Steering gear assembly and vehicle

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of steering gear assembly and vehicle, steering gear assembly includes: first rack, second rack, steering drive, main shaft and auxiliary shaft;First rack is suitable for being connected with first side wheel, second rack is suitable for being connected with second side wheel;Steering drive is connected with main shaft power to drive main shaft rotation, main shaft is equipped with first gear and second gear, auxiliary shaft is equipped with third gear, first gear is engaged with first rack, second gear and third gear are engaged with second rack respectively;Wherein, first gear is fixed on main shaft, main shaft is linked with auxiliary shaft, second gear is selectively connected with main shaft power, third gear is selectively connected with auxiliary shaft power.The embodiment of the application can control the same direction motion and reverse motion of first rack and second rack by main shaft and auxiliary shaft and related gear thereon, and connect steering drive directly to main shaft, the overall structure is more compact.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vehicle steering technology, and more particularly to a steering gear assembly and a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] When the driver turns the steering wheel, the gears in the gear transmission assembly mesh with the rack, pushing the rack to move in a straight line. The motion is then transmitted to the wheels through the steering tie rod, thus achieving steering. This mechanical transmission structure is characterized by its simple structure, low cost, and sensitive steering, and is widely used in various types of automobiles.

[0003] However, in the existing technology, when the wheels on both sides are controlled to move in the same or opposite directions by two racks, the structural integration is poor and the number of transmission rods is too large, leaving room for improvement. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the present invention proposes a steering gear assembly, which controls the unidirectional and counterdirectional movements of a first rack and a second rack through a main shaft, a counter shaft and related gears thereon, and directly connects the steering drive component to the main shaft, resulting in a more compact overall structure.

[0005] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a steering assembly includes: a first rack and a second rack, a steering drive member, a main shaft, and a countershaft; the first rack is adapted to be connected to a first side wheel, and the second rack is adapted to be connected to a second side wheel; the steering drive member is poweredly connected to the main shaft to drive the main shaft to rotate; the main shaft is provided with a first gear and a second gear, and the countershaft is provided with a third gear; the first gear meshes with the first rack, and the second gear and the third gear respectively mesh with the second rack; wherein, the first gear is circumferentially fixed to the main shaft, the main shaft is linked to the countershaft, the second gear is selectively poweredly connected to the main shaft, and the third gear is selectively poweredly connected to the countershaft.

[0006] According to the steering assembly of the present invention, when the steering drive causes the main shaft to rotate, when the second gear of the main shaft is poweredly connected to the main shaft and the third gear of the countershaft is not poweredly connected to the countershaft, the rotation of the main shaft can drive the first gear and the second gear to rotate. The first gear meshes with the first rack and the second gear meshes with the second rack, thus driving the first rack and the second rack to move in the same direction, realizing the normal steering and driving functions of the vehicle. When the second gear of the main shaft is not poweredly connected to the main shaft and the third gear of the countershaft is poweredly connected to the countershaft, the rotation of the main shaft drives the first gear to rotate in a first direction, and power can be transmitted between the main shaft and the countershaft. When the main shaft rotates, it can drive the countershaft to rotate in the opposite direction. The rotation of the countershaft drives the third gear to rotate, and the rotation direction of the third gear is opposite to the rotation direction of the first gear. The third gear meshes with the second rack, thus driving the first rack and the second rack to move in opposite directions, realizing the functions of lateral movement and U-turn of the vehicle.

[0007] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the steering gear assembly further includes a first gear sleeve and a second gear sleeve. The second gear includes a first spur tooth segment and a first helical tooth segment distributed axially. The main shaft is connected to a first engagement wheel. The first gear sleeve is located on the outer periphery of the first engagement wheel and the first spur tooth segment and is adapted to slide axially to selectively connect the first engagement wheel to the first spur tooth segment. The first helical tooth segment meshes with the second rack. The third gear includes a second spur tooth segment and a second helical tooth segment distributed axially. The countershaft is also fixedly connected to a second engagement wheel. The second gear sleeve is located on the outer periphery of the second engagement wheel and the second spur tooth segment and is adapted to slide axially to selectively connect the second engagement wheel to the second spur tooth segment. The second helical tooth segment meshes with the second rack.

[0008] According to an embodiment of the present invention, in the steering gear assembly, the sum of the axial lengths of the first spur tooth segment and the first engagement wheel is equal to the sum of the axial lengths of the second spur tooth segment and the second engagement wheel, and the axial length of the first spur tooth segment is less than the axial length of the second spur tooth segment, the axial length of the first engagement wheel is greater than the axial length of the second engagement wheel, and the axial lengths of the first tooth sleeve and the second tooth sleeve are equal to the lengths of the second spur tooth segment or the first engagement wheel.

[0009] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the steering gear assembly includes a first main shaft section, a second main shaft section, and a third main shaft section distributed axially and having progressively increasing diameters. The second gear is loosely fitted onto the third main shaft section via a first needle roller bearing. The second main shaft section is connected to the first gear. The first main shaft section is connected to a first bearing assembly. The third main shaft section is connected to the first engagement wheel on the side axially away from the second main shaft section.

[0010] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first gear includes a third helical tooth segment and a mounting segment connected axially, the third helical tooth segment meshing with the first rack, and the mounting segment mounting the steering drive member.

[0011] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the steering gear assembly includes a first secondary shaft segment, a second secondary shaft segment, a third secondary shaft segment, and a fourth secondary shaft segment distributed axially and with progressively increasing diameters. A third gear is loosely fitted onto the fourth secondary shaft segment via a second needle roller bearing. A first spacer ring is connected to the third secondary shaft segment. The fourth gear is loosely fitted onto the second secondary shaft segment. The fourth gear meshes with the first rack. A second bearing assembly is connected to the first secondary shaft segment.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the steering gear assembly further includes a shifter, the shifter being poweredly connected to a shift fork lever, the shift fork lever being parallel to the main shaft and the counter shaft, the shift fork lever being connected to a shift fork, and the shift fork and the shifter being distributed in a direction perpendicular to the main shaft.

[0013] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the steering gear assembly includes a main shaft with a driving wheel and a secondary shaft with a driven wheel, the driving wheel and the driven wheel meshing together. The first spur tooth segment includes a plurality of circumferentially distributed first spur teeth, and the driving wheel includes a plurality of circumferentially distributed driving teeth. The first helical tooth segment includes a plurality of circumferentially distributed first helical teeth. Each first spur tooth and its corresponding driving tooth are axially aligned, and each first spur tooth and its corresponding first helical tooth are aligned at the end near the first spur tooth. The second spur tooth segment includes a plurality of circumferentially distributed second spur teeth, the driven wheel includes a plurality of circumferentially distributed driven teeth, and the second helical tooth segment includes a plurality of circumferentially distributed second helical teeth. Each second spur tooth and its adjacent driven tooth form a tooth groove axially aligned, and each second spur tooth and its corresponding second helical tooth are aligned at the end near the second spur tooth.

[0014] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a rack adjusting member is provided at the bottom of both the first rack and the second rack. The rack adjusting member at the bottom of the first rack is adapted to adjust the height of the first rack, and the rack adjusting member at the bottom of the second rack is adapted to adjust the height of the second rack.

[0015] This invention also discloses a vehicle including the aforementioned steering assembly.

[0016] The advantages of the vehicle described above compared to existing technologies are the same as those of the steering assembly described above compared to existing technologies, and will not be elaborated here.

