Abstract: A steering system for a motor vehicle with a steering drive train having at least one steerable wheel, one actuator and one auxiliary drive. The steering wheel is operable by the driver of the vehicle as well as by mechanically configured offset devices. The offset devices have rotating input and output shafts and a predetermined offset angle between the input shaft and the output shaft. The auxiliary drive superimposes the steering motion initiated by the steering wheel and the motion initiated by the actuator to generate the steering motion of the steerable wheel. A control signal dependent on the angular offset and the rotational motion of the input shaft is computed. The actuator is then controlled dependent on at least the generated control signal to initiate the actuator initiated motion. Any structurally unavoidable nonuniformity of rotational motion is compensated for by the superimposition of an appropriate added angle.

Abstract: A steering system for a motor vehicle with at least one steerable wheel, one actuator, and one auxiliary drive. The auxiliary drive superimposes the steering motion initiated by the driver of the vehicle and the motion initiated by the actuator to generate the steering motion of the steerable wheel. A yaw parameter representing the yawing motion of the vehicle is detected, and a control signal is calculated when a predetermined running condition prevails, dependent at least on the detected yaw parameter. The actuator is then controlled by the generated control signal to initiate the motion. A braking parameter representing the braking condition of the vehicle is also detected, and the existence of the running condition is determined dependent on this detected braking parameter whereby yaw behavior is improved. Active steering intervention is switched in only when an external disturbance of vehicle motion is detected.

Abstract: A power steering system for a motor vehicle, comprising a steering wheel actuated by the driver of the vehicle, at least one steered wheel, an actuator motor that is activated to assist the steering movement initiated by the driver and a locking device for locking the steering wheel in at least one predetermined position. The steering wheel is moved to the predetermined position by activation of the actuator motor upon detection of a predetermined preset operating condition. Using the actuator motor to move the steering wheel to the predetermined position frees the driver from having to manually turn the steering wheel to the locking position upon shutdown of the vehicle. This has the advantage of increasing the comfort of such a steering system since the driver is freed from having to turn the steering wheel after shutdown of the vehicle and of increasing protection against theft since the driver does not have to remember to engage the steering lock upon shutdown of the vehicle.

Abstract: A steering system for a motor vehicle, comprising at least one steered axle, an actuator, an actuator motor and a steering mechanism. The actuator and the steering mechanism, respectively, each have a mechanical gear ratio. The steered axle, the actuator motor, the actuator and the steering mechanism are operatively connected with one another. Steering movements initiated by the driver and movements initiated by the actuator motor are superimposed by the actuator. The superimposed movement is passed to the steering gear, which relays this movement as steering angle to the wheels of the steered axle. The steering gear mechanical gear ratio is configured to be variable which enables selectively adjustable relationships between the steering wheel movements and the steering angles of the steered wheels and avoids the loss of good steering feel for the driver.

Abstract: A steering system for a motor vehicle comprising at least one steered wheel, an actuator motor and an actuator, wherein the steering movement initiated by the driver of the vehicle and the movement initiated by the actuator motor are superimposed by the actuator to generate a movement of the steered wheel. The actuator motor is activated for movement by a manipulated variable that depends at least on the steering movement initiated by the driver. Significant for the invention is that the manipulated variable is limited in magnitude. The difference between the manipulated variable and a restricted manipulated variable in parallel through an integrated stage and is superimposed upon the manipulated variable to prevent the vibration of a released steering wheel.