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Steering apparatus for a vehicle

  • US 6,059,068 A
  • Filed: 12/18/1997
  • Issued: 05/09/2000
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1997
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A steering apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

  • a steering operating means which is not mechanically connected to a steering mechanism for changing a direction of wheels;

    a steering angle detecting means for detecting a steering angle of said steering operating means;

    a steering angle control means for controlling an increase and decrease in a steering angle of said steering mechanism according to the steering angle detected by said steering angle detecting means;

    a reaction force instruction means for obtaining a reaction force which is to be applied to said steering operating means and directs it to a neutral position on the basis of the steering angle so as to output a reaction force instruction signal for instructing that the obtained reaction force is applied to said steering operating means;

    a reaction force control means for controlling an increase and decrease in the reaction force to be applied to said steering operating means on the basis of the reaction force instruction signal;

    a motor for applying the reaction force to said steering operating means under control of said reaction force control means;

    means for detecting an overload state of said motor; and

    means for notifying said reaction force instruction mean of the overload state when the overload state is detected,said reaction force instruction means varying the reaction force instruction signal so as to decrease the reaction force applied by said motor by a predetermined proportion when receiving the notification of the overload state.

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