With Condition Modulated Steering Patents (Class 180/410)
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Patent number: 11891117Abstract: A steering control unit and to a method of controlling the steering of a multi-unit vehicle is provided, the vehicle having a plurality of vehicle parts movably connected to one another and a plurality of steerable axle units. A first axle control unit is in conjunction with a first steerable axle unit and at least one second axle control unit is in conjunction with at least one second steerable axle unit. The steering control system has a central control module that is connected to the axle control units via a common data line for exchange of steering angle data. The axle control units have data interfaces for communication via the data line. The data interfaces transfer mutually identical data formats, whereby the steering control system is set up in a modular manner with a variable number of axle control units that can be integrated.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2021Date of Patent: February 6, 2024Assignee: HÜBNER GMBH & CO. KGInventor: Uwe Bittroff
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Patent number: 11873046Abstract: An electrical method for centering telehandler rear wheels preferably includes an electronic control module (ECM), a rear steering cylinder, a pair of rear centering valves, a front steering cylinder, a steer mode valve, at least one steering position sensor, a steering control unit and a mode selection switch. The front and rear steering cylinders are connected to the steer mode valve. The steering control unit directs hydraulic fluid from a hydraulic pump to flow into the front and rear steering cylinders to turn the wheels. A 2W steering mode requires that the rear wheels be straight before going from a 4W steering mode into the 2W steering mode. The ECM monitors a position of the rear wheels through the at least one steering position sensor. If the wheels are not straight, the ECM will open a centering valve to straighten the rear wheels, before going into the 2W steering mode.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2021Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignees: ZOOMLION HEAVY INDUSTRY NA, INC., ZOOMLION HEAVY INDUSTRY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Mir H. Azam, Javad Saberi Shakib, Guy A. Moore, Calvin Tyler
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Patent number: 11845497Abstract: A flat towed vehicle includes a battery and wheels and a supplemental fuse. A transfer case generates a transfer case status signal an electric power steering system coupled to the wheels and the battery through the supplemental fuse. The electrical power steering system has a tow mode and a driven mode. The electric power steering system enters the tow mode when the supplement fuse communicates battery power to the electrical power steering system and the transfer case status signal corresponding to a neutral position.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2020Date of Patent: December 19, 2023Assignee: FCA US LLCInventors: Terry Gavit, Jonathan Kuhn, James K Beeler, Dineshkumar Rajendran, Joshua H Green, Adam Mucciacco, Logan Schoenfield
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Patent number: 11679802Abstract: A steering control device includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit detects an absolute steering angle. The electronic control unit controls driving of a motor. The electronic control unit determines whether movement of a turning shaft to one of right and left sides has been limited by an end contact or execution of end contact relaxation control. The electronic control unit acquires a plurality of limit position determination angles corresponding to the absolute steering angle. The electronic control unit permits update of an end-position-corresponding angle. The electronic control unit updates the end-position-corresponding angle stored in the electronic control unit.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2020Date of Patent: June 20, 2023Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATIONInventors: Takafumi Yamaguchi, Takahiro Toko, Nobuaki Kataoka, Yukinobu Ezaki
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Patent number: 11254304Abstract: The present disclosure provides a control method and apparatus for an autonomous vehicle, a computer device and a storage medium. The current steering wheel angle, vehicle speed and yaw rate are obtained, the current steering wheel angle is corrected based on the first correction deviation coefficient and the second correction deviation coefficient of the previous cycle, the corrected steering wheel angle and the current vehicle speed are input into the preset vehicle dynamic model to obtain the estimated yaw rate, the first yaw rate deviation value between the current yaw rate and the estimated yaw rate is obtained, and processed by the preset closed-loop algorithm to obtain the first correction deviation coefficient and the second correction deviation coefficient of the current cycle, and the target steering wheel angle is corrected, and the vehicle is driven based on the corrected target steering wheel angle.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2020Date of Patent: February 22, 2022Assignee: Apollo Intelligent Driving Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd.Inventors: Wenchuang Qin, Xiapeng Peng, Jiayong Huang, Ke Tang, Qiyang Shao, Xuguang Lv
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Patent number: 11142077Abstract: A method for operating a motor vehicle which includes at least one wheel axle having two drive wheels, each drive wheel being drivable with the aid of a wheel-specific drive unit for the purpose of moving the motor vehicle on a roadway. It is provided that the drive units of the wheel axle are controlled as a function of a difference between the longitudinal forces applicable at the drive wheels of the wheel axle to the roadway.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2017Date of Patent: October 12, 2021Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventor: Andreas Erban
