Steering Column Lever Cam Dampening for Quiet Soft Stops
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing steering column adjustment assemblies produce undesirable noise due to metal-to-metal contact during lever adjustment, and current solutions fail to provide a consistent soft stop and adequate energy absorption, especially when using plastic designs.
Innovation Solution
A dampened adjustment assembly for steering columns featuring a rotatable lever, a clamp bolt, and a cam within a pocket of a lower jacket, utilizing a dampening component or bumper made of a non-metallic material to absorb energy and provide a soft stop, thereby reducing noise and ensuring consistent deceleration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If metal-to-metal contact is used in the adjustment assembly, then structural strength and durability are improved, but undesirable noise is generated during lever operation
Solution Approach 1:
A dampening component made of elastomeric material is introduced as an intermediary between the metal cam and the metal lower jacket. This mediator absorbs the impact energy and prevents direct metal-to-metal contact during lever operation, thereby eliminating the undesirable noise while maintaining the structural integrity of the metal components.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustment assembly utilizes a composite material approach by combining metal components (cam, lower jacket) with an elastomeric dampening material. This composite structure allows the metal parts to provide structural strength while the elastomeric material provides noise dampening, resolving the contradiction between strength and noise generation.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If plastic design is used in the adjustment assembly, then noise is reduced, but energy absorption capability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter of the dampening component from plastic to elastomeric material. This parameter change enables the component to provide both noise reduction (by preventing metal-to-metal contact) and adequate energy absorption (through the elastomeric material's superior energy dissipation properties compared to plastic).
3Duration of action of stationary object
If powered metal cams are used to create the stop position, then structural durability is improved, but inconsistent soft stop and variable deceleration occur
Solution Approach 1:
The elastomeric dampening component serves as a mediator between the powered metal cam and the lower jacket. It provides a consistent soft stop by absorbing impact energy uniformly, regardless of variations in lever speed, thereby improving reliability while maintaining the structural durability of the metal cam components.
4Object-generated harmful factors
If decelerator apparatus is added to slow lever speed, then noise is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dampening function is merged into the existing cam mechanism by positioning the elastomeric dampening component within the cam's operational path. This integration allows the single component to serve both as a structural element and a noise-dampening element, reducing overall device complexity compared to adding a separate decelerator apparatus.
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 solution effectively reduces noise and provides a consistent soft stop during lever adjustment, enhancing the user experience by absorbing energy and decelerating the release mechanism, making it adaptable to various steering column designs.
Implementation Method 1
a dampening component formed of a dampening material and surrounding a perimeter of the cam, the dampening component positioned to contact a surface of the lower jacket to define the unlocked position
Data Source
AI summary
A dampened adjustment assembly for a steering column includes a lever rotatable to move the dampened adjustment assembly between a locked position and an unlocked position. The dampened adjustment assembly also includes a clamp bolt operatively coupled to the lever. The dampened adjustment assembly further includes a cam operatively coupled to the clamp bolt and disposed within a pocket of a lower jacket. The dampened adjustment assembly yet further includes a dampening component formed of a dampening material and surrounding a perimeter of the cam, the dampening component positioned to contact a surface of the lower jacket to define the unlocked position.