JP4486158B1 - Steering device - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to make a steering body return to a straight traveling state without performing return steering of a steering instruction section.
A steering device detects an angular acceleration of a steering wheel and, if the angular acceleration is positive, steers a steering direction of a steered wheel so as to coincide with a steering direction of the steering wheel. When the change from positive to negative is detected, and the angular acceleration is negative, the steering direction of the steering wheel 5 is steered in the direction opposite to the steering direction of the steering wheel 2, and the steering wheel 5 is directed to the straight traveling position. A control signal is generated.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a steering apparatus including a steering instruction unit that steers a steering body.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a vehicle, for example, an automobile, is provided with a steering device that changes the traveling direction by changing the direction of a steering wheel by steering a steering wheel. The steering wheel and the steered wheel of an automobile are structurally connected and have a dependency. In this configuration, the steering direction of the steered wheels changes following the steering of the steering wheel. Since the essential technical element is to move the tire in the direction of the road on which it is desired to travel, the steering direction of the steering wheel must always match the steering direction of the steered wheels.

  Therefore, when the car makes a turn at an intersection, or when changing the course while driving in a straight line, the driver first steers the steering wheel in the direction that he wants to turn, and then proceeds to a certain degree to the curve. In order to return the tire toward the vehicle, steering must always be performed to return the steering wheel in the opposite direction. There is an auxiliary invention that uses a detector to naturally return the steering wheel according to the caster principle of wheel alignment in the process of steering the steering wheel at that time, or to improve the returning (Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent No. 2604620

  However, in order to return the steered wheel to the straight traveling state, steering to return the steering wheel to the straight traveling position is essential. Steering of the steering wheel becomes complicated, and the configuration of the steering device also becomes complicated.

  An object of the present invention is to eliminate the return steering of the steering instruction unit and simplify the steering in one direction of the steering instruction unit.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a steering device having a simple structure without directly connecting a steering instruction unit and a steering body.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, in the present invention, the steering instruction unit and the steering body for controlling the traveling direction are not mechanically directly connected, and the steering control is possible. The steering body is configured so as to return toward the straight traveling state without returning the instruction unit and performing steering.

That is, the present invention
A rotatable steering instruction unit for instructing a steering direction;
A rotation state detection unit that detects a rotation state including a state of angular acceleration of the steering instruction unit;
A steering control unit that is connected to the rotation state detection unit and generates a control signal for controlling the steering direction and the steering angle of the steering body based on the rotation state detected by the rotation state detection unit;
A steering body drive unit that is connected to the steering control unit and steers the steering body based on a control signal from the steering control unit;
With
The steering control unit
Based on the state of angular acceleration of the steering instruction unit, when the angular acceleration is positive, the steering direction of the steering body is steered to coincide with the steering direction of the steering instruction unit, and the angular acceleration is negative. In this case, the steering apparatus is configured to steer the steering direction of the steering body in a direction opposite to the steering direction of the steering instruction unit, and to generate a control signal for returning the steering body toward the straight traveling position. Is to provide.

  Steering here includes both manual steering and automatic steering, and may be automatic steering based on information detected by a monitor. An actuator is provided in a steering instruction section, and an autopilot airplane, an autopilot vehicle, for example, a camera. It can be applied to rescue special vehicles that detect and rescue people in rubble with infrared rays.

  Examples of the rotation state detected by the rotation state detection unit include a rotation angle, a rotation speed, a rotation angular velocity, a rotation angle acceleration, and a steering direction of the steering instruction unit.

  In the detection of the angular acceleration, the angular acceleration may be obtained by calculation from input information such as the rotation state of the steering instruction unit, or the angular acceleration may be detected by an angular acceleration sensor.

  The steering apparatus of the present invention is applied to various vehicles such as aircraft, ships, and vehicles. For example, examples of the steering instruction unit include a steering wheel of a car and a steering device for a ship. This also applies to unmanned vehicles. Examples of the steering body include automobile tires, ship screws, and aircraft steering surfaces.

  In the present invention, for example, when the present invention is applied to a vehicle, if the intersection is turned 90 degrees, the steering instruction unit may be continuously rotated in the same direction (one direction), and the return steering is unnecessary. Even if the vehicle is not yet straight ahead, the driver only needs to steer in consideration of turning in one direction, so the driver does not need to consider the timing of returning in the middle. And in order to make the vehicle go straight, it is only necessary to stop the steering of the steering instruction section.

  The present invention can return the steering wheel to the straight traveling state without performing the return steering with respect to the steering instruction unit, and thus has an effect of making the return steering unnecessary. According to the present invention, steering of the steering body can be simplified, and complications can be avoided.

  The present invention can easily change the relationship between the steering speed of the steering body and the rotation of the steering instruction section.

