Steering Column Ball-Groove Layout for Low-Friction Centering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing steering columns with ball bearing arrangements suffer from non-uniform force distribution and non-centered guiding due to localized radial force introduction, leading to potential misalignment and friction issues during telescopic adjustment.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a ball bearing device with multiple running groove arrangements distributed about the longitudinal center axis, featuring gothic profiles and ball cages, which reduces friction and enhances rigidity by providing uniform load distribution and improved guiding through point or line contacts between balls and running grooves, and includes pretensioning to center components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a linear ball bearing arrangement with prismatic impressions is used, then play-free support is achieved, but radial forces are introduced only locally leading to non-uniform force distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The single linear running groove is segmented into multiple running grooves arranged circumferentially around the steering column. This segmentation distributes the ball bearing contacts from a single location to multiple locations around the circumference, achieving uniform force distribution while maintaining play-free support.
Solution Approach 2:
The design transitions from a one-dimensional linear running groove to a multi-dimensional circumferential arrangement of running grooves. By adding the circumferential dimension, the force distribution is spread uniformly around the steering column, preventing non-uniform loading while maintaining precise guidance.
2Ease of operation
If a linear ball bearing arrangement is used, then telescopic adjustment is enabled, but friction between balls and running grooves increases
Solution Approach 1:
The friction load is segmented and distributed across multiple running grooves and ball contacts instead of concentrating friction in a single linear groove. This distribution reduces the frictional resistance at each contact point, enabling smoother telescopic adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The design changes the geometric parameters of the running grooves, specifically using a gothic arch profile instead of prismatic impressions. This parameter change optimizes the contact between balls and grooves, reducing friction while maintaining structural support.
3Ease of manufacture
If prismatic impressions are used for running grooves, then manufacturing is simplified, but torsion rigidity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The design adds a circumferential dimension to the running groove arrangement, creating multiple grooves distributed around the steering column. This multi-dimensional arrangement increases torsion rigidity by distributing loads around the circumference, while each individual groove maintains a manufacturable gothic arch profile.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution combines the manufacturable gothic arch groove profile with a multi-groove circumferential arrangement. This composite approach integrates the manufacturing simplicity of standardized profiles with the structural advantage of distributed load paths for enhanced torsion rigidity.
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 configuration achieves improved torsion rigidity, uniform force distribution, and reduced friction, ensuring precise guiding and enhanced stability during telescopic movements, while allowing for comfortable driver adjustments and space-saving storage.
Implementation Method 1
a ball bearing device between the telescope-like portion and the carrier portion, wherein a running groove arrangement of the ball bearing device is formed with a linear running groove on the telescope-like portion and on the carrier portion, respectively, and a plurality of balls are arranged between the running groove of the telescope-like portion and the running groove of the carrier portion
Data Source
AI summary
A steering column for a vehicle is disclosed, comprising at least one telescope-like portion and a carrier portion. The telescope-like portion is supported so as to be displaceable inside the carrier portion in the longitudinal direction of the telescope-like portion and has an adjustment device for telescopic adjustment of a length of the steering column by pushing the telescope-like portion in or out with respect to the carrier portion, and a ball bearing device between the telescope-like portion and the carrier portion. A running groove arrangement of the ball bearing device is formed with a linear running groove on the telescope-like portion and on the carrier portion and a plurality of balls are arranged between the running groove of the telescope-like portion and the running groove of the carrier portion. In order to improve rigidity and/or to achieve self-centering and/or to reduce friction between the balls and running grooves, the steering column, the ball bearing device has a plurality of running groove arrangements. The plurality of running groove arrangements are arranged in a state distributed about a longitudinal center axis of the steering column.