JP2006306178A - Electric power steering device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electric power steering device including sensors to sense the stroke ends of a rack bar capable of stabilizing the steering performance by sensing a failure in the sensors or their missensing. <P>SOLUTION: The electric power steering device 10 is equipped with sensors 61 and 62 to sense the left and right stroke ends of the rack bar 14, a steering distance sensing means 56 to sense the straight stroke distance of the rack bar 14, and a stroke end controlling means 70 to drive under control an electric motor 20 on the basis of the sensing results of the sensors 61 and 62 and the steering distance sensing means 56, wherein judgement is passed that the sensors 61 and 62 involve failure when the brake control distance is exceeded by the sensed distance of the steering distance sensing means 56 from sensing of the stroke end by the sensors 61 and 62. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electric power steering apparatus.

As described in Patent Document 1, the electric power steering device converts the rotation of the electric motor into a linear stroke of the rack shaft by a power transmission mechanism and assists steering of the wheels connected to the rack shaft.
JP-A-6-8839

  The conventional electric power steering device has a left sensor and a right sensor that detect the left and right stroke ends of the rack shaft, and when both sensors do not detect the stroke end, the rack shaft does not reach the stroke end. And assist control for rotating the electric motor normally is performed. When one sensor detects the stroke end, it determines that the rack shaft has reached one stroke end, and brake control that brakes the electric motor to avoid the rack shaft colliding with the gear housing in the axial direction. To do.

  However, in the prior art, since there is no sensor abnormality detection means, when one of the sensors erroneously detects the stroke end, the brake control for braking the electric motor even though the rack shaft has not reached the stroke end. Will be done.

  An object of the present invention is to detect an abnormality or erroneous detection of a sensor that detects a stroke end of a rack shaft in an electric power steering apparatus, and to stabilize steering performance.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, in the electric power steering apparatus that converts the rotation of the electric motor into a linear stroke of the rack shaft by a power transmission mechanism and assists the steering of the wheels connected to the rack shaft, the left and right stroke ends of the rack shaft are A sensor for detecting, a steering distance detecting means for detecting a linear stroke distance of the rack shaft, and a stroke end control means for controlling driving of the electric motor based on the detection results of the sensor and the steering distance detecting means. When the detection distance of the steering distance detection means after detecting the end exceeds a predetermined braking control distance, it is determined that the sensor is abnormal.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the stroke end control means performs assist control for normally rotating the electric motor when the sensor does not detect the stroke end, and the sensor detects the stroke end. When the detected distance of the steering distance detecting means after detecting the stroke end is within the range of the braking control distance, the brake control for braking the electric motor is permitted, and the steering distance detecting means after detecting the stroke end The brake control is not permitted when the detected distance exceeds the braking control distance.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the present invention, the stroke end control means detects a stroke end, and the detection distance of the steering distance detection means after the stroke end is detected is a braking control distance. When this happens, the power supply to the electric motor is controlled to stop.

  The invention of claim 4 further comprises alarm output means for outputting an alarm when the abnormality of the sensor is determined in any of the inventions of claims 1-3.

(Claim 1)
(a) The linear stroke travel distance of the rack shaft from when the sensor starts detecting the stroke end of the rack shaft until the rack shaft collides with the gear housing in the axial direction is determined in advance as a braking control distance. Accordingly, based on the fact that the detection distance of the steering distance detection means (the linear stroke movement distance of the rack shaft) after the sensor detects the stroke end of the rack shaft exceeds the predetermined braking control distance described above, It can be easily detected and determined to be abnormal (including erroneous detection).

(Claim 2)
(b) Brake control for braking the electric motor is not performed when the sensor detects that the detection distance of the steering distance detection means after the sensor detects the stroke end exceeds the braking control distance. This avoids the inconvenience of suddenly forcing the driver to perform an extremely heavy steering operation by the appropriate brake control.

(Claim 3)
(c) When the sensor of (b) is abnormal, energization of the electric motor is stopped. At this time, assist control for normal rotation of the electric motor may be performed.

