Steering Rack Sensor Sealing for Moisture Ingress Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electric-motor driven steering systems have complex structures that are prone to mechanical defects due to moisture ingress at connection regions, affecting assemblability and measurement accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A steering system design featuring a housing section with a sealing part to prevent foreign materials from entering, a case section with rotatable sensor support, and a sensor section that translates rack movement into rotational motion for precise wheel steering angle detection, enhancing assemblability and measurement accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional electric-motor driven steering system uses a steering shaft to mechanically connect the steering wheel and pinion shaft, then steering torque can be transmitted, but the structure becomes complex and moisture flows into connection regions causing mechanical defects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the steering shaft from the system, replacing it with a sensor section that directly detects rack bar movement. This eliminates the mechanical connection between steering wheel and pinion shaft, simplifying the structure while preventing moisture ingress at connection regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical steering shaft transmission system with a sensor-based detection system. The sensor section detects rack bar movement directly and transmits signals electronically, substituting mechanical torque transmission with electronic sensing and control.
2Measurement precision
If the sensor section is exposed to the external environment for rack bar engagement, then movement detection is enabled, but foreign materials can enter and affect measurement accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent places the sensor section inside a sealed case section that is nested within the housing section. The sensor can engage the rack bar through a sealed interface, allowing movement detection while the case section prevents foreign materials from contaminating the sensor.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a sealed interface or transmission mechanism as an intermediary between the sensor section and the external environment. This intermediary allows the sensor to detect rack bar movement while blocking foreign materials from reaching the sensor.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design improves assemblability and measurement accuracy by preventing moisture ingress and ensuring precise wheel steering angle detection, reducing mechanical defects and enhancing system reliability.
Implementation Method 1
The rack-pinion mechanism is formed in such a manner that a pinion gear formed adjacently to a lower end of the pinion shaft is mutually meshed with a rack gear formed on one side of an outer circumferential surface of the rack bar. Through the rack-pinion mechanism, rotational motion of the pinion shaft is changed into a linear motion of the rack bar.
Implementation Method 2
a sensor section, mounted in the case section, configured to engage the rack section and sense an amount of movement of the rack section while being rotated
Data Source
AI summary
A steering system for a vehicle includes a housing section, a rack section configured to penetrate the housing section, a case section mounted in the housing section, and a sensor section, mounted in the case section, configured to engage the rack section and sense an amount of movement of the rack section while being rotated.