Rack Bar Support Yoke Damping for Steering Wear and Impact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rack bar supporting devices in vehicle steering apparatuses face issues with increased clearance due to wear, leading to noise generation and imbalance in supporting force when an impact load is applied from the road surface, compromising steering stability and comfort.
Innovation Solution
A rack bar supporting device with a support yoke, elastic member, and damping member is designed to compensate for clearance wear and absorb impact loads, ensuring consistent supporting force and reducing noise through the use of a support yoke inserted into a gearbox cylinder and a yoke plug connected to the gearbox, with damping members positioned to distribute force optimally.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional rack bar supporting device is used, then the structure is simple, but clearance increases due to wear leading to noise and instability
Solution Approach 1:
The supporting device is divided into multiple functional components: support yoke, elastic member, damping member, and yoke plug. Each component performs a specific function - the elastic member compensates for clearance wear while the damping member absorbs impact loads, thereby maintaining steering stability without requiring complete redesign of the entire supporting structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic member is pre-installed between the support yoke and yoke plug to compensate for clearance that develops due to wear. This beforehand cushioning ensures that even as components wear over time, the elastic member maintains contact pressure and prevents clearance-induced noise and instability without requiring adjustment or replacement.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If clearance is not compensated, then the structure remains simple, but noise is generated due to impact from road surface
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic member is pre-installed to compensate for clearance before impact occurs. When impact loads from the road surface are transmitted through the rack bar, the elastic member maintains constant contact pressure between components, preventing clearance-induced rattling and noise without requiring active control or complex damping mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The damping member acts as an intermediary element between the support yoke and yoke plug. It absorbs and dissipates impact energy from road surface irregularities, preventing direct transmission of shock loads that would cause noise and vibration. This intermediary damping function protects the supporting device from harmful impacts while maintaining simple overall structure.
3Stability of the object's composition
If damping member is not included, then the device is simpler, but supporting force becomes unbalanced under impact load
Solution Approach 1:
The supporting device separates the functions of elastic support and impact damping into distinct components. The elastic member handles normal operating conditions and clearance compensation, while the damping member specifically addresses impact load absorption. This functional segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific purpose, maintaining supporting force balance under various loading conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The damping member serves as an intermediary that absorbs and dissipates impact energy between the rack bar and the supporting structure. When impact loads are applied, the damping member deforms to absorb energy, preventing unbalanced forces from disrupting the supporting yoke's position and maintaining stable supporting force distribution without requiring complex active control systems.
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 effectively maintains steering stability and comfort by compensating for clearance wear and absorbing impact loads, preventing noise generation and ensuring consistent supporting force, even under road surface impacts.
Implementation Method 1
a yoke plug configured to have a plug hollow formed on a front surface to receive the elastic member for supporting the support yoke toward the rack bar
Implementation Method 2
a damping member configured to protrude from a rear surface of the support yoke so as to be supported by a front surface of the yoke plug when an impact load is reversely transferred from the road surface through the rack bar
Data Source
AI summary
The present embodiments relate to a rack bar supporting device of a vehicle steering apparatus, which may include: a support yoke configured to be inserted into a cylinder of a gear box and configured to have a support recess famed on a front surface thereof to support a rack bar positioned in the lateral direction therein and a yoke hollow formed on a rear surface thereof so as to receive an elastic member; a yoke plug configured to have a plug hollow famed on a front surface thereof to receive the elastic member for supporting the support yoke toward the rack bar and configured to be connected to the cylinder of the gear box; and damping members configured to protrude from a rear surface of the support yoke so as to be supported by a front surface of the yoke plug when an impact load is reversely transferred from the road surface through the rack bar.