Shaft Arrangement and Steering Gear having a Shaft Arrangement

Abstract

A shaft arrangement for a steering gear has an input shaft, an output shaft and a torsion rod. The torsion rod is connected in a rotationally secure manner to the input shaft in an input-side connection region of the shaft arrangement. The torsion rod is connected in a rotationally secure manner to the output shaft in an output-side connection region of the shaft arrangement. The input-side connection region is spaced apart from the output-side connection region. The shaft arrangement has a rotation prevention member, wherein the rotation prevention member limits a rotation of the input shaft relative to the output shaft to a maximum rotation angle and, when the maximum rotation angle is reached, can transmit a torque from the input shaft to the output shaft.

Claims

1.-16. (canceled)

17. A shaft arrangement for a steering gear, comprising: an input shaft; an output shaft; and a torsion rod, wherein the torsion rod is connected in a rotationally secure manner to the input shaft in an input-side connection region of the shaft arrangement, the torsion rod is connected in a rotationally secure manner to the output shaft in an output-side connection region of the shaft arrangement, the input-side connection region is spaced apart from the output-side connection region; and a rotation prevention member, wherein the rotation prevention member limits a rotation of the input shaft relative to the output shaft to a maximum rotation angle and, when the maximum rotation angle is reached, is able to transmit a torque from the input shaft to the output shaft.

18. The shaft arrangement as claimed in claim 17, wherein the rotation prevention member is formed by a safety pin which is connected to the input shaft in a rotationally secure manner and by a recess in the output shaft, a portion of the safety pin is arranged so as to protrude into the recess, and the recess is sized such that between a wall of the recess and the safety pin there is a play which permits the rotation of the input shaft relative to the output shaft.

19. The shaft arrangement as claimed in claim 18, wherein the recess has mutually opposing safety faces against which the safety pin comes to rest when the input shaft is rotated relative to the output shaft, and a spacing and/or an angular position of the safety faces with respect to each other determine(s) the maximum rotation angle.

20. The shaft arrangement as claimed in claim 18, wherein the input shaft has an input-side input shaft hole in which a portion of the safety pin is received in a play-free manner.

21. The shaft arrangement as claimed in claim 18, wherein the safety pin connects the torsion rod to the input shaft in a rotationally secure manner in the input-side connection region.

22. The shaft arrangement as claimed in claim 18, wherein the torsion rod has an input-side torsion rod hole in which a portion of the safety pin is received in a play-free manner.

23. The shaft arrangement as claimed in claim 17, wherein the output shaft has an output-side output shaft hole in the output-side connection region and the torsion rod has an output-side torsion rod hole in the output-side connection region, and a connection pin is partially received in the output-side output shaft hole and the output-side torsion rod hole in a play-free manner in each case.

24. The shaft arrangement as claimed in claim 17, wherein the output shaft has a passage which extends in a longitudinal direction of the output shaft and in which the torsion rod is arranged.

25. The shaft arrangement as claimed in claim 24, wherein the torsion rod, at least with a portion which extends from the input-side connection region to the output-side connection region, is arranged in the passage of the output shaft.

26. The shaft arrangement as claimed in claim 17, wherein the input shaft has, at an end thereof facing the output shaft, a receiving space which receives at least one end portion of the output shaft.

27. The shaft arrangement as claimed in claim 26, wherein the rotation prevention member is arranged at an upper portion of the receiving space.

28. The shaft arrangement as claimed in claim 26, wherein the torsion rod is arranged at the upper portion of the receiving space inside the output shaft.

29. The shaft arrangement as claimed in claim 28, wherein the rotationally secure connection between the torsion rod and the input shaft is formed at the upper portion of the receiving space.

30. The shaft arrangement as claimed in claim 17, wherein a component of the shaft arrangement which forms the rotationally secure connection in the input-side connection region between the torsion rod and the input shaft further forms a portion of the rotation prevention member.

31. The shaft arrangement as claimed in claim 17, wherein the output shaft is in the form of a threaded spindle.

32. A steering gear comprising a shaft arrangement as claimed in claim 17.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a shaft arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention for a steering gear as a side view;

[0024] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of an output shaft of the shaft arrangement as a side view;

[0025] FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of the shaft arrangement as a sectioned view;

[0026] FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of a rotation prevention member of the shaft arrangement as a sectioned view; and

[0027] FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of the rotation prevention member of the shaft arrangement as another sectioned view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a shaft arrangement 1 for a steering gear as a side view. The shaft arrangement 1 has an input shaft 2 and an output shaft 3, wherein the output shaft 3 is a threaded spindle. The output shaft 3 is provided with an outer thread 4. When the shaft arrangement 1 is used in a steering gear, there may be positioned on the outer thread 4, for example, a nut (also referred to as a recirculating ball nut) which, when the output shaft 3 rotates, moves axially along the output shaft 3 and which can be coupled to a steering lever of the steering gear. The shaft arrangement 1 further has a torsion rod 5. The torsion rod 5 is for the most part arranged inside the output shaft 3 or the input shaft 2 and protrudes from the output shaft 3 only with a small portion as shown in FIG. 1.

