Steering Knuckle Hollow Arm Enlarged Portion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional steering knuckles face challenges in weight reduction while maintaining rigidity and preventing deformation, as they often have large wall thickness and small hollow portion ratios, leading to increased weight and hindered downsizing.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates an enlarged portion on the side of an opening in the peripheral wall of the hollow portion, increasing the volume and area of the hollow portion, and integrating a closed structure around the extending axis to enhance rigidity and strength, thereby reducing weight and suppressing deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the wall thickness of the cylindrical part and hollow part outer arm are increased, then the rigidity of the steering knuckle is improved, but the weight of the steering knuckle significantly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing an enlarged portion only at the end portion of the peripheral wall of the second portion, rather than uniformly increasing wall thickness throughout. This localized thickening provides additional strength where needed (at the opening end portion subject to stress) while maintaining thinner walls in other areas, thus improving rigidity without significantly increasing overall weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of wall thickness from a uniform value to a variable value, with the end portion of the peripheral wall having a greater thickness than adjacent side portions. This parameter change allows the structure to achieve higher rigidity at critical locations while minimizing overall material usage and weight.
2Strength
If the hollow portion ratio is decreased, then the rigidity of the steering knuckle is improved, but the weight reduction is hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by applying local quality - the enlarged portion is provided only at the end portion of the peripheral wall where stress concentration occurs, rather than uniformly decreasing the hollow portion ratio throughout. This localized approach provides the necessary rigidity at critical points while maintaining a high overall hollow portion ratio for weight reduction.
3Strength
If the thickness to both sides along the hollow part is increased, then the rigidity of the steering knuckle is obtained, but downsizing and weight reduction are hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating the thickness increase only at the end portion of the peripheral wall of the second portion, rather than uniformly increasing thickness to both sides. This localized thickening provides the necessary rigidity while minimizing the impact on overall component size and enabling downsizing.
Data Source
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AI summary
A vehicle steering knuckle includes a body part to which an axle is attached, an arm portion including one end integrally connected with an outer periphery of the body part and spreading outwardly from the body part along an extending axis, and a connecting portion configured to be connected with a vehicle component. The arm portion includes a first portion, a second portion, and a hollow portion. The first portion including a peripheral wall configured to enclose around the extending axis. The second portion including a peripheral wall including an opening partially opened around the extending axis. At a cross-section intersecting the extending axis, an end portion of the peripheral wall of the second portion on a side of the opening includes an enlarged portion which is enlarged in width as compared with thickness of side portions adjacent to the end portion.