Trw Limited

Zf Automotive UK Limited

Lucas Industries Public Limited Company

Other

Trw Automotive U.S. LLC

Zf Automotive Germany Gmbh

Trw Lucasvarity Electric Steering Limited

Trw Automotives U.S. LLC

Mark Anthony Wilkes

Russell Wilson-Jones

Michael Appleyard

Niclas Davies

Stephen David Butler

John M Ironside

Steven John Horton

Jeffrey Ronald Coles

David Ward

Timothy Buttery

Aleksejs Semjonovs

Lorenz Graeff

Michael James Walsh

John Hiles

Nic Davies

Guillaume Laudijois

Sebastian Granville-Edmunds

Anthony Johnson

A dual motor drive assembly comprising a housing, a shaft rotatably mounted with respect to the housing, a first gear connected to and configured to rotate with the shaft, first and second motors, each having an output driving a respective output gear, the output gears being engaged with the first gear, an allocation arrangement for allocating torque demands to each of the first and second motors, a target friction detection arrangement for determining a target friction, a calculation arrangement for calculating a mechanical friction, wherein the target friction and mechanical friction are compared, and wherein the mechanical friction is modified to meet the target friction by varying the difference between the two motor torque demands when the two motor torques are in opposing directions.

Dual motor drive assembly

A steering column assembly for a vehicle comprises a steering column mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis and configured for attachment to a steering wheel at one end; a first gear connected to the steering column at a location spaced from the end where the steering wheel may be attached and configured to rotate with the steering column; first and second motors; first and second worm screws connected to and rotatable with an output of the first and second motors respectively and engaged with the first gear; and a control arrangement configured to operate the first and second motors. The control arrangement comprises a circuit board located between the first and second worm screws and their respective motors. The circuit board comprises a motor output position sensor for each of the first and second motors.

Steering column assembly for a vehicle

A steering column assembly for a vehicle includes a housing, a shaft, a first gear, first and second motors. The shaft is rotatably mounted with respect to the housing and is configured for attachment of a steering wheel at one end. The first gear is connected to and configured to rotate with the shaft. Each of the first and second motors have an output driving a respective output gear. The output gears are engaged with the first gear, and there being control means configured to operate the motors in a first mode in which the motors apply torque to the first gear in opposite directions and a second mode in which the motors apply torque to the first gear in the same direction.

Steering column assembly

A travel limiter for a rotatable steering column of a vehicle comprises: a housing; an elongate threaded member rotatably mounted about its longitudinal axis within the housing; a nut member threadedly mounted on the elongate threaded member, the exterior of the nut member comprising a toothed gear; connector for connection of a rotatable steering column of a vehicle to the elongate threaded member, whereby the steering column and the threaded member are constrained to rotate together; end stops which engage with the nut member to define the maximum axial displacement of the nut member along the elongate threaded member in both directions; a drive motor having an output shaft configured to rotate an output gear member meshed with the gear on the exterior of the nut member; and a controller configured to control the operation of the drive motor.

Travel limiter for a vehicle steering column

A steering column assembly is disclosed that comprises: an elongate rotatable steering column, a displacement motor, a torque feedback motor; an engagement mechanism and a control. The steering column is configured at one end for attachment of a steering member and is displaceable along its longitudinal axis between a withdrawn, stowed position in which the steering function of the steering column is inhibited and an extended, deployed position in which the steering function of the steering column can be enabled. The displacement motor displaces the steering column between the stowed and deployed positions. The torque feedback motor is connected to the steering column and by which the steering column is rotatable. The engagement mechanism is engaged when the steering column is in the stowed position and limits the angular displacement of the steering column to a predetermined value. A control is configured to control the operation of the displacement motor and torque feedback motor and to inhibit and enable the steering function of the steering column.

A steering torque feedback assembly for a vehicle steering column includes a housing, a first gear rotatably mounted within the housing about a first rotatable axis and being configured to rotate with, or being connected to, a vehicle steering column, first and second electric motors mounted within the housing, each having a rotatable output shaft, second and third gears rotatably mounted within the housing and engaged with the first gear, and first and second reduction gearing connecting the output of the first and second motors and a respective one of the second and third gears.

Torque feedback assembly for a vehicle steering column

A steering torque feedback assembly for a vehicle steering column includes a housing, a crown wheel of a hypoid gear assembly rotatably mounted in the housing and being configured to rotate with, or being connected to, a vehicle steering column, and first and second electric motors within the housing, each having a rotatable output shaft, wherein the output shaft of each of the first and second motors comprises a hypoid pinion gear engaged with the hypoid crown wheel.

A steering column assembly for a vehicle includes a base configured for attachment to a vehicle; an elongate steering column, a movable steering column support, a first guide means, a displaceable carriage, a second guide means as well as first and second displacement means. The steering column may be movably mounted on the base. The first guide means may constrain the steering column support into displacement in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the steering column. The displaceable carriage may be located between the movable steering column support and base. The second guide means may constrain the carriage into displacement in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the steering column. The first displacement means may displace the steering column support with respect to the carriage. The second displacement means may simultaneously displace the carriage with respect to the base.

A steering column assembly for a vehicle includes a housing, an elongate rotatable steering column, a gear and a torque feedback motor. The elongate rotatable steering column is configured at one end for attachment of a steering wheel and is displaceable into and out of the housing along its longitudinal axis (A). The gear is rotatably mounted coaxially with the steering column within the housing and keyed with the steering column. The torque feedback motor is connected to the gear wherein the keyed connection between the steering column and the gear allows longitudinal displacement of the steering column relative to the gear.

