Type Analysis And Optimal Design Of Automobile Steering Drive Mechanisms

Steering is one of the basic functions of car driving. The only way to make car steer is to make the wheels deflect. Aiming at the two-wheel steering system (2WS) of the wheeled vehicles, by analyzing the structure composition, work principles, motion characteristics and typical applications of the mechanical and power steering systems are analyzed, the types of steering mechanisms in common use are classified and characteristically evaluated.As the new steering principle of modern automobiles, the four-wheel steering system (4WS) has many advantages, such as strong and rapid steering ability, high stability of driving in straight line, and small steering radius, etc. By analyzing the mechanical design and work principles of 4WS, the characteristics of several typical 4WS are pointed out, and the necessity to develop the 4WS in China is indicated.The 2WS is still now the main current in steering technology. Based on the steering principles, the typical mechanisms in the common double-trapezoid steering transmissions, which mate with the circulating ball steering machines and gear-rack steering machines, are kinematically analyzed and designed. By the mechanism theory, the mathematic models are established for optimal design of the steering mechanisms. Using the MATLAB software and its tool box of OPTIMIZATION, these two steering mechanisms are kinematically optimized. The optimal results can be used to improve the motion precision and the steering ability of steering mechanisms.