Circulating lubrication type electric power steering gear and using method

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of vehicle power-assisted steering gears, in particular to a circulating lubrication type electric power-assisted steering gear and a using method. The power-assisted steering gear comprises a lead screw nut mechanism arranged in a first shell and a driving shaft arranged in a second shell and connected with the power output end of the lead screw nut mechanism through a transmission structure, one end of the driving shaft is fixedly connected with a rocker arm, and the driving shaft can rotate through power provided by the lead screw nut mechanism and synchronously drive the rocker arm to swing. A circulating oil path and an oil driving device which are used for lubricating the screw rod nut mechanism are arranged in the first shell; the screw rod nut mechanism comprises a screw rod and a movable nut; one end of the screw rod penetrates through the first shell and can be connected with a motor; and the movable nut is connected to the screw rod. The lead screw rotates to drive the movable nut to move in a reciprocating mode, the rocker arm is driven to swing in a transmission mode, the oil drive device drives oil circulation to achieve circulating lubrication of the lead screw under the steering assistance effect, abrasion can be relieved, and the service life is prolonged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a circulating lubrication type electric power steering device. Background Art

[0002] Power steering is a device in an automotive steering system that assists the driver in steering the vehicle. A motor typically drives a screw, which in turn slides a nut back and forth on the screw. This movement of the nut drives the rocker shaft, which in turn drives the rocker back and forth. For example, in the recirculating ball-type automotive electric power steering system disclosed in Patent No. "CN117698835A," as the screw rotates, the nut rotates relative to the screw and moves along its axial direction. Friction between the contact surfaces easily generates iron filings, which intensify friction and produce unusual noises. Lubricants are required, however, as commonly used lithium-based greases have poor fluidity and are difficult to apply to the screw-nut connection. Consequently, iron filings generated between the screw and nut cannot escape through the gap, accelerating wear of the system. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned shortcomings of the background technology and provide a circulating lubrication type electric power steering device and its use method.

[0004] The technical solution adopted by the present invention is: a circulating lubrication electric power steering device, including a screw-nut mechanism arranged in a first housing and a drive shaft arranged in a second housing and connected to the power output end of the screw-nut mechanism through a transmission structure. One end of the drive shaft is fixedly connected to a rocker arm, and the drive shaft can be rotated by the power provided by the screw-nut mechanism and synchronously drive the rocker arm to swing. A circulating oil circuit and an oil drive device for lubricating the screw-nut mechanism are provided in the first housing. The screw-nut mechanism includes a screw rod with one end passing through the first housing and connected to the motor and a movable nut connected to the screw rod.

[0005] Furthermore, the first shell is provided with a second pipe and a first pipe located at the bottom, the second pipe is provided with an oil outlet hole connected to the inner cavity of the first shell and facing the screw rod, the first pipe is provided with an oil inlet channel connected to the inner cavity of the first shell, and the second pipe and the first pipe are connected to the inner cavity of the first shell to form a circulating oil circuit.

[0006] Furthermore, the second shell is arranged on the first shell, and the drive shaft is arranged in the second shell. The drive shaft is transmission-connected with the movable nut and is driven to rotate when the movable nut moves. One end of the drive shaft passing through the second shell is connected to a rocker arm.

[0007] Furthermore, the second pipe is arranged on the top of the first shell, and the multiple oil outlet holes are correspondingly located above the screw rod.

[0008] Furthermore, a rack is provided on the movable nut, and a gear fan engaging with the rack is provided on the driving shaft.

[0009] Further, the lead screw is a ball screw, and the moving nut is a ball nut, and a plurality of balls are arranged between the lead screw and the moving nut.

[0010] Further, the oil driving device comprises a pump oil assembly and a one-way valve connected to the pump oil assembly through a pipeline and located upstream and downstream of the pump oil assembly respectively, the pump oil assembly is in driving connection with the moving nut, and the pump oil power is provided by moving the moving nut.

[0011] Further, the pump oil assembly comprises a pump shell, a sealing piston slidingly arranged in the pump shell, and a transmission member slidingly passing through the pump shell and connected to the piston and the moving nut at two ends respectively, the moving nut moves the piston reciprocatingly through the transmission member to realize oil suction and oil pumping.

[0012] Further, the pump oil assembly further comprises an elastic member arranged in the pump shell to drive the piston to move back to realize oil suction or oil pumping after the moving nut pushes the piston; the transmission member abuts against the moving nut.

[0013] Further, the elastic member is arranged on the side of the piston away from the moving nut, and pushes the piston to move back to realize oil suction; the moving nut pushes the piston to compress the spring to move to realize oil pumping through the transmission member.

[0014] Further, the elastic member is arranged on the side of the piston close to the moving nut, and is used to push the piston to move to realize oil pumping; the moving nut drives the piston to compress the spring to move to realize oil suction through the transmission member.

[0015] Further, the transmission member comprises an extension rod and a pressing plate arranged at one end of the extension rod, and the pressing plate is used to increase the connecting surface with the moving nut.

[0016] Further, a hard avoiding pipe is arranged between the first pipeline and the second pipeline, the avoiding pipe comprises an annular structure for passing through the lead screw, and one-way valves allowing flow to the oil outlet hole end are connected to two ends of the avoiding pipe respectively.

