Locking structure of trailer steering shaft

Abstract

The invention discloses a trailer steering shaft locking structure which comprises a positioning seat, an air bag assembly, a limiting piece and a locking assembly, the state of the limiting piece is controlled through air inflation and air exhaust of the air bag assembly, a driving piece in the locking assembly is used for driving a stop block to be matched with a clamping seat to achieve the locking and unlocking functions of a steering wheel, and when steering is not needed, the stop block is driven to be matched with the clamping seat to achieve locking and unlocking of the steering wheel. The air bag assembly expands to push the limiting piece, so that the steering wheel is aligned by the transverse pull rod and is locked through the locking assembly; when steering is needed, the locking state is released, the effect of accurately controlling locking of the steering shaft of the trailer is achieved, the driving stability and safety of the trailer are effectively improved, meanwhile, the operation process is simplified, and the reliability of the system is enhanced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of trailer steering structures, and in particular to a locking structure of a trailer steering shaft. Background Art

[0002] The trailer steering lock device is an important part of the modern transportation field. With the rapid development of the logistics industry, trailers are being used more and more widely. In order to meet the transportation needs under different working conditions, the steering and stability of the trailer have become one of the key technical points. The traditional trailer steering lock device mainly realizes the state switching of the wheels through a mechanical structure to ensure that the vehicle has good linearity and turning performance during driving, thereby improving the overall operating efficiency and safety.

[0003] At present, the steering structure of the trailer mainly includes a steering shaft installed under the frame and steering wheels connected to both ends of the steering shaft through a pin shaft. A tie rod is connected between the two steering wheels, and the ends of the tie rod are connected to the adjacent steering wheels in a rotational relationship to achieve the synchronous steering function of the two steering wheels. When solving the steering and locking problems of trailers, the common methods mainly use lever-supported locking stabilization mechanisms and devices based on traditional pneumatic drive. The lever-supported locking stabilization mechanism is distributed in the front and rear positions of the steering shaft, and uses the lever principle to transmit external force to the tie rod to limit its rotation.

[0004] The conventional technical means mentioned above generally have a problem: the design concept of decentralized layout makes the structure of the whole system relatively loose, which is easily affected by external environmental factors and reduces the working reliability. Especially after long-term use, due to the large number of parts and the difficulty of keeping the tightness of the parts in line with each other, the system not only occupies a large space and affects the reasonable planning of other vehicle facilities, but also the frequently moving parts are prone to high degree of wear, which shortens the service life and increases the difficulty of later maintenance. Summary of the invention

[0005] In order to reduce space occupancy and improve wear between structures, the present application provides a locking structure for a steering shaft of a trailer.

[0006] The locking structure of the trailer steering shaft provided in this application adopts the following technical solution: A locking structure for a trailer steering shaft, comprising: A positioning seat and an airbag assembly, wherein the positioning seat is connected to the steering shaft and is located in the gap between the steering shaft and the tie rod, and the airbag assembly is arranged in the positioning seat; Two limiting plates, the two limiting plates are connected to the same side of the tie rod and are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the airbag assembly; A locking assembly, the locking assembly comprising a clamping seat arranged at the tie rod, a stop block for clamping and cooperating with the clamping seat, and a driving member arranged at the positioning seat and used for driving the stop block to move; When the steering wheel does not need to be steered, the airbag assembly presses against the inner sides of the two limit plates by inflating, and the tie rod pulls the steering wheels at both ends of the steering shaft back to the center under the pushing action of the limit plates, and aligns the clamping seat with the stop block, and the driving member drives the stop block to move toward the clamping seat and lock it; When the steering wheel needs to turn, the driving member drives the stop block to move away from the card seat and unlock, and the airbag assembly releases the activity restriction on the two limit plates by exhausting air.

