Variable assist power steering system
First Claim
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1. A variable assist power steering system for a vehicle including a steering wheel, a hydraulic fluid source, a fluid reservoir, a hydraulic pressure operated power cylinder adapted to be connected to a steering linkage, comprising:
- a control valve including a fluid flow distributor circuit conected between the fluid source and the fluid reservoir to produce a pressure differential in the power cylinder in response to a steering torque by the steering wheel; and
a circuit arrangement whereby a bypass flow comming out of one portion of the fluid flow distributor circuit during clockwise turning of the steering wheel and another bypass flow coming out another portion of the fluid flow distributor circuit during counterclockwise turning of the steering wheel are directed toward the fluid reservoir after passing through an externally controlled variable flow orifice which has an orifice flow area variable in response to some other variable different from the steering torque.
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Abstract
A circuit arrangement is proposed whereby a bypass flow coming out of one portion of a fluid flow distributor circuit of a power steering system during clockwise turning of a steering wheel and another bypass flow coming out another portion of the fluid flow distributor circuit during counterclockwise turning of the steering wheel are directed toward a fluid reservoir after passing through an externally controlled variable flow orifice.
21 Citations
9 Claims
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1. A variable assist power steering system for a vehicle including a steering wheel, a hydraulic fluid source, a fluid reservoir, a hydraulic pressure operated power cylinder adapted to be connected to a steering linkage, comprising:
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a control valve including a fluid flow distributor circuit conected between the fluid source and the fluid reservoir to produce a pressure differential in the power cylinder in response to a steering torque by the steering wheel; and a circuit arrangement whereby a bypass flow comming out of one portion of the fluid flow distributor circuit during clockwise turning of the steering wheel and another bypass flow coming out another portion of the fluid flow distributor circuit during counterclockwise turning of the steering wheel are directed toward the fluid reservoir after passing through an externally controlled variable flow orifice which has an orifice flow area variable in response to some other variable different from the steering torque. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification