Rotation angle limiting mechanism, steering system and vehicle

Abstract

A rotation angle limiting mechanism (100), a steering system and a vehicle. The rotation angle limiting mechanism (100) comprises: a housing (101), a connecting cylinder (102) and a limiting assembly (103). A mounting cavity (1011) is formed in the housing (101); the connecting cylinder (102) is provided in the mounting cavity (1011) and can rotate relative to the mounting cavity (1011); the outer wall of the connecting cylinder (102) is provided with a connecting portion (1021); the limiting assembly (103) comprises a fixed member (1031) and a rotating component (1032); the fixed member (1031) is fixedly mounted in the mounting cavity (1011), and the fixed member (1031) is provided with a fixed portion (10311); the rotating component (1032) is rotatably sleeved outside the connecting cylinder (102); the connecting cylinder (102) has a left limit position and a right limit position; when the connecting cylinder (102) is located between the left limit position and the right limit position, the connecting cylinder (102) can drive the rotating component (1032) to rotate relative to the mounting cavity (1011); and when the connecting cylinder (102) is located at any one of the left limit position and the right limit position, the connecting portion (1021) abuts against the rotating component (1032) along the circumferential direction of the connecting cylinder (102), and the rotating component (1032) abuts against the fixed portion (10311) along the circumferential direction of the connecting cylinder (102), so as to limit the rotation of the connecting cylinder (102) relative to the mounting cavity (1011).

Description

Corner limit mechanism, steering system and vehicle

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on December 4, 2023, with application number 202311649378.X and titled “Corner Limiting Mechanism, Steering System and Vehicle,” the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to the technical field of vehicles, and in particular to a turning angle limiting mechanism, a steering system and a vehicle. Background Art

[0004] In a vehicle's steering system, manufacturers usually add an angle limiter to restrict the steering wheel's rotation angle range. The limiter prevents the driver from turning the steering wheel clockwise or counterclockwise to a certain angle, thereby protecting the vehicle's steering system and ensuring driving safety.

[0005] In the related art, the rotation angle limiting mechanism adopts a nut screw form and a planetary gear assembly form, etc. However, the above design schemes have a complex structure, which increases the production cost of the rotation angle limiting mechanism. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present invention aims to solve one of the technical problems in the related art at least to a certain extent.

[0007] To this end, an embodiment of the present invention provides a corner limiting mechanism, which has a simple structure and is conducive to reducing the production cost of the corner limiting mechanism.

[0008] An embodiment of the present invention further provides a steering system.

[0009] An embodiment of the present invention further provides a vehicle.

[0010] The angle limiting mechanism of an embodiment of the present invention includes: a shell, a mounting cavity is provided in the shell; a connecting tube, the connecting tube is provided in the mounting cavity and is rotatable relative to the mounting cavity, and the outer wall of the connecting tube is provided with a connecting portion; a limiting assembly, the limiting assembly includes a fixing part and a rotating part, the fixing part is fixedly installed in the mounting cavity, the fixing part has a fixing part, the rotating part is rotatably sleeved on the outside of the connecting tube, the connecting tube has a left limit position and a right limit position, when between the left limit position and the right limit position, the connecting tube can drive the rotating part to rotate relative to the mounting cavity, when in either the left limit position or the right limit position, the connecting part stops the rotating part along the circumference of the connecting tube, and the rotating part stops the fixed part along the circumference of the connecting tube to limit the rotation of the connecting tube relative to the mounting cavity.

[0011] According to the angle limiting mechanism of an embodiment of the present invention, when the connecting tube is in either the left or right extreme position, the connecting portion abuts the rotating component along the circumference of the connecting tube, and the rotating component abuts the fixed portion along the circumference of the connecting tube to restrict rotation of the connecting tube relative to the mounting cavity, thereby limiting the rotation angle of the steering wheel. When the connecting tube moves between the left and right extreme positions, the rotating component is sleeved outside the connecting tube and rotatable relative to the connecting tube, and the rotating component can also rotate relative to the fixed member to achieve step-by-step transmission of the angle limiting mechanism. As a result, the transmission structure of the angle limiting mechanism of the embodiment of the present invention is simple, which helps reduce the production cost of the angle limiting mechanism.

[0012] In some embodiments, the rotating component includes a rotating sleeve, and the rotating sleeve has an inner limit portion and an outer limit portion. When between the left limit position and the right limit position, the connecting portion is rotatable relative to the inner limit portion along the circumference of the connecting tube, and the outer limit portion is rotatable relative to the fixed portion along the circumference of the rotating sleeve. When in either the left limit position or the right limit position, the connecting portion stops against the inner limit portion along the circumference of the connecting tube, and the outer limit portion stops against the fixed portion along the circumference of the rotating sleeve.

[0013] In some embodiments, there are multiple rotating sleeves, and the multiple rotating sleeves are arranged in sequence along the axial direction of the connecting tube. Between the left extreme position and the right extreme position, for two adjacent rotating sleeves, the outer limit portion of one rotating sleeve is rotatable relative to the inner limit portion of the other rotating sleeve. At either the left extreme position or the right extreme position, the outer limit portion of one rotating sleeve stops at the inner limit portion of the other rotating sleeve.

