| 摘要 |
<p>A steering apparatus for an automotive vehicle having a steering shaft connected at one end thereof with a steering gear and provided at the other end thereof with a steering wheel to be rotated by steering effort applied thereto and a planetary gear set assembled with the steering shaft. The planetary gear set is composed of a sun gear mounted on the steering shaft for rotation therewith, a ring gear rotatably mounted on the steering shaft in surrounding relationship with the sun gear to be rotated by an electric motor assembled therewith, a carrier rotatably mounted on the steering shaft to be retained in place by a reaction mechanism assembled therewith, and a set of planetary gears supported by the carrier and meshed with the sun gear and ring gear to transmit an input torque applied from the electric motor to the sun gear. The electric motor is arranged to apply the input torque to the ring gear when it is activated to effect automatic steering operation of the vehicle and to act as a reaction element of the ring gear when it is deactivated to effect manual operation of the steering wheel, while the reaction mechanism is arranged to permit free rotation of the carrier in a condition where the electric motor is deactivated and to fixedly retain the carrier in place in a condition where the electric motor is activated.</p> |