[0029] The output shaft 3 is inserted into a receiving space (which cannot be seen in FIG. 1) of the input shaft 2. In a portion of the input shaft 2 which has the receiving space, a safety pin 6 is further introduced. The safety pin 6 connects, on the one hand, the input shaft 2 to the torsion rod 5 in a rotationally secure manner. On the other hand, the safety pin 6 limits a rotation of the input shaft 2 relative to the output shaft 3 to a maximum rotation angle. The shaft arrangement 1 further has a connection pin 7. This connection pin 7 is inserted in an end of the output shaft 3 opposite the input shaft 2. The connection pin 7 connects the torsion rod 5 to the output shaft 3 in a rotationally secure manner.

[0030] FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of the output shaft 3 of the shaft arrangement. The output shaft 3 has an output-side output shaft hole 8 for receiving the connection pin 7 which is not illustrated in this instance. An end portion 9 of the output shaft 3 is constructed to be slightly narrower than other portions of the output shaft 3. The end portion 9 of the output shaft 3 can be inserted into the input shaft. There is a recess 10 in the end portion 9. The safety pin 6, which is also not illustrated here in FIG. 2, is guided through this recess 10.

[0031] FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of the shaft arrangement 1 as a sectioned view. The section extends along the line of section A-A according to FIG. 1. The operating method of the shaft arrangement 1 is explained in greater detail below. The input shaft 2 has a receiving space 11. The end portion 9 of the output shaft 3 is inserted in the receiving space 11 of the input shaft 2. The output shaft 3 has a passage 12 in which the torsion rod 5 is arranged. The torsion rod 5 is connected in an input-side connection region 13 of the shaft arrangement 1 to the input shaft 2 in a rotationally secure manner by means of the safety pin 6. The safety pin 6 is positioned in a play-free manner in an input-side input shaft hole 14 of the input shaft 2 and in an input-side torsion rod hole 15 of the torsion rod 5. The torsion rod 5 is further connected in an output-side connection region 16 of the shaft arrangement 1 to the output shaft 3 in a rotationally secure manner by means of the connection pin 7. The connection pin 7 is positioned in a play-free manner in the output-side connection shaft hole 8 of the output shaft 3 and an output-side torsion rod hole 17 of the torsion rod 5. The input shaft 2 is consequently connected to the output shaft 3 by means of the torsion rod 5. Since the torsion rod 5 is rotationally resilient, a rotation movement of the input shaft 2 relative to the output shaft 3 is possible.

[0032] However, the input shaft 2 should not be able to be rotated too far relative to the output shaft 3. Particularly when the torsion rod 5 is damaged, it should be ensured that a torque can still be transmitted from the input shaft 2 to the output shaft 3. This is ensured by the safety pin 6. The safety pin 6 is guided through the recess 10 of the output shaft 3. The recess 10 is sized in such a manner that between the safety pin 6 and a wall of the recess 10 there is a play which permits a rotation of the input shaft 2 relative to the output shaft 3 up to a maximum rotation angle. This can be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5. The recess 10 and the safety pin 6 together form a rotation prevention member of the shaft arrangement 1.

[0033] FIG. 4 shows a schematic illustration of the rotation prevention member 18 of the shaft arrangement as a sectioned view. The section extends along the line of section C-C from FIG. 3. The rotation prevention member 18 is formed by the recess 10 and the safety pin 6. The recess 10 is located in the end portion 9 of the output shaft 3. The safety pin 6 is guided through the recess 10. Free spaces 19 which enable a movement of the safety pin 6 in the recess 10 are provided between the safety pin 6 and a wall of the recess 10. Consequently, it is possible to rotate the input shaft 2 relative to the output shaft 3 until a maximum rotation angle is reached, at which the safety pin 6 comes to rest against safety faces 20 (FIG. 5) of the recess 10.

[0034] FIG. 5 shows a schematic illustration of the rotation prevention member 18 of the shaft arrangement as another sectioned view. This section extends along the line of section B-B from FIG. 1. The safety pin 6 is positioned in a play-free manner in the input-side input shaft hole 14 of the input shaft 2 and in the input-side torsion rod hole 15 of the torsion rod 5. The safety pin 6 is further guided through the recess 10 of the output shaft 3. There are free spaces 19 between safety faces 20 of the recess 10 and the safety pin 6. Consequently, it is possible to rotate the input shaft 2 relative to the output shaft 3 until the safety pin 6 moves into abutment with the safety faces 20. In this manner, the torsion rod 5 is prevented from being rotated too far and, if the torsion rod 5 should fail, a transmission of a torque from the input shaft 2 to the output shaft 3 can be carried out via the safety pin 6.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0035] 1 Shaft arrangement [0036] 2 Input shaft [0037] 3 Output shaft [0038] 4 Outer thread [0039] 5 Torsion rod [0040] 6 Safety pin [0041] 7 Connection pin [0042] 8 Output-side output shaft hole [0043] 9 End portion [0044] 10 Recess [0045] 11 Receiving space [0046] 12 Passage [0047] 13 Input-side connection region [0048] 14 Input-side input shaft hole [0049] 15 Input-side torsion rod hole [0050] 16 Output-side connection region [0051] 17 Output-side torsion rod hole [0052] 18 Rotation prevention member [0053] 19 Free space [0054] 20 Safety face