[0014] In some embodiments, the rotating component includes a first rotating sleeve and a second rotating sleeve, the connecting portion and the inner limiting portion of the first rotating sleeve are arranged along the circumference of the connecting tube, the second rotating sleeve is arranged on the first rotating sleeve, the outer limiting portion of the first rotating sleeve and the inner limiting portion of the second rotating sleeve are arranged along the circumference of the connecting tube, the fixing piece is arranged on the second rotating sleeve, and the outer limiting portion of the second rotating sleeve and the fixing portion are arranged along the circumference of the connecting tube.

[0015] In some embodiments, the rotating component includes a first rotating sleeve, a second rotating sleeve and a third rotating sleeve, the connecting portion and the inner limit portion of the first rotating sleeve are arranged along the circumference of the connecting tube, the second rotating sleeve is arranged on the first rotating sleeve, the outer limit portion of the first rotating sleeve and the inner limit portion of the second rotating sleeve are arranged along the circumference of the connecting tube, the third rotating sleeve is arranged on the second rotating sleeve, the outer limit portion of the second rotating sleeve and the inner limit portion of the third rotating sleeve are arranged along the circumference of the connecting tube, the fixing piece is arranged on the third rotating sleeve, and the outer limit portion of the third rotating sleeve and the fixing portion are arranged along the circumference of the connecting tube.

[0016] In some embodiments, the inner limiting portion and the outer limiting portion of the same rotating sleeve are arranged along the axial direction of the rotating sleeve.

[0017] In some embodiments, the rotating sleeve has a first section and a second section that are coaxially connected, a step hole is provided in the first section, the inner limit portion is provided on the inner wall of the step hole, and the outer limit portion is provided on the outer wall of the second section, and the outer wall surface of the outer limit portion is flush with the outer wall surface of the first section.

[0018] In some embodiments, the step hole has a supporting step surface at one end adjacent to the second section, the connecting tube has an annular flange, the connecting portion is provided on the outer wall of the annular flange, the annular flange is installed in the step hole and is against the corresponding supporting step surface, and for two adjacent rotating sleeves, the second section of one rotating sleeve is installed in the step hole of the other rotating sleeve and is against the corresponding supporting step surface.

[0019] In some embodiments, the limiting assembly further includes a buffer member, and mounting surfaces are provided on the end surface of the annular flange facing the fixing member and the end surface of the second section facing the fixing member, and the buffer member is arranged between the mounting surface and the corresponding support step surface.

[0020] In some embodiments, a card slot is provided on one of the mounting surface and the buffer component, and a card protrusion is provided on the other, and the card protrusion fits in the card slot.

[0021] In some embodiments, the connecting portion and the outer limiting portion are provided with at least two stop surfaces arranged relatively along the circumference of the connecting tube, and part of the buffer parts are provided on the stop surfaces; and / or, part of the buffer parts are provided on the outer wall surface of the connecting portion and the outer wall surface of the outer limiting portion.

[0022] A steering system according to another embodiment of the present invention includes: a reduction mechanism having an output shaft and an input shaft; an angle limiting mechanism, wherein the angle limiting mechanism is the angle limiting mechanism described in any one of the embodiments of the present invention, and the input shaft is connected to the connecting cylinder; a steering mechanism, wherein the steering mechanism includes a steering wheel and a steering shaft, one end of the steering shaft is connected to the steering wheel, and the other end of the steering shaft is connected to the output shaft.

[0023] According to the steering system of an embodiment of the present invention, when the connecting cylinder is in either the left or right extreme position, the connecting portion abuts the rotating component along the circumference of the connecting cylinder, and the rotating component abuts the fixed portion along the circumference of the connecting cylinder to restrict rotation of the connecting cylinder relative to the mounting cavity, thereby limiting the rotation angle of the steering wheel. When the connecting cylinder moves between the left and right extreme positions, the rotating component is sleeved outside the connecting cylinder and rotatable relative to the connecting cylinder, and the rotating component can also rotate relative to the fixed member to achieve step-by-step transmission of the angle limiting mechanism. As a result, the transmission structure of the angle limiting mechanism of the steering system of the embodiment of the present invention is simple, which helps reduce the production cost of the angle limiting mechanism.

[0024] Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a vehicle including a steering system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] In a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, when the connecting tube is in either the left or right extreme position, the connecting portion abuts the rotating component along the circumference of the connecting tube, and the rotating component abuts the fixed portion along the circumference of the connecting tube to restrict rotation of the connecting tube relative to the mounting cavity, thereby limiting the rotation angle of the steering wheel. When the connecting tube moves between the left and right extreme positions, the rotating component is sleeved outside the connecting tube and rotatable relative to the connecting tube, and the rotating component can also rotate relative to the fixed member to achieve step-by-step transmission of the angle limiting mechanism. Consequently, the transmission structure of the angle limiting mechanism of the vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention is simple, which helps reduce the production cost of the angle limiting mechanism. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a steering system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] FIG2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the corner limiting mechanism and the speed reduction mechanism according to the embodiment of the present invention, taken along the FF section line in FIG1 .

[0028] FIG3 is an exploded view of the corner limiting mechanism and the speed reducing mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of the corner limiting mechanism (excluding the housing) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of a connecting tube of the angle limiting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of the installation of the connecting tube and the buffer member of the corner limiting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a rotating sleeve of the angle limiting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of the installation of the rotating sleeve and the buffer member of the angle limiting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a buffer member of the corner limiting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a fixing member of the corner limiting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a housing of a rotation angle limiting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] FIG12 is a schematic diagram of a bearing of the rotation angle limiting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] FIG13 is an exploded view of the corner limiting mechanism (excluding the housing) according to an embodiment of the present invention when the mechanism is between the left limit position and the right limit position.

