A self-centering mechanism and steering gear assembly

Abstract

A self-aligning mechanism and a steering gear assembly, the self-aligning mechanism comprises a fixed shaft fixedly mounted on the outside of an input shaft, a bearing rotatably mounted on the fixed shaft; a cam sleeve sliding sleeve is arranged on the outside of the input shaft, the top surface of the cam sleeve is an arc surface arranged obliquely and rollingly matched with the outer wall surface of the bearing, the outer side of the cam sleeve is slidingly matched with the spline sleeve, and the bottom end of the cam sleeve extends downward through the spline sleeve and abuts against the elastic member. The present invention can realize self-alignment of the transmission shaft, is easy to operate, reduces the difficulty of steering, and improves the steering flexibility; at the same time, it reduces the cost investment, has a simple structure, and is easy to repair.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of steering gears, and in particular to a self-centering mechanism and a steering gear assembly. Background Art

[0002] At present, my country's agricultural modernization is accelerating, rural land is managed on a large scale, and agricultural labor is transferred in large quantities, which has higher requirements for agricultural machinery and equipment technology. Most of the crawler rice machines on the market currently use handlebars to control steering and straight driving. This operation method is quite different from the traditional steering wheel, which is not easy for the driver to master, and the steering method of the steering rod is not flexible enough and cannot adapt to road conditions well; although the steering and straight driving methods of another part are realized by the steering wheel, they cannot return to the right position by themselves, and the driver needs to manually operate the steering wheel and manually reset the steering to realize the needs of steering or straight driving. The operation is inconvenient, which increases the labor intensity and the difficulty of operation.

[0003] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a self-centering mechanism and a steering gear assembly that can realize self-centering of the drive shaft, is easy to operate, reduces the difficulty of steering, and improves steering flexibility; at the same time, reduces cost investment, has a simple structure, and is easy to maintain. Summary of the invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a self-centering mechanism and a steering gear assembly, which can realize self-centering of the transmission shaft, is easy to operate, reduces the difficulty of steering, and improves the steering flexibility; at the same time, reduces the cost investment, has a simple structure, and is easy to maintain.

[0005] In order to solve the above technical problems, the technical solution of the present invention is:

[0006] A self-aligning mechanism comprises a fixed shaft fixedly mounted on the outside of an input shaft, and a bearing is rotatably mounted on the fixed shaft;

[0007] The cam sleeve is slidingly mounted on the outer side of the input shaft, the top surface of the cam sleeve is an inclined arc surface and rollingly cooperates with the outer wall surface of the bearing, the outer side of the cam sleeve is slidingly cooperated with the spline sleeve, and the bottom end of the cam sleeve passes through the spline sleeve and extends downward to abut against the elastic member.

[0008] Preferably, a positioning groove for positioning the bearing is provided at the lowest point of the arc-shaped surface, and a positioning block is protruded upward at the highest point of the arc-shaped surface and is arranged opposite to the positioning groove.

[0009] Preferably, in a normal state, the center line of the positioning groove and the axis of the bearing are in the same plane;

[0010] In the extreme steering state, the angle between the center line of the positioning groove and the axis of the bearing is 140°.

[0011] Preferably, the bottom end of the input shaft passes through the cam sleeve, extends downward and passes through the spline sleeve to form a guide portion, and the bottom outer side of the guide portion is rotatably connected to the bearing seat;

[0012] The elastic member is located at the outer side of the guide portion and abuts against the bottom end of the cam sleeve.

[0013] Preferably, the bottom end of the guide portion is fixedly connected to a detection shaft of the angle sensor.

[0014] Preferably, the elastic member is a top spring.

[0015] A steering gear assembly comprises a housing, a steering column and a base plate respectively fixedly connected to the housing, and a transmission shaft penetrating the interior of the steering column. The interior of the housing is provided with the above-mentioned self-centering mechanism to assist the transmission shaft in steering and centering in two directions.

[0016] Preferably, the transmission shaft is rotationally connected to the input shaft;

[0017] A first fixing plate fixedly connected to the spline sleeve is arranged inside the housing.

[0018] Preferably, the shell comprises an upper shell and a lower shell which is in contact with the inner wall surface of the upper shell and can rotate relatively thereto;

[0019] A locking mechanism engaged with the upper shell is rotatably mounted on the outer side of the lower shell, and the locking mechanism is used to adjust the angle between the upper shell and the lower shell.

