Steer-by-Wire Steering Wheel Limit Stop for Compact Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current 'steer by wire' road vehicle steering systems are complex and costly to manufacture, lacking compactness and efficiency due to the need for extensive mechanical and electrical components to simulate mechanical feedback and limit steering angles.
Innovation Solution
A 'steer by wire' system with a compact and efficient design that uses an electric motor to apply feedback torque to the steering wheel and incorporates a mechanical limit stop device with a spiral groove and pin mechanism to allow over 360° rotation without mechanical connections, reducing component count and complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a mechanical connection is used between the steering wheel and control shaft, then mechanical feedback is provided to the driver, but the system complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical connection between steering wheel and control shaft with an electronic system comprising position sensors, electronic control units, and electric actuators. This substitution eliminates complex mechanical linkages while maintaining steering functionality through electronic control, directly resolving the contradiction between mechanical feedback and system complexity.
2Ease of operation
If extensive mechanical components are used to simulate mechanical feedback, then driver feedback is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses electronic sensors and control systems to simulate mechanical feedback instead of using extensive mechanical components. The electric actuator with position sensors provides artificial feedback forces to the steering wheel, achieving driver feedback functionality while significantly reducing manufacturing complexity and cost compared to traditional mechanical feedback systems.
3Reliability
If a mechanical limit stop device is added to the steering wheel, then maximum steering angle is limited, but the device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical limit stop devices with electronic control mechanisms. The electronic control unit monitors the steering angle through position sensors and controls the electric actuator to prevent excessive steering angles, achieving reliable steering angle limitation without adding mechanical complexity or space requirements.
4Device complexity
If direct mechanical connection is used between steering wheel and tie rod, then steering control is simple, but the system does not allow for electronic feedback and advanced control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the steering system into independent functional modules: steering wheel with position sensor, electronic control unit, electric actuator, and tie rod. This segmentation allows the steering wheel to be decoupled from the tie rod mechanically while maintaining functional connection through electronic control, enabling both simplicity and electronic feedback capability simultaneously.
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 system achieves a compact, efficient, and cost-effective steering solution with reduced components, enabling a wider axial stroke and improved driver feedback without the need for oversized motors, enhancing steering precision and comfort.
Implementation Method 1
uses an electric motor to apply feedback torque to the steering wheel
Implementation Method 2
a groove, which is wound in a spiral and has, at the two opposite ends, two abutments, which define respective stop strikers, and a pin, which is arranged inside the groove so as to engage and follow the groove from an abutment up to the opposite abutment
Data Source
AI summary
A steering system for a road vehicle; the steering system comprises: a steering wheel provided with an outer ring, which is mounted so as to rotate around a rotation axis and has no connection to steering wheels; a position sensor, which is designed to detect the angular position of the outer ring of the steering wheel around the rotation axis; and a mechanical limit stop device, which is coupled to the outer ring of the steering wheel and limits, in both directions, the maximum angular width of the rotation of the steering wheel around the rotation axis, so that the steering wheel can make, on the whole, a rotation around the rotation axis that is greater than 360°.