[0039] FIG14 is an exploded view of the corner limiting mechanism (excluding the housing) according to an embodiment of the present invention at the right limit position.

[0040] FIG15 is an exploded view of the corner limiting mechanism (excluding the housing) according to an embodiment of the present invention at the left extreme position.

[0041] Reference numerals:

[0042] 100. Corner limit mechanism;

[0043] 101. Housing; 1011. Mounting cavity;

[0044] 102, connecting tube; 1021, connecting portion; 10211, stop surface; 1022, annular flange; 10221, mounting surface; 10222, slot; 11222, positioning slot; 12222, alignment slot; 10223, annular groove; 10224, mounting hole;

[0045] 103, limit assembly; 1031, fixing member; 10311, fixing portion; 1032, rotating member; 10321, rotating sleeve;

[0046] 11321, first rotating sleeve; 12321, second rotating sleeve; 13321, third rotating sleeve; 103211, inner limiting portion;

[0047] 103212, outer limiter; 103213, first section; 103214, second section; 103215, stepped hole; 103216, supporting stepped surface; 1033, buffer; 10331, latching protrusion; 11331, positioning latching protrusion; 12331, alignment latching protrusion; 10332, buffer; 1034, bearing; 1035, bolt;

[0048] 200, reduction mechanism; 201, reduction housing; 202, input shaft;

[0049] 300. Steering mechanism; 301. Steering shaft. Specific embodiments

[0050] The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, and examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to be used to explain the present invention, but should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0051] The following describes a corner limiting mechanism 100, a steering system, and a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIG1 to FIG15.

[0052] The rotation angle limiting mechanism 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes: a housing 101, a connecting tube 102, and a limiting assembly 103. The housing 101 has a mounting cavity 1011, the connecting tube 102 is disposed within the mounting cavity 1011 and is rotatable relative to the mounting cavity 1011, and a connecting portion 1021 is disposed on the outer wall of the connecting tube 102. The limiting assembly 103 includes a fixed member 1031 and a rotating member 1032. The fixed member 1031 is fixedly mounted within the mounting cavity 1011 and has a fixed portion 10311. The rotating member 1032 is rotatably mounted on the outside of the connecting tube 102. The connecting tube 102 has a left limit position and a right limit position.

[0053] When between the left limit position and the right limit position, the connecting tube 102 can drive the rotating component 1032 to rotate relative to the installation cavity 1011. When at either the left limit position or the right limit position, the connecting portion 1021 stops the rotating component 1032 along the circumference of the connecting tube 102, and the rotating component 1032 stops the fixed portion 10311 along the circumference of the connecting tube 102 to limit the rotation of the connecting tube 102 relative to the installation cavity 1011.

[0054] It can be understood that the left limit position may correspond to the limit position of the steering wheel rotating counterclockwise, and the right limit position may correspond to the limit position of the steering wheel rotating clockwise, thereby limiting the rotation angle of the steering wheel.

[0055] According to the angle limiting mechanism 100 of the embodiment of the present invention, when the connecting tube 102 is in either the left limit position or the right limit position, the connecting portion 1021 abuts the rotating component 1032 along the circumference of the connecting tube 102, and the rotating component 1032 abuts the fixed portion 10311 along the circumference of the connecting tube 102 to limit the rotation of the connecting tube 102 relative to the mounting cavity 1011, thereby limiting the rotation angle of the steering wheel. When the connecting tube 102 moves between the left limit position and the right limit position, the rotating component 1032 is sleeved on the outside of the connecting tube 102 and is rotatable relative to the connecting tube 102. The rotating component 1032 can also rotate relative to the fixed portion 1031 to achieve step-by-step transmission of the angle limiting mechanism 100. Therefore, the transmission structure of the angle limiting mechanism 100 of the embodiment of the present invention is simple, which is conducive to reducing the production cost of the angle limiting mechanism 100.

[0056] It should be noted that, as shown in Figures 2 to 6, a mounting hole 10224 is provided in the connecting tube 102, and the input shaft 202 of the reduction mechanism 200 is fixedly inserted into the mounting hole 10224. In other words, the input shaft 202 is inserted into the mounting hole 10224, but the input shaft 202 cannot rotate relative to the mounting hole 10224, that is, when the input shaft 202 rotates, it can drive the connecting tube 102 to rotate synchronously.

[0057] The input shaft 202 of the reduction mechanism 200 drives the connecting cylinder 102 to rotate, and the connecting cylinder 102 drives the rotating component 1032 to rotate, thereby allowing the input shaft 202 to rotate within a certain range until the connecting portion 1021 abuts the rotating component 1032, and the rotating component 1032 abuts the fixed portion 10311. For example, the input shaft 202 and the mounting hole 10224 utilize a spline structure to facilitate installation and removal of the connecting cylinder 102 and the input shaft 202.

[0058] In one example, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the reduction mechanism 200 includes a reduction housing 201, to which the housing 101 is fixedly connected. For example, the housing 101 and the reduction housing 201 can be connected by bolts 1035. As a result, when the input shaft 202 drives the connecting cylinder 102 to rotate, the housing 101 can remain stationary. The axis of the mounting cavity 1011, the axis of the connecting cylinder 102, and the axis of the rotating component 1032 are aligned, thereby ensuring smooth rotation of the connecting cylinder 102 and the rotating component 1032.

