Steering Bracket Rotational Buffer for Column Jacket Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing steering apparatuses, such as those described in International Publication WO2012/035891, suffer from positional deviations of the column jacket due to fixation removal caused by long-term use or secondary collisions, leading to potential misalignment.
Innovation Solution
A steering apparatus design featuring a bracket system with a first member fixed to the vehicle body and a second member supporting the column jacket, where the second member includes side plates and restricted portions that restrict movement even if fixations are released, preventing excessive positional deviation by allowing slight rotation, and utilizing shorter welding lengths for cost reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the side plates are fixed to the top plate by welding, then the bracket provides strong support, but the fixations may be released due to long-term use or impact, causing large positional deviation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the bracket with a rotational degree of freedom around the first fixed portion, creating a buffer mechanism that allows the second member to rotate downward slightly when fixations are released. This pre-designed movement path prevents large positional deviations and protects the steering shaft from damage, cushioning the impact of fixation failure before it can cause harm.
2Strength
If longer welding lengths are used for the second fixed portions, then the fixation strength is improved, but the welding time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different welding lengths to different fixed portions based on their functional requirements. The first fixed portion (edge portion of second top plate) receives longer welding for strong support, while the second fixed portions (side plates to restricting portions) use shorter welding since their primary function is positional restriction rather than load-bearing. This differential approach optimizes both strength and manufacturing efficiency.
Data Source
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AI summary
A steering apparatus (1) includes an upper bracket (6) that supports a column jacket (4). The upper bracket (6) includes a first member (26) including a first top plate (28) and fixed to the vehicle body (22), and a second member (27) fixed to the first member (26) and supporting the column jacket (4). The second member (27) includes: a second top plate (30) fixed to the first top plate (28), a pair of side plates (31) extending downward from the second top plate (30) and placed on both side of the column jacket (4); and a pair of restricted portions (51) extended laterally from the pair of side plates (31), respectively. The first member (26) includes a pair of restricting portions (52) extending downward from the first top plate (28), the pair of restricting portions each including a second fixed portion (53) fixed to its corresponding restricted portion (51).