Steering Worm Shaft Stopper Structure for Axial Impact Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing steering apparatus driving units suffer from issues such as excessive compression of the buffer section in the damper, leading to reduced durability and noise generation, along with potential damage to the worm gear and bearing due to axial impacts.
Innovation Solution
A driving unit design incorporating a stopper with protrusions to limit axial movement of the worm shaft, a damper to cushion impacts, and a snap ring to secure components, preventing excessive compression and separation, thereby reducing noise and enhancing durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the damper is designed to cushion axial impacts of the worm shaft, then the durability of the bearing and worm gear is improved, but the buffer section may be excessively compressed leading to reduced durability and noise generation
Solution Approach 1:
The stopper acts as an intermediary component between the damper and the worm shaft. It limits the axial compression of the damper's buffer section by providing a physical stop, preventing excessive compression while still allowing the damper to cushion normal axial impacts. This mediator component resolves the contradiction by controlling the compression level of the buffer section.
2Reliability
If the stopper is positioned close to the damper to limit axial movement, then the durability of the damper is improved, but the worm shaft's axial movement may be insufficiently constrained
Solution Approach 1:
The stopper is preliminarily positioned at a specific distance from the damper before operation. This preliminary positioning ensures that the stopper will engage at the appropriate moment to limit axial movement of both the damper and worm shaft, preventing excessive compression while maintaining proper constraint during operation.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If the buffer section is made softer to better cushion impacts, then the noise reduction is improved, but the durability of the damper is reduced due to excessive compression
Solution Approach 1:
The stopper provides preliminary anti-action by preventing excessive compression of the buffer section before it can be damaged. By limiting the maximum compression distance, the stopper protects the buffer section from over-compression damage while still allowing sufficient compression for noise reduction, thus preventing the harmful effect of excessive compression before it occurs.
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 design effectively prevents excessive compression of the damper, reduces noise, and minimizes damage to the worm gear and bearing, improving the overall durability and stability of the steering apparatus.
Implementation Method 1
a buffer section (420) disposed between the first damper support part (410) and the stopper (500) to relieve an impact of the worm shaft (100) in the axial direction
Implementation Method 2
a protrusion (520) having one end disposed to be spaced apart from the first damper support (410) and extending from the annular body (510) toward the bearing (310). The protrusion (520) may surround a region of an outer peripheral surface of the buffer section (420)
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a driving unit of a steering apparatus configured to provide an auxiliary torque of a steering apparatus and including a driving housing having an installation region formed therein, and the driving unit includes a worm shaft disposed in the installation region and having a worm gear formed therein, a first bearing rotatably supporting one side of the worm shaft, a damper penetrating and supporting one side of the worm shaft supported by the first bearing, and a stopper penetrating and supporting one side of the worm shaft passing through the damper, one end of the stopper being spaced apart from the damper so that a movement of the damper is limited in an axial direction of the worm shaft.