Steering system and vehicle with same

Abstract

The steering system comprises a power assembly and a transmission assembly, the power assembly is used for outputting steering torque, the transmission assembly is in transmission connection with the power assembly, and the transmission assembly is used for receiving the steering torque and conducting speed reduction and torque increase. The transmission assembly at least comprises a first speed reducing mechanism and a second speed reducing mechanism, the first speed reducing mechanism and the second speed reducing mechanism are sequentially arranged in the first direction and are in transmission connection, the power assembly is arranged on one side, in the second direction, of the first speed reducing mechanism and / or the second speed reducing mechanism in a spaced mode, and the second direction intersects with the first direction. According to the steering system disclosed by the embodiment of the invention, the occupied space of the steering system in the first direction can be reduced, so that the steering system has more advantages in space utilization rate and overall vehicle layout reasonability, and the steering system disclosed by the invention can be applied to vehicle types with relatively narrow layout space, such as medium trucks or light trucks.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vehicle steering technology, and in particular to a steering system and a vehicle having the same. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of pure electric platforms, pure electric steering systems have become a key area of ​​research for various manufacturers.

[0003] However, existing technologies, whether traditional recirculating ball architecture or emerging planetary gear architecture, are not compact enough at the system level. The layout between different transmission stages is loose, resulting in a large steering system size, high space occupation, and insufficient compactness, which affects the overall vehicle layout and makes adjustments inflexible. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, this invention proposes a steering system that has advantages in space utilization and overall vehicle layout rationality, solving the technical problems of large size and high space occupation in existing steering systems, and improving the output torque per unit mass.

[0005] The present invention also aims to provide a vehicle having the above-described steering system.

[0006] A steering system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a power assembly for outputting steering torque; and a transmission assembly for receiving the steering torque and performing deceleration and torque amplification. The transmission assembly includes at least a first deceleration mechanism and a second deceleration mechanism, the first deceleration mechanism and the second deceleration mechanism being arranged sequentially and drivenly connected along a first direction. The power assembly is disposed on one side of the first deceleration mechanism and / or the second deceleration mechanism in a second direction, the second direction intersecting the first direction.

[0007] According to the present invention, by arranging the power assembly on one side of the first deceleration mechanism and / or the second deceleration mechanism in the second direction, the space occupied by the steering system in the first direction can be reduced. This makes the steering system more advantageous in terms of space utilization and overall vehicle layout rationality, thereby enabling the steering system of this application to be used in medium or light trucks, which have relatively limited layout space, expanding the applicability of the steering system and reducing the difficulty of the steering system layout in the vehicle.

[0008] In some embodiments, the steering system further includes a hand force input component for receiving steering hand force from the driver, the hand force input component being disposed on one side of the first deceleration mechanism in a second direction and arranged sequentially with the power component in the circumferential direction of the first deceleration mechanism.

[0009] In some embodiments, the transmission assembly further includes a third reduction mechanism, which is used to realize the transmission connection between the power assembly and the first reduction mechanism for performing a first-stage reduction and torque amplification on the steering torque; wherein, the third reduction mechanism is a bevel gear set, the bevel gear set includes a first driving bevel gear and a first driven bevel gear meshing with each other, the first driving bevel gear is fixedly connected to the first output shaft of the power assembly, and the first driven bevel gear is fixedly connected to at least a portion of the first reduction mechanism.

[0010] In some embodiments, the first tooth of the first driven bevel gear has a first portion and a second portion. In the height direction of the first tooth, the first portion is disposed on the outer surface of the second portion. The first portion is a non-metallic part, and the second portion is a metallic part. The first portion is a polyurethane part, a polyoxymethylene part, a polycaprolactam part, or a polyhexamethylene adipamide part. And / or, at the connection between the first portion and the second portion, the second portion is provided with a connecting protrusion and / or a connecting recess.

[0011] In some embodiments, the steering system further includes a coupling fixedly connected to the outer periphery of the first output shaft. A connecting sleeve is provided on the first drive bevel gear, and the connecting sleeve is fitted onto the outer periphery of the coupling, with a limiting fit between the connecting sleeve and the coupling in the circumferential direction. The coupling includes an inner ring and a damping block. At least two first mating protrusions are provided radially inside the connecting sleeve, and a mating groove is defined between two adjacent first mating protrusions. The inner ring is fixedly connected to the first output shaft, and a second mating protrusion is provided on its outer periphery. The connecting sleeve is fitted onto the outer periphery of the inner ring, and the second mating protrusion is located within the mating groove. The damping block is located within the mating groove and between the first and second mating protrusions.

[0012] In some embodiments, the first deceleration mechanism is used to perform two-stage deceleration and torque amplification on the steering torque; wherein, the first deceleration mechanism includes a support shaft, a first fixed gear, a driving gear and a driven gear, the driving gear is sleeved on the outer periphery of the support shaft, the first driven bevel gear is sleeved on the outer periphery of the driving gear, the first driven bevel gear is used to drive the driving gear and the support shaft to rotate, and the first fixed gear and the driven gear are respectively located at the axial ends of the driving gear and respectively mesh with the driving gear.

[0013] In some embodiments, the two axial ends of the support shaft are respectively supported on the first fixed gear and the driven gear, the central axis of the support shaft extends along a first direction, and an angle θ is formed between the central axis of the outer peripheral wall of the support shaft and the central axis of the support shaft; and / or, the driving gear has a main body and a weight-reducing part, the main body meshes with the first fixed gear and the driven gear respectively, the axial middle part of the main body is provided with a receiving groove, and the weight-reducing part is disposed in the receiving groove; wherein, the weight-reducing part is a lightweight material component, and the weight-reducing part includes a plurality of weight-reducing parts, which are arranged sequentially in the circumferential direction of the main body.

[0014] In some embodiments, the number of teeth of the first fixed gear is Z1, the number of teeth on the driving gear that mesh with the first fixed gear is Z2, wherein Z2 > Z1; and / or, the number of teeth of the driven gear is Z4, the number of teeth on the driving gear that mesh with the driven gear is Z3, wherein Z3 > Z4.

[0015] In some embodiments, the steering system further includes a housing having a receiving cavity formed therein with openings at both ends, the first reduction mechanism being disposed within the receiving cavity, and the first fixed gear being located at one of the openings and fixedly connected to the housing to form a first end cap of the housing.

[0016] In some embodiments, the input end of the second reduction mechanism is fixedly connected to the driven gear of the first reduction mechanism, and the output end of the second reduction mechanism is connected to the second output shaft of the steering system. The second reduction mechanism is used to reduce and increase the steering torque in three stages. The second reduction mechanism is a planetary reduction mechanism, which includes a planet carrier, a sun gear, multiple planet gears, and a second fixed gear. The planet carrier is rotatably mounted on the driven gear. The sun gear is fixedly connected to the driven gear. The multiple planet gears are spaced apart on the outer periphery of the sun gear and mesh with it. Each planet gear has a planet shaft, which is fixedly connected to the planet carrier. Each planet gear can rotate relative to the planet shaft. The second fixed gear is sleeved on the outer periphery of the multiple planet gears. The second fixed gear has internal teeth that mesh with the multiple planet gears. The second output shaft is fixedly connected to the planet carrier via the planet shaft.

[0017] In some embodiments, the second deceleration mechanism is disposed within the receiving cavity, and the second fixed gear is located at another of the openings and is fixedly connected to the housing to form a second end cap of the housing.

[0018] In some embodiments, the steering system further includes a manual force input component, the third output shaft of which is connected to the second reduction mechanism in a transmission manner; wherein a second driving bevel gear is formed on the third output shaft, and the driven gear of the first reduction mechanism is provided with a second driven bevel gear that meshes with the second driving bevel gear.

[0019] In some embodiments, the steering system further includes a hand force input component, a first angle sensor, and a second angle sensor, wherein the first angle sensor is used to identify the rotation angle and rotation angle difference of the third output shaft of the hand force input component, and the second angle sensor is used to identify the rotation angle of the second output shaft.

[0020] In some embodiments, a connecting disk is fixedly connected to the outer periphery of the second output shaft, the connecting disk is fixedly connected to the planetary shaft, the side of the connecting disk opposite to the planetary shaft is provided with a second gear tooth, and the input end of the second angle sensor is provided with an input gear, the input gear meshing with the second gear tooth.

[0021] The vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the aforementioned steering system.

[0022] According to embodiments of the present invention, by employing the aforementioned steering system, the space utilization of the vehicle can be improved and the layout difficulty of the steering system can be reduced.