(Claim 4)
(d) When the sensor is abnormal, the alarm output means outputs an alarm and can immediately notify the driver of the sensor abnormality.

  FIG. 1 is a front view showing an electric power steering device, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of the electric power steering device, FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control system of the electric power steering device, and FIG. 4 is a stroke end control procedure. It is a flowchart shown.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the electric power steering apparatus 10 includes a first gear housing 11A and a second gear housing 11B in which the gear housing 11 is divided, and a steering input is input to the gear housing 11 (first gear housing 11A). The shaft 12 is supported, an output shaft (not shown) is connected to the input shaft 12 via a torsion bar 13 (not shown), a pinion (not shown) is provided on the output shaft, and the rack shaft 14 meshes with the pinion. Is supported by the gear housing 11 so as to be linearly movable in the left-right direction. A steering torque sensor 41 is provided between the input shaft 12 and the output shaft. The steering torque sensor 41 detects the steering torque based on the relative rotational displacement generated between the input shaft 12 and the output shaft due to the elastic torsional deformation of the torsion bar caused by the steering torque applied to the steering wheel, and detects the steering torque signal. Output Ts.

  The electric power steering apparatus 10 has both end portions of the rack shaft 14 projecting from both sides of the gear housing 11 (first gear housing 11A, second gear housing 11B), and tie rods 15A, 15B are connected to the end portions of the rack shaft 14, The left and right wheels are connected so as to be steerable via tie rods 15A and 15B interlocking with the 14 linear movements.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the electric power steering apparatus 10 fixes the electric motor 20 to a holder 22 with mounting bolts 21 (not shown), and the holder 22 is attached to and detached from the first gear housing 11A with mounting bolts 23 (not shown). It is possible. The holder 22 attached to the first gear housing 11A and inserted into the first gear housing 11A has a certain gap between the inner periphery of the gear housings 11A and 11B, and is a holder for the first gear housing 11A. 22 is allowed to swing, and the tension of the belt 37 wound around the drive pulley 24 and the driven pulley 36 supported on the holder 22 as described later can be adjusted.

  At this time, the holder 22 supports the central shaft 25 of the drive pulley 24, and the joint 26A at the shaft end of the rotating shaft 20A of the electric motor 20 and the joint 26B at the shaft end of the central shaft 25 are arranged at a plurality of positions in the circumferential direction. The intermediate joints 26C made of rubber or the like are sandwiched between the teeth provided on the teeth, and are engaged with each other from the axial direction. The drive pulley 24 is supported at both ends of the center shaft 25 by the holder 22 by bearings 27 and 28. Reference numeral 29 denotes a retaining ring for fixing the outer ring of the bearing 28.

  The electric power steering apparatus 10 is provided with a ball screw 30 on the rack shaft 14, a ball nut 32 that meshes with the ball screw 30 via a ball 31, and a bearing 33 supported by the gear housing 11 (first gear housing 11 </ b> A). Thus, the ball nut 32 is rotatably supported. Reference numeral 34 denotes an outer ring fixing nut of the bearing 33. A driven pulley 36 is fixed to the outer periphery of the ball nut 32 by a lock nut 35.

  The electric power steering apparatus 10 wraps a belt 37 around a drive pulley 24 on the electric motor 20 side and a driven pulley 36 on the ball nut 32 side, and rotates the electric motor 20 to drive pulley 24, belt 37, driven pulley 36. Then, it is transmitted to the ball nut 32 and converted into a linear stroke of the rack shaft 14, and the rack shaft 14 is linearly moved. Thereby, the electric motor 20 provides a steering assist force to the steering system.