[0017] Further, the avoiding pipe is arranged outside the first shell, one end of the pump oil assembly is connected to the moving nut, and the other end is connected to the avoiding pipe through the pipeline and passing through the first shell.

[0018] Further, the second pipeline and the first pipeline are connected through the pipeline at two ends to form two circulating oil paths, the two pump oil assemblies are arranged on two sides of the moving nut in the moving direction, and one side of the pump oil assembly suctions oil and the other side of the pump oil assembly pumps oil when the moving nut moves.

[0019] Further, a limiting guide member is arranged in the first shell to limit the rotation of the moving nut and provide a moving guide function.

[0020] Further, a filter screen is arranged at the bottom of the first shell, and the oil inlet channel is located below the filter screen.

[0021] Furthermore, the limiting guide member includes guide blocks arranged on opposite sides of the bottom of the first shell, and the movable nut slides and abuts between the two guide blocks; mounting grooves are provided on opposite sides of the guide blocks, and a filter is provided in the mounting groove, and the oil inlet channel is located below the filter.

[0022] Furthermore, a frame is provided on the edge of the filter screen, and opposite sides of the frame are slidably connected in the two installation slots respectively.

[0023] Furthermore, a heating element is provided at the bottom of the first shell for heating the lubricating oil at the oil inlet channel.

[0024] Furthermore, the first housing is provided with a power-assisting mechanism for driving the screw to rotate; the power-assisting mechanism includes a driving member that is transmission-connected to the screw to drive the screw to rotate.

[0025] Furthermore, the power assist mechanism also includes a protective shell, in which a driven pulley is rotatably provided. The driving member includes a motor with a driving pulley at the output end. The driving pulley and the driven pulley are connected through an annular transmission belt, and the driven pulley is connected to the screw rod.

[0026] Furthermore, the driven pulley is sleeved on the screw rod through a spline structure engagement.

[0027] Another aspect of the present invention further provides a method for using a circulating lubricated electric power steering device. Based on the circulating lubricated electric power steering device provided by the present invention, the method includes:

[0028] The oil drive device is used to suck the lubricating oil in the first housing through the oil inlet channel, and is pumped out through the oil outlet hole of the second pipeline and sprinkled on the screw rod, so that the lubricating oil enters the oil inlet channel to form a circulation;

[0029] The screw rod is rotated to drive the movable nut to move, so that the movable nut drives the driving shaft to rotate, and the driving shaft drives the rocker arm to rotate.

[0030] According to a method for using a circulating lubrication electric power steering device provided by the present invention, the oil drive device is used to suck the lubricating oil in the first housing through the oil inlet channel, and pumps the lubricating oil out through the oil outlet hole of the second pipeline and sprinkles it on the screw rod, including:

[0031] The moving nut is driven by the transmission member or moves the piston to one side under the action of the elastic member. Under the action of the one-way valve, the piston moves and absorbs oil into the pump housing through the oil inlet channel;

[0032] The movable nut is driven in the reverse direction by the transmission member or the piston is driven in the reverse direction by the elastic member, and the oil in the pump housing is pumped into the first housing through the oil outlet hole under the action of the two one-way valves.

[0033] According to the application, the method for moving the mobile nut by rotating the screw rod includes rotating the screw rod, and moving the mobile nut along the screw rod under the limiting action of the limiting guide.

[0034] According to the application, the method for moving the mobile nut by rotating the screw rod includes rotating the screw rod, and moving the mobile nut along the screw rod under the limiting action of the limiting guide.

[0035] The application has the following advantages:

[0036] 1. The screw rod rotates in the first shell to drive the mobile nut to reciprocally move along the screw rod, the mobile nut is the power output end of the screw nut mechanism, and when the mobile nut moves, the driving shaft is driven to rotate through the transmission structure, so that the swing arm at one end of the driving shaft swings to realize steering assistance; the lubricating oil is driven to flow in the first shell through the circulating oil path and the oil driving device, the screw rod is lubricated, the flowability of the lubricating oil is improved, the generation of iron filings is effectively reduced, and the iron filings can flow out from the connecting and matching position of the screw rod and the mobile nut, so that the abrasion is not aggravated;

[0037] 2. The first pipeline and the second pipeline form the circulating oil path with the inner cavity of the first shell, the lubricating oil enters the first pipeline through the oil inlet channel at the bottom, the oil driving device drives the lubricating oil to enter the second pipeline through the first pipeline and then flow out from the oil outlet hole to be lubricated on the screw rod, and the reciprocating and circulating lubrication can greatly reduce the friction between the screw rod and the nut;

[0038] 3. The oil driving device of the application is provided with two one-way valves at the upstream and downstream, so that the lubricating oil can only flow from the oil inlet channel to the oil outlet hole, and the pump oil assembly is linked and driven to realize oil suction and pumping by the reciprocating movement of the mobile nut without other power devices;

[0039] 4. The pump oil assembly is designed in cooperation with the one-way valve, the sealed piston is driven to reciprocally move in the pump shell when the mobile nut reciprocally moves, the piston moves to one side to suck the oil into the pump shell through the first pipeline, and the piston moves reversely to realize oil pumping;

