Electric power-assist steering system

• US 8,392,066 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2010
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Ehara, Shigeki, Tokunaga, Hiroyuki, Kobayashi, Hiroaki, Banno, Yoshifumi
• Primary Examiner(s): BURGESS, JOSEPH D
• Application Number:
  US12/775,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20100286868A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: 701/41
• US Class Current: 701/41
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/021 Determination of steering angle

Abstract

An electric power-assist steering system that provides a steering assist control in accordance with the steering angle right after the idle stop to reduce an unpleasant steering feeling and is installed in a vehicle having an idle stop mechanism (engine controller) that automatically performs an idle stop operation in a predetermined condition. The electric power-assist steering system includes a torque sensor, a steering angle sensor for detecting a steering angle relative to a midpoint of a steering angle that is learned, an electric motor whose assist force is controlled based on the steering torque and the steering angle, and a resolver for detecting a rotational angle of the electric motor. A steering angle right after the idle stop is determined based on the steering angle detected by the steering angle sensor right before the idle stop and variation in the rotational angle detected by the resolver during the idle stop.

Claims

1. An electric power-assist steering system, comprising:

a torque sensor for detecting a steering torque;

a steering angle sensor for detecting a steering angle relative to a midpoint of a steering angle that is learned;

an electric motor whose assist force is controlled based on the steering torque detected by the torque sensor and the steering angle detected by the steering angle sensor;

a resolver for detecting a rotational angle of the electric motor;

an idle stop mechanism that automatically performs an idle stop of an engine based upon a predetermined condition; and

a controller that determines a steering angle right after the idle stop is performed by the idle stop mechanism based on the steering angle detected by the steering angle sensor right before the idle stop and variation in the rotational angle detected by the resolver during the idle stop.

2. A vehicle, comprising:

an engine that drives wheels of the vehicle;

an idle stop mechanism that automatically performs an idle stop of the engine based upon a predetermined condition;

a torque sensor for detecting a steering torque;

a steering angle sensor for detecting a steering angle relative to a midpoint of a steering angle that is learned;

an electric motor whose assist force is controlled based on the steering torque detected by the torque sensor and the steering angle detected by the steering angle sensor;

a resolver for detecting a rotational angle of the electric motor; and

a controller that determines a steering angle right after the idle stop initiated by the idle stop mechanism, wherein the steering angle determined right after the idle stop is based on the steering angle detected by the steering angle sensor right before the idle stop and variation in the rotational angle detected by the resolver during the idle stop.