Wheel Angle Sensor Assembly Poka-Yoke Steering Pin Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wheel angle sensor assemblies for work vehicles, such as agricultural vehicles, face imprecision and complexity in manual phasing and fixation, leading to costly and time-consuming manufacturing processes due to the need for hand tools and threaded couplings, which can wear out and result in erroneous phasing.
Innovation Solution
A wheel angle sensor assembly utilizing a poka-yoke mechanical shape coupling between the steering pin and front axle, eliminating the need for hand tools and threaded connections, ensures precise angular alignment through a slot and protrusion mechanism, allowing for easy and accurate mounting of the angle sensor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual phasing and fixation using hand tools and threaded couplings is used, then the wheel angle sensor can be mounted, but imprecision and errors occur in angular alignment
Solution Approach 1:
The steering pin itself performs the phasing operation through its own geometric features (protrusion and slot) without requiring external hand tools or threaded couplings. The pin's protrusion automatically aligns with the knuckle's slot during insertion, enabling self-phasing and eliminating manual measurement errors.
Solution Approach 2:
The threaded coupling mechanism is replaced with a direct mechanical shape coupling between the steering pin's protrusion and the knuckle's slot. This substitution eliminates the need for nuts, threads, and hand tools, providing more reliable and precise angular alignment through pure geometric fit.
2Reliability
If threaded coupling with nut is used to fix the pin, then the pin can be secured to the front axle, but the manufacturing process becomes costly and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The threaded coupling components (nut, threads) are completely removed from the system. The fixation function is achieved through the inherent geometric shape of the steering pin and knuckle interface, eliminating unnecessary parts and simplifying the assembly process.
Solution Approach 2:
The phasing and fixation functions are merged into a single operation. The steering pin's protrusion simultaneously achieves angular alignment with the knuckle's slot and mechanical fixation through direct contact, eliminating the need for separate threading and nutting operations.
3Manufacturing precision
If hand tool is used for phasing the pin, then the pin can be positioned on the front axle, but the hand tool wears out and causes erroneous phasing
Solution Approach 1:
The steering pin performs its own phasing operation through the geometric interaction between its protrusion and the knuckle's slot. This self-phasing mechanism eliminates dependence on external hand tools that can wear out, ensuring consistent and reliable angular alignment throughout the product lifecycle.
4Reliability
If preliminary mounting of steering pin is required, then the sensor assembly can be installed, but the manufacturing time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The steering pin mounting and sensor assembly installation are merged into a single operation. The pin's protrusion and the knuckle's slot are designed to work together as an integrated pair, allowing the sensor assembly to be installed directly without preliminary pin mounting, thereby improving manufacturing efficiency.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
Wheel angle sensor assembly (1) for measuring a relative rotation between a front axle (3) of a work vehicle with respect to a knuckle (2) configured to be coupled to a wheel of said work vehicle, said wheel angle sensor assembly (1) comprising a steering pin (8) configured to be carried and coupled at rotation via a mechanical shape coupling (13) with one between said front axle (3) and said knuckle (2), said wheel angle sensor assembly (1) further comprising an angle sensor (7) configured to be carried and coupled at rotation with the other (3, 2) between said front axle (3) and said knuckle (2).