[0020] Preferably, the locking mechanism comprises an adjusting pedal rotatably mounted inside the lower housing via a rotating shaft, a connecting plate and a sliding plate are fixedly mounted on the rotating shaft, and the connecting plate is fixedly connected to the bottom plate via a tension spring;

[0021] The lower shell is provided with a slide groove, and the sliding portion of the slide plate passes through the slide groove and slides with a movable block rotatably mounted on the outer side of the lower shell;

[0022] An engaging block is rotatably mounted on the lower shell body, and the engaging block is provided with an engaging portion used in conjunction with the upper shell body, and a concave portion used in conjunction with the raised portion on the movable block.

[0023] After adopting the above technical solution, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0024] In the present invention, a fixed shaft is provided, a bearing is rotatably installed on the fixed shaft, the fixed shaft is fixedly installed on the outer side of the input shaft, the cam sleeve is slidably sleeved on the outer side of the input shaft, the top surface of the cam sleeve is an inclined arc surface and rolls with the outer wall surface of the bearing. Under normal conditions, the bearing is located at the lowest point of the arc surface. When steering is required, the driver operates the input shaft to rotate, driving the bearing to move along the top surface of the cam sleeve. The top surface of the cam sleeve is inclined, and there is a height difference between the lowest point and the highest point. The outer side of the cam sleeve slides with the spline sleeve, the cam sleeve moves downward, and the bottom end of the cam sleeve extends downward through the spline sleeve to abut against the elastic member. During the downward movement of the cam sleeve, the elastic member is compressed to compress and store energy. After the steering is completed, the elastic potential energy generated by the compression of the elastic member is released, pushing the cam sleeve to move upward, and the cam sleeve cannot move circumferentially but can only move axially. Therefore, under the action of the arc surface, the bearing can only return to the lowest point of the arc surface and wait for the next steering operation. The self-centering mechanism disclosed in the present invention can realize self-centering of the transmission shaft, is easy to operate, changes the original operation mode of manual centering, reduces the steering difficulty, and improves the steering flexibility.

[0025] In the present invention, a positioning groove for positioning the bearing is provided at the lowest point of the arcuate surface. Under normal conditions, the bearing is located at the lowest point of the arcuate surface. The provision of the positioning groove can position the bearing and ensure that the bearing is always at the lowest point of the arcuate surface under normal conditions, thereby preventing the bearing from being displaced due to external vibrations, thereby affecting the normal driving of the mechanical vehicle and improving the use effect. A positioning block is convexly provided upward at the highest point of the arcuate surface and is arranged opposite to the positioning groove. The positioning block is arranged on the opposite side of the positioning groove. When the maximum steering distance is required to be achieved, the bearing is limited to prevent over-steering and affect normal driving. At the same time, the positioning block is used for limiting, which has a simple structure and low cost, reduces the difficulty of manufacturing and improves the use effect.

[0026] In the present invention, the bottom end of the input shaft passes through the cam sleeve and extends downward and passes through the spline sleeve to form a guide portion. The elastic member is located on the outside of the guide portion and abuts against the bottom end of the cam sleeve. The existence of the guide portion ensures that the elastic member will only be compressed axially to generate axial elastic potential energy, thereby ensuring the normal up and down movement of the cam sleeve, preventing the elastic member from deforming, and improving the use effect.

[0027] In the present invention, the bottom end of the guide part is fixedly connected to the detection shaft of the angle sensor, the angle sensor can detect the rotation angle of the guide part, and the angle sensor can communicate with the ECU control device on the mechanical vehicle, send the detected angular displacement data to the control unit, and after the control unit performs data analysis and processing, send it to the control unit that controls the track action, when turning, the track is controlled to achieve different actions, thereby expanding the scope of application of the present invention, improving the steering accuracy, and improving the degree of automation of the present invention.

[0028] The present invention also discloses a steering gear assembly, wherein the above-mentioned self-centering mechanism is arranged inside the housing to assist the transmission shaft in steering centering in two directions. The housing comprises an upper housing, and a lower housing that fits with the inner wall surface of the upper housing and can rotate relatively. A locking mechanism that meshes with the upper housing and is used to adjust the angle between the upper housing and the lower housing is rotatably installed on the outer side of the lower housing. The existence of the locking mechanism facilitates the adjustment of the direction and height of the upper housing. The angle between the upper housing and the lower housing can be adjusted according to the height of the driver and the distance of the steering wheel, so as to meet the operation requirements of different drivers.

