Forklift steering device and forklift
By introducing a clearance adjustment mechanism and dust-proof lubrication measures into the forklift steering device, the abnormal noise and wear problems caused by the increase in the gap between the rack and gear on bumpy roads is solved, and the NVH performance and service life of the forklift are improved.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202422879559.8
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-11-25
- Publication Date
- 2025-08-22
- Estimated Expiration
- 2034-11-25
AI Technical Summary
In the electric steering technology of existing forklifts, the gap between the rack and gear is prone to increase on bumpy road surfaces, resulting in abnormal noise and abnormal wear and unsmooth meshing.
The gap adjustment mechanism is adopted, including a spring, rack support block and V-shaped groove structure, which automatically compensates the meshing clearance between the steering gear and rack, and improves the stability and lubrication effect of the device through dustproof sleeves and lubrication holes.
It effectively eliminates abnormal noise, improves the NVH performance of the forklift steering device, extends the service life, and reduces the difficulty of machining.
Smart Images
Figure CN223253067U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of mechanical steering device equipment, in particular to a forklift steering device and a forklift. Background Art
[0002] Forklifts are industrial handling vehicles, referring to various wheeled transport vehicles used for loading, unloading, stacking, and short-distance transport of palletized goods. Existing forklifts include fuel-powered and electric-powered forklifts. With the increasing popularity of electrification, electric steering technology is becoming increasingly widespread, and its use in some forklifts is also increasing. Electric steering technology adds an electric power assist device to a mechanical steering gear to assist in steering control. When using an existing mechanical steering gear, the steering gear meshes with the rack. During this process, the rack is subjected to both axial thrust and radial thrust from the gears, causing it to move away from the gear shaft. When driving over bumpy roads, the impact of the road surface can easily increase the gap between the rack and gear, causing a knocking noise. Furthermore, this increased gap can easily cause relative rotation between the rack and the rack support, changing the angle between the rack and the steering gear, resulting in poor meshing and abnormal wear. Utility Model Content
[0003] The main purpose of the present invention is to overcome the defects of the above-mentioned background technology and provide a forklift steering device and a forklift using the steering device.
[0004] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the forklift steering device proposed in the present invention includes a steering gear housing, a steering rack, a steering input shaft, a steering tie rod and a clearance adjustment mechanism, wherein a cavity is provided inside the steering gear housing and extends through the cavity in the left-right direction, the steering rack is slidably arranged in the cavity, both ends of the steering rack are connected to the steering tie rod via a universal joint, a steering gear is provided on the steering input shaft, and the steering gear is meshed with the steering rack, the clearance adjustment mechanism includes an adjustment hole, an adjustment screw plug, a spring, a rack support block and a support washer, the adjustment hole extends through the cavity in the steering gear housing, the adjustment screw plug, the spring, the rack support block and the support washer are all provided in the adjustment hole, the spring is provided between the adjustment screw plug and the rack support block, a V-shaped groove is provided on the top of the rack support block, the bottom of the steering rack is provided with a V-shaped structure corresponding to the V-shaped groove, the support washer is provided on both inner walls of the V-shaped groove and abuts against the bottom of the steering rack, and a locking nut is connected to the bottom of the adjustment screw plug. By pushing the rack support block upward with the spring, the meshing clearance between the steering gear and the steering rack is adjusted to prevent the gap between the two from continuously widening, thereby eliminating the abnormal noise of the forklift steering device; by adjusting the up and down movement of the screw plug, the spring compression force can be adjusted, and by setting the top contact surface of the rack support block to a V-shaped groove and the bottom contact surface of the steering rack to a V-shaped structure corresponding to the V-shaped groove, the bottom of the steering rack is stuck in the V-shaped groove and slides left and right, thereby preventing the steering rack from easily rotating and deflecting relative to the rack support block during movement, resulting in changes in the angle between the steering rack and the steering gear, poor meshing, abnormal wear, and abnormal noise.
[0005] A further optimized technical solution is provided in which a first groove is formed at the top of the adjusting screw plug and a second groove is formed at the bottom of the rack support block, with the ends of the spring respectively retained in the first and second grooves. By retaining the ends of the spring in the first and second grooves, the spring is prevented from deflecting when compressed, thereby preventing failure.
