Vehicle steering system

• US 7,516,003 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2007
• Issued: 04/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jtekt Corporation (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Jtekt Corporation (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Maeda, Naoki, Maeda, Shingo, Yamanaka, Kosuke, Maeda, Daisuke, Arima, Masanori, Kouchi, Tatsuma, Ishihara, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Keith; Jack W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LICHTI, MATTHEW L
• Application Number:
  US11/758,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20070288142A1
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 701 41- 43, 701/301, 701/23, 701/300, 180/170, 180/204, 180/443, 180/446
• US Class Current: 701/41
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/286 Systems for interrupting non-mechanical steering due to driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0285 Parking performed automatically

Abstract

A vehicle steering system includes: a steering actuator that imparts a steering force to a steering mechanism of a vehicle; an automatic steering controller that performs an automatic steering control by controlling the steering actuator; a driving state detector that detects a driving state of the vehicle during the automatic steering control; a threshold value setting unit that variably sets a threshold value for permitting an intervention in the automatic steering control; and an automatic steering intervention unit that intervenes in the automatic steering control based on a threshold value set by the threshold value setting unit.

Claims

1. A vehicle steering system comprising:

a steering mechanism including a steering part connected to at least one vehicle wheel to steer the vehicle, and a control member to be manipulated by the driver to control the steering part;

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

an automatic steering controller for performing an automatic steering control by controlling the steering actuator;

a driving state detector for detecting a driving state of the vehicle during the automatic steering control, wherein the detected driving state includes an angular velocity of the control member;

a torque detector that detects a manipulating torque applied to the control member;

torque threshold value setting means for variably setting a torque threshold value for permitting an intervention in the automatic steering control based on the detected driving state, wherein the torque threshold value setting means determines the torque threshold value so as to become smaller as the detected angular velocity of the control member becomes faster; and

automatic steering intervention means for intervening in the automatic steering control when the manipulating torque detected by the torque detector exceeds the torque threshold value set by the threshold value setting means,

whereby the automatic steering intervention means intervenes in the automatic steering control at a lower detected torque for faster detected angular velocities of the control member.

2. The vehicle steering system according to claim 1, wherein the automatic steering intervention means includes an operation speed limiting means for intervening in the automatic steering control in the case that the detected angular velocity of the control member exceeds a predetermined angular velocity threshold value and limiting the angular velocity of the control member to be equal to or lower than the angular velocity threshold value.

3. The vehicle steering system according to claim 2, wherein the operation speed limiting means intervenes in the automatic steering control and limits the angular velocity of the control member to be equal to or lower than the angular velocity threshold value when the manipulating torque detected by the torque detector exceeds the torque threshold value set by the threshold value setting means in the case that a detected angular velocity of the control member exceeds the angular velocity threshold value.

4. A vehicle steering system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the automatic steering intervention means cancels the automatic steering control when the manipulating torque detected by the torque detector exceeds the torque threshold value set by the threshold value setting means in the case that the detected angular velocity of the control member is lower than the angular velocity threshold value.