  The electric power steering apparatus 10 passes the rack shaft 14 supported by the first gear housing 11A through the second gear housing 11B, covers the holder 22 attached to the first gear housing 11A with the second gear housing 11B, The first gear housing 11 </ b> A and the second gear housing 11 </ b> B are fastened with a plurality of fastening bolts 16. At this time, as shown in FIG. 2, the first gear housing 11A and the second gear housing 11B are driven by the plurality of cylindrical knock pins 16A so that both end portions of the knock pins 16A are driven and aligned. The fastening bolt 16 inserted through 16A is screwed and fastened. Some fastening bolts 16 are screwed to the first gear housing 11A through the knock pins 16A, and other fastening bolts 16 are screwed to the second gear housing 11B through the knock pins 16A.

  The electric power steering apparatus 10 has the following configuration in order to reduce the swing of the rack shaft 14 supported by the gear housings 11A and 11B.

  In the second gear housing 11 </ b> B, a portion facing the ball nut 32 supported by the first gear housing 11 </ b> A is a bush support portion 17, and the bush 40 is bridged between the ball nut 32 and the bush support portion 17. The bush 40 is press-fitted into the inner peripheral portion on the tip end side of the ball nut 32 and is fixedly provided. The bush 40 is linearly slid on the rack shaft 14 while being rotatably supported by the inner peripheral portion of the bush support portion 17. Support as possible.

  The bush 40 has a part in the axial direction of the outer periphery of a cylindrical body made of metal or the like as a sliding part with the bush support part 17, and an entire inner periphery as a sliding part with the rack shaft 14. The sliding portion is obtained by providing a lubrication coating layer such as an oil-containing polyacetal resin or a tetrafluoroethylene resin on the surface of the cylindrical body by coating or the like.

  The electric power steering apparatus 10 has the following control means 50 for the electric motor 20 (FIG. 3).

  The control means 50 includes a steering torque sensor 41 and a vehicle speed sensor 42 as incidental. As described above, the steering torque sensor 41 detects the steering torque of the steering system and outputs the steering torque signal Ts to the control means 50. The vehicle speed sensor 42 detects the speed of the vehicle and outputs a vehicle speed signal Vs to the control means 50.

  The control means 50 is based on a microprocessor and has various arithmetic processing means, signal generation means, memory, etc., and performs P (proportional control) and I (integral control) based on the steering torque signal Ts and the vehicle speed signal Vs. The generated drive control signal Vo (PWM signal) is generated, and the drive of the motor drive means 43 is controlled thereby.

  The motor driving means 43 is constituted by a bridge circuit composed of switching elements such as four power FETs (field effect transistors) or IGBTs (insulated gate / bipolar transistors), for example, and outputs a motor voltage Vm based on the drive control signal Vo. Then, the electric motor 20 is driven. When the steering wheel is being steered clockwise, the electric motor 20 is rotated forward, for example, to apply a steering assist force to the steering system so that the front wheels are directed clockwise.

  The control unit 50 includes a current detection unit 44 incidentally. The current detection unit 44 detects the motor current Im actually flowing through the electric motor 20 and feeds back (negative feedback) the detection current signal Imo converted to digital corresponding to the motor current Im to the control unit 50.

  The control unit 50 includes a target current setting unit 51, a deviation calculation unit 52, and a current control calculation unit 53.

  The target current setting means 51 includes a memory such as a ROM (Read Only Memory), and is based on the steering torque signal Ts output from the steering torque sensor 41 and the vehicle speed signal Vs output from the steering torque signal Ts and the vehicle speed sensor 42. The target current signal Ims for the steering torque signal Ts using the vehicle speed signal Vs as a parameter is read from the target current signal Ims map stored in advance in the memory and output to the deviation calculating means 52.

  The deviation calculating means 52 calculates a deviation (Ims−Imo) between the target current signal Ims and the detected current signal Imo, and outputs a deviation signal ΔI to the current control calculating means 53.

  The current control calculation means 53 is a PWM corresponding to a polarity signal and a duty ratio to the motor drive means 43 of the electric motor 20 in accordance with the deviation signal ΔI between the target current signal Ims and the detected current signal Imo. A signal Vo is given.

  The current control calculation unit 53 includes a PI (proportional / integral) control unit 54 and a PWM signal generation unit 55. A torque differential control means is also added if necessary.