[0006] In a further optimized technical solution, rolling bearings are sleeved on both sides of the steering gear on the steering input shaft, and shaft retaining rings and bearing plugs are sleeved on the sides of the rolling bearings on both sides. The shaft retaining rings and bearing plugs block the rolling bearings on both sides to prevent them from loosening.
[0007] In a further optimized technical solution, a third groove is provided at one end of the bearing plug away from the rolling bearing, and a sealing ring is provided in the third groove. The sealing ring provides a seal to prevent foreign matter from entering the rolling bearing and affecting the service life of the forklift steering device.
[0008] A further optimized technical solution includes a first dust cover on the steering gear housing at the entrance of the steering input shaft, with one end of the steering input shaft extending from the interior of the first dust cover and connected to the steering column of the forklift. The first dust cover prevents external dust from entering the steering gear.
[0009] A further optimized technical solution features a rack housing connected to one side of the steering gear housing, through which the steering rack passes. One end of the rack housing is detachably connected to the steering gear housing, and a rack bushing tube is detachably sleeved onto the other end of the rack housing. This rack bushing tube houses a rack bushing, which has a wire retaining ring attached to one end. By utilizing a detachable sleeve connection between the steering gear housing, rack housing, and rack bushing tube, the machining difficulty of long forklift steering devices is effectively resolved, reducing machining complexity.
[0010] To further optimize the technical solution, a plurality of lubrication holes are evenly spaced on the rack bushing. Sufficient lubricating oil is stored in the lubrication holes, so that the steering rack is adequately lubricated and the service life is increased.
[0011] To further optimize the technical solution, a second dust cover is provided on the steering gear housing and the rack bushing tube at the exit of the steering rack, respectively, to prevent excessive external dust from invading the steering rack.
[0012] The present invention also provides a forklift, comprising a vehicle body, a wheel system, a power system, a cargo fork and the forklift steering device described above, wherein the power system is arranged in the vehicle body and is transmission-connected to the wheel system, the cargo fork is arranged in front of the vehicle body, and the forklift steering device is arranged in the vehicle body and is connected to the steering wheel on the wheel system.
[0013] To further optimize the technical solution, a roof and a seat are provided on the vehicle body, a steering wheel is provided in front of the seat, and the steering wheel is connected to a steering input shaft on the forklift steering device through a steering column.
[0014] The beneficial effects of the present invention include: automatically compensating and adjusting the meshing clearance between the steering gear and the steering rack by pushing the rack support block upwards through the spring of the clearance adjustment mechanism, thereby avoiding the continuous enlargement of the clearance between the steering gear and the steering rack, thereby eliminating the occurrence of abnormal noise in the forklift steering device; at the same time, by setting the top contact surface of the rack support block to a V-shaped groove structure, and setting the bottom contact surface of the steering rack to a V-shaped structure corresponding to the V-shaped groove, the steering rack is prevented from rotating relative to the rack support block during movement, resulting in a change in the angle between the steering rack and the steering tooth, uneven meshing, abnormal wear, and thus abnormal noise, thereby effectively curbing the occurrence of abnormal noise in the forklift steering device and improving the NVH performance of the entire vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] Figure 1 It is an overall schematic diagram of a forklift steering device in an embodiment of the present utility model.
[0016] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the gap adjustment mechanism in the embodiment of the present utility model.
[0017] Figure 3 It is an overall schematic diagram of a forklift in an embodiment of the present utility model.
[0018] Figure numerals: 1 steering gear housing; 101 cavity; 2 steering rack; 3 steering input shaft; 4 steering rod; 5 clearance adjustment mechanism; 501 adjustment hole; 502 adjusting screw plug; 5021 first groove; 503 spring; 504 rack support block; 5041 second groove; 505 support gasket; 506 V-groove; 507 locking nut; 6 universal joint; 7 steering gear; 8 rolling bearing; 9 shaft retaining ring; 10 shaft retaining ring; 1001 third groove; 11 sealing ring; 12 first dust cover; 13 rack barrel box; 14 rack bushing tube; 15 rack bushing; 1501 lubrication hole; 16 wire retaining ring; 17 vehicle body; 18 wheel system; 19 wheel system; 20 roof; 21 seat; 22 steering wheel; 23 steering column; 24 second dust cover. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0019] In order to make the technical problems, technical solutions and beneficial effects to be solved by the embodiments of the present invention more clearly understood, the present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.