[0007] By adopting the above technical solution, the airbag assembly presses against the inner sides of the two limit plates by inflating, achieving precise control of the tie rod, ensuring that the steering wheel is reliably pulled back to the center when steering is not required, improving the linearity of the vehicle during driving, and facilitating the cooperation between the card seat and the stop block in the locking assembly, so that rapid locking can be achieved when the steering wheel does not need to be turned, thereby enhancing the stability of the system. When the steering wheel needs to turn, the drive member drives the stop block to move to unlock, and the airbag assembly is exhausted to remove the restriction, ensuring the flexibility and convenience of the steering operation. The entire structure is compactly designed, reducing the number of components and the complex coordination between them, reducing the risk of reduced working reliability due to long-term use, extending the service life and reducing the burden of later maintenance.

[0008] Preferably, the positioning seat is welded to the steering shaft and arranged in the center, and the clamping seat is welded to the tie rod and arranged in the center.

[0009] By adopting the above technical solution, the positioning seat and the steering shaft, as well as the clamping seat and the tie rod are firmly connected by welding to form an integrated structure, which effectively reduces the number of traditional bolt fasteners used. This design not only simplifies the assembly process, improves the connection strength and reliability between components, but also avoids the safety hazards caused by loose or corroded bolts, thereby improving the stability and durability of the overall locking structure. At the same time, the central setting method can ensure uniform force distribution, further enhancing the working performance of the structure.

[0010] Preferably, the positioning seat includes two side panels and a bottom plate arranged between the two guard plates, the two side panels are symmetrically distributed in the gap between the steering shaft and the transverse tie rod, the airbag assembly is arranged in the accommodating space formed by the two side panels, and the driving member and the stop block are both arranged on the bottom plate.

[0011] By adopting the above technical solution, the space optimization design of the trailer steering shaft locking structure is realized. Specifically, the positioning seat is composed of two side plates and a bottom plate, forming a compact accommodation space, which can effectively protect the internal components and reduce the overall volume. The airbag assembly is arranged in the accommodation space between the two side plates, making full use of the gap between the steering shaft and the tie rod to avoid extra space occupation. At the same time, the drive member and the stop block are integrated at the bottom plate, which further simplifies the structural layout and improves assembly efficiency and reliability. This design solution significantly reduces the number of components and their complex matching relationships, reduces the risk of wear caused by frequent activities, prolongs the service life, and facilitates subsequent maintenance operations.

[0012] Preferably, the airbag assembly includes an airbag body and two guide members respectively arranged at two ends of the airbag body, and the guide members are slidably matched with adjacent side plates along the length of the steering shaft.

[0013] By adopting the above technical solution, guides are provided at both ends of the airbag body, and the guides are slidably matched with the adjacent side plates along the length direction of the steering shaft, which can effectively improve the movement stability of the airbag assembly during inflation and deflation. Specifically, the provision of the guides prevents the airbag body from deflecting or tilting when expanding or contracting, thereby ensuring that its pushing force on the limit plate is more uniform and reliable, further improving the overall performance and service life of the locking structure.

[0014] Preferably, the guide member includes a fixing plate fixed to the end of the airbag and a guide rod arranged at the fixing plate, the guide rod is parallel to the steering shaft, and the side plate is provided with a guide hole for the guide rod to pass through.

[0015] By adopting the above technical solution, the guide member in the airbag assembly can effectively constrain the movement direction of the airbag body. Specifically, the combined design of the fixing plate and the guide rod makes the expansion or contraction of the airbag more stable during the inflation and deflation process, avoiding the problem of position offset or uneven force of the airbag due to lack of constraint. The guide rod is arranged parallel to the steering shaft and slides through the guide hole on the side plate, which further improves the accuracy of the airbag assembly movement, reduces unnecessary friction and wear, and thus improves the working reliability and service life of the entire locking structure.

[0016] Preferably, the limiting plate comprises a connecting section and a bending section, the bending section and the connecting section are perpendicular to each other, and when the airbag body is inflated, the outer side of the fixing plate simultaneously presses against the inner sides of the connecting section and the bending section of the limiting plate.

