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. 06, 2004
Filed:
May. 15, 2001
Joseph D. Miller, Farmington Hills, MI (US);
TRW Inc., Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Abstract
An electric power assisted steering system ( ) for a vehicle comprises a steering gear ( ) having a rack bar ( ) and a housing ( ). The rack bar ( ) is movable linearly relative to the housing ( ) for turning steerable wheels ( and ) of the vehicle. An electric motor ( ) is coupled with the rack bar ( ) of the steering gear ( ). Energization of the electric motor ( ) causes linear movement of the rack bar ( ) relative to the housing ( ). At least one vehicle condition sensor senses a vehicle condition and generates a signal indicative of the vehicle condition. A motor current sensor ( ) senses an actual current of the electric motor ( ) and generates a signal indicative of the actual motor current. A single integrated circuit ( ) includes a main processor ( ) and a monitoring processor ( ). The main processor ( ) controls the actual motor current delivered to the electric motor ( ). The monitoring processor ( ) determines if the main processor ( ) is properly functioning.