[0040] 5. The elastic element can make the piston be pushed by the mobile nut and then be reset, the elastic element and the mobile nut are respectively and unidirectionally moved to cooperate to realize reciprocating movement, the transmission element abuts against the mobile nut to decouple the mobile nut, and the production and the later maintenance and replacement are facilitated;

[0041] 6. When both ends of the second pipeline and the first pipeline are connected by pipelines to form two circulating oil circuits, the movable nut moves to one side, driving the oil pump assembly on one side to absorb oil and the oil pump assembly on the other side to pump oil. When moving in the opposite direction, the oil pumping actions of the oil pump assemblies on both sides are also opposite, thereby improving the circulation efficiency;

[0042] 7. The limiting guide slides against the moving nut, which can limit the rotation of the moving nut when the screw rotates, so that it moves along the axial direction of the screw under the driving force of the thread, providing a guiding effect;

[0043] 8. The two guide blocks form a limiting and guiding function on the opposite sides of the moving nut. The slide grooves can be installed on the opposite sides of the two guide blocks for installing the filter screen, which can filter the lubricating oil from above and intercept impurities such as iron filings, so that the filtered lubricating oil flows into the oil inlet channel and reduces the flow of impurities. The filter screen can be pulled out to clean the impurities for easy maintenance.

[0044] 9. The driving member can drive the screw to rotate, thereby moving the movable nut, driving the driving shaft to rotate, and realizing the swing of the rocker arm;

[0045] 10. The power assist mechanism can be decoupled from the first housing through the protective shell. The screw is connected to the driven pulley. The active pulley at the output end of the motor is connected to the driven pulley through a transmission belt, which can drive the screw to rotate. The transmission belt connection method allows friction and sliding between the transmission belt and the pulley when the pulley rotation is blocked, avoiding damage to the device under extreme restrictions.

[0046] 11. The method for using the circulating lubrication electric power steering device of the present invention fully utilizes the structural characteristics of the circulating lubrication electric power steering device, rotates the screw to move the moving nut, so that the moving nut drives the transmission shaft to rotate, and the driving shaft drives the rocker arm to rotate. The oil is sucked through the first pipeline by the oil drive device, and is pumped out through the oil outlet hole under the action of the one-way valve and sprinkled on the screw, thereby realizing circulating lubrication of the screw under the premise of ensuring the power-assisting effect.

[0047] The present invention utilizes a circulating lubrication electric power steering device, which drives the movable nut to move back and forth through the forward and reverse rotation of the screw rod. During movement, the drive shaft is driven to rotate through the transmission structure, thereby driving the rocker arm at one end of the drive shaft to swing to achieve steering assistance. Under the action of steering assistance, the lubricating oil is driven by the circulating oil circuit and the oil drive device to circulate in the first housing to lubricate the screw rod, thereby improving fluidity, slowing down wear, and extending the service life. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0048] Figure 1 : A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the power steering device of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 2 : The schematic diagram of the power steering gear omitting the power-assisting mechanism;

[0050] Figure 3 : Schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the first shell;

[0051] Figure 4 : Schematic diagram of the structure of the drive shaft, movable nut and screw transmission connection;

[0052] Figure 5 : A schematic cross-sectional view of the inner structure of the first shell;

[0053] Figure 6 : Schematic diagram of the structure of the oil pump assembly;

[0054] Figure 7 : Schematic diagram of the structure of the power assist mechanism;

[0055] Among them: 1-first housing; 2-second housing; 3-driving part; 4-drain port; 5-driving shaft; 6-rocker arm; 7-protective shell; 8-connecting seat; 10-driven pulley; 11-avoidance tube; 12-first pipeline; 13-inner spline; 14-spline plug; 15-second pipeline; 16-oil outlet; 17-guide block; 18-mounting slide; 19-screw; 20-transmission belt; 21-downstream one-way valve; 22-upstream one-way valve; 23-oil inlet channel; 24-connecting pipe fitting; 25-gear fan; 26-rack; 27-moving nut; 28-telescopic rod; 29-pump housing; 30-pressure plate; 31-frame; 32-filter screen; 33-heating element; 34-elastic element; 35-piston; 36-driving pulley; 37-sealing gasket; 38-branch pipe; 39-annular structure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0056] The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary, and the drawings are not drawn to scale and are intended to illustrate the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0057] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside" and the like to indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0058] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of the technical features being referred to. Thus, a feature specified as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the present invention, "plurality" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0059] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0060] The present invention relates to a circulating lubrication electric power steering device, which is used for vehicle power steering. The forward and reverse rotation of a screw rod in a first housing can drive a movable nut to move back and forth, and the movement of the movable nut can drive a drive shaft to rotate, thereby driving a rocker arm to swing to achieve a power steering effect. A first pipe, a second pipe and an inner cavity of the first housing form a circulating oil circuit. Lubricating oil enters the first pipe through an oil inlet channel at the bottom. An oil drive device drives the lubricating oil through the first pipe into the second pipe and then flows out from an oil outlet, splashing onto the screw rod for lubrication. Such reciprocating circulation lubrication can greatly reduce the friction between the screw rod and the nut, effectively reduce the generation of iron chips, and facilitate the flow of iron chips from between the screw rod and the movable nut, thereby avoiding increased wear.

