Steering Column Guide Device Radial Fixation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing steering column designs require additional installation space for anti-rotation devices, which is often not available, due to the need for elongated holes to accommodate guide elements that prevent rotation during height adjustment.
Innovation Solution
A compact guide device with guide elements arranged outside the elongated hole, utilizing a flexible arm or spring element that provides resilient support and maintains guide engagement in both fixing and release positions, allowing for a shorter elongated hole and increased radial distance for enhanced rotational fixation without lengthening the hole.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If guide elements are arranged inside the elongated hole to prevent rotation during height adjustment, then rotational fixation is achieved, but additional installation space is required which is often not available
Solution Approach 1:
The guide elements are moved from the longitudinal dimension (inside the elongated hole) to the radial dimension (outside the elongated hole at a distance from the clamping axis). This dimensional transition allows rotational fixation to be achieved without consuming additional longitudinal installation space within the hole, resolving the contradiction between reliability of fixation and availability of installation space.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the elongated hole is extended to accommodate guide elements for anti-rotation, then rotational stability is improved, but the device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The guide elements are extracted from the elongated hole structure and positioned outside it. This separation allows the elongated hole to maintain its original, simpler geometry without extensions, while the guide elements independently provide rotational stability from the radial direction, reducing overall device complexity.
3Reliability
If guide elements are positioned at a distance from the elongated hole, then rotational fixation is enhanced without lengthening the hole, but the guide device requires flexible arms or spring elements adding complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The guide elements are positioned at an optimized radial distance from the clamping axis (outside the elongated hole), which enhances the moment arm for preventing rotation. The use of flexible arms or spring elements with appropriate material properties and dimensions provides the necessary guide function while maintaining compactness, balancing reliability improvement against controlled complexity increase.
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 design achieves a space-optimized, compact steering column with improved rotational fixation and ease of adjustment, preventing unwanted rotation and ensuring secure engagement of connecting means, while allowing for height adjustment without the need for additional installation space.
Implementation Method 1
at least one arm has a spring element
Implementation Method 2
flexible arm or spring element that provides resilient support
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4
Figure 5~10
AI summary
The invention relates to a steering column (1) for a motor vehicle, comprising a support unit (2) which can be connected to the body of a motor vehicle, an adjustment unit (3) which can be releasably clamped to the support unit (2) and in which a steering spindle (30) is rotatably mounted about its longitudinal axis (L), and a clamping device (4) that can be brought into a fixing position, in which the clamping device secures the adjustment unit (3) relative to the support unit (2), and a release position, in which the clamping device unblocks an adjustment of the adjustment unit (3) relative to the support unit (2) at least in a vertical direction (H) transversely to the longitudinal axis (L), and has a clamping pin (41) arranged along a clamping axis (S), wherein the clamping pin is guided transversely to the longitudinal axis (L) through an elongated hole (24), which is elongated in an adjustment direction, in the support unit (2), said clamping pin being movable into a release position in the adjustment direction in the elongated hole, and the clamping pin interacts with a clamping transmission. The clamping pin (24) is equipped with a fixing element (5), which can be clamped by the clamping device (4) against the support unit (2) in the direction of the clamping axis (S), and a guide device is provided with corresponding guide elements (25, 54) on the fixing element (5) and on the support unit (2), said fixing element (5) being guided in said guide elements in a translational manner relative to the support unit (2). The aim of the invention is to provide a steering column (1) with a compactly constructed guide device which has an optimized assembly space. According to the invention, this is achieved in that the guide elements (25, 54) are arranged at a distance to the elongated hole (24).