Steering Column Damper Absorbs High-Speed Vibrations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dampers in steering column assemblies fail to adequately absorb vibrational forces exerted on the steering column and wheel during high-speed driving, as these forces are typically within a seventy to ninety hertz band, leading to undesirable tactile vibrations experienced by the driver.
Innovation Solution
A damper assembly comprising a housing attached to the steering column, a mass attached to its distal end, and a resilient member between the housing and mass, allowing movement parallel to the steering column axis to absorb vibrational forces within the seventy to ninety hertz range, thereby preventing these forces from reaching the steering wheel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional damper is disposed within a steering wheel to absorb up/down vibration during idle and low-speed driving conditions, then vibration within a thirty to forty hertz band is effectively reduced, but the damper fails to absorb vibrational forces within a seventy to ninety hertz band that occur during high-speed driving conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the tuning frequency parameter of the damper from the conventional thirty to forty hertz range to a seventy to ninety hertz range. This is achieved by adjusting the mass and spring constants of the damper components, allowing the same damper structure to effectively absorb high-frequency vibrations during high-speed driving conditions while maintaining the ability to handle lower frequency vibrations
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a damper is designed with a specific tuning frequency to absorb vibrations in one frequency band, then it effectively reduces tactile vibration in that band, but it cannot adequately absorb vibrations in other frequency bands
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the damper with multi-functional capability to handle multiple frequency bands. By incorporating adjustable mass and spring elements, the damper can be tuned to operate effectively across a broader frequency spectrum, serving multiple vibration absorption functions rather than being limited to a single frequency band
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 damper assembly effectively absorbs vibrational forces along the steering column axis during high-speed driving, preventing undesirable tactile vibrations from reaching the steering wheel, thus enhancing driver comfort by tuning the combined frequency of the mass and resilient member to match the high-speed vibrational frequency range.
Implementation Method 1
whereby a combined tuning frequency of the mass and the resilient member is approximately between seventy and ninety hertz
Implementation Method 2
A resilient member is disposed between the housing and the mass and cooperates to absorb vibrational forces exerted on the steering column along the axis of the steering column
Implementation Method 3
A resilient member is disposed between the housing and the mass that permits movement of the mass along an axis that is substantially parallel to the axis of the steering column assembly relative to the housing
Data Source
AI summary
A damper for a steering column assembly includes a housing attached to and extending along an axis of the steering column assembly. A mass is attached to a distal end of the housing with a resilient member being disposed between the housing and the mass that permits movement of the mass along an axis that is substantially parallel to the axis of the steering column assembly relative to the housing to absorb vibrational forces exerted on the steering column assembly along the axis.