[0017] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0018] 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 the steering gear assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 The steering gear assembly of this embodiment of the invention will Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure from another perspective after rotation; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the steering gear assembly with the housing hidden in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a structural schematic diagram of the steering gear assembly of the present invention, showing another angle of the housing. Figure 5 This is a structural schematic diagram of the steering gear assembly of the present invention with the housing hidden from another angle; Figure 6 This is an exploded view of the steering gear assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the steering gear assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. The first toothed sleeve is disconnected from the first straight tooth segment, and the second toothed sleeve is connected to the second engagement wheel and the second straight tooth segment. Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the steering gear assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. The first toothed sleeve is connected to the first coupling wheel and the first straight tooth segment, and the second toothed sleeve is disconnected from the second straight tooth segment. Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first gear sleeve of the steering gear assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the chamfered structure of the second gear and the second spur tooth segment of the steering gear assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the power transmission structure of the first rack and the second rack of the steering gear assembly in an embodiment of the present invention, which move in the same direction. Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the power transmission structure of the first rack and the second rack of the steering gear assembly moving in opposite directions according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 13 This is a structural diagram showing the connection of the shifter, shift fork, and shift fork lever of the steering assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 14This is a schematic diagram of the steering gear assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a magnet is provided on one side of the shift fork and a counterweight is provided on the other side. Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the positional relationship between the teeth of the driving wheel and the second gear in the steering gear assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, and a schematic diagram of the positional relationship between the teeth of the driven wheel and the third gear. Figure 16 This is a side view of the second gear according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 17 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the second gear according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram of the second gear from another angle according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 19 This is an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 18 Cross-sectional view at point AA; Figure 20 This is an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 19 A schematic diagram of a partial structure; Figure 21 This is a simplified diagram of a vehicle traveling normally forward according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 22 This is a simplified diagram of the vehicle during absolute lateral movement according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 23 This is a schematic diagram of a vehicle's in-situ U-turn structure with the front wheels at an obtuse angle and the rear wheels at an acute angle, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 24 This is a schematic diagram of a U-turn structure with the front wheel at an acute angle and the rear wheel at an obtuse angle, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 25 This is a schematic diagram of a U-turn structure with the front wheel and the rear wheel both having an acute angle of inwards (eighths). Figure 26 This is a structural diagram in which the first engagement wheel and the second gear of the main shaft are interchanged with the second engagement wheel and the third gear of the countershaft, and the countershaft may not have a fourth gear. Attached image description: Steering gear assembly 100, long housing 101, stepped hole 1011, short housing 102, first locating pin 103, lower housing 104, second locating pin 105, washer 106, third bearing 107, third shim 108, fastener 109. Vehicle 200, wheels 300 Main shaft 1, drive gear 10, drive gear 1001, first gear 11, third helical gear segment 111, mounting section 112, intermediate section 113, second gear 12, first spur gear segment 121, third inclined plane 1211, fourth inclined plane 1212, first spur gear 1213, first neutral surface 1214, intersecting profile 1215, first helical gear segment 122, first helical gear 1221, second neutral surface 1222, first gear sleeve 13, internal gear 131. First inclined plane 132, second inclined plane 133, first engaging wheel 14, first engaging tooth 141, first secondary shaft section 15, second secondary shaft section 16, third secondary shaft section 17, first bearing assembly 18, first gasket 181, first bearing 182, second spacer ring 183, first needle roller bearing 19, first retaining ring 191, secondary shaft 2, driven wheel 20, fourth bearing 201, driven tooth 2001, tooth groove 2002, third gear 21, second spur tooth Section 211, second spur gear 2111, second helical gear section 212, second helical gear 2121, fourth gear 22, third needle roller bearing 221, second gear sleeve 23, second coupling wheel 24, second coupling tooth 241, coupling tooth groove 242, first countershaft section 25, second bearing assembly 251, second gasket 2511, second bearing 2512, third spacer ring 2513, second countershaft section 26, third countershaft section 27, first spacer ring 271 28. Fourth sub-shaft section, 29. Second needle roller bearing, 291. Second retaining ring, 3. Steering drive component, 31. Motor housing, 32. Worm gear, 33. Shifter, 4. Nut, 41. Lead screw, 42. First rack, 5. Second rack, 6. Rack adjuster, 7. Shift fork assembly, 8. Shift fork, 81. Shift fork hole, 811. Shift fork rod, 82. First limiting component, 83. Bushing, 84. Second limiting component, 85. Plug, 86. Position sensor, 87. Magnet, 88. Counterweight, 89. Detailed Implementation

[0020] 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.

[0021] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships, are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. Furthermore, features defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more. 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.

[0022] Unless otherwise specified, the front-back direction in this application refers to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 200, i.e., the X direction; the left-right direction refers to the lateral direction of the vehicle 200, i.e., the Y direction; and the up-down direction refers to the vertical direction of the vehicle 200, i.e., the Z direction.

[0023] The following is for reference. Figures 1-26 The present invention describes a steering assembly 100. The steering assembly 100 controls the unidirectional and counter-directional movements of a first rack 5 and a second rack 6 via a main shaft 1, a counter-shaft 2, and related gears thereon. The steering drive 3 is directly connected to the main shaft 1, resulting in a more compact overall structure. Furthermore, the engagement method between the second gear 12 and the main shaft 1, and between the third gear 21 and the counter-shaft 2, facilitates the power connection between the second gear 12 and the main shaft 1 via the first gear sleeve 13, and between the third gear 21 and the counter-shaft 2 via the second gear sleeve 23.

[0024] like Figure 1-26As shown, a steering assembly 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a first rack 5 and a second rack 6, a steering drive 3, a main shaft 1 and a countershaft 2; the first rack 5 is adapted to be connected to a first side wheel 300, and the second rack 6 is adapted to be connected to a second side wheel 300; the steering drive 3 is poweredly connected to the main shaft 1 to drive the main shaft 1 to rotate, the main shaft 1 is provided with a first gear 11 and a second gear 12, and the countershaft 2 is provided with a third gear 21, the first gear 11 meshes with the first rack 5, and the second gear 12 and the third gear 21 respectively mesh with the second rack 6; wherein, the first gear 11 is circumferentially fixed to the main shaft 1, the main shaft 1 is linked with the countershaft 2, the second gear 12 is selectively poweredly connected to the main shaft 1, and the third gear 21 is selectively poweredly connected to the countershaft 2.

[0025] In practice, the movement of the first rack 5 and the second rack 6 in the same direction is equivalent to the coupling of segmented, staggered tie rods, which is the conventional power steering gear. However, when the first rack 5 and the second rack 6 move in opposite directions, the wheel 300 will adopt an inward or outward V-shape, which is a new functional gear used for parking stability, absolute lateral movement, and turning on the spot when equipped with a hub motor. In this embodiment of the invention, the steering drive component 3 drives a series of transmission components to ultimately achieve the same-direction and opposite-direction movement of the first rack 5 and the second rack 6, thereby allowing the wheel 300 to adapt to different application scenarios.

[0026] Specifically, the steering drive component 3 may include a drive motor, a worm gear 33, and a worm 32. The drive motor is located inside the motor housing 31. The drive motor outputs power to the worm 32, and the worm 32 outputs power to the worm gear 33. The worm gear 33 is fixedly sleeved and connected to the main shaft 1. That is, the drive motor transmits power to the main shaft 1. The main shaft 1 can transmit power to the secondary shaft 2. By switching the selective connection between the second gear 12 and the main shaft 1, and the selective connection between the third gear 21 and the secondary shaft 2, the first rack 5 and the second rack 6 can move in the same direction and in opposite directions.

[0027] For example, if the main shaft 1 is equipped with a driving wheel 10 and the secondary shaft 2 is equipped with a driven wheel 20, refer to... Figure 11As shown, when the worm gear 33 rotates, it causes the main shaft 1 to rotate. The main shaft 1 is equipped with a first gear 11 fixedly connected to it, and a second gear 12 is loosely fitted on it. When the main shaft 1 rotates in the first direction, it can drive the first gear 11 to rotate in the first direction. When the second gear 12 is switched to power connection with the main shaft 1, the second gear 12 rotates along with the main shaft 1 in the first direction. At the same time, the power transmission between the third gear 21 and the countershaft 2 is disconnected. When the driving wheel 10 rotates in the first direction, it can drive the driven wheel 20 to rotate in the second direction. The second direction is opposite to the first direction, but since the third gear 21 is not connected to the countershaft 2, the rotation of the countershaft 2 driven by the driven wheel 20 will not drive the movement of the second rack 6. That is, at this time, the first rack 5 is driven by the first gear 11 and the second rack 6 is driven by the second gear 12 to move in the same direction. Assuming that the first gear 11 and the second gear 12 rotate in the same direction at this time, they can drive the first rack 5 and the second rack 6 to move to the left, thereby realizing the same direction movement of the first rack 5 and the second rack 6 to meet the normal steering requirements of the vehicle 200.

[0028] In addition, such as Figure 12 As shown, when the power transmission between the second gear 12 and the main shaft 1 is disconnected, and the power transmission between the third gear 21 and the countershaft 2 is possible, the worm gear 33 transmits power to the main shaft 1. When the main shaft 1 rotates in the first direction, the rotation of the main shaft 1 drives the first gear 11 to rotate in the first direction. As mentioned above, the rotation of the first gear 11 in the first direction can drive the first rack 5 to move to the left. At the same time, the rotation of the main shaft 1 can transmit power to the countershaft 2. At this time, the countershaft 2 can transmit power with the third gear 21, and the countershaft 2 is arranged parallel to the main shaft 1. The main shaft 1 can be connected to the driving gear 10, and the countershaft 2 can be connected to the driven gear 20. The power transmission can be achieved through the driving gear 10 and the third gear 21. The driven wheels 20 mesh to transmit power. Therefore, when the driving wheel 10 of the main shaft 1 rotates in the first direction, it can drive the driven wheel 20 of the secondary shaft 2 to rotate in the second direction. The driven wheel 20 also drives the secondary shaft 2 to rotate in the second direction, which will drive the second rack 6 to move in the opposite direction to the first rack 5. For example, the first rack 5 moves to the left under the action of the first gear 11, while the second rack 6 can move to the right under the action of the third gear 21. This realizes that the wheels 300 on both sides of the vehicle 200 rotate in opposite directions in the lateral direction. This new function gear can be used for parking, absolute lateral movement, and turning around in place when the hub motor is used.

