Reducer Casing Plug With Integrated Carriage for Meshing Play Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gear mechanism housings for power steering systems face challenges in combining sealing functions with anti-backlash compensation in a compact, cost-effective, and simplified assembly, often requiring complex parts and machining, which increases manufacturing costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A plug design featuring a solid hub with a movable carriage and elastic constraint, integrated with an orientation member to ensure axial fixation and proper orientation of the anti-backlash mechanism, allowing for simultaneous sealing and anti-backlash compensation within a single compact assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a separate plug and separate anti-backlash mechanism are used, then the sealing function and compensation function are independent and reliable, but the device complexity increases and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the sealing plug and anti-backlash compensation mechanism into a single integrated assembly. The plug body includes both the sealing elements and the movable carriage that presses gear teeth against each other, eliminating the need for separate components and reducing assembly complexity while maintaining functional reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The plug assembly serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides sealing to prevent water and foreign object intrusion, compensates for gear meshing play through the movable carriage, and maintains mechanical dissociation between the fixed sealing portion and the movable compensation portion. This multi-functionality reduces the overall number of components needed in the system.
2Manufacturing precision
If a separate plug and separate anti-backlash mechanism are used, then each component can be optimized independently, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The plug body is designed as an integrated component where the sealing elements and the anti-backlash carriage are combined into a single manufacturable unit. This allows for optimized production processes and reduced manufacturing costs compared to producing and assembling separate components, while maintaining the ability to optimize each functional element within the integrated design.
3Reliability
If the plug and anti-backlash mechanism are mechanically dissociated, then the plug remains fixed and waterproof while the compensation mechanism moves freely, but the overall clutter of the housing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The movable carriage and spring mechanism are nested within the plug body structure. The carriage moves along guide supports that are integrated into the plug, and the spring is contained within the plug's internal volume. This nesting arrangement allows the compensation mechanism to move freely while maintaining a compact overall form factor that does not significantly increase housing clutter.
4Ease of operation
If the plug and anti-backlash mechanism are mechanically dissociated, then the moving parts can operate independently, but the assembly operations become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The plug body is pre-assembled with the carriage, guide supports, and spring mechanism integrated into a single unit before installation into the housing. This preliminary assembly allows the moving parts to be pre-positioned and pre-adjusted, ensuring independent operation capability while simplifying the final installation process to a single plug-in operation rather than multiple separate assembly steps.
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
This design simplifies assembly, reduces manufacturing costs, and effectively combines sealing and anti-backlash functions, ensuring reliable operation and noise reduction in gear mechanisms while maintaining a compact form.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic organ, of the spring type, interposed between the guide support and the carriage so as to constrain elastically Said truck according to the game catch-up direction (ZZ ')
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~8
AI summary
The invention concerns a plug (1) for closing an opening (2) of a casing (3), said plug (1) comprising a solid hub (10), with central axis (XX'), as well as a retaining member (11) which ensures the axial attachment of the plug (1) in the opening (2), said plug comprising a play-compensating carriage (12), which is distinct from the hub (10) and which is movably mounted on a guiding support (13) borne by the hub (10), said guiding support (13) being arranged in such a way as to axially retain said carriage (12) and to guide the relative movement of said carriage (12) with respect to the hub (10) in a direction termed the "play-compensating direction" (ZZ') transverse to the central axis (XX'), a spring-type resilient member (16), arranged between the guiding support (13) and the carriage (12), and an orientating member (17) arranged so as to orientate the plug (1), and consequently the play-compensating direction (ZZ') defined by the guiding support (13), in azimuth around the central axis (XX'), according to a predetermined orientation with respect to the casing (3).