[0059] Optionally, as shown in Figures 2 to 8, the rotating component 1032 includes a rotating sleeve 10321, and the rotating sleeve 10321 can be one or more. It can be understood that the angle limiting mechanism 100 of the embodiment of the present invention can change the range of the rotation angle of the connecting tube 102 by changing the number of rotating sleeves 10321 (or the circumferential length of 1021).

[0060] In one example, the rotating sleeve 10321 may be a single piece. The rotating sleeve 10321 has an inner limiting portion 103211 and an outer limiting portion 103212. When the rotating sleeve 10321 is between the left limit position and the right limit position, the connecting portion 1021 is rotatable relative to the inner limiting portion 103211 along the circumference of the connecting tube 102, and the outer limiting portion 103212 is rotatable relative to the fixed portion 10311 along the circumference of the rotating sleeve 10321. When the rotating sleeve 10321 is at either the left limit position or the right limit position, the connecting portion 1021 abuts against the inner limiting portion 103211 along the circumference of the connecting tube 102, and the outer limiting portion 103212 abuts against the fixed portion 10311 along the circumference of the rotating sleeve 10321. It is understood that when the connecting tube 102 is between the left limit position and the right limit position, the connecting portion 1021 and the inner limiting portion 103211 are spaced apart along the circumference of the connecting tube 102, allowing the connecting tube 102 to rotate circumferentially relative to the rotating sleeve 10321. The outer limiting portion 103212 and the fixing portion 10311 are spaced apart along the circumference of the connecting tube 102, allowing the rotating sleeve 10321 to rotate circumferentially relative to the fixing member 1031. The rotating sleeve 10321 is sleeved on the connecting tube 102 and is rotatable relative to the connecting tube 102, thereby facilitating assembly of the rotation angle limiting mechanism 100, and has a simple structure and low manufacturing cost.

[0061] Specifically, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the connecting portion 1021 has an A1 surface and an A2 surface arranged oppositely along the circumference of the connecting tube 102, and the inner stopper 103211 has a C1 surface and a C2 surface arranged oppositely along the circumference of the connecting tube 102. When in the right limit position, the A1 surface of the connecting portion 1021 abuts the C2 surface of the inner stopper 103211. When in the left limit position, the A2 surface of the connecting portion 1021 abuts the C1 surface of the inner stopper 103211. Similarly, the outer stopper 103212 has an A1 surface and an A2 surface arranged oppositely along the circumference of the connecting tube 102, and the fixing portion 10311 has a C1 surface and a C2 surface arranged oppositely along the circumference of the connecting tube 102. When in the right limit position, the A1 surface of the outer limit portion 103212 stops against the C2 surface of the fixed portion 10311 . When in the left limit position, the A2 surface of the outer limit portion 103212 stops against the C1 surface of the fixed portion 10311 .

[0062] Optionally, as shown in Figures 7 and 8 , for the same rotating sleeve 10321, the inner limit portion 103211 and the outer limit portion 103212 of the rotating sleeve 10321 are arranged along the axial direction of the rotating sleeve 10321. This reduces the radial dimension of the angle limiting mechanism 100. For example, the inner limit portion 103211 and the outer limit portion 103212 both extend along the axial direction of the rotating sleeve 10321, and the C1 surface of the inner limit portion 103211 is coplanar with the A1 surface of the outer limit portion 103212, while the C2 surface of the inner limit portion 103211 is coplanar with the A2 surface of the outer limit portion 103212. This facilitates the processing and manufacturing of the rotating sleeve 10321. Furthermore, when multiple rotating sleeves 10321 are provided, multiple rotating sleeves 10321 can be easily replaced and installed, providing improved versatility.

[0063] In other embodiments, as shown in Figures 2 to 8, there are multiple rotating sleeves 10321, and the multiple rotating sleeves 10321 are arranged in sequence along the axial direction of the connecting tube 102. When between the left and right extreme positions, for two adjacent rotating sleeves 10321, the outer limit portion 103212 of one rotating sleeve 10321 is rotatable relative to the inner limit portion 103211 of the other rotating sleeve 10321. When in either the left and right extreme positions, the outer limit portion 103212 of one rotating sleeve 10321 abuts the inner limit portion 103211 of the other rotating sleeve 10321. It can be understood that when the connecting tube 102 rotates between the left and right extreme positions, the connecting tube 102 drives the rotating sleeve 10321 at the leading end to rotate, and the adjacent rotating sleeves 10321 are driven step by step, and ultimately drive the rotating sleeve 10321 at the trailing end to rotate relative to the fixed portion 10311. Therefore, the rotation angle limiting mechanism 100 of the embodiment of the present invention can change the range of the rotation angle of the connecting tube 102 by changing the number of rotating sleeves 10321 or the circumferential dimensions of the inner limiting portion 103211 and the outer limiting portion 103212 .

