Steering Shaft Sleeve for Bearing-Sliding Interface Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current steering shaft configurations either rely on costly bearing elements for high torque and temperature applications or cheaper sliding elements, which are not suitable for all conditions, and lack interchangeable components between these configurations, limiting flexibility for various end-use scenarios.
Innovation Solution
An adaptable sleeve assembly with a body that includes ribs inserted into roller bearing tracks on both the female and male shafts, allowing for the conversion between bearing and sliding element configurations, and a method of assembling this assembly by inserting bearing elements and heating to conform to the shaft surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If bearing elements are used in the steering shaft interface, then torque transfer capability and reliability under high temperature conditions are improved, but material costs and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sleeve assembly is designed with a universal interface that can accommodate both bearing elements and sliding elements through the same outer surface geometry. The sleeve's outer surface includes features that work with both bearing channels and splines, allowing a single component design to serve multiple function configurations depending on the application requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention enables parameter changes by allowing the steering shaft interface to be configured with different element types (bearing or sliding) based on operational requirements. The sleeve assembly maintains consistent geometry while the selected elements determine whether the interface operates in rolling contact or sliding contact mode, adapting the friction and torque characteristics to match application needs.
2Reliability
If bearing elements are used in the steering shaft interface, then reliability under high temperature conditions is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sleeve assembly serves as a universal component that can be paired with either bearing elements or sliding elements, allowing the same sleeve structure to support both weight-bearing rolling contact configurations and lighter sliding contact configurations, thereby enabling weight optimization based on temperature requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The design allows substitution of heavier bearing elements with lighter sliding elements when high temperature performance is not required, effectively using the lighter sliding element configuration as the standard option and only deploying heavier bearings when specifically needed for high temperature reliability.
3Ease of manufacture
If sliding elements are used in the steering shaft interface, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but torque transfer capability and high temperature performance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The sleeve assembly is designed with universal outer surface features that can interface with both sliding elements and bearing elements, allowing the same sleeve to achieve either low-cost sliding contact or high-performance bearing contact depending on the application's torque and temperature requirements.
4Reliability
If separate components are designed for bearing element and sliding element configurations, then each configuration is optimized for its specific application, but adaptability and interchangeability between configurations are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The sleeve assembly is designed as a universal component with an outer surface that can interface with both bearing elements and sliding elements through the same geometric features. This allows a single sleeve design to serve multiple configuration types, enabling interchangeability while maintaining application-specific optimization through the selection of appropriate elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The steering shaft interface is segmented into the sleeve assembly and the elemental components (bearings or sliding elements). The sleeve maintains a consistent universal interface, while the elemental components can be independently selected and interchanged, allowing optimization of each segment for its specific function while maintaining overall system adaptability.
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
Enables flexibility between different interface configurations, reducing material and manufacturing costs while maintaining torque transfer and axial movement, making it suitable for a range of applications without the need for separate components.
Implementation Method 1
heating the adaptable sleeve assembly to a creeping temperature or above until the adaptable sleeve assembly conforms to an inner surface of the female shaft and an outer surface of the male shaft
Data Source
AI summary
A steering shaft assembly comprising female shaft and a male shaft. The female shaft includes an inner surface defining a plurality of outer roller bearing tracks. The male shaft includes an outer surface defining a plurality of inner roller bearing tracks. An adaptable sleeve assembly is located between the inner surface of the female shaft and the outer surface of the male shaft and includes a body. The body defines an outer surface for contacting the inner surface of the female shaft and an inner surface for contacting the outer surface of the male shaft. The body defines at least one rib projecting radially outwardly from the outer surface of the body and projecting radially inwardly from the inner surface of the body. The at least one rib is inserted into one of the plurality of inner roller bearing tracks and one of the plurality of outer roller bearing tracks.