Vehicle steering system

• US 6,871,717 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2003
• Issued: 03/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd. (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd. (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kada, Tomoyasu
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, HAU VAN
• Application Number:
  US10/602,774
• Publication Number:
  US 20040055801A1
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 180/167, 180/168, 180/169, 180/197, 180/446, 180/445, 701/41, 701/37, 701/48, 701/23, 701/10, 701/301
• US Class Current: 180/167
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0265 Automatic obstacle avoidance by steering
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/029 Steering assistants using warnings or proposing actions to the driver without influencing the steering system

Abstract

A steering control unit (3) employs the detected results of environmental conditions given by an environmental-condition detecting unit (5) and issues an operating command to a steering motor (M₁) attached to a steering mechanism (1) as a steering actuator when, for example, an object approaching from behind at a speed exceeding a predetermined speed is detected and when the steering control unit (3) decides there is the possibility that the object may collide with one'"'"'s own vehicle. Then the steering control unit (3) causes the steering motor (M₁) to make the steering mechanism (1) perform forcible steering in order to avoid danger.

Claims

1. A vehicle steering system installed in a vehicle comprising:

an environmental-condition detecting unit which detects environmental-condition in a rear and on both sides of the vehicle at least;

a steering actuator which operates in response to an operation of a steering unit for steering and applying steering force to a steering mechanism;

a decision unit which decides whether an object approaching the vehicle from behind exists and whether the action of steering toward the side of the vehicle can be taken on the basis of the results detected by the environmental-condition detecting unit; and

a control unit which forces the steering actuator to operate on the basis of the result decided by the decision unit irrespective of the operation of the steering unit.

2. The vehicle steering system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit makes the steering actuator perform a forcible steering operation to one side decided to be appropriate by the decision unit when the decision unit decides that an object is approaching the vehicle from behind at a speed exceeding a predetermined relative speed.

3. The vehicle steering system according to claim 1, further comprising an alarm device for issuing a predetermined warning according to the operating command given by the control unit before the steering actuator performs the forcible steering operation.

4. The vehicle steering system according to claim 3, wherein the control unit decides whether a driver takes an avoidance steering during a predetermined period from when the predetermined warning is issued, and

wherein when the control unit decides that the driver does not take the avoidance steering during the predetermined time, the control unit forces the steering actuator to operate.