Power Steering Bearing Sleeve Integration for Tolerance Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing auxiliary power steering systems for motor vehicles have high manufacturing and assembly costs due to the complexity of producing and assembling separate spring and sleeve elements for bearing support, which also leads to potential misalignments and increased operational wear.
Innovation Solution
A one-piece carrier sleeve integrates both the spring and sleeve elements, reducing the need for individual components and providing a defined relative positioning, thus simplifying assembly and reducing manufacturing costs while enhancing operational efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate spring element and sleeve element are used for bearing support, then the bearing arrangement can compensate for tilting and tolerances, but the manufacturing and assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the separate spring element and sleeve element into a single integrated carrier sleeve component. This merging eliminates the need for separate manufacturing and assembly steps while maintaining the functional benefits of both elements - the spring section provides tilting compensation and the sleeve section provides tolerance compensation, thereby reducing device complexity without sacrificing reliability
2Reliability
If separate spring element and sleeve element are used for bearing support, then the bearing arrangement can provide elastic clamping and tolerance compensation, but the number of components and assembly steps increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges multiple functional elements (spring element for elastic clamping, sleeve element for tolerance compensation) into a single integrated carrier sleeve. This reduces the quantity of components from two separate parts to one unified component, simplifying both the bill of materials and the assembly process while preserving all necessary functional capabilities
3Ease of operation
If separate spring element and sleeve element are assembled, then the bearing arrangement can be assembled with individual components, but misalignments and assembly time increase
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating the spring and sleeve elements into a single precision-manufactured carrier sleeve, the invention eliminates misalignment issues between separate components. The relative positioning of spring and sleeve sections is precisely controlled during manufacturing of the single piece, ensuring accurate alignment in the bearing arrangement while maintaining assembly ease through the simplified single-component installation
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 integrated carrier sleeve reduces manufacturing and assembly efforts, minimizes misalignments, and improves the operational smoothness and longevity of the power steering system by providing a clear positioning of the spring and sleeve elements, resulting in lower production and operational costs and reduced wear.
Implementation Method 1
at least one bearing outer ring which is axially supported on the end face by a spring element on the housing
Implementation Method 2
The spindle drive can preferably be designed as a ball screw drive (KGT), in which balls can roll between the spindle nut designed as a ball nut and the thread of the threaded spindle
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 5
AI summary
The invention relates to power-assisted steering (1) for a motor vehicle, comprising a threaded spindle (42) engaging in a spindle nut (62), extending axially in the direction of a spindle axis (S) and axially moveably arranged in a housing (31), and a drive unit having a gear wheel (6) which is rotationally fixed to the spindle nut (62) and can be rotationally driven about the spindle axis (S), and which is rotatably mounted in the housing (31) in a bearing assembly (7) having at least one outer bearing ring (71) which is axially supported on the housing (31) on the end side via a spring element (82, 86) and which is coaxially accommodated in a sleeve element (81) and radially retained in the housing (31). According to the invention, in order to reduce the complexity of manufacturing and assembly, the spring element is designed as a spring section (82, 86) and the sleeve element is designed as an integrally connected sleeve section (81) on an integral carrier sleeve (8).