Trw Automotive U.S. LLC

Trw Limited

Other

Trw Automative U.S. LLC

Daniel E Williams

William A Szabela

Kenneth A Sherwin

Mark A Cartwright

Philip S Peterson

Juan Redin

David C Black

Jonathan A Lewis

Abraham H Ghaphery

Mark D Morris

Amine Nhila

Anthony G Gillam

Caron J Black

Elbert Owens

Bob Johnson

An apparatus for use in turning steerable vehicle wheels includes a power steering motor assembly connected with the steerable vehicle wheels. A first pump connected with the power steering motor assembly is continuously driven by an engine of the vehicle, during operation of the engine, to supply fluid under pressure to the power steering motor assembly. A second pump connected with the power steering motor assembly is continuously driven by an engine of the vehicle, during operation of the engine. A valve connected with the power steering motor assembly and the second pump directs fluid flow from the second pump to at least one of the power steering motor assembly and reservoir during operation of both the first pump and the second pump. A pumping mechanism includes a first pumping area defining the first pump and a second pumping area defining the second pump. The first pumping area is smaller than the second pumping area.

Power steering apparatus

A hydraulically assisted steering system comprises a fixed displacement hydraulic pump fluidly connected to a steering gear to deliver pressurized fluid to the steering gear. The flow of pressurized fluid includes pressure pulses produced by the pump. A bypass valve diverts a portion of the flow of pressurized fluid away from the steering gear before reaching the steering gear. Valve control apparatus electrically connected to the bypass controls operation of the bypass valve. The valve control apparatus includes a piezoelectric element to which the pressure pulses are applied. The piezoelectric element produces electrical signals in response to the applied pressure pulses. The valve control apparatus controls operation of the bypass valve in response to at least one parameter of the electrical signals.

Hydraulically assisted steering system

An apparatus for use in turning steerable vehicle wheels includes a power steering motor assembly connected with the steerable vehicle wheels. A first pump connected with the power steering motor assembly is continuously driven by an engine of the vehicle to supply fluid under pressure to the power steering motor assembly. A second pump connected with the power steering motor assembly is continuously driven by an engine of the vehicle. A valve connected with the power steering motor assembly and the second pump directs fluid flow from the second pump to at least one of the power steering motor assembly and reservoir during operation of both the first pump and the second pump. A pumping mechanism includes a first pumping area defining the first pump and a second pumping area defining the second pump. The first pumping area is smaller than the second pumping area.

An apparatus () for use in turning steerable vehicle wheels () includes a steering member () which is linearly movable relative to the vehicle to effect turning movement of the steerable vehicle wheels. A pinion () is disposed in meshing engagement with a rack portion () of the steering member (). A steering column () is connected with the pinion () and with a vehicle steering wheel () such that rotation of the steering wheel results in linear movement of the steering member. An electrically powered steering unit () is connected to the steering member () for providing steering feel to the operator. A hydraulic power steering motor () mechanically connected to the steering member provides steering assist to the steerable wheels ().

Apparatus for use in turning steerable vehicle wheels

An apparatus for use in turning steerable vehicle wheels upon manual rotation of a hand wheel includes a torque sensor connected with a torque sensor and a rear steering gear. The controller selectively controls the rear steering gear in response to an output from the torque sensor upon manual application of at least a predetermined torque to the hand wheel. The controller selectively controls the rear steering gear in response to the output from the torque sensor through a first range of turning movement of the front wheels so that the steering angle of the rear wheels has a first relationship to the steering angle of the front wheels and through a second range of turning movement of the front wheels so that the steering angle of the rear wheels has a second relationship different from the first relationship.

Steering apparatus

An apparatus for use in turning steerable vehicle wheels includes a power steering motor assembly connected with the steerable vehicle wheels. An engine driven pump connected with the power steering motor assembly is driven by an engine of the vehicle to supply fluid under pressure to the power steering motor assembly. A controller increases engine speed when the vehicle is motionless and a steering wheel is rotated. A method for controlling the speed of an engine to provide a predetermined steering assist to a steering apparatus includes determining if the vehicle is motionless and determining if the steering wheel is being rotated. The speed of the engine is increased if the vehicle is motionless and the steering wheel is being rotated to provide the predetermined steering assist to the steering apparatus.

Power steering apparatus and method

A steering apparatus () responsive to rotation of a handwheel () for turning steerable wheels () includes a first steering gear () actuatable to affect turning of a first set () of steerable wheels () and a second steering gear () actuatable to affect turning of a second set () of steerable wheels (). A torque transmission device () includes an input member () connected to the handwheel (). A first output member () is mechanically coupled to the input member () and connected to the first steering gear () for actuating the first steering gear (). A second output member () is mechanically coupled to the input member () and connected to the second steering gear () for actuating the second steering gear (). A sensor () senses at least one condition of the handwheel () and provides a steering signal to a controller () that receives the steering signal and controls rotation of the input member () of the torque transmission device () for controlling actuation of the first and second steering gears ().

