Steering Device Sealing Recess for Water Ingress Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Water ingress and corrosion product migration between the electric motor and housing in steering devices can cause rust and electrical failures, necessitating a solution to prevent these issues.
Innovation Solution
A steering device design featuring a housing with a recessed surface and a sealing member positioned closer to the rotary shaft than the tightening member, which prevents water entry and corrosion product migration by utilizing a recessed surface configuration between the tightening member and the sealing member.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sealing member is positioned between the electric motor and housing, then water ingress is prevented, but the sealing member may be damaged by corrosion products migrating from the exterior
Solution Approach 1:
A protrusion is provided on the housing that extends into the gap between the sealing member and the electric motor bracket. This protrusion acts as an intermediary barrier that blocks corrosion products from reaching and damaging the sealing member, while allowing the sealing member to continue preventing water ingress effectively.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a protrusion is added to the housing to protect the sealing member, then corrosion product migration is blocked, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is segmented into functional zones by the protrusion: a first gap region between the protrusion and sealing member that blocks corrosion products, and a second gap region between the sealing member and electric motor bracket that prevents water ingress. This segmentation provides targeted protection without requiring complete structural redesign.
Data Source
AI summary
A steering device includes: a housing including a first planar surface, the housing being configured to accommodate a part of a rack shaft; an electric motor including a second planar surface facing the first planar surface, the electric motor including a bracket configured to support a rotary shaft; a tightening member configured to tighten the housing and the bracket in a state where the first planar surface and the second planar surface are mated; and a sealing member configured to provide sealing between the housing and the bracket at a position that is closer to the rotary shaft than the tightening member is. At least one of the first planar surface and the second planar surface is formed with a recess located between the tightening member and the sealing member and depressed from the at least one of the first planar surface and the second planar surface.