Control apparatus for power assist steering system
First Claim
1. An apparatus for controlling an electric assist steering system having an electric motor drivably connected to a steering member to assist in driving said steering member, said apparatus comprising:
- torsion sensing means for providing an output signal that varies in accordance with the amount of force applied to a vehicle hand wheel to accomplish a steering maneuver, said variance occuring after a predetermined amount of force is applied to the vehicle hand wheel;
means responsive to said output signal from said torsion sensing means for generating a variable amount of electrical drive potential to drive said electric motor, the speed of the electric motor varying in accordance with the output signal of said torsion sensing means; and
switch means connected to said electric motor and to said generating means and mechanically actuatable in response to a predetermined amount of force applied for connecting said variable amount of electrical drive potential to said electric motor when in an actuated condition.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides an apparatus for controlling a power assist steering system of the type having an electric assist motor connected to a steering member such as a rack and a steering shaft including first and second coaxial shaft sections rotatable with respect to each other and connected by an elastic member. One of the shaft sections is coupled to the hand wheel and the other to the steering member. A cam operated, reversing switch is coupled across the first and second shaft sections. A drive circuit and the electric assist motor are connected to the reversing switch. A control circuit measures the relative rotation between the two shaft sections and controls the drive circuit. Relative rotation of the two steering shaft sections mechanically controls the reversing switch. The electric assist motor is (i) not electrically connected to the drive circuit when the two shaft sections are in a relative null position, (ii) electrically connected to the drive circuit in one direction when the shaft sections are relatively rotated in a first direction a predetermined amount from the null position, and (iii) electrically connected to the drive circuit in the opposite direction when the shaft sections are relatively rotated in a second direction the predetermined amount from the null position. The control circuit insures that the drive circuit outputs no electrical drive signal until the shaft sections are relatively rotated the predetermined amount. The drive potential increases thereafter as the relative rotation between the shaft sections increases above the predetermined amount.
45 Citations
47 Claims
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1. An apparatus for controlling an electric assist steering system having an electric motor drivably connected to a steering member to assist in driving said steering member, said apparatus comprising:
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torsion sensing means for providing an output signal that varies in accordance with the amount of force applied to a vehicle hand wheel to accomplish a steering maneuver, said variance occuring after a predetermined amount of force is applied to the vehicle hand wheel; means responsive to said output signal from said torsion sensing means for generating a variable amount of electrical drive potential to drive said electric motor, the speed of the electric motor varying in accordance with the output signal of said torsion sensing means; and switch means connected to said electric motor and to said generating means and mechanically actuatable in response to a predetermined amount of force applied for connecting said variable amount of electrical drive potential to said electric motor when in an actuated condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus for controlling an electric assist steering system having an electric motor means drivably connected to a steering member to assist in driving said steering member, said apparatus comprising:
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torsion sensing means for providing an output signal indicative of the amount of force applied to a vehicle hand wheel to accomplish a steering maneuver; actuatable semiconductor switching means for, when actuated, connecting a first energy terminal to a reversing switch means; control means for generating a pulse width modulated control signal to control actuation of said actuatable semiconductor switching means, the duty cycle of said control signal varying in response to the output signal from said torsion sensing means; said reversing switch means operatively connected to said motor means, said actuatable semiconductor switching means and a second energy terminal for connecting said actuatable semiconductor switching means and said second energy terminal to said motor responsive to the direction of said steering maneuver. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus for controlling an electric assist steering system having electric motor means drivably connected to a steering member to assist in driving said steering member, said apparatus comprising:
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torsion sensing means for providing an output signal indicative of the amount of force applied to a vehicle hand wheel to accomplish a steering maneuver; means for generating a variable amount of electrical drive energy for driving said electric motor means responsive to said output signal from said torsion sensing means, said generating means not outputting any electrical drive energy until the output signal from said torsion sensing means reaches a predetermined value; and switch means for connecting said generating means to said motor means in response to the direction of said steering maneuver prior to said generating means outputting any electrical drive energy. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus for controlling an electric assist motor in an electric power assist steering system having first and second coaxial steering shaft sections connected by an elastic member, said apparatus comprising:
