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:
Jul. 04, 2000
Filed:
Feb. 19, 1998
Applicant:
Inventors:
Assignees:
Koyo Seiko Co., LTD, Osaka, JP;
Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aichi, JP;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B62D / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
180402 ; 701 41 ;
Abstract
A vehicle steering apparatus comprising a driver's hands free state detector detecting a driver's hands free state when returning of a steering wheel to its neutral position, for controlling a reaction force to be applied to the steering wheel a steering operating angle of the steering wheel or a returning angular speed of the steering wheel, on the basis of the detection signal issued from the driver's hands free state detector. The driver's hands free state detector detects a driver's hands free state on the basis of at least vehicle speed and steering torque.