Rotary damper resistance for steering system

• US 20070257461A1
• Filed: 05/08/2006
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Lutz, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,594,563 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/89
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/005 means for generating torque on steering wheel or input member, e.g. feedback

Abstract

A damping system for a steer-by-wire vehicle steering system that comprises a viscous damper that accepts a rotational input and interconnecting said damper to the steering input shaft in a manner to impart the damping characteristics of rotary damper to the steering wheel.

Claims

1. A damping system for a steer-by-wire vehicle steering system comprising:

a steering wheel mounted for selective rotation in first and second opposing directions;

an elongate steering shaft having an axis of rotation and first and second opposing ends spaced along said axis of rotation, said steering shaft supported on the vehicle for rotation about said axis of rotation;

said first end of said steering shaft and said steering wheel interconnected such that selective rotation of said steering wheel causes a generally equal rotation of said steering shaft about said axis of rotation;

an input sensor for the vehicle steering system supported on the vehicle relative to said steering shaft such that rotation of said steering shaft is detected by said input sensor, sending a signal to the steering system of the vehicle;

a rotary damper supported on the vehicle and including a rotating structure to dampen rotary input forces transmitted thereto; and

a connecting structure interconnecting said steering shaft and said rotating structure such that rotation forces applied to said steering shaft are transmitted to said rotating structure, applying a resistance to said rotation forces.

2. The damping system of claim 1, wherein said rotary damper is a viscous damper.

3. The damping system of claim 1, wherein the said connecting structure comprises a receiving structure situated along said axis of rotation of said steering shaft, said receiving structure mating with an interface structure on said steering shaft causing said steering shaft and said rotating structure to move generally in unison.

4. The damping system of claim 1, wherein said connecting structure comprises a first gear connected to said steering shaft, a secondary shaft, and a second gear connected to said secondary shaft, said secondary shaft further being connected to said rotating structure, with said first and second gears intermeshing to cause steering shaft rotation to be transferred to said secondary shaft in a manner to cause generally proportional rotation of said rotating structure of said rotary damper.

5. The damping system of claim 1, wherein said connecting structure comprises a first transfer wheel connected to said steering shaft, a secondary shaft, and a second transfer wheel connected to said secondary shaft, said secondary shaft further being connected to said rotating structure, said transfer wheels being interconnected by a force transfer apparatus that causes steering shaft rotation to be transferred to said secondary shaft in manner to cause generally proportional rotation of said rotating structure of said rotary damper.

6. The damping system of claim 4, wherein said first and second transfer wheels are sprockets and said force transfer apparatus is a chain.

7. The damping system of claim 4, wherein said first and second transfer wheels are pulleys and said force transfer apparatus is a belt.

8. The damping system of claim 1, wherein the interconnection between said steering shaft and said steering wheel comprises a stub shaft and a universal connector.

9. The damping system of claim 8, wherein said rotary damper is a viscous damper.

10. The damping system of claim 8, wherein said connecting structure comprises a receiving structure situated along said axis of rotation of said steering shaft, an interface structure, said receiving structure mating with said interface structure on said steering shaft causing said steering shaft and said rotating structure to move generally in unison.

11. The damping system of claim 8, wherein said connecting structure comprises a first gear connected to said steering shaft, a secondary shaft, and a second gear connected to said secondary shaft, said secondary shaft further being connected to said rotating structure, said first and second gears intermeshing to cause steering shaft rotation to be transferred to said secondary shaft in a manner to cause generally proportional rotation of said rotating structure of said rotary damper.

12. The damping system of claim 8, wherein said connecting structure comprises a first transfer wheel connected to said steering shaft, a secondary shaft, and a second transfer wheel connected to said secondary shaft, said secondary shaft further being connected to said rotating structure, said transfer wheels being interconnected by a force transfer apparatus that causes steering shaft rotation to be transferred to said secondary shaft in manner to cause generally proportional rotation of said rotating structure of said rotary damper.

13. The damping system of claim 11, wherein said first and second transfer wheels are sprockets and said force transfer apparatus is a chain.

14. The damping system of claim 11, wherein said first and second transfer wheels are pulleys and said force transfer apparatus is a belt.

15. In an agricultural windrower having a steering system for controlling the direction of travel of said windrower, the improvement in said steering system comprising:

a steering wheel mounted for selective rotation in first and second opposing directions;

an elongate steering shaft having an axis of rotation and first and second opposing ends spaced along said axis of rotation, said steering shaft supported on the windrower for rotation about said axis of rotation;

said first end of said steering shaft and said steering wheel interconnected such that selective rotation of said steering wheel causes a generally equal rotation of said steering shaft about said axis of rotation;

an input sensor for the vehicle steering system supported on the windrower relative to said steering shaft such that rotation of said steering shaft is detected by said input sensor, sending a signal to the steering system of the windrower;

a rotary damper supported on the windrower and including a rotating structure to dampen rotary input forces transmitted thereto; and

a connecting structure interconnecting said steering shaft and said rotating structure such that rotation forces applied to said steering shaft are transmitted to said rotating structure, applying a resistance to said rotation forces.