[0020] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "disposed on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or indirectly on the other element. When an element is referred to as being "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or indirectly connected to the other element. In addition, connection can be used for both fixing and circuit connection.
[0021] It should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship, are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present invention.
[0022] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or implicitly specify the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of such features. In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, "plurality" means two or more, unless otherwise specifically defined.
[0023] See also Figure 1 and Figure 2In one embodiment, a forklift steering device disclosed herein includes a steering gear housing 1, a steering rack 2, a steering input shaft 3, a steering tie rod 4, and a gap adjustment mechanism 5. A cavity 101 is provided inside the steering gear housing 1 and extends in the left-right direction. The steering rack 2 is slidably arranged in the cavity 101. Both ends of the steering rack 2 are connected to the steering tie rod 4 through a universal joint 6. One end of the steering input shaft 3 penetrates into the cavity 101. A steering gear 7 is provided on the end of the steering input shaft 3 located in the cavity 101. The steering gear 7 is meshed with the steering rack 2. The gap adjustment mechanism 5 is provided at the bottom of the steering rack 2. The gap adjustment mechanism 5 includes an adjustment hole 501, an adjustment screw plug 502, a spring 503, a rack support block 504, and a support gasket 505. The adjustment hole 501 extends from the steering gear housing 1 to the left-right direction. The bottom of the housing 1 passes through and is connected to the cavity 101 in the steering gear housing 1. The adjusting screw plug 502, spring 503, rack support block 504 and support gasket 505 are all arranged in the adjusting hole 501. The spring 503 is arranged between the adjusting screw plug 502 and the rack support block 504. The adjusting screw plug 502 is arranged at the orifice end of the adjusting hole 501. The bottom of the adjusting screw plug 502 is connected to a locking nut 507 and is fixed by locking the locking nut 507. A V-shaped groove 506 is provided on the top of the rack support block 504. The bottom of the steering rack 2 is provided with a V-shaped structure corresponding to the V-shaped groove 506. The support gasket 505 is provided on the two inner walls of the V-shaped groove 506 and abuts against the bottom of the steering rack 2. Specifically, the support gasket 505 is made of polytetrafluoroethylene and is used to support the bottom of the steering rack 2. In this embodiment, the rack support block 504 is pushed up by the spring 503 of the clearance adjustment mechanism 5 to automatically compensate and adjust the meshing clearance between the steering gear 7 and the steering rack 2, so as to avoid the steering gear 7 and the steering rack 2 from wearing out after a long period of operation, resulting in a continuous increase in the gap between the two, thereby eliminating the occurrence of abnormal noise in the forklift steering device; at the same time, the top contact surface of the rack support block 504 is set as a V-shaped groove 506, and the bottom contact surface of the steering rack 2 is set as a V-shaped structure corresponding to the V-shaped groove 506. The bottom of the steering rack 2 is stuck in the V-shaped groove 506 and slides left and right, effectively avoiding the steering rack 2 from rotating and deflecting relative to the rack support block 504 during movement, causing the angle between the steering rack 2 and the steering gear 7 to change, resulting in uneven meshing and abnormal wear, thereby generating the problem of abnormal noise, effectively curbing the generation of abnormal noise in the forklift steering device and improving the NVH performance of the entire vehicle.
[0024] In a preferred embodiment, a first groove 5021 is provided at the top end of the adjusting screw plug 502, and a second groove 5041 is provided at the lower end of the rack support block 504. The two ends of the spring 503 are respectively stuck in the first groove 5021 and the second groove 5041 to prevent the spring 503 from shifting horizontally and to prevent the adjusting screw plug 502 from rigidly colliding with the rack support block 504 on bumpy roads, thereby preventing noise.
