Vehicle Actuation Slider Structure for Low-Friction Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing actuation devices for motor vehicles lack efficient mechanisms for detecting braking and acceleration requests without mechanical connections, leading to potential friction and misalignment issues, especially in drive-by-wire and brake-by-wire systems.
Innovation Solution
The actuation device features cylindrical housing portions with sliding elements and a coil spring to minimize friction and secure alignment, combined with a sensor module for precise actuation detection, ensuring low friction and secure locking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If housing portions are displaceable relative to each other without mechanical connection, then stroke-free actuation is achieved, but friction and misalignment issues occur
Solution Approach 1:
The housing portions are designed with cylindrical shapes and circular cross-sections, allowing them to slide relative to each other while maintaining automatic centering and alignment. The curved surfaces ensure that friction forces naturally guide the housing portions back to their centered positions, preventing misalignment while enabling stroke-free actuation.
Solution Approach 2:
Sliding elements are introduced as intermediary components between the first and second housing portions. These sliding elements facilitate smooth relative displacement while maintaining proper alignment through their cylindrical geometry, acting as mediators that reduce direct friction and prevent misalignment between the housing portions.
2Ease of operation
If sliding elements are used to reduce friction, then smooth displacement is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sliding elements serve multiple functions simultaneously: they reduce friction between housing portions, maintain alignment through their cylindrical shape, and provide mounting surfaces for spring elements. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while achieving smooth displacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the alignment function and friction reduction function into a single sliding element component. Rather than using separate alignment mechanisms and friction-reducing elements, the cylindrical sliding elements integrate both functions, simplifying the overall device structure while maintaining smooth displacement.
3Reliability
If cylindrical housing portions with sliding elements are used, then friction is minimized and alignment is secured, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cylindrical shape of housing portions and sliding elements, while providing superior alignment and friction reduction, is well-suited for modern manufacturing processes such as injection molding and extrusion. These curved geometries can be efficiently produced using standard manufacturing techniques, limiting the increase in manufacturing complexity compared to the gains in alignment precision.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables precise and reliable detection of braking and acceleration requests with minimal friction and secure alignment, meeting safety and redundancy standards for vehicle systems.
Implementation Method 1
at least one spring element, in particular a coil spring, is arranged as a return spring, pretensioned axially, in particular coaxially with the housing portions, in order to urge the housing portions into an unactuated rest position
Implementation Method 2
a first sliding element and a second sliding element are arranged between the housing portions, the first sliding element and the second sliding element each abut axially against at least one of the housing portions
Data Source
AI summary
An actuation device for a motor vehicle, in particular for specifying a braking and/or acceleration request is disclosed. The actuation device has a first housing portion and a second housing portion. The first housing portion is displaceably mounted on the second housing portion in the longitudinal extension of the second housing portion. The first housing portion has an actuating surface on a top surface facing away from the second housing portion, or a cover having an actuating surface is arranged on a top surface facing away from the second housing portion. The housing portions are each formed at least in sections in a cylindrical shape with a closed casing wall. The actuation device further has a first sliding element and a second sliding element arranged between the housing portions. The first sliding element and the second sliding element each abut axially against at least one of the housing portions. The actuation device further includes at least one spring element, in particular a coil spring, arranged as a return spring, pretensioned axially, in particular coaxially with the housing portions in order to urge the housing portions into an unactuated rest position.