Steering angle detecting apparatus for vehicles and electric power steering apparatus equipped therewith

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016362128-A1
Application number	US-201615109566-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 1, 2016
Priority date	Feb 19, 2015
Publication date	Dec 15, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A steering angle detecting apparatus for vehicles includes a vernier calculating section that performs vernier calculation based on a steering shaft angle and a motor angle, a neutral period specifying section that specifies a neutral period including a neutral point based on a reference angle calculated by the vernier calculation in the vernier calculating section, and a neutral point specifying section that specifies the neutral point from the neutral period and a stored neutral point value, and outputs a steering angle the neutral point of which is specified.

First claim

1 - 7 . (canceled)

8 . A steering angle detecting apparatus for vehicles, comprising:
a vernier calculating section that performs vernier calculation based on a steering shaft angle As and a motor angle Am; a neutral period specifying section that specifies a neutral period including a neutral point based on a reference angle Av calculated by the vernier calculation in said vernier calculating section; and a neutral point specifying section that specifies said neutral point from said neutral period and a stored neutral point value, and outputs a steering angle Sag said neutral point of which is specified.

9 . The steering angle detecting apparatus for vehicles according to claim 8 , wherein
an estimated or measured SAT value is used for specification of said neutral period in said neutral period specifying section.

10 . The steering angle detecting apparatus for vehicles according to claim 8 , wherein
said neutral point value has been stored in an EEPROM.

11 . The steering angle detecting apparatus for vehicles according to claim 9 , wherein
said neutral point value has been stored in an EEPROM.

12 . The steering angle detecting apparatus for vehicles according to claim 8 , wherein
said steering shaft angle As is an angle at a steering wheel side or a pinion side of a steering shaft, and said motor angle Am is outputted by a rotation angle sensor connected to a motor.

13 . The steering angle detecting apparatus for vehicles according to claim 9 , wherein
said steering shaft angle As is an angle at a steering wheel side or a pinion side of a steering shaft, and said motor angle Am is outputted by a rotation angle sensor connected to a motor.

14 . The steering angle detecting apparatus for vehicles according to claim 8 , wherein
said neutral point specifying section specifies said neutral point from said neutral period based on said neutral point value.

15 . The steering angle detecting apparatus for vehicles according to claim 9 , wherein
said neutral point specifying section specifies said neutral point from said neutral period based on said neutral point value.

16 . The steering angle detecting apparatus for vehicles according to claim 12 , wherein
said neutral point specifying section specifies said neutral point from said neutral period based on said neutral point value.

17 . An electric power steering apparatus equipped with the steering angle detecting apparatus for vehicles according to claim 8 , which performs steering assist control based on said steering angle Sag detected by the steering angle detecting apparatus for vehicles.

18 . An electric power steering apparatus equipped with the steering angle detecting apparatus for vehicles according to claim 9 , which performs steering assist control based on said steering angle Sag detected by the steering angle detecting apparatus for vehicles.

19 . An electric power steering apparatus equipped with the steering angle detecting apparatus for vehicles according to claim 12 , which performs steering assist control based on said steering angle Sag detected by the steering angle detecting apparatus for vehicles.

20 . An electric power steering apparatus equipped with the steering angle detecting apparatus for vehicles according to claim 14 , which performs steering assist control based on said steering angle Sag detected by the steering angle detecting apparatus for vehicles.

21 . An electric power steering apparatus equipped with the steering angle detecting apparatus for vehicles according to claim 8 , which supervises an output mutually by comparing said steering angle Sag with an angle signal outputted by another existing steering angle sensor, and can detect abnormality or failure immediately by said comparison when said abnormality or said failure occurs.

22 . An electric power steering apparatus equipped with the steering angle detecting apparatus for vehicles according to claim 9 , which supervises an output mutually by comparing said steering angle Sag with an angle signal outputted by another existing steering angle sensor, and can detect abnormality or failure immediately by said comparison when said abnormality or said failure occurs.

23 . An electric power steering apparatus equipped with the steering angle detecting apparatus for vehicles according to claim 12 , which supervises an output mutually by comparing said steering angle Sag with an angle signal outputted by another existing steering angle sensor, and can detect abnormality or failure immediately by said comparison when said abnormality or said failure occurs.

24 . An electric power steering apparatus equipped with the steering angle detecting apparatus for vehicles according to claim 14 , which supervises an output mutually by comparing said steering angle Sag with an angle signal outputted by another existing steering angle sensor, and can detect abnormality or failure immediately by said comparison when said abnormality or said failure occurs.

Assignees

• Nsk Ltd

Inventors

• Sugawara Takayoshi
• MINAKI Ryo
• Sawada Hideki

Classifications

• B62D6/00

  Arrangements for automatically controlling steering depending on driving conditions sensed and responded to, e.g. control circuits (means for initiating a change in direction B62D1/00; steering valves B62D5/06; combined with means for inclining the vehicle body or wheels on bends B62D9/00) · CPC title

• B62D5/046 Primary

  Controlling the motor · CPC title

• G01B7/30

  for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes · CPC title

• B62D5/0481

  monitoring the steering system, e.g. failures · CPC title

• G01B21/22

  for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes · CPC title