[0064] For another example, there are two rotating sleeves 10321, that is, the rotating component 1032 includes a first rotating sleeve 11321 and a second rotating sleeve 12321, the connecting portion 1021 and the inner limit portion 103211 of the first rotating sleeve 11321 are arranged along the circumference of the connecting tube 102, the second rotating sleeve 12321 is sleeved on the first rotating sleeve 11321, the outer limit portion 103212 of the first rotating sleeve 11321 and the inner limit portion 103211 of the second rotating sleeve 12321 are arranged along the circumference of the connecting tube 102, the fixing part 1031 is sleeved on the second rotating sleeve 12321, and the outer limit portion 103212 of the second rotating sleeve 12321 and the fixing portion 10311 are arranged along the circumference of the connecting tube 102. It can be understood that the first rotating sleeve 11321 and the second rotating sleeve 12321 have the same structure and can be replaced and reused, thereby reducing the production cost of the angle limiting mechanism 100, and the structure is simple and easy to disassemble and assemble.

[0065] It can be understood that, for two adjacent rotating sleeves 10321, when in the right extreme position, the A1 surface of the outer limit portion 103212 of one rotating sleeve 10321 (the first rotating sleeve 11321) stops at the C2 surface of the inner limit portion 103211 of the other rotating sleeve 10321 (the second rotating sleeve 12321); when in the left extreme position, the A2 surface of the outer limit portion 103212 of one rotating sleeve 10321 (the first rotating sleeve 11321) stops at the C1 surface of the inner limit portion 103211 of the other rotating sleeve 10321 (the second rotating sleeve 12321), thereby limiting the rotation range of the two adjacent rotating sleeves 10321.

[0066] For another example, as shown in Figures 2 to 8, there are three rotating sleeves 10321, that is, the rotating component 1032 includes a first rotating sleeve 11321, a second rotating sleeve 12321 and a third rotating sleeve 13321. The connecting portion 1021 and the inner limiting portion 103211 of the first rotating sleeve 11321 are arranged along the circumference of the connecting cylinder 102. The second rotating sleeve 12321 is sleeved on the first rotating sleeve 11321. The outer limiting portion 103212 of the first rotating sleeve 11321 and the outer limiting portion 103211 of the second rotating sleeve 12321 are arranged along the circumference of the connecting cylinder 102. The inner limiting portion 103211 is arranged along the circumference of the connecting tube 102. The third rotating sleeve 13321 is sleeved on the second rotating sleeve 12321. The outer limiting portion 103212 of the second rotating sleeve 12321 and the inner limiting portion 103211 of the third rotating sleeve 13321 are arranged along the circumference of the connecting tube 102. The fixing member 1031 is sleeved on the third rotating sleeve 13321. The outer limiting portion 103212 and the fixing portion 10311 of the third rotating sleeve 13321 are arranged along the circumference of the connecting tube 102. It can be understood that the first rotating sleeve 11321, the second rotating sleeve 12321, and the third rotating sleeve 13321 have the same structure and can be interchangeably installed (reused). Therefore, the production cost of the angle limiting mechanism 100 can be reduced, and the structure is simple and easy to assemble and disassemble.

[0067] As shown in FIG. 13 to FIG. 15 , the following description will be made of a solution of the angle limiting mechanism 100 having three rotating sleeves 10321 .

[0068] When the connecting tube 102 is between the left limit position and the right limit position, the connecting portion 1021 of the connecting tube 102 and the inner limit portion 103211 of the first rotating sleeve 11321 are spaced apart along the circumference of the connecting tube 102, the outer limit portion 103212 of the first rotating sleeve 11321 and the inner limit portion 103211 of the second rotating sleeve 12321 are spaced apart along the circumference of the connecting tube 102, the outer limit portion 103212 of the second rotating sleeve 12321 and the inner limit portion 103211 of the third rotating sleeve 13321 are spaced apart along the circumference of the connecting tube 102, and the outer limit portion 103212 of the third rotating sleeve 13321 and the fixing portion 10311 are spaced apart along the circumference of the connecting tube 102.

[0069] When the connecting tube 102 is in the right limit position (i.e., when the steering wheel is rotated clockwise to the limit position), the A1 surface of the connecting part 1021 stops against the C2 surface of the inner limit part 103211 of the first rotating sleeve 11321, the A1 surface of the outer limit part 103212 of the first rotating sleeve 11321 stops against the C2 surface of the inner limit part 103211 of the second rotating sleeve 12321, the A1 surface of the outer limit part 103212 of the first rotating sleeve 11321 stops against the C2 surface of the inner limit part 103211 of the second rotating sleeve 12321, and the A1 surface of the outer limit part 103212 of the third rotating sleeve 13321 stops against the C2 surface of the fixed part 10311 of the fixing member 1031. At this time, the connecting tube 102 and each rotating sleeve 10321 stop rotating, i.e., the connecting tube 102 is in the right limit position.

[0070] When the connecting tube 102 is in the left extreme position (i.e., when the steering wheel is rotated counterclockwise to the extreme position), the A2 surface of the connecting portion 1021 stops against the C1 surface of the inner limit portion 103211 of the first rotating sleeve 11321, the A2 surface of the outer limit portion 103212 of the first rotating sleeve 11321 stops against the C1 surface of the inner limit portion 103211 of the second rotating sleeve 12321, the A2 surface of the outer limit portion 103212 of the first rotating sleeve 11321 stops against the C1 surface of the inner limit portion 103211 of the second rotating sleeve 12321, and the A2 surface of the outer limit portion 103212 of the third rotating sleeve 13321 stops against the C1 surface of the fixing portion 10311 of the fixing member 1031. At this time, the connecting tube 102 and each rotating sleeve 10321 stop rotating, i.e., the connecting tube 102 is in the left extreme position.