[0023] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description which follows, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0024] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a steering system according to some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 2 This is an exploded view of a steering system according to some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of a steering system according to some embodiments of the present invention, wherein the cutting line passes through the power assembly; Figure 4 for Figure 3 Enlarged view of the middle section structure; Figure 5 for Figure 3 An enlarged view of another part of the structure; Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the structure of the first driven bevel gear according to some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the power assembly and the controller in some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 8 This is an exploded view of the coupling and the first driving bevel gear in some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional view of a power assembly according to some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional view of a steering system according to some embodiments of the present invention, wherein the cutting line passes through the manual force input component; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of a hand force input component according to some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 12 This is a cross-sectional view of a hand force input component according to some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 13 for Figure 12 Sectional view along line AA; Figure 14 for Figure 12 Sectional view along line BB; Figure 15 for Figure 12 Sectional view along line CC; Figure 16 This is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the structure of a steering system according to some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 17 for Figure 16 A magnified view of region I in the middle; Figure 18 This is a technical architecture diagram of a steering system according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0025] Figure label: 1000. Steering system; 100. Manual force input component; 110. Third output shaft; 111. Second drive bevel gear; 120. Input shaft; 121. Sector gear; 101. Torsion bar; 105. Eleventh bearing; 106. Twelfth bearing; 107. Thirteenth bearing; 108. Sealing ring; 200. Power assembly; 210. First output shaft; 220. Motor; 230. First bearing; 300. Transmission assembly; 310. First reduction mechanism; 311. Support shaft; 312. First... 313. Fixed gear; 3131. Driving gear; 3132. Main body; 3133. Weight reduction part; 314. Driven gear; 315. Second bearing; 316. Third bearing; 317. Fourth bearing; 318. Fifth bearing; 319. Sixth bearing; 3191. Seventh bearing; 3192. Collar; 320. Third reduction mechanism; 321. First driving bevel gear; 3211. Connecting bushing; 3212. First mating protrusion; 3213. Mating groove; 322. First driven bevel gear; 3221. Part 1; 3222; Part 2; 330; Second Reduction Mechanism; 331; Planet Carrier; 332; Sun Gear; 333; Planet Gears; 334; Second Stator Gear; 335; Planet Shaft; 308; Ninth Bearing; 336; Bolt; 337; Locking Washer; 338; Tenth Bearing; 339; Needle Roller Thrust Bearing; 3391; Main Support Bearing; 3392; Sealing Gasket; 340; Eighth Bearing; 400; Coupling; 410; Inner Ring; 411; Second Mating Protrusion; 420 500. Damping block; 510. Housing; 520. Receiving cavity; 521. Mounting lug; 530. Upper housing; 540. Dust cover; 541. Cable exit nut; 600. Second output shaft; 610. Connecting disc; 611. Second gear tooth; 700. First angle sensor; 710. Sensor body; 720. Fan ring; 800. Second angle sensor; 810. Input gear; 603. Set screw; 900. Controller; 910. First wiring harness; 920. Second wiring harness. Detailed Implementation

[0026] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0027] It should be noted that in the existing technology, steering gears based on recirculating ball architecture are limited by transmission efficiency, resulting in low power density, poor transmission rigidity, and low output torque per unit mass, which significantly limits the improvement of output performance. On the other hand, planetary gear-based architectures have more transmission stages, complex structures, a large number of parts, and large response inertia, making it difficult to meet the high-speed response and lightweight requirements of light commercial vehicles.

[0028] To solve the above problems, combined with Figures 1-18 As shown, this application proposes a steering system 1000.

[0029] The steering system 1000 of the present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0030] Combination Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, a steering system 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a power assembly 200 and a transmission assembly 300.

[0031] The power unit 200 is used to output steering torque.

[0032] In specific examples, such as Figure 1 As shown, the power component 200 includes a motor 220, which mainly provides power to the transmission component 300 and drives the transmission component 300 to rotate according to a specific motion law.

[0033] The transmission assembly 300 is connected to the power assembly 200. The transmission assembly 300 is used to receive steering torque and reduce speed while increasing torque. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the transmission assembly 300 includes at least a first reduction mechanism 310 and a second reduction mechanism 330, which are arranged sequentially and connected in a transmission manner along a first direction. It should be noted that the first direction referred to here can be understood as... Figure 2 The X direction shown is the axial direction of the steering system 1000.

[0034] By utilizing the transmission component 300 to receive steering torque and reduce speed to increase torque, the output torque can be significantly improved to meet the power assist requirements.

[0035] Combination Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the power assembly 200 is disposed on one side of the first reduction mechanism 310 and / or the second reduction mechanism 330 in a second direction, which intersects with the first direction. This means that the power assembly 200 is disposed on one side of the first reduction mechanism 310 in the second direction; or, the power assembly 200 is disposed on one side of the second reduction mechanism 330 in the second direction; or, the power assembly 200 is disposed on one side of the first reduction mechanism 310 and the second reduction mechanism 330 in the second direction, where the second direction can be understood as the radial direction of the steering system 1000.

[0036] With the above arrangement, the arrangement direction of the power assembly 200 relative to the first reduction mechanism 310 intersects with the arrangement direction of the first reduction mechanism 310 and the second reduction mechanism 330, thereby forming a "cross-type T-shaped" technical layout of the power assembly 200, the first reduction mechanism 310 and the second reduction mechanism 330 of this application. This reduces the space occupied by the steering system 1000 in the first direction, making the steering system 1000 more advantageous in terms of space utilization and overall vehicle layout rationality. As a result, the steering system 1000 of this application can be used in medium or light trucks, which have relatively limited layout space, thus expanding the applicability of the steering system 1000 and reducing the layout difficulty of the steering system 1000 in the vehicle.

[0037] In a specific example, the arrangement direction of the first reduction mechanism 310 and the second reduction mechanism 330 is taken as the main axis direction of the steering system 1000. The power assembly 200 is arranged in the radial direction of the outer periphery of the first reduction mechanism 310 along the direction perpendicular to the main axis. The first reduction mechanism 310 and the second reduction mechanism 330 are connected together to realize power transmission. Thus, the power assembly 200, the first reduction mechanism 310 and the second reduction mechanism 330 together complete the "cross-shaped T-shaped" transmission layout.

[0038] As can be seen from the above structure, the steering system 1000 of the present invention can make the steering system 1000 of this application compact, reduce the axial dimension of the steering system 1000, make full use of the radial dimension of the steering system 1000, have high space utilization, reduce the assembly volume, and have a larger torque-to-weight ratio, thereby realizing the spatial layout of small trucks and buses.

[0039] It should also be noted that the reduced size of the steering system 1000 results in a higher degree of compact integration and a smaller overall space footprint. This leads to a more circular and spherical outer contour, resulting in higher overall rigidity and strength per unit mass. The modal frequency of the steering system 1000 is also increased, avoiding low-frequency resonance frequencies, thus optimizing the NVH (Noise, Vibration, and Harshness) characteristics of the steering system 1000.

[0040] Understandably, compared to the prior art, the steering system 1000 of this application is arranged in a "cross-shaped T-shape", that is, the power component 200 is arranged in the radial direction of the main shaft of the steering system 1000, making use of the unused radial space. The power component 200 and the main shaft of the steering system 1000 are arranged in a cross shape and can be arranged arbitrarily within 360° along the main shaft, which makes the axial dimension of the steering system 1000 smaller, so that the steering system 1000 can be arranged on light trucks, which have relatively limited space.

[0041] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the steering system 1000 also includes a housing 500, within which a receiving cavity 510 with openings at both ends is formed. The first deceleration mechanism 310 and the second deceleration mechanism 330 are both disposed within the receiving cavity 510. The housing 500 can protect and support the first deceleration mechanism 310 and the second deceleration mechanism 330, thereby improving the positional stability of the first deceleration mechanism 310 and the second deceleration mechanism 330, ensuring their working performance, and extending their service life, thus guaranteeing the working performance of the steering system 1000.

[0042] In a specific example, the housing 500 may be made of a high-strength aluminum alloy structure, combined with a special reinforcing structure to achieve a lightweight design for the housing 500.

[0043] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the steering system 1000 also includes a hand force input component 100, which receives the driver's steering hand force. The hand force input component 100 is located on one side of the first reduction mechanism 310 in the second direction and is arranged sequentially with the power component 200 in the circumferential direction of the first reduction mechanism 310. By setting the hand force input component 100 to receive the driver's steering hand force, it is possible to provide realistic road feel feedback and deterministic control, while also providing a foolproof mechanical safety backup. This allows the steering system 1000 to perfectly inherit the reliability and human-vehicle communication of traditional mechanical steering while gaining the intelligent, efficient, and flexible advantages of electric power steering.

