Steering Rock Friction Plates for Column Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing steering apparatuses face challenges in maintaining column stability during secondary collisions, leading to dispersion of load and difficulty in designing an impact-absorbing mechanism, while also being bulky and heavy due to the use of washers for increased friction.
Innovation Solution
The steering apparatus employs rock friction plates that rock and rotate to secure the column, eliminating the need for washers by using elongate grooves and through-holes to enhance frictional forces without increasing width or weight, allowing for stable fixation and easy adjustment of the steering wheel position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If washers are interposed between friction plates to increase friction force, then the fixing force of the column is improved, but the dimension in vehicle widthwise direction, number of components, and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the washers from the friction plate assembly. Instead of adding washers between the friction plates to increase friction, the patent uses the friction plates themselves with elongate grooves that directly engage with the column, removing the unnecessary intermediate components while maintaining or improving the fixing force.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the functions of the friction plates and washers into a single integrated friction plate structure. The elongate grooves in the friction plates create multiple friction surfaces directly with the column, combining the friction-enhancing function previously requiring separate washers into the plate design itself, thereby reducing component count while maintaining fixing strength.
2Strength
If washers are interposed between friction plates to increase friction force, then the fixing force of the column is improved, but the weight of the steering apparatus increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the washers from the friction plate assembly. Instead of adding washers between the friction plates to increase friction, the patent uses the friction plates themselves with elongate grooves that directly engage with the column, removing the unnecessary intermediate components while maintaining or improving the fixing force.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the column is firmly fixed to prevent movement during secondary collision, then column stability is improved, but the impact load dispersion occurs making impact absorbing mechanism design difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the friction plates by incorporating elongate grooves that allow controlled movement in specific directions. This parameter change enables the friction plates to maintain firm fixing force while accommodating the controlled displacement needed for impact absorption, resolving the conflict between stability and impact mechanism design.
4Reliability
If a steering apparatus is designed with multiple friction plates and washers to ensure stable fixation, then the fixing reliability is improved, but the apparatus becomes bulky in vehicle widthwise direction
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the functions of the friction plates and washers into a single integrated friction plate structure. The elongate grooves in the friction plates create multiple friction surfaces directly with the column, combining the friction-enhancing function previously requiring separate washers into the plate design itself, thereby reducing component count and widthwise dimension while maintaining fixing reliability.
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
This configuration improves column stability during secondary collisions, facilitates impact-absorbing mechanisms, reduces the apparatus's width and weight, and lowers manufacturing costs while enhancing vehicle performance.
Implementation Method 1
a first rock friction plate brought into surface-contact with the side plate and supported by the side plate in a rockable manner; and a second rock friction plate brought into surface-contact with the first rock friction plate
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A steering apparatus mounted on a vehicle is small both in dimension in a vehicle widthwise direction and in number of components, the steering apparatus is hard to move a column when a secondary collision occurs and easy to design an impact absorbing mechanism. The steering apparatus is therefore provided with a first rock friction plate 51 and a second rock friction plate 52 to increase frictional faces counteracting an impact force when the secondary collision occurs, thereby augmenting a force of fixing an outer column 11.