[0071] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, the rotating sleeve 10321 comprises a first section 103213 and a second section 103214 that are coaxially connected. The first section 103213 is provided with a stepped hole 103215. The inner limit portion 103211 is provided on the inner wall of the stepped hole 103215. The outer limit portion 103212 is provided on the outer wall of the second section 103214. The outer wall surface of the outer limit portion 103212 is flush with the outer wall surface of the first section 103213. Therefore, when multiple rotating sleeves 10321 are nested together, the rotating component 1032 can be substantially cylindrical, thereby reducing the radial dimension of the rotating component 1032, making the structure of the angle limiting mechanism 100 more compact and occupying less space.

[0072] Optionally, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the step hole 103215 has a supporting step surface 103216 at one end adjacent to the second section 103214, the connecting tube 102 has an annular flange 1022, and the connecting portion 1021 is provided on the outer wall of the annular flange 1022. The annular flange 1022 is installed in the step hole 103215 and abuts against the corresponding supporting step surface 103216. For two adjacent rotating sleeves 10321, the second section 103214 of one rotating sleeve 10321 is installed in the step hole 103215 of the other rotating sleeve 10321 and abuts against the corresponding supporting step surface 103216.

[0073] Taking the angle limiting mechanism 100 of three rotating sleeves 10321 as an example, the first section 103213 of the first rotating sleeve 11321 is sleeved on the annular flange 1022, and the axial end face of the annular flange 1022 abuts against the supporting step surface 103216 of the first rotating sleeve 11321. The first section 103213 of the second rotating sleeve 12321 is sleeved on the second section 103214 of the first rotating sleeve 11321, and the second section 103214 of the first rotating sleeve 11321 abuts against the supporting step surface 103216 of the second rotating sleeve 12321. The first section 103213 of the third rotating sleeve 13321 is sleeved on the second section 103214 of the second rotating sleeve 12321, and the second section 103214 of the second rotating sleeve 12321 abuts against the supporting step surface 103216 of the third rotating sleeve 13321. The fixing member 1031 is sleeved on the second section 103214 of the third rotating sleeve 13321, and the second section 103214 of the third rotating sleeve 13321 abuts against the fixing member 1031 or the end surface of the housing 101. This allows the first, second, and third rotating sleeves 11321, 12321, and 13321 to be axially limited, thereby preventing them from shaking along the axial direction of the connecting cylinder 102.

[0074] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 2, 6, and 8, the position limiting assembly 103 further includes a buffer member 1033. Mounting surfaces 10221 are provided on both the annular flange 1022 and the second section 103214 along the end surface facing the fixing member 1031. The buffer member 1033 is disposed between the mounting surface 10221 and the corresponding support step surface 103216. It is understood that multiple buffer members 1033 may be provided, with some buffer members 1033 disposed between the annular flange 1022 and the corresponding support step surface 103216, and others between the second section 103214 and the corresponding support step surface 103216. This can mitigate the impact force of components within the angle limiting mechanism 100 during rotation, reduce noise generated by the components within the angle limiting mechanism 100 during rotation, slow down component wear, and extend the service life of the angle limiting mechanism 100.

[0075] As shown in FIG5 , the buffer member 1033 can be mounted on the mounting surface 10221 by snap-fitting or integrally molded onto the mounting surface 10221. This application does not specifically limit the molding method of the buffer member 1033. It should be noted that the buffer member 1033 is made of a soft material and can be squeezed and deformed under external force. For example, the buffer member 1033 can be made of plastic or rubber.

[0076] Optionally, as shown in Figures 6 to 9, the connecting portion 1021 and the outer limit portion 103212 are provided with two relatively arranged stop surfaces 10211 (i.e., surface A1 and surface A2) along the circumference of the connecting tube 102, and part of the buffer member 1033 is provided on the stop surface 10211, and part of the buffer member 1033 is provided on the outer wall surface of the connecting portion 1021 and the outer wall surface of the outer limit portion 103212.

[0077] Taking the buffer member 1033 disposed on the annular flange 1022 as an example, the buffer member 1033 is provided with a buffer portion 10332, which is arranged on opposite sides of the connecting portion 1021 along the circumference of the connecting tube 102. When the A1 surface of the connecting portion 1021 is about to abut the C2 surface of the inner stop portion 103211 of the first rotating sleeve 11321, the B1 surface of the buffer portion 10332 will first contact the C2 surface of the inner stop portion 103211 of the first rotating sleeve 11321. When surface A2 of the connecting portion 1021 is about to abut surface C1 of the inner stopper 103211 of the first rotating sleeve 11321, surface B2 of the buffer portion 10332 first contacts surface C1 of the inner stopper 103211 of the first rotating sleeve 11321. This reduces the noise generated by the collision between the connecting portion 1021 and the inner stopper 103211 of the first rotating sleeve 11321. Similarly, the buffer member 1033 between two adjacent rotating sleeves 10321 can reduce the noise generated by the collision between the inner stopper 103211 and the outer stopper 103212 when the two adjacent rotating sleeves 10321 rotate.

