Abstract: A vehicle steering system is disclosed that includes a steering portion, a steered portion, and a clutch mechanism. The steering portion includes operations input mechanism and a reaction adding device. The steered portion includes steering controlled wheels and a steered force adding device. The clutch mechanism mechanically connects the steering portion and steered portion through an engagement. The clutch mechanism has a permanent magnet and an electromagnetic coil so as to form an electromagnetic clutch that releases when a current is applied such that a magnetic force in the direction that cancels a magnetic force of the permanent magnet is generated for the electromagnetic coil. The electromagnetic clutch engages when a current is not applied to the electromagnetic coil.

Abstract: A steering controller is provided for use in a steering system in which a steering unit having a steering wheel 6 and a reaction motor 5 and a direction varying unit having steered wheels 16,16 and a direction varying motor 14 are mechanically disconnected from each other. Here, the steering controller performs: a direction varying torque control process for outputting a control command for applying a direction varying torque to the direction varying unit in accordance with the steering status of the steering wheel 6 to the direction varying motor 14; a steering reaction control process for outputting a control command for applying a steering reaction torque to the steering unit in accordance with the direction varying status of the steered wheels 16,16 to the reaction motor 5; and an control process for giving an end contact feeling to a driver through the steering wheel 6 the vicinity of a turning limit is reached.

Abstract: In a steering control system comprising a steering component having a steering wheel and a steering reaction force actuator, a turning component having vehicle turning wheels and a turning actuator, and a backup mechanism for alternately mechanically separating and linking the steering and turning components, there is provided a steer-by-wire control unit selectively separated from the backup mechanism for executing steer-by-wire control of the turning actuator to a turning angle corresponding to the steering condition and control of the steering reaction force actuator for imparting steering reaction force corresponding to the turning condition, a steering assistance control unit selectively linked to the backup mechanism for executing steering assistance control for at least one of the steering reaction force actuator and the turning actuator, and a control switching unit for controlling a shift, upon attainment of predetermined conditions, between control by the steer-by-wire control unit and control by th

Abstract: A vehicle steering apparatus includes a steering input section having at least a steering wheel to which steering input is applied, and a steering output section having at least a steering rack shaft and operatively associated with left and right steered wheels for steering the steered wheels by steering-rack-shaft movement produced by a steering force determined based on the steering input and transmitted directly or indirectly to the steering rack shaft. The steering rack shaft is split into left and right movable rack shaft portions. Also provided is a steer angle converter enabling a differential rack stroke between left and right rack strokes of the left and right movable rack shaft portions. The steer angle converter is constructed by at least one of a variable-pitch dual rack arrangement and a dual taper-pulley arrangement of a cable back-up mechanism.