coupling portion; and a moving member coupled, at one side thereof, to an outer race of the first bearing and including, at a remaining side thereof, a remaining one of the first and second magnetic members, so that the moving member is axially moved according to the attractive force or the repulsive force.

A first concave-convex portion of a first transmission member is engaged with an intermediate concave-convex portion of an intermediate transmission member with a circumferential gap being therebetween. A second concave-convex portion of a second transmission member is engaged with the intermediate concave-convex portion with a circumferential gap being therebetween. A first elastic member and a second elastic member are engaged with a first engagement portion and a second engagement portion of the intermediate transmission member such that separation between the intermediate transmission member and the first elastic member and the second elastic member can be prevented.

A gearbox assembly having a driven assembly includes a drive hub having gear posts, the drive hub being rotatable about an axis. The gearbox assembly additionally includes a plurality of planetary gears and an intermediate component coupling one of the plurality of planetary gears to a corresponding gear post. The intermediate component has sufficient flexibility to maintain the planetary gears in meshing engagement with the driven assembly within the gearbox assembly when one of the planetary gears is misaligned with the corresponding gear post.

A split ring planetary drive for an engine or use with an electric phaser. The split ring planetary drive includes a sun gear, a plurality of planet gears, a spring ring gear, a camshaft ring gear, and at least one spring. The sun gear has teeth and is driven to rotate around a sun axis. The plurality of planet gears are arranged around the sun gear with each planet gear comprised of planet teeth maintaining the planet gear in meshing engagement with the sun gear teeth. The sprocket ring gear has teeth and is driven by a crankshaft. The camshaft ring gear has teeth is rotatable with a camshaft. The teeth of the sprocket and camshaft ring gears maintain the ring gears in meshing engagement with each of the planet gears. The spring biases the planet gear teeth into meshing engagement with the sprocket and camshaft ring gear teeth.