The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 28, 2000
Filed:
Mar. 10, 1997
Tadaharu Yokota, Kanagawa, JP;
Tatsuyoshi Maruyama, Kanagawa, JP;
Norihiro Saita, Kanagawa, JP;
Toshinori Aihara, Kanagawa, JP;
Unisia Jecs Corporation, Atsugi, JP;
Abstract
A power steering system includes a fluid pump, a steering gear, a high-pressure passage connecting the fluid pump to the steering gear, and a flow control valve having a first chamber forming a part of the high-pressure passage. A metering orifice is disposed in the high-pressure passage between the first chamber and the steering gear. A feedback passage distributes feedback pressure developed in the high-pressure passage downstream of the metering orifice to a second chamber of the flow control valve. An exhaust port communicates with the first chamber. A movable valve spool is disposed in a valve bore and has one end exposed to the first chamber and opposite end exposed to the second chamber. A valve spring is disposed in the second chamber together with a slide coupled with an external actuator. One end of the valve spring is seated on the opposite end of the valve spool and opposite end thereof is seated on the slide. The actuator is responsive to a control signal to position the slide thereby varying force with which the valve spring urges the valve spool. A control unit develops the control signal in response to turning maneuvers.