Handwheel carrier
Carries the rim, controls, display and handwheel-side clutch connection.
JRIVE / Technical companion
Engineering notes.
Assumptions exposed.
Proposed architecture and illustrative calculations. These notes explain the concept and its open engineering questions; they do not establish measured product performance or vehicle compatibility.
02 / Mechanical logic
Capture the relationship.
Realign separately.
The proposed direct clutch couples the handwheel and output at their existing angular relationship. Steering then shares incremental rotation; centering is a separate operation.
Column-output sleeve
Connects to the donor’s native steering column through the rotating adapter.
Stationary housing
Supports bearings, motor stators and rear control electronics; reacts torque into a structural bracket.
Proposed manual torque path
Driver→Handwheel H→Direct clutch→Output O→Native column
The output motor’s reduction is outside this direct path. Output actuation and handwheel centering use separate branches; the peripheral cartridge serves power and data.
Engineering notebook / Sizing exercises
These source-derived examples expose the design questions. Inputs are illustrative and do not establish component ratings.
Phase capture and travel
δ = O₀ − H₀
O = H + δ
At capture, H₀ = 0° and O₀ = 120°. A subsequent 10° handwheel increment gives O = 130°; engagement preserves the existing offset.
With output travel ±540° and δ = 120°, required handwheel travel is −660° to +420°. A ±600° handwheel limit cannot cover the whole range. The separate realignment operation must account for this.
Clutch sizing sensitivity
T ≈ N μ F r̄
8 × 0.10 × 2500 × 0.045 ≈ 90 N·m
Eight friction interfaces, coefficient 0.10, 2500 N clamp load and 45 mm mean radius yield about 90 N·m in this simplified exercise.
Halving the assumed coefficient to 0.05 gives 45 N·m. Friction conditions, temperature, wear and clamp control need measured validation.
Actuator electrical demand
P = T ω
60 N·m × 600°/s ≈ 628 W
600°/s is 10.47 rad/s. At an assumed 80% efficiency, that operating point needs about 785 W electrical input, or 65 A at 12 V.
This is a sizing example, not a selected motor rating. Peak duty, thermal limits, wiring and the donor electrical system remain integration questions.
Engineering / Assumptions exposed
Make the assumptions
visible.
Explore phase capture, energy costs and workshop capacity with editable examples. These show the logic of the concept, rather than measured product performance.
Motion studies / In preparation
The mechanism,
in motion.
Three planned films explore the assembly, internal mechanism and donor interface. Explore the live schematic while the source-based films are prepared.
CONCEPTUAL SCHEMATIC / FILM TO FOLLOWOpen the artwork gallery ↗