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Patent number: 10994762Abstract: A heavy duty carriage includes a carriage body, a load receiving platform horizontally rotatably mounted on a top of the carriage body, and a plurality of caster bodies each horizontally rotatably supported by a caster shaft in a lower part of the carriage body. Each of the caster bodies has, in a lower part thereof, a front wheel rotatably supported by a front wheel shaft and rear wheels each rotatably supported by a rear wheel shaft. The front wheel and the rear wheels are positioned forward and rearward of an axial center of the caster shaft on a straight line in a horizontal direction. When the carriage body is placed on a floor surface and outer circumferences of the rear wheels contact the floor surface, an outer circumference of the front wheel does not contact the floor surface. By using four heavy duty carriages, the heavy object can be moved.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2020Date of Patent: May 4, 2021Inventor: Mitsuo Hasegawa
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Patent number: 10676086Abstract: A steering assist apparatus comprises a steering assist control means for performing a lane tracing assist control (LTA) and a lane changing assist control (LCA) and a non-holding determination means for determining whether or not a first non-holding condition that a non-holding duration time is more than or equal to a first time is satisfied and whether or not a second non-holding condition that the non-holding duration time is more than or equal to a second time shorter than the first time is satisfied. The steering assist control means raises a warning when the second non-holding condition becomes satisfied and stops the LTA when the first non-holding condition becomes satisfied while performing the LTA, and raises a warning when the second non-holding condition becomes satisfied whereas continues the LCA until a completion condition of the LCA becomes satisfied regardless of the non-holding while performing the LCA.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2018Date of Patent: June 9, 2020Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shota Fujii, Kentaro Matsumoto
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Patent number: 9919730Abstract: A steering device includes tie rods connected to right and left wheels, and rack bars connected to the respective tie rods. The steering device is capable of simultaneously steering the right and left wheels to the right or left of the vehicle, by moving the rack bars to the right or left. A rack bar moving arrangement is provided which is capable of moving the rack bars in opposite directions by the same distance, and rack teeth are arranged along the opposite directions. The rack bar moving arrangement includes a synchronizing gear in mesh with the rack bars, and is configured to convert the movement of one of the rack bars in one of the opposite directions to the movement of the other of the rack bars in the other opposite direction, thereby steering the wheels in opposite directions.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2014Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: NTN CORPORATIONInventors: Hirokazu Ohba, Tomomi Ishikawa, Taisuke Igi, Yuya Yamaguchi
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Patent number: 9896082Abstract: There is provided a structure in a driving support system of a vehicle equipped with a steering assist mechanism and a torque vectoring mechanism of right and left wheels, the system capable of reducing an occurrence of a driver's sense of incongruity as much as possible also during the operation of a control based on a machine input and reflecting a driver's steering in the control. The inventive device comprises a steering assist torque controller which controls a steering assist torque given by the steering assist mechanism, a right and left braking-driving force difference controller which controls the braking-driving force difference between the right and left wheels given by the torque vectoring mechanism and a control target value determiner which determines the target values of the steering assist torque and braking-driving force difference for driving support control, based on the steering torque by the driver.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2016Date of Patent: February 20, 2018Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shintaro Inoue, Hideo Inoue, Yutaka Hirano, Pongsathorn Raksincharoensak
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Patent number: 9834249Abstract: A vehicle is provided of which the four wheels are steerable, and which is prevented from unexpectedly moving forward or backward when switching the travel mode. The vehicle includes a steering device for front right and front left wheels of the vehicle capable of steering the front right and front left wheels, respectively, in one and the other of the right and left directions, a steering device for rear right and rear left wheels of the vehicle configured, simultaneously when the steering device for the front right and front left wheels are actuated, to be capable of steering the rear right and rear left wheels in the other and the one of the right and left directions, respectively, and in-wheel motors provided in at least one of each of the front right and front left wheels and each of the rear right and rear left wheels.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2014Date of Patent: December 5, 2017Assignee: NTN CORPORATIONInventors: Tomomi Ishikawa, Kazuyuki Inokuchi
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Patent number: 9694838Abstract: A selectively extendable length trolley for supporting and conveying various sized and configured containers for pieces or components in an industrial plant. The trolley includes an adjustable length trolley structure, front and rear adjustable frames and locating supports for the containers that include side supports adjustable in position in a transverse direction, orthogonal to the longitudinal direction (L). A steering control unit (2) of the trolley (1) is articulated to the front frame (32) and operates in such a way that the front wheel unit and the rear wheel unit are made to oscillate in opposite directions to keep the wheels aligned with the curved path to be followed. In a preferred embodiment, the front and rear adjustable frames are T-shaped providing an open or free space at the two sides of the central structure of the trolley.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2014Date of Patent: July 4, 2017Assignee: COMAU S.P.A.Inventors: Eugenio Gullino, Roberto Ducato
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Patent number: 9663142Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for aligning a steering system of a vehicle. In one embodiment, a method includes: determining when the vehicle is driving a straight-line path; determining a steering wheel position error when the vehicle is driving the straight-line path; computing a rear wheel steering offset based on the steering wheel position error and a closed loop control method; and generating a control signal to a rear wheel steering system based on the rear wheel steering offset.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2015Date of Patent: May 30, 2017Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Stephen R. Pastor, Phanu Amatyakul, Keun Jae Kim
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Patent number: 9604670Abstract: A steering control device increases a steering reaction force of a steering reaction force actuator in a direction in which a lateral position of a host vehicle moves away from a travel path partition line when a turning amount of a turning actuator increases in the direction in which the lateral position of the host vehicle moves away from the travel path partition line. A steering reaction force control amount is computed for a reaction force suppression processing to reduce the steering reaction force control amount when the steering reaction force control amount has been at a threshold value or higher for a length of time. The reaction force suppression processing is carried out to control the steering reaction force actuator in lieu of the steering reaction force control amount. Meanwhile, the turning amount is maintained at a value occurring when the reaction force suppression processing began.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2014Date of Patent: March 28, 2017Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.Inventor: Hiroki Taniguchi
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Patent number: 9598102Abstract: A method of mitigating abnormalities in a first control command for controlling a power steering system is provided. The method generates a range signal indicative of a range of command values based on a plurality of input signals. The method determines whether the first control command is out of the range for longer than a predetermined duration of time. The method limits the first control command to the range and sends the limited first control command to the power steering system in response to determining that the first control command is out of the range for shorter than or equal to the duration of time.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2014Date of Patent: March 21, 2017Assignees: STEERING SOLUTIONS IP HOLDING CORPORATION, BAYERISCHE MOTORENWERKE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTInventors: Scott A. Millsap, Ashok Chandy, Kevin L. Derry, Caroline Dannöhl, Hans-Peter Hank, Jens Schotte, Kristian Vetter
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Patent number: 9561803Abstract: A method is provided for calculating a driver's desired yaw rate of a vehicle for use in a vehicle movement control system and includes determining the current yaw rate of the vehicle, determining the rate of the vehicle's steering wheel rotation. The method further includes calculating a first desired yaw rate of the vehicle based on the determined current yaw rate of the vehicle and the determined rate of the vehicle's steering wheel rotation, the desired yaw rate being further calculated based on the assumption that the driver applies a rate of steering wheel rotation as function of the driver's perceived error in yaw rate, and finally the step of providing the first desired yaw rate as an input to the vehicle movement control system for controlling the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2013Date of Patent: February 7, 2017Assignee: Volvo Truck CorporationInventor: Gustav Markkula
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Patent number: 9540039Abstract: A vehicle steering control device includes a turning angle varying device serving as a first turn response change device for changing a gain of yaw rate of a vehicle with respect to steering operation, and a rear wheel steering device serving as a second turn response change device for changing a gain of lateral acceleration of the vehicle with respect to the steering operation. Under a state in which magnitude of curvature of a travel path is equal to or less than a first reference value, at least one of the turning angle varying and rear wheel steering devices is controlled so that a ratio of the gain of the lateral acceleration to the gain of the yaw rate increases when a width of the travel path is small compared with when the width of the travel path is large.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2012Date of Patent: January 10, 2017Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yoji Kunihiro, Takahiro Kojo
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Patent number: 9421822Abstract: A trolley having two castor wheel assemblies mounted to a trolley frame. The castor wheel assemblies are mounted toward a rear of the trolley frame whereas another pair of conventional castors are mounted to the front of the trolley frame. The castor wheel assemblies are not identical insofar as swiveling of the assemblies is limited in a direction inwardly of the trolley only. It has been found that limited swiveling of one of the castor wheel assemblies only such as at an offset angle provides more efficient guided steering of the trolley.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2013Date of Patent: August 23, 2016Assignee: INAUTEC PTY LIMITEDInventors: Graham Lloyd Dull, Clinton Anthony Dull
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Patent number: 9422000Abstract: The present invention relates a method and a control apparatus for providing torque reliability. In particular, the present invention relates to a method and a control apparatus for providing torque reliability in which it is determined whether a signal output from a torque output element includes an error, and when it is determined that there is an error, a torque can be accurately calculated using steering angle information and motor position information instead of information output from the torque output element.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2014Date of Patent: August 23, 2016Assignee: MANDO CORPORATIONInventors: Hyun Seop Jang, Do Wook Kwon