[0029] The locking mechanism comprises an adjusting pedal rotatably mounted by a rotating shaft, a connecting plate and a sliding plate are fixedly mounted on the rotating shaft, and the connecting plate is fixedly connected to the bottom plate by a tension spring, and the tension spring plays a resetting role for the adjusting pedal. When the adjusting pedal is stepped on downward, the sliding plate is driven to slide, and the sliding portion of the sliding plate passes through the sliding groove and slides with a movable block rotatably mounted on the outer side of the lower shell body to realize the reverse movement of the movable block, and the convex portion on the movable block cooperates with the concave portion on the meshing block. When the movable block moves in the reverse direction, the convex portion clamps the concave portion, and the meshing block is driven to rotate downward through the concave portion, and the meshing portion provided on the meshing block is no longer meshed with the upper shell body, so that separation and independence are generated. At this time, the driver operates the steering wheel to move in a direction close to himself, which is convenient for driving the upper shell body to move in a direction close to himself, and the rotation connection between the input shaft and the transmission shaft will not affect the normal use of the self-centering mechanism. The overall structure is reasonable and practical, which improves the driving comfort and use effect of the driver.

[0030] In summary, the present invention provides a self-centering mechanism and a steering gear assembly, which can realize self-centering of the transmission shaft, is easy to operate, reduces the difficulty of steering, and improves the steering flexibility; at the same time, it reduces the cost investment, has a simple structure, and is easy to maintain. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] The present invention is further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0032] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of a self-centering mechanism disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the middle cam sleeve and the spline sleeve;

[0034] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the cam sleeve and the bearing under normal conditions;

[0035] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the cam sleeve and the bearing under the extreme steering state;

[0036] Figure 5 is a structural schematic diagram of a steering gear assembly disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the structure after removing the guard plate;

[0038] Figure 7 yes Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure in another direction;

[0039] Figure 8 yes Figure 6 Enlarged view of middle part B;

[0040] In the figure:

[0041] 11. Input shaft; 12. Bearing; 121. Fixed shaft; 13. Cam sleeve; 131. Arc surface; 132. Positioning groove; 133. Positioning block; 134. Fixed block; 14. Spline sleeve; 15. Elastic member; 16. Guide portion; 17. Bearing seat; 18. Angle sensor; 2. Housing; 21. First fixed plate; 22. Upper housing; 23. Lower housing; 231. Slide groove; 24. Guard plate; 25. Second fixed plate; 3. Steering column; 4. Bottom plate; 5. Transmission shaft; 61. Rotating shaft; 62. Adjustment pedal; 63. Connecting plate; 64. Sliding plate; 65. Tension spring; 66. Movable block; 661. Protrusion; 67. Engaging block; 671. Engaging portion; 672. Concave portion;

[0042] In the figure, a represents the angle between the center line of the locating groove and the axis of the bearing under the extreme steering state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, the present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0044] like Figures 1 to 4As shown, the self-aligning mechanism disclosed in the embodiment of the present invention includes a fixed shaft 121 fixedly installed on the outside of the input shaft 11, and a bearing 12 is rotatably installed on the fixed shaft 121. Preferably, the bearing 12 can be a needle bearing or a rolling bearing.

[0045] The cam sleeve 13 is slidably sleeved on the outside of the input shaft 11. The top surface of the cam sleeve 13 is an inclined arc surface 131 and rollingly cooperates with the outer wall surface of the bearing 12. The top surface of the cam sleeve 13 is inclined, and there is a height difference between the lowest point and the highest point. A positioning groove 132 for positioning the bearing 12 is provided at the lowest point of the arc surface 131. The setting of the positioning groove 132 can position the bearing 12 and ensure that the bearing 12 is always at the lowest point of the arc surface 131 under normal conditions, thereby preventing the displacement of the bearing 12 due to external vibration, thereby affecting the normal driving of the mechanical vehicle and improving the use effect.

[0046] A positioning block 133 is protruded upward from the highest point of the arc surface 131 and is arranged opposite to the positioning groove 132. In the embodiment of the present invention, the positioning block 133 is a structure integrally formed with the cam sleeve 13, which improves the strength of the positioning block 133 and facilitates processing. The positioning block 133 is arranged on the opposite side of the positioning groove 132. When the maximum steering distance is required, the bearing 12 is limited to prevent over-steering and affect normal driving. At the same time, the positioning block 133 is used for limiting, which has a simple structure and low cost, reduces the difficulty of production and improves the use effect.

[0047] Under normal conditions, the center line of the positioning groove 132 and the axis of the bearing 12 are in the same plane; under extreme steering conditions, the angle between the center line of the positioning groove 132 and the axis of the bearing 12 is 140°, that is, the maximum steering angle of the input shaft 11 is 140°.