[0044] Meanwhile, by placing the manual force input component 100 on one side of the first deceleration mechanism 310 in the second direction, the arrangement direction of the manual force input component 100 relative to the first deceleration mechanism 310 intersects with the arrangement direction of the first deceleration mechanism 310 and the second deceleration mechanism 330. This allows the manual force input component 100, the power component 200, the first deceleration mechanism 310, and the second deceleration mechanism 330 of this application to form a "cross-shaped V-shaped" technical layout, further reducing the space occupied by the steering system 1000 in the first direction. This makes the steering system 1000 more advantageous in terms of space utilization and overall vehicle layout rationality.

[0045] Furthermore, by arranging the manual force input component 100 and the power component 200 sequentially in the circumferential direction of the first deceleration mechanism 310, interference between the manual force input component 100 and the power component 200 can be avoided, reducing the assembly difficulty of the manual force input component 100 and the power component 200.

[0046] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the transmission assembly 300 also includes a third reduction mechanism 320, which is used to realize the transmission connection between the power assembly 200 and the first reduction mechanism 310, so as to perform a first-stage reduction and torque amplification on the steering torque. While reducing the difficulty of the transmission connection between the power assembly 200 and the first reduction mechanism 310, it can also significantly improve the output torque of the steering system 1000 to meet the power assist requirements.

[0047] In summary, the transmission component 300 of the steering system 1000 of this application has three stages (third reduction mechanism 320, first reduction mechanism 310 and second reduction mechanism 330). Compared with the multi-stage transmission in the prior art, the transmission chain of this application is shorter, thereby significantly reducing the moment of inertia of the transmission component 300, further improving the transmission efficiency, reducing power consumption loss, and significantly increasing the system response.

[0048] It is worth noting that although the transmission assembly 300 of this application has three stages, only two stages (the first reduction mechanism 310 and the second reduction mechanism 330) are arranged in the axial direction. The axial dimension is shortened, so that the shaft diameter ratio of the steering system 1000 tends to be 1. The whole is compact and easy to arrange in a miniaturized vehicle.

[0049] Optionally, combined Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the third reduction mechanism 320 is a bevel gear set, which includes a first driving bevel gear 321 and a first driven bevel gear 322 meshing with each other. The first driving bevel gear 321 is fixedly connected to the first output shaft 210 of the power assembly 200, and the first driven bevel gear 322 is at least partially fixedly connected to the first reduction mechanism 310. That is, the first driving bevel gear 321 and the first driven bevel gear 322 mesh to form a primary transmission gear set, and the bevel gear form changes the power transmission direction by 90°, from the axial direction of the motor 220 to the axial direction of the steering system 1000, which facilitates the transmission connection between the power assembly 200 and the first reduction mechanism 310.

[0050] In some embodiments, the first driving bevel gear 321 and the first driven bevel gear 322 are both helical gears. Since helical gears are subjected to less force, the amount of wear is reduced, which can significantly reduce gear meshing noise. Furthermore, the transmission process is continuous and smooth, and the transmission efficiency is high, which can effectively improve the efficiency of the third reduction mechanism 320.

[0051] In a specific example, the efficiency of the third reduction mechanism 320 can reach 90%~95%, and the transmission ratio of the third reduction mechanism 320 is relatively low, generally around 2.3.

[0052] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6 As shown, the first tooth of the first driven bevel gear 322 has a first part 3221 and a second part 3222. In the height direction of the first tooth, the first part 3221 is disposed on the outer surface of the second part 3222. The first part 3221 is a non-metallic part, and the second part 3222 is a metallic part. That is, in the cross section along the tooth direction of the first driven bevel gear 322, a complete first tooth is divided into two layers. The inner layer is the second part 3222, which is formed as a metallic part, and the outer layer is wrapped with a non-metallic material (the first part 3221). The first part 3221 is used to improve the meshing damping of the first driven bevel gear 322 and increase its elasticity, so as to improve the vibration reduction and impact resistance of the first driven bevel gear 322 and reduce noise.

[0053] Meanwhile, the second part 3222 of the inner layer is a metal part used to provide the tooth skeleton and ensure the transmission strength of the first driven bevel gear 322.

[0054] In other words, the third deceleration mechanism 320 can also play a role in vibration reduction and impact resistance, which is achieved by setting a first part 3221 made of non-metallic material.

[0055] Optionally, the first part 3221 is a polyurethane part, a polyoxymethylene part, a polycaprolactam part, or a polyhexamethylene adipamide part. This allows the first part 3221 to be formed as a non-metallic part, while ensuring the working performance of the first part 3221.

[0056] In other embodiments, the material of the first part 3221 can be different depending on the load requirements. For example, it can also be a polycaprolactam or polyhexamethylene adipamide reinforced with glass fiber, generally with 30% to 35% more glass fiber.

[0057] Optionally, at the connection between the first part 3221 and the second part 3222, the second part 3222 is provided with a mating protrusion and / or a mating recess (not shown in the figure). This is to achieve a roughening treatment on the second part 3222, thereby improving the mating strength between the first part 3221 and the second part 3222.

[0058] In summary, the third reduction mechanism 320 adopts a small speed ratio (2.3), with a small output torque and a high speed. At the same time, it adopts a non-metallic mating tooth surface, which controls tooth surface wear and introduces meshing damping to suppress the generation of high-speed noise while maintaining a basically consistent torsional rigidity.

[0059] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 3 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the steering system 1000 also includes a coupling 400, which is fixedly connected to the outer periphery of the first output shaft 210. A connecting sleeve 3211 is provided on the first drive bevel gear 321, and the connecting sleeve 3211 is fitted onto the outer periphery of the coupling 400. The connecting sleeve 3211 and the coupling 400 are in a limiting fit along the circumference of the coupling 400. Thus, when the first output shaft 210 drives the coupling 400 to rotate, the coupling 400 can drive the first drive bevel gear 321 to rotate, achieving the purpose of using the first output shaft 210 to drive the first drive bevel gear 321 to rotate, reducing the difficulty of rotating the first drive bevel gear 321.

[0060] Optionally, combined Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, the coupling 400 includes an inner ring 410 and a damping block 420. The connecting sleeve 3211 has at least two first mating protrusions 3212 radially inside, and a mating groove 3213 is defined between two adjacent first mating protrusions 3212. The inner ring 410 is fixedly connected to the first output shaft 210, and a second mating protrusion 411 is provided on the outer periphery of the inner ring 410. The connecting sleeve 3211 is fitted onto the outer periphery of the inner ring 410, and the second mating protrusion 411 is located within the mating groove 3213. The damping block 420 is located within the mating groove 3213 and between the first mating protrusions 3212 and the second mating protrusion 411. This allows the connecting sleeve 3211 to be in a limited fit with the coupling 400, facilitating the rotation of the first drive bevel gear 321 by the first output shaft 210.

[0061] In a specific example, the first output shaft 210 is plastically pressed into the inner hole of the inner ring 410 in the form of an interference spline, and is fixedly connected to it as a whole. The inner ring 410 extends into the connecting sleeve 3211 on the first driving bevel gear 321. The outer periphery of the inner ring 410 is provided with four second mating protrusions 411. The four second mating protrusions 411 and the four first mating protrusions 3212 in the connecting sleeve 3211 are arranged at intervals to form eight mounting grooves. Eight damping blocks 420 are correspondingly provided in the mounting grooves and located between the first mating protrusions 3212 and the second mating protrusions 411. The tooth surface of the second mating protrusion 411 is completely in contact with the fan surface of the damping block 420, so that the connecting sleeve 3211 and the coupling 400 are in a limited fit. The inner ring 410 and the first driving bevel gear 321 transmit power, block vibration and reduce impact by compressing the damping blocks 420.

[0062] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 3 , Figure 7 and Figure 9 The power assembly 200 also includes a first bearing 230. The inner ring of the first bearing 230 is press-fitted into the outer circular surface of the connecting bushing 3211. The outer ring of the first bearing 230 is clearance-fitted with the mounting hole of the power assembly 200 on the housing 500. The first bearing 230 provides radial support for the first drive bevel gear 321. The upper and lower end faces of the first bearing 230 are respectively in contact with the flange end face of the motor 220 and the shoulder of the first drive bevel gear 321 to limit the axial displacement of the first drive bevel gear 321.

[0063] In some embodiments, the motor 220 is connected to the housing 500 by three bolts and mounting flange holes thereon.

[0064] In some embodiments, the first reduction mechanism 310 is used to perform a two-stage reduction and torque amplification of the steering torque. This further enhances the output torque of the steering system 1000 to meet the power assist requirements.

