Wheel Support Holding Protrusion for Track Rod Detachment Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wheel supports for motor vehicles lack reliable and safe attachment mechanisms for track rods, leading to potential detachment during steering, which can result in loss of wheel suspension and compromised safety.
Innovation Solution
A wheel support design featuring a holding protrusion that secures the track rod to the wheel support, preventing detachment by covering the attachment point and allowing axial movement to indicate defects through noise and vibrations, while maintaining radial fixation via a pin, ensuring reliable attachment and easy assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a track rod joint is fixed to the track lever by a pin on one side, then the attachment is simple and easy to manufacture, but the track rod may detach during steering operations compromising safety
Solution Approach 1:
The holding protrusion extends in the axial direction of the pin, adding a dimensional constraint that prevents detachment while maintaining the simple pin-based attachment structure. This dimensional extension transforms a two-dimensional pin connection into a three-dimensional securing mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The holding protrusion acts as an intermediary element between the pin and the track rod joint, providing an additional securing function. It mediates the connection by preventing the track rod joint from moving axially along the pin while allowing the pin to perform its primary rotational function.
2Reliability
If the track rod joint is securely fixed to prevent any movement, then attachment reliability improves, but the ability to detect defects through movement noise and vibrations is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The holding protrusion provides partial constraint by preventing complete detachment while allowing limited axial movement. This partial action approach secures the connection sufficiently for reliable operation while permitting enough movement to generate detectable noise and vibrations when defects occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback through acoustic and vibrational signals. When the track rod joint develops defects, the limited axial movement allowed by the holding protrusion generates noise and vibrations that serve as feedback indicators, alerting operators to potential issues.
3Reliability
If a holding protrusion is added to cover the attachment point, then detachment prevention improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The holding protrusion is merged with the existing pin structure, extending from the pin body rather than being a separate component. This combining approach adds the detachment prevention function while minimizing the increase in device complexity by utilizing the existing pin as the base structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The pin structure serves multiple functions: it provides the primary rotational connection for steering operations and simultaneously serves as the base for the holding protrusion that prevents detachment. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity by eliminating the need for separate components.
Data Source
AI summary
A wheel support for a motor vehicle, including a main part and a track lever extending from the main part for attaching a track rod via a track rod joint, wherein the track rod joint is fixed or can be fixed to the track lever at an attachment point by a pin on one side of the track lever. A holding protrusion which covers the attachment point forms a securing means for the track rod on the wheel support. The disclosure additionally relates to a method for mounting a wheel support for a motor vehicle.