Lever Assembly Auto-Return Mechanism for Steering Columns
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lever assemblies for vehicle steering columns lack an efficient mechanism for automatic return to the rest position after actuation, leading to user inconvenience and potential operational errors.
Innovation Solution
A lever assembly with a cam element, auto-return housing, trigger mechanism, and yoke member that interact to automatically return the lever to its rest position through a coordinated movement of the plunger, yoke, and trigger mechanism, utilizing the cam element of the steering column.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a lever assembly is designed without an automatic return mechanism, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to user inconvenience and potential operational errors
Solution Approach 1:
The lever assembly automatically returns to its neutral position through a cam element and plunger mechanism that engages with the steering column rotation, eliminating the need for manual user intervention to reset the lever after actuation
Solution Approach 2:
A cam element mounted on the steering column acts as an intermediary between the steering column rotation and the lever position, using the rotational movement to automatically drive the lever back to neutral through a plunger and linkage mechanism
2Reliability
If a lever assembly includes an automatic return mechanism with multiple components, then the reliability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The automatic return function is merged with the existing steering column rotation mechanism, using the cam element that converts the rotational movement into linear plunger movement, thereby achieving reliable automatic return without adding completely separate systems
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanism uses dynamic engagement between the cam element profile and plunger, where the varying geometry of the cam converts continuous rotational motion into the desired reciprocating linear motion to return the lever to neutral position
Data Source
AI summary
A lever assembly (20) has a lever (24) mounted to a lever housing (22), a plunger (26), an auto-return housing (28) pivotable relative to the lever housing (22), a trigger mechanism (30) movable relative to the auto-return housing (28), and a yoke member (32) pivotable relative to the auto-return housing (22) independent of the auto-return housing. The trigger mechanism (30) is movable to an extended position in response to movement of the plunger (26) for engaging a cam element (12) of the steering column (10) for auto-return of the lever to a rest position. The yoke member (32) interacts with the plunger (26) when the plunger (26) pivots with the lever (24) to cause the yoke (32) to pivot toward an engaged position, and the yoke (32) interacts with the trigger mechanism (30) when the yoke (32) is pivoted to move the trigger mechanism (30) toward the extended position.