Steering Column Clamping Structure for Precise Preload Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing steering column designs face challenges in achieving precise and stable clamping force adjustment due to elastic restoring forces and sensitivity to dimensional tolerances, leading to impaired guidance and reduced preload over the service life.
Innovation Solution
A steering column design with separate clamping elements for each sliding element, allowing individual clamping force adjustment through threaded bolts or spring elements, ensuring precise and independent clamping force specification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a single clamping element is used to clamp both side plates against the outer casing, then the height adjustment lever is compressed during clamping, but the elastic restoring force makes it difficult to adjust the preload with sufficient precision
Solution Approach 1:
The single clamping element is divided into two separate clamping elements (first clamping element and second clamping element), each independently clamping one side plate. This segmentation eliminates the elastic restoring force problem caused by compressing the entire height adjustment lever, allowing precise preload adjustment for each side plate independently without the negative effects of overall compression.
2Stability of the object's composition
If rigid clamping is applied to ensure guidance rigidity, then the sliding elements are firmly held in the guide grooves, but the preload becomes sensitive to dimensional tolerances and changing operating conditions
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of applying rigid clamping uniformly across both side plates, the invention allows each side plate to have independent clamping force adjustment through separate clamping elements. This enables local optimization where each sliding element can be individually adjusted to account for dimensional tolerances and operating condition variations, maintaining reliable preload stability while ensuring guidance rigidity.
3Strength
If the height adjustment lever is compressed during clamping to secure sliding elements, then the sliding elements are firmly held in guide grooves, but the preload force decreases significantly over service life due to aging effects
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the clamping mechanism into two independent clamping elements, the invention avoids continuous compression of the height adjustment lever. Each side plate can be clamped independently without compressing the entire lever structure, eliminating the aging-related preload loss while maintaining strong clamping force throughout the service life.
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
Enhances clamping force precision, compensates for component tolerances, and improves guidance stability, reducing sensitivity to changing conditions and extending service life.
Implementation Method 1
a sliding element is held slidably displaceable in a corresponding guide groove in the direction of the longitudinal axis
Implementation Method 2
clamped by a clamping device with at least one clamping element in a clamping direction
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5
Figure 6~7
AI summary
The present invention relates to a steering column (1) for a motor vehicle, comprising a casing unit (3), in which a steering spindle (30) is rotatably mounted about a longitudinal axis (L) and which is directly or indirectly connectable to the body of a motor vehicle via a height adjustment lever (4), wherein the height adjustment lever (4) has two side flanges (42), wherein, between the inner sides (42a) of which and lying opposite each other with respect to the longitudinal axis (L), the casing unit (3) is accommodated so as to be able to pivot about a hinge axis (G), wherein a sliding body (61) is arranged between the casing unit (3) and each side flange (42), said sliding body being retained in a slidingly movable manner in a corresponding guide groove (60) in the direction of the longitudinal axis (L) and being clamped by means of a clamping device with at least one clamping element (62) in a clamping direction. In order to achieve an improved guide, the invention proposes that each of the sliding bodies (61) can be individually clamped with a separate clamping element (62) in the corresponding guide groove (60).