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. 29, 2011
Filed:
Mar. 18, 2009
Shigeki Ehara, Wako, JP;
Hiroyuki Tokunaga, Wako, JP;
Shigeki Ehara, Wako, JP;
Hiroyuki Tokunaga, Wako, JP;
Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
In an electric power steering system for a vehicle that controls a force that urges a steering wheel toward a neutral position thereof, a control unit () for the system is configured such that an electric motor () for providing an assisting force produces a relatively large returning force when a rotational direction of a steering wheel () agrees with a direction of the steering torque applied to the road wheel (), and a relatively small returning force when a rotational direction of the steering wheel disagrees from a direction of the steering torque applied to the road wheel. Thereby, the effort required for a vehicle operator to steer the vehicle is reduced and the steering feel can be thereby and otherwise improved while providing a favorable returning force that urges a steering wheel toward a neutral position.