Steering mechanism, steering system, vehicle, and control method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023202551-A1
Application number	US-202318179678-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 7, 2023
Priority date	Sep 8, 2020
Publication date	Jun 29, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

One example steering mechanism includes a first steering gear, where the first steering gear is configured to convert obtained driving force to transmit driving force to an outer-side wheel during steering, to control steering force applied to the outer-side wheel. The example steering mechanism includes a second steering gear, where the second steering gear is configured to convert obtained driving force to transmit driving force to an inner-side wheel during steering, to control steering force applied to the inner-side wheel. The first steering gear and the second steering gear are connected by using a first clutch. If the first clutch is in a disengaged state, driving force is not transmitted between the first steering gear and the second steering gear. If the first clutch is in an engaged state, driving force is transmitted between the first steering gear and the second steering gear.

First claim

1 . A steering mechanism, comprising:
a first steering gear, wherein the first steering gear is configured to convert obtained driving force to transmit driving force to an outer-side wheel during steering, to control steering force applied to the outer-side wheel; and a second steering gear, wherein the second steering gear is configured to convert obtained driving force to transmit driving force to an inner-side wheel during steering, to control steering force applied to the inner-side wheel, wherein the first steering gear and the second steering gear are connected by a first clutch, and if the first clutch is in a disengaged state, driving force is not transmitted between the first steering gear and the second steering gear, or if the first clutch is in an engaged state, driving force is transmitted between the first steering gear and the second steering gear.

2 . The steering mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first steering gear comprises a first transmission member and a second transmission member that are in a transmission connection, and the first transmission member is configured to apply obtained first driving force to the outer-side wheel by using the second transmission member; and the second steering gear comprises a third transmission member and a fourth transmission member that are in a transmission connection, the third transmission member is configured to apply obtained second driving force to the inner-side wheel by using the fourth transmission member, and the first transmission member and the third transmission member are connected by the first clutch.

3 . The steering mechanism according to claim 2 , wherein when the first clutch is in the engaged state, the first driving force obtained by the first transmission member is transmitted to the third transmission member by using the first clutch.

4 . The steering mechanism according to claim 3 , wherein:
the steering mechanism comprises a first driving apparatus; the first driving apparatus drives, by providing third driving force for the second transmission member, the second transmission member to move; the second transmission member transmits the third driving force to the first transmission member to allow the first transmission member to obtain the first driving force; and the first transmission member transmits the first driving force to the third transmission member by using the first clutch.

5 . The steering mechanism according to claim 2 , wherein when the first clutch is in the engaged state, the second driving force obtained by the third transmission member is transmitted to the first transmission member by using the first clutch.

6 . The steering mechanism according to claim 5 , wherein:
the steering mechanism comprises a second driving apparatus; the second driving apparatus drives, by providing fourth driving force for the fourth transmission member, the fourth transmission member to move; the fourth transmission member transmits the fourth driving force to the third transmission member to allow the third transmission member to obtain the second driving force; and the third transmission member transmits the second driving force to the first transmission member by using the first clutch.

7 . The steering mechanism according to claim 2 , wherein the steering mechanism comprises a first driving apparatus and a second driving apparatus, and wherein at least one of the following occurs:
when the first clutch is in the disengaged state, the first driving apparatus drives the second transmission member to move, to control the steering force applied to the outer-side wheel; or the second driving apparatus drives the fourth transmission member to move, to control the steering force applied to the inner-side wheel.

8 . The steering mechanism according to claim 7 , wherein:
the first transmission member is a first gear, and the second transmission member is a first rack; or the third transmission member is a second gear, and the fourth transmission member is a second rack.

9 . A steering system, comprising an inner-side wheel, an outer-side wheel, and a steering mechanism, wherein the steering mechanism is configured to control rotation of the inner-side wheel and the outer-side wheel, and wherein the steering mechanism comprises:
a first steering gear, wherein the first steering gear is configured to convert obtained driving force to transmit driving force to an outer-side wheel during steering, to control steering force applied to the outer-side wheel; and a second steering gear, wherein the second steering gear is configured to convert obtained driving force to transmit driving force to an inner-side wheel during steering, to control steering force applied to the inner-side wheel, wherein the first steering gear and the second steering gear are connected by a first clutch, and if the first clutch is in a disengaged state, driving force is not transmitted between the first steering gear and the second steering gear, or if the first clutch is in an engaged state, driving force is transmitted between the first steering gear and the second steering gear.

10 . The steering system according to claim 9 , wherein the steering system further comprises a first steering wheel, the first steering wheel is connected to a first transmission member by using a first steering drag link, a second clutch is disposed on the first steering drag link, and if the second clutch is in an engaged state, the first steering wheel provides the first driving force for the first transmission member by using the first steering drag link, or if the second clutch is in a disengaged state, the first steering wheel is unable to provide the first driving force for the first transmission member by using the first steering drag link.

11 . The steering system according to claim 9 , wherein:
the steering system further comprises a second steering wheel, the second steering wheel is connected to a third transmission member by using a second steering drag link, and a third clutch is disposed on the second steering drag link; and if the third clutch is in an engaged state, the second steering wheel provides the second driving force for the third transmission member by using the second steering drag link, or if the third clutch is in a disengaged state, the second steering wheel is unable to provide the second driving force for the third transmission member by using the second steering drag link.

12 . A control method for a steering system, wherein the steering system comprises:
a first steering gear, and the first steering gear is configured to convert obtained driving force to transmit driving force to an outer-side wheel during steering, to control steering force applied to the outer-side wheel; and a second steering gear, wherein the second steering gear is configured to convert obtained driving force to transmit driving force to an inner-side wheel during steering, to control steering force applied to the inner-side wheel, and the first steering gear and the second steering gear are connected by a first clutch, wherein the control method comprises:
controlling, by a controller, the first clutch to be in a disengaged state to disallow driving force to be transmitted between the first steering gear and the second steering gear; and
controlling, by the controller, the first clutch to be in an engaged state to allow driving force to be transmitted between the first steering gear and the second steering gear.

13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein:
the first steering gear comprises a first transmission member and a second transmission member that are in a transmission

Assignees

• Huawei Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Wang Hui
• Yang Lulu
• Sun Jian
• Song Tianzhu

Classifications

• B62D3/12 Primary

  of rack-and-pinion type · CPC title

• B62D5/0433

  the clutch being of on-off type · CPC title

• B62D5/003 Primary

  Backup systems, e.g. for manual steering (B62D5/30 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B62D7/20

  Links, e.g. track rods (means for adjusting camber, castor, or toe-in B62D17/00) · CPC title

• B62D7/09

  characterised by means varying the ratio between the steering angles of the steered wheels (varying the ratio automatically depending on driving conditions B62D6/00) · CPC title