[0029] Moreover, the drive shaft in this embodiment of the invention has a main shaft 1 and a secondary shaft 2, which reduces the number of shafts used compared to the prior art. The steering drive component 3 is directly connected to the main shaft 1, thereby saving the space occupied by the entire steering assembly 100 and making the whole assembly more integrated.

[0030] In some embodiments, the steering assembly 100 further includes a first gear sleeve 13 and a second gear sleeve 23. The second gear 12 includes a first spur tooth segment 121 and a first helical tooth segment 122 distributed axially. The main shaft 1 is connected to a first engagement wheel 14. The first gear sleeve 13 is located on the outer periphery of the first engagement wheel 14 and the first spur tooth segment 121 and is adapted to slide axially to selectively connect the first engagement wheel 14 and the first spur tooth segment 121. The first helical tooth segment 122 meshes with the second rack 6. The third gear 21 includes a second spur tooth segment 211 and a second helical tooth segment 212 distributed axially. The countershaft 2 is also fixedly connected to a second engagement wheel 24. The second gear sleeve 23 is located on the outer periphery of the second engagement wheel 24 and the second spur tooth segment 211 and is adapted to slide axially to selectively connect the second engagement wheel 24 and the second spur tooth segment 211. The second helical tooth segment 212 meshes with the second rack 6.

[0031] Combination Figure 6 , Figure 11 and Figure 12 As shown, firstly, it should be noted that the second gear 12 is loosely fitted onto the main shaft 1, and the third gear 21 is loosely fitted onto the countershaft 2. The main shaft 1 is fixedly connected to the first engaging wheel 14, and the countershaft 2 is fixedly connected to the second engaging wheel 24. Both the first engaging wheel 14 and the second engaging wheel 24 are gears. The inner circumference of the first gear sleeve 13 is provided with internal teeth 131. The second gear 12 includes a first spur tooth section 121 and a first helical tooth section 122 distributed axially. The first gear sleeve 13 is fitted over the first spur tooth section 121 and the first engaging wheel 14, and is suitable for connection with at least one of the first spur tooth section 121 and the first engaging wheel 14. The first gear 14 is fixedly connected to the main shaft 1. After the first gear sleeve 13 is connected to the first straight tooth segment 121 and the first gear 14, it is equivalent to the second gear 12 being powered to the main shaft 1. When the main shaft 1 rotates, it can drive the second gear 12 to rotate. The first helical tooth segment 122 of the second gear 12 meshes with the second rack 6, so that when the second gear 12 rotates, it can drive the second rack 6 to move. At the same time, the first gear 11 is fixedly connected to the main shaft 1. When the main shaft 1 drives the first gear 11 to rotate, it can drive the first rack 5 to move.

[0032] Moreover, the internal teeth 131 in the first gear sleeve 13 and the external teeth of the first coupling wheel 14 and the external teeth of the first straight tooth segment 121 are engaged and connected, so that when the first gear sleeve 13 moves axially, the first gear sleeve 13 can be simultaneously connected with the first coupling wheel 14 and the first straight tooth segment 121, or the first gear sleeve 13 can be connected with at least one of the first coupling wheel 14 and the first straight tooth segment 121. When the first gear sleeve 13 is connected with at least one, power transmission cannot be performed between the main shaft 1 and the second gear 12.

[0033] Similarly, the second gear sleeve 23 also has internal teeth, and the second engagement wheel 24 is fixedly connected to the countershaft 2. The second gear sleeve 23 can be adapted to simultaneously connect the second engagement wheel 24 and the second spur tooth section 211 of the third gear 21, thereby realizing the power connection between the countershaft 2 and the third gear 21. Of course, when the second gear sleeve 23 does not cooperate with the second engagement wheel 24 but cooperates with the second spur tooth section 211, the third gear 21 and the countershaft 2 do not transmit power.

[0034] In this configuration, both the first rack 5 and the second rack 6 are helical gears, enabling stable transmission between the first helical gear segment 122 and the second helical gear segment 212 to the second rack 6. Simultaneously, the first gear 11 is also helical gear, achieving meshing transmission with the first rack 5. The external teeth of the first spur gear segment 121, the second spur gear segment 211, the first engagement gear 14, and the second engagement gear 24 are all spur gears. The second gear 12 is configured to include both the first spur gear segment 121 and the first helical gear segment 122, achieving both transmission engagement between the first helical gear segment 122 and the second rack 6, and facilitating the axial sliding of the first gear sleeve 13. When in motion, the selective engagement of the first gear 14 and the first straight tooth segment 121 is smoother. The internal tooth 131 in the first gear sleeve 13 has a simple design that can simultaneously meet the requirements of engaging with the first gear 14 and the first straight tooth segment 121. Similarly, the third gear 21 is configured to include the second straight tooth segment 211 and the second helical tooth segment 212. This enables both the transmission engagement between the second helical tooth segment 212 and the second rack 6, and the connection between the second gear sleeve 23 and the second straight tooth segment 211, as well as the connection between the second gear sleeve 23 and the second straight tooth segment 211 and the second gear 24, thus forming a power transmission between the countershaft 2 and the third gear 21.

[0035] In some embodiments, the sum of the axial lengths of the first straight tooth segment 121 and the first coupling wheel 14 is equal to the sum of the axial lengths of the second straight tooth segment 211 and the second coupling wheel 24, and the axial length of the first straight tooth segment 121 is less than the axial length of the second straight tooth segment 211, the axial length of the first coupling wheel 14 is greater than the axial length of the second coupling wheel 24, and the axial lengths of the first tooth sleeve 13 and the second tooth sleeve 23 are equal to the lengths of the second straight tooth segment 211 or the first coupling wheel 14.

[0036] Reference Figure 6As shown, when the sum of the axial lengths of the first spur tooth segment 121 and the first engaging wheel 14 is equal to the sum of the axial lengths of the second spur tooth segment 211 and the second engaging wheel 24, then the first gear sleeve 13 and the second gear sleeve 23 can be set to have the same axial length. Furthermore, the axial length of the first engaging wheel 14 in the main shaft 1 is greater than the axial length of the first spur tooth segment 121, and the axial length of the second engaging wheel 24 in the secondary shaft 2 is less than the axial length of the second spur tooth segment 211. The axial length of the first gear sleeve 13 can just satisfy the mating connection with the first spur tooth segment 121 and the first engaging wheel 14, and the axial length of the second gear sleeve 23 can just satisfy the mating connection between the second spur tooth segment 211 and the second engaging wheel 24. Also, if the axial length of the second gear sleeve 23 is equal to the sum of the axial lengths of the first spur tooth segment 121 and the first engaging wheel 14, then... When the second toothed segment 211 is axially extended, if the second toothed sleeve 23 is slid to the left and fully engaged with the second toothed segment 211, the second toothed sleeve 23 is disconnected from the second engagement wheel 24. At the same time, when the first toothed sleeve 13 and the second toothed sleeve 23 are in the same position, since the length of the first toothed segment 121 is smaller and less than the axial length of the first toothed sleeve 13, the first toothed sleeve 13 can maintain a connection between the first toothed segment 121 and the first engagement wheel 14. Similarly, when the first toothed sleeve 13 is slid to the right and fully engaged with the first engagement wheel 14 and separated from the first toothed segment 121 axially, and the second toothed sleeve 23 is in the same position as the first toothed sleeve 13, the second toothed sleeve 23 can maintain a power connection between the second toothed segment 211 and the second engagement wheel 24.

[0037] In other words, by setting the first toothed sleeve 13 and the second toothed sleeve 23 to the same length along the axial direction, and defining the length relationship between the first straight tooth segment 121, the first engaging wheel 14, the second straight tooth segment 211, and the second engaging wheel 24, it is possible to maintain the power connection between the second gear 12 of the main shaft 1 and the main shaft 1, and the power transmission between the third gear 21 of the countershaft 2 and the countershaft 2 is disconnected. At this time, the first rack 5 and the second rack 6 move in the same direction. Similarly, when the power transmission between the second gear 12 of the main shaft 1 and the main shaft 1 is disconnected, the power transmission between the third gear 21 of the countershaft 2 and the countershaft 2 is possible. At this time, the first rack 5 and the second rack 6 move in opposite directions, preventing the situation where the first toothed sleeve 13 separates from the first engaging wheel 14 and connects to the first straight tooth segment 121, and the second toothed sleeve 23 also separates from the second engaging wheel 24 and connects to the second straight tooth segment 211.

