Steering Column Clamp Cam Layout to Prevent Shaft Interference
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing steering system requires excessive physical effort to clamp the column tube due to interference between the clamping shaft and the housing, making the clamping operation cumbersome and potentially leading to incorrect locking or failure to lock the steering member position.
Innovation Solution
The steering system incorporates a clamping member with a fixed cam, rotary cam, and clamping lever, featuring a third through hole with a small and large diameter portion, and strategically arranged first and second through holes that align only during clamping, reducing interference and the required physical effort by allowing smooth operation of the clamping mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If the diameter of the housing is reduced to enable clamping operation, then the clamping force is improved, but interference between the clamping shaft and housing occurs causing excessive physical effort
Solution Approach 1:
The through hole in the housing is segmented into multiple sections: a first through hole in the first clamp-receiving portion, a second through hole in the second clamp-receiving portion, and a third through hole in the fixed cam. These segmented holes are arranged at different positions and orientations, allowing the clamping shaft to pass through without interfering with the housing walls during clamping operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves the problem from a two-dimensional cross-sectional view to a three-dimensional spatial arrangement. By configuring the through holes with different axes (first axis, second axis, third axis) and positioning them at different locations along the axial direction, the clamping shaft can traverse the housing without contacting the housing walls, eliminating interference while maintaining reduced diameter for effective clamping.
2Reliability
If the housing diameter is reduced for effective clamping, then the clamping effectiveness is improved, but the clamping shaft interferes with the housing structure
Solution Approach 1:
The housing structure is segmented into a first clamp-receiving portion with a first through hole and a second clamp-receiving portion with a second through hole. The fixed cam contains a third through hole. This segmentation allows each component to have a simplified structure while collectively achieving the function of guiding the clamping shaft without interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixed cam acts as an intermediary element between the housing and the clamping shaft. The third through hole in the fixed cam provides an additional pathway that, combined with the first and second through holes, enables the clamping shaft to pass through without directly interfering with the housing walls, thus mediating the interaction between these components.
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 reduces the physical effort needed to clamp the steering member, ensuring accurate locking without heavy effort, preventing incorrect clamping and enhancing the stability of the clamping force for secondary collisions.
Implementation Method 1
The rotary cam is configured to relatively move away from or toward the fixed cam as the rotary cam rotates relative to the fixed cam
Implementation Method 2
The clamping lever is connected to the rotary cam
Data Source
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AI summary
A steering system includes a rod member (120), a housing (130), and a clamping member (140). The housing (130) has a clamping slit (132) and includes a first clamp-receiving portion (133) and a second clamp-receiving portion (136) that project so as to sandwich the clamping slit (132) therebetween. The clamping member (140) includes a fixed cam (144), a clamping shaft (141), a rotary cam (145), and a clamping lever (143). The fixed cam (144) is fitted in the first clamp-receiving portion (133) from an outer side of the first clamp-receiving portion (133). The fixed cam (144) has a third through hole (147) extending through the fixed cam (144) coaxially with a first axis. The third through hole (147) has a small diameter portion (148) at a first portion close to the rotary cam (145) and a large diameter portion (149) having a diameter larger than a diameter of the small diameter portion (148) at a second portion away from the rotary cam (145).