  The PI control means 54 generates a proportional sensitivity KP for proportional control 54A, an integral element 54B for integrating control by generating an integral gain KI, and an addition for adding the output signals of the proportional element 54A and the integral element 54B. 54C is provided. The proportional element 54A and the integral element 54B are connected in parallel, the proportional element 54A is a proportional signal IP obtained by multiplying the deviation signal ΔI by the proportional sensitivity KP, and the integral element 54B is an integral obtained by subjecting the deviation signal ΔI to integration processing having an integral gain KI. The signal II is output to the adder 54C. The adder 54C adds the proportional signal IP and the integral signal II, and outputs the proportional / integral signal IPI (IP + II) to the PWM signal generating means 55.

  The PWM signal generating means 55 outputs a direction polarity signal corresponding to the direction and magnitude of the proportional / integral signal IPI and a PWM signal corresponding to the duty ratio to the motor driving means 43 as the drive control signal Vo. The motor driving means 43 drives the electric motor 20 with the motor driving voltage Vm.

  Accordingly, the control means 50 basically performs the following assist control on the electric motor 20 of the electric power steering apparatus 10.

  (1) When the steering torque detected by the steering torque sensor 41 is lower than a predetermined value, the steering assist force is unnecessary and the electric motor 20 is not driven.

  (2) Since the steering assist force is required when the steering torque detected by the steering torque sensor 41 exceeds a predetermined value, the electric motor 20 is driven to rotate normally and assist control is performed. The rotational force of the electric motor 20 is transmitted to the ball nut 32 via the drive pulley 24, the belt 37, and the driven pulley 36, and becomes a steering assist force that causes the rack shaft 14 to linearly stroke via the ball screw 30.

  However, the control means 50 is additionally provided with a left sensor 61 and a right sensor 62 that detect the left and right stroke ends of the rack shaft 14. The left and right sensors 61 and 62 can be composed of, for example, a photo sensor, a proximity sensor, a micro switch, and the like. The detection means a attached to the left and right ends of the gear housing 11 and the cover attached to the left and right ends of the rack shaft 14. When the detection means a is close to the subject b within a predetermined distance, the detection signal indicating that the rack shaft 14 has reached the stroke end is output.

  The control unit 50 includes a stroke end control unit 70 that obtains detection results of the left sensor 61 and the right sensor 62. The stroke end control means 70 drives and controls the electric motor 20 based on the detection results of the left sensor 61 and the right sensor 62. In other words, the stroke end control means 70 determines that the rack shaft 14 has not reached the stroke end when the left sensor 61 and the right sensor 62 have not detected the stroke end of the rack shaft 14, and normally controls the electric motor 20. The assist control signal A to be rotated is output to the PWM signal generating means 55, and the electric motor 20 is assist-controlled as described above. When one sensor 61 or 62 detects the stroke end of the rack shaft 14, the stroke end control means 70 determines that the rack shaft 14 has reached one stroke end, and the rack shaft 14 is connected to the gear housing 11. In order to avoid a collision in the direction, the brake control signal B for braking the electric motor 20 is output to the PWM signal generating means 55, and the electric motor is generated by the brake operation signal Br sent from the PWM signal generating means 55 to the motor driving means 43. Brake control is performed by forcibly applying an electromagnetic brake to 20.

  When the left sensor 61 and the right sensor 62 do not detect the stroke end of the rack shaft 14, the stroke end control means 70 does not need to output the assist control signal A to the PWM signal generation means 55, and the stroke Even if the end control means 70 does not output the assist control signal A to the PWM signal generation means 55, the control means 50 can perform normal assist control of the electric motor as described above.

  The control means 50 includes a steering distance detection means 56 that detects the linear stroke distance Lx of the rack shaft 14 in order to detect abnormalities (including erroneous detection) of the sensors 61 and 62 in the stroke end control means 70. The steering distance detecting means 56 can directly detect the linear stroke distance Lx by a displacement meter (stroke sensor) of the rack shaft 14.