[0038] In other words, the power connection between the main shaft 1 and the second gear 12 and the power connection between the secondary shaft 2 and the third gear 21 can only be carried out by one of them. Therefore, the axial length limitation of the first gear sleeve 13 and the second gear sleeve 23, as well as the axial length limitation of the first straight tooth segment 121, the first coupling wheel 14, the second straight tooth segment 211 and the second coupling wheel 24, just meet this requirement.

[0039] In some embodiments, the spindle 1 includes a first spindle section 15, a second spindle section 16, and a third spindle section 17 distributed axially and with increasing diameters. The second gear 12 is loosely fitted onto the third spindle section 17 via a first needle roller bearing 19. The second spindle section 16 is connected to the first gear 11. The first spindle section 15 is connected to the first bearing assembly 18. The third spindle section 17 is connected to a first coupling wheel 14 on the side axially away from the second spindle section 16.

[0040] Specifically, the diameters of the first spindle segment 15, the second spindle segment 16, and the third spindle segment 17 increase sequentially, thus forming a step between the first spindle segment 15 and the second spindle segment 16, and also between the second spindle segment 16 and the third spindle segment 17. This facilitates better positioning when connecting different structural components to different segments. Furthermore, the first spindle segment 15 connects to the first bearing assembly 18, which may include a first bearing 182, a first gasket 181, and a second spacer ring 183. The first bearing 182 is sleeved on the second... The second spacer ring 183 is fixedly connected to the outer periphery of the first bearing 182, and the first gasket 181 is fixedly connected to or pressed against the outer side of the first bearing 182 in the axial direction. At this time, the second spacer ring 183 is fixedly connected to the first spindle section 15, thereby limiting the end of the spindle 1. When the spindle 1 and related components are connected to the housing, the design of the first bearing 182 can provide stable support for the rotation of the spindle 1 and improve the smoothness of rotation. The design of the first gasket 181 can facilitate the connection and buffer between the spindle and the housing, and buffer the force during rotation.

[0041] In addition, the second spindle section 16 is connected to the first gear 11. The second spindle section 16 is provided with a spline that mates with the inner circumference of the first gear 11, so that the first gear 11 and the second spindle section 16 can be splined together, which improves the load-bearing capacity of the connection and the stability of rotation. Moreover, the tooth distribution of the spline is symmetrical, the force is balanced, and the vibration and noise are small during rotation. At the same time, it also makes it easier to install and disassemble the first gear 11 and the second spindle section 16.

[0042] Furthermore, the first spindle section 15 is first fitted with a first needle roller bearing 19, and a second gear 12 is fitted on the first needle roller bearing 19. The first needle roller bearing 19 is provided with a first retaining ring 191 at one end of the first needle roller bearing 19 near the second spindle section 16 along the axial direction. The first retaining ring 191 is of model DIN983. Two or three pieces are inserted into the spline end area groove at the transition between the second spindle section 16 and the third spindle section 17 of the spindle 1 to block the first needle roller bearing 19, and at the same time to press against the first gear 11 and the steering drive 3 connected thereto, so as to prevent the first needle roller bearing 19 from axially displacing. The design of the first needle roller bearing 19 features slender needles, resulting in a bearing outer diameter and width that are much smaller than those of ordinary bearings for the same inner diameter, thus saving installation space. The first needle roller bearing 19 has extremely high radial load capacity, with a large number of needles and a large contact area with the inner and outer rings. The radial load it can withstand per unit space far exceeds that of ball bearings or short cylindrical roller bearings of the same size. It also has strong resistance to impact loads and can maintain good stability under complex working conditions such as low speed, heavy load, and compact space.

[0043] That is, the second gear 12 can be loosely fitted onto the main shaft 1 through the first needle roller bearing 19. Therefore, when the first gear sleeve 13 of the second gear 12 is only connected to the first engaging wheel 14 and not connected to the first straight tooth segment 121, the second gear 12 does not transmit power to the main shaft 1. When the main shaft 1 rotates in the first direction, the driving wheel 10 of the main shaft 1 transmits power to the driven wheel 20. At this time, the main shaft 1 does not output power to the second gear 12. However, at the same time, the second gear sleeve 23 is connected to the second straight tooth segment 211 and the second engaging wheel 24. Then, the transmission of the second rack 6 is mainly transmitted through the third gear 21. The rotation of the first gear 11 is opposite to the rotation of the third gear 21. That is, when the first gear 11 outputs power to the first rack 5 to make the first rack 5 move, the third gear 21 outputs power to the second rack 6 to make the second rack 6 move in the opposite direction.

[0044] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 6 As shown and combined Figure 11 and Figure 12 As shown, the first gear 11 includes a third helical tooth segment 111 and a mounting segment 112 connected along the axial direction. The third helical tooth segment 111 meshes with the first rack 5, and the mounting segment 112 mounts the steering drive component 3.

[0045] In practice, the first gear 11 has a third helical tooth segment 111 and a mounting segment 112 at both ends along the axial direction. The third helical tooth segment 111 can be continuous with the mounting segment 112 along the axial direction. Alternatively, the third helical tooth segment 111 can have an intermediate segment 113 between it and the mounting segment 112 along the axial direction. The mounting segment 112 is fixedly connected to the worm gear 33 of the steering drive component 3. The worm 32 meshes with the worm gear 33 on the outer radial side of the worm gear 33, that is, the worm 32 is perpendicular to the main shaft 1 and the secondary shaft 2. The worm gear 33 is connected to the main shaft 1 through the first gear 11. The worm gear 33 is parallel to the first gear 11 and the second gear 12, resulting in higher integration. Moreover, the third helical tooth segment 111 of the first gear 11 can mesh with the first tooth segment 112. The first gear 5 meshes with the second gear 12, and the mounting section 112 is used to connect the worm gear 33. After the worm 32 transmits power to the worm gear 33, the rotation of the worm gear 33 directly drives the first gear 11 to rotate. The first gear 11 drives the first rack 5 to move. Since the first gear 11 is connected to the main shaft 1, the rotation of the first gear 11 can continue to drive the main shaft 1 to rotate. When the first gear sleeve 13 is connected to the first spur tooth section 121 of the second gear 12 and the first engagement wheel 14 of the main shaft 1, the rotation of the main shaft 1 can drive the rotation of the second gear 12. The rotation of the second gear 12 can drive the second rack 6 to move. That is, at this time, the first rack 5 and the second rack 6 can move in the same direction, realizing the conventional power steering gear.

[0046] That is, the first gear 11 is configured to include a third helical tooth segment 111 arranged along the axial direction and a mounting segment 112. This can realize the meshing of the first gear 11 with the first rack 5, so that the rotation of the first gear 11 drives the movement of the first rack 5. At the same time, the mounting segment 112 can be used to connect the worm gear 33, integrating the worm gear 33 on the main shaft 1, saving space.

[0047] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 6 As shown, the secondary shaft 2 includes a first secondary shaft section 25, a second secondary shaft section 26, a third secondary shaft section 27, and a fourth secondary shaft section 28 distributed axially and with increasing diameters. The third gear 21 is loosely fitted onto the fourth secondary shaft section 28 via a second needle roller bearing 29. The third secondary shaft section 27 is connected to a first spacer ring 271. The second secondary shaft section 26 is loosely fitted with a fourth gear 22, which meshes with the first rack 5. The first secondary shaft section 25 is connected to a second bearing assembly 251.

[0048] Specifically, the third gear 21 is loosely fitted onto the fourth countershaft section 28 via the second needle roller bearing 29, and the fourth gear 22 is loosely fitted onto the first countershaft section 25 via the third needle roller bearing 221. That is, when the main shaft 1 rotates and outputs power to the countershaft 2, the rotation of the countershaft 2 will not drive the rotation of the fourth gear 22. However, when the first gear 11 drives the first rack 5 to move, the movement of the first rack 5 can drive the fourth gear 22 to rotate around the countershaft 2, that is, the fourth gear 22 rotates freely. Therefore, by setting the fourth gear 22, the distribution of the first gear 11, the second gear 12, the third gear 21, and the fourth gear 22 can be made more even. That is, the first gear 11 and the second gear 12 are distributed along the axial direction of the main shaft 1, and the first gear 11 meshes with the first rack 5, the second gear 12 meshes with the second rack 6, and at the same time, the third gear 21 meshes with the second rack 6, and the fourth gear 22 meshes with the first rack 5. Therefore, the fourth gear 22 can make the operation of the first rack 5 more stable, and as a stable support, it does not output power.

