Electrically adjustable steering

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11338839-B2
Application number	US-202017082501-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2020
Priority date	Oct 30, 2019
Publication date	May 24, 2022
Grant date	May 24, 2022

Abstract

The position adjustment mechanism is configured to perform a storage operation of storing the steering wheel in a storage position to secure a space in a driver seat for a driver and an adjustment operation of adjusting the steering wheel to a position suitable for driving within an adjustment operation range. The motor control unit is configured to drive the electric motor such that a speed of the steering wheel during the storage operation is higher than a speed of the steering wheel during the adjustment operation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electrically adjustable steering comprising:
a steering mechanism in which a steering wheel is mounted;
a position adjustment mechanism which includes an electric motor configured to adjust a telescopic position and a tilt position of the steering wheel; and
a motor control unit configured to control driving of the electric motor,
wherein the position adjustment mechanism is configured to perform a storage operation of storing the steering wheel in a storage position to secure a space in a driver seat for a driver and an adjustment operation of adjusting the steering wheel to a position suitable for driving within an adjustment operation range,
wherein the motor control unit is configured to drive the electric motor such that a speed of the steering wheel during the storage operation is higher than a speed of the steering wheel during the adjustment operation, and
wherein the motor control unit is configured to determine the speed of the steering wheel during the storage operation based on a position of the steering wheel immediately before the storage operation.

2. The electrically adjustable steering according to claim 1 ,
wherein the motor control unit is configured to drive the electric motor such that the speed of the steering wheel changes during the storage operation.

3. The electrically adjustable steering according to claim 2 ,
wherein the motor control unit is configured to drive the electric motor such that a speed at a beginning during the storage operation is higher than a speed at a different point in time during the storage operation.

4. The electrically adjustable steering according to claim 1 ,
wherein the position adjustment mechanism is configured to perform a return operation of returning the steering wheel from the storage position back to an inside of the adjustment operation range, and
the motor control unit is configured to drive the electric motor such that a speed changes during the return operation.

5. The electrically adjustable steering according to claim 1 ,
wherein the motor control unit is configured to drive the electric motor such that an upward movement operation of moving the steering wheel upward is included at a beginning of the storage operation.

6. The electrically adjustable steering according to claim 5 ,
wherein the motor control unit is configured to drive the electric motor such that a speed of the upward movement operation at the beginning of the storage operation is higher than a speed at a different point in time during the storage operation.

7. The electrically adjustable steering according to claim 1 ,
wherein the position adjustment mechanism is configured to perform a return operation of returning the steering wheel from the storage position back to an inside of the adjustment operation range, and
the motor control unit is configured to drive the electric motor such that a final speed during the return operation is slower than a speed at a different point in time during the return operation.

8. The electrically adjustable steering according to claim 1 ,
wherein the position adjustment mechanism is configured to perform a return operation of returning the steering wheel from the storage position back to an inside of the adjustment operation range, and
the storage operation and the return operation are different from each other in (i) locus and/or (ii) speed.

9. The electrically adjustable steering according to claim 1
wherein the position adjustment mechanism is configured to perform a return operation of returning the steering wheel from the storage position back to an inside of the adjustment operation range,
the electrically adjustable steering further comprises a notification unit configured to notify status of the return operation during the return operation, and
the notification unit is configured to notify through an image, light, sound, odor, or vibration.

10. The electrically adjustable steering according to claim 1 ,
wherein the position adjustment mechanism performs the storage operation during automatic driving of a vehicle or when a driver enters or exits the vehicle.

Assignees

• Nsk Ltd

Inventors

• Kurokawa Yoshifumi
• Read Simon
• Marmillo Steven

Classifications

• H02P7/03

  for controlling the direction of rotation of DC motors · CPC title

• B62D1/183

  adjustable between in-use and out-of-use positions, e.g. to improve access · CPC title

• H02P6/08

  Arrangements for controlling the speed or torque of a single motor (H02P6/10, H02P6/28 take precedence) · CPC title

• B62D1/189

  the entire column being tiltable as a unit · CPC title

• B62D1/181 Primary

  with power actuated adjustment, e.g. with position memory · CPC title