Steering Column Actuation Lever for Tilt Height Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing steering columns for heavy-duty and agricultural vehicles are complex and costly, with multiple control members required for adjusting the steering wheel's tilt and height, making them difficult for drivers to operate conveniently and safely.
Innovation Solution
A simplified steering column design featuring a base, lower, intermediate, and upper sections with a single actuation lever that locks and unlocks rotational and translational movements, allowing for easy adjustment of the steering wheel's height and tilt using a cam and gas spring mechanism, enabling intuitive and safe operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple control members are used to adjust steering wheel tilt and height, then the adjustment functions are reliable and controllable, but the device complexity increases and ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple control functions into a single actuation lever that can control both the tilt adjustment (first rotational degree of freedom) and height adjustment (second rotational degree of freedom) of the steering wheel. This merging of control functions reduces the number of control members from multiple separate levers to one integrated control device, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining reliable control through distinct stable equilibrium positions for each adjustment mode.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple control members are used for steering column adjustment, then each function can be controlled independently, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in operating multiple controls
Solution Approach 1:
The actuation lever is designed as a universal control device that can perform multiple adjustment functions independently. By providing distinct stable equilibrium positions (first stable equilibrium position for tilt adjustment, second stable equilibrium position for height adjustment), the single lever enables the driver to selectively activate different adjustment functions as needed, maintaining functional independence while improving operational convenience through a unified control interface.
3Ease of operation
If a single actuation lever controls multiple adjustment functions, then the ease of operation improves, but the reliability of locking and unlocking mechanisms may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The locking and unlocking mechanisms are designed to be automatically activated based on the position of the actuation lever. When the lever is operated to its first stable equilibrium position, the first locking mechanism is automatically engaged to lock the tilt adjustment. When operated to its second stable equilibrium position, the second locking mechanism is automatically engaged to lock the height adjustment. This self-service mechanism ensures reliable locking without requiring additional manual intervention, maintaining both ease of operation and locking reliability.
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 design provides a cost-effective and user-friendly solution by allowing the driver to easily adjust the steering wheel with both hands, ensuring safe and effective operation while reducing the complexity of control members, thus enhancing driver convenience and safety.
Implementation Method 1
The actuation lever (60) may be rotatably connected relative to the upper section with respect to a first axis of oscillation and comprise a cam with an eccentric profile relative to the first axis of oscillation and adapted to actuate the control member selectively between the closed position and the open position as a result of an oscillation of the cam with respect to the first axis of oscillation of a given angle of oscillation.
Implementation Method 2
a first gas spring can be interposed between the lower section and the base, comprising: a first cylinder, hinged to the base or to the lower section; a first stem slidably connected to the cylinder and hinged to the other of the lower section and the base; and a first control element selectively operable between a stop position, in which it stops the sliding of the first stem relative to the first cylinder, and an unlocked position, in which it releases the sliding of the first stem relative to the first cylinder
Data Source
AI summary
A steering column (10), comprising: —a base (20); —a lower section (25), hinged to the base (20); —an intermediate section (30), hinged to the lower section (25); —an actuation lever (60) operable between a locked position, in which the actuation lever (60) is in stable equilibrium and constrains the mutual rotation of the lower section (25) relative to the base (20) and the mutual rotation of the intermediate section (30) relative to the lower section (25), and a first unlocked position or a second unlocked position, distinct from each other, in each of which it respectively releases one of the mutual rotation of the lower section (25) relative to the base (20) and the mutual rotation of the intermediate section (30) relative to the lower section (25).