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camming means coupled to said first shaft section; cam follower means coupled to said second shaft section for responding to relative rotation between said first and second shaft sections; first electrical contacts carried by said cam follower means; second electrical contacts coupled to said second shaft section, each first electrical contact having an associated second electrical contact; said cam means, said cam follower means and said first and second electrical contacts arranged to provide (i) no closure between first electrical contacts and their associated second electrical contacts when said first and second shaft sections are in a relative rotational position defining a null position, (ii) closure between some of said first electrical contacts and their associated second electrical contacts when said first and second shaft sections are relatively rotated with respect to each other in one direction an amount less than a predetermined value from said null position, and (iii) closure between the other of said first electrical contacts and their associated second electrical contacts when said first and second shaft sections are relatively rotated with respect to each other in the other direction an amount less than said predetermined value from said null position. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A control apparatus for use in a power assist steering system of the type having an electric assist motor mechanically coupled to a steering member and having a steering shaft including first and second coaxial shaft sections rotatable with respect to each other and coupled to each other by an elastic member, one of said shaft sections coupled to an operator steering wheel and the other of said shaft sections coupled to said steering member, said apparatus comprising:
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cam means fixed to said first shaft section and having first and second cam faces; and cam followers, each of said cam faces having an associated cam follower, each cam follower coupled to said second shaft section and carrying first and second electrical contacts, each of said electrical contacts having associated mating electrical contacts, said first and second electrical contacts and their associated mating electrical contacts of each cam follower defining first and second electrical switches associated with such cam follower, said electric assist motor coupled to each electrical switch of each cam follower; and electrical drive means connected across the switches associated with one of said cam followers and the switches associated with the other of said cam followers; said electric switches arranged to provide (i) no electrical connections of said electrical drive means to said electric assist motor when said first and second shaft sections are in a relative rotational position defining a null position, (ii) electrical connections of said electrical drive means across said electric assist motor in one direction when said first shaft section is rotated in one direction an amount less than a predetermined value from said relative null position, and (iii) electrical connections of said electrical drive means across said electric assist motor in the other direction when said first shaft section is rotated in the other direction an amount less than said predetermined value from said relative null position. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. An apparatus for controlling an electric motor in an electric assist steering system having an input shaft connected to a hand wheel and an output shaft connected to a pinion, said input shaft and said output shaft coaxially aligned, connected by an elastic member and relatively rotatable upon applied steering torque, said apparatus comprising:
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camming means connected to one of said shafts for driving a follower; cam follower means connected to the other of said shafts and operatively contacting said camming means for responding to relative rotation between said input shaft and said output shaft; first set of switch contacts carried by said cam follower means; second set of switch contacts connected to said other of said shafts, each first switch contact having an associated second switch contact; said electric motor electrically connected to one set of switch contacts, and electric drive means for energizing said electric motor electrically connected to the other set of said switch contacts; relative rotation between said input shaft and said output shaft in one direction contacting some of said first switch contacts with their associated second switch contacts to drive said electric motor in one direction and relative rotation between said input shaft and said output shaft in the other direction contacting the other of said first switch contacts with their associated second switch contacts to drive said electric motor in the other direction. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. An apparatus for controlling an electric assist steering system having an electric motor drivably connected to a steering member to assist in driving said steering member, said apparatus comprising:
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torsion sensing means for providing an output signal indicative of the amount of force applied to a vehicle hand wheel to accomplish a steering maneuver; means for generating a variable amount of electrical drive potential for driving said electric motor in accordance with the output signal of said torsion sensing means; and switch means connected to said electric motor and to said generating means and mechanically actuatable in response to a predetermined amount of force applied for connecting said variable amount of electrical drive potential to said electric motor when in an actuated condition; said generating means comprising an actuatable semiconductor switching means including an FET for, when actuated, connecting a first energy terminal to said switch means, control means including a pulse width modulation circuit for controlling the ON and OFF time of said FET in accordance with said output signal of said torsion sensing means, and a second energy terminal connected to said switch means.
