Device and method for measuring torque in an electromechanical steering system

• US 7,454,986 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2005
• Issued: 11/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Manz, Holger, Wahnschaffe, Klaus, Kwasny, Olaf
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAVIS HOLLINGTON, OCTAVIA L
• Application Number:
  US11/072,096
• Publication Number:
  US 20050182575A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,362 Days
• Field of Search: 738/620.8, 738/18
• US Class Current: 73/862.08
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/021 Determination of steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/10 characterised by means for sensing or determining torque

Abstract

A device and a method for measuring torque for an electromechanical steering system comprises a steering means that is connected in a driving manner to a steering mechanism via a torsion rod which is provided with an input shaft part (101) and an output shaft part (102), an electric servomotor for driving the steering mechanism, the driving activity by the servomotor causing a relative rotational displacement between the input shaft part (101) and the output shaft part (102), a sensor unit (53) for detecting a steering angle (d), a sensor unit (52) for detecting a rotor angle of the servomotor (2), and a virtual torque sensor (54) in which a steering moment (τ_δ) is determined from the steering angle (d) and the rotor angle.

Claims

1. A steering system comprising:

a steering device that is connected drive-wise to a steering mechanism via a torsion bar to an input and an output shaft part, and an electrical servomotor to drive the steering mechanism, wherein the servomotor drive brings about a relative rotation shift between the input shaft part and the output shaft part;

a main system for measuring torque in the torsion bar comprising a torque sensor; and

a backup system for measuring torque in the torsion bar comprising a sensor unit for obtaining the steering angle and a sensor unit for obtaining the rotor angle of the servomotor and takes the form of a virtual torque sensor as well as allows the virtual torque sensor to calculate the steering moment from the steering angle and the rotor angle, wherein the steering torque is determined from the difference between the steering angle and the rotor angle.

2. The steering system according to claim 1, wherein the virtual torque sensor takes the form of a computing unit.

3. The steering system according to claim 1, wherein the virtual torque sensor takes the form of an analog circuit.

4. The steering system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit for obtaining the rotor angle takes the form of an optical or magnetostrictive encoder.

5. The steering system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit for obtaining the steering angle is integrated into the steering device.

6. A method for measuring torque for an electromechanical steering system comprising a steering device that is connected drive-wise to the steering mechanism via a torsion bar to an input and an output shaft part, and an electrical servomotor to drive the steering mechanism, the method comprising the steps of:

measuring torque in the torsion bar by measuring the torque directly with a torque sensor; and

measuring torque in the torsion bar by measuring the torque virtually with a virtual torque sensor by a method comprising the steps of;

obtaining a relative rotation shift between the input shaft part and the output shaft part by the servomotor drive;

obtaining the steering angle and the rotor angle of the servomotor each by a respective sensor unit included in an electromechanical steering system; and

determining a steering moment from the steering angle and the rotor angle within the virtual torque sensor formed within the electromechanical steering system, wherein the steering torque is determined from the difference between the steering angle and the rotor angle.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the virtual torque sensor takes the form of a computing unit processing the sensor signals in digital form.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the virtual torque sensor takes the form of an analog circuit processing the sensor signals in analog form.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the sensor unit for obtaining the rotor angle takes the form of an optical or magnetostrictive encoder.

10. The method according to claim 6, wherein the sensor unit for obtaining the steering angle is integrated into the steering device.

11. A steering system comprising:

a steering device that is connected drive-wise to a steering mechanism via a torsion bar to an input and an output shaft part, and an electrical servomotor to drive the steering mechanism, whereby the servomotor drive brings about a relative rotation shift between the input shaft part and the output shaft part;

a main system for measuring torque in the torsion bar comprising a torque sensor; and

a backup system for measuring torque in the torsion bar comprising a sensor unit for obtaining the steering angle and a sensor unit for obtaining the rotor angle of the servomotor and takes the form of a virtual torque sensor as well as allows the virtual torque sensor to calculate the steering moment from the steering angle and the rotor angle, wherein the sensor unit for obtaining the rotor angle is formed by an optical or magnetostrictive encoder and the sensor unit for obtaining the steering angle is integrated into the steering device, wherein the steering torque is determined from the difference between the steering angle and the rotor angle.

12. The steering system according to claim 11, wherein the virtual torque sensor takes the form of a computing unit.

13. The steering system according to claim 11, wherein the virtual torque sensor takes the form of an analog circuit.