[0049] Furthermore, the third gear 21 is loosely fitted onto the fourth auxiliary shaft section 28 via the second needle roller bearing 29. The functions of the second needle roller bearing 29 and the third needle roller bearing 221 are the same as those of the first needle roller bearing 19 mentioned above, namely, saving installation space and providing strong load-bearing capacity. The third auxiliary shaft section 27 is fitted with a first spacer ring 271. The diameter of the two ends of the first spacer ring 271 in the axial direction is larger than the diameter of the portion between the two ends. Therefore, when the first spacer ring 271 is fitted onto the third auxiliary shaft section 27, it can separate the third gear 21 and the fourth gear 22, allowing the third gear 21 and the fourth gear 22 to rotate independently. In addition, the first spacer ring 271 is provided with a second retaining ring 291 at each end in the axial direction. The second retaining ring 291 is of model GB / T894.1, which is used to limit the movement of the first spacer ring 271 and to prevent the first needle roller bearing 19 and the third needle roller bearing 221 from moving around.

[0050] Meanwhile, the first sub-shaft section 25 is fixedly connected to the second bearing assembly 251. The second bearing assembly 251 includes a second gasket 2511, a second bearing 2512, and a third spacer ring 2513. The second bearing 2512 and the first bearing 182 are both bearings of model 6303. The third spacer ring 2513 passes through the inner ring of the second bearing 2512 and is sleeved and connected to the first sub-shaft section 25. The setting of the second bearing 2512 can also improve the rotation of the sub-shaft 2 and the support effect between the sub-shaft 2 and the housing. The second gasket 2511 is connected to the side of the second bearing 2512 away from the third spacer ring 2513, which has the same function as the first gasket 181 being connected to the side of the first bearing 182 away from the second main shaft section 16. It also improves the buffering effect between the sub-shaft 2 and the housing after it is connected to the housing.

[0051] It should also be noted that, referring to Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the steering gear assembly 100 also includes a housing, which includes a long housing 101, a short housing 102, and a lower housing 104. The first bearing assembly 18 and the second bearing assembly 251 can be disposed in the short housing 102. The first bearing 182 allows the main shaft 1 to be rotatably connected to the short housing 102, and the second bearing 2512 allows the countershaft 2 to be rotatably connected to the short housing 102. The long housing 101 is connected to one side of the short housing 102. The first gear 11, the second gear 12, the third gear 21, and related components such as the second main shaft section 16 and the third main shaft section 17 of the main shaft 1, and the second countershaft section 26, the third countershaft section 27, and the fourth countershaft section 28 of the countershaft 2 are all connected in the long housing 101.

[0052] The long housing 101 and the short housing 102 are positioned together by a first locating pin 103, and other parts are connected by connecting bolts. The long housing 101 and the short housing 102 are distributed laterally along the vehicle 200. A lower housing 104 is also provided at the bottom of the long housing 101 and the short housing 102. The lower housing 104 is initially positioned by a second locating pin 105, facilitating the connection between the long housing 101 and the lower housing 104. The lower housing 104 is suitable for connecting the first rack 5. The long housing 101 and the lower housing 104 are connected by the second rack 6, ensuring that the first gear 11, the fourth gear 22 and the first rack 5 are meshed, and the second gear 12, the third gear 21 and the second rack 6 are meshed. By setting this split housing, the relevant structures of the steering gear assembly 100 can be more comprehensively protected, and when a certain component needs to be maintained, all components will not be exposed, reducing the impact of the external environment on other components that do not need maintenance.

[0053] In some embodiments, the steering assembly 100 further includes a shifter 4, which is poweredly connected to a shift fork 82. The shift fork 82 is parallel to the main shaft 1 and the secondary shaft 2. The shift fork 82 is connected to a shift fork 81, which is distributed with the shifter 4 in a direction perpendicular to the main shaft 1.

[0054] Among them, combined Figure 1 and Figure 13As shown, the shifter 4 generally includes a motor that drives the shifting. The motor can drive the lead screw 42 to move. The lead screw 42 is fitted with a nut 41. The nut 41 is connected to the shift fork 81. When the lead screw 42 drives the nut 41 to move axially, the shift fork 81 can also move axially. Thus, the shift fork 81 can drive the movement of the first gear sleeve 13 and the second gear sleeve 23, thereby connecting the first gear sleeve 13 with the first straight tooth segment 121 and the first engagement wheel 14 to realize the power connection between the second gear 12 and the main shaft 1. The second gear sleeve 23 is disconnected from the second straight tooth segment 211 and the second engagement wheel 24, realizing the same direction movement of the first rack 5 and the second rack 6. Alternatively, the second gear sleeve 23 can be connected to both the second straight tooth segment 211 and the second engagement wheel 24 to realize the power connection between the third gear 21 and the countershaft 2. The first gear sleeve 13 is connected to the first engagement wheel 14 but not to the first straight tooth segment 121, realizing the opposite direction movement of the first rack 5 and the second rack 6.

[0055] Reference Figure 6 and Figure 13 As shown, the shift fork 81 has a shift fork hole 811, and a bushing 84 is provided inside the shift fork hole 811 so that the shift fork rod 82 can pass through the bushing 84 and connect with the shift fork 81. One end of the shift fork rod 82 is connected to a first limiting member 83 and the other end is provided with a second limiting member 85. The side of the second limiting member 85 away from the shift fork 81 is also provided with a screw plug 86. That is, when the shift fork rod 82 and the shift fork 81 and other related components can be integrated and connected in the long box 101, the screw plug 86 can seal the end of the long box 101 connected to the shift fork rod 82. Figure 13 As shown, this is to prevent impurities from entering the long housing 101 along one end of the connecting fork lever 82, and also to prevent the fork lever 82 from moving too much. Furthermore, the first limiting member 83 and the second limiting member 85 limit the range of motion of the fork 81, allowing the fork 81 to more precisely control the range of motion of the first toothed sleeve 13 and the second toothed sleeve 23. The fork 81 can... Figure 13 The movement is within the range of L1, and the length of L1 is consistent with the axial length of the first toothed sleeve 13 and the second toothed sleeve 23. The diameter of the middle position of the first limiting member 83 is smaller than the diameter of the two ends, which can improve the strength of the first limiting member 83 while saving material, and also increase the space between the middle position of the first limiting member 83 and other structures, or avoid other structures.

[0056] and, Figure 13The long housing 101 is provided with a stepped hole 1011 at one end of the fork rod 82 to facilitate disassembly of the fork rod 82. The fork rod 82 can be interference-fitted at the stepped hole 1011. The first limiting member 83 and the second limiting member 85 can be clearance-fitted with the fork rod 82. After the fork rod 82 is connected, it is convenient to connect the first limiting member 83 and the second limiting member 85 with the fork rod 82. The part between the second limiting member 85 and the screw plug 86 can be interference-fitted with the long housing 101 to maintain the stability of the fork rod 82 and enable the fork 81 to move stably along the axial direction of the fork rod 82.

[0057] It should also be noted that a position sensor 87 can be installed on the long housing 101. Figure 14 In the design, the shift fork 81 is equipped with a magnet 88 that cooperates with the position sensor 87. The magnet 88 of the shift fork 81 and the position sensor 87 of the elongated housing 101 work together to monitor the position information of the shift fork 81. The position sensor 87 is a component used to monitor the signal output of the magnet of the shift fork 81 and convert the signal. When the shift fork 81 moves, it will drive the magnet 88 to move as well, thereby changing the magnetic field signal at the location of the position sensor 87. The position sensor 87 typically uses sensing elements such as Hall effect chips, which can sense changes in the magnetic field and convert them into electrical signals, such as voltage values ​​or duty cycles, and transmit them to the relevant control system to achieve accurate monitoring of the position of the shift fork 81. Furthermore, the middle position of the shift fork 81 at its extreme lateral travel is the 0 position, which is the middle position of the distance L1 along the axial direction, where the Hall effect signal sensing capability is strongest. The gap between the position sensor 87 and the magnet 88 can be approximately 2.75 mm. The range of the two ends of the shift fork 81 is limited to 6.1 × 2 mm. The nominal value of the left and right travel is ±5.5 mm. The center position of the shift fork 81 is set at the center of the magnet 88.

[0058] Furthermore, one end of the shift fork 81 along the distribution direction of the main shaft 1 and the secondary shaft 2 is connected to the first toothed sleeve 13 and the other end is connected to the second toothed sleeve 23, such as Figure 14 If the magnet 88 is placed on the side where the shift fork 81 is connected to the second toothed sleeve 23, then a counterweight 89 can be placed on the side where the shift fork 81 is connected to the first toothed sleeve 13, so as to maintain the force balance of the shift fork 81 and realize the stable movement of the shift fork 81.