  In the present invention, since the steering instruction section and the steering drive device are not directly connected, the steering device is simplified and the structure is simplified.

It is a block diagram of the steering apparatus of the vehicle of this invention embodiment. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of the steering apparatus. It is a time chart which shows the rotation angle of the steering wheel of the steering apparatus, angular velocity, angular acceleration, and the direction of a steering wheel. It is a block diagram of the change form of the steering apparatus of the vehicle of embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram of the different modified form of the steering apparatus of the vehicle of this invention embodiment.

  A vehicle steering apparatus 1 (hereinafter simply referred to as a steering apparatus 1) that is a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the steering device 1 includes a handle 2 as a rotatable steering instruction unit that instructs a steering direction of a vehicle, a rotation angle detection unit 3 that detects a rotation angle and a rotation direction of the handle 2, and a handle. The angular acceleration detection unit 4 that detects the angular acceleration 2, the rotation angle detection unit 3, and the angular acceleration detection unit 4, and the rotation angle detected by the rotation angle detection unit 3 and the angular acceleration detection unit 4 A steering control unit 6 that generates a control signal for controlling the steered wheel 5 based on the detected angular acceleration, and a steering control unit 6 that is connected to the steering control unit 6 and steers the steered wheel 5 based on the control signal from the steering control unit 6. And a steered wheel drive unit 7 to be operated.

  When the angular acceleration is positive based on the state of the angular acceleration of the steering wheel 2, the steering control unit 6 steers the steering direction of the steered wheels 5 so as to coincide with the steering direction of the steering wheel 2, and the angular acceleration. Is negative, steering the steering direction of the steering wheel 5 in a direction opposite to the steering direction of the handle 2, and generating a control signal for returning the steering wheel 5 toward the straight traveling position.

  The handle 2 is, for example, a circular or disk-shaped one that has a handle wheel 2a that is attached to a vehicle and that is steered by a driver, and a handle shaft 2b that is a rotation shaft of the handle wheel 2a and that performs a rotational motion. FIG. 1 shows an example in the case of using a circular handle wheel 2a that transmits a traveling direction intended by a driver to a steered wheel or the like.

  Automatic steering may be used instead of manual steering. In the case of automatic steering, when the handle wheel 2a is left, the handle wheel 2a may be removed and the handle shaft 2b may be left. In any case, it is necessary to provide an actuator for driving the handle shaft 2b.

  The rotation angle detector 3 detects the rotation angle of the handle shaft 2b. For example, the example provided in the bearing of the handle shaft 2b is given. The steering direction can also be detected by this rotation angle. In this example, the detected value of the rotation angle is positive for clockwise and negative for counterclockwise.

  The angular acceleration detection unit 4 may be an angular acceleration sensor that detects the angular acceleration of the handle 2. Angular acceleration is positive when the angular velocity is increasing and negative when the angular velocity is decreasing.

  A rotation angle detector 3 and an angular acceleration detector 4 are attached to the handle 2.

  Examples of the steered wheels 5 include so-called tires and wheels.

  The steering control unit 6 reads signals from the rotation angle detection unit 3 and the angular acceleration detection unit 4 and stores them in the storage unit as data. This data is processed by a program stored in the ROM, and the steering direction and steering angle of the steered wheels 5 are calculated by the CPU.

  The steering control unit 6 detects either the state in which the handle 2 is rotated to the right or the state in which it is rotated to the left, based on the sign of the rotation angle detected by the rotation angle detection unit 3. Based on this, the steering direction of the steered wheels 5 is controlled. Further, the steering angle of the steering wheel 5 is appropriately determined from the rotation angle, rotation angular velocity, rotation angular acceleration, and the like of the handle 2. Although the relationship between the value of the angular acceleration and the driving amount of the steering wheel 5 may be constant, the ratio can be changed according to the skill of the person or the characteristics of the vehicle.

  In addition, precise control is possible by providing a detector of the steering angle of the steered wheels 5 and inputting a signal from the detector to the steering control unit.

  When the steering control unit 6 controls the steering direction, the angular acceleration value of the steering wheel 2 changes from positive to negative at the timing of causing the return operation of the steering wheel 5 (steering the steering wheel 5 in the direction of returning to the straight traveling position). Judge whether or not. The steering control unit 6 controls the steered wheels 5 according to the program stored in the ROM so as to coincide with the steering direction of the steering wheel 2 when the angular acceleration is positive. When the angular acceleration changes from positive to negative, the steering wheel 5 is returned and steered in the direction opposite to the steering direction of the handle 2, that is, the direction returning to the straight traveling direction. In order to improve the running stability when the vehicle is traveling straight, it is possible to prevent the drive wheels 5 from being driven by a program for small changes in the positive and negative angular acceleration of the steering wheel 2 during the straight traveling.