[0025] In this embodiment, rolling bearings 8 are mounted on either side of the steering gear 7 on the steering input shaft 3. A shaft retaining ring 9 and a bearing plug 10 are mounted on the sides of the rolling bearings 8. The shaft retaining ring 9 is secured to the end of the steering input shaft 3, preventing the rolling bearing 8 mounted thereon from moving axially to the left. The bearing plug 10 is secured to the right end of the other rolling bearing 8 via a fastening bolt, preventing the rolling bearing 8 therefrom from moving rightward and loosening, thereby improving stability.
[0026] In this embodiment, a third groove 1001 is provided at the end of the bearing plug 10 away from the rolling bearing 8. A sealing ring 11 is disposed within the third groove 1001. The sealing ring 11 seals the gap between the bearing plug 10 and the steering input shaft 3, preventing foreign matter from entering the rolling bearing 8 and steering gear 7, which could affect lubrication and, in turn, shorten the service life of the forklift's steering system.
[0027] In this embodiment, a first dust boot 12 is provided on the steering gear housing 1 at the entrance of the steering input shaft 3. One end of the steering input shaft 3 extends from the interior of the first dust boot 12 and is connected to the steering column 23 of the forklift. One end of the first dust boot 12 is snap-fitted onto the steering gear housing 1. The first dust boot 12 prevents external dust from entering the rolling bearing 8 and steering gear 7, further enhancing the protective effect and extending the service life of the forklift steering device.
[0028] In a specific embodiment, a rack housing 13 is connected to one side of the steering gear housing 1. The steering rack 2 passes through the rack housing 13 and is detachably connected to the steering gear housing 1 at one end via a threaded connection. A rack bushing tube 14 is detachably mounted on the other end of the rack housing 13. A rack bushing 15 is mounted at one end of the rack bushing tube 14, and a wire retaining ring 16 is mounted at one end of the rack bushing 15. The steering rack 2 is installed through the rack bushing 15. The wire retaining ring 16 is retained at one end of the rack bushing 15, preventing the rack bushing 15 from separating from the rack bushing tube 14 and ensuring that the rack bushing 15 provides effective support for the steering rack 2. The detachable connection between the steering gear housing 1, rack housing 13, and rack bushing tube 14 effectively solves the difficulty in machining long forklift steering devices and reduces machining complexity.
[0029] In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of lubrication holes 1501 are evenly spaced apart on the rack bushing 15. Enough lubricating oil is stored in the lubrication holes 1501, so that the steering rack 2 is sufficiently lubricated when it moves left and right repeatedly, thereby improving its service life.
[0030] In a specific embodiment, a second dust cover 24 is provided on the steering gear housing 1 and the rack bushing tube 14 at the exit through which the steering rack 2 passes, respectively. One group of second dust covers 24 is mounted on the left side of the steering gear housing 1, and one group of second dust covers 24 is mounted on the right side of the rack bushing tube 14. One end of the second dust cover 24 is fixed on the steering rack 2 to prevent excessive external dust from entering the sliding passage between the steering rack 2 and the steering gear housing 1 and the steering rack 2 and the rack bushing tube 14, thereby affecting the sliding of the steering rack 2.
[0031] See also Figures 1 to 3 In one embodiment, a forklift is also disclosed. The forklift is a light forklift, which includes a body 17, a wheel system 18, a power system, a fork 19 and the above-mentioned forklift steering device. The power system is arranged in the body 17 and is transmission-connected to the wheel system 18. The power system can be driven by electricity or a fuel engine. The fork 19 is arranged in front of the body 17 for forklifting goods. The forklift steering device is arranged in the body 17 and is connected to the steering wheel on the wheel system 18. Specifically, the forklift steering device is installed on the rear axle of the wheel system 18. The forklift steering device is connected to the two rear wheel steering knuckles (shrouds) of the wheel system 18 through steering rods 4 on both sides. A roof 20 and a seat 21 are provided on the body 17. A steering wheel 22 is provided in front of the seat 21. The steering wheel 22 is connected to the steering input shaft 3 on the forklift steering device through a steering column 23. The operator can drive the two rear wheels of the forklift to complete the steering by rotating the steering wheel 22.
