Steering Apparatus Hinge Pipe Protrusions for Noise Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional steering apparatuses experience noise due to slip between the smooth surfaces of the tilt hinge tube and the cowl bracket, disrupting the driver's comfortable steering experience.
Innovation Solution
The steering apparatus incorporates a hinge pipe with multiple protrusions on its side surface facing the fixing bracket, which reduces slip noise by altering the contact area and includes support protrusions of varying lengths and recessed portions to enhance durability and prevent wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If smooth surfaces are used for the tilt hinge tube and cowl bracket, then manufacturing is easier and assembly is simpler, but slip noise occurs during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by adding protrusions only to specific areas of the hinge pipe that contact the fixing bracket, rather than changing the entire surface. These localized protrusions create friction points that prevent slip noise while maintaining smooth surfaces elsewhere for ease of manufacture and assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of making the entire surface rough to prevent slipping, the invention inverts the approach by adding localized protrusions to smooth surfaces. This reverses the conventional wisdom that rough surfaces are needed for friction, achieving noise prevention while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If protrusions are added to the hinge pipe, then slip noise is prevented, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the contact surface by adding discrete protrusions rather than creating a continuous rough surface. These separated friction points effectively prevent slip noise while keeping the overall structure simple and easy to manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the surface geometry parameter by adding protrusions with specific dimensions (height, diameter, spacing) to the hinge pipe. This parameter modification prevents slip noise while maintaining the basic cylindrical shape and simplicity of the device.
3Reliability
If multiple protrusions of varying lengths are created, then durability is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses local quality by creating protrusions with different lengths at specific locations along the hinge pipe. The varying lengths provide progressive contact points that enhance durability as wear occurs, while each protrusion can be manufactured with standard precision tolerances.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies preliminary action by pre-positioning multiple protrusions of varying lengths to anticipate wear patterns. As the steering apparatus operates, shorter protrusions wear down first, then longer ones engage, providing continuous noise prevention without requiring high precision manufacturing for all protrusions simultaneously.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to an steering apparatus and, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, occurrence of noise resulting from slip between an inner surface of a fixing bracket and a side surface of a hinge pipe, which faces the inner surface, is prevented, thereby providing the driver with a comfortable steering feeling.