[0061] Example 1

[0062] A circulating lubrication type electric power steering gear, specifically, Figure 1-7 As shown, it includes a first shell 1, a screw-nut mechanism arranged in the first shell 1, and a driving shaft 5 arranged in the second shell 2 and connected to the power output end of the screw-nut mechanism through a transmission structure. One end of the driving shaft 5 is fixedly connected to the rocker arm 6. The driving shaft 5 can be rotated by the power provided by the screw-nut mechanism and synchronously drive the rocker arm 6 to swing. A circulating oil circuit for lubricating the screw-nut mechanism and an oil drive device for driving oil circulation provided on the circulating oil circuit are provided in the first shell 1. The screw-nut mechanism includes a screw 19 with one end passing through the first shell 1 and connected to the motor and a movable nut 27 connected to the screw 19.

[0063] In one embodiment, Figure 1-5As shown, a screw rod 19 is provided for rotation in the first shell 1, and a movable nut 27 is connected to the screw rod 19. The movable nut 27 is connected to the drive shaft 5 in a transmission manner. When the movable nut 27 moves, the drive shaft 5 is driven to rotate, and one end of the drive shaft 5 is connected to the rocker arm 6; a second pipe 15 and a first pipe 12 at the bottom are provided on the first shell 1, and the second pipe 15 is provided with an oil outlet hole 16 connected to the inner cavity of the first shell 1 and facing the screw rod 19, and an oil inlet channel 23 connected to the inner cavity of the first shell 1 is provided on the first pipe 12. The second pipe 15 and the first pipe 12 are connected to form a circulating oil circuit together with the inner cavity of the first shell 1. The circulation direction is that the oil inlet channel 23 flows into the first pipe 12, flows into the second pipe 15, flows into the inner cavity of the first shell 1 through the oil outlet hole 16, and flows into the first pipe 12 again through the oil inlet channel 23. An oil drive device is provided on the circulating oil circuit for driving the lubricating oil to circulate in the circulating oil circuit.

[0064] like Figure 1-4 As shown, the second housing 2 is mounted on the first housing 1. A drive shaft 5 is disposed within the second housing 2 and is in driving connection with the movable nut 27. The movable nut 27 is driven to rotate by the movable nut 27. The end of the drive shaft 5 extending beyond the second housing 2 is connected to a rocker arm 6. The first housing 1 includes a sealing cap at its end, which is sealed to the first housing 1 via a gasket 37. During operation, the screw 19 rotates, causing the movable nut 27 to move axially along the screw 19, driving the drive shaft 5 to rotate. The drive shaft 5 then rotates the rocker arm 6 to provide a power assist function.

[0065] In a specific scenario, Figure 3 As shown, the second pipe 15 is provided at the top of the first housing 1, and a plurality of oil outlet holes 16 are spaced apart along the axial surface of the second pipe 15 and correspondingly located above the screw rod 19. In addition, a plurality of oil inlet channels 23 may also be provided.

[0066] In order to reduce the friction between the movable nut 27 and the screw rod 19, the screw rod and nut mechanism is preferably a ball screw and a ball nut sleeved on the ball screw and moving along the axial direction thereof.

[0067] In one embodiment of the transmission connection between the movable nut 27 and the drive shaft 5, Figure 4 As shown, a rack 26 is provided on the movable nut 27, and a gear fan 25 engaging with the rack 26 is provided on the drive shaft 5. The gear fan 25 can also be a complete gear. The movable nut 27 moves through the rack 26 to drive the gear fan 25 to rotate, that is, to drive the drive shaft 5 to rotate. The reciprocating movement of the movable nut 27 can drive the drive shaft 5 to rotate forward and reverse, thereby realizing the bidirectional movement of the rocker arm 6.

[0068] In one embodiment, if Figure 5 As shown, the oil drive device includes an oil pump assembly and a one-way valve (21, 22) connected to the oil pump assembly through a pipeline and located upstream and downstream of the oil pump assembly ( Figure 5The upstream one-way valve 22 is located at the bottom of the first housing 1, and the downstream one-way valve 21 is located at the top of the first housing 1. The one-way valves (21, 22) are used to allow lubricating oil to flow from the first pipeline 12 to the second pipeline 15 in the circulating oil circuit, preventing the lubricating oil from flowing back. The oil pumping assembly is in transmission connection with the movable nut 27, and the movement of the movable nut 27 provides the power for pumping oil. The oil drive device uses the two upstream and downstream one-way valves (21, 22) to allow lubricating oil to flow only from the oil inlet channel 23 to the oil outlet 16. The oil pumping assembly uses the reciprocating movement of the movable nut 27 as power, and achieves oil suction and pumping in a linked manner, eliminating the need for other power devices and reducing the size of the device.