[0065] Optionally, combined Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the first reduction mechanism 310 includes a support shaft 311, a first fixed gear 312, a driving gear 313, and a driven gear 314. The driving gear 313 is sleeved on the outer periphery of the support shaft 311, and the first driven bevel gear 322 is sleeved on the outer periphery of the driving gear 313. The first driven bevel gear 322 is used to drive the driving gear 313 and the support shaft 311 to rotate. The first fixed gear 312 and the driven gear 314 are respectively located at the two axial ends of the driving gear 313 and mesh with the driving gear 313. That is to say, the power of the first reduction mechanism 310 is transmitted from the first driven bevel gear 322. The first driven bevel gear 322 rotates around the central axis S1 of the support shaft 311, thereby achieving the purpose of driving the driven gear 314 to rotate using the first driven bevel gear 322, so as to reduce and increase the steering torque using the first reduction mechanism 310.

[0066] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the central axis S1 of the support shaft 311 extends along the first direction, and the central axis S2 of the outer peripheral wall of the support shaft 311 forms an angle θ with the central axis S1 of the support shaft 311. Since the driving gear 313 is sleeved on the outer peripheral wall of the support shaft 311, and the first driven bevel gear 322 is sleeved on the outer periphery of the driving gear 313, the above arrangement allows the axis of the first driven bevel gear 322 to deflect from the axial direction of the support shaft 311 by an angle θ. This angle is the nutation angle of the first reduction mechanism 310, thereby making the first reduction mechanism 310 a nutation transmission.

[0067] It should be noted that the nutation transmission has a large transmission ratio and few structural parts. Therefore, by setting the first reduction mechanism 310 mentioned above, the number of transmission components in the steering system 1000 can be significantly reduced, and the first reduction mechanism 310 can have a large transmission ratio to quickly reduce speed and increase torque to reach the required speed. In addition, the first reduction mechanism 310 has few parts and a high degree of overlap, which improves the transmission strength and torsional rigidity, and reduces the overall rotational inertia.

[0068] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4As shown, the first driven bevel gear 322 is supported on the flange ring of the first fixed gear 312 by the second bearing 315. The first driven bevel gear 322 only has a rotational degree of freedom about the support shaft 311. The interior of the first driven bevel gear 322 is an inner ring with an angle θ between the axis and the support shaft 311. A series of needle rollers of the third bearing 316 are arranged axially on the inner ring surface of the first driven bevel gear 322. The third bearing 316 supports the first driven bevel gear 322 and the driving gear 313, so that the first driven bevel gear 322 and the driving gear 313 only have a rotational degree of freedom and a translational degree of freedom about the nutation axis. This translational degree of freedom is constrained by the fourth bearing 317 and the fifth bearing 318, so that the first driven bevel gear 322 and the driving gear 313 only have a rotational degree of freedom about the nutation axis, thereby allowing the driving gear 313 to rotate effectively.

[0069] In a specific example, the inclined inner cavity in the first driven bevel gear 322, the driving gear 313, the fourth bearing 317, the fifth bearing 318, and the support shaft 311 rotate synchronously around the nutation shaft. At the same time, this set of mechanisms also rotates planetarily around the main shaft at a nutation angle.

[0070] Optionally, such as Figure 4 As shown, the driving gear 313 has a main body 3131 and a weight-reducing part 3132. The main body 3131 meshes with the first fixed gear 312 and the driven gear 314 respectively. A receiving groove is provided in the axial center of the main body 3131, and the weight-reducing part 3132 is disposed in the receiving groove. The main function of the weight-reducing part 3132 is to reduce the weight, moment of inertia and manufacturing cost of the driving gear 313.

[0071] Optionally, the weight-reducing part 3132 is made of a lightweight material. This reduces the weight of the weight-reducing part 3132, thereby effectively reducing the weight of the drive gear 313.

[0072] In a specific example, the weight reduction part 3132 can be made of lightweight materials such as aluminum alloy, resin fiberglass composite material, titanium alloy, magnesium alloy or nylon. That is to say, the weight reduction part 3132 can be formed as an aluminum alloy part, resin fiberglass composite material part, titanium alloy part, magnesium alloy part or nylon part, so that the weight reduction part 3132 is formed as a lightweight material part, which makes it easier to reduce the weight of the drive gear 313 by using the weight reduction part 3132.

[0073] Optionally, such as Figure 4 As shown, the weight-reducing part 3132 includes multiple parts, which are arranged sequentially in the circumferential direction of the main body 3131. The weight-reducing part 3132 is formed into a fan-shaped ring made of aluminum alloy, which can be pre-pressed into the main body 3131 before final assembly to reduce the assembly difficulty of the weight-reducing part 3132.

[0074] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0075] In specific examples, such as Figure 4 As shown, the weight reduction part 3132 includes two parts, which are arranged sequentially in the circumferential direction of the main body part 3131.

[0076] In some embodiments, the number of teeth of the first fixed gear 312 is Z1, and the number of teeth on the driving gear 313 meshing with the first fixed gear 312 is Z2, wherein Z2 > Z1; and / or, the number of teeth of the driven gear 314 is Z4, and the number of teeth on the driving gear 313 meshing with the driven gear 314 is Z3, wherein Z3 > Z4. By controlling the tooth difference, the transmission ratio of the first reduction mechanism 310 is adjusted so that the first reduction mechanism 310 is configured to use a large speed ratio and small tooth difference differential, quickly reduce the speed, quickly increase the torque, and has a small number of transmission components and a low transmission inertia, thereby improving the dynamic response level of the steering system 1000 and reducing the delay.

[0077] In a specific example, the speed ratio of the first reduction mechanism 310 .

[0078] In some embodiments, the two axial ends of the support shaft 311 are respectively supported on the first fixed gear 312 and the driven gear 314. This allows the support shaft 311 to be supported by the cooperation of the first fixed gear 312 and the driven gear 314, thereby improving the positional stability of the support shaft 311.

[0079] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the axial ends of the support shaft 311 are supported on the first fixed gear 312 and the driven gear 314 by the sixth bearing 319 and the seventh bearing 3191, respectively, so that the support shaft 311 maintains a rotation center that coincides with the axial direction of the steering system 1000. The support shaft 311 is also equipped with a fourth bearing 317 and a fifth bearing 318, wherein the fourth bearing 317 and the seventh bearing 3191 are pressed together by a collar 3192 (the specific structure of the collar 3192 can be found in [reference]). Figure 10 The fifth bearing 318 and the sixth bearing 319 are pressed together by the shoulder on the support shaft 311. The fourth bearing 317 and the fifth bearing 318 are pressed and limited by the weight reduction part 3132. At the same time, the weight reduction part 3132 is also pressed by the fourth bearing 317 and the fifth bearing 318 into the inner circular groove of the main body part 3131.

[0080] In a specific example, the axes of the sixth bearing 319 and the seventh bearing 3191 are concentric with the axes of the support shaft 311 and the steering system 1000, and the axes of the fourth bearing 317 and the fifth bearing 318 are concentric with the nutation shaft.

[0081] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the steering system 1000 also includes a housing 500, within which a receiving cavity 510 with openings at both ends is formed. A first reduction mechanism 310 is disposed within the receiving cavity 510, and a first fixed gear 312 is located at one of the openings and fixedly connected to the housing 500 to form a first end cap of the housing 500. By positioning the first fixed gear 312 at one of the openings and fixing it to the housing 500 to form the first end cap of the housing 500, this application simplifies the structure of the housing 500 and reduces its weight, cost, and size by not providing an end cap at one of the openings of the receiving cavity 510.

[0082] In some embodiments, the first fixed gear 312 is connected to the housing 500 by eight bolts and becomes part of the main housing. The first fixed gear 312 has no relative movement with the housing 500.

[0083] In summary, in the first reduction mechanism 310, the first fixed gear 312 is a fixed gear, the driving gear 313 is an input gear, and the driven gear 314 is an output gear. The driving gear 313 rotates under the drive of the first driven bevel gear 322, and rotates around the support shaft 311 together with the fourth bearing 317, the fifth bearing 318, and the weight reduction part 3132. The left and right teeth on the driving gear 313 respectively mesh cyclically with the teeth on the first fixed gear 312 and the driven gear 314, driving the driven gear 314 to output at low speed. Because the nutation angle is very small, the meshing overlap of the secondary transmission is still very high even with only three gears, reaching more than 10 overlaps, which is equivalent to the level of a planetary gear set with four planetary gears. This ensures that the first reduction mechanism 310 has high transmission rigidity and transmission strength.

[0084] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the input end of the second reduction mechanism 330 is fixedly connected to the driven gear 314 of the first reduction mechanism 310, and the output end of the second reduction mechanism 330 is connected to the second output shaft 600 of the steering system 1000. The second reduction mechanism 330 is used to perform three-stage reduction and torque amplification of the steering torque to further enhance the output torque of the steering system 1000 and meet the power assist requirements.

