Steering Column Side Plate Rib for Tilt Lock Gear Meshing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing steering devices face challenges in maintaining the rigidity of the tilting clamp mechanism, leading to potential failure in securing the column during a second collision, and difficulties in meshing the movable and fixed tilt lock gears due to elastic deformation of the side plates.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves a steering device design with a rib formed along the tilt adjusting long groove to restrain elastic deformation of the side plates, ensuring the movable and fixed tilt lock gears can smoothly mesh, and a gap between the side plates and upper plate to facilitate easy assembly and reduce elastic deformation, thereby enhancing the rigidity and stability of the tilting clamp mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the side plate is made elastic to allow deformation during fastening, then the assembly process becomes easier, but the rigidity of the tilting clamp mechanism is reduced, causing the column to move during collision
Solution Approach 1:
The side plate is divided into two functional zones: an elastic deformation section with reduced rigidity that allows bending during assembly, and a reinforcement section with increased rigidity that prevents column movement during collision. This segmentation enables the single component to exhibit different mechanical properties in different regions.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the side plate have different rigidity characteristics. The elastic deformation section has lower rigidity to facilitate assembly, while the reinforcement section has higher rigidity to ensure collision resistance. This local differentiation of mechanical properties resolves the contradiction between ease of assembly and structural strength.
2Strength
If the side plate is reinforced to increase rigidity, then the column is secured against collision, but the side plate cannot deform elastically, making assembly difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The side plate structure is segmented into distinct functional zones: one zone designed for elastic deformation to facilitate assembly, and another zone reinforced to provide collision resistance. This allows the side plate to exhibit both flexibility during assembly and rigidity during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The side plate has non-uniform rigidity distribution with softer regions for assembly and harder regions for structural support. This local quality differentiation enables the side plate to deform where needed during assembly while maintaining strength where required for safety.
3Device complexity
If the movable tilt lock gear and fixed tilt lock gear are positioned close to ensure meshing, then the locking mechanism is compact, but elastic deformation of the side plate causes misalignment and meshing failure
Solution Approach 1:
The tilt lock gears are pre-positioned on the side plate during manufacturing, accounting for the expected elastic deformation that will occur during assembly. This preliminary positioning ensures that even after deformation, the gears remain properly aligned and can mesh reliably.
Solution Approach 2:
The side plate has enhanced rigidity in the region where the tilt lock gears are positioned, reducing deformation in this critical area while allowing deformation in other regions. This localized rigidity ensures gear alignment is maintained despite overall side plate flexibility.
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 design enhances the rigidity and stability of the tilting clamp mechanism, ensuring the column is securely fastened and the lock gears mesh effectively, even under impact conditions, ensuring the airbag can deploy correctly during a second collision.
Implementation Method 1
the side plate attached with the fixed tilt lock gear is elastically deformed
Data Source
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AI summary
There is provided a steering device in which fastening of a column is carried out smoothly, meshing of a movable tilt lock gear and a fixed tilt lock gear is carried out smoothly when tilting is clamped, and a rigidity can be increased when the tilting is clamped. A side plate 24 on a left side to which a fixed tilt lock gear 47 is attached is restrained from being elastically deformed by a rib 243. Therefore, in tilting and clamping and telescopically clamping, positions of the fixed tilt lock gear 47 and a movable tilt lock gear 6 in a vehicle width direction relative to each other is not varied, and therefore, the movable tilt lock gear 6 and the fixed tilt lock gear 47 are brought in mesh with each other smoothly.