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:
Jan. 09, 2001
Filed:
Jan. 05, 1999
Michael Kenneth Liubakka, Livonia, MI (US);
Robert Charles Baraszu, Dearborn, MI (US);
Ronald Joseph Collins, Dearborn, MI (US);
Ford Global Technologies, Inc., Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
A variable assist power steering system (,) uses vehicle speed and steering wheel rate to vary the steering assist provided. A control module (,) receives vehicle speed and steering wheel rate data from sensors (,) and produces a control signal for a flow control valve actuator (,) that bypasses fluid flow from the pump (,) to a reservoir (,), rather than to the steering valve (,) thereby affecting steering valve pressure which controls the rack piston (,) which changes the angle of the front vehicle wheels used for steering. The control module (,) employs first and second calibration tables (,) to determine base and evasive desired actuator current values and then selects a final desired actuator current value using these values in combination with the steering wheel rate data.