[0059] In this embodiment of the invention, the shift fork lever 82 is arranged parallel to the main shaft 1 and the secondary shaft 2, and the shifter 4 is arranged vertically above the main shaft 1, which can save space in the X direction of the vehicle 200. At the same time, the worm gear 33 is sleeved on the first gear 11 and the first gear 11 is sleeved and connected to the main shaft 1, which is equivalent to the worm gear 33 and the first gear 11 being parallel and integratedly connected to the main shaft 1. The worm 32 meshes with the upper part of the worm gear 33, which can also save space in the X direction of the vehicle 200, making the first rack 5 and the second rack 6 closer together, more compact and square, which is more beneficial for avoiding the lower body peripheral parts.

[0060] In addition, a washer 106 is provided on the side of the shifter 4 to achieve a seal when connected to the long housing 101. A third gasket 108 is also provided at one end of the first limiting member 83 to achieve a seal after connection with the long housing 101. Furthermore, the shifter 4 is provided with multiple fixing members 109, which are suitable for fixing the shifter 4 to the long housing 101.

[0061] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 15 As shown, the main shaft 1 is provided with a driving wheel 10 and the secondary shaft 2 is provided with a driven wheel 20. The driving wheel 10 and the driven wheel 20 mesh. The first straight tooth segment 121 includes a plurality of circumferentially distributed first straight teeth 1213 and the driving wheel 10 includes a plurality of circumferentially distributed driving teeth 1001. The first helical tooth segment 122 includes a plurality of circumferentially distributed first helical teeth 1221. Each first straight tooth 1213 and the corresponding driving tooth 1001 are aligned axially. Each first straight tooth 1213 and the corresponding first helical tooth 1221 are aligned at the end near the first straight tooth 1213.

[0062] Furthermore, the second spur tooth segment 211 includes a plurality of circumferentially distributed second spur teeth 2111, the driven wheel 20 includes a plurality of circumferentially distributed driven teeth 2001, and the second helical tooth segment 212 includes a plurality of circumferentially distributed second helical teeth 2121. The tooth groove 2002 formed by each second spur tooth 2111 and the adjacent driven tooth 2001 is aligned axially, and the end of each second spur tooth 2111 and the corresponding second helical tooth 2121 near the second spur tooth 2111 is aligned.

[0063] In practice, Figure 6 In this configuration, the driving wheel 10 is fixedly connected to the main shaft 1 and the driven wheel 20 is fixedly connected to the secondary shaft 2. The end of the driving wheel 10 away from the first coupling wheel 14 is provided with a third bearing 107, and the end of the driven wheel 20 away from the second coupling wheel 24 is provided with a fourth bearing 201. The driving wheel 10 and the driven wheel 20 are engaged and can transmit power. The first bearing 182, the second bearing 2512, the third bearing 107 and the fourth bearing 201 can all be deep groove ball bearings to ensure that the main shaft 1 and the secondary shaft 2 can rotate stably.

[0064] and, Figure 15In this configuration, the first spur tooth segment 121 of the second gear 12 is surrounded by multiple first spur teeth 1213, and the circumferential direction of the driving gear 10 includes multiple driving teeth 1001 spaced apart. Similarly, the circumferential direction of the first engagement gear 14 also includes multiple first engagement teeth 141 distributed along the circumferential direction. At this time, the multiple driving teeth 1001 of the main shaft 1 and the multiple first engagement teeth 141 of the first engagement gear 14 correspond one-to-one. The diameter of the first engagement gear 14 is smaller than the diameter of the driving gear 10, and the multiple first engagement teeth 141 of the first engagement gear 14 correspond one-to-one with the multiple driving teeth 1001. That is, the tooth tip of each driving tooth 1001 is directly opposite the tooth tip of each first spur tooth 1213. At the same time, the tooth tip of each first spur tooth 1213 is directly opposite the end of the first helical tooth 1221 of the second gear 12 near the driving tooth 1001. This ensures that when the second gear 12 rotates, the first helical tooth 1221 can always maintain its positional relationship with the driving tooth 1001, making the entire output process more stable.

[0065] Similarly, the third gear 21 has multiple second spur teeth 2111 around its second spur tooth section 211, and the driven gear 20 has multiple spaced driven teeth 2001 in its circumferential direction. Similarly, the second engaging gear 24 also has multiple circumferentially distributed second engaging teeth 241 in its axial direction. In this case, the diameter of the second engaging gear 24 is smaller than the diameter of the driven gear 20, and adjacent second engaging teeth 241 of the second engaging gear 241 form engaging tooth grooves 242. The multiple driven teeth 2001 of the secondary shaft 2 and the multiple engaging tooth grooves 242 of the second engaging gear 241 correspond one-to-one, that is, the tooth grooves 2002 formed by two adjacent driven teeth 2001 and each... The tips of the corresponding second spur teeth 2111 are aligned, and the ends of the second spur teeth 2111 and the second helical teeth 2121 close to the second spur teeth 2111 are aligned. This design can better satisfy the meshing of the driven wheel 20 and the driving wheel 10, and when the driving wheel 10 rotates, it drives the driven wheel 20 to rotate stably. When the second gear sleeve 23 is connected to the second engagement wheel 24 and the second spur tooth segment 211 at the same time, the third gear 21 can be kept to rotate with the driven wheel 20. The second helical tooth 2121 of the third gear 21 meshes with the second rack 6, which ensures the stability of the power transmission of the third gear 21 to the second rack 6.

[0066] This gear alignment design helps control the initial feed angle of hobbing or shaving, and can also be used as an auxiliary judgment factor by simple visual inspection. If the first spur tooth 1213 of the second gear 12 has a non-zero angle with the driving tooth 1001 at the beginning, then the second spur tooth 2111 of the third gear 21 of the countershaft 2 and the driven tooth 2001 must also make the same angle, which will undoubtedly increase the difficulty of monitoring. Since the driving wheel 10 and the driven wheel 20 need to be in a constant meshing state, the structure related to the main shaft 1 is set to tooth-to-tooth alignment, and the other structure related to the countershaft 2 is set to tooth-to-groove alignment. The aforementioned tooth alignment setting can also increase the overall integrity of the structure.

[0067] It should be noted that the number of driving teeth 1001 of the driving gear 10 is the same as the number of driven teeth 2001 of the driven gear 20. To facilitate tooling positioning, both the driving gear 10 and the driven gear 20 use spur teeth. The center distance between the main shaft 1 and the countershaft 2 is an integer multiple of the adjacent tooth pitch of the first rack 5 and the second rack 6, thus facilitating design. In this embodiment, the distance is 9 times, but other integer multiples are also possible. Initially, the main shaft 1 and the countershaft 2 are spaced an integer multiple of the tooth pitch, and the number of teeth of the first gear 11, the first helical tooth segment 122 of the second gear 12, the second helical tooth segment 212 of the third gear 21, and the fourth gear 22 are all integer multiples of the adjacent tooth pitch of the first rack 5 and the second rack 6. This ensures stable meshing between the first gear 11 and the fourth gear 22 with the first rack 5, and stable meshing between the second gear 12 and the third gear 21 with the second rack 6.

[0068] Furthermore, the displacement coefficients of the driving gear 10 and the driven gear 20 need to be two extremely small negative displacements approaching zero, ideally exactly zero, but the primary priority is to ensure an integer module. When the displacement coefficients approach zero, the driving gear 1001 and the driven gear 2001 are close to standard gears, which simplifies the design and reduces the difficulty of machining. The module is a fundamental parameter of gears (such as tooth pitch and tooth height, which are related to the module), and it must be an integer to match common machining tools and equipment, which is a prerequisite for gear machining and assembly. Moreover, to ensure a certain tooth root bending strength, the driving gear 1001 and the driven gear 2001 can be widened to make the bending strength safety factor SF ≥ 1.3. The tooth surface contact strength safety factor of the driving gear 1001 and the driven gear 2001 is ≥ 0.9.

[0069] Therefore, the number of driving teeth 1001 of the aforementioned driving wheel 10 and the number of driven teeth 2001 of the driven wheel 2001 are the same, and with the other related descriptions mentioned above, it is possible to achieve constant angular velocity rotation of the main shaft 1 and the secondary shaft 2, that is, to make the first rack 5 and the second rack 6 move at the same speed.