[0017] By adopting the above technical solution, the connecting section and the bending section of the limit plate can form a stable L-shaped structure. When the airbag body is inflated, the outer side of the fixed plate simultaneously presses against the inner side of the connecting section and the bending section, thereby effectively increasing the contact area between the airbag assembly and the limit plate, and improving the friction and stability between the two. This design can more reliably limit the range of motion of the tie rod, avoid unnecessary deviation in the non-steering state, and further improve the overall reliability of the trailer steering shaft locking.

[0018] Preferably, the base includes a horizontal plate and a vertical plate which are perpendicular to each other, the horizontal plate is provided with a slot adapted to the stop block, and the bottom plate is provided with a slide groove for the stop block to slide up and down, when the stop block is simultaneously accommodated in the slot and the slide groove, the base and the bottom plate are locked by a snap connection.

[0019] By adopting the above technical solution, the base is composed of a horizontal plate and a vertical plate that are perpendicular to each other, and the slot on the horizontal plate and the slide groove of the bottom plate together form a precise matching structure. This design can ensure that the stop block has a stable motion trajectory during the up and down sliding process, effectively avoiding the occurrence of offset or jamming. When the stop block is accommodated in the slot and the slide groove at the same time, a firm lock between the base and the bottom plate is achieved, improving the overall reliability and stability of the locking structure, thereby ensuring that the steering wheel of the trailer can be accurately returned to the center and maintained in a stable state when steering is not required.

[0020] Preferably, two guide plates are provided on a side of the bottom plate facing away from the card seat, and the two guide plates are disposed on both sides of the slide groove, and the guide plates and the slide groove together constitute a sliding channel for the stop block.

[0021] By adopting the above technical solution, adding a guide plate and forming a sliding channel for the stopper together with the slide groove can effectively improve the movement distance and movement stability of the stopper. This design reduces the position deviation or jamming of the stopper during the sliding process, thereby improving the operational reliability and service life of the entire locking structure. At the same time, a clear sliding path helps reduce friction loss between components, further enhancing the durability of the system.

[0022] In summary, the present application includes at least one of the following beneficial technical effects: 1. The airbag assembly directly presses against the inner side of the limit plate by inflating, which can effectively reduce the number and complexity of parts in the traditional mechanical structure, thereby simplifying the overall layout and saving installation space; 2. The locking assembly uses the driving component to accurately control the locking or separation action of the stop block and the card seat, and quickly realizes the return and locking of the steering wheel when steering is not required, thereby improving the reliability and response speed of the system; 3. When the locked state needs to be released, the airbag assembly can release the constraint on the limit plate by exhausting the air, avoiding the high wear problem caused by frequent activities in traditional mechanisms, extending the service life of the equipment and reducing the maintenance frequency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a locking structure of a steering shaft of a trailer according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0024] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A magnified schematic diagram of center A.

[0025] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the structure welded at the steering shaft in a locking structure of a steering shaft of a trailer in an embodiment of the present application.

[0026] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a positioning seat in a locking structure of a steering shaft of a trailer according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0027] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure welded at the tie rod in a locking structure of a trailer steering shaft according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0028] Explanation of the accompanying drawings: 1. Steering shaft; 2. Tie rod; 3. Limiting plate; 31. Connecting section; 32. Bending section; 4. Airbag assembly; 41. Airbag body; 42. Guide member; 421. Fixing plate; 422. Guide rod; 5. Positioning seat; 51. Side plate; 511. Guide hole; 52. Bottom plate; 53. Slide groove; 54. Guide plate; 6. Clamping seat; 61. Horizontal plate; 62. Vertical plate; 63. Clamping groove; 7. Driving member; 8. Stop block; 9. Steering wheel. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] The following is combined with Figure 1-5 This application is described in further detail.