A gearbox assembly for an electric power assisted steering system. The gearbox assembly includes a housing, a worm shaft, and a gear wheel, the worm shaft being supported relative to the housing by a main bearing assembly and a tail bearing assembly. The tail bearing assembly at least is free to move relative to the housing, allowing the worm shaft to move radially away from the axis of the gear wheel. The worm shaft is enables to move normal to the worm shaft axis such that it can move in and out of meshing contact with the gear wheel. The assembly further includes a gripping means that acts between the tail bearing assembly and the housing such that torque transmitted through the gear wheel generates a friction force that locks the tail bearing assembly to prevent movement of the worm shaft normal to the worm shaft axis that would otherwise occur.

Gearbox assembly for an electric power steering apparatus

A gearbox assembly for an electric power assisted steering apparatus comprises a gearbox housing which houses a worm shaft and a gear wheel, the worm shaft being supported relative to the housing by a main bearing assembly at an end closest to the motor and by a tail bearing assembly at an end furthest from the motor. The main bearing assembly comprises an inner race and an outer race separated by bearing elements, the outer race being supported by a carrier that is supported by an axle that is in turn secured to gearbox housing, the axle defining a pivot axis for the worm shaft that is located on the side of the worm shaft closest to the wheel gear and extends in a direction orthogonal to the axis of the worm shaft and parallel to the axis of the wheel gear.

Gearbox assembly for an electric power steering assembly

A gearbox assembly for an electric power assisted steering apparatus comprises a gearbox housing which houses a worm shaft and a gear wheel, the worm shaft being supported relative to the housing by a main bearing at an end closest to the motor and by a tail bearing at an end furthest from the motor, and the gear wheel being supported by an output shaft having at least one end that provides a take-off from the gearbox assembly, in which the main bearing and tail bearing are free to move relative to the housing through a limited range of motion that enables the worm shaft to pivot away from the wheel gear facilitated by tilting of the main bearing about a pivot that is fixed relative to the housing, characterised in that the gearbox assembly is arranged such that the pivot reacts the axial component of the worm shaft tooth load that arises when a gearwheel torque is applied to the gearwheel in a first direction but not in a second, opposing, direction, and in that a tensioning device is provided that reacts the axial component of the worm shaft tooth load that arises when a gearwheel torque is applied to the gearwheel in the second direction but not in the first direction.

A gearbox assembly for an electric power assisted steering apparatus. The assembly comprises a gearbox housing which houses a worm shaft and a gear wheel, the worm shaft being supported relative to the housing by a main bearing assembly at an end closest to the motor and by a tail bearing assembly, at an end furthest from the motor, comprising an inner race and an outer race separated by bearing elements. The gearbox assembly further comprises a first guiding surface upon which the outer race is supported, the outer race being able to move by rolling along the guiding surface when a radial load is applied to the tail bearing assembly by the worm shaft, and a guide device which contacts both the outer bearing and a second guiding surface, the biasing spring acting upon the tail bearing assembly indirectly by acting upon the guide device which in turn acts upon the bearing assembly. The gear wheel i supported by an output shaft having at least one end that provides a take-off from the gearbox assembly. The tail bearing assembly is free to move relative to the housing through a limited range of motion that enables the worm shaft to move radially away from the axis of the wheel gear. The apparatus further includes a biasing spring that applies a biasing force to the tail bearing assembly that biases the worm shaft into engagement with the wheel gear.

A telescopic steering column assembly comprising an upper shroud portion and a lower shroud portion is supported by the shroud portions through a support bearing assembly that acts between an upper portion of the telescopic steering shaft and a lower portion of the shroud that move relative to one another axially during telescopic adjustment, in which the support bearing assembly comprises: a set of bearings elements, a bearing cage comprising a sleeve that is located between an outer face of the upper shaft and an inner face of the lower shroud portion and is free to move axially relative to one of the upper shaft and the lower shroud, the cage including pockets that extend through the sleeve, each pocket loosely locating a bearing element such that a portion of the bearing element extends through the cage to engage with a first bearing race surface defined by one of the upper shaft and the shroud, an annular bearing race having a tapered second bearing race surface that engages the bearing elements located between the cage and the upper shaft or the cage and the lower shroud so that the annular bearing race is on the opposite side of the cage to the first bearing surface, and a biasing means which applies an axially directed thrust to the bearing elements to force them into engagement with the second bearing surface of the annular bearing race the thrust being reacted by the second bearing surface.

Steering column assemblies

A telescopic assembly comprises a first portion and a second portion and a support bearing assembly that acts between the two portions; the two portions being able to move relatively along a common path during telescopic adjustment; the support bearing assembly being located between the two portions and locating the two portions relative to one another to remove free play between the two portions that would otherwise occur in at least one direction orthogonal to the telescopic movement; characterized in that the support bearing assembly is fixed in position between the two portions by a release mechanism that is arranged, in use, to cause the support bearing assembly to grip both the first and second portions when they are not moving telescopically, to automatically release that grip upon relative telescopic movement of the two portions that exceeds a predetermined distance, and to automatically re-engage.

Growing community of inventors

Birmingham, United Kingdom

Mark Anthony Wilkes