Control device for a steering system of a motor vehicle, electromechanical power steering mechanism for a motor vehicle and steer-by-wire steering system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022126908-A1
Application number	US-202017436874-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 2, 2020
Priority date	Mar 8, 2019
Publication date	Apr 28, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A control unit for a steering system of a motor vehicle may include device electronics arranged on a circuit board. The device electronics can include control electronics, a power module, and a current feed. The control electronics are designed for processing input signals with output of control signals to the power module, and the power module has contact points for connection of a steering servo motor for actuating the steering servo motor based on the control signals. The circuit board is a rigid-flex circuit board with at least two rigid circuit carriers connected by at least one first flexible section. The control electronics and the power module are arranged on the circuit carriers, and a second flexible section of the circuit board is formed for the current feed on the circuit carrier of the power module.

First claim

1 .- 9 . (canceled)

10 . A control unit for a steering system of a motor vehicle, comprising:
a circuit board configured as a rigid-flex circuit board with at least two rigid circuit carriers connected by a first flexible section; and device electronics arranged on the circuit board, the device electronics comprising control electronics, a power module, and a current feed, wherein the control electronics are configured for processing input signals with output of control signals to the power module, wherein the power module has contact points for connecting a steering servo motor for actuating the steering servo motor based on the control signals, wherein the control electronics and the power module are disposed on the at least two rigid circuit carriers, wherein a second flexible section of the circuit board is configured for a current feed on the rigid circuit carrier of the power module.

11 . The control unit of claim 10 wherein the at least two rigid circuit carriers at least partially overlap one another.

12 . The control unit of claim 10 configured for attachment to the steering servo motor as an extension of a motor shaft of the steering servo motor, wherein the rigid circuit carrier of the power module is disposed on a motor side, wherein the rigid circuit carrier of the control electronics is disposed on a side of the power module facing away from the steering servo motor.

13 . The control unit of claim 10 wherein the control electronics comprise a rotor position sensor, wherein the rigid circuit carrier of the power module has an aperture associated with the rotor position sensor for feeding through an encoder element for the rotor positions sensor.

14 . The control unit of claim 10 comprising plug connectors for receiving the input signals, wherein the plug connectors are disposed on the circuit carrier of the control electronics.

15 . The control unit of claim 10 comprising a third rigid circuit carrier on which a plug connector is disposed for connection to an onboard electrical system of the motor vehicle, wherein the third rigid circuit carrier is disposed on the second flexible section for the current feed.

16 . The control unit of claim 10 wherein the rigid circuit carriers are spaced apart by spacer elements that are attached to the rigid circuit carriers are mutually associated fastening points.

17 . An electromechanical motor vehicle servo steering system comprising:
a steering mechanism for mechanical transmission of a driver's steering request from a steering wheel to steered wheels of a motor vehicle; a steering angle sensor for electronic detection of the driver's steering request; a steering servo motor for introducing steering force assistance into the steering mechanism; and the control unit of claim 10 for actuating the steering servo motor based on the driver's steering request detected by the steering angle sensor.

18 . A steer-by-wire steering system comprising:
a steering angle sensor connected to a steering wheel via a steering shaft for electronic detection of a driver's steering request; a feedback actuator and a steering servo motor for setting the driver's steering request that has been detected on steered wheels; and the control unit of claim 10 for actuating the steering servo motor based on the driver's steering request as detected by the steering angle sensor.

Assignees

• Thyssenkrupp Presta Ag
• Thyssenkrupp Ag

Inventors

• Horvath Gergely

Classifications

• B62D5/001

  Mechanical components or aspects of steer-by-wire systems, not otherwise provided for in this maingroup · CPC title

• B62D5/0406 Primary

  including housing for electronic control unit · CPC title

• H05K1/18

  structurally associated with non-printed electric components (H05K1/16 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02K11/33

  Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics (H02K11/38 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H05K2201/042

  Stacked spaced PCBs; Planar parts of folded flexible circuits having mounted components in between or spaced from each other · CPC title