Steering force controlling apparatus for power steering system
First Claim
1. A steering force controlling apparatus for a power steering system having a power cylinder for controlling the direction of a vehicle wheel, a pump for supplying pressurized fluid and a servo valve operable by a steering torque manually applied to a steering wheel for controlling delivery of pressurized fluid from said pump to said power cylinder, said steering force controlling apparatus comprising:
- a first solenoid-operated throttle valve for controlling the supply flow of said pressurized fluid from said pump to said servo valve in proportion to the magnitude of a first control current applied thereto;
a second solenoid-operated throttle valve for controlling the bypass flow of said pressurized fluid between opposite chamber of said power cylinder in proportion to the magnitude of a second control current applied thereto;
first and second detectors for respectively outputting first and second detection signals;
memory means for storing plural pairs of first and second characteristic maps, each of said first characteristic maps defining various first parameters respectively relating to various values of said first detection signal, and each of said second characteristic maps defining various second parameters respectively relating to various values of said second detection signal;
selector means operable for generating a selection signal to designate one pair of said plural pairs of said first and second characteristic maps;
control means responsive to said selection signal and said first and second detection signals for reading out from said memory means one of said various first parameters and one of said various second parameters which are defined in one pair of said first and second characteristic maps designated by said selection signal, based upon said first and second detection signals; and
drive means connected to said control means and said first and second solenoid-operated throttle valves for applying said first and second control currents of the magnitudes respectively corresponding to said readout one of said various first parameters and said readout one of said various second parameters, respectively to said first and second solenoid-operated throttle valves.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for electronically controlling the steering force needed to operate the handle of a vehicle, according to the velocity of the vehicle and the angular displacement of the handle. The apparatus includes a memory for storing various characteristic maps of different steering characteristics, a selecting switch for selecting one of these maps, and a control circuit for applying the electric current depending on the selected map to the solenoid of a flow control means which controls the pressure flow supplied to the power cylinder of a power steering system. The driver of the vehicle can select any desired control pattern from the memory by operating the selecting switch.
26 Citations
6 Claims
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1. A steering force controlling apparatus for a power steering system having a power cylinder for controlling the direction of a vehicle wheel, a pump for supplying pressurized fluid and a servo valve operable by a steering torque manually applied to a steering wheel for controlling delivery of pressurized fluid from said pump to said power cylinder, said steering force controlling apparatus comprising:
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a first solenoid-operated throttle valve for controlling the supply flow of said pressurized fluid from said pump to said servo valve in proportion to the magnitude of a first control current applied thereto; a second solenoid-operated throttle valve for controlling the bypass flow of said pressurized fluid between opposite chamber of said power cylinder in proportion to the magnitude of a second control current applied thereto; first and second detectors for respectively outputting first and second detection signals; memory means for storing plural pairs of first and second characteristic maps, each of said first characteristic maps defining various first parameters respectively relating to various values of said first detection signal, and each of said second characteristic maps defining various second parameters respectively relating to various values of said second detection signal; selector means operable for generating a selection signal to designate one pair of said plural pairs of said first and second characteristic maps; control means responsive to said selection signal and said first and second detection signals for reading out from said memory means one of said various first parameters and one of said various second parameters which are defined in one pair of said first and second characteristic maps designated by said selection signal, based upon said first and second detection signals; and drive means connected to said control means and said first and second solenoid-operated throttle valves for applying said first and second control currents of the magnitudes respectively corresponding to said readout one of said various first parameters and said readout one of said various second parameters, respectively to said first and second solenoid-operated throttle valves. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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Specification