[0078] In one example, as shown in Figures 5 to 9 , one of the mounting surface 10221 and the buffer member 1033 is provided with a latching groove 10222, and the other is provided with a latching protrusion 10331, which fits within the latching groove 10222. For example, the latching protrusion 10331 is provided on the buffer member 1033, and the latching groove 10222 is provided on the mounting surface 10221. There may be multiple latching protrusions 10331, which are spaced apart along the circumference of the buffer member 1033, and there may be multiple latching grooves 10222, which correspond one-to-one with the multiple latching protrusions 10331.

[0079] Specifically, as shown in Figures 6 and 9, the latching protrusion 10331 includes a positioning latching protrusion 11331 and an alignment latching protrusion 12331, which are spaced apart along the circumference of the buffer member 1033. The latching slot 10222 includes a positioning latching slot 11222 and an alignment latching slot 12222. The positioning latching slot 11222 corresponds to the positioning latching protrusion 11331, and the alignment latching slot 12222 corresponds to the alignment latching slot 12222. Taking the connecting tube 102 as an example, the latching slot 10222 includes one positioning latching slot 11222 and multiple alignment latching slots 12222, and the latching protrusion 10331 includes one positioning latching protrusion 11331 and multiple alignment latching protrusions 12331. Positioning slot 11222 is located at the connection portion 1021, and its radial depth is greater than that of alignment slot 12222. Accordingly, positioning protrusion 11331 is located between the two buffer portions 10332, and its radial dimension is greater than that of alignment protrusion 12331. This provides a fool-proof design for the assembly of buffer 1033, reducing the probability of operator error. Furthermore, the corner limit mechanism of this embodiment of the present invention, by employing the aforementioned design of protrusion 10331 and slot 10222, facilitates improved installation reliability and positioning accuracy of buffer 1033.

[0080] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 2, 5, and 6, an annular groove 10223 is provided on the outer wall of the connecting tube 102 adjacent to the fixing member 1031. The rotation angle limiting mechanism 100 further includes a bearing 1034, the inner ring of which is engaged with the annular groove 10223. The fixing member 1031 is a shaft sleeve structure, and the outer ring of the bearing 1034 is engaged with the inner wall of the fixing member 1031, thereby supporting the connecting tube 102 to rotate relative to the housing 101. The outer wall of the fixing member 1031 and the inner wall of the mounting cavity 1011 can be connected using a spline structure or an interference fit, thereby limiting the rotation of the fixing member 1031 relative to the mounting cavity 1011.

[0081] As shown in Figure 1, the steering system of another embodiment of the present invention includes: a speed reduction mechanism 200, a rotation angle limiting mechanism 100 and a steering mechanism 300. The speed reduction mechanism 200 has an output shaft (not shown) and an input shaft 202. The rotation angle limiting mechanism 100 is the rotation angle limiting mechanism 100 of the present invention. The input shaft 202 is connected to the connecting cylinder 102 through a spline structure. The steering mechanism 300 includes a steering wheel (not shown) and a steering shaft 301. One end of the steering shaft 301 is fixedly connected to the steering wheel, and the other end of the steering shaft 301 is fixedly connected to the output shaft.

[0082] According to the steering system of the embodiment of the present invention, when the connecting tube 102 is in either the left extreme position or the right extreme position, the connecting portion 1021 abuts the rotating component 1032 along the circumference of the connecting tube 102, and the rotating component 1032 abuts the fixed portion 10311 along the circumference of the connecting tube 102 to limit the rotation of the connecting tube 102 relative to the mounting cavity 1011, thereby limiting the rotation angle of the steering wheel. When the connecting tube 102 moves between the left extreme position and the right extreme position, the rotating component 1032 is sleeved on the outside of the connecting tube 102 and is rotatable relative to the connecting tube 102, and the rotating component 1032 can also rotate relative to the fixed portion 1031 to achieve step-by-step transmission of the angle limiting mechanism 100. Therefore, the transmission structure of the angle limiting mechanism 100 of the steering system of the embodiment of the present invention is simple, which is conducive to reducing the production cost of the angle limiting mechanism 100.

[0083] A vehicle according to another embodiment of the present invention includes the steering system according to the present invention. The technical advantages of the vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention are the same as the technical advantages of the steering system according to the above embodiment, and are not further described here.

[0084] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like to indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0085] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of the technical features being referred to. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature. In the description of the present invention, "plurality" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0086] In the present invention, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "installed," "connected," "connect," "fixed," etc. should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connection, detachable connection, or integration; mechanical connection, electrical connection, or communication; direct connection or indirect connection through an intermediate medium; internal communication between two elements or interaction between two elements, unless otherwise specified. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on specific circumstances.

[0087] In the present invention, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, when a first feature is "above" or "below" a second feature, it may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediary. Furthermore, when a first feature is "above," "above," or "above" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a higher level than the second feature. When a first feature is "below," "below," or "below" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a lower level than the second feature.

[0088] In the present invention, the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "examples", "specific examples", or "some examples" 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 expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described can be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art can combine and combine different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of different embodiments or examples without contradiction.

