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Steering apparatus for automobile

  • US 6,523,637 B1
  • Filed: 02/06/1998
  • Issued: 02/25/2003
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/07/1997
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A steering apparatus for an automotive vehicle having two steerable vehicle wheels moveable to steer the vehicle, comprising:

  • steering operating means;

    a steering mechanism which is not mechanically connected to said steering operating means and which has a shaft, which shaft is connected at either end with a respective vehicle wheel to move the steerable vehicle wheels;

    a pair of steering motors which apply their outputs to the shaft at different positions along the shaft;

    a first detector detecting an operating position of said steering operating means;

    a second detector detecting an operating position of said shaft; and

    a steering control unit calculating a necessary steering force based on a difference between the detected operating position of the steering operating means and detected operating position of the shaft and distributing the necessary steering force in a prescribed ratio between said steering motors so as to determine target values of the outputs of said steering motors, in a normal mode of operation, both of said steering motors are driven in order to jointly produce the necessary steering force to move the pair of steerable vehicle wheels so that steering is performed according to an operation of said steering operating means.

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