STEERING CONTROL DEVICE AND ELECTRICALLY POWERED VEHICLE

• US 20090093931A1
• Filed: 12/12/2006
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Isogai, Shigetaka, Tahara, Yasuaki, Tsuchida, Michitaka, Mizutani, Ryoji, Tojima, Yuki
• Granted Patent: US 9,221,495 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/42
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/046 with planetary gearing having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2007/0038 the motor moving together with the wheel axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2007/0092 the motor axle being coaxial to the wheel axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 7/0007 the motor being electric
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2036 Electric differentials, e.g. for supporting steering vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/44 Wheel Hub motors, i.e. integrated in the wheel hub
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0092 with use of redundant elements for safety purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/003 Backup systems, e.g. for manual steering B62D5/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 9/002 combined with means for differentially distributing power on the deflectable wheels during cornering
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 9/005 Emergency systems using brakes for steering
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

Motor-generators are incorporated in front wheels and drive the front wheels, respectively. An ECU determines whether or not a steering apparatus including a steering actuator, a tie rod and a steering angle sensor has failed, based on an operation angle of a steering wheel from a steering wheel angle sensor and a steering angle of the front wheels from the steering angle sensor. When the ECU determines that the steering apparatus has failed, the ECU provides torque difference for a torque instruction for the motor-generators in accordance with the operation angle of the steering wheel.

Claims

1. A steering control device, comprising:

a steering wheel;

first and second motors driving left and right front wheels respectively;

failure determination means for determining whether a steering apparatus providing a steering angle to said front wheels in accordance with an operation angle of said steering wheel has failed; and

control means for producing torque difference in accordance with the operation angle of said steering wheel in output torque of said first and second motors, when said failure determination means determines that said steering apparatus has failed.

2. The steering control device according to claim 1, wherein

said steering apparatus adopts a steer-by-wire system in which said steering wheel and said front wheels are mechanically separate.

3. The steering control device according to claim 1, further comprising a steering angle sensor detecting a steering angle of said front wheels, wherein

said failure determination means determines whether said steering apparatus has failed, based on the steering angle detected by said steering angle sensor and the operation angle of said steering wheel.

4. A steering control device, comprising:

a steering wheel;

first and second motors driving left and right front wheels respectively; and

a control unit determining whether a steering apparatus providing a steering angle to said front wheels in accordance with an operation angle of said steering wheel has failed, and producing torque difference in accordance with the operation angle of said steering wheel in output torque of said first and second motors when it is determined that said steering apparatus has failed.

5. The steering control device according to claim 4, wherein

said steering apparatus adopts a steer-by-wire system in which said steering wheel and said front wheels are mechanically separate.

6. The steering control device according to claim 4, further comprising a steering angle sensor detecting a steering angle of said front wheels, wherein

said control unit determines whether said steering apparatus has failed, based on the steering angle detected by said steering angle sensor and the operation angle of said steering wheel.

7. An electrically powered vehicle, comprising:

a power storage apparatus;

first and second motors driving left and right front wheels respectively, by receiving electric power supplied from said power storage apparatus;

a steering wheel;

a steering apparatus providing a steering angle to said front wheels in accordance with an operation angle of said steering wheel;

failure determination means for determining whether said steering apparatus has failed; and

control means for producing torque difference in accordance with the operation angle of said steering wheel in output torque of said first and second motors, when said failure determination means determines that said steering apparatus has failed.

9. The electrically powered vehicle according to claim 7, wherein

said first motor is provided in a wheel of said right front wheel, and

said second motor is provided in a wheel of said left front wheel.

8. An electrically powered vehicle, comprising:

a power storage apparatus;

first and second motors driving left and right front wheels respectively, by receiving electric power supplied from said power storage apparatus;

a steering wheel;

a steering apparatus providing a steering angle to said front wheels in accordance with an operation angle of said steering wheel; and

a control unit determining whether said steering apparatus has failed and producing torque difference in accordance with the operation angle of said steering wheel in output torque of said first and second motors when it is determined that said steering apparatus has failed.