Power Steering Worm Holder With Soft Damping Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power-assisted steering systems in motor vehicles often develop noise and vibrations due to mechanical disturbances, which impair smooth operation and increase noise levels during load changes.
Innovation Solution
The use of a holder with a core element made from a rigid material and a soft contact element made from a deformable material, such as thermoplastic elastomer, which absorbs mechanical energy and reduces the transmission of vibrations and noise through the holder, thereby damping resonant vibrations and mechanical pulses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the holder is configured as a pivoting or eccentric lever mounted rotatably in the mechanism housing, then the worm can be prestressed into a play-free toothing engagement with the worm gear, but drive vibrations are transmitted via the bearing to the holder causing contact with the mechanism housing and generating operating noise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a damping element as an intermediary between the holder and the mechanism housing. This damping element absorbs vibrations and prevents direct contact between the holder and housing, thereby eliminating the noise transmission path while preserving the holder's pivoting function for maintaining toothing engagement.
Solution Approach 2:
The damping element is designed as a simple, cost-effective component that can be easily replaced. It serves as a sacrificial element that absorbs wear and vibration impacts, protecting the more critical holder and housing components from damage and noise generation.
2Ease of operation
If the worm is prestressed elastically against the worm gear to avoid noise during load changes, then smooth running is improved, but mechanical disturbances and vibrations are transmitted through the rigid holder to the mechanism housing
Solution Approach 1:
The damping element serves as a mediator between the prestressed worm-gear interface and the mechanism housing. It allows the prestressing force to be maintained for smooth operation while simultaneously absorbing and isolating the resulting vibrations from being transmitted to the housing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the mechanical parameters of the holder system by adding the damping element, which alters the vibration transmission characteristics. The damping element modifies the stiffness and damping coefficients of the holder-housing interface, reducing vibration transmission while maintaining the prestressing parameters needed for smooth running.
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 configuration effectively reduces noise and vibration transmission, enhancing the smooth operation and reducing unwanted noise in power-assisted steering systems by decoupling mechanical disturbances and improving the damping action within the steering system.
Implementation Method 1
a soft contact element which is made from a soft material that can be deformed elastically more easily
Implementation Method 2
absorbs mechanical energy and reduces the transmission of vibrations and noise through the holder, thereby damping resonant vibrations and mechanical pulses
Data Source
AI summary
An electromechanical power steering system for a vehicle may include a worm that can be driven rotationally about a drive axis by an electric motor, that interacts with a worm gear that is coupled to a steering shaft, and that is mounted such that it can be rotated about the drive axis in a bearing that is held in a holder. The holder may be movable relative to the worm gear. To make a decreased development of noise possible, the holder has a core element that is made from a core material and is connected to at least one contact element. The contact element may be made from a soft material that can be deformed elastically more easily and is softer relative to the core material.