  The steering distance detecting means 56 transfers the motor terminal voltage Vm, the motor current Im, and the motor internal resistance value Rm of the electric motor 20 from the motor driving means 43 to the motor rotation speed Nm calculated by the following (1). By multiplying the reduction ratio of the electric motor 20, the diameter ratio of the pulleys 24 and 26, and the lead of the ball screw 30, the linear stroke speed Lv of the rack shaft 14 is calculated, and this linear stroke speed Lv is integrated over time. The integrated value obtained can also be detected as the linear stroke distance Lx of the rack shaft 14 at that time.

  However, Ks is an induced voltage constant determined by the electric motor 20.

  Nm = (Vm−Rm · Im) / Ks (1)

  The stroke end control means 70 is used when the detection distance Lx of the steering distance detection means 56 after the left sensor 61 or the right sensor 62 detects the stroke end of the rack shaft 14 exceeds a predetermined braking control distance Lo. It is determined that the sensor 61 or 62 is abnormal. The braking control distance Lo is the linear stroke of the rack shaft 14 from when the left sensor 61 or the right sensor 62 starts detecting the stroke end of the rack shaft 14 until the rack shaft 14 collides with the gear housing 11 in the axial direction. The travel distance is determined in advance in the electric power steering apparatus 10.

  Therefore, the control means 50 controls the drive of the electric motor 20 as follows by the presence of the stroke end control means 70 (FIG. 4).

  (1) The stroke end control means 70 is a PWM signal generation means for generating an assist control signal A for normally rotating the electric motor 20 when both the left sensor 61 and the right sensor 62 have not detected the stroke end of the rack shaft 14. The electric motor 20 is assisted and controlled.

  (2) When one of the left sensor 61 and the right sensor 62 detects the stroke end of the rack shaft 14 when the stroke end control means 70 is the first detection, the left end sensor 61 or the right sensor 62 stores the position of the rack shaft 14 when the detection of the stroke end of the rack shaft 14 is started, and then reads the current position of the rack shaft 14. If detection of the stroke end of the rack shaft 14 by one of the left sensor 61 and the right sensor 62 is detection following the first time described above, the current position of the rack shaft 14 is immediately read.

  (3) The stroke end control means 70 uses the steering distance detection means 56 to detect the current position of the rack shaft 14 and the left sensor 61 or the right sensor 62 when detecting the stroke end of the rack shaft 14 in (2). The distance of the position of the rack shaft 14 is detected as the linear stroke distance Lx of the rack shaft 14 after the left sensor 61 or the right sensor 62 detects the stroke end of the rack shaft 14.

  (4) The stroke end control means 70 outputs a brake control signal B for braking the electric motor 20 to the PWM signal generating means 55 when the detection distance Lx in the above (3) is within the range of the braking control distance Lo. The electric motor 20 is subjected to electromagnetic brake control.

  However, the stroke end control means 70 determines whether or not the driver does not change the steering direction of the steering wheel based on the detection result of the steering torque sensor 41 after one of the sensors 61 and 62 detects the stroke end. The control shifts to the brake control for braking the electric motor 20 only when it remains unchanged without switching back, and when it is switched back and changed, the electric motor 20 is subjected to normal assist control.

  (5) When the detected distance Lx of (3) exceeds the braking control distance Lo, the stroke end control means 70 determines that the sensor is abnormal, disabling the brake control of (4), If there is, cancel this. Further, a stop control signal S for stopping the power supply to the electric motor 20 is output to the PWM signal generating means 55, and the PWM signal generating means 55 sets the duty ratio D of the PWM signal Vo output to the motor driving means 43 to zero. The motor 20 is stopped and controlled. The driver performs manual steering in a state where there is no steering assist force by the electric motor 20. However, at this time, the stroke end control means 70 may perform the above-described assist control for normally rotating the electric motor 20 without directly controlling the electric motor 20 to stop.

  The stroke end control means 70 controls the alarm output means 80 by outputting the sensor abnormality alarm output signal E to the alarm output means 80 when the abnormality of the sensors 61 and 62 is detected, and the driver is visually or auditorily controlled. Outputs sensor abnormality alarm.

