Steering Roll Connector Lock Pin for Rotor-Stator Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Steering roll connectors in vehicles experience misalignment during assembly due to relative rotation between the roll stator and rotor, leading to potential tangling and breakage of wires connecting electronic components and the electrical system.
Innovation Solution
A steering roll connector assembly featuring a lock pin that engages with the roll rotor to prevent relative rotation between the roll stator and rotor, utilizing a snap-fitting arrangement with a lock pin support to secure the lock pin to the roll rotor, allowing for easy disengagement when needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a steering roll connector uses relative rotation between roll stator and roll rotor to prevent wire tangling, then wire protection is improved, but misalignment between hand wheel and steering column occurs during assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The lock pin is pre-installed on the roll rotor before assembly, and the arm extending from the lock pin is designed to engage with the roll stator in advance. This preliminary positioning ensures that when the roll rotor is installed on the roll stator, the components are already aligned correctly, preventing misalignment during assembly while maintaining the relative rotation capability for wire protection
2Manufacturing precision
If a lock pin is used to prevent relative rotation between roll stator and roll rotor, then alignment precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lock pin is merged with the roll rotor as a single integrated component, and the arm extending from the lock pin is combined with the roll stator structure. This merging reduces the number of separate parts and simplifies the assembly process, preventing the increase in device complexity that would normally result from adding a lock pin mechanism
3Ease of operation
If a snap-fitting arrangement is used to secure the lock pin to the roll rotor, then ease of disassembly is improved, but structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connection between the lock pin and roll rotor is segmented into modular snap-fitting components, allowing the lock pin to be easily detached and reattached. This segmentation enables simple disassembly and assembly operations while keeping the structural complexity minimal through the use of straightforward snap-fit geometry rather than complex fastening mechanisms
Data Source
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AI summary
A steering roll connector assembly includes a roll stator. The assembly also includes a roll rotor telescoped in and rotatably coupled to the roll stator to allow relative rotation between the roll rotor and roll stator. The assembly further includes a lock pin operatively engaging the roll rotor, and the lock pin is releasable from the operative engagement with the roll rotor. The assembly yet further includes an arm extending from the lock pin and operatively engaging the roll stator when the lock pin couples to the roll rotor to prevent relative rotation between the roll rotor and the roll stator.