Curved Tooth Ridge Latching Device for Steering Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Latching devices in steering apparatuses often face issues with tooth-on-tooth situations, which prevent effective locking or latching and can lead to damage when excessive force is applied, necessitating alternative arrangements to ensure a reliable interlocking connection.
Innovation Solution
The latching device features a first latching unit with a curved tooth ridge that resolves tooth-on-tooth situations by allowing only a portion of the ridge to abut against the second tooth, enabling engagement and interlocking without damage, and includes a tilting mechanism to adjust the latching units relative to each other.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the first teeth and second teeth are designed to engage in an interlocking latching connection, then the latching reliability is improved, but the risk of tooth-on-tooth situations increases which can prevent effective locking or cause damage
Solution Approach 1:
The first tooth ridge is designed to be curved at least in portions, specifically curved in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the first tooth. This curvature allows the tooth ridge to engage with the second tooth in a controlled manner, preventing the entire ridge from abutting the second tooth ridge and resolving tooth-on-tooth situations while maintaining interlocking latching connection reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The curved first tooth ridge creates a localized engagement area that differs from the overall tooth structure. By making only portions of the tooth ridge curved rather than the entire tooth, the patent achieves localized flexibility in the engagement zone while maintaining the structural integrity and interlocking capability of the overall latching mechanism
2Ease of operation
If the driver exerts force to force locking in a tooth-on-tooth situation, then the latching is achieved, but the risk of damage to tooth tips increases
Solution Approach 1:
The curved first tooth ridge distributes the engagement force across a curved surface area rather than concentrating it at a single tooth tip contact point. This curvature allows the tooth ridge to gradually engage with the second tooth, reducing stress concentration and eliminating the need for excessive force that could damage tooth tips
3Reliability
If the driver actsuate the adjustment mechanism again to avoid tooth-on-tooth situation, then the latching is achieved, but the time and complexity of the operation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The curved first tooth ridge automatically resolves tooth-on-tooth situations during the latching operation without requiring the driver to actuate the adjustment mechanism again. The curvature allows the teeth to engage properly as the latching units move towards each other, eliminating repeated adjustment operations and saving time
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to a latching device having a first latching unit and having at least one second latching unit, wherein first teeth of the first latching unit are formed in order to realize an interlocking latching connection with second teeth of the second latching unit, and the first teeth of the first latching unit have a first tooth tip in each case, wherein the first tooth tip forms a first tooth ridge extending in a longitudinal direction of the first tooth. In order to reliably resolve a tooth-on-tooth situation and to be able to realize the desired interlocking latching connection, wherein the first tooth ridge is designed to be curved at least in portions.