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Patent number: 8935051Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system and method for improving a steering feeling of a driver while preventing a heavy feeling of a steering wheel or a kickback phenomenon during an eco-roll operation for improving a fuel ratio of the vehicle. The method includes determining, by a controller, an eco-roll operation condition in which a brake is disengaged, an accelerator pedal is disengaged, and a speed of the vehicle is a reference speed or higher. Furthermore, when the eco-roll operation condition is determined, the controller coverts a gear state of a transmission into a neutral gear state. The controller also controls an engine RPM to an idle RPM to start the eco-roll mode and an operation of an emergency steering system to assist steering power according to a steering input due to a driver manipulation of a steering wheel while the traveling in a neutral gear state of an eco-roll mode.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2013Date of Patent: January 13, 2015Assignee: Hyundai Motor CompanyInventor: Jin Han Kim
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Patent number: 8833504Abstract: An apparatus for use in turning steerable vehicle wheels upon manual rotation of a hand wheel includes a torque sensor connected with a torque sensor and a rear steering gear. The controller selectively controls the rear steering gear in response to an output from the torque sensor upon manual application of at least a predetermined torque to the hand wheel. The controller selectively controls the rear steering gear in response to the output from the torque sensor through a first range of turning movement of the front wheels so that the steering angle of the rear wheels has a first relationship to the steering angle of the front wheels and through a second range of turning movement of the front wheels so that the steering angle of the rear wheels has a second relationship different from the first relationship.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2009Date of Patent: September 16, 2014Assignee: TRW Automotive U.S. LLCInventors: Daniel E. Williams, Kenneth A. Sherwin
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Patent number: 8731778Abstract: An electronic control unit determines the steering direction of rear wheels on the basis of the turning operation direction of a steering wheel when a detected vehicle speed is “0”, i.e. when the vehicle is stopped. If the steering direction of the rear wheels is a return-side steering direction to obtain a neutral steering position, the unit operates a rear wheel-side steering mechanism by driving and controlling an electric motor, whereby allowing return-side stationary steering for the rear wheels.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2009Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hiromitsu Kageyama
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Patent number: 8672084Abstract: A rear wheel steering system includes a rear rack shaft that slides in a vehicle-width direction to steer a pair of rear wheels, a recess formed in the rear rack shaft, and a pin member that is fitted into the recess from the outer side of the rear rack shaft, and is retracted to be disengaged from the recess. The pin member is fitted into the recess to lock sliding of the rear rack shaft in a neutral position, and the pin member placed in a retracted state is disengaged from the recess to cancel slide lock on the rear rack shaft. The rear rack shaft has guide grooves formed on respective sides of the recess in a longitudinal direction of the rear rack shaft so as to be contiguous with the recess, and used to guide the pin member, placed in the advanced state, toward the recess.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2012Date of Patent: March 18, 2014Assignee: JTEKT CorporationInventor: Takeshi Watanabe
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Patent number: 8666600Abstract: A rear toe control (RTC) system and method for a vehicle includes rear actuators for applying rear steering to rear wheels of the vehicle and rear sensors for measuring individual toe angles of the rear wheels. The system further includes a RTC failure module that determines when the RTC system has failed and a road condition determining module that determines whether the vehicle is encountering a poor road surface condition. An electronic control unit (ECU) is disposed on the vehicle and is configured to impose a speed limit for the vehicle when the RTC failure module determines that the RTC system has failed and the road condition determining module determines that the vehicle encountering a poor road surface condition.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2012Date of Patent: March 4, 2014Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shigenobu Sekiya, David A. Thompson
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Patent number: 8666606Abstract: The steering system of the invention includes a processing means (26) comprising a means for determining (30) a driving signal (S3) of the power means (25) on the basis of: a first control signal (S1) determined from the measure of a torque applied by the driver on the steering wheel by applying a gain that depends on the longitudinal speed of the vehicle; a second correction signal (S2) determined from the measure of the torque applied by the driver on the steering wheel, and a setpoint determined on the basis of at least one characteristic parameter of the lateral dynamics of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2008Date of Patent: March 4, 2014Assignee: JTEKT EuropeInventors: Stephane Cassar, Jean-Marc Kasbarian
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Patent number: 8554411Abstract: In an electric power steering system, an ECU 11 includes two independent microcomputers 17a, 17b that serve as motor control signal generators, and the microcomputers 17a, 17b perform the same current feedback computation. Switching arms 20a, 20b that constitute a driving circuit 18 operate independently of each other, based on motor control signals generated by the corresponding microcomputers 17a, 17b. Each of the microcomputers 17a, 17b determines whether an absolute value of a current deviation of an actual current I (I1, I2) from a current command value exceeds a predetermined threshold value. If the current deviation exceeds the threshold value, it is determined that an abnormality occurs in the system.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2010Date of Patent: October 8, 2013Assignee: Jtekt CorporationInventor: Noritake Ura
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Patent number: 8534414Abstract: An apparatus (10) for turning steerable wheels (28, 124) of a vehicle (12) in response to input to a driver control interface (14) includes a sensor (18) for monitoring steering input to the driver control interface (14) and for providing a steering input signal indicative of the monitored steering input. Front and rear steering systems (24, 110 and 120, 126) are actuatable for turning front and rear sets of steerable wheels (28, 124), respectively. A controller (22), upon a malfunction of the front steering-system (24, 110), actuates only the rear steering system (120, 126) in response to the steering input signal.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2004Date of Patent: September 17, 2013Assignee: TRW Automotive U.S. LLCInventor: Daniel E. Williams
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Patent number: 8504247Abstract: An assist control portion, upon detecting source power supply abnormality of a main electric power source, switches the characteristic of an assist map in which the steering torque and the target current are related to each other from an original assist characteristic to an abnormality-time assist characteristic. Therefore, the steering handle operation suddenly becomes heavy, thereby causing the driver to be aware of the abnormality. After that, the abnormality-time assist characteristic is altered so that the assist force relative to the steering torque further decline in accordance with declines in the actual amount of charge of the subsidiary electric power source declines. Therefore, the steering handle operation gradually becomes heavier, thereby causing the driver to anticipate that the abnormality is further progressing.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2009Date of Patent: August 6, 2013Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Masaharu Yamashita
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Patent number: 8483906Abstract: A driver assistance system for motor vehicles has a sensor device for measuring data about the environment of the vehicle, at least two assistance functions, and a data processing device, which analyzes the measured data and generates at least one specific environmental hypothesis for each assistance function, which provides output data in a form prepared for the corresponding assistance function, at least one environmental hypothesis which has a structure divided into a plurality of partial hypotheses being predefined in the data processing device, and the partial hypotheses having such a logical relationship with one another that output data of one partial hypothesis flow into the generation of the other partial hypothesis, and at least two assistance functions directly or indirectly use a shared partial hypothesis.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2006Date of Patent: July 9, 2013Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventors: Bernhard Lucas, Ulf Wilhelm, Martin Randler
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Patent number: 8392068Abstract: A vehicle behavior control device (S) determines, by using a vehicle velocity (V), a transmission function (K(s)) which is determined based on a specification of the vehicle, receives as an input a wheel turning speed (?) obtained by differentiating a wheel turning angle (?) of left and right front wheels (FW1, FW2) with respect to time, and outputs a target yaw moment (My). The device (S) also calculates, by using the determined target yaw moment (My), a left-wheel-side forward/backward force (FxCL) imparted to a left wheel side (left front wheel FW1 and left rear wheel RW1) of a vehicle (10) and a right-wheel-side forward/backward force (FxCR) imparted to a right wheel side (right front wheel FW2 and right rear wheel RW2) of the vehicle (10).Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2010Date of Patent: March 5, 2013Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Ippei Yamazaki
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Patent number: 8340876Abstract: In an automatic transmission controller, a gear shift control unit has a target rotational angle position calculator for calculating a target rotational angle position of a gear shift motor, an actual rotational angle position calculator for calculating the actual rotational angle position of the gear shift motor, and an F/B gain setting unit. When a gear shift instruction from a gear shift controller is a gear shift pattern for driving at least a select motor, the F/B gain is set to be larger that of the gear shift pattern in which the select motor is not driven, and also a motor driving mode and a motor braking mode are switched to each other in accordance with the difference between the target rotational angle position and the actual rotational angle position.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2009Date of Patent: December 25, 2012Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventors: Osamu Ishikawa, Takeru Okabe
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Patent number: 8296016Abstract: The method consists of, when the instantaneous speed of the vehicle is greater than a pre-determined threshold: identifying that the vehicle travels in a straight line without torque exerted on the steering wheel; if the prior condition is met, determining an average residual torque for the steering wheel by calculating a sliding scale of measures of torque on the steering wheel; calculating a correction, if the average residual torque on the steering wheel is greater than a pre-determined minimum torque, which is proportional to the average residual torque to be applied to the torque measures on the steering wheel; calculating effective correction limited in terms of the speed of variation and amplitude in relation to the correction applied to the measures of torque on the steering wheel, said corrected measures being subsequently treated by the electronic calculator in order to control the electronic booster motor.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2010Date of Patent: October 23, 2012Assignee: Koyo Steering Europe (K.S.E.)Inventors: Jean-Marc Kasbarian, Christophe Ravier