  When both the left sensor 61 and the right sensor 62 detect the stroke end, the stroke end control means 70 determines that the sensor is abnormal and supplies power to the electric motor 20 without brake control of the electric motor 20. A stop control signal S to be stopped is output to the PWM signal generating means 55, and the PWM signal generating means 55 can set the duty ratio D of the PWM signal Vo output to the motor driving means 43 to zero, and can control the electric motor 20 to stop. . The driver performs manual steering in a state where there is no steering assist force by the electric motor 20.

According to the present embodiment, the following operational effects can be obtained.
(a) The linear stroke distance of the rack shaft 14 from when the sensors 61 and 62 start detecting the stroke end of the rack shaft 14 until the rack shaft 14 collides with the gear housing 11 in the axial direction is determined in advance as a braking control distance. . Therefore, by detecting that the detection distance of the steering distance detection means 56 (the linear stroke distance of the rack shaft 14) after the sensors 61 and 62 detect the stroke end of the rack shaft 14 exceeds the above-described braking control distance. Thus, it can be easily detected and determined that the sensors 61 and 62 are abnormal (including erroneous detection).

  (b) Brake control for braking the electric motor 20 is not performed when the sensors 61 and 62 are abnormal when the detection distance of the steering distance detecting means 56 exceeds the braking control distance after the sensors 61 and 62 detect the stroke end. . This avoids the inconvenience of suddenly forcing the driver to perform an extremely heavy steering operation by the appropriate brake control.

  (c) When the sensors 61 and 62 in (b) are abnormal, the energization of the electric motor 20 is stopped. At this time, assist control for rotating the electric motor 20 normally may be performed.

  (d) When the sensors 61 and 62 are abnormal, the alarm output means 80 outputs an alarm and can immediately notify the driver of the abnormality of the sensors 61 and 62.

  The embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration of the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and even if there is a design change or the like without departing from the gist of the present invention. It is included in the present invention. For example, a power transmission mechanism that transmits the rotation of an electric motor to a rack shaft is a pinion assist that meshes the rotational force of a drive gear fixed to the rotation shaft of the electric motor with a driven gear fixed to a pinion shaft that meshes with the rack shaft. It may be a drive mechanism.

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an electric power steering apparatus. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of the electric power steering apparatus. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control system of the electric power steering apparatus. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a stroke end control procedure.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Electric power steering apparatus 14 Rack shaft 20 Electric motor 50 Control means 56 Steering distance detection means 61 Left sensor 62 Right sensor 70 Stroke end control means 80 Alarm output means

Claims (4)

In the electric power steering device that converts the rotation of the electric motor into a linear stroke of the rack shaft by a power transmission mechanism and assists the steering of the wheels connected to the rack shaft.
A sensor that detects the left and right stroke ends of the rack shaft;
A steering distance detecting means for detecting a linear stroke distance of the rack shaft;
Stroke end control means for driving and controlling the electric motor based on the detection result of the sensor and the steering distance detection means,
An electric power steering apparatus characterized in that when the detection distance of the steering distance detection means after the sensor detects a stroke end exceeds a predetermined braking control distance, the sensor is determined to be abnormal. The stroke end control means comprises:
When the sensor does not detect the stroke end, it performs assist control to rotate the electric motor normally,
When the sensor detects the stroke end and the detected distance of the steering distance detection means after the stroke end is within the range of the braking control distance, the brake control for braking the electric motor is permitted, and the stroke end is detected. 2. The electric power steering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the brake control is not permitted when the detection distance of the steering distance detection means from the vehicle exceeds a braking control distance. The stroke end control means comprises:
3. The electric power steering apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when the sensor detects the stroke end and the detection distance of the steering distance detection means after the stroke end exceeds the braking control distance, the electric power supply to the electric motor is stopped. .   The electric power steering apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an alarm output unit that outputs an alarm when the abnormality of the sensor is determined.

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