Steering Housing Radial Holding and Axial Restraint for Cover Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing steering apparatuses face inefficiencies in attaching the cover member to the housing, as it often takes considerable time to align correctly, leading to reduced working efficiencies.
Innovation Solution
The steering apparatus incorporates a housing with a holding portion that sinks radially and a movement restraint portion that prevents the cover member from moving inwardly, featuring a specific protruding portion and convex portions to facilitate easier and more reliable attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the cover member is attached to the end portion of the housing without alignment features, then the attachment process is simple, but it takes considerable time to align the cover member with the predetermined installation position, deteriorating working efficiencies
Solution Approach 1:
The housing includes a holding portion with an inner side that sinks in the radial direction, positioned before the end portion in the axial direction. This holding portion preliminarily positions the cover member radially, guiding it into the correct alignment position before final attachment, thereby reducing alignment time and improving working efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The holding portion acts as an intermediary structure between the cover member and the end portion of the housing. It provides a radial sinking feature that guides and positions the cover member during attachment, facilitating easier alignment without requiring complex alignment procedures
2Ease of operation
If the cover member is allowed to move freely in the axial direction during attachment, then the attachment process is flexible, but the cover member may be pushed excessively from the predetermined installation position, requiring time to pull it back
Solution Approach 1:
The movement restraint portion is provided on the downstream side of the holding portion in the fit-in direction, preventing the cover member from being pushed excessively inwardly in the axial direction. This preliminary restraint prevents excessive displacement before it occurs, eliminating the need to pull the cover member back to the correct position
3Reliability
If the holding portion is positioned close to the end portion of the housing, then the cover member is securely held, but alignment becomes more difficult and working efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The holding portion is positioned upstream from the end portion in the axial direction, utilizing the axial dimension to provide preliminary positioning. This spatial arrangement allows the cover member to be guided radially by the sinking inner side while maintaining adequate distance for easy alignment, achieving both reliability and efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
A housing extends in an axial direction of a rack shaft connected to a pinion shaft so as to cover at least the rack shaft, and has an end portion on which a cover member is fitted to cover the end portion. The housing includes a holding portion that has an inner side sinking in a radial direction of the housing, and holds the cover member, and a plurality of convex portions that protrude in the radial direction of the housing, and are circumferentially disposed on a downstream side of the holding portion in a fit-in direction of the cover member, while separating from the holding portion by a predetermined distance in the fit-in direction.