[0070] It should also be noted that the minimum number of teeth for the first gear 11, the second gear 12, the third gear 21, and the fourth gear 22 is recommended to be 17 or more. For ease of design calibration, it is advisable to select an even number from the data greater than or equal to 17. In this embodiment of the invention, the number of teeth selected is 18. The first helical tooth 1221 of the first helical tooth segment 122 and the second helical tooth 2121 of the second helical tooth segment 212 facilitate the control of the initial feed phase during machining. The optimal solution is that the number of teeth is the same as the number of helical teeth of the first gear 11 and the fourth gear 22.

[0071] In addition, the second toothed sleeve 23 and the second straight tooth segment 211 have the same axial length, and the width of the second engaging tooth 241 is approximately twice the width of the second straight tooth segment 211. Thus, regardless of which gear the first toothed sleeve 13 and the second toothed sleeve 23 are in, the first toothed sleeve 13 can simultaneously connect the first straight tooth segment 121 and the first engaging wheel 14, while the second toothed sleeve 23 cannot simultaneously connect the second straight tooth segment 211 and the second engaging wheel 24.

[0072] The number of teeth on the driving wheel 10 of the main shaft 1 and the number of teeth on the first engagement wheel 14 are integer multiples of each other. Otherwise, if the first gear sleeve 13 slides away, it will not be able to engage the driving wheel 10 and the driven wheel 20 for n teeth before shifting gears and the first gear sleeve 13 slides back, having just passed an integer multiple of n (including 1), resulting in a tooth phase angle with a decimal, and thus the gears cannot be engaged. In this embodiment of the invention, the number of teeth on the driving wheel 10 can be twice the number of teeth on the first engagement wheel 14.

[0073] Reference Figures 16-19 As shown, taking the second gear 12 as an example, the second gear 12 includes a first straight tooth segment 121 and a first helical tooth segment 122. When designing the alignment of the aforementioned related teeth, this patent embodiment takes the first neutral surface 1214 of the first straight tooth segment 121 and the second neutral surface 1222 of the first helical tooth segment 122. Whether the midpoint of the intersection profile 1215 of the individual teeth on the neutral surfaces of the first helical tooth segment 122 and the first straight tooth segment 121 is aligned is determined by using a gear inspection instrument to print out their respective tooth profile trajectories and generate a midline angle deviation value. Whether or not there is tooth tip trimming, it is preferable to take the midpoint of the two side profiles of the tooth shape (rather than the tooth tip profile) as much as possible, because the tooth tip is rough machined and has a certain wear deformation. Gear inspection instruments are equipment that gear processing units usually have. For involutes or quasi-involutes with a bulging amount, their three-coordinate probes can pull out the tooth profile.

[0074] Specifically, the tooth alignment error angle between the first straight tooth 1213 of the first straight tooth segment 121 and the first helical tooth segment 122 is less than or equal to α, where α can be taken as 0.17°. This means that an extension line parallel to the first straight tooth 1213 is drawn along the first straight tooth segment 121, and this extension line is not aligned with the end of the first helical tooth 1221 of the corresponding first helical tooth segment 122 facing the first straight tooth 1213, exhibiting an error of approximately 0.17°. Furthermore, there is also a drift error of approximately 0.05mm between the tooth surface on the circumferential side of the first straight tooth segment 121 and the tooth surface on the same side of the corresponding first helical tooth segment 122. 0.05mm is... Figure 20 The range indicated by 'b' in the figure, such as when the surface difference on the same side of the first helical tooth 1221 and the corresponding first straight tooth 1213 is 0.12-0.18mm, when considering a drift error of about 0.05mm, the surface difference on the same side of the first helical tooth 1221 and the corresponding first straight tooth 1213 is 0.17-0.23mm.

[0075] Whether it is described as a or b, the first helical tooth segment 122 is used as the cross section. It can be understood that after rotating the first helical tooth 1221 in one direction by an angle a, one end of the rotated first helical tooth 1221 can be better aligned with the first straight tooth 1213. That is, there is an error of 0.17° between the first helical tooth 1221 and the first straight tooth 1213. There is also a drift error of distance b between the tooth surface on one side of the first helical tooth segment 122 and the tooth surface on the same side of the corresponding first straight tooth 1213. Here, a and b are both based on the first helical tooth 1221 as a reference. The virtual displacement of the rotation of the first helical tooth 1221 itself can be used to represent a and b. That is, in order to achieve the alignment of the tooth tip of the driving tooth 1001 with the tooth tip of the first straight tooth 1213 and the alignment of the tooth tip of the first straight tooth 1213 with the tooth tip of the first helical tooth 1221, it is necessary to first consider these error ranges and make a second gear 12 with a suitable standard. Therefore, a more accurate driving wheel 10 and second gear 12 are finally made to achieve a more accurate and stable power transmission.

[0076] In addition, combined Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, the first gear sleeve 13 has an internal tooth 131. The end of the internal tooth 131 facing the first straight tooth segment 121 has two inclined surfaces 132 and 133 with an included angle. The included angle between the first inclined surface 132 and the second inclined surface 133 forms a locking angle. The end of the first straight tooth 1213 of the first straight tooth segment 121 facing the first coupling wheel 14 also has a third inclined surface 1211 and a fourth inclined surface 1212. Therefore, when the first gear sleeve 13 and the first straight tooth segment 121 are engaged, the internal tooth 131 of the first gear sleeve 13 can slide into the outer circumference of the first straight tooth segment 121 better, which improves the smoothness of the movement of the first gear sleeve 13.

[0077] Similarly, an internal tooth 131 can also be provided on the inner side of the second gear sleeve 23. The end of the internal tooth 131 facing the second coupling wheel 24 also has a first inclined surface 132 and a second inclined surface 133. The end of the second coupling tooth 241 of the second coupling wheel 24 has a third inclined surface 1211 and a fourth inclined surface 1212, which allows the second gear sleeve 23 to slide better into the second coupling wheel 24, so that the second gear sleeve 23, the third gear 21 and the second coupling wheel 24 can be connected at the same time, and power can be transmitted between the third gear 21 and the countershaft 2. The locking angle is an obtuse angle with a sword tip shape, which is used to reduce the occurrence of the top tooth condition of the key connection in axial movement. The locking angle forms mutual accommodation and smoothing transition of rotation speed, so that the inner and outer splines can be smoothly inserted into the target position in the axial direction and then transmit torque, avoiding impact.

[0078] In some embodiments, rack adjusting members 7 are provided at the bottom of the first rack 5 and the bottom of the second rack 6. The rack adjusting member 7 at the bottom of the first rack 5 is adapted to adjust the height of the first rack 5, and the rack adjusting member 7 at the bottom of the second rack 6 is adapted to adjust the height of the second rack 6.

[0079] In practice, the bottom of the first rack 5 is provided with two rack adjusting parts 7 distributed along the transverse direction of the vehicle 200. The two rack adjusting parts 7 can be adjusting nuts, and the bottom of the second rack 6 is provided with two adjusting nuts 41 distributed along the transverse direction of the vehicle 200. These adjusting nuts can be used to connect each adjusting nut below the first rack 5 and the second rack 6 to the corresponding external lead screw, so that the height of the adjusting nut can be adjusted. Therefore, the first rack 5 can better cooperate with the first gear 11 and the fourth gear 22, and the second rack 6 can better cooperate with the first helical tooth section 122 of the second gear 12 and the second helical tooth section 212 of the third gear 21, so as to avoid the phenomenon of incomplete meshing affecting the transmission effect.

[0080] It should be noted that the operating mechanism and control strategy of the wheels 300 on both sides of the vehicle 200 in this embodiment of the invention include: under normal conditions, the first rack 5 and the second rack 6 move in the same direction, that is, the wheels 300 on both sides corresponding to the steering wheel rotation swing in the same direction; although the tie rod is broken, it is still regarded as a whole with a fixed length. Figure 21 This indicates that vehicle 200 is in a normal forward-moving state. Figure 21 Angle d represents the obtuse angle of a wheel making a U-turn from an outward-facing position (30°), while angle c represents the acute angle of a wheel making a U-turn from an inward-facing position (30°). Figures 21-25 The bold lines on wheel 300 indicate the front outer side of wheel 300.

