Motor-driven power steering apparatus

• US 7,477,036 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2005
• Issued: 01/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Showa Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Showa Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Koike, Yohei, Kasuga, Takahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Benson; Walter
• Assistant Examiner(s): Paul; Antony M
• Application Number:
  US11/073,905
• Publication Number:
  US 20060022619A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,408 Days
• Field of Search: 318/52, 318/489, 180/197, 180/207
• US Class Current: 318/489
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/0469 End-of-stroke control
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/0481 monitoring the steering system, e.g. failures
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 7/2913 whereby the speed is regulated by measuring the motor speed and comparing it with a given physical value

Abstract

In a motor-driven power steering apparatus for converting rotation of an electric motor into a linear stroke of a rack shaft by an interposition of a power transmission mechanism and steering a tire wheel connected to the rack shaft, there is provided a motor slip detecting means for previously determining a cumulative rotational speed of the electric motor corresponding to a maximum stroke displacement amount of the rack shaft, integrating the rotational speed of the electric motor, and estimating that slip or idle running is generated in a rotational force transmission system from the electric motor to the rack shaft, where the integral rotational speed of the electric motor becomes more than a prescribed cumulative rotational speed.

Claims

1. A motor-driven power steering apparatus, comprising:

a motor slip detecting structure for determining a cumulative rotational speed of an electric motor corresponding to a maximum stroke displacement amount of the rack shaft, integrating the detected rotational speed of the electric motor, and estimating that undesirable slip is generated in a rotational force transmission system between the electric motor to the rack shaft, in the event that all the force generated by the electric motor is not transferred to the rack shaft, where the integral rotational speed of the electric motor becomes more than a prescribed cumulative rotational speed, wherein rotation of the electric motor is converted into a linear stroke of a rack shaft by a power transmission mechanism for steering a tire wheel connected to the rack shaft.

2. A motor-driven power steering apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a control structure for stop controlling the electric motor where the motor slip detecting means detects the slip generation in the rotational force transmission system of the electric motor.

3. A motor-driven power steering apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an alarm outputting means for outputting an alarm where the motor slip detecting means detects the slip generation in the rotational force transmission system of the electric motor.

4. A motor-driven power steering apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising an alarm outputting means for outputting an alarm where the motor slip detecting means detects the slip generation in the rotational force transmission system of the electric motor.

5. A motor-driven power steering apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein rotational force of a drive pulley fixed to a rotating shaft of the electric motor is coupled in driving to the rack shaft via a power transmission mechanism including a driven pulley connected to the drive pulley by a wound body.

6. A motor-driven power steering apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein rotational force of a drive pulley fixed to a rotating shaft of the electric motor is coupled in driving to the rack shaft via a power transmission mechanism including a driven pulley connected to the drive pulley by a wound body.

7. A motor-driven power steering apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein rotational force of a drive pulley fixed to a rotating shaft of the electric motor is coupled in driving to the rack shaft via a power transmission mechanism including a driven pulley connected to the drive pulley by a wound body.

8. A motor-driven power steering apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein rotational force of a drive pulley fixed to a rotating shaft of the electric motor is coupled in driving to the rack shaft via a power transmission mechanism including a driven pulley connected to the drive pulley by a wound body.

9. A motor-driven power steering apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein rotational force of a drive gear fixed to a rotating shaft of the electric motor is coupled in driving to the rack shaft via a power transmission mechanism including a driven gear engaged with the drive gear.

10. A motor-driven power steering apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein rotational force of a drive gear fixed to a rotating shaft of the electric motor is coupled in driving to the rack shaft via a power transmission mechanism including a driven gear engaged with the drive gear.

11. A motor-driven power steering apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein rotational force of a drive gear fixed to a rotating shaft of the electric motor is coupled in driving to the rack shaft via a power transmission mechanism including a driven gear engaged with the drive gear.

12. A motor-driven power steering apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein rotational force of a drive gear fixed to a rotating shaft of the electric motor is coupled in driving to the rack shaft via a power transmission mechanism including a driven gear engaged with the drive gear.

13. A motor-driven power steering apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein rotational force of a drive gear fixed to a rotating shaft of the electric motor is coupled in driving to the rack shaft via a power transmission mechanism including a driven gear engaged with the drive gear.

14. A motor-driven power steering apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein rotational force of a drive gear fixed to a rotating shaft of the electric motor is coupled in driving to the rack shaft via a power transmission mechanism including a driven gear engaged with the drive gear.

15. A motor-driven power steering apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein rotational force of a drive gear fixed to a rotating shaft of the electric motor is coupled in driving to the rack shaft via a power transmission mechanism including a driven gear engaged with the drive gear.

16. A motor-driven power steering apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein rotational force of a drive gear fixed to a rotating shaft of the electric motor is coupled in driving to the rack shaft via a power transmission mechanism including a driven gear engaged with the drive gear.