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Patent number: 8245811Abstract: A steering system for a vehicle comprising a steering control to effect mechanical steering of the vehicle, the steering control being mechanically connected via a mechanical steering train, to at least one steerable ground engaging wheel. A power assistor apparatus is present for power assisting the mechanical steering of the vehicle when the operator operates the steering control. The system includes a hydraulic steering actuator which is operable by an electronically controlled hydraulic steering control valve to effect hydraulic power steering of the vehicle independently of the operation of the steering control. The electronically controlled hydraulic steering control valve is operable in response to signals from an electronic controller, the hydraulic steering actuator being supplied with pressurized hydraulic fluid from a supply valve arrangement.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2010Date of Patent: August 21, 2012Assignee: JCB Landpower LimitedInventors: Charles David Nicklin, Gregory Peter Fitton, Richard Frederick George Young
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Patent number: 8135515Abstract: An electronic control apparatus has a microcomputer including a first CPU and a second CPU configured to perform calculation processing and control processing for a vehicle control device such as a variable gear ratio steering device. The first CPU and the second CPU calculate temporary detection values of an operation amount of an actuator based on a detection signal of a sensor, respectively. The temporary detection values are compared to determine whether the vehicle control device is controllable based on the detection signal of the sensor. Thus, the electronic control apparatus is reduced in size, and calculation results are monitored each other within one microcomputer.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2009Date of Patent: March 13, 2012Assignee: Denso CorporationInventor: Terumoto Ogasawara
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Patent number: 8099211Abstract: A microcomputer is provided with an extracting section capable of extracting a specific frequency component from an input signal. The extracting section extracts, from a pinion angle corresponding to a signal indicating a state of the steering system, a frequency component corresponding to a vibration of a steering system caused by stress applied to steerable wheels. The extracting section outputs an effective value of the extracted frequency component as a power spectrum to a second computing section. In the case that the power spectrum output from the extracting section is equal to or more than a predetermined threshold value, the microcomputer enhances a torque inertia compensation control so as to suppress vibration of the steering system caused by the stress. In other words, the microcomputer increases a torque inertia compensation amount corresponding to a compensation component based on a steering torque differential value.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2008Date of Patent: January 17, 2012Assignee: Jtekt CorporationInventors: Akihiko Nishimura, Hirozumi Eki
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Patent number: 8095273Abstract: A method includes parallel parking a vehicle between a first object and a second object in response to an available parking distance therebetween. The vehicle includes front steerable wheels and rear steerable wheels. A distance between the first object and the second object is remotely sensed determining whether to apply a one or two cycle parking strategy. An autonomous one cycle parking strategy includes pivoting the front and rear steerable wheels in respective directions for steering the vehicle in a first reverse arcuate path of travel and then cooperatively pivoting the steerable wheels in a counter direction for steering the vehicle in a second reverse arcuate path of travel to a final park position. The autonomous two cycle parking strategy includes performing the one cycle parking maneuver and then changing a transmission gear to a drive gear and pivoting the front and rear steerable wheels in the first direction for moving the vehicle forward to a final park position.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2009Date of Patent: January 10, 2012Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Nikolai K. Moshchuk, Shih-Ken Chen
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Patent number: 8073593Abstract: A control ON/OFF determination unit determines that oversteer control should be started in the case where a slip angle differential value is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, the sign of the slip angle differential value is identical with the sign of a yaw rate, the sign of a steering wheel turning angle is identical with the sign of a steering wheel turning speed, and a vehicle speed is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2008Date of Patent: December 6, 2011Assignee: JTEKT CorporationInventors: Satoru Mikamo, Hiroaki Kato, Takashi Kodera, Takehiro Ito
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Patent number: 8061469Abstract: The disclosed device controls the steering of a commercial vehicle and comprises front wheels that can be oriented according to a first turning angle by a first actuator, rear wheels oriented according to a second turning angle by a second actuator, and a power circuit with a pressurized fluid source and power components that transmit hydraulic power to the actuators. The power components are controllable to configure the power circuit according to coupling modes between the front and rear wheels. The device includes a control circuit containing a power source and control components that are electrically controlled by an electrical control unit and transmit hydraulic commands relating to one of the determined coupling modes to the power components. The control components are hydraulically connected such that in the event of a fault in the electrical control, the commands permanently maintain the power circuit in the current coupling mode.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2005Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: Volvo Compact Equipment SASInventor: Gilles Florean