[0081] When from Figures 21 to 22In this state, the lateral movement of the two wheels 300 corresponds to the opposite movement between the first rack 5 and the second rack 6. The tie rod of the vehicle 200 is telescopic and variable in length, easily achieving lateral movement and stationary steering. Lateral movement means that the two wheels 300 swing 90° symmetrically from their normal state to parallel, with the left and right wheels 300 turning sideways and being driven in opposite directions. This results in the four wheels 300 of the front and rear axles exhibiting a lateral movement effect. Figure 22 In a normal four-link steering system, because the links cannot be flattened, the wheels 300 cannot be leveled. This embodiment of the invention controls the opposite movement of the first rack 5 and the second rack 6, which can greatly reduce the "absolute" lateral movement caused by tire wear. In this embodiment, with the layout of four hub motors and two steering gear assemblies 100, compared to the initial straight-line position, the two wheels 300 symmetrically swing 90° to parallel, the left and right wheels 300 turn sideways, and the left and right hub motors change to opposite-direction drive compared to conventional driving, resulting in a lateral movement of the wheels 300 in one direction of rotation. Furthermore, the wheels are 300. Figures 23-25 At this time, it can perform a circular motion relative to the geometric midpoint of the front and rear axles, with the first rack 5 and the second rack 6 moving in opposite directions. Figure 23 It refers to the front wheels forming an obtuse angle and the rear wheels forming an acute angle. For example, the obtuse angle of the front wheels refers to the front wheels turning from... Figure 21 Rotate to Figure 23 The state of the wheel can be observed by referring to the thick black line of wheel 300 to check the angle of rotation of wheel 300. Figure 24 The front wheels exhibit an acute-angled inward turn and the rear wheels an obtuse-angled inward turn. Figure 25 The front wheels exhibit an acute inward yaw angle, while the rear wheels exhibit an acute outward yaw angle. Figures 23 to 25 The situation can be coordinated with the actual rotation direction of the worm gear 33. For example, when the worm gear 33 rotates in the first direction, the first tooth sleeve 13 meshes with the first connecting wheel 14 and is disconnected from the first straight tooth segment 121, and the second tooth sleeve 23 meshes with the second straight tooth segment 211 and is connected to the second connecting wheel 24. At this time, assuming that the first rack 5 moves to the left and the second rack 6 moves to the right, then when the worm gear 33 is reversed, the first rack 5 moves to the right and the second rack 6 moves to the left, thereby controlling the wheel 300 to turn in the required direction according to the specific situation.

[0082] Of course, it should also be noted that, referring to Figure 26 As shown, in actual operation, the positions of the first engaging wheel 14 of the main shaft 1 and the second engaging wheel 24 of the countershaft 2 can be interchanged. Simultaneously, the positions of the second gear 12 and the third gear 21 can also be interchanged, achieving the aforementioned effect of making the first rack 5 and the second rack 6 rotate in the same direction or in opposite directions. Furthermore, in actual operation, the fourth gear 22 may not be necessary. Figure 26 The fourth gear 22, marked with a dashed line, means that the fourth gear 22 can be removed.

[0083] This invention also discloses a vehicle 200, including the aforementioned steering assembly 100. The steering assembly 100 controls the co-rotation and counter-rotation of the first rack 5 and the second rack 6 via a main shaft 1, a counter shaft 2, and related gears thereon. Furthermore, the steering drive component 3 is directly connected to the main shaft 1, resulting in a more compact overall structure. The engagement method between the second gear 12 and the main shaft 1, and between the third gear 21 and the counter shaft 2, makes it more convenient for the first gear sleeve 13 to power the second gear 12 and the main shaft 1, and for the second gear sleeve 23 to power the third gear 21 and the counter shaft 2.

[0084] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," 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, the 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.

[0085] 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 gear assembly, characterized in that, include: A first rack (5) and a second rack (6), wherein the first rack (5) is adapted to be connected to a first side wheel (300) and the second rack (6) is adapted to be connected to a second side wheel (300); Steering drive (3), main shaft (1) and secondary shaft (2), the steering drive (3) is poweredly connected to the main shaft (1) to drive the main shaft (1) to rotate, the main shaft (1) is provided with a first gear (11) and a second gear (12), the secondary shaft (2) is provided with a third gear (21), the first gear (11) meshes with the first rack (5), the second gear (12) and the third gear (21) respectively mesh with the second rack (6); The first gear (11) is circumferentially fixed to the main shaft (1), the main shaft (1) is linked to the secondary shaft (2), the second gear (12) is selectively powered to the main shaft (1), and the third gear (21) is selectively powered to the secondary shaft (2).

2. The steering gear assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a first gear sleeve (13) and a second gear sleeve (23), the second gear (12) includes a first spur tooth section (121) and a first helical tooth section (122) distributed axially, the main shaft (1) is connected to a first engagement wheel (14), the first gear sleeve (13) is located on the outer periphery of the first engagement wheel (14) and the first spur tooth section (121), and is adapted to slide axially to selectively connect the first engagement wheel (14) with the first spur tooth section (121), the first helical tooth section (122) meshes with the second rack (6); The third gear (21) includes a second spur tooth segment (211) and a second helical tooth segment (212) distributed along the axial direction. The countershaft (2) is also fixedly connected to a second engagement wheel (24). The second gear sleeve (23) is located on the outer periphery of the second engagement wheel (24) and the second spur tooth segment (211) and is adapted to slide along the axial direction to selectively connect the second engagement wheel (24) with the second spur tooth segment (211). The second helical tooth segment (212) meshes with the second rack (6).

3. The steering gear assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The sum of the axial lengths of the first spur tooth segment (121) and the first coupling wheel (14) is equal to the sum of the axial lengths of the second spur tooth segment (211) and the second coupling wheel (24), and the axial length of the first spur tooth segment (121) is less than the axial length of the second spur tooth segment (211), the axial length of the first coupling wheel (14) is greater than the axial length of the second coupling wheel (24), and the axial lengths of the first tooth sleeve (13) and the second tooth sleeve (23) are equal to the lengths of the second spur tooth segment (211) or the first coupling wheel (14).

4. The steering gear assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, The main shaft (1) includes a first main shaft section (15), a second main shaft section (16), and a third main shaft section (17) distributed axially and increasing in diameter. The second gear (12) is loosely fitted onto the third main shaft section (17) through a first needle roller bearing (19). The second main shaft section (16) is connected to the first gear (11). The first main shaft section (15) is connected to a first bearing (182) assembly (18). The third main shaft section (17) is connected to the first coupling wheel (14) on the side axially away from the second main shaft section (16).

5. The steering gear assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first gear (11) includes a third helical tooth segment (111) and a mounting segment (112) connected axially. The third helical tooth segment (111) meshes with the first rack (5), and the mounting segment (112) mounts the steering drive (3).

6. The steering gear assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The secondary shaft (2) includes a first secondary shaft section (25), a second secondary shaft section (26), a third secondary shaft section (27), and a fourth secondary shaft section (28) distributed axially and with increasing diameters. The third gear (21) is loosely fitted onto the fourth secondary shaft section (28) via a second needle roller bearing (29). The third secondary shaft section (27) is connected to a first spacer ring (271). The second secondary shaft section (26) is loosely fitted with a fourth gear (22). The fourth gear (22) meshes with the first rack (5). The first secondary shaft section (25) is connected to a second bearing assembly (251).

7. The steering gear assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, It also includes a gear shifter (4), which is poweredly connected to a shift fork (82). The shift fork (82) is parallel to the main shaft (1) and the secondary shaft (2). The shift fork (82) is connected to a shift fork (81). The shift fork (81) and the gear shifter (4) are distributed in a direction perpendicular to the main shaft (1).

8. The steering gear assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The main shaft (1) is provided with a driving wheel (10) and the secondary shaft (2) is provided with a driven wheel (20). The driving wheel (10) and the driven wheel (20) mesh. The first spur tooth segment (121) includes a plurality of circumferentially distributed first spur teeth (1213) and the driving wheel (10) includes a plurality of circumferentially distributed driving teeth (1001). The first helical tooth segment (122) includes a plurality of circumferentially distributed first helical teeth (1221). Each first spur tooth (1213) and the corresponding driving tooth (1001) are aligned axially. Each first spur tooth (1213) and the corresponding first helical tooth (1221) are aligned at the end closest to the first spur tooth (1213). Furthermore, the second spur tooth segment (211) includes a plurality of circumferentially distributed second spur teeth (2111), the driven wheel (20) includes a plurality of circumferentially distributed driven teeth (2001), and the second helical tooth segment (212) includes a plurality of circumferentially distributed second helical teeth (2121). The tooth groove (2002) formed by each second spur tooth (2111) and the adjacent driven tooth (2001) is aligned axially, and each second spur tooth (2111) and the corresponding second helical tooth (2121) are aligned at the end near the second spur tooth (2111).

9. The steering gear assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both the bottom of the first rack (5) and the bottom of the second rack (6) are provided with rack adjusting members (7). The rack adjusting member (7) at the bottom of the first rack (5) is adapted to adjust the height of the first rack (5), and the rack adjusting member (7) at the bottom of the second rack (6) is adapted to adjust the height of the second rack (6).

10. A vehicle (200), characterized in that, Includes the steering assembly as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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