A centrifugal scissor gear assembly includes main and secondary gears with one or more counterweights or weighted balls there between. Optionally a thrust washer retains the components together. In one form, the counterweights are pivotable between the main and secondary gear. In another form, the weighted balls move within matching trenches or grooves in the main and secondary gears. When the engine is operable and the main gear is rotated, the counterweights or weighted balls are moved radially outwardly due to the centrifugal force. The scissor gear assembly can vary pre-load and apply a lower pre-load at lower engine speeds and a higher pre-load at higher engine speeds. No springs are used to achieve bias torque and no special tools or procedures are required for installation since the gear teeth of the main and secondary gears are aligned when the scissor gear assembly is not operating.

A worm gear for an electromechanical power steering system of a motor vehicle, includes a worm shaft that meshes with a worm wheel. The worm wheel and the worm shaft are arranged together in a gear housing. An eccentric lever and a bimetallic spring that is operatively connected to the eccentric lever are configured to compensate for a temperature-related play in the engagement between the worm wheel and the worm shaft.

An opposed-piston engine includes a backlash reducing gear with at least a first and second gear that move relative to each other because of a hydraulic pressure applied within the gear. A backlash control system that includes the backlash reducing gear can dynamically adjust backlash between at least two gears in the gear train of the engine during operation of the engine instead of setting backlash prior to operation of the engine. A method for adjusting backlash in a two-stroke-cycle, opposed-piston engine with a backlash reducing gear includes providing hydraulic fluid, such as oil, to the gear, and allowing the backlash reducing gear to adapt to changes in the engine that include temperature changes, torque reversals, changes in load and the like. The backlash reducing gear adapts to changes in the engine by controlled leaking and intake of oil.

Provided is a strain wave gearing apparatus which is able to make the most of the structural advantages of the flat form while achieving ideal mesh-engagement without involving a high degree of dimensional precision or any special adjustment mechanism. A strain wave gearing apparatus is provided with a stationary internal gear, a rotary internal gear disposed side by side with the stationary internal gear, a flexible planetary gear disposed on the inner peripheral side thereof for meshing partially with the internal gears by being deflected in the radial direction, and a wave generator disposed inside the flexible planetary gear for continuously deforming and deflecting the flexible planetary gear by rotation. In the apparatus, backlash during mesh-engagement is eliminated by making the base portions and of the internal gears and elastic.

A drive device (1) for motorized actuation of a functional element of a motor vehicle has an electric motor (2) with a motor shaft (3) and also has a worm shaft (4) of a worm gearing. A first end of the worm shaft is connected to the motor shaft (3) and a second end is received in a radial bearing (5). The radial bearing (5) has a bearing body (21) with an outer surface mounted in a housing (11) and at least one annular bearing element (24) is mounted to the worm shaft (4). The bearing element (24) is elastic at least in a partial region to ensure compensation for tolerances in the region of the radial bearing.

According to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention a worm shaft subassembly for supporting a worm shaft is provided. The worm shaft has a worm shaft radial load, a worm shaft axial load, and a worm shaft axial travel. The worm shaft subassembly includes at least one damping member to support the worm shaft axial load. The at least one damping member has at least one damping member axial load. The at least one damping member limits the worm shaft axial travel. The worm shaft subassembly also includes a bearing to support the worm shaft radial load and the at least one damping member axial load.

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.

A pin and carrier locking assembly is described for locking a pin and carrier in position relative to each other. The carrier has first and second opposing arms, each comprising a bore therein and the axial ends of the pin are positioned within these opposing bores of the carrier. The assembly further comprises a hollow bearing provided around and coaxially with said pin and between said first and second arms. The bearing is positioned so as to not contact the first arm of the carrier but to contact the second arm of the carrier and a washer is positioned between the bearing and the first arm of the carrier so that a first section of the washer makes a first contact area with the first arm of the carrier.

In a worm reducer, an urging member includes an urging shaft portion and an elastic pressing portion. The urging shaft portion is rotatably disposed inside a housing in a state in which a rotation center axis thereof is directed substantially parallel to a center axis of the worm wheel. The elastic pressing portion formed of an elastic material is externally fitted and fixed to a part of the urging shaft portion in an axial direction in an eccentric state with respect to the rotation center axis of the urging shaft portion. By rotating the urging shaft portion, an outer peripheral surface of the elastic pressing portion is pressed against an outer peripheral surface of a second bearing externally fitted to a worm shaft.