[0032] The above content is a further detailed description of the present invention in conjunction with specific / preferred embodiments, and it cannot be determined that the specific implementation of the present invention is limited to these descriptions. For ordinary technicians in the technical field to which the present invention belongs, without departing from the concept of the present invention, they can also make several substitutions or modifications to these described embodiments, and these substitutions or modifications should be considered to belong to the scope of protection of the present invention. In the description of this specification, the reference terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "preferred embodiments", "examples", "specific examples" or "some examples" and the like mean that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described can be combined in an appropriate manner in any one or more embodiments or examples. In the absence of mutual contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of different embodiments or examples. Although the embodiments of the present invention and their advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made herein without departing from the scope of protection of the patent application.
Claims
1. A forklift steering device, characterized in that: The cam is connected to the gear train by means of a universal joint, and the two ends of the steering rack are connected to the steering rod by means of a universal joint. The steering input shaft is provided with a steering gear, and the steering gear is meshed with the steering rack. The cam is connected to the gear train by means of a universal joint, and the two ends of the steering rack are connected to the steering rod by means of a universal joint. The steering input shaft is provided with a steering gear, and the steering gear is meshed with the steering rack. The cam is connected to the gear train by means of an adjusting hole, an adjusting screw plug, a spring, a rack support block and a support gasket. The adjusting hole passes through the cavity in the steering gear housing, the adjusting screw plug, the spring, the rack support block and the support gasket are all arranged in the adjusting hole, the spring is arranged between the adjusting screw plug and the rack support block, the top of the rack support block is provided with a V-shaped groove, the bottom of the steering rack is provided with a V-shaped structure corresponding to the V-shaped groove, the support gasket is arranged on the two inner walls of the V-shaped groove and abuts against the bottom of the steering rack, and the bottom of the adjusting screw plug is connected with a locking nut.
2. The forklift steering device according to claim 1, wherein: The top end of the adjusting screw plug is provided with a first groove, the lower end of the rack support block is provided with a second groove, and the two ends of the spring are respectively clamped in the first groove and the second groove.
3. The forklift steering device according to claim 2, wherein: Rolling bearings are respectively sleeved on both sides of the steering input shaft located at the steering gear, and shaft retaining rings and bearing plugs are respectively sleeved on the sides of the rolling bearings at both sides.
4. The forklift steering device according to claim 3, wherein: A third groove is provided on one end of the bearing plug away from the rolling bearing, and a sealing ring is provided in the third groove.
5. The forklift steering device according to claim 4, wherein: A first dust cover is sleeved on the steering gear housing at the entrance of the steering input shaft. One end of the steering input shaft passes through the interior of the first dust cover and is connected to the steering column on the forklift.
6. The forklift steering device according to claim 5, characterized in that : One side of the steering gear housing is connected to a rack barrel box, the steering rack passes through the rack barrel box, one end of the rack barrel box is detachably connected to the steering gear housing, and the other end of the rack barrel box is detachably sleeved with a rack bushing tube, a rack bushing is provided in the rack bushing tube, and a wire retaining ring is provided at one end of the rack bushing.
7. The forklift steering device according to claim 6, characterized in that : Several lubrication holes are evenly spaced on the rack bushing.
8. The forklift steering device according to claim 7, characterized in that : A second dust cover is respectively provided on the steering gear housing and the rack bushing tube at the outlet through which the steering rack passes.
9. A forklift, characterized in that: The forklift truck comprises a vehicle body, a wheel system, a power system, a fork and a forklift steering device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the power system is arranged in the vehicle body and is transmission-connected to the wheel system, the fork is arranged in front of the vehicle body, and the forklift steering device is arranged in the vehicle body and is connected to the steering wheel on the wheel system.
10. The forklift according to claim 9, wherein: A roof and a seat are provided on the vehicle body, a steering wheel is provided in front of the seat, and the steering wheel is connected to a steering input shaft on the forklift steering device through a steering column.