Vehicle Steering Actuator With Ring Gear Ball Nut Drive
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing steering actuators in vehicles are bulky, heavy, and require significant space and power due to belt and pulley systems, which are prone to failure and require frequent maintenance, limiting drive ratios and increasing weight and power consumption.
Innovation Solution
The use of a rack, ball nut, ring gear, and pinion system with a compact motor design that achieves high drive ratios, allowing for smaller, lighter motors and a more reliable interface, along with an anti-rotation mechanism to prevent rack rotation, enabling efficient and independent wheel steering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If belt and pulley systems are used in steering actuators, then steering function is achieved, but the actuator becomes bulky, heavy, and requires significant space and power
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the belt and pulley mechanical system with a direct-drive motor system that uses a motor shaft directly coupled to the steering column, eliminating the need for belts, pulleys, and associated tensioning mechanisms. This substitution reduces actuator weight while maintaining steering reliability through direct mechanical coupling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the belt and pulley components from the steering actuator system, eliminating the source of bulk and weight. By taking out these unnecessary mechanical elements, the actuator design achieves weight reduction while preserving the essential steering function through the direct-drive mechanism.
2Reliability
If belt and pulley systems are used in steering actuators, then steering function is achieved, but frequent maintenance is required due to prone to failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the belt and pulley system with a direct-drive motor system that eliminates belts, pulleys, and tensioning mechanisms. This substitution removes the components that are prone to failure and require frequent maintenance, thereby improving ease of repair while maintaining steering reliability through direct mechanical coupling.
Solution Approach 2:
The direct-drive motor system is designed to be self-contained with integrated motor and steering column coupling, eliminating the need for external belt tensioning and adjustment mechanisms. This self-service design reduces maintenance frequency by removing the components that would otherwise require regular inspection and adjustment.
3Adaptability or versatility
If belt and pulley systems are used in steering actuators, then steering function is achieved, but drive ratios are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the belt and pulley system with a direct-drive motor system that uses the motor shaft directly coupled to the steering column. This substitution provides adaptability in drive ratio through electronic control of motor speed and torque, eliminating the mechanical constraints of belt-pulley configurations while reducing device complexity by removing multiple mechanical components.
Solution Approach 2:
The direct-drive motor system enables dynamic adjustment of drive ratios through electronic control of motor parameters, replacing the fixed mechanical drive ratios of belt-pulley systems. This dynamic capability increases adaptability while reducing device complexity by eliminating the need for multiple pulley sizes and belt tensioning mechanisms.
4Power
If larger motors are used to compensate for limited drive ratios, then sufficient steering power is achieved, but weight and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the belt and pulley system with a direct-drive motor system that achieves sufficient steering power through direct mechanical coupling of the motor shaft to the steering column. This substitution eliminates the need for larger motors that would be required to compensate for limited drive ratios in belt-pulley systems, thereby reducing motor weight and power consumption while maintaining adequate steering power.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the belt and pulley components that limit drive ratio efficiency, allowing the use of a smaller, lighter motor to achieve the same steering power output. By taking out the inefficient mechanical transmission elements, the system can use a more compact motor without sacrificing steering capability.
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 solution results in smaller, lighter actuators that reduce vehicle weight and power consumption while providing high torque and compactness, enabling efficient steering with improved reliability and reduced maintenance needs.
Implementation Method 1
a motor with a pinion engaged with the ring gear. The motor is to rotate the ball nut, via the pinion and the ring gear, to move the rack linearly
Implementation Method 2
An interface between the slide rod and the slide locator is to prevent rotation of the rack as the ball nut rotates
Data Source
AI summary
Steering actuators for vehicles are described herein. An example actuator includes a rack to be coupled to a knuckle of a vehicle, a ball nut coupled to the rack, a ring gear coupled to the ball nut, and a motor with a pinion engaged with the ring gear. The motor is to rotate the ball nut, via the pinion and the ring gear, to move the rack linearly.