Steering Gear Clutch Torque Protection Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing steering apparatuses for rear steerable wheels lack effective mechanisms to prevent damage from excessive torque and ensure synchronized turning, particularly during initial vehicle maneuvers.
Innovation Solution
A steering gear clutch with a housing, input shaft, and output shaft that differentially rotates based on torque levels and a predetermined angle, engaging and disengaging to control torque transmission and synchronize rear wheel turning with front wheel movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the steering apparatus directly transmits torque from the front steering gear to the rear steering gear, then the rear wheels can turn synchronously with the front wheels, but the system is vulnerable to damage from excessive torque during initial maneuvers
Solution Approach 1:
A clutch mechanism is introduced as an intermediary component between the front steering gear input shaft and the rear steering gear output shaft. This clutch selectively engages and disengages the torque transmission path, allowing the system to protect itself from excessive torque while maintaining synchronous turning capability when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The clutch mechanism dynamically adjusts the torque transmission state based on the rotational angle of the front wheels. During initial maneuvers when the front wheels rotate beyond a predetermined angle, the clutch disengages to prevent excessive torque damage. When the front wheels are within the normal steering range, the clutch remains engaged to ensure synchronous turning of the rear wheels.
2Ease of operation
If the rear steering gear is directly connected to the front steering gear, then torque is continuously transmitted, but the rear wheels turn prematurely before the front wheels have moved the desired angle
Solution Approach 1:
The clutch acts as a controlled intermediary that regulates when torque is transmitted from the front to the rear steering gear. By engaging only after the front wheels have rotated beyond a predetermined angle, the clutch ensures that the rear wheels turn at the appropriate time, preventing premature turning while maintaining ease of operation during normal steering.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs a preliminary action by allowing the front steering gear to rotate freely through a predetermined angle range without transmitting torque to the rear steering gear. This preliminary rotation phase ensures that the front wheels have moved the desired angle before the rear wheels begin to turn, achieving proper synchronization.
3Reliability
If a clutch mechanism is added to prevent excessive torque and control synchronized turning, then protection and synchronization are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The clutch mechanism serves as a compact intermediary device that consolidates multiple functions: torque protection, synchronized turning control, and dwell mechanism operation. By integrating these functions into a single clutch assembly with engagement and disengagement capabilities, the system achieves improved reliability without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A steering gear clutch includes a housing and an input shaft rotatably supported by the housing. An output shaft operatively connected with a steering gear is rotatably supported by the housing. The output shaft is rotatable relative to the input shaft. The input shaft rotates together with the output shaft relative to the housing when a torque below a predetermined value is applied to the input shaft. The input shaft rotates relative to the output shaft and the housing when a torque above the predetermined value is applied to the input shaft. The input shaft may rotate relative to a shaft portion of the output shaft and the housing through a predetermined angle. The input shaft and the shaft portion may rotate together relative to the housing when the input shaft has rotated through the predetermined angle.