Vehicle steering system and manufacturing method for vehicle steering system

• US 9,662,755 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2015
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jtekt Corporation (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Jtekt Corporation (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamanaka, Kosuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughan, Jason L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Meneghini, Amanda
• Application Number:
  US14/679,782
• Publication Number:
  US 20150209921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 19/04 for assembling or disassembling parts
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/001 Mechanical components or aspects of steer-by-wire systems, not otherwise provided for in this maingroup
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/0427 the axes being coaxial
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/0448 Ball nuts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49945 by driven force fit

Abstract

Provided is a vehicle steering system that is able to restrict a travel amount of a steered shaft in a housing, that is small and that has an excellent strength. The vehicle steering system is a steer-by-wire vehicle steering system that converts rotative power of electric motors into a movement of a steered shaft in an axial direction via a ball screw mechanism. One of contact portions at respective ends of a screw shaft at an intermediate part of the steered shaft passes through a rotor based on a moving direction of the steered shaft so as to contact a corresponding one of the corresponding stoppers thereby restricting a travel amount of the steered shaft. The stoppers are made of a material different from that of the housing and having a high strength.

Claims

1. A manufacturing method for a steer-by-wire vehicle steering system that converts rotative power of an electric motor into a movement of a steered shaft in an axial direction via a ball screw mechanism, the manufacturing method comprising:

a temporarily-fitting step of loosely fitting first and second stoppers for restricting an axial travel amount of the steered shaft, to loose fit portions of fitting surfaces respectively formed at first and second end portions of a tubular housing; and

a fully-fitting step of reciprocating the steered shaft in the axial direction, thereby tightly fitting the stoppers to tight fit portions of the corresponding fitting surfaces by first and second contact portions located at first and second end portions of a threaded shaft of the steered shaft.

2. The manufacturing method for a vehicle steering system according to claim 1, wherein, in the fully-fitting step, the steered shaft is axially driven by the electric motor via the ball screw mechanism.

3. The manufacturing method for a vehicle steering system according to claim 2, wherein, in the fully-fitting step, a timing to stop driving of the steered shaft is determined based on an output from a load sensor that detects an axial force of the steered shaft.

4. The manufacturing method for a vehicle steering system according to claim 3, wherein, in the fully-fitting step, a timing to stop driving of the steered shaft is determined based on an output from a rotation angle sensor that detects a rotation angle of a rotor of the electric motor.

5. The manufacturing method for a vehicle steering system according to claim 2, wherein, in the fully-fitting step, a timing to stop driving of the steered shaft is determined based on an output from a rotation angle sensor that detects a rotation angle of a rotor of the electric motor.

6. The manufacturing method for a vehicle steering system according to claim 1, wherein, in the fully-fitting step, the steered shaft is axially driven by an actuator provided outside the vehicle steering system.

7. The manufacturing method for a vehicle steering system according to claim 6, wherein, in the fully-fitting step, a timing to stop driving of the steered shaft is determined based on an output from a rotation angle sensor that detects a rotation angle of a rotor of the electric motor.