Three-Stage Steering Column for Long-Range Wheel Retraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle steering columns are limited to an expansion/contraction range of about ±30 mm, making it difficult to retract the steering wheel into the vehicle body in autonomous driving modes.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle steering column design with three tubular columns that overlap and unfold, utilizing a telescoping device with different lead screw parts and nuts to achieve a total expansion/contraction of about 170 mm, allowing the steering wheel to be effectively hidden in the vehicle body.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a two-stage telescoping structure is used, then the structure is simple, but the expansion/contraction range is limited to about ±30 mm
Solution Approach 1:
The steering column is divided into three separate telescoping stages (upper, middle, and lower tubular columns) instead of two stages. Each stage can independently expand and contract, allowing the total movement range to accumulate across all three stages, achieving approximately ±170 mm of total expansion/contraction range while maintaining relative structural simplicity through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
The three tubular columns are nested within each other in a telescoping configuration, with the upper tubular column inserted into the middle tubular column, and the middle tubular column inserted into the lower tubular column. This nested arrangement allows for compact retraction while enabling cumulative expansion when all stages are extended, solving the contradiction between structural simplicity and large movement range
2Ease of operation
If the steering wheel is retracted into the vehicle body, then spatial convenience is improved, but the telescoping range must be significantly increased
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the telescoping mechanism into three independent stages, the patent achieves a cumulative telescoping range of approximately ±170 mm, which is sufficient to fully retract the steering wheel into the vehicle body for autonomous driving modes while maintaining ease of operation and spatial convenience
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic control of the three-stage telescoping mechanism, allowing the steering column to adapt its length based on driving mode requirements. The system can dynamically extend to provide optimal driver accessibility during manual driving and retract to maximize interior space during autonomous driving, thereby improving spatial convenience while achieving the necessary telescoping range
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 enables a significant increase in contraction displacement, allowing the steering wheel to be fully retracted into the vehicle body, enhancing spatial convenience in autonomous driving modes.
Implementation Method 1
a lead screw connected to an output shaft of the driving motor, a first lead screw nut engaged with the lead screw and connected to the upper tubular column, and a second lead screw nut engaged with the lead screw and connected to the middle tubular column
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle steering column includes an upper tubular column connected to a steering wheel, a middle tubular column into which the upper tubular column is slidably inserted, a lower tubular column into which the middle tubular column is slidably inserted, the lower tubular column being connected to a vehicle body, and a telescoping device connected to the upper tubular column, the middle tubular column, and the lower tubular column to retract or expand the three tubular columns.