[0030] The present application embodiment discloses a locking structure for a trailer steering shaft, referring to Figure 1 and Figure 2, including a positioning seat 5, an airbag assembly 4, two limiting plates 3 and a locking assembly. Among them, the positioning seat 5 is welded and fixed to the steering shaft 1 and is centrally arranged in the gap between the steering shaft 1 and the tie rod 2. The airbag assembly 4 is located inside the positioning seat 5 and is used to adjust the locking state by inflation and deflation. The positioning seat 5 plays a role in fixing and supporting the airbag assembly 4. The two limiting plates 3 are welded and fixed to the same side of the tie rod 2 and are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the airbag assembly 4. The locking assembly includes a holder 6, a stop block 8 and a driving member 7. Among them, the holder 6 is welded and fixed to the tie rod 2 and is centrally arranged. The stop block 8 is used to engage with the holder 6. The driving member 7 drives the stop block 8 to move its position to achieve a precise mechanical locking function. This structural design effectively reduces space occupancy and improves reliability.

[0031] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 The positioning seat 5 includes two side plates 51 welded to the steering shaft 1 and a bottom plate 52. The side plates 51 are symmetrically distributed in the gap between the steering shaft 1 and the tie rod 2. The bottom plate 52 and the two side plates 51 form a specific chamber for accommodating the airbag assembly 4. As one example, the side plates 51 and the bottom plate 52 of the positioning seat 5 can be a combination of welded steel plates or an integrally formed cast iron part, preferably high-strength low-carbon steel or aluminum alloy materials, to take into account both strength and lightweight requirements. In addition, the side plate 51 facing the steering shaft 1 is provided with an arc groove adapted to the peripheral wall of the steering shaft 1 to increase the welding area between the side plate 51 and the steering shaft 1. An arc-shaped avoidance groove is provided on the side of the side plate 51 facing the transverse rod 2 for the transverse rod 2 to pass through. The bottom plate 52 of the positioning seat 5 passes under the transverse rod 2, and the driving member 7 and the stop block 8 are arranged at the far end of the bottom plate 52, thereby ensuring the stability of the entire locking structure while maximizing the compactness of the locking structure.

[0032] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 In this embodiment, the airbag assembly 4 is embedded in a specific chamber in the positioning seat 5. The airbag assembly 4 includes an airbag body 41 and guide members 42 installed at both ends of the airbag body 41. The airbag body 41 is made of flexible rubber, and rigid guide members 42 are provided at both ends for accurate positioning. Specifically, the guide member 42 includes a fixed plate 421 and an extended guide rod 422. The guide rod 422 is parallel to the steering shaft 1 and matches the guide hole 511 reserved in the side plate 51 at the corresponding position. When the gas enters the airbag body 41, it will expand and squeeze, filling the specific chamber in the positioning seat 5 while forcing the fixed plate 421 to push the limit plate 3, so that the tie rod 2 pulls the steering wheels 9 at both ends of the steering shaft 1 back to the normal position under the pushing action of the limit plate 3. On the contrary, after the air is released from the airbag body 41, it will return to its original state and no longer exert external force, providing a moving space for the limit plate 3, thereby facilitating the left and right movement of the tie rod 2.

[0033] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 5 In this embodiment, the limiting plate 3 is a component formed by right-angle bending, specifically including two major parts: a connecting section 31 and a bending section 32. The connecting section 31 is responsible for being firmly welded to the surface of the tie rod 2, and the bending section 32 is inclined and extended toward the center direction, just above the airbag expansion path. When the airbag body 41 begins to bulge, the fixing plate 421 at the end of the airbag body 41 will simultaneously press the two parts of the adjacent limiting plate 3 to make them fit tightly together, thereby effectively increasing the contact area between the airbag assembly 4 and the limiting plate 3, and improving the friction and stability between the two. This design can more reliably limit the range of motion of the tie rod 2, avoid unnecessary displacement in the non-steering state, and further improve the overall reliability of the locking of the trailer steering shaft 1.

