| 摘要 |
A gearbox assembly (1) for an electric power assisted steering apparatus comprises a gearbox housing (2) which houses a worm shaft (3) and a gear wheel (7), the worm shaft being supported relative to the housing by a main bearing assembly (5) at an end closest to the motor (4) and by a tail bearing assembly (6) at an end furthest from the motor, and the gear wheel being supported by an output shaft (8) having at least one end that provides a take-off from the gearbox assembly, in which the tail bearing assembly is free to move relative to the housing through a limited range of motion that enables the worm shaft to move radially away from the axis of the wheel gear. A biasing means applies a biasing force to the tail bearing assembly that biases the worm shaft into engagement with the wheel gear. The main bearing assembly comprises an inner race and an outer race separated by bearing elements, the outer race being supported by a carrier (11) 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. |
