Torque feedback system for a steer-by-wire vehicle, vehicle having steering column, and method of providing feedback in vehicle
First Claim
1. A torque feedback system for a vehicle comprising:
- a steering shaft having a longitudinal axis;
a jacket surrounding the shaft, the jacket including a contact portion, the shaft rotatable with respect to the jacket; and
,at least one mechanical energy storing element arranged to provide torque feedback when the steering shaft is rotated, the at least one mechanical energy storing element including a first mechanical energy storing element having a first end engageable with the jacket and a second end engageable with the shaft, and a second mechanical energy storing element having a first end engageable with the jacket and a second end engageable with the shaft, the first mechanical energy storing element torsion spring provides resistance to rotation of the shaft in a first rotational direction, and the second mechanical energy storing element provides resistance to rotation of the shaft in a second rotational direction;
wherein rotation of the shaft in the first rotational direction separates the first end of the second mechanical energy storing element from the contact portion while maintaining contact of the first end of the first mechanical energy storing element with the contact portion, and rotation of the shaft in the second rotational direction separates the first end of the first mechanical energy storing element from the contact portion while maintaining contact of the first end of the second mechanical energy storing element with the contact portion.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A torque feedback system for a vehicle includes a steering shaft having a longitudinal axis, a jacket surrounding the shaft, the shaft rotatable with respect to the jacket, and at least one mechanical energy storing element arranged to provide torque feedback when the steering shaft is rotated. The at least one mechanical energy storing element includes a first mechanical energy storing element having a first end engageable with the jacket and a second end engageable with the shaft, and a second mechanical energy storing element having a first end engageable with the jacket and a second end engageable with the shaft. The first mechanical energy storing element provides resistance to rotation of the shaft in a first rotational direction, and the second mechanical energy storing element provides resistance to rotation of the shaft in a second rotational direction.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A torque feedback system for a vehicle comprising:
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a steering shaft having a longitudinal axis; a jacket surrounding the shaft, the jacket including a contact portion, the shaft rotatable with respect to the jacket; and
,at least one mechanical energy storing element arranged to provide torque feedback when the steering shaft is rotated, the at least one mechanical energy storing element including a first mechanical energy storing element having a first end engageable with the jacket and a second end engageable with the shaft, and a second mechanical energy storing element having a first end engageable with the jacket and a second end engageable with the shaft, the first mechanical energy storing element torsion spring provides resistance to rotation of the shaft in a first rotational direction, and the second mechanical energy storing element provides resistance to rotation of the shaft in a second rotational direction; wherein rotation of the shaft in the first rotational direction separates the first end of the second mechanical energy storing element from the contact portion while maintaining contact of the first end of the first mechanical energy storing element with the contact portion, and rotation of the shaft in the second rotational direction separates the first end of the first mechanical energy storing element from the contact portion while maintaining contact of the first end of the second mechanical energy storing element with the contact portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A torque feedback system for a vehicle comprising:
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a steering shaft having a longitudinal axis; a jacket surrounding the shaft, the jacket including a contact portion, the shaft rotatable with respect to the jacket; and
,at least one mechanical energy storing element arranged to provide torque feedback when the steering shaft is rotated, the at least one mechanical energy storing element including a first torsion spring having a first end engageable with the jacket and a second end connected to the shaft, and a second torsion spring having a first end engageable with the jacket and a second end connected to the shaft, the first torsion spring provides resistance to rotation of the shaft in a first rotational direction, and the second torsion spring provides resistance to rotation of the shaft in a second rotational direction; wherein the first end of the first torsion spring and the first end of the second torsion spring contact the contact portion in a non-rotated condition of the shaft, rotation of the shaft in the first rotational direction maintains contact of the first end of the first torsion spring on the contact portion and separates the first end of the second torsion spring from the contact portion, and rotation of the shaft in the second rotational direction separates the first end of the first torsion spring from the contact portion and maintains contact of the first end of the second torsion spring on the contact portion. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A torque feedback system for a vehicle comprising:
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a steering shaft having a longitudinal axis; a jacket surrounding the shaft, the shaft rotatable with respect to the jacket; and at least one mechanical energy storing element arranged to provide torque feedback when the steering shaft is rotated, the at least one mechanical energy storing element including a first mechanical energy storing element having a first end engageable with the jacket and a second end engageable with the shaft, and a second mechanical energy storing element having a first end engageable with the jacket and a second end engageable with the shaft, the first mechanical energy storing element provides resistance to rotation of the shaft in a first rotational direction, and the second mechanical energy storing element provides resistance to rotation of the shaft in a second rotational direction, the mechanical energy storing element including at least one spring having a first end engageable with the jacket surrounding the shaft and a second end attached to the shaft; and a damper configured to damp oscillations of the at least one spring, the damper including one of a viscous damper and a friction damper, wherein the damper includes a piston linearly movable within a cylinder in response to rotational movement of the steering shaft.
