Vehicle steering apparatus

• US 7,233,850 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2003
• Issued: 06/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jtekt Corporation (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd. (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Hayama, Ryouhei, Nakano, Shirou, Yoshida, Sachio
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US10/696,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20040148078A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,328 Days
• Field of Search: 701 41- 43, 180/234, 180410-413, 180/421, 180443-446
• US Class Current: 701/41
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/00 Devices for measuring, signalling, controlling, or distributing tyre pressure or temperature, specially adapted for mounting on vehicles; Arrangement of tyre inflating devices on vehicles, e.g. of pumps or of tanks; Tyre cooling arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/005 means for generating torque on steering wheel or input member, e.g. feedback
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/008 Changing the transfer ratio between the steering wheel and the steering gear by variable supply of energy, e.g. by using a superposition gear
• 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

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle steering apparatus that detects the tire load, and based on the detected tire load, performs steering control which accurately reflects the road conditions. A vehicle steering apparatus of the present invention includes a control unit 14, which controls a steering actuator in accordance with the operation of a steering wheel 1. An operation reaction force generated by a reaction force actuator 9 is applied to the steering wheel. Within the tire W, stress sensors SL and SR and an air pressure sensor SP are provided. The control unit 14 controls the steering actuator 2 and the reaction force actuator 9 with referring to the tire load detected by these sensors.

Claims

1. A vehicle steering apparatus comprising:

a steering mechanism for turning a steerable tired-wheel;

a steering actuator for providing a steering force to the steering mechanism;

a load detecting unit for detecting a tire load, which is a load applied to a tire of a vehicle; and

a steering control unit for controlling the steering actuator according to the tire load detected by the load detecting unit.

2. The vehicle steering apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the load detecting unit comprises an air pressure detecting unit for detecting an air pressure of the tire.

3. The vehicle steering apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the load detecting unit comprises a stress detecting unit for detecting a stress applied to the tire.

4. The vehicle steering apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the load detecting unit comprises a stress detecting unit for detecting a stress applied to the tire.

5. The vehicle steering apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the stress detecting unit includes a left side stress detecting unit and a right side stress detecting unit for detecting stresses applied to a left side and a right side of the tire, respectively, when viewed toward a direction of travel of the vehicle.

6. The vehicle steering apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

a steering direction detecting unit for detecting a steering direction of the vehicle,

wherein the steering control unit controls the steering actuator based on the steering direction of the vehicle detected by the steering direction detecting unit and stresses detected by the left side stress detecting unit and the right side stress detecting unit, respectively.

7. The vehicle steering apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the steering control unit controls the steering actuator based on the steering direction of the vehicle detected by the steering direction detecting unit and stresses applied on outer portions of the tire when viewed in the direction of travel detected by the left side stress detecting unit and the right side stress detecting unit.

8. The vehicle steering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the steering apparatus comprises a steer-by-wire system.

9. The vehicle steering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the steering apparatus is devoid of a mechanical linkage between a steering wheel and said steering mechanism.

10. The vehicle steering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said steering actuator provides the steering force to the steering mechanism to steer the front left and front right wheels of the vehicle.

11. The vehicle steering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said load detecting unit comprises an air pressure detecting unit for detecting the air pressure of the tire and a stress detecting unit for detecting a stress applied to the tire.

12. The vehicle steering apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said stress detecting unit comprises a right side stress sensor and a left side stress sensor.

13. The vehicle steering apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said air pressure detecting unit and said stress detecting unit are disposed along an interior surface of each tire of the vehicle.

14. A vehicle steering apparatus in which the steering mechanism for turning the steerable wheel is operated according to an operation of an operating member for steering the vehicle, comprising:

a reaction force actuator for providing an operation reaction force to the operating member;

a load detecting unit for detecting a tire load which is applied to a tire of the vehicle; and

a reaction force control unit for controlling the reaction force actuator according to the tire load detected by the load detecting unit.

15. The vehicle steering apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein the load detecting unit comprises an air pressure detecting unit for detecting an air pressure of the tire.

16. The vehicle steering apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein the load detecting unit comprises a stress detecting unit for detecting a stress applied to the tire.

17. The vehicle steering apparatus according to claim 14,

wherein the load detecting unit comprises a stress detecting unit for detecting a stress applied to the tire.

18. The vehicle steering apparatus according to claim 17,

wherein the stress detecting unit comprises a left side stress detecting unit and a right side stress detecting unit for detecting stresses applied to a left side and a right side of the tire, respectively, when viewed toward a direction of travel of the vehicle.

19. The vehicle steering apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising:

a steering direction detecting unit for detecting a steering direction of the vehicle,

wherein the reaction force control unit controls the reaction force actuator based on the steering direction of the vehicle detected by the steering direction detecting unit and stresses detected by the left side stress detecting unit and the right side stress detecting unit, respectively.

20. The vehicle steering apparatus according to claim 19,

wherein the reaction force control unit controls the reaction force actuator based on a steering direction of the vehicle detected by the steering direction detecting unit and the stresses applied on outer portions of the tire when viewed in the direction of travel detected by the left side stress detecting unit and the right side stress detecting unit.

21. A vehicle steering apparatus in which a steering mechanism for turning a steerable tired-wheel is operated according to operation of an operating member to be operated by a driver, comprising:

an actuator for applying a force to the operating member for transmitting information to the driver;

at least one sensor for detecting a physical amount relating to a movement of the vehicle and outputting a detection signal according to a detected result;

a signal analyzing unit for analyzing the detection signal output by the sensor and supplying an analytical solution; and

a control unit for controlling the actuator based on the analytical solution supplied from the signal analyzing unit.

22. The vehicle steering apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising:

a first determining unit for determining whether the analytical solution analyzed by the signal analyzing unit conforms to a predetermined first reference condition; and

a teaching unit for providing, when the analytic solution of the signal analyzing unit conforms to the predetermined first reference condition, a teaching corresponding to a result of determination to the driver.

23. The vehicle steering apparatus according to claim 22 , further comprising:

a second determining unit for determining whether the analytical solution analyzed by the signal analyzing unit conforms to a predetermined second reference condition;

wherein when the analytic solution of the signal analyzing unit is determined to conform to the second reference condition by the second determining unit, the control unit controls the actuator according to the analytic solution.

24. The vehicle steering apparatus according to claim 22, further comprising:

a second determining unit for determining whether or not the analytical solution analyzed by the signal analyzing unit conforms to a predetermined second reference condition;

wherein when the analytic solution of the signal analyzing unit is determined to conform the second reference condition.

25. A vehicle steering apparatus for operating a steering mechanism for turning a steerable tired-wheel according to an operation of an operating member to be operated by a driver, comprising:

an actuator for applying a force to the operating member for transmitting information to the driver;

a load detecting unit for detecting a tire load which is a load to be applied to a tire of the vehicle;

a steering mechanism system detecting unit for detecting a physical amount applied to the steering mechanism;

a vehicle condition detecting unit for detecting the physical amount relating to the movement of the vehicle;

a control unit for controlling the actuator based on a result detected by at least one of the load detecting unit, the steering mechanism system detecting unit, and the vehicle condition detecting unit; and

a teaching unit for giving a predetermined teaching to a driver based on the result detected by at least one of the load detecting unit, the steering mechanism system detecting unit, and the vehicle condition detecting unit.