[0085] In some embodiments, the driven gear 314 of the first reduction mechanism 310 is the output gear of the secondary transmission mechanism, in combination with... Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the driven gear 314 is equipped with a sixth bearing 319 and an eighth bearing 340 on its left and right sides, respectively. The driven gear 314 is positioned by mounting holes and hole shoulders and shaft shoulders, leaving only rotational freedom, supporting the driven gear 314 to rotate around the support shaft 311.

[0086] In some embodiments, the driven gear 314 of the first reduction mechanism 310 is provided with an internal spline, and the driven gear 314 cooperates with the external spline provided on the input end of the second reduction mechanism 330 to complete the transmission of torque.

[0087] Optionally, combined Figure 5 and Figure 10 As shown, the second reduction mechanism 330 is a planetary reduction mechanism, which includes a planet carrier 331, a sun gear 332, multiple planet gears 333, and a second fixed gear 334. The planet carrier 331 is rotatably mounted on the driven gear 314. The sun gear 332 is fixedly connected to the driven gear 314. The multiple planet gears 333 are spaced apart on the outer periphery of the sun gear 332 and mesh with it. A planet shaft 335 is provided inside each planet gear 333. The planet shaft 335 is fixedly connected to the planet carrier 331, and the planet gears 333 can rotate relative to the planet shaft 335. The second fixed gear 334 is sleeved on the outer periphery of the multiple planet gears 333. The second fixed gear 334 has internal teeth that mesh with the multiple planet gears 333. The second output shaft 600 is fixedly connected to the planet carrier 331 through the planet shaft 335. This allows for three-stage reduction and torque amplification of the steering torque using the second reduction mechanism 330.

[0088] Meanwhile, by setting multiple planetary gears 333, the meshing overlap of the second reduction mechanism 330 can be increased, and the transmission rigidity can be balanced to avoid weak transmission stages, thereby obtaining higher overall transmission rigidity and torsional strength of the transmission chain, reducing the equivalent steering inertia of the transmission component 300, and achieving a faster system response with the same torque input.

[0089] In some embodiments, the planetary gear 333 may be a helical gear with a larger width-to-diameter ratio to improve meshing overlap, which can reduce tooth surface stress and reduce wear.

[0090] In some embodiments, the driven gear 314 and the sun gear 332 of the first reduction mechanism 310 are connected by a rectangular spline tight fit to fix the sun gear 332 to the driven gear 314, thereby enabling the sun gear 332 and the driven gear 314 to rotate synchronously.

[0091] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 As shown, the front end of the sun gear 332 is supported on the second output shaft 600 by the ninth bearing 308, and the planet carrier 331 completes the constraint of the degrees of freedom except for the axial rotation degree of freedom through the eighth bearing 340 and the driven gear 314.

[0092] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 2 and Figure 10 As shown, a connecting disk 610 is fixedly connected to the outer periphery of the second output shaft 600. The connecting disk 610 and the planet carrier 331 are arranged opposite to each other in the first direction. At least a part of the structure of the connecting disk 610 protrudes towards the planet carrier 331 to form a planet shaft 335, so as to reduce the molding difficulty of the planet shaft 335 and improve the positional stability of the planet shaft 335, so as to ensure the working performance of the planet shaft 335.

[0093] In some embodiments, a threaded hole is formed within the planetary shaft 335, such as... Figure 10 As shown, bolt 336 passes through threaded hole and is fixedly connected to planet carrier 331 to achieve fixed connection between planet carrier 331 and second output shaft 600.

[0094] In a specific example, the planetary carrier 331 and the second output shaft 600 are connected and locked by four sets of bolts 336 and locking washers 337 (the specific structure of the locking washers 337 can be found in [reference]). Figure 10 ).

[0095] In summary, multiple planetary gears 333 are installed on the four corresponding planetary shafts 335 on the second output shaft 600. The planetary gears 333 mesh with the sun gear 332 and the second fixed gear 334 respectively to complete the transmission.

[0096] In some embodiments, such as Figure 10 As shown, a tenth bearing 338 is installed between the planetary gear 333 and the planetary shaft 335. The tenth bearing 338 is used to radially support the planetary gear 333.

[0097] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 As shown, a needle roller thrust bearing 339 is arranged on each side of the planetary gear 333. The two needle roller thrust bearings 339 are placed in the bearing grooves at both ends of the planetary gear 333 and are pressed by the planetary carrier 331 and the end face of the planetary gear 333 and the second output shaft 600, respectively, to provide axial support for the planetary gear 333.

[0098] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 As shown, a main support bearing 3391 is provided between the second output shaft 600 and the second fixed gear 334.

[0099] In some embodiments, the second fixed gear 334 is provided with an extension opening, through which at least a portion of the second output shaft 600 extends out of the second fixed gear 334, and a sealing gasket 3392 is installed at the position of the extension opening (e.g., ...). Figure 5As shown), the outer ring of the sealing gasket 3392 is pressed against the second fixed gear 334, and the inner side is in close contact with the axial surface of the second output shaft 600, for sealing the steering system 1000.

[0100] In summary, in the second reduction mechanism 330, the sun gear 332 is the driving gear, the gear ring on the second fixed gear 334 is the fixed gear, the sun gear 332 drives the planet gears 333 and their related accessories to rotate, and the multiple planet gears 333 drive the second output shaft 600 to rotate and output power.

[0101] In a specific example, the power assembly 200 is arranged radially around the first reduction mechanism 310 along the direction perpendicular to the main shaft. The first driving bevel gear 321 and the first driven bevel gear 322 in the third reduction mechanism 320 are respectively arranged on the first output shaft 210 of the power assembly 200 and the driving gear 313 of the first reduction mechanism 310, so that the power assembly 200 and the first reduction mechanism 310 are connected by gear meshing to achieve transmission. The first reduction mechanism 310 is located in the receiving cavity 510 and is connected to the sun gear 332 of the second reduction mechanism 330 by a mating spline to achieve power transmission. Thus, the power assembly 200, the first reduction mechanism 310, the second reduction mechanism 330 and the third reduction mechanism 320 together complete the "cross-shaped T-shaped" transmission layout.

[0102] In some embodiments, the second reduction mechanism 330 adopts an NGW (Normalgetriebe, Getriebewelle, Wellen, standard gear, sun gear, planetary gear shaft) planetary transmission mechanism. While maintaining radial dimension coordination with the first reduction mechanism 310, the transmission ratio of the second reduction mechanism 330 can be maximized as much as possible. This is because the second reduction mechanism 330 is mainly responsible for resisting reverse load impacts, providing sufficient transmission strength and torsional rigidity, and the operating condition of the second reduction mechanism 330 is low speed and high load.

[0103] In some embodiments, the load-bearing form of the second deceleration mechanism 330 can be optimized, and the diameter-to-width ratio of the second deceleration mechanism 330 can be reduced to reduce the radial dimension of the steering system 1000.

[0104] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 5 As shown, the second deceleration mechanism 330 is disposed within the receiving cavity 510, and the second fixed gear 334 is located at another opening and is fixedly connected to the housing 500 to form the second end cap of the housing 500. That is to say, this application does not provide an end cap at the other opening of the receiving cavity 510, but uses the second fixed gear 334 as the end cap of the housing 500, further simplifying the structure of the housing 500 and reducing the weight, cost and size of the housing 500.

[0105] In some embodiments, the second fixed gear 334 is radially and axially positioned with respect to the housing 500 via the flange end face, and is locked onto the housing 500 by bolt washers that are obliquely inserted in the direction of the main shaft.

[0106] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 12 As shown, the steering system 1000 also includes a manual force input component 100, the third output shaft 110 of which is connected to the second reduction mechanism 330 via a transmission connection. This facilitates the manual force input stage and the main reduction stage to cooperate and perform their transmission functions.

[0107] Optionally, combined Figure 2 and Figure 10 As shown, a second driving bevel gear 111 is formed on the third output shaft 110, and a second driven bevel gear that meshes with the second driving bevel gear 111 is provided on the driven gear 314 of the first reduction mechanism 310. The second driving bevel gear 111 and the second driven bevel gear mesh with each other, thereby realizing the transmission connection between the third output shaft 110 of the manual force input component 100 and the second reduction mechanism 330, reducing the difficulty of transmission connection.

[0108] It is worth noting that the driven gear 314 also integrates the output gear of the hand force input component 100, so that the hand force, after being assisted by the first reduction mechanism 310 and the third reduction mechanism 320, can be transmitted to the driven gear 314, and then transmitted to the second reduction mechanism 330 through the driven gear 314.

[0109] In some embodiments, the second driving bevel gear 111 and the second driven bevel gear are both helical gears. Since helical gears are subjected to less force, the amount of wear is reduced, which can significantly reduce gear meshing noise. Furthermore, the transmission process is continuous and smooth, and the transmission efficiency is high, which can effectively improve the efficiency of the hand force input component 100.