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17. A torque feedback system for a vehicle comprising:
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a steering shaft having a longitudinal axis; a jacket surrounding the shaft, the shaft rotatable with respect to the jacket; and at least one mechanical energy storing element arranged to provide torque feedback when the steering shaft is rotated, the at least one mechanical energy storing element including a first mechanical energy storing element having a first end engageable with the jacket and a second end engageable with the shaft, and a second mechanical energy storing element having a first end engageable with the jacket and a second end engageable with the shaft, the first mechanical energy storing element provides resistance to rotation of the shaft in a first rotational direction, and the second mechanical energy storing element provides resistance to rotation of the shaft in a second rotational direction, the mechanical energy storing element including at least one spring having a first end engageable with the jacket surrounding the shaft and a second end attached to the shaft; and a damper configured to damp oscillations of the at least one spring, the damper including one of a viscous damper and a friction damper, wherein the damper includes a fan blade.
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18. A torque feedback system for a vehicle comprising:
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a steering shaft having a longitudinal axis; a jacket surrounding the shaft, the shaft rotatable with respect to the jacket; and at least one mechanical energy storing element arranged to provide torque feedback when the steering shaft is rotated, the at least one mechanical energy storing element including a first mechanical energy storing element having a first end engageable with the jacket and a second end engageable with the shaft, and a second mechanical energy storing element having a first end engageable with the jacket and a second end engageable with the shaft, the first mechanical energy storing element provides resistance to rotation of the shaft in a first rotational direction, and the second mechanical energy storing element provides resistance to rotation of the shaft in a second rotational direction, the mechanical energy storing element including at least one spring having a first end engageable with the jacket surrounding the shaft and a second end attached to the shaft; and a damper configured to damp oscillations of the at least one spring, the damper including one of a viscous damper and a friction damper, wherein the damper includes a rolling diaphragm containing a viscous fluid and movably supported between a fixed cylinder and a nut, the nut linearly translatable by rotation of the steering shaft.
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19. A torque feedback system for a vehicle comprising:
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a steering shaft having a longitudinal axis; a jacket surrounding the shaft, the shaft rotatable with respect to the jacket; and at least one mechanical energy storing element arranged to provide torque feedback when the steering shaft is rotated, the at least one mechanical energy storing element including a first mechanical energy storing element having a first end engageable with the jacket and a second end engageable with the shaft, and a second mechanical energy storing element having a first end engageable with the jacket and a second end engageable with the shaft, the first mechanical energy storing element provides resistance to rotation of the shaft in a first rotational direction, and the second mechanical energy storing element provides resistance to rotation of the shaft in a second rotational direction, the mechanical energy storing element including at least one spring having a first end engageable with the jacket surrounding the shaft and a second end attached to the shaft; and a damper configured to damp oscillations of the at least one spring, the damper including one of a viscous damper and a friction damper, wherein the damper includes an eccentric cam surrounding the steering shaft, the eccentric cam engaging a spring biased towards the eccentric cam.
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20. A torque feedback system for a vehicle comprising:
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a steering shaft having a longitudinal axis; a jacket surrounding the shaft, the shaft rotatable with respect to the jacket; and at least one mechanical energy storing element arranged to provide torque feedback when the steering shaft is rotated, the at least one mechanical energy storing element including a first mechanical energy storing element having a first end engageable with the jacket and a second end engageable with the shaft, and a second mechanical energy storing element having a first end engageable with the jacket and a second end engageable with the shaft, the first mechanical energy storing element provides resistance to rotation of the shaft in a first rotational direction, and the second mechanical energy storing element provides resistance to rotation of the shaft in a second rotational direction, the mechanical energy storing element including at least one spring having a first end engageable with the jacket surrounding the shaft and a second end attached to the shaft; and a damper configured to damp oscillations of the at least one spring, the damper including one of a viscous damper and a friction damper, wherein the damper includes at least one of a lip seal and a garter spring surrounding the steering shaft.
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Specification