Effect of SRS Module with Newly Developed Vibration Reduction Structure 2014-01-0017

In automobile development, steering vibrations caused by engine excitation force and suspension vibration input from the road surface are a problem. The conventional method of reducing vibrations and thereby securing marketability has been to dispose a dynamic damper inside the steering wheel. The resonance frequency of a steering system varies for each vehicle developed (as a result of the vehicle size, the arrangement of the stiff members of the vehicle body, and the like). As a result, the individual values of dynamic dampers that are used with vehicles must be adjusted for each developed vehicle type. To address this problem, we have developed a new structure in which, rather than using a conventional dynamic damper, we disposed a floating bush on the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) module attachment section and used the SRS module itself as the weight for the dynamic damper. In this structure, the dynamic damper weight is approximately eight times greater than the conventional weight, the vibration reduction effect is enhanced, and the effective frequency range is widened. In addition, it is no longer necessary to adjust the frequency characteristic to match the steering resonance characteristic of each individual vehicle type. The use of this SRS module makes it possible to simultaneously achieve an enhanced vibration reduction effect, reduced development cost, and reduced weight for a wide range of vehicle types.