VEHICLE STEERING ARRANGEMENT

• US 3,866,706 A
• Filed: 04/15/1974
• Issued: 02/18/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hans Kuhlborn, Harald Schimkat, Peter Andreas, Walter Zimdahl, Wolfgang Lincke
• Original Assignee: Hans Kuhlborn, Harald Schimkat, Peter Andreas, Walter Zimdahl, Wolfgang Lincke
• Inventors: Lincke, Wolfgang, Schimkat, Harald, Zimdahl, Walter, Andreas, Peter, Kuhlborn, Hans
• Primary Examiner(s): Schonberg, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pekar, John A.
• Application Number:
  US05/460,709
• Time in Patent Office: 309 Days
• Field of Search: 180/79.2R,79.1
• US Class Current: 180/446
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/04 responsive only to forces disturbing the intended course of the vehicle, e.g. forces acting transversely to the direction of vehicle travel

Abstract

Vehicle steering apparatus having a mechanism for compensating the influence of disturbing lateral forces on the direction of travel. The apparatus includes a reference signal generator for producing a first signal corresponding to the actual lateral acceleration of the vehicle, a reference signal generator for producing a second signal corresponding to the steering commands of the vehicle operator, a reference signal generator for producing a third signal corresponding to the travelling speed of the vehicle, a first logic element for receiving the second and third signals and producing a fourth signal corresponding to the theoretical lateral acceleration of the vehicle which should occur as a result of the vehicle steering commands, and a second logic element for receiving the first and fourth signals and producing a control signal corresponding to the difference between the first and fourth signals. A steering regulator system is also provided for regulating the steering mechanism of the vehicle in accordance with the control signal.

Claims

1. Vehicle steering apparatus having means for compensating the influence of disturbing lateral forces on the direction of travel, said apparatus comprising, in Combination:

a. first reference signal generator means for producing at least one first signal corresponding to the actual lateral acceleration of the vehicle;

b. second reference signal generator means for producing at least one second signal corresponding to the steering commands of the vehicle operator;

c. third reference signal generator means for producing at least one third signal corresponding to the travelling speed of the vehicle;

d. first logic means connected to said second and third generator means for receiving said second and third signals and producing at least one fourth signal corresponding to the theoretical lateral acceleration of the vehicle which should occur as a result of the vehicle steering commands;

e. second logic means connected to said first generator means and to said first logic means for receiving said first and fourth signals and producing a control signal corresponding to the difference between said first and fourth signals; and

f. steering regulator means connected to said second logic means for regulating the steering servomechanism of the vehicle in accordance with said control signal.

2. The steering apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein said first logic means includes:

3. multiplier element means connected to said time element means and to said function element means for producing said fourth signal in dependence upon the product of said fifth and sixth signals, said time element means and said function element means having transfer functions such that said fourth signal corresponds, at least approximately, to the theoretical, ideal lateral acceleration of the vehicle.

4. The steering apparatus defined in claim 3, wherein said first logic means includes integrator means having a constant of integration equals to T and feedback means, coupling the output to the input of said integrator means, having a transfer function dependent upon F(v).

5. The steering apparatus defined in claim 4, wherein said feedback means includes switch means which is actuated in dependence upon the vehicle travelling speed.

6. The steering apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein said steering regulator means includes means for maintaining the steering angle of the vehicle within prescribed limits notwithstanding the regulation of the steering servo-mechanism.

7. The steering apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein said first signal generator means includes acceleration sensor means located on the vehicle forward of the vehicle center of gravity.