TEST PROCEDURE FOR DETERMINING STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT RATTLE

• US 20200132568A1
• Filed: 10/29/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Miles, Brent P., Poole, Hunter D.
• Granted Patent: US 10,718,686 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 13/028 Acoustic or vibration analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/06 Steering behaviour; Rolling behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 7/027 Specimen mounting arrangements, e.g. table head adapters

Abstract

An exemplary method for determining rattle noise of a vehicle steering system includes providing an intermediate shaft assembly including a first shaft member coupled to a second shaft member by a first joining member, a third shaft member coupled to the second shaft member by a second joining member, the first shaft member coupled to a first motor and the third shaft coupled to a second motor, providing a first sensor coupled to the first joining member and a second sensor coupled to the second joining member, sensors configured to measure an acceleration of the first joining member and the second joining member, applying a first torque and a second torque to the intermediate shaft assembly, receiving first acceleration data from the first sensor and second acceleration data from the second sensor, and analyzing the first and second acceleration data to determine a rattle noise of the intermediate shaft assembly.

Claims

1. A method for determining rattle noise of a vehicle steering system, the method comprising:

providing an intermediate shaft assembly comprising a first shaft member coupled to a second shaft member by a first joining member, a third shaft member coupled to the second shaft member by a second joining member, the first shaft member coupled to a first motor and the third shaft coupled to a second motor;

providing a first sensor coupled to the first joining member and a second sensor coupled to the second joining member, the first sensor configured to measure an acceleration of the first joining member and the second sensor configured to measure an acceleration of the second joining member;

providing a controller electrically connected to the first and second sensors and the first and second motors;

generating, by the controller, a first control signal transmitted to the first motor;

generating, by the controller, a second control signal transmitted to the second motor;

applying, via the first motor, a first torque to the intermediate shaft assembly;

applying, via the second motor, a second torque to the intermediate shaft assembly;

receiving, by the controller, first acceleration data from the first sensor and second acceleration data from the second sensor; and

analyzing, by the controller, the first and second acceleration data to determine a rattle noise of the intermediate shaft assembly.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first torque is a predetermined torque rattle profile.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second torque is a reaction torque to the first torque such that the second motor allows a predetermined deflection of the intermediate shaft assembly from a zero (0) degree center position to simulate an operator'"'"'s response to the first torque.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first acceleration data is indicative of an acceleration response of the first joining member to the applied first and second torques.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second acceleration data is indicative of an acceleration response of the second joining member to the applied first and second torques.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second acceleration data indicates acceleration of the first and second joining members on an axis perpendicular to the intermediate shaft assembly.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second acceleration data received by the controller is proportional to a level of audible noise generated by the intermediate shaft assembly in response to the applied first and second torques.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the first and second acceleration data to determine a rattle noise of the intermediate shaft assembly further comprises:

receiving, by the controller, first motor torque data from the first motor and second motor torque data from the second motor;

processing, by the controller, the first and second motor torque data to generate a net torque signal;

generating, by the controller, an apply rate wave from the net torque signal;

determining, by the controller, a plurality of peak acceleration value from each peak of the apply rate wave;

generating, by the controller, a best fit line based on the plurality of peak acceleration values;

applying, by the controller, a predefined apply rate to the best fit line to determine a rattle acceleration value; and

comparing, by the controller, the rattle acceleration value to a rattle index level.

9. A method for determining rattle noise of a vehicle steering system, the method comprising:

providing an intermediate shaft assembly comprising a first shaft member coupled to a second shaft member by a first joining member, a third shaft member coupled to the second shaft member by a second joining member, the first shaft member coupled to a first motor and the third shaft coupled to a second motor;

providing a first sensor coupled to the first joining member and a second sensor coupled to the second joining member, the first sensor configured to measure an acceleration of the first joining member and the second sensor configured to measure an acceleration of the second joining member;

providing a controller electrically connected to the first and second sensors and the first and second motors;

generating, by the controller, a first control signal transmitted to the first motor;

generating, by the controller, a second control signal transmitted to the second motor;

applying, via the first motor, a first torque and a second torque to the intermediate shaft assembly;

receiving, by the controller, first acceleration data from the first sensor and second acceleration data from the second sensor;

receiving, by the controller, first motor torque data from the first motor and second motor torque data from the second motor;

generating, by the controller, a net torque signal from the first and second motor torque data and generating an apply rate wave from the net torque signal;

determining, by the controller, a plurality of peak acceleration value from each peak of the apply rate wave and fitting a line to the plurality of peak acceleration values;

determining, by the controller, a rattle acceleration value from the fitted line; and

analyzing, by the controller, the rattle acceleration value to determine a rattle noise of the intermediate shaft assembly.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein analyzing the rattle acceleration value to determine a rattle noise of the intermediate shaft assembly comprises comparing, by the controller, the rattle acceleration value to a rattle index level.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first torque is a predetermined torque rattle profile.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the second torque is a reaction torque to the first torque such that the second motor allows a predetermined deflection of the intermediate shaft assembly from a zero (0) degree center position to simulate an operator'"'"'s response to the first torque.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the first acceleration data is indicative of an acceleration response of the first joining member to the applied first and second torques.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the second acceleration data is indicative of an acceleration response of the second joining member to the applied first and second torques.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the first and second acceleration data received by the controller is proportional to a level of audible noise generated by the intermediate shaft assembly in response to the applied first and second torques.

16. A system for determining rattle noise of a vehicle steering system, comprising:

an intermediate shaft assembly comprising a first shaft member coupled to a second shaft member by a first joining member, a third shaft member coupled to the second shaft member by a second joining member, the first shaft member coupled to a first motor and the third shaft coupled to a second motor;

a first sensor coupled to the first joining member and a second sensor coupled to the second joining member, the first sensor configured to measure an acceleration of the first joining member and the second sensor configured to measure an acceleration of the second joining member; and

a controller electrically connected to the first and second sensors and the first and second motors, the controller configured to

generate a first control signal transmitted to the first motor, the first control signal controlling the first motor to apply a first torque to the intermediate shaft assembly;

generate a second control signal transmitted to the second motor, the second control signal controlling the second motor to apply a second torque to the intermediate shaft assembly;

receive first acceleration data from the first sensor and second acceleration data from the second sensor; and

analyze the first and second acceleration data to determine a rattle noise of the intermediate shaft assembly.