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Patent number: 8051942Abstract: The present invention improves response characteristics in turning traveling of a vehicle while traveling stability at the time of turning is kept. The present invention provides a system in which toe angles of left and right rear wheels are controlled based on a steering angular velocity, not a steering angle of a steering. In a steering system in which toe angles of left and right rear wheels are controlled independently, a steering angular velocity is calculated from a steering angle, and toe angle changers are controlled to tilt the toe angle of the right rear wheel to the left when the steering angular velocity is on the left side, and is controlled to tilt the toe angle of the left rear wheel to the left when the steering angular velocity is on the right side.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2008Date of Patent: November 8, 2011Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroaki Sasaki, Yutaka Horiuchi, Takashi Yanagi
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Patent number: 7926826Abstract: A wheel-side end of a connection link is freely inclined relative to the wheel. A shaft-side end of the connection link is movable substantially in a width direction of the vehicle for steering the wheel. A steering shaft body is substantially in a rod shape extending substantially in the width direction. A steering shaft end is fixed to one end of the steering shaft body and freely inclined relative to the shaft-side end. The steering shaft body and the steering shaft end are movable substantially in the width direction according to an operation of a steering device. A load sensor is interposed between the steering shaft end and the steering shaft body for detecting load applied in an axial direction of the steering shaft to detect force applied to the wheel.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2009Date of Patent: April 19, 2011Assignee: Denso CorporationInventors: Hideyuki Hayakawa, Kenji Morikawa
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Patent number: 7885742Abstract: A target turning angle calculation part 51 calculates a target turning angle ? on the basis of a steering angle ? and a vehicle speed V. A correction turning angle calculation part 52 calculates a transfer function K(s) which is a second transfer function, depending on the vehicle speed V, by using a difference between a transfer function G(s) which is a first transfer function determined on the basis of the specification of the vehicle and a stationary component G(0) of the transfer function G(s), the first transfer function having as an input a turning angle ? and as an output a yaw rate ? of the vehicle, the second transfer function having as an input a target turning rate ?*? obtained by temporally differentiating the target turning angle ?* and as an output a correction turning angle ?c. The correction turning angle calculation part 52 calculates a correction turning angle ?c by multiplying the transfer function K(s) by the target turning rate ?*?.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2010Date of Patent: February 8, 2011Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Ippei Yamazaki
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Patent number: 7878291Abstract: A rear axle steering system for a mobile crane includes at least one actively steered rear axle with wheels arranged thereon. A rear axle steering system of this type is provided with a hydraulic steering system including one or more hydraulic steering cylinders of which a particular number are in each case associated with an actively steered rear axle in order to steer this actively steered rear axle in a desired manner. A braking system is adapted to individually brake each wheel of the at least one actively steered rear axle. In the event of an error in the hydraulic steering system, a control system actuates the braking system in such a way that by selective braking of at least one wheel of the actively steered rear axle, which is affected by this error, the rear axle is brought to a predetermined, desired steering position. A method of steering a rear axle, with wheels of a mobile crane arranged thereon, by means of a hydraulic steering system.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2008Date of Patent: February 1, 2011Assignee: Terex Demag GmbHInventor: Klaus Pohl
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Patent number: 7878512Abstract: An alignment changing control device that includes: a motor drive section which adjusts electrical power supplied to a motor of the electric actuator according to an operation command and, when receiving an operation inhibiting signal, limits or stops supplying the electrical power to the motor; a motor temperature estimating section for calculating an estimated temperature of the motor from at least a current supplied to the motor, an outside air temperature and a vehicle speed, based on heat balance relationship; and a comparator which transmits the operation inhibiting signal to the motor drive section when the estimated temperature of the motor calculated by the motor temperature estimating section is higher than a predetermined temperature, which is equal to or lower than an operation allowable temperature of the motor.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2008Date of Patent: February 1, 2011Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yutaka Horiuchi, Nobuo Sugitani
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Patent number: 7835846Abstract: A command interpreter for a vehicle stability enhancement system that uses a three degree-of-freedom vehicle model employing non-linear suspension and tire characteristics to calculate stability commands. The command interpreter includes a calculator that calculates a front tire lateral force, a calculator that calculates a rear tire lateral force and a command calculator that calculates a yaw-rate command signal, a lateral velocity command signal and a roll angle command signal. The front tire lateral force calculator and the rear tire lateral force calculator calculate the front and rear side-slip angles. The side-slip angles are then converted to a lateral force, where the conversion is selected based on the tire vertical load. The rear tire lateral force is modified for high side-slip angles so that the rear tire lateral force does not become saturated.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2007Date of Patent: November 16, 2010Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.Inventors: Shih-Ken Chen, Nikolai K. Moshchuk, Flavio Nardi
