WORM GEAR HUB

1 . A gear blank comprising:

a metal hub blank having an outer perimeter;

a plurality of individual adjacent tabs extending radially from said outer perimeter of said metal hub blank and forming an outer circumferential edge of said metal hub blank and having a first diameter;

a polymeric ring overlaying a portion of said metal hub blank including said tabs, said polymeric ring having an outer diameter, said outer diameter generally greater than said first diameter.

2 . The gear blank of claim 1 , wherein said tabs extend at an angle to a face of said metal hub blank.

3 . The gear blank of claim 1 , wherein adjacent tabs extend at angle to a face of said metal hub blank in opposing directions.

4 . The gear blank of claim 1 , wherein adjacent tabs extend at angle of between about 45 degrees to about 90 degrees from a face of said metal hub blank.

5 . The gear blank of claim 4 , wherein adjacent tabs extend at an angle of about 90 degrees from a face of said metal hub blank.

6 . The gear blank of claim 5 , wherein adjacent tabs extend at an angle from a face of said metal hub blank in opposing directions.

7 . The gear blank of claim 4 , wherein adjacent tabs extend at an angle from a face of said metal hub blank in opposing directions.

8 . An electric power steering system comprising:

a steering shaft connected to handwheel at one end and a rack and pinion steering mechanism at an opposite end;

a steering assist unit comprising an electric motor operated by a controller and driving a worm and a worm gear interposed between said worm and said steering shaft, said worm having worm teeth and said worm gear fitted on said steering shaft;

said worm gear further comprising a metal hub blank having an outer perimeter, a plurality of individual adjacent tabs extending from said outer perimeter of said metal hub blank, and forming an outer circumferential edge of said metal hub blank and having a first diameter, a polymeric ring overlaying a portion of said metal hub blank including said tabs, said polymeric ring having a second diameter, and gear teeth on an outer edge surface of said polymeric ring for meshing with said worm teeth.

9 . The electric power steering system of claim 8 , wherein said tabs extend at an angle to a face of said metal hub blank.

10 . The electric power steering system of claim 8 , wherein adjacent tabs extend at angle to a face of said metal hub blank in opposing directions.

11 . The electric power steering system of claim 8 , wherein adjacent tabs extend at angle of between about 45 degrees to about 90 degrees from a face of said metal hub blank.

12 . The electric power steering system of claim 11 , wherein adjacent tabs extend at an angle of about 90 degrees from a face of said metal hub blank.

13 . The electric power steering system of claim 12 , wherein adjacent tabs extend at an angle from a face of said metal hub blank in opposing directions.

14 . The electric power steering system of claim 11 , wherein adjacent tabs extend at an angle from a face of said metal hub blank in opposing directions.

15 . A method of making a worm gear comprising:

cold forming a metal hub blank having tabs about a perimeter of said blank;

injection molding a polymeric material around said tabs to form a polymeric ring;

pressing said metal hub blank on a shaft; and

hobbing gear teeth onto an outer surface of said polymeric ring.

16 . The method of claim 15 , including bending said tabs at an angle to a face of said metal hub blank.

17 . The method of claim 15 , including bending adjacent tabs of said blank in opposing directions.