[0069] Oil-based drive units include oil pump components, such as Figure 5-6 As shown, the oil pump assembly includes a pump housing 29, a sealed piston 35 slidingly arranged in the pump housing 29, and a transmission member. One end of the pump housing 29 is connected to the circulating oil circuit, and the other end is slidably penetrated by a transmission member. The transmission member slides through the pump housing 29 and is respectively connected to the piston 35 and the movable nut 27 at both ends. The movable nut 27 reciprocates the piston 35 through the transmission member to achieve oil suction and oil pumping. The oil pump assembly is fixed in the first housing 1 through the connecting pipe 24 and connected to the circulating oil circuit. The two ends of the transmission member are fixedly connected to the piston 35 and the movable nut 27. When the movable nut 27 reciprocates, it drives the sealed piston 35 to reciprocate in the pump housing 29. When the piston 35 moves to one side, the downstream one-way valve 21 prevents backflow, and the oil is sucked into the pump housing 29 through the first pipe 12. When the piston 35 moves in the opposite direction, the upstream one-way valve 22 prevents backflow to achieve oil pumping.

[0070] The pump housing 29 is preferably cylindrical, and a seal may be provided at the sliding connection with the transmission member.

[0071] Based on the oil pump assembly including the pump housing 29, the piston 35 and the transmission parts, such as Figure 6 As shown, the oil pump assembly also includes an elastic member 34 disposed within the pump housing 29 to drive the piston 35 to reset and move. The elastic member 34 is used to reset the piston 35 after being pushed by the movable nut 27, allowing it to absorb or pump oil. A transmission member abuts and connects to the movable nut 27. The elastic member 34 is preferably a spring, disposed within the pump housing 29 to push or pull the piston 35 to reset. The transmission member abuts and connects to the movable nut 27. The movable nut 27 can only push the piston 35 in one direction, and in conjunction with the reset movement of the spring, it can reciprocate the piston 35 to absorb and pump oil. The elastic member 34 and the movable nut 27 each move in one direction, and the movable nut 27 cooperates to achieve reciprocating motion, allowing the transmission member to abut the movable nut 27, decoupling them and facilitating production and subsequent maintenance and replacement.

[0072] In one specific embodiment, Figure 6 As shown, the elastic member 34 is provided on the side of the piston 35 facing away from the movable nut 27, pushing the piston 35 to return and move to absorb oil; the movable nut 27 pushes the piston 35 to compress the spring through the transmission member to pump oil.

[0073] In another embodiment, an elastic member 34 is located on the side of the piston 35 near the movable nut 27, pushing the piston 35 to one side to pump oil. The movable nut 27 drives the piston 35 through the transmission member, compressing the spring and moving it in the opposite direction to absorb oil. In this mode, the spring can be mounted outside the transmission member.

[0074] like Figure 6 As shown, the transmission member includes a telescopic rod 28 and a pressure plate 30 provided at one end of the telescopic rod 28. The pressure plate 30 is used to increase the connection surface with the movable nut 27, increase the pressure surface and reduce the contact surface pressure.

[0075] In one embodiment, if Figure 5 As shown, a hard bypass tube 11 is provided between the first pipe 12 and the second pipe 15. The bypass tube 11 includes an annular structure 39 for passing the screw rod 19. Both ends of the bypass tube 11 are connected to one-way valves (21, 22) that allow oil to flow to the oil outlet 16. In a specific application, the bypass tube 11 includes an annular structure 39 and branch pipes 38 connected to both sides thereof. The branch pipes 38 on both sides are connected to the first pipe 12 and the second pipe 15 respectively through the one-way valves (21, 22). The oil pump assembly is connected to the pipeline between the two one-way valves (21, 22) through a pipeline. This design allows the screw rod 19 to pass through the annular structure 39 of the bypass tube 11 without affecting the power-assisted rotation. The bypass tube 11, the one-way valve (21, 22) and other components can be arranged on the outside of the first shell 1 for decoupling, which is convenient for production and maintenance.

[0076] like Figure 5 As shown, the avoidance pipe 11 is arranged outside the first shell 1, and the oil pump assembly is arranged inside the first shell 1. One end of the oil pump assembly is connected to the movable nut 27, and the other end passes through the first shell 1 through a pipeline to connect to the avoidance pipe 11.

[0077] In certain embodiments, as Figure 5 As shown, both ends of the second pipeline 15 and the first pipeline 12 are connected by pipelines to form two circulating oil circuits, that is, the same-phase ends of the first pipeline 12 and the second pipeline 15 are connected to the inner cavity of the first shell 1 through pipelines to form a circulating oil circuit, and the same-phase ends of the first pipeline 12 and the second pipeline 15 are also connected to the inner cavity of the first shell 1 through pipelines to form a circulating oil circuit. Each circulating cruise ship is provided with an oil pump assembly and a one-way valve (21, 22) located upstream and downstream of the oil pump assembly. The two oil pump assemblies are respectively arranged on both sides of the moving nut 27 in the moving direction. When the moving nut 27 moves, the oil pump assembly on one side absorbs oil and the oil pump assembly on the other side pumps oil. Through the two circulating oil circuits located on both sides of the moving direction of the moving nut 27, the pistons 35 on both sides move in the same direction when the moving nut 27 moves, realizing synchronous drive with opposite oil displacement actions, which can significantly improve the circulation efficiency.