[0048] The outer side of the cam sleeve 13 is slidably matched with the spline sleeve 14 , and the bottom end of the cam sleeve 13 passes through the spline sleeve 14 and extends downward to abut against the elastic member 15 . Preferably, the elastic member 15 is a top spring.

[0049] The bottom end of the input shaft 11 extends downward through the cam sleeve 13 and passes through the spline sleeve 14 to form a guide portion 16. The bottom outer side of the guide portion 16 is rotatably connected to the bearing seat 17. The elastic member 15 is located on the outer side of the guide portion 16 and abuts against the bottom end of the cam sleeve 13. Preferably, the bottom end of the cam sleeve 13 is fixedly connected to the fixing block 134, and the elastic member 15 abuts against the fixing block 134. The existence of the guide portion 16 ensures that the elastic member 15 will only be axially compressed to generate axial elastic potential energy, ensures the normal up and down movement of the cam sleeve 13, prevents the elastic member 15 from being deformed, and improves the use effect.

[0050] The bottom end of the guide portion 16 is fixedly connected to the detection shaft of the angle sensor 18. The angle sensor 18 can detect the rotation angle of the guide portion 16, and the angle sensor 18 can communicate with the ECU control device on the mechanical vehicle, send the detected angular displacement data to the control unit, and after the control unit performs data analysis and processing, send it to the control unit that controls the track action, and when turning, control the track to achieve different actions, which expands the scope of application of the present invention, improves the steering accuracy, and improves the degree of automation of the present invention.

[0051] like Figures 5 to 8 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention further discloses a steering gear assembly, including a housing 2, a steering column 3 and a base plate 4 respectively fixedly connected to the housing 2, and a transmission shaft 5 penetrating through the interior of the steering column 3. A self-centering mechanism is provided inside the housing 2 to assist the transmission shaft 5 in steering and returning in two directions.

[0052] The transmission shaft 5 is rotationally connected to the input shaft 11, and the force exerted by the driver on the transmission shaft 5 is directly transmitted to the input shaft 11. A first fixing plate 21 fixedly connected to the spline sleeve 14 and a second fixing plate 25 fixedly connected to the bearing seat 17 are arranged inside the housing 2.

[0053] The shell 2 includes an upper shell 22 and a lower shell 23 that fits the inner wall surface of the upper shell 22 and can rotate relatively. A locking mechanism that engages with the upper shell 22 is rotatably installed on the outer side of the lower shell 23. The locking mechanism is used to adjust the angle between the upper shell 22 and the lower shell 23.

[0054] The locking mechanism includes an adjusting pedal 62 rotatably mounted inside the lower housing 23 via a rotating shaft 61 , a connecting plate 63 and a sliding plate 64 are fixedly mounted on the rotating shaft 61 , and the connecting plate 63 is fixedly connected to the bottom plate 4 via a tension spring 65 .

[0055] A sliding groove 231 is formed on the lower shell 23 , and the sliding portion of the sliding plate 64 passes through the sliding groove 231 and slides with the movable block 66 rotatably mounted on the outer side of the lower shell 23 .

[0056] An engaging block 67 is rotatably mounted on the lower housing 23 . The engaging block 67 is provided with an engaging portion 671 for use with the upper housing 22 , and a concave portion 672 for use with the protruding portion 661 on the movable block 66 .

[0057] A guard plate 24 is fixedly installed on the outer side of the movable block 66 and the engaging block 67 to protect the movable block 66 and the engaging block 67.

[0058] By providing a locking mechanism, the driver can adjust the direction and height of the upper shell 22 conveniently. The angle between the upper shell 22 and the lower shell 23 can be adjusted according to the driver's height and the distance of the steering wheel to meet the operating requirements of different drivers.

[0059] When in use, the driver steps on the adjustment pedal 62, the tension spring 65 extends, the rotating shaft 61 rotates to drive the sliding plate 64 to move toward the driver's side, and the sliding portion of the sliding plate 64 passes through the sliding groove 231 to drive the bottom of the movable block 66 to move toward the driver's side. The raised portion 661 on the movable block 66 cooperates with the concave portion 672 on the engaging block 67. When the bottom of the movable block 66 moves toward the driver's side, the raised portion 661 clamps the concave portion 672, and the concave portion 672 drives the movable block 66 to move toward the driver's side. The movable engagement block 67 rotates downward, and the engagement portion 671 on the engagement block 67 is no longer engaged with the upper shell 22, and they are separated and independent of each other. At this time, the driver operates the steering wheel to move towards himself so as to drive the upper shell 22 to move towards himself. When it moves to a comfortable angle or distance, the adjustment pedal 62 is released, the tension spring 65 contracts, and the sliding plate 64 drives the movable block 66 to reset, and then the protrusion 661 is engaged with the concave portion 672 to achieve locking between the engagement portion 671 and the upper shell 22.

