Steering Column Adjustment Drive With Resilient Bearing Preload
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing steering column adjustment drives suffer from low running smoothness and increased wear due to inadequate axial pressure distribution and temperature variations, leading to bearing play and increased breakaway torque.
Innovation Solution
The adjustment drive incorporates an axially resilient bearing arrangement with elastic preloading elements, such as spring rings or elastomeric rings, to maintain uniform axial pressure and absorb torque peaks, ensuring consistent performance under varying conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional rigid bearing arrangements are used, then structural simplicity is maintained, but bearing play increases and running smoothness deteriorates under temperature variations and wear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by replacing rigid bearing supports with resilient bearing arrangements that can dynamically adapt to changing operating conditions. The resilient bearing arrangement allows the bearing housing to flex and compensate for thermal expansion and wear, maintaining optimal bearing clearance and preventing bearing play while preserving structural simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the mechanical properties of the bearing arrangement from rigid to resilient. This change in the physical state of the bearing support structure enables it to maintain consistent performance under varying temperature and wear conditions, improving running smoothness without significantly increasing complexity
2Reliability
If axial pressure is increased to prevent bearing play, then bearing stability improves, but wear increases due to inadequate pressure distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating non-uniform axial pressure distribution through the resilient bearing arrangement. The resilient material distributes pressure locally where needed, concentrating force at critical contact points to prevent bearing play while reducing pressure in other areas to minimize wear, thereby achieving both bearing stability and reduced material loss
3Reliability
If uniform axial pressure is maintained to reduce wear, then bearing longevity improves, but bearing play increases under temperature variations
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient bearing arrangement dynamically adjusts bearing clearance in response to temperature variations and wear, maintaining optimal pressure distribution throughout the bearing's operational life. This dynamic adaptation prevents both excessive clearance (bearing play) and excessive pressure (wear), ensuring bearing longevity while maintaining clearance stability
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 enhances running smoothness and reduces wear by maintaining optimal axial pressure and stiffness, preventing bearing play and ensuring consistent performance over the lifespan of the adjustment drive.
Implementation Method 1
at least one outer bearing ring is supported in an axially resilient manner at the bearing housing by way of an elastic preloading element, which exerts a preloading force that axially braces the two outer bearing rings against one another
Implementation Method 2
The spring element can comprise a ring-shaped spring element... The spring element can be elastically compressed axially by the preloading force and it permanently transfers said preloading force onto the bearing arrangement as the spring force
Data Source
AI summary
A motor adjustment drive for a vehicle steering column includes a threaded spindle with an axis. The threaded spindle engages a spindle nut. A drive unit and a gear wheel which is connected to the spindle nut or the threaded spindle for rotation therewith is driveable to rotate by the drive unit and is rotatably mounted in a bearing housing between two outer bearing rings that are axially supported at the bearing housing. The outer bearing rings each have, on their sides facing one another, a circumferential outer bearing face that is coaxial to the axis. Each outer bearing face lays opposite a bearing face embodied on the end side at the gear wheel. An outer bearing ring is axially resiliently supported at the bearing housing via an elastic element, which exerts an axial force that biases the two outer bearing rings toward each other.