Steering device for vehicles

• US 6,349,789 B1
• Filed: 04/27/2000
• Issued: 02/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd. (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd. (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Maeda, Naoki, Nakano, Shiro, Segawa, Masaya, Takamatsu, Takanobu, Nishizaki, Katsutoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): DePumpo, Daniel G.
• Application Number:
  US09/530,640
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 180/446, 180/443, 180/422, 701/41
• US Class Current: 180/446
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2260/02 Active Steering, Steer-by-Wire
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2260/09 Complex systems; Conjoint control of two or more vehicle active control systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1755 Brake regulation specially adapted to control the stability of the vehicle, e.g. taking into account yaw rate or transverse acceleration in a curve road vehicle drive control systems for control of driving stability otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/02
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/246 Change of direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/58 responsive to speed and another condition or to plural speed conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/0472 for damping vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/008 Control of feed-back to the steering input member, e.g. simulating road feel in steer-by-wire applications
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/04 responsive only to forces disturbing the intended course of the vehicle, e.g. forces acting transversely to the direction of vehicle travel

Abstract

A steering device for vehicles transmits steering torque applied by the driver to wheels. When at least one of braking force and driving force of the wheels is controlled for stabilization of vehicle behavior, steering torque is controlled to cancel out change in the steering torque due to the stabilization according to change in at least one of the braking force and driving force due to the control for the stabilization.

Claims

1. A steering device for a vehicle wherein the vehicle includes vehicle wheels and a controller for stabilization of vehicle behavior by control of wheel forces applied by one of braking and driving forces, the steering device comprising:

a steering shaft for transmitting driver applied steering torque for steering applied by a driver to the vehicle wheels;

an actuator for generating steering assistance torque added to the steering torque applied by the driver;

means for detecting steering torque transmitted by the steering shaft;

means for determining variables corresponding to change in the wheel forces due to the control for the stabilization;

means for storing a relationship between the variables and change in the steering torque due to the control of the wheel forces by the control for stabilization; and

means for controlling the steering assistance torque added by the actuator so as to cancel out the change in the steering torque due to the wheel forces controlled by the control for stabilization determined from the variables determined and the relationship stored;

wherein, when the wheel force is controlled by the controller for stabilization so that a moment acts on the vehicle for the stabilization, the steering assistance torque added by the actuator has the same direction as that of the moment such that the steering torque can be controlled so as to cancel out the change in the steering torque due to the control for the stabilization.

2. The steering device according to claim 1 wherein the means for controlling the torque added by the actuator cancels the changes in the steering torque due to the wheels forces which are applied by braking controlled by the controller for stabilization.

3. The steering device according to claim 2 wherein the vehicle behavior is at least one of spin and drift.

4. The steering device according to claim 2 wherein the means for controlling the torque added by the actuator cancels the changes in the steering torque due to the wheels forces which are also applied by driving forces controlled by the controller for stabilization.

5. The steering device according to claim 4 wherein the vehicle behavior is at least one of spin and drift.

6. The steering device according to claim 1 wherein the means for controlling the torque added by the actuator cancels the changes in the steering torque due to the wheels forces which are applied by driving forces controlled by the controller for stabilization.

7. The steering device according to claim 6 wherein the vehicle behavior is at least one of spin and drift.

8. The steering device according to claim 1 wherein the vehicle behavior is at least one of spin and drift.

9. A steering device for a vehicle wherein the vehicle includes vehicle wheels and a controller for stabilization of vehicle behavior by control of wheel forces applied by one of braking and driving forces, the steering device comprising:

a steering shaft for transmitting driver applied steering torque for steering applied by a driver to the vehicle wheels;

an actuator for generating steering assistance torque added to the steering torque applied by the driver;

a detector for detecting steering torque transmitted by the steering shaft; and

a controller, responsive to the detector for detecting steering torque, for controlling the actuator to add steering assistance torque so as to cancel out a change in the steering torque due to the wheel forces controlled by the control for stabilization.

10. The steering device according to claim 9 wherein the controller for controlling the torque added by the actuator cancels the changes in the steering torque due to the wheels forces which are applied by braking controlled by the controller for stabilization.

11. The steering device according to claim 10 wherein the vehicle behavior is at least one of spin and drift.

12. The steering device according to claim 10 wherein the controller for controlling the torque added by the actuator cancels the changes in the steering torque due to the wheels forces which are also applied by driving forces controlled by the controller for stabilization.

13. The steering device according to claim 12 wherein the vehicle behavior is at least one of spin and drift.

14. The steering device according to claim 9 wherein the controller for controlling the torque added by tie actuator cancels the changes in the steering torque due to the wheels forces which are applied by driving forces controlled by the controller for stabilization.

15. The steering device according to claim 14 wherein the vehicle behavior is at least one of spin and drift.

16. The steering device according to claim 9 wherein the vehicle behavior is at least one of spin and drift.