  The steered wheel drive unit 7 preferably has a structure in which the steered wheel 5 is steered by an electric motor and a ball screw. Steering is performed by changing the angle of the steering wheel 5 by a combination of an electric motor and a ball screw. Instead of this, the steered wheels 5 may be operated by hydraulic pressure.

  Combined with the steering device 1, the operation status of the vehicle, for example, speed, left / right or up / down swing, braking, etc. is detected by a sensor, converted into an electric signal, and steering is controlled auxiliary by an electric motor or hydraulic pressure. In addition, the traveling state of the vehicle may be stabilized. Moreover, it is good also as a structure which switches manual steering to automatic steering suitably.

  Next, the operation of the steering device 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. In FIG. 3, the regions corresponding to FIG. 2 are assigned the same numbers to clarify the correspondence.

  It is assumed that at the start of the vehicle, the steering wheel 5 is in the straight direction, the angular velocity and angular acceleration of the rotation angle of the handle 2 are 0, and the driving of the steering wheel 5 is stopped.

  First, when the steering wheel 2 is steered clockwise while traveling straight ahead, the angular velocity is increased until the maximum angular velocity is reached, and the steered wheels 5 are steered clockwise according to the magnitude of the angular acceleration. . At this time, the angular velocity increases and the angular acceleration is positive.

  When the angular velocity is at the maximum value, the angular acceleration is zero, so that the steered wheels 5 are stopped from steering and maintain the immediately preceding state.

  Further, when the steering wheel 2 is gradually steered clockwise, the angular velocity decreases and the angular acceleration becomes negative. Therefore, the steering wheel 5 starts to return to the left even though the steering wheel 2 is rotated clockwise.

  When the driver stops rotating the steering wheel 2 to the right, both the angular velocity and angular acceleration of the steering wheel 2 become 0, the driving of the steering wheel 5 is stopped, and the driving wheel 5 is in a straight traveling position. The same applies to turning the handle 2 counterclockwise. The same applies to the course change.

  Thus, when the vehicle turns an intersection, or in the case of a course change, when the steering wheel 2 begins to turn in one direction, the turning speed increases, the turning speed decreases, and the vehicle goes straight. It is only necessary to stop the turning operation of the handle 2. That is, the handle 2 may be left in one direction. Instead of the conventional return steering, it turns in the same direction. When the driver stops the rotation of the handle 2, the steered wheels 5 are returned to the straight traveling state. On the other hand, the steered wheel 5 is driven to the right, and then automatically driven in the return direction (left direction) to return to the straight traveling position. That is, the steering wheel 5 can be returned without the driver performing return steering. The driver does not need to be aware of return steering. In particular, it is very convenient for those that automatically steer.

  According to the steering device 1 described above, the operation of returning the steering wheel 2 to the straight-ahead position can be eliminated, so that the driver simply needs to continuously steer the steering wheel 2 in the same direction in the steering direction. Therefore, the amount of work for the driver is reduced, and the steering can be simplified. For example, it can be applied to drivers of various abilities, and is expected to be applied to, for example, special vehicles that are put into disaster relief.

  According to the steering device 1, unstable steering that occurs due to poor steering return timing can be prevented, and even a person with low steering skill can perform more stable steering. For example, it can be expected to be introduced in a steering apparatus for vehicles used by elderly people, children, disabled persons, and the like.

  According to the steering device 1, the minimum necessary detection unit is used, and since the handle 2 and the steering wheel drive unit 7 are not directly connected, the structure is simple and lightweight, and various types of steering are required. The vehicle can be easily loaded, the device can be constructed at low cost, the durability is high, and the maintenance can be reduced.

  Next, a steering apparatus 101 which is a modified form of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. Since this embodiment is generally the same as the above-described embodiment, the part number is assumed to be in the 100s, and differences will be mainly described. Here, the angular acceleration calculation unit 104 is provided in the steering control unit 106, and the angular acceleration calculation unit 104 calculates the rotation angular velocity based on the rotation angle detected by the rotation angle detection unit 103, and this rotation. The rotational angular acceleration is calculated from the angular velocity.

  Next, a steering device 201 which is a different modification of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. Since this modified form generally coincides with the modified form of FIG. 4, the part number is in the 200s, and the differences will be mainly described. Here, the steering device 201 is automatic steering instead of manual steering. The handle wheel 202 a is eliminated, the monitor 209 is connected to the actuator 250, and the handle shaft 202 b is driven to rotate by the actuator 250 based on the information detected by the monitor 209, and the angular acceleration calculation unit 204 is detected by the rotation angle detection unit 203. Based on the rotation angle, the rotation angular velocity is calculated, the rotation