[0078] In one embodiment, if Figure 3-4 As shown, the first shell 1 is provided with a limiting guide, which is used to limit the rotation of the moving nut 27 and provide a moving guide. By sliding against the moving nut 27, the limiting guide can limit the rotation of the moving nut 27 when the screw rod 19 rotates, so that the moving nut 27 moves axially along the screw rod 19 under the driving force of the thread, thereby providing a guide.

[0079] Preferably, as shown, Figure 5 The first shell 1 is provided with a filter screen 32 at the bottom, and the oil inlet channel 23 is located below the filter screen 32.

[0080] Based on the limiting guide provided in the first shell 1, as shown, Figure 3-5 The limiting guide includes guide blocks 17 provided on opposite sides of the bottom of the first shell 1, which are arranged axially in parallel with the screw rod 19, and the moving nut 27 slides between the two guide blocks 17. The opposite sides of the guide blocks 17 are provided with mounting grooves 18, and the mounting grooves 18 are provided with filter screens 32. The oil inlet channel 23 is located below the filter screen 32. The two guide blocks 17 form a limiting anti-rotation effect and a guide effect on the opposite sides of the moving nut 27, and the mounting grooves 18 are provided on the opposite sides of the guide blocks 17 for mounting the filter screen 32, which filters the lubricating oil from above and intercepts impurities such as iron filings. The gap between the two guide blocks 17 above the filter screen 32 allows the moving nut 27 to slide, and at the same time, it can deposit impurities such as iron filings, so that the filtered lubricating oil flows into the oil inlet channel 23, reducing the flow of impurities; pulling out the filter screen 32 can clean the impurities, facilitating maintenance.

[0081] Based on the mounting grooves 18 provided with the filter screen 32, as shown, Figure 5 The filter screen 32 is provided with a frame 31 at the edge, and the opposite sides of the frame 31 are respectively connected to the two mounting grooves 18. The mounting grooves 18 are adapted to the mounting frame 31, and the filter screen 32 is mounted through the frame 31 and slidably embedded in the other two mounting grooves 18, which facilitates the extraction and insertion of the filter screen 32 and the stable connection of the filter screen 32.

[0082] Preferably, as shown, Figure 5 The first shell 1 is provided with a heating element 33 at the bottom, which is used to heat the lubricating oil at the oil inlet channel 23, so as to quickly start the lubricating screw rod 19 in a low-temperature environment (such as winter). The heating element 33 can be a heating pad, which is provided below the filter screen 32.

[0083] In some embodiments, as shown, Figure 1 , 4 and Figure 7As shown, the first housing 1 is provided with a power-assist mechanism for driving the screw 19 to rotate. The power-assist mechanism includes a driving member 3 that is in transmission connection with the screw 19 and drives the screw 19 to rotate. The driving member 3 drives the screw 19 to rotate, thereby moving the movable nut 27, driving the drive shaft 5 to rotate, causing the rocker arm 6 to swing, thereby achieving a power-assisting effect.

[0084] The first housing 1 is provided with a power-assisting mechanism for driving the screw rod 19 to rotate. Figure 1 and 7 As shown, the power-assist mechanism further includes a protective shell 7 provided on the first housing 1. The protective shell 7 can be connected to the end of the first housing 1 via a connecting seat 8. A driven pulley 10 is rotatably provided in the protective shell 7. The driving member 3 is preferably a motor. A driving pulley 36 is provided at the output end of the motor. The driving pulley 36 is connected to the driven pulley 10 via an annular transmission belt 20. The driven pulley 10 is circumferentially fixedly connected to the screw rod 19, that is, circumferentially fixed to the screw rod 19. The power-assist mechanism can be decoupled from the first housing 1 by the protective shell 7. The screw rod 19 is connected to the driven pulley 10. The driving pulley 36 at the output end of the motor is connected to the driven pulley 10 via a transmission belt 20, which can drive the screw rod 19 to rotate. The transmission belt 20 connection method allows friction and sliding between the transmission belt 20 and the pulley when the pulley rotation is blocked, thereby avoiding damage to the device under extreme restrictions.

[0085] In addition, the driving pulley 36 and the driven pulley 10 may also be gears, directly meshing and transmitting the power or transmitting the power through a transmission chain (transmission belt 20).

[0086] Preferably, if Figure 7 As shown, the driven pulley 10 is provided with an internal spline 13, and the screw 19 includes a spline plug 14, which is provided with an external spline. The driven pulley is sleeved on the screw 19 through the spline structure to achieve a transmission connection. The spline structure makes the driven pulley 10 and the screw 19 coaxial, which can reduce the shear force in the circumferential direction compared to the transmission of two gears meshing on the outer circumference.

[0087] like Figure 3 As shown, a drain port 4 is provided at the bottom of the first housing 1 for draining waste liquid. An oil drain bolt can be provided at the drain port 4, and the oil drain bolt can be unscrewed to drain the oil.