[0110] Meanwhile, the above-mentioned configuration also allows the hand force input component 100 of this application to adopt a helical bevel gear set, which not only has high transmission efficiency but also low internal resistance. The hand force input component 100 is mainly used to transmit the driver's steering hand force (torque). The hand force torque is increased by deceleration and merges with the secondary output assist torque on the driven gear 314, and is transmitted to the second deceleration mechanism 330.

[0111] In some embodiments, the third output shaft 110 is positioned close to the driven gear 314, thereby making the second driving bevel gear 111 closer to the driven gear 314. This facilitates shortening the transmission chain between the third output shaft 110 and the driven gear 314, allowing the manual force input component 100 to be made smaller, increasing torsional rigidity, and making the force feedback response faster and with less fluctuation.

[0112] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the manual force input component 100 includes an input shaft 120. The outer peripheral wall of the housing 500 is provided with a plurality of mounting lugs 520. Mounting lugs 520 are formed on the mounting lugs 521. The steering system 1000 is connected to the vehicle body (frame) through fasteners passing through the mounting holes 521. The input shaft 120 is connected to the vehicle's steering wheel mechanism, and the second output shaft 600 is connected to the vehicle's steering actuator.

[0113] In a specific example, the steering system 1000 is a pure electric steering system, which provides steering power to the vehicle's steering actuators so that the vehicle can complete steering actions according to the driver's steering intentions.

[0114] Optionally, combined Figures 11-15 As shown, the manual force input assembly 100 also includes a torsion bar 101, an eleventh bearing 105, a twelfth bearing 106, a thirteenth bearing 107, and a sealing ring 108. The torsion bar 101 is located inside the input shaft 120 and is press-fitted with an internal / external hexagonal joint. The third output shaft 110 is press-fitted with the torsion bar 101 with an internal / external hexagonal joint. The input shaft 120 is equipped with the eleventh bearing 105 and the sealing ring 108. The eleventh bearing 105 is positioned by a shoulder on the input shaft 120. The sealing ring 108 is used to seal between the input shaft 120 and the outside. The upper part of the third output shaft 110 is equipped with the twelfth bearing 106, and the lower part is equipped with the thirteenth bearing 107. Both the twelfth bearing 106 and the thirteenth bearing 107 are axially positioned by a shoulder.

[0115] In some embodiments, such as Figure 12 As shown, torsion bar 101, eleventh bearing 105, twelfth bearing 106, thirteenth bearing 107 and sealing ring 108 are concentrically installed.

[0116] In the description of this invention, features defined with "first", "second", "third", "fourth", "fifth", "sixth", "seventh", "eighth", "ninth", "tenth", "eleventh", "twelfth" and "thirteenth" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features, used to distinguish and describe features, without any order or importance.

[0117] In some embodiments, such as Figure 14As shown, two fan-shaped teeth 121 extend from the lower part of the input shaft 120. The fan-shaped teeth 121 are located in the fan groove on the upper part of the third output shaft 110. In the natural state, the sidewalls of the fan-shaped teeth 121 are installed at intervals with the sidewalls of the fan groove.

[0118] In some implementations, combined with Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 11 As shown, the steering system 1000 also includes an upper housing 530, which is connected to the outer housing 500. The manual force input assembly 100 is installed inside the cavity formed by the upper housing 530 and the outer housing 500. The sealing ring 108 is pressed into the sealing groove of the upper housing 530. The eleventh bearing 105 is clearance-fitted with the bearing hole on the upper housing 530. The upper housing 530 presses the upper end face of the eleventh bearing 105 to press the entire manual force input assembly 100. The twelfth bearing 106 and the thirteenth bearing 107 are installed in the bearing holes on the outer housing 500 for transition fit.

[0119] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the steering system 1000 also includes a hand force input component 100, a first angle sensor 700, and a second angle sensor 800. The first angle sensor 700 is used to identify the rotation angle and angle difference of the third output shaft 110 of the hand force input component 100, and the second angle sensor 800 is used to identify the rotation angle of the second output shaft 600. This significantly improves the output accuracy of the second output shaft 600, while achieving closed-loop control, making output fluctuations controllable, output stability controllable, and dynamic response control more efficient and precise. Furthermore, it allows for the design of more dynamic compensation algorithms to precisely achieve smoother and more comfortable steering output, meeting the precise control requirements of intelligent driving.

[0120] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 11 and Figure 12 As shown, the sensor body 710 and the fan ring 720 work together to form the first angle sensor 700. The sensor body 710 is connected to the input shaft 120 by welding. The upper end face of the sensor body 710 is positioned with the shoulder on the input shaft 120. The fan ring 720 is welded and installed on the third output shaft 110.

[0121] With the above settings, when the input shaft 120 rotates, the torsion bar 101 undergoes torsional deformation. At this time, an angle difference occurs between the input shaft 120 and the third output shaft 110, which in turn causes the fan ring 720 to generate the same angle difference between the fan ring 720 and the sensor body 710. The first angle sensor 700 calculates and outputs a hand force signal based on this angle difference. At the same time, the rotation speed of the torsion bar 101 is also identified by the first angle sensor 700 and outputs a speed signal. When the hand force is relatively large, the torsion deformation of the torsion bar 101 increases to the limit angle. The fan-shaped tooth 121 at the lower part of the input shaft 120 contacts the fan groove limit surface on the third output shaft 110, limiting the continued deformation of the torsion bar 101, thereby limiting the upper limit of the maximum detectable hand force. When the hand force further increases, the input shaft 120 and the third output shaft 110 remain relatively stationary and rotate synchronously.

[0122] Meanwhile, by setting a second angle sensor 800 to identify the rotation angle of the second output shaft 600, the real-time rotation angle of the second output shaft 600 can be measured in real time, and the output speed of the second output shaft 600 can be calculated to assist in controlling the output of the steering system 1000. Compared with the prior art which only sets a single first angle sensor 700, this application can monitor dynamic output more accurately, quickly and directly, complete the closed-loop control of the electronic control system, and improve the output accuracy and response speed by orders of magnitude. At the same time, it can better suppress output fluctuations and reverse feedback fluctuations.

[0123] In some implementation cases, the implementation status of the entire machine transmission system can be identified by the first angle sensor 700, the second angle sensor 800, and the position sensor built into the motor system (not specified). By periodically checking the position signal, the wear error of the transmission chain and the change of transmission rigidity are calculated, and the electronic control system can compensate and adjust the control program itself.

[0124] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the steering system 1000 also includes a controller 900, which is electrically connected to the motor 220 of the power assembly 200, the first angle sensor 700 and the second angle sensor 800 respectively. The controller 900 is used to control the operation of the motor 220 and receive the identification signals from the first angle sensor 700 and the second angle sensor 800.

[0125] Optionally, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the steering system 1000 also includes a first wiring harness 910 and a second wiring harness 920. The first wiring harness 910 is electrically connected to the controller 900 and the first angle sensor 700 respectively, so as to realize the electrical connection between the controller 900 and the first angle sensor 700 and reduce the connection difficulty. The second wiring harness 920 is electrically connected to the controller 900 and the second angle sensor 800 respectively, so as to realize the electrical connection between the controller 900 and the second angle sensor 800 and reduce the connection difficulty.

[0126] In the specific example, the first angle sensor 700 is a Hall sensor, and the second angle sensor 800 is a capacitive sensor.

[0127] In some embodiments, combined with Figure 2 , Figure 16 and Figure 17 As shown, a connecting disk 610 is fixedly connected to the outer periphery of the second output shaft 600. The connecting disk 610 is fixedly connected to the planetary shaft 335. A second gear tooth 611 is provided on the side of the connecting disk 610 away from the planetary shaft 335. An input gear 810 is provided at the input end of the second angle sensor 800. The input gear 810 meshes with the second gear tooth 611.

[0128] The reason for this design is: 1. The measurement range of the second angle sensor 800 is limited. The more common ranges are 360° and 720°, and the currently used range is 720°. 2. The rotation range of the second output shaft 600 differs significantly from the range of the second angle sensor 800. Currently, the design is 100°. Direct connection results in poor range matching, causing the sensor to always operate within a small range and have a short lifespan. 3. The measurement accuracy of the second angle sensor 800 (±0.2°) is limited, and direct measurement cannot meet the design requirements (±0.05°). 4. Sensors that can be directly used to measure the 600° rotation angle of the second output shaft are too expensive and too large due to their high precision, making them unsuitable for placement in limited and reasonable spaces. Based on the four reasons above, this implementation method was specifically designed by introducing a growth rate ratio. This expands the actual measurement range and improves measurement accuracy.

