Boot seal assembly for a rack and pinion steering gear apparatus
A boot seal assembly for a rack and pinion steering gear apparatus having a housing with an inner diameter and a first and second tie rod coupled to a first and second end of the housing, respectively, includes a boot seal and a seal collar secured to the boot seal. The boot seal has a bellows interposed between a housing seal end and a tie rod seal end. The seal collar is secured to the boot seal at the housing seal end. The seal collar further has an outer diameter that sealingly engages the inner diameter of the housing.
1 . A boot seal assembly for a rack and pinion steering gear apparatus having a housing with an inner diameter and a first and second tie rod coupled to a first and second end of the housing, respectively, the boot seal assembly comprising:
a boot seal having a bellows interposed between a housing seal end and a tie rod seal end, the housing seal end for sealingly engaging one of the first and second ends of the housing and the tie rod seal end for sealingly engaging one of the first and second tie rods; and
a seal collar secured to the boot seal at the housing seal end and having an outer diameter, wherein the outer diameter sealingly engages the inner diameter of the housing.
2 . The boot seal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the seal collar is overmolded onto the boot seal.
3 . The boot seal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the seal collar is crimped onto the boot seal.
4 . The boot seal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the seal collar is chemically bonded onto the boot seal.
5 . The boot seal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the seal collar further comprises a flange extending radially outward therefrom to aid in inserting the seal collar into the housing.
6 . The boot seal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the seal collar further includes an alignment feature for orientating the seal collar to the housing.
7 . The boot seal assembly as recited in claim 6 wherein the alignment feature includes a notch formed in the flange.
8 . The boot seal assembly as recited in claim 7 wherein the housing further includes a projection extending therefrom for receipt by the notch formed in the flange in aligning the seal collar to the housing.
9 . The boot seal assembly as recited in claim 6 wherein the alignment feature includes a projection extending from the flange.
10 . The boot seal assembly as recited in claim 9 wherein the housing includes a notch formed therein for receiving the projection extending from the flange in aligning the seal collar to the housing.
11 . The boot seal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the seal collar is plated.