Patent attributes
A steering system for a vehicle may include a load displacement system allowing transient loads of the steering mechanism to be displaced. The steering system may also include a first coupling mechanism coupling an electric motor to a rack housing, and a second coupling mechanism coupling a ball nut to a rack. A method for providing an actuation force to a rack of a vehicle includes isolating non-axial loads from an electric motor of a steering system and isolating non-axial loads from a linearly actuatable member of a rotary-to-linear conversion device in the steering system. An actuator for a steering system may include a rotary to linear actuator, a movable linear section, and an interface between the rotary to linear actuator and the linear section. The interface may include one or more cylindrical joints, revolute joints, compliant members, or a block on a plane wherein the total degrees of freedom for the system including the rotary to linear actuator, rack, and interface may be one, while the interface may be limited to three degrees of freedom.
