Steering angle detection device for electric power steering apparatus

• US 6,957,713 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2004
• Issued: 10/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Koki Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Koki Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Tomita, Akihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): LUBY, MATTHEW D
• Application Number:
  US10/825,322
• Publication Number:
  US 20040210366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 180/443, 180/444, 180/446, 701/41, 738/623.26, 738/623.25, 738/620.8, 738/623.28, 738/621.93
• US Class Current: 180/446
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0215 by measuring on the steering column
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0235 by measuring or deriving directly at the electric power steering motor

Abstract

In a steering angle detection device for an electric power steering apparatus, a steering wheel shaft rotation angle is derived by calculating a rotation angle signal which corresponds to a rotation angle of a steering wheel shaft within a single rotation, based upon detection signals of first and second resolvers which detect the rotation angle of the steering wheel shaft and which have different pole pair numbers. A third resolver detects, as a motor rotation angle, a rotation angle of an output shaft of an electric motor that imparts assistance force to an output member of a steering gear having a reduction ratio that varies in accordance with a steering angle of the steering wheel from a straight ahead position. A first derivative and a second derivative of the motor rotation angle with respect to the steering wheel shaft rotation angle are calculated, and a rotational direction and a rotation number of the steering wheel shaft from a neutral position are obtained based on the first derivative and a positive-negative sign of the second derivative. A steering angle of the steering wheel is then obtained from the rotation direction and the rotation number of the steering wheel shaft from the neutral position, and the steering wheel shaft rotation angle.

Claims

1. A steering angle detection device for an electric power steering apparatus in which a steering wheel shaft coupled to a steering wheel, the steering wheel being capable of multiple rotations to left and right, respectively, from a straight ahead position, is coupled to a steered vehicle wheel via a steering gear having a reduction ratio that varies in accordance with a steering angle of the steering wheel from the straight ahead position, and in which a transmission mechanism couples an electric motor that imparts assistance force corresponding to a steering torque to an output member of the steering gear, comprising:

a first resolver and a second resolver which detect a rotation angle of the steering wheel shaft and which have mutually different pole pair numbers;

a third resolver that detects a motor rotation angle that is a rotation angle of an output shaft of the electric motor;

a steering wheel shaft rotation angle calculation unit that calculates a steering wheel shaft rotation angle that is a rotation angle of the steering wheel shaft within a single rotation thereof, based upon respective detection signals from the first resolver and the second resolver,

a differential calculation unit that calculates a first derivative and a second derivative of the motor rotation angle with respect to the steering wheel shaft rotation angle during rotation of the steering wheel shaft;

a steering wheel shaft rotation number calculation unit that derives a rotation direction and a rotation number of the steering wheel shaft from a neutral position based on the first derivative and a positive-negative sign of the second derivative; and

a steering angle calculation unit that calculates the steering angle of the steering wheel based on the rotation direction and the rotation number of the steering wheel shaft from the neutral position, and the steering wheel shaft rotation angle.

2. The steering angle detection device for an electric power steering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the steering wheel shaft rotation number calculation unit stores one of a design value and a measurement value of the first derivative with respect to the steering angle of the steering wheel in a memory unit as one of a map and a calculation formula, and derives the rotation direction and the rotation number of the steering wheel shaft from the neutral position based on the first derivative and the positive-negative sign of the second derivative, using one of the map and the calculation formula.

3. The steering angle detection device for an electric power steering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first resolver and the second resolver detect a rotation angle of a first shaft of a torque sensor coupled to the steering wheel shaft,

the second resolver detects a rotation angle of a second shaft of the torque sensor, the second shaft being coupled to the first shaft via a torsion bar,

the steering gear is configured from a variable ratio rack-and-pinion mechanism in which a specific stroke that is a first derivative of a movement amount of a rack shaft with respect to a rotation angle of a pinion varies in accordance with movement of the rack shaft to left and right from a central position,

the transmission mechanism is configured such that the output shaft of the electric motor is rotationally coupled to a nut that is screwed to a ball screw provided on the rack shaft, and

the third resolver detects the rotation angle of the output shaft of the electric motor.

4. The steering angle detection device for an electric power steering apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the first resolver and the second resolver detect a rotation angle of a first shaft of a torque sensor coupled to the steering wheel shaft,

the second resolver detects a rotation angle of a second shaft of the torque sensor, the second shaft being coupled to the first shaft via a torsion bar,

the steering gear is configured from a variable ratio rack-and-pinion mechanism in which a specific stroke that is a first derivative of a movement amount of a rack shaft with respect to a rotation angle of a pinion varies in accordance with movement of the rack shaft to left and right from a central position,

the transmission mechanism is configured such that the output shaft of the electric motor is rotationally coupled to a nut that is screwed to a ball screw provided on the rack shaft, and

the third resolver detects the rotation angle of the output shaft of the electric motor.