[0060] After adjusting the angle between the upper housing 22 and the lower housing 23 to a suitable position through the locking mechanism, the driver operates the transmission shaft 5 through the steering wheel to drive the input shaft 11 to rotate. A fixed shaft 121 is fixedly installed on the outer side of the input shaft 11, and a bearing 12 is rotatably installed on the fixed shaft 121. The arc surface 131 of the cam sleeve 13 rolls with the outer wall surface of the bearing 12. In a normal state, the bearing 12 is located at the lowest point of the arc surface 131. When steering is required, the driver operates the input shaft 11 to rotate, driving the bearing 12 to move along the arc surface 131 of the cam sleeve 13. The outer side of the wheel sleeve 13 is slidably matched with the spline sleeve 14, the cam sleeve 13 moves downward, and the bottom end of the cam sleeve 13 passes through the spline sleeve 14 and extends downward to abut against the elastic member 15. During the downward movement of the cam sleeve 13, the elastic member 15 is compressed, so that the elastic member 15 is compressed and stores energy; after the steering is completed, the elastic potential energy generated by the compression of the elastic member 15 is released, pushing the cam sleeve 13 to move upward. The cam sleeve 13 cannot move circumferentially but can only move axially. Therefore, under the action of the arc surface 131, the bearing 12 can only return to the lowest point of the arc surface 131 and wait for the next steering operation.

[0061] In summary, the present invention provides a self-centering mechanism and a steering gear assembly, which can realize self-centering of the transmission shaft, is easy to operate, reduces the difficulty of steering, and improves the steering flexibility; at the same time, it reduces the cost investment, has a simple structure, and is easy to maintain.

[0062] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A self-centering mechanism, applied to a mechanical vehicle, characterized in that: It includes a fixed shaft fixedly mounted on the outside of the input shaft, and a bearing is rotatably mounted on the fixed shaft; The cam sleeve is slidably mounted on the outer side of the input shaft, the top surface of the cam sleeve is an inclined arc surface and is rollingly matched with the outer wall surface of the bearing, the outer side of the cam sleeve is slidably matched with the spline sleeve, and the bottom end of the cam sleeve passes through the spline sleeve and extends downward to abut against the elastic member; the elastic member is a top spring; A positioning groove for positioning the bearing is provided at the lowest point of the arc surface, and a positioning block is protruded upward at the highest point of the arc surface and is arranged opposite to the positioning groove; In a normal state, the center line of the positioning groove and the axis of the bearing are in the same plane; In the extreme steering state, the angle between the center line of the positioning groove and the axis of the bearing is 140°.

2. The self-centering mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom end of the input shaft passes through the cam sleeve and extends downward and passes through the spline sleeve to form a guide portion, and the bottom outer side of the guide portion is rotatably connected to the bearing seat; The elastic member is located at the outer side of the guide portion and abuts against the bottom end of the cam sleeve.

3. The self-centering mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that: The bottom end of the guide portion is fixedly connected to the detection shaft of the angle sensor.

4. A steering gear assembly, comprising a housing, a steering column and a bottom plate respectively fixedly connected to the housing, and a transmission shaft penetrating the interior of the steering column, characterized in that: The housing is provided with a self-centering mechanism as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 to assist the transmission shaft in steering and centering in two directions.

5. The steering gear assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that: The transmission shaft is rotatably connected to the input shaft; A first fixing plate fixedly connected to the spline sleeve is arranged inside the housing.

6. The steering gear assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that: The housing comprises an upper housing and a lower housing which is in contact with the inner wall surface of the upper housing and can rotate relatively thereto; A locking mechanism engaged with the upper shell is rotatably mounted on the outer side of the lower shell, and the locking mechanism is used to adjust the angle between the upper shell and the lower shell.

7. The steering gear assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that: The locking mechanism comprises an adjusting pedal rotatably mounted inside the lower housing via a rotating shaft, a connecting plate and a sliding plate are fixedly mounted on the rotating shaft, and the connecting plate is fixedly connected to the bottom plate via a tension spring; The lower shell is provided with a slide groove, and the sliding portion of the slide plate passes through the slide groove and slides with a movable block rotatably mounted on the outer side of the lower shell; An engaging block is rotatably mounted on the lower shell body, and the engaging block is provided with an engaging portion used in conjunction with the upper shell body, and a concave portion used in conjunction with the raised portion on the movable block.

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