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40. An apparatus for controlling an electric assist steering system having an electric motor drivably connected to a steering member to assist in driving said steering member, said apparatus comprising:
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torsion sensing means for providing an output signal indicative of the amount of force applied to a vehicle hand wheel to accomplish a steering maneuver, said torsion sensing means including a potentiometer having an amount of resistance that varies in accordance with the amount of force applied after said force applied is greater than a predetermined value; means for generating a variable amount of electrical drive potential for driving said electric motor in accordance with the output signal of said torsion sensing means, said generating means including means for not permitting outputting of any electrical drive potential until said torsion sensor means senses an amount of force applied greater than said predetermined value; and switch means connected to said electric motor and to said generating means and mechanically actuatable in response to a predetermined amount of force applied for connecting said variable amount of electrical drive potential to said electric motor when in an actuated condition, said switch means being mechanically actuated before the outputting of any electrical drive potential from said generating means. - View Dependent Claims (41)
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42. An apparatus for controlling an electric assist steering system having an electric motor drivably connected to a steering member to assist in driving said steering member, said apparatus comprising:
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first and second coaxial steering shaft sections connected by an elastic member, force applied to a vehicle hand wheel causing relative rotation between said steering shaft sections; torsion sensing means for providing an output signal indicative of the amount of force applied to said vehicle hand wheel to accomplish a steering maneuver; means for generating a variable amount of electrical drive potential for driving said electric motor in accordance with the output signal of said torsion sensing means; and switch means connected to said electric motor and to said generating means and mechanically actuatable in response to a predetermined amount of force applied for connecting said variable amount of electrical drive potential to said electric motor when in an actuated condition, said switch means including, camming means coupled to said first shaft section, cam follower means coupled to said second shaft section and biased against said camming means for responding to relative rotation between said first and second shaft sections, first electrical contacts carried by said cam follower means, second electrical contacts coupled to said second shaft section, each first electrical contact having an associated second electrical contact, said cam means, said cam follower means and said first and second electrical contacts arranged to provide (i) no closure between first electrical contacts and their associated second electrical contacts when said first and second shaft sections are in a relative rotational position defining a null position, (ii) closure between some of said first electrical contacts and their associated second electrical contacts when said first and second shaft sections are relatively rotated with respect to each other in one direction an amount less than a predetermined value from said null position to connect said generating means across said electric motor in one direction, and (iii) closure between the other of said first electrical contacts and their associated second electrical contacts when said first and second shaft sections are relatively rotated with respect to each other in the other direction an amount less than said predetermined value from said null position to connect said generating means across said electric motor in the other direction.
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43. An apparatus for controlling an electric assist steering system having an electric motor drivably connected to a steering member to assist in driving said steering member, said apparatus comprising:
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an input shaft connected to a hand wheel and an output shaft connected to a pinion, said input shaft and said output shaft coaxially aligned, connected by an elastic member and relatively rotatable upon said force applied; torsion sensing means for providing an output signal indicative of the amount of force applied to a vehicle hand wheel to accomplish a steering maneuver; means for generating a variable amount of electrical drive potential for driving said electric motor in accordance with the output signal of said torsion sensing means; and switch means connected to said electric motor and to said generating means and mechanically actuatable in response to a predetermined amount of force applied for connecting said variable amount of electrical drive potential to said electric motor when in an actuated condition, said switch means comprising camming means connected to one of said shafts for driving a follower, cam follower means connected to the other of said shafts and operatively contacting said camming means for responding to relative rotation between said input shaft and said output shaft, first set of switch contacts carried by said cam follower means, second set of switch contacts connected to said other of said shafts, each first switch contact having an associated second switch contact, said electric motor electrically connected to one set of switch contacts, said generating means connected to the other set of said switch contacts, relative rotation between said input shaft and said output shaft in one direction contacting some of said first switch contacts with their associated second switch contacts to drive said electric motor in one direction and relative rotation between said input shaft and said output shaft in the other direction contacting the other of said first switch contacts with their associated second switch contacts to drive said electric motor in the other direction.
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44. An apparatus for controlling an electric assist steering system having an electric motor means drivably connected to a steering member to assist in driving said steering member, said apparatus comprising:
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torsion sensing means for providing an output signal indicative of the amount of force applied to a vehicle hand wheel to accomplish a steering maneuver; actuatable semiconductor switching means including an FET for, when actuated, connecting a first energy terminal to a reversing switch means; control means including a pulse width modulation circuit for controlling the ON and OFF time of said FET in response to the torsion sensing means output signal; said reversing switch means operatively connected to said motor means, said actuatable semiconductor switching means and a second energy terminal for connecting said actuatable semiconductor switching means and said second energy terminal to said motor responsive to the direction of said steering maneuver.