[0088] In a specific application, a ball screw 19 is rotatably provided in the first housing 1, and a ball nut is provided on the ball screw 19. A second pipe 15 and a first pipe 12 are respectively provided at the top and bottom ends of the first housing 1. The first pipe 12 is provided with an oil inlet channel 23 connected to the inner cavity of the first housing 1, and the second pipe 15 is provided with an oil outlet hole 16 connected to the inner cavity of the first housing 1. The oil outlet hole 16 is provided corresponding to the screw 19; the first pipe 12 and the second pipe 15 are connected to the inner cavity of the first housing 1 through a pipeline to form a circulating oil circuit, and an oil pumping assembly and a one-way valve (21, 22) located upstream and downstream of the oil pumping assembly are provided on the circulating oil circuit. One end of the pump housing 29 of the oil pumping assembly is connected to the circulating oil circuit, and the other end is slidably connected to the telescopic rod 28. A piston 35 is sealed in the pump housing 29. One end of the telescopic rod 28 is connected to the piston 35, and the other end abuts the movable nut 27 (ball nut). When the movable nut 27 moves, it pushes the piston 35 to move and pumps oil under the action of the one-way valve (21, 22). A spring is provided in the pump housing 29 to reset the movable piston 35, when the spring returns to the piston 35, the oil is sucked into the pump housing 29; the opposite sides of the bottom of the first housing 1 are provided with guide blocks 17 parallel to the axial direction of the screw rod 19, and the movable nut 27 is located between the two guide blocks 17 and slides against the two guide blocks 17. The two guide blocks 17 are provided with mounting grooves 18 on the opposite sides, and a frame 31 is slidable in the mounting grooves 18. A filter screen 32 is provided in the frame 31, and the oil inlet channel 23 is provided below the filter screen 32; a heating pad is provided at the bottom of the first housing 1; both sides of the first housing 1 are provided with The circulating oil circuit and its oil displacement device improve the circulation efficiency; a second housing 2 is provided on the first housing 1, a drive shaft 5 is provided in the second housing 2, one end of the drive shaft 5 is meshed with the movable nut 27, and the other end is provided with a rocker arm 6; a protective shell 7 is provided at one end of the transverse housing, the motor is provided on the protective shell 7, and the output shaft is provided with a driving pulley 36, and a driven pulley 10 is provided in the protective shell 7. The driven pulley 10 is connected to the driving pulley 36 through an annular transmission belt 20, and the driven pulley 10 is sleeved and meshed on the outer periphery of the screw rod 19.

[0089] When in use, the motor drives the driven pulley 10 to rotate through the transmission belt 20, and the driven pulley 10 is keyed to the screw rod 19 to drive the screw rod 19 to rotate. The rotation of the screw rod 19 causes the movable nut 27 to move axially, and the movable nut 27 drives the drive shaft 5 to rotate through the rack 26 meshing gear fan 25, so that the rocker arm 6 rotates to achieve a power assist effect; at the same time, when the movable nut 27 moves, it pushes the piston 35 to move, and under the action of the one-way valve (21, 22), the oil pumping assembly sucks oil or pumps oil. When the movable nut 27 moves in the opposite direction, under the action of the one-way valve (21, 22), the oil pumping assembly performs an action opposite to the oil driving action. When sucking oil, the lubricating oil flows into the oil pumping assembly through the oil inlet channel 23. When pumping oil, the lubricating oil is pumped out of the oil pumping assembly through the oil outlet hole 16 to lubricate the screw rod 19. The reciprocating movement of the movable nut 27 can realize cyclic oil suction and oil pumping.

[0090] Example 2

[0091] Another aspect of the present invention further provides a method for using a circulating lubricated electric power steering device. Using the circulating lubricated electric power steering device provided by the present invention, the method comprises:

[0092] S1. Use the oil drive device to suck the lubricating oil in the first housing 1 through the oil inlet channel 23, pump it out through the oil outlet hole 16 of the second pipe 15 and sprinkle it on the screw 19, so that the lubricating oil enters the oil inlet channel 23 to form a circulation;

[0093] S2. Rotate the screw rod 19 to drive the movable nut 27 to move, so that the movable nut 27 drives the driving shaft 5 to rotate, and the driving shaft 5 drives the rocker arm 6 to rotate.

[0094] According to a method for using a circulating lubrication electric power steering device provided by the present invention, in step S1, the method of using an oil drive device to suck the lubricating oil in the first housing 1 through the oil inlet channel 23, pumping it out through the oil outlet hole 16 of the second pipe 15 and sprinkling it on the screw rod 19 includes:

[0095] S11. The moving nut 27 is driven by the transmission member or under the action of the elastic member 34 to move the piston 35 to one side. Under the action of the one-way valve (21, 22), the piston 35 moves through the oil inlet channel 23 to absorb oil into the pump housing 29;

[0096] S12, the movable nut 27 moves in the opposite direction, driven by the transmission member or under the action of the elastic member 34, and the piston 35 moves in the opposite direction, and the oil in the pump housing 29 is pumped into the first housing 1 through the oil outlet 16 under the action of the two one-way valves (21, 22).

[0097] According to a method for using a circulating lubrication electric power steering device provided by the present invention, in step S11, the method of moving the moving nut 27 is driven by a transmission member or moves the piston 35 to one side under the action of an elastic member 34, including rotating the screw rod 19 so that the moving nut 27 rotates relative to the screw rod 19 under the limiting action of a limiting guide member, guiding the moving nut 27 to move axially along the screw rod 19.