Steering apparatus for turning multiple sets of steerable vehicle wheels

An apparatus () for turning steerable wheels () of a vehicle () in response to input to a driver control interface () includes a sensor () for monitoring steering input to the driver control interface () and for providing a steering input signal indicative of the monitored steering input. Front and rear steering systems (and) are actuatable for turning front and rear sets of steerable wheels (), respectively. A controller (), upon a malfunction of the front steering-system (), actuates only the rear steering system () in response to the steering input signal.

Steering apparatus for a vehicle having front and rear steerable wheels

A method for controlling a steering apparatus () of a vehicle produces an error signal () by subtracting a hand wheel torque () and a column torque () from a desired operator torque () to be applied to a hand wheel () of the vehicle. A controller () receives at least one vehicle condition signal () and determines the desired operator torque (). The desired operator torque () is filtered into a low frequency torque component () and a high frequency torque component (). The steering apparatus () is controlled based on the low frequency torque component () and the high frequency torque component ().

Method of controlling a vehicle steering apparatus

A method for controlling a steering apparatus () of a vehicle includes providing a steering signal () indicative of a steering maneuver to be performed. A desired parameter of the steering apparatus is calculated during the steering maneuver when no external force is applied to a hand wheel () of the vehicle. The parameter is measured during the steering maneuver. A mode signal () is produced by comprising the desired parameter to the parameter. The vehicle is placed in one of an autonomous driving mode and a manual driving mode based on the mode signal ().

An apparatus includes a hydraulic power steering motor. A continuously variable transmission has an input shaft rotatable under the influence of force transmitted from the engine and an output shaft operable to drive a pump. The continuously variable transmission is operable to drive the pump at a first speed when one of the input and output shafts of the continuously variable transmission rotates at a first speed. The continuously variable transmission is operable to drive the pump at a second speed when the one of the input and output shafts rotates at a second speed. A centrifugal sensor is connected with the one of the input and output shafts. The centrifugal sensor transfers rotational movement of the one of the input and output shafts to a linearly displaceable input member of the continuously variable transmission to change the speed at which the pump is driven.

An apparatus () for use in turning steerable vehicle wheels () includes a hydraulic power steering motor (). A pump () having an outlet port () is connected in fluid communication with the power steering motor () and operable to supply hydraulic fluid to the power steering motor (). A continuously variable transmission () is connected with the engine of the vehicle and the pump (). The continuously variable transmission () is operable to drive the pump () at a first speed when the pressure at the outlet port () is at a first pressure. The continuously variable transmission () is operable to drive the pump () at a second speed when the pressure at the outlet port () is at a second pressure different than the first pressure. The first speed at which the pump () is driven is greater than the second speed.

An improved apparatus () for steering rear wheels () of a vehicle () includes hydraulic motor () having chambers () which hold hydraulic fluid. An increase in fluid pressure in one of the chambers turns the steerable rear wheels of the vehicle in a first direction. An increase in fluid pressure in another one of the chambers turns the steerable rear wheels in a second direction. A control valve () is connected in fluid communication with the chambers () of the hydraulic motor. The control valve () is free of a return flow of hydraulic fluid from the motor (). A return conduit () is connected with the chambers () and conducts a flow of hydraulic fluid to a reservoir () along a path which is spaced from the control valve (). The motor () may include springs () which are disposed in the chambers () of the motor. Biasing sleeves () are effective to transmit force from the springs to a piston ().

A steering apparatus () for turning steerable wheels of a vehicle in response to rotation of a vehicle steering wheel () comprises a first assembly (), a second assembly (), and a mechanism (). The first assembly is operatively coupled to the steering wheel and includes components () for monitoring applied torque and angular rotation of the steering wheel. The second assembly includes a steering gear () and components () for actuating the steering gear in response to the monitored rotation. The mechanism, when in a first mode of operation provides a mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the steering gear. The mechanism when in the second mode of operation, providing a mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the steering gear sufficient to enable manual actuation of the steering gear and permit actuation of the steering gear in response to the monitored steering wheel rotation.

Steer-by-wire steering apparatus with actuatable mechanism

An apparatus () for turning steerable wheels () of a vehicle in response to turning of a steering wheel () of the vehicle. The apparatus includes a hydraulic power steering gear, which does not include a rotary valve responsive to a steering input generated by turning of a steering wheel (). The hydraulic steering gear includes a first chamber () for holding hydraulic fluid and a second chamber () for holding hydraulic fluid. An increase in fluid pressure in one chamber acts to turn the steerable wheels () of the vehicle in one direction and an increase in fluid pressure in the other chamber acts to turn the steerable wheels () in a direction opposite the one direction. The apparatus () includes a variable flow mechanism () for supplying a flow of hydraulic fluid to the first and second chambers (), which flow varies in dependence upon at least one sensed vehicle condition.

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Lebanon, IN, United States of America

Daniel E Williams