[0034] In this embodiment, the holder 6 includes a horizontal plate 61 and a vertical plate 62 which are perpendicular to each other. The horizontal plate 61 and the vertical plate 62 are welded to the bottom of the tie rod 2. A small slot 63 which can be adapted to the stop block 8 is reserved in the middle of the horizontal plate 61 of the holder 6. In addition, a slide slot 53 for the stop block 8 to slide up and down is provided at the far end of the bottom plate 52 of the positioning seat 5. The stop block 8 is a small metal rectangular block. The driving member 7 adopts an air chamber which can drive the stop block 8 to rise and fall stably. A return spring connected to the stop block 8 is arranged inside the air chamber. When the air chamber is inflated, the elastic force of the return spring can be overcome to push the stop block 8 downward. When the stop block 8 is separated from the slot 63, the unlocking function is realized between the holder 6 and the bottom plate 52. When the air chamber is exhausted, the stop block 8 returns upward under the elastic force of the return spring, so that the stop block 8 reaches the initial position and completes the bite action with the slot 63. At this time, the stop block 8 is accommodated in the slot 63 and the slide slot 53 at the same time, and the purpose of the card connection and locking between the base 6 and the base plate 52 is achieved.

[0035] In this embodiment, two guide plates 54 are provided on the side of the bottom plate 52 away from the card seat 6. The two guide plates 54 are placed on both sides of the slide groove 53. The slide groove 53 correspondingly excavated on the bottom plate 52 cooperates with the guide plates 54 attached on the left and right sides to construct a closed track network, ensuring that the motion trajectory is always accurate and will not deviate from the expected route. In order to avoid the risk of impact damage, lubricant can be applied to the contact surface to reduce the friction coefficient.

[0036] The implementation principle of this embodiment is: When the trailer steering wheel 9 does not need to be turned, the external air source is activated to inflate the airbag assembly 4. After the gas enters the airbag body 41, the airbag body 41 gradually expands and expands to both sides, and finally presses against the inner surface of the two limit plates 3. In this process, the fixing plate 421 at the end of the airbag body 41 simultaneously applies pressure to the connecting section 31 and the bending section 32 of the limit plate 3, thereby stably limiting the tie rod 2 in the middle position. Under the action of the limit plate 3, the tie rod 2 pulls the steering wheels 9 at both ends back to the center, ensuring the straight-line driving stability of the vehicle.

[0037] At the same time, the card holder 6 and the stopper 8 reach the preset alignment position. At this time, the driving member 7 (such as the air chamber) starts to work, the gas in the air chamber is discharged, and the stopper 8 without air pressure support is quickly reset to the upper initial position under the action of the return spring. The stopper 8 passes through the slide groove 53 on the bottom plate 52 and enters the card groove 63 of the card holder 6 in turn, and finally realizes the secure locking between the card holder 6 and the bottom plate 52. This process ensures that the steering system is in a completely locked state, prevents accidental steering, and improves driving safety and reliability.

[0038] When the trailer needs to turn, the control unit first sends a signal to the driving member 7 to make the driving member 7 operate in the reverse direction. Specifically, compressed air is injected into the air chamber to overcome the elastic force of the return spring and push the stop block 8 downward along the slide groove 53, so that the stop block 8 is separated from the card slot 63 area, thereby unlocking the card seat 6 and the bottom plate 52. Subsequently, the airbag assembly 4 releases the internal gas through the exhaust port, and the airbag body 41 shrinks back to the original shape, releasing the pressure restraint on the limit plate 3. In this way, the tie rod 2 has free space for movement, and the steering angle can be flexibly adjusted according to the driver's operation to complete the required steering action.

[0039] The entire structural design cleverly combines the advantages of pneumatic components and mechanical components, which not only simplifies the complex locking mechanism composed of traditional multiple components, but also greatly improves the response speed and service life of the system. In particular, it exhibits excellent durability in harsh environments, effectively solves the high wear problem caused by frequent activities in the past, reduces the subsequent maintenance cost, and fully reflects its practical value and technological progress.

