Adjustable Steering Spindle Arrangement With Rotatable Lever
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing adjustable steering spindle arrangements for vehicles require large installation space and high costs due to the need for extensive clamping surfaces and friction plates, which limits their efficiency and practicality.
Innovation Solution
The adjustable steering spindle arrangement incorporates a rotatably mounted lever between the spring element and the coupling element, translating the spring force to minimize clamping surfaces and space requirements, using a disk spring or rubber spring arranged around the axis of rotation, with a lever system that compensates for spring force drop and provides a linear or progressive spring characteristic, and a pneumatic actuator to release the clamping effect.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If large friction surfaces and extensive clamping surfaces are used in the steering spindle arrangement, then secure clamping effect is achieved, but installation space requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic lever mechanism that rotates about an axis to translate spring force into clamping force. This dynamic system allows the clamping force to be amplified through lever arm ratios, enabling secure clamping with significantly reduced clamping surface area compared to static friction-based systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The lever acts as an intermediary mechanical element between the spring element and the clamping surfaces. It translates and amplifies the spring force, allowing a small spring force to generate a large clamping force on reduced surfaces, thereby resolving the contradiction between clamping effectiveness and space requirements.
2Reliability
If extensive clamping surfaces and friction plates are used, then secure clamping effect is achieved, but costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic lever mechanism provides mechanical advantage, allowing fewer and smaller friction plates to achieve the required clamping effect. This reduces the quantity of materials needed and simplifies the manufacturing process, thereby reducing costs while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of clamping surface area from large to small by introducing the lever mechanism. This parameter change, combined with the force amplification effect, allows the system to achieve the same clamping effect with fewer components, reducing manufacturing complexity and cost.
3Area of stationary object
If spring element is arranged around longitudinal axis of steering spindle, then space is saved, but clamping force distribution becomes non-uniform
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions the spring element arrangement from the longitudinal axis (one dimension) to the transverse axis perpendicular to the steering spindle (another dimension). This dimensional change allows the lever mechanism to distribute force uniformly across multiple clamping points while maintaining compact space utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The lever mechanism serves as an intermediary that redistributes the spring force uniformly across the clamping surfaces. Even though the spring is positioned in a space-efficient location, the lever ensures even force distribution, preventing non-uniform stress concentrations.
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 achieves a secure clamping effect with minimized space and cost, allowing for efficient adjustment of the steering spindle position while reducing wear and maintaining constant clamping force, suitable for both commercial and passenger vehicles.
Implementation Method 1
a spring element (5) which serves to provide a spring force F on a first and a second coupling element (4, 15)
Implementation Method 2
a rotatably mounted lever (6) between the spring element (5) and the first coupling element (4) wherein the lever (6) translates the force of the spring element (5)
Implementation Method 3
stacks of plates that act as a frictional coupling between a component fixed to the vehicle and the steering spindle
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention relates to an adjustable steering-spindle arrangement (1) for a vehicle, having a steering-spindle holding device (2) for receiving a steering spindle, and having a bearing block (3) which is fixed to the vehicle and with respect to which the position of the steering-spindle holding device (2) and/or the steering spindle can be changed, wherein the steering-spindle holding device (2) is held on the bearing block (3) by a force of a spring element (5) which acts on a first coupling element (4) between the steering-spindle holding device (2) and the bearing block (3). In order to provide an adjustable steering-spindle arrangement for a vehicle, the installation-space requirement and the costs of which adjustable steering-spindle arrangement are minimized, there is provision for the force of the spring element (5) to be intensified by a rotatably mounted lever (6) which is arranged between the spring element (5) and the first coupling element (4).