POWER STEERING DEVICE FOR SMALL-SIZE SHIP

摘要

In a power steering apparatus for a small vessel, an electrically driven assist device (26) and a helm pump (27) formed of a swash plate type axial piston pump are arranged in parallel on a common base (28). The electrically driven assist device (26) and the helm pump 27 are connected through a transmission system (34) under the common base 28 and integrated into a steering oil pressure generating unit (6) functioning as the power steering apparatus. The electrically driven assist device (26) is carried on an instrument panel (3). The parallel arrangement of the electrically driven assist device (26) and the helm pump (27) allows the steering oil pressure generating device (6) to be reduced in vertical length, so that it is possible to shorten the distance between the instrument panel (3) and a bottom (2) of the vessel and to lower positions of a handle and an operator's seat, thereby realizing the low center of gravity..