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Patent number: 7831355Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus includes a driving target value setting unit for setting a driving target value of an electric motor; a steering acceleration detecting unit for detecting or estimating a steering acceleration; a correction amount computing unit for computing a control correction amount in accordance with the steering acceleration; a vehicle acceleration detecting unit for detecting an acceleration of a motor vehicle; an acceleration adaptive gain setting unit for setting a gain in accordance with an acceleration of a motor vehicle; a multiplication unit for determining a gain adjusted control correction amount by multiplying the control correction amount with the acceleration adaptive gain; a correcting unit for correcting the driving target value on the basis of the gain adjusted control correction amount; and motor driving units for driving the electric motor on the basis of the corrected driving target value.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2007Date of Patent: November 9, 2010Assignee: JTEKT CorporationInventor: Akihiro Nishiyama
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Patent number: 7798279Abstract: A steering apparatus (10) for turning steerable wheels of a vehicle in response to rotation of a vehicle steering wheel (12) comprises a first assembly (16), a second assembly (26), and a mechanism (108). The first assembly is operatively coupled to the steering wheel and includes components (18, 22) for monitoring applied torque and angular rotation of the steering wheel. The second assembly includes a steering gear (34) and components (28, 30) for actuating the steering gear in response to the monitored rotation. The mechanism, when in a first mode of operation provides a mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the steering gear. The mechanism when in the second mode of operation, providing a mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the steering gear sufficient to enable manual actuation of the steering gear and permit actuation of the steering gear in response to the monitored steering wheel rotation.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2007Date of Patent: September 21, 2010Assignee: TRW Automotive U.S. LLCInventor: Daniel E. Williams
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Patent number: 7620485Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling the driving stability of a vehicle, wherein it is determined when a stable or unstable driving behavior prevails whether a tendency to a subsequent unstable driving behavior exists as a result of a highly dynamic inward swerve. In order to provide a method for controlling driving stability, which allows a reaction to predicted unstable driving situations by means of an intervention diminishing or avoiding critical driving situations, the steering force and/or the steering angle of a steering handle is corrected in this case in such a manner that when the steering handle is operated, the driver is assisted in the direction of an understeering vehicle course.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2003Date of Patent: November 17, 2009Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. oHGInventors: Ralph Gronau, Torsten Herrmann, Artur Kost
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Patent number: 7596441Abstract: In a power steering device employing a hydraulic power cylinder, a motor-driven pump, and a driving power source for the motor, a power steering control system is configured to electrically connected to at least the motor and the power source for controlling a driving state of the motor and a power source voltage of the power source. The power steering control system includes a motor control circuit that generates a motor driving signal, whose command signal value is determined based on a steering assist force applied through the power cylinder to steered road wheels, a booster circuit that boosts the power source voltage, a motor angular acceleration detection circuit that detects or estimates a motor angular acceleration, and a booster-circuit control circuit that controls, responsively to the motor angular acceleration, switching between operating and non-operating states of the booster circuit.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2006Date of Patent: September 29, 2009Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Tadaharu Yokota, Kiyoshi Inoue, Toru Takahashi
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Patent number: 7571039Abstract: A rollover avoidance system for changing the damping characteristics of suspension dampers at each wheel of a vehicle so as to mitigate the potential for vehicle rollover. The system includes a plurality of vehicle parameter sensors for measuring vehicle parameters and providing vehicle parameter signals. The system also includes a controller for generating a damper suspension command signal for each damper using the vehicle parameter signals. The controller considers a roll control factor representing a rollover condition of the vehicle and a yaw stability control factor representing a yaw condition of the vehicle to set the damping of the dampers to mitigate the potential for vehicle rollover.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2006Date of Patent: August 4, 2009Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.Inventors: Shih-Ken Chen, Nikolai K. Moshchuk, Cheng-Foo Chen
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Patent number: 7558657Abstract: A method for the prevention of turnover of rear wheel steered vehicles includes providing a vehicle with a plurality of sensors, and providing slip angle restriction software adapted to receive as inputs the outputs of the plurality of sensors. The software calculates an estimated sideslip angle based on sensor outputs, calculates a slip angle on the rear wheels based on the estimated sideslip angle, calculates a maximum allowable slip angle, compares the slip angle and the maximum allowable slip angle, and determines a steering angle correction value if the actual slip angle is greater than the maximum allowable slip angle. Any steering angle correction value calculated is applied to the rear wheels of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2005Date of Patent: July 7, 2009Assignee: Jungheinrich AktiengesellschaftInventors: Frank Manken, Henrik Schroder, Daniel Wesemeier