[0098] According to a method for using a circulating lubrication electric power steering device provided by the present invention, in step S2, the method of rotating the screw rod 19 to drive the moving nut 27 to move includes:

[0099] S21. Use the driving member 3 to drive the driving pulley 36 to rotate, and drive the driven pulley 10 to rotate through the transmission belt 20, thereby driving the screw rod 19 connected to the driven pulley 10 to rotate.

[0100] The basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention are shown and described above. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The above embodiments and descriptions are merely illustrative of the principles of the present invention. Various changes and modifications may be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Such changes and modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the present invention. The scope of protection claimed in the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A circulating lubrication electric power steering gear, characterized in that: The invention comprises a screw nut mechanism arranged in a first housing (1) and a drive shaft (5) arranged in a second housing (2) and connected to the power output end of the screw nut mechanism through a transmission structure. One end of the drive shaft (5) is fixedly connected to a rocker arm (6). The drive shaft (5) can be rotated by the power provided by the screw nut mechanism and synchronously drive the rocker arm (6) to swing. A circulating oil circuit and an oil drive device for lubricating the screw nut mechanism are provided in the first housing (1). The screw nut mechanism comprises a screw (19) with one end passing through the first housing (1) and connected to a motor, and a movable nut (27) connected to the screw (19).

2. The circulating lubrication electric power steering according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first housing (1) is provided with a second pipe (15) and a first pipe (12) located at the bottom. The second pipe (15) is provided with an oil outlet hole (16) communicating with the inner cavity of the first housing (1) and facing the screw rod (19). The first pipe (12) is provided with an oil inlet channel (23) communicating with the inner cavity of the first housing (1). The second pipe (15) and the first pipe (12) are connected to the inner cavity of the first housing (1) to form the circulating oil circuit.

3. The circulating lubrication electric power steering according to claim 2, characterized in that: The oil drive device comprises an oil pump assembly and one-way valves (21, 22) connected to the oil pump assembly via a pipeline and respectively located upstream and downstream of the oil pump assembly. The oil pump assembly is in transmission connection with a movable nut (27), and the movement of the movable nut (27) provides oil pumping power.

4. The circulating lubrication electric power steering according to claim 2, characterized in that: The oil pump assembly includes a pump housing (29), a sealing piston (35) slidably arranged in the pump housing (29), and a transmission member that slides through the pump housing (29) and is respectively connected to the piston (35) and the movable nut (27) at both ends. The movable nut (27) reciprocates the piston (35) through the transmission member to achieve oil suction and oil pumping.

5. The circulating lubrication electric power steering according to claim 3, characterized in that: The oil pump assembly further includes an elastic member (34) disposed in the pump housing (29) for driving the piston (35) to reset and move. The elastic member (34) is used to reset the piston (35) after being pushed by the movable nut (27) to absorb or pump oil. The transmission member abuts against the movable nut (27).

6. A circulating lubrication electric power steering according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that: Both ends of the second pipeline (15) and the first pipeline (12) are connected by pipelines to form two circulating oil circuits. The two oil pumping assemblies are respectively arranged on both sides of the moving nut (27) in the moving direction. When the moving nut (27) moves, the oil pumping assembly on one side absorbs oil and the oil pumping assembly on the other side pumps oil.

7. A circulating lubrication electric power steering according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: A limiting guide is provided in the first housing (1) for limiting the rotation of the movable nut (27) and providing a movable guiding function; the limiting guide comprises guide blocks (17) provided on opposite sides of the bottom of the first housing (1), and the movable nut (27) slides and abuts between the two guide blocks (17); a mounting groove (18) is provided on the opposite sides of the guide blocks (17), and a filter (32) is provided in the mounting groove (18), and the oil inlet channel (23) is located below the filter (32).

8. The circulating lubrication electric power steering device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first housing (1) is provided with a power-assisting mechanism for driving the screw rod (19) to rotate; the power-assisting mechanism comprises a driving member (3) that is transmission-connected to the screw rod (19) and drives the screw rod (19) to rotate.

9. The circulating lubrication electric power steering according to claim 8, characterized in that: The power-assisting mechanism further comprises a protective shell (7), a driven pulley (10) being rotatably provided in the protective shell (7), the driving member (3) comprising a motor having a driving pulley (36) provided at the output end, the driving pulley (36) being connected to the driven pulley (10) via an annular transmission belt (20), and the driven pulley (10) being connected to the screw rod (19).

10. A method for using a circulating lubrication electric power steering device, characterized in that: Using the circulating lubrication electric power steering device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, the method comprises: An oil drive device is used to suck the lubricating oil in the first housing (1) through the oil inlet passage (23), and pumped out through the oil outlet hole (16) of the second pipe (15) and sprinkled on the screw rod (19), so that the lubricating oil enters the oil inlet passage (23) to form a circulation; The screw rod (19) is rotated to drive the movable nut (27) to move, so that the movable nut (27) drives the driving shaft (5) to rotate, thereby causing the driving shaft (5) to drive the rocker arm (6) to rotate.

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