Steering Column Gear Locking with Cushioning Spring
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing vehicle steering apparatus fails to smoothly lock and unlock the column during tilt or telescopic operations when the movable and stationary gears are not engaged at correct positions, leading to potential damage and incorrect collapse motion during collisions.
Innovation Solution
A steering apparatus design featuring a plate bracket with first slots for an adjustment bolt, a stationary gear with second slots and gear teeth, and a movable gear with through-holes and engaged gear teeth, allowing for smooth locking and unlocking and correct engagement during collisions, even if gears are initially misaligned.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the movable gear and stationary gear are not engaged at correct positions, then the column cannot be locked properly, but forcing engagement may cause damage to gear teeth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a resilient member (spring) between the adjustment lever and the movable gear block that provides cushioning force. When the gears are misaligned, the resilient member absorbs the impact force, preventing damage to the gear teeth while still allowing the column to be locked. This beforehand cushioning mechanism ensures that even if engagement is not perfectly aligned, the system remains reliable without causing harmful damage.
2Ease of operation
If the adjustment lever is operated with excessive force to engage misaligned gears, then locking may be achieved, but damage occurs to the adjustment lever or gear teeth
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient member (spring) is pre-installed in the system to provide cushioning during operation. When the adjustment lever is operated, the spring absorbs excessive force, allowing the operator to achieve locking even with misaligned gears without damaging the adjustment lever or gear teeth. This eliminates the need to carefully control the force applied during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient member acts as an intermediary between the adjustment lever and the movable gear block. It mediates the force transmission, allowing the operator to apply force without directly transmitting damaging loads to the gear teeth. The spring serves as a buffer that protects the critical components while still enabling the locking function.
3Reliability
If the gears are misaligned during collision, then the column collapse motion is incorrect, but re-engaging the gears after collision is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient member provides continuous cushioning that allows the gears to self-align during and after collision. The spring force maintains contact between the gear teeth, enabling them to automatically re-engage correctly without manual intervention. This beforehand cushioning ensures reliable collision response while making gear re-engagement automatic and easy.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a steering apparatus for a vehicle, the apparatus including: a plate bracket supported on distance brackets and having a first slot through which an adjustment bolt passes, the distance brackets being coupled to the outer circumferential surface of an upper tube to face each other; a stationary gear coupled to the plate bracket, wherein the stationary gear has a second slot that corresponds to the first slot and through which the adjustment bolt passes and first gear teeth formed at opposite edges thereof; and a movable gear having a through-hole through which adjustment bolt passes and second gear teeth formed on opposite sides thereof and engaged with the first gear teeth.