[0040] The above are all preferred embodiments of the present application, and the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Therefore, any equivalent changes made according to the structure, shape, and principle of the present application should be included in the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A locking structure for a trailer steering shaft, characterized in that: include: A positioning seat (5) and an airbag assembly (4), wherein the positioning seat (5) is connected to the steering shaft (1) and is located in the gap between the steering shaft (1) and the tie rod (2), and the airbag assembly (4) is arranged in the positioning seat (5); Two limiting plates (3), the two limiting plates (3) being connected to the same side of the transverse tie rod (2) and symmetrically distributed on both sides of the airbag assembly (4); A locking assembly, the locking assembly comprising a clamping seat (6) arranged at the tie rod (2), a stop block (8) for clamping and cooperating with the clamping seat (6), and a driving member (7) arranged at the positioning seat (5) and for driving the stop block (8) to move; When the steering wheel (9) does not need to steer, the airbag assembly (4) presses against the inner sides of the two limit plates (3) by means of inflation, and the tie rod (2) pulls the steering wheels (9) at both ends of the steering shaft (1) back to the center under the pushing action of the limit plates (3), and aligns the clamping seat (6) with the stop block (8), and the driving member (7) drives the stop block (8) to move in the direction of the clamping seat (6) and lock it; When the steering wheel (9) needs to turn, the driving member (7) drives the stop block (8) to move away from the card seat (6) and unlock, and the airbag assembly (4) releases the activity restriction on the two limit plates (3) by exhausting air.

2. The locking structure of the trailer steering shaft according to claim 1, characterized in that: The positioning seat (5) is welded to the steering shaft (1) and arranged in the center, and the clamping seat (6) is welded to the tie rod (2) and arranged in the center.

3. The locking structure of the trailer steering shaft according to claim 1, characterized in that: The positioning seat (5) comprises two side plates (51) and a bottom plate (52) arranged between the two guard plates, the two side plates (51) are symmetrically distributed in the gap between the steering shaft (1) and the tie rod (2), the airbag assembly (4) is arranged in the accommodating space formed by the two side plates (51), and the driving member (7) and the stop block (8) are both arranged on the bottom plate (52).

4. The locking structure of the trailer steering shaft according to claim 3, characterized in that: The airbag assembly (4) comprises an airbag body (41) and two guide members (42) respectively arranged at two ends of the airbag body (41); the guide members (42) are slidably fitted at adjacent side plates (51) along the length of the steering shaft (1).

5. The locking structure of the trailer steering shaft according to claim 4, characterized in that: The guide member (42) comprises a fixing plate (421) fixed to the end of the airbag body (41) and a guide rod (422) arranged at the fixing plate (421), wherein the guide rod (422) is parallel to the steering shaft (1), and the side plate (51) is provided with a guide hole (511) for the guide rod (422) to pass through.

6. The locking structure of the trailer steering shaft according to claim 5, characterized in that: The limiting plate (3) comprises a connecting section (31) and a bending section (32), wherein the bending section (32) and the connecting section (31) are perpendicular to each other, and when the airbag body (41) is inflated, the outer side of the fixing plate (421) simultaneously presses against the inner sides of the connecting section (31) and the bending section (32) of the limiting plate (3).

7. The locking structure of the trailer steering shaft according to claim 3, characterized in that: The holder (6) comprises a horizontal plate (61) and a vertical plate (62) which are perpendicular to each other. The horizontal plate (61) is provided with a slot (63) adapted to the stop block (8). The bottom plate (52) is provided with a slide groove (53) for the stop block (8) to slide up and down. When the stop block (8) is accommodated in the slot (63) and the slide groove (53) at the same time, the holder (6) and the bottom plate (52) are locked by a snap connection.

8. The locking structure of the trailer steering shaft according to claim 7, characterized in that: Two guide plates (54) are arranged on the side of the bottom plate (52) facing away from the card seat (6), and the two guide plates (54) are respectively arranged on both sides of the slide groove (53), and the guide plates (54) and the slide groove (53) together constitute a sliding channel of the stop block (8).

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