Magnetorheological-damper-based steering apparatus and methods for reducing steering wheel jerk resulting from off-road wheel impact

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10239556-B2
Application number	US-201715587658-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 5, 2017
Priority date	May 5, 2017
Publication date	Mar 26, 2019
Grant date	Mar 26, 2019

Abstract

Magnetorheological-damper-based steering apparatus and methods for reducing steering wheel jerk resulting from off-road wheel impact are described. An example steering damper apparatus includes a magnetorheological (MR) rotary damper to be operatively coupled to a steering column shaft. The example steering damper apparatus further includes a sensor to detect an angular velocity associated with the steering column shaft. The example steering damper apparatus further includes a controller to energize the MR rotary damper in response to determining that the angular velocity exceeds an angular velocity threshold. The angular velocity threshold is associated with steering wheel jerk resulting from an off-road wheel impact.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A steering damper apparatus comprising:
a magnetorheological (MR) rotary damper mounted to a steering column assembly, the MR rotary damper including an output shaft offset from a steering column shaft, the output shaft operatively coupled to the steering column shaft via a belt and pulley system;
a sensor to detect an angular velocity associated with the steering column shaft; and
a controller to energize the MR rotary damper in response to determining that the angular velocity exceeds an angular velocity threshold, the angular velocity threshold being associated with steering wheel jerk resulting from an off-road wheel impact.

2. The steering damper apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the angular velocity threshold is between 500 degrees per second and 3200 degrees per second.

3. The steering damper apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the angular velocity threshold is associated with a steering column shaft torque between 3 N·m and 15 N·m.

4. The steering damper apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is to energize the MR rotary damper by transmitting a control signal to the MR rotary damper, the MR rotary damper to generate a magnetic field in response to the control signal, the magnetic field to be applied to a MR fluid housed in the MR rotary damper.

5. The steering damper apparatus of claim 4 , wherein an output torque of the MR rotary damper to be applied to the steering column shaft is to increase in response to the magnetic field being applied to the MR fluid.

6. The steering damper apparatus of claim 4 , wherein an output torque of the MR rotary damper to be applied to the steering column shaft in response to the magnetic field being applied to the MR fluid is between 3 N·m and 15 N·m.

7. A method comprising:
detecting, via a sensor, an angular velocity associated with a steering column shaft;
comparing, by executing one or more instructions via a controller, the angular velocity to an angular velocity threshold, the angular velocity threshold being associated with steering wheel jerk resulting from an off-road wheel impact; and
energizing, by executing one or more instructions via the controller, a magnetorheological (MR) rotary damper in response to determining that the angular velocity exceeds the angular velocity threshold, the MR rotary damper mounted to a steering column assembly, the MR rotary damper including an output shaft offset from the steering column shaft, the output shaft operatively coupled to the steering column shaft via a belt and pulley system.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the angular velocity threshold is between 500 degrees per second and 3200 degrees per second.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the angular velocity threshold is associated with a steering column shaft torque between 3 N·m and 15 N·m.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the energizing of the MR rotary damper includes transmitting a control signal to the MR rotary damper, the MR rotary damper to generate a magnetic field in response to the control signal, the magnetic field to be applied to a MR fluid housed in the MR rotary damper.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein an output torque of the MR rotary damper to be applied to the steering column shaft is to increase in response to the magnetic field being applied to the MR fluid.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein an output torque of the MR rotary damper to be applied to the steering column shaft in response to the magnetic field being applied to the MR fluid is between 3 N·m and 15 N·m.

13. A tangible, non-transitory, machine readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a controller to at least:
compare an angular velocity detected via a sensor to an angular velocity threshold, the angular velocity being associated with a steering column shaft, the angular velocity threshold being associated with steering wheel jerk resulting from an off-road wheel impact; and
energize a magnetorheological (MR) rotary damper in response to determining that the angular velocity exceeds the angular velocity threshold, the MR rotary damper mounted to a steering column assembly, the MR rotary damper including an output shaft offset from the steering column shaft, the output shaft operatively coupled to the steering column shaft via a belt and pulley system.

14. The tangible, non-transitory, machine readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the angular velocity threshold is between 500 degrees per second and 3200 degrees per second.

15. The tangible, non-transitory, machine readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the angular velocity threshold is associated with a steering column shaft torque between 3 N·m and 15 N·m.

16. The tangible, non-transitory, machine readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the instructions, when executed, are to cause the controller to energize the MR rotary damper by transmitting a control signal to the MR rotary damper, the MR rotary damper to generate a magnetic field in response to the control signal, the magnetic field to be applied to a MR fluid housed in the MR rotary damper.

17. The tangible, non-transitory, machine readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein an output torque of the MR rotary damper to be applied to the steering column shaft is to increase in response to the magnetic field being applied to the MR fluid.

18. The tangible, non-transitory, machine readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein an output torque of the MR rotary damper to be applied to the steering column shaft in response to the magnetic field being applied to the MR fluid is between 3 N·m and 15 N·m.

19. A steering damper apparatus comprising:
a magnetorheological (MR) rotary damper operatively coupled to a steering column shaft of a steering column assembly;
an angular velocity sensor operatively coupled to the steering column shaft, the angular velocity sensor to detect an angular velocity of with the steering column shaft; and
a controller to energize the MR rotary damper in response to determining that the angular velocity exceeds an angular velocity threshold, the angular velocity threshold being associated with steering wheel jerk resulting from an off-road wheel impact.

20. The steering damper apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the MR rotary damper is mounted to the steering column assembly, the MR rotary damper including an output shaft offset from the steering column shaft, the output shaft operatively coupled to the steering column shaft via a belt and pulley system.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Bossio Geoffrey
• Paiva Chris M
• Thompson Steven
• Grifka Zachary

Classifications

• F16F2222/06

  Magnetic or electromagnetic · CPC title

• F16F15/005

  using electro- or magnetostrictive actuation means (generating of mechanical vibrations operating with electrostriction B06B1/06, with magnetostriction B06B1/08; vehicle suspension arrangements characterised by use of piezoelectric elements B60G17/01941; piezoelectric, electrostrictive and magnetostrictive devices per se H10N30/00) · CPC title

• B62D15/022

  on or near the connection between the steering wheel and steering column · CPC title

• B62D7/224 Primary

  acting between the steering wheel and the steering gear, e.g. on the steering column · CPC title

• F16F2224/045

  magnetorheological · CPC title