[0129] In a specific example, the current design state =4.5, taking into account transmission error, the final measurement accuracy (±0.045°) meets the design requirements and can effectively utilize the measurement range of the second angle sensor 800 (utilization rate exceeds 80%), preventing premature fatigue failure caused by always working in a certain range.

[0130] In some embodiments, the input gear 810 passes through the input shaft of the second angle sensor 800 and is mounted on the input shaft of the second angle sensor 800 via a two-toothed flat key, while simultaneously... Figure 16 and Figure 17 As shown, the input gear 810 is locked onto the input shaft of the second angle sensor 800 by the set screw 603, so that the input gear 810 and the second angle sensor 800 are completely fixed together. When the input gear 810 rotates, it will drive the input shaft of the second angle sensor 800 to rotate synchronously, so as to provide input to the second angle sensor 800.

[0131] In a specific example, the input gear 810 meshes with the second gear tooth 611 to form a face gear transmission. The second output shaft 600 rotates, driving the input gear 810 to rotate and providing input to the second angle sensor 800. This face gear transmission stage is a speed-increasing transmission.

[0132] Furthermore, since the second output shaft 600 only rotates within a 100° range, only a portion of the teeth on the second output shaft 600 mesh with the input gear 810, while the input gear 810 rotates a full number of revolutions.

[0133] As can be seen from the preceding description, the transmission ratio at this point is... <1 means that the rotational speed of the second gear 611 is greater than the rotational speed of the second output shaft 600, and the rotational angle of the second gear 611 is greater than the rotational angle of the second output shaft 600.

[0134] With the above settings, when the vehicle is turning, the driver applies steering torque and speed by turning the steering wheel, such as... Figure 18 As shown, under this input, the input shaft 120 rotates relative to the internal input reduction stage, applying an angular difference to the first angle sensor 700. The first angle sensor 700 identifies the rotation angle and angular difference of the input shaft 120 and outputs sensor signal 1 to the controller 900. This signal includes both the rotation angle signal and the angular difference of the input shaft 120. After receiving sensor signal 1, the controller 900 executes a predetermined control strategy, driving the motor 220 to rotate and output torque and speed to provide power. The power is transmitted to the transmission assembly 300 via the coupling 400. In the transmission assembly 300... After the first stage (third reduction mechanism 320), second stage (first reduction mechanism 310), and third stage (second reduction mechanism 330) of deceleration and torque increase, the output is through the second output shaft 600. The second output shaft 600 drives the input gear 810 to rotate, so that the second angle sensor 800 can measure the input rotation angle and output sensor signal 2 to the controller 900. The controller 900 receives the signal and identifies the actual rotation angle and speed of the second output shaft 600. Through various automatic correction functions, it drives the second output shaft 600 to accurately position itself to the ideal output shaft position, thus completing the closed-loop control of the system.

[0135] It should be noted that the above describes a single-position output implementation. In reality, this process involves continuous dynamic adjustment. During this process, the second reduction mechanism 330 drives the third output shaft 110 in the reverse direction, reducing the angle difference between it and the input shaft 120 until it reaches zero. Steering control is essentially a process of continuously adjusting this angle difference.

[0136] If only sensor signal 1 is provided, the control system can only follow the predetermined calibration curve to control the power output and cannot identify the specific output state. Due to the influence of transmission clearance, error and torsional deformation, the output accuracy is poor. By providing sensor signal 2, the control system can accurately capture the final control state. Even without providing the pre-calibrated control curve, the control system can accurately identify its own position state through the two signals and complete the output control according to the generalized control strategy.

[0137] In some implementations, combined with Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 16 As shown, the steering system 1000 also includes a dust cover 540, which is connected to the second fixed gear 334 by four bolts. There is a sealant between the end face of the dust cover 540 and the end face of the second fixed gear 334 that mates with it, for sealing between the dust cover 540 and the second fixed gear 334. The second angle sensor 800 is installed inside the cavity formed by the dust cover 540 and the second fixed gear 334.

[0138] In some embodiments, such as Figure 16 As shown, a cable exit nut 541 is installed on the top of the dust cover 540. The cable exit nut 541 is used for cable threading and sealing. The cable exit nut 541 has a rubber ring inside. The second wire harness 920 passes through the rubber ring and connects to the controller 900. Since the diameter of the cable hole of the rubber ring is smaller than the diameter of the second wire harness 920, it wraps around the second wire harness 920 under pressure, preventing external debris and dirt from entering and playing a sealing role.

[0139] In some embodiments, the lead nut 541 is threadedly connected to the dust cover 540, and the contact surface between the dust cover 540 and the lead nut 541 is a rubber surface, which also serves to seal under the action of threaded clamping force.

[0140] In summary, unlike the single main housing in the prior art, the main housing of the steering system 1000 of this application is divided into multiple parts (outer housing 500, upper housing 530 and dust cover 540). The outer housing 500 is hollow and annular to define a receiving cavity 510 within the outer housing 500. Instead of separate front and rear end covers, the functions of the front and rear end covers are integrated into the first fixed gear 312 and the second fixed gear 334, respectively. Compared with a single main housing, this design can reduce the weight of the main housing by more than 50% and the axial dimension by about 15%, reducing weight and cost while improving the integration and compactness of the steering system 1000 and reducing the number of parts.

[0141] In some embodiments, the outer casing 500, the upper casing 530, and the dust cover 540 are all made of high-strength aluminum alloy, while the first fixed gear 312 and the second fixed gear 334 are made of the same material as the gears.

[0142] In some embodiments, the third deceleration mechanism 320, the first deceleration mechanism 310, the second deceleration mechanism 330, and the manual force input component 100 are all connected to the housing 500 by bolts to form a detachable connection, so that the steering system 1000 of this application adopts a modular arrangement. In this way, different transmission stages can be designed with corresponding housings and materials, the stress level of the component structure is balanced, the material utilization rate is high, the degree of lightweighting is higher, and each stage can be installed separately, making assembly simple, flexible, and fast. At the same time, since different transmission stages are installed in different directions, the above-mentioned arrangement can make the installation of the transmission stages not affected by the assembly sequence, so that the structural design of the transmission stages is not affected by the assembly space, which facilitates the effective slimming of the transmission stages and achieves the ultimate compactness.

[0143] It is worth noting that the second deceleration mechanism 330 integrates the transmission stage of the hand force input component 100 and the second angle sensor 800, and the second fixed gear 334 also forms the second end cover of the housing 500, reducing the number of parts.

[0144] As can be seen from the above structure, the first stage (third reduction mechanism 320) of this application adopts a helical gear reduction stage, the second stage (first reduction mechanism 310) adopts a differential gear reduction mechanism with a small tooth difference and an outer ring drive, the third stage (second reduction mechanism 330) adopts a planetary gear set, the manual force input stage (manual force input component 100) adopts a bevel gear transmission stage, and the output shaft sensor (second angle sensor 800) transmission stage adopts a face gear reduction stage. Among them, the first stage output wheel (first driven bevel gear 322) is also the second stage drive outer ring, the second stage output gear (driven gear 314) integrates the output gear of the manual force input stage, and the third stage planetary carrier 331 integrates the output shaft sensor transmission stage input gear 810. This makes the transmission system of this application inconsistent with existing mass-produced products (electric recirculating ball steering gear), and the differences between the two are obvious.

[0145] In a specific example, the first stage (third reduction mechanism 320), the second stage (first reduction mechanism 310), and the third stage (second reduction mechanism 330) are connected in series to form the main reduction stage, with a total transmission ratio of The hand force input component 100 and the second reduction mechanism 330 are connected in series to form a hand force transmission stage, with a hand force speed ratio of The transmission stage of the second angle sensor 800 is independent of the main reduction stage and the manual force transmission stage; it is a speed-increasing mechanism with a speed ratio of [missing information]. The three-stage transmission chain of this application is shortened by about half compared with the prior art. Under the same transmission rigidity and structural strength, the structural size is significantly reduced. The torsional stiffness of each stage is evenly distributed, and the torsional stiffness of the assembly can reach more than 300 (Nm / Arc.min). The overall transmission accuracy error of the structural layer can be controlled within 0.2°, and the assembly efficiency can reach more than 85%. Under the same power input conditions, the output torque is increased by 25% compared with the existing steering gear of the same level, and the moment of inertia is reduced by about 15% compared with the prior art.

[0146] It should be noted that since the first, second, and third stages, the manual transmission stage, and the speed-increasing mechanism of this application all adopt gear transmission, the transmission structure of this application can be simpler, the process can be simpler, the processing difficulty is lower, the weight of the parts is lighter and the degree of lightweighting is higher under the same torque output, and the precision requirements between the parts are lower, the installation is convenient, the wear is less, the manufacturing cost is lower under the same performance level, and it is more suitable for miniaturization.