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45. An apparatus for controlling an electric assist steering system having an electric motor means drivably connected to a steering member to assist in driving said steering member, said apparatus comprising:
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torsion sensing means for providing an output signal indicative of the amount of force applied to a vehicle hand wheel to accomplish a steering maneuver, said torsion sensing means including a potentiometer having an amount of resistance across said potentiometer that varies in accordance with the amount of force applied after said force applied is greater than a predetermined value; actuatable semiconductor switching means for, when actuated, connecting a first energy terminal to a reversing switch means; control means for controlling the actuation of said actuatable semiconductor switching means for a time in response to the amount of resistance across said potentiometer, said control means including means for not actuating said actuatable semiconductor switching means until said torsion sensor means senses an amount of force applied greater than said predetermined value; said reversing switch means operatively connected to said motor means, said actuatable semiconductor switching means and a second energy terminal for connecting said actuatable semiconductor switching means and said second energy terminal to said motor responsive to the direction of said steering maneuver, aaid reversing switch means connecting said actuatable semiconductor switching means and said second energy terminal to said motor before actuation of said actuatable semiconductor switching means.
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46. An apparatus for controlling an electric assist steering system having an electric motor means drivably connected to a steering member to assist in driving said steering member, said apparatus comprising:
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first and second coaxial steering shaft sections connected by an elastic member, force applied to a vehicle hand wheel causing relative rotation between said steering shaft sections; torsion sensing means for providing an output signal indicative of the amount of force applied to a vehicle hand wheel to accomplish a steering maneuver; actuatable semiconductor switching means for, when actuated, connecting a first energy terminal to a reversing switch means; control means for controlling the actuation of said actuatable semiconductor switching means for a time in response to the torsion sensing means output signal; said reversing switch means operatively connected to said motor means, said actuatable semiconductor switching means and a second energy terminal for connecting said actuatable semiconductor switching means and said second energy terminal to said motor responsive to the direction of said steering maneuver, said reversing switch means including, camming means coupled to said first shaft section, cam follower means coupled to said second shaft section and biased against said camming means for responding to relative rotation between said first and second shaft sections, first electrical contacts carried by said cam follower means, second electrical contacts coupled to said second shaft section, each first electrical contact having an associated second electrical contact, said cam means, said cam follower means and said first and second electrical contacts arranged to provide (i) no closure between first electrical contacts and their associated second electrical contacts when said first and second shaft sections are in a relative rotational position defining a null position, (ii) closure between some of said first electrical contacts and their associated second electrical contacts when said first and second shaft sections are relatively rotated with respect to each other in one direction an amount less than a predetermined value from said null position to connect said semiconductor switching means and said second energy terminal across said electric motor means in one direction, and (iii) closure between the other of said first electrical contacts and their associated second electrical contacts when said first and second shaft sections are relatively rotated with respect to each other in the other direction an amount less than said predetermined value from said null position to connect said semiconductor switching means and said second energy terminal across said electric motor means in the other direction.
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47. An apparatus for controlling an electric assist steering system having an electric motor means drivably connected to a steering member to assist in driving said steering member, said apparatus comprising:
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an input shaft connected to a hand wheel and an output shaft connected to a pinion, said input shaft and said output shaft coaxially aligned, connected by an elastic member and relatively rotatable upon said force applied; torsion sensing means for providing an output signal indicative of the amount of force applied to a vehicle hand wheel to accomplish a steering maneuver; actuatable semiconductor switching means for, when actuated, connecting a first energy terminal to a reversing switch means; control means for controlling the actuation of said actuatable semiconductor switching means for a time in response to the torsion sensing means output signal; said reversing switch means operatively connected to said motor means, said actuatable semiconductor switching means and a second energy terminal for connecting said actuatable semiconductor switching means and said second energy terminal to said motor responsive to the direction of said steering maneuver, said reversing switch means including camming means connected to one of said shafts for driving a follower, cam follower means connected to the other of said shafts and operatively contacting said camming means for responding to relative rotation between said input shaft and said output shaft, first set of switch contacts carried by said cam follower means, second set of switch contacts connected to said other of said shafts, each first switch contact having an associated second switch contact, said electric motor electrically connected to one set of switch contacts, said semiconductor switching means and said second energy terminal connected to the other set of said switch contacts, relative rotation between said input shaft and said output shaft in one direction contacting some of said first switch contacts with their associated second switch contacts to drive said electric motor in one direction upon actuation of said semiconductor switch means and relative rotation between said input shaft and said output shaft in the other direction contacting the other of said first switch contacts with their associated second switch contacts to drive said electric motor in the other direction upon actuation of said semiconductor switching means.
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Specification