[0089] Although the above embodiments have been shown and described, it is understood that the above embodiments are illustrative and are not to be construed as limitations on the present invention. Changes, modifications, substitutions and variations of the above embodiments by those skilled in the art are all within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A corner limiting mechanism, comprising: A housing, wherein a mounting cavity is provided in the housing; A connecting tube, the connecting tube is arranged in the installation cavity and is rotatable relative to the installation cavity, and a connecting portion is arranged on an outer wall of the connecting tube; The limiting assembly comprises a fixing member and a rotating member, wherein the fixing member is fixedly installed in the installation cavity, the fixing member has a fixing portion, and the rotating member is rotatably sleeved outside the connecting tube, and the connecting tube has a left limit position and a right limit position. When between the left extreme position and the right extreme position, the connecting tube can drive the rotating component to rotate relative to the mounting cavity. When in either the left extreme position or the right extreme position, the connecting portion stops against the rotating component along the circumference of the connecting tube, and the rotating component stops against the fixed portion along the circumference of the connecting tube to limit the rotation of the connecting tube relative to the mounting cavity.

2. The angle limiting mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The rotating component includes a rotating sleeve, and the rotating sleeve has an inner limit portion and an outer limit portion. When between the left limit position and the right limit position, the connecting portion is rotatable relative to the inner limit portion along the circumference of the connecting tube, and the outer limit portion is rotatable relative to the fixed portion along the circumference of the rotating sleeve. When in either the left limit position or the right limit position, the connecting portion stops against the inner limit portion along the circumference of the connecting tube, and the outer limit portion stops against the fixed portion along the circumference of the rotating sleeve.

3. The corner limiting mechanism according to claim 2, wherein: There are multiple rotating sleeves, and the multiple rotating sleeves are arranged in sequence along the axial direction of the connecting tube. Between the left extreme position and the right extreme position, for two adjacent rotating sleeves, the outer limiting portion of one rotating sleeve is rotatable relative to the inner limiting portion of the other rotating sleeve. At any one of the left extreme position and the right extreme position, the outer limiting portion of one rotating sleeve stops against the inner limiting portion of the other rotating sleeve.

4. The corner limiting mechanism according to claim 3, wherein: The rotating component includes a first rotating sleeve and a second rotating sleeve, the connecting portion and the inner limiting portion of the first rotating sleeve are arranged along the circumferential direction of the connecting tube, the second rotating sleeve is arranged on the first rotating sleeve, the outer limiting portion of the first rotating sleeve and the inner limiting portion of the second rotating sleeve are arranged along the circumferential direction of the connecting tube, the fixing piece is arranged on the second rotating sleeve, and the outer limiting portion of the second rotating sleeve and the fixing portion are arranged along the circumferential direction of the connecting tube.

5. The corner limiting mechanism according to claim 3, wherein: The rotating component includes a first rotating sleeve, a second rotating sleeve and a third rotating sleeve, the connecting portion and the inner limiting portion of the first rotating sleeve are arranged along the circumferential direction of the connecting tube, the second rotating sleeve is arranged on the first rotating sleeve, the outer limiting portion of the first rotating sleeve and the inner limiting portion of the second rotating sleeve are arranged along the circumferential direction of the connecting tube, the third rotating sleeve is arranged on the second rotating sleeve, the outer limiting portion of the second rotating sleeve and the inner limiting portion of the third rotating sleeve are arranged along the circumferential direction of the connecting tube, the fixing piece is arranged on the third rotating sleeve, and the outer limiting portion of the third rotating sleeve and the fixing portion are arranged along the circumferential direction of the connecting tube.

6. The corner limiting mechanism according to claim 3, wherein: The inner limiting portion and the outer limiting portion of the same rotating sleeve are arranged along the axial direction of the rotating sleeve.

7. The corner limiting mechanism according to claim 3, wherein: The rotating sleeve comprises a first section and a second section which are coaxially connected, wherein a step hole is arranged in the first section, the inner limit portion is arranged on the inner wall of the step hole, the outer limit portion is arranged on the outer wall of the second section, and the outer wall surface of the outer limit portion is flush with the outer wall surface of the first section.

8. The corner limiting mechanism according to claim 7, wherein: One end of the step hole adjacent to the second section has a supporting step surface, the connecting tube has an annular flange, the connecting portion is arranged on the outer wall of the annular flange, the annular flange is installed in the step hole and abuts against the corresponding supporting step surface, and for two adjacent rotating sleeves, the second section of one rotating sleeve is installed in the step hole of the other rotating sleeve and abuts against the corresponding supporting step surface.

9. The corner limiting mechanism according to claim 8, wherein: The limiting assembly also includes a buffer member, and mounting surfaces are provided on the end surface of the annular flange facing the fixing member and the end surface of the second section facing the fixing member, and the buffer member is arranged between the mounting surface and the corresponding supporting step surface.

10. The corner limiting mechanism according to claim 9, wherein: A clamping groove is provided on one of the installation surface and the buffer component, and a clamping protrusion is provided on the other one, and the clamping protrusion is matched in the clamping groove.

11. The corner limiting mechanism according to claim 9, wherein: The connecting portion and the outer limiting portion are both provided with at least two stop surfaces arranged opposite to each other along the circumference of the connecting tube, and part of the buffer member is provided on the stop surfaces; And / or, part of the buffer member is arranged on the outer wall surface of the connecting portion and the outer wall surface of the outer limiting portion.

12. A steering system comprising: A reduction mechanism, wherein the reduction mechanism has an output shaft and an input shaft; Angle limiting mechanism, wherein the angle limiting mechanism is the angle limiting mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 11, and the input shaft is connected to the connecting cylinder; The steering mechanism comprises a steering wheel and a steering shaft, one end of the steering shaft is connected to the steering wheel, and the other end of the steering shaft is connected to the output shaft.

13. A vehicle comprising the steering system according to claim 12.

Images