[0147] Meanwhile, compared with the existing electric recirculating ball transmission, gear transmission can make the steering feel of the steering system 1000 lighter, which can help improve the existing problems of feedback torque fluctuation and heavy steering; on the other hand, it can also reduce the amount of lubricating oil in the steering system 1000 and reduce costs.

[0148] In addition, since the gear transmission always rotates within the ring and occupies a certain amount of space, compared to the worm gear transmission, it can make the volume ratio of the hollow space inside the outer casing 500 lower, thus making the space utilization rate of the steering system 1000 higher.

[0149] The vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention is described below.

[0150] A vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a steering system 1000.

[0151] Among them, the steering system 1000 is the aforementioned steering system 1000, and the specific structure of the steering system 1000 will not be described in detail here.

[0152] As can be seen from the above structure, the vehicle of the present invention, by adopting the aforementioned steering system 1000, can improve the space utilization of the vehicle and reduce the difficulty of arranging the steering system 1000.

[0153] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0154] The steering system 1000 according to embodiments of the present invention and other components of a vehicle having the same are known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0155] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "embodiment," "example," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0156] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A steering system, characterized in that, include: A power unit (200) for outputting steering torque; A transmission assembly (300) is connected to the power assembly (200) for receiving the steering torque and reducing and increasing the torque. The transmission assembly (300) includes at least a first reduction mechanism (310) and a second reduction mechanism (330), which are arranged sequentially and connected in a first direction. The power assembly (200) is located on one side of the first deceleration mechanism (310) and / or the second deceleration mechanism (330) in a second direction, which intersects with the first direction.

2. The steering system according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a hand force input component (100) for receiving steering hand force from the driver. The hand force input component (100) is disposed on one side of the first deceleration mechanism (310) in the second direction and is arranged in sequence with the power component (200) in the circumferential direction of the first deceleration mechanism (310).

3. The steering system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transmission assembly (300) further includes a third reduction mechanism (320), which is used to realize the transmission connection between the power assembly (200) and the first reduction mechanism (310) for performing a first-stage reduction and torque amplification on the steering torque; The third reduction mechanism (320) is a bevel gear set, which includes a first driving bevel gear (321) and a first driven bevel gear (322) meshing with each other. The first driving bevel gear (321) is fixedly connected to the first output shaft (210) of the power assembly (200), and the first driven bevel gear (322) is fixedly connected to at least a portion of the first reduction mechanism (310).

4. The steering system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first tooth of the first driven bevel gear (322) has a first part (3221) and a second part (3222). In the height direction of the first tooth, the first part (3221) is disposed on the outer surface of the second part (3222). The first part (3221) is a non-metallic part, and the second part (3222) is a metallic part. Wherein, the first part (3221) is a polyurethane part, a polyoxymethylene part, a polycaprolactam part, or a polyhexamethylene adipamide part; and / or, at the connection between the first part (3221) and the second part (3222), the second part (3222) is provided with a connecting protrusion and / or a connecting recess.

5. The steering system according to claim 3, characterized in that, It also includes a coupling (400), which is fixedly connected to the outer periphery of the first output shaft (210). The first drive bevel gear (321) is provided with a connecting bushing (3211), which is sleeved on the outer periphery of the coupling (400). In the circumferential direction of the coupling (400), the connecting bushing (3211) is in a limiting fit with the coupling (400). The coupling (400) includes an inner ring (410) and a damping block (420). The connecting bushing (3211) has at least two first mating protrusions (3212) in its radial interior. A mating groove (3213) is defined between two adjacent first mating protrusions (3212). The inner ring (410) is fixedly connected to the first output shaft (210), and the outer periphery of the inner ring (410) has a second mating protrusion (411). The connecting bushing (3211) is sleeved on the outer periphery of the inner ring (410). The second mating protrusion (411) is located in the mating groove (3213). The damping block (420) is located in the mating groove (3213) and between the first mating protrusion (3212) and the second mating protrusion (411).

6. The steering system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first deceleration mechanism (310) is used to perform two-stage deceleration and torque amplification on the steering torque; The first deceleration mechanism (310) includes a support shaft (311), a first fixed gear (312), a driving gear (313), and a driven gear (314). The driving gear (313) is sleeved on the outer periphery of the support shaft (311), and the first driven bevel gear (322) is sleeved on the outer periphery of the driving gear (313). The first driven bevel gear (322) is used to drive the driving gear (313) and the support shaft (311) to rotate. The first fixed gear (312) and the driven gear (314) are respectively located at the two axial ends of the driving gear (313) and mesh with the driving gear (313).

7. The steering system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The two axial ends of the support shaft (311) are respectively supported on the first fixed gear (312) and the driven gear (314). The central axis (S1) of the support shaft (311) extends along the first direction. An angle θ is formed between the central axis (S2) of the outer peripheral wall of the support shaft (311) and the central axis (S1) of the support shaft (311). And / or, the driving gear (313) has a main body (3131) and a weight-reducing part (3132). The main body (3131) meshes with the first fixed gear (312) and the driven gear (314) respectively. The main body (3131) has a receiving groove in the axial middle part, and the weight-reducing part (3132) is disposed in the receiving groove. The weight-reducing part (3132) is a lightweight material part, and there are multiple weight-reducing parts (3132), which are arranged sequentially in the circumferential direction of the main body (3131).

8. The steering system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The number of teeth of the first fixed gear (312) is Z1, and the number of teeth of the driving gear (313) that mesh with the first fixed gear (312) is Z2, wherein Z2 > Z1; And / or, the number of teeth of the driven gear (314) is Z4, and the number of teeth of the driving gear (313) meshing with the driven gear (314) is Z3, wherein Z3 > Z4.

9. The steering system according to claim 6, characterized in that, It also includes a housing (500) with a receiving cavity (510) formed inside the housing (500) with openings at both ends. The first deceleration mechanism (310) is disposed in the receiving cavity (510). The first fixed gear (312) is located at one of the openings and is fixedly connected to the housing (500) to form the first end cap of the housing (500).

10. The steering system according to claim 9, characterized in that, The input end of the second deceleration mechanism (330) is fixedly connected to the driven gear (314) of the first deceleration mechanism (310), and the output end of the second deceleration mechanism (330) is connected to the second output shaft (600) of the steering system. The second deceleration mechanism (330) is used to reduce and increase the steering torque in three stages. The second reduction mechanism (330) is a planetary reduction mechanism, which includes a planet carrier (331), a sun gear (332), multiple planet gears (333), and a second fixed gear (334). The planet carrier (331) is rotatably mounted on the driven gear (314), and the sun gear (332) is fixedly connected to the driven gear (314). The multiple planet gears (333) are spaced apart on the outer periphery of the sun gear (332) and mesh with the sun gear (332). (333) is provided with a planetary shaft (335), which is fixedly connected to the planet carrier (331). The planetary gears (333) can rotate relative to the planetary shaft (335). The second fixed gear (334) is sleeved on the outer circumference of the plurality of planetary gears (333). The second fixed gear (334) has internal teeth formed inside, which mesh with the plurality of planetary gears (333). The second output shaft (600) is fixedly connected to the planet carrier (331) through the planetary shaft (335).

11. The steering system according to claim 10, characterized in that, The second deceleration mechanism (330) is located in the receiving cavity (510), and the second fixed gear (334) is located at another opening and is fixedly connected to the housing (500) to form the second end cap of the housing (500).

12. The steering system according to claim 10, characterized in that, It also includes a manual force input component (100), the third output shaft (110) of which is connected to the second reduction mechanism (330) in a transmission connection; The third output shaft (110) has a second driving bevel gear (111) formed thereon, and the driven gear (314) of the first reduction mechanism (310) has a second driven bevel gear that meshes with the second driving bevel gear (111).

13. The steering system according to claim 10, characterized in that, It also includes a hand force input component (100), a first angle sensor (700) and a second angle sensor (800), the first angle sensor (700) being used to identify the rotation angle and rotation angle difference of the third output shaft (110) of the hand force input component (100), and the second angle sensor (800) being used to identify the rotation angle of the second output shaft (600).

14. The steering system according to claim 13, characterized in that, A connecting disk (610) is fixedly connected to the outer periphery of the second output shaft (600). The connecting disk (610) is fixedly connected to the planetary shaft (335). A second gear tooth (611) is provided on the side of the connecting disk (610) away from the planetary shaft (335). An input gear (810) is provided at the input end of the second angle sensor (800). The input gear (810) meshes with the second gear tooth (611).

15. A vehicle, characterized in that, Includes the steering system according to any one of claims 1-14.

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