Power steering apparatus

• US 5,255,755 A
• Filed: 03/30/1992
• Issued: 10/26/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd. (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd. (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Fu, Jian-Guo
• Primary Examiner(s): Mitchell, David M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pike, Andrew C.
• Application Number:
  US07/860,412
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 180/79.1, 318/371, 318/375, 318/434, 318/439
• US Class Current: 180/446
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/0466 for returning the steering wheel to neutral position
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 6/24 Arrangements for stopping

Abstract

A power steering apparatus for eliminating the counter electromotive force generated upon stopping the motor for assisting steering force includes a circuit for opening all of the commutation-controlled switches (power transistors) each connected to an end of one of the coils of the motor and to disconnect and isolate the one ends from each other and prevent the production of a counter-electromotive force.

Claims

1. A power steering apparatus comprising:

a sensor for detecting torque generated by rotating a steering wheel;

a motor for assisting steering force which has plural coils, one end of each coil being connected to a respective switch and another end of each of the coils connected in common, said motor being rotated by a current selectively supplied to said plural coils by opening and closing of said switches; and

control means for driving said motor by commutation-controlling said switches in accordance with said detected torque, and for opening all of said switches to disconnect said one ends from each other upon stopping drive of said motor.

2. A power steering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means comprises a control unit for outputting a commutation-control signal for said switches in accordance with said detected torque and generating a stop signal for stopping the drive of said motor, and a gate circuit supplied with said commutation-control signal as one input and said stop signal as another input for controlling the opening and closing of said switches.