Steering Wheel Slider Damper Holder Resonance
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing steering wheel designs with air bag modules and horn switch mechanisms experience unstable resonant frequencies due to sliding resistance, affecting vibration damping and operation feeling, especially when the air bag module is depressed.
Innovation Solution
A steering wheel configuration with a cylindrical slider, cap member, annular damper holder, annular elastic member, transmitting portion, and movement catch portion, where the elastic member absorbs vibration energy as a spring and the air bag module functions as a damper mass, stabilizing resonant frequency and improving operation feeling by eliminating sliding resistance and optimizing force transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the slider is pressed directly by the cap member to transmit force, then the operation feeling is improved, but sliding resistance causes unstable resonant frequency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a damper holder as an intermediary component between the cap member and the slider. The damper holder includes a transmitting portion that contacts the slider, while the cap member contacts the damper holder. This intermediary structure separates the direct contact path, allowing the slider to be driven by the transmitting portion rather than direct contact with the cap member, thereby reducing sliding resistance and stabilizing resonant frequency while maintaining operation feeling.
2Device complexity
If the slider contacts the cap member directly, then force transmission is simple, but vibration damping is reduced due to sliding resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The damper holder serves as a mediator that improves vibration damping by reducing sliding resistance. The transmitting portion of the damper holder contacts the slider at a specific position, and the cap member contacts the damper holder, creating a contact path that minimizes friction. This allows the elastic member and air bag module to absorb vibration energy more effectively without the energy loss from slider-cap member sliding friction.
3Reliability
If the slider is biased strongly to the rear, then the horn activation is reliable, but the operation load increases excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by positioning the transmitting portion of the damper holder to contact the slider at an optimal location that provides sufficient rearward biasing force for reliable horn activation without excessive force. The elastic member and spring provide the necessary biasing, and the transmitting portion transmits this force efficiently to the slider, achieving reliable contact between the movable-side contact portion and fixed-side contact portion without overwhelming operation load.
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 configuration effectively stabilizes the resonant frequency of the steering wheel, enhances vibration damping, and improves the operation feeling by reducing sliding resistance and optimizing force transmission during air bag module depression.
Implementation Method 1
the elastic member vibrates together with the air bag module while being elastically deformed to thereby absorb vibration energy of the steering wheel
Implementation Method 2
the air bag module functions as the mass of a dynamic damper... the elastic member functions as a spring of the dynamic damper... absorb vibration energy of the steering wheel
Data Source
AI summary
A steering wheel includes: a cylindrical slider which is disposed on an outer side of a support member so as to slide in a front-to-rear direction and which is biased to the rear; a cap member which covers at least respective rear end portions of the support member and the slider from the rear; a movable-side contact portion which is provided inside the cap member; an annular damper holder which is mounted inside the cap member; an annular elastic member which is interposed between the slider and the damper holder; a transmitting portion which is provided in an inner circumferential portion of the damper holder; and a movement catch portion which is provided on an outer circumferential portion of the slider so as to be positioned immediately before the transmitting portion and to which a forward movement of the damper holder is transmitted through the transmitting portion.