Helical-Gear Steering Housing Cover With Worm Shaft Axial Lock
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional helical-gear transmissions for electromechanical power steering lack effective protection against dirt penetration and axial locking of the worm shaft and/or bearing arrangement, often requiring complex components and generating noise.
Innovation Solution
A cover design with a bulge extending outward from the cover base, forming an axial lock for the shaft, and a serrated edge that provides ejection resistance without additional components, allowing the cover to be integrated into existing production without adaptation, and featuring a pretensioning device with a spring-pretensioned pin for adjustable shaft positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional cover design is used, then the housing can be closed, but the protection against dirt penetration and axial locking of the worm shaft is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions (dirt protection, axial locking, ejection resistance) into a single integrated cover component. The cover includes a bulge that forms an axial lock for the worm shaft, a serrated edge that provides ejection resistance, and an inwardly extending flange that seals against the housing. This merging eliminates the need for separate retaining rings, locking elements, and sealing components, thereby improving reliability while reducing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover is designed as a multi-functional component that simultaneously performs sealing, axial locking, and ejection resistance functions. The single cover element provides comprehensive protection against dirt penetration while preventing axial movement of the worm shaft and bearing arrangement, making it a universal solution that replaces multiple specialized components.
2Reliability
If additional components are added for axial locking and ejection resistance, then protection and locking improve, but the number of components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges axial locking and ejection resistance functions into the cover structure itself. The bulge integrated into the cover base provides axial locking without requiring separate retaining rings or locking elements. The serrated edge integrated into the cover provides ejection resistance without requiring additional anti-ejection components, thereby maintaining high reliability while minimizing the quantity of components.
3Ease of manufacture
If a simple cover design is used, then manufacturing is easier, but axial locking and ejection resistance are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The cover design integrates multiple protective functions into a single component that can be manufactured and installed as one piece. The bulge, serrated edge, and inwardly extending flange are all part of the same cover component, allowing for simplified manufacturing and assembly compared to multiple separate components. This integrated approach maintains ease of manufacture while ensuring adequate axial locking and ejection resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover is segmented into functional zones: a bulge for axial locking, a serrated edge for ejection resistance, and an inwardly extending flange for sealing. This segmentation of functions within a single component allows each feature to be optimized for its specific purpose while maintaining overall manufacturing simplicity and ease of integration.
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 solution effectively seals the worm gear housing against dirt, provides a simple axial lock for the worm shaft, reduces noise, and eliminates the need for extra components, while the serrated edge ensures ejection resistance and audible feedback in case of failure, facilitating maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
a serrated edge which, in an installed state, forms an ejection resistance in the axial direction
Implementation Method 2
a pretensioning device with a spring-pretensioned pin for adjustable shaft positioning
Implementation Method 3
a bulge extending to the outside in the direction of the shaft, which forms an axial lock of the shaft
Data Source
AI summary
A helical-gear transmission for an electromechanical power steering includes a shaft intermeshing with a helical gear. The shaft is arranged in a transmission housing and is rotatably mounted in the transmission housing about a longitudinal axis, having the first end thereof in a drive-side bearing arrangement and the second end thereof in a non-drive-side bearing arrangement. The transmission housing has, in extension of the shaft on a non-drive-side end, an opening which can be sealed by a cover, wherein the cover has a cover base and a surrounding cover edge, wherein the cover base has, in the region of the shaft, a bulge extending to the outside in the direction of the shaft which forms an axial lock of the shaft.