Fixed Steering Wheel Hub With Spiral Cable Passage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current fixed steering wheel hubs face challenges in mounting on vehicles with rotating hubs due to complex adjustment systems and unreliable connections for control wires, leading to issues with ergonomics, space constraints, and vibration.
Innovation Solution
A fixed steering wheel hub design featuring a plate with rectilinear grooves and a spiral element that forms a helical connection between the plate and the steering column, eliminating the need for complex adjustment systems and allowing for easier adaptation to existing systems, reduced airbag size, and integration of additional equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed hub is implemented to allow installation of electrical equipment and controls, then the functionality and ergonomics of the steering wheel are improved, but the connection of control wires through the steering column becomes complex and unreliable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the wire connection function from the rotating steering column and relocates it to the fixed hub. The control wires are now connected at the stationary hub assembly rather than having to pass through or rotate with the steering column, eliminating the need for complex rotating joints or slip connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixed hub acts as an intermediary component between the steering wheel controls and the steering column. It provides a stationary interface point where wire connections can be made reliably, mediating between the rotating steering wheel and the fixed steering column structure.
2Volume of stationary object
If a fixed hub is used to reduce airbag size and free up space, then the available space for equipment installation increases, but mounting on vehicles with rotating hubs requires complex adjustment systems
Solution Approach 1:
The fixed hub design is made universal by creating a standardized interface that can be adapted to both rotating and non-rotating steering column configurations. The hub assembly incorporates universal mounting features and a standardized connection interface that works across different vehicle platforms without requiring vehicle-specific customizations.
Solution Approach 2:
The steering system is segmented into modular components: the fixed hub assembly, the steering column, and the steering wheel. This segmentation allows the fixed hub to be designed as a standalone unit with standardized interfaces, enabling it to be mounted on different vehicle types without requiring the entire steering system to be redesigned.
3Reliability
If a fixed hub eliminates rotating parts to improve reliability, then vibration and noise are reduced, but the rotation ratio between steering wheel and steering column must be maintained at 1
Solution Approach 1:
The fixed hub design copies the rotational motion characteristics of traditional rotating hubs through a different mechanism. Instead of physically rotating with the steering wheel, the fixed hub uses a cable-driven or gear-driven system that replicates the rotational input-output relationship, maintaining the 1:1 rotation ratio without actual rotational movement of the hub body.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a fixed steering wheel hub, the hub comprising: a plate (20); a first flange (22); and a second flange (23); wherein the plate (20) is arranged to rotate freely between the first flange (22) and the second flange (23). The first flange (22) and the second flange (23) have respectively a first and a second straight groove, the plate (20) having a peripheral opening, and it further comprises: a hollow spiral element (21) for cable passage extending between a first end and a second end, each end having a lug (24) engaged respectively in the first and second grooves such as to make the first flange (22) and the second flange (23) rotationally fixed.