Steering Column Protective Cover for Mud Infiltration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional designs for vehicle steering columns allow infiltration of materials like mud into the bowl-shaped opening under the floor, which can lead to cardan joint blockage, compromising vehicle safety.
Innovation Solution
A protective cover with a semi-cylindrical tubular wall and a flat base, featuring a positioning tab and semi-circular flange for secure placement on the vehicle floor, along with assembly elements like cage screws, prevents material infiltration and is easy to assemble without tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the floor and front floor carpet are cut out to allow passage of the steering column, then the cardan joint can be mounted at the lower part of the steering column, but material infiltration into the bowl-shaped opening causes blocking of the cardan joint
Solution Approach 1:
A protective cover is introduced as an intermediary element between the external environment and the cardan joint. This cover includes a tubular wall and base that form a protective enclosure, allowing the cardan joint to remain accessible for mounting while preventing material infiltration into the bowl-shaped opening.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective cover utilizes a tubular wall and base structure that creates a shell-like enclosure. This flexible yet protective structure covers the bowl-shaped opening formed by cutting the floor, preventing material infiltration while maintaining the necessary access for cardan joint installation.
2Reliability
If a protective cover is added to prevent material infiltration, then cardan joint reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cover merges multiple functions into a single integrated structure. The tubular wall and base are combined to form a unified protective enclosure that simultaneously prevents material infiltration, maintains access for cardan joint mounting, and provides structural support, thereby reducing overall device complexity despite adding protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective cover is designed as a multi-functional component that serves multiple purposes: it prevents material infiltration into the bowl-shaped opening, maintains access for cardan joint installation and maintenance, and provides structural reinforcement. This universal design reduces the need for additional separate components.
3Manufacturing precision
If a complex assembly system is used to secure the protective cover, then positioning accuracy is improved, but ease of assembly deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning tab and semi-circular flange are designed to automatically guide and secure the protective cover during assembly. The tab engages with the floor mat to provide self-alignment, while the flange secures the cover in position, eliminating the need for complex positioning systems or specialized assembly tools.
Solution Approach 2:
The assembly system extracts unnecessary complexity by using simple, standalone positioning and securing elements. The positioning tab and semi-circular flange are separate, easy-to-install components that can be added without requiring complex assembly mechanisms, maintaining ease of assembly while ensuring proper positioning.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a protective cover for the lower part of a vehicle's steering column, designed to prevent material from entering the recessed opening in the vehicle's front floor and floor mat through which the steering column passes. This protective cover (10) comprises a main body, which includes a tubular wall (12) of substantially semi-cylindrical shape and a base (13) connected to the lower part of the tubular wall (12), intended to partially cover said recessed opening and to conceal the lower part of the steering column, means for positioning (14, 17) the protective cover on the vehicle's front floor mat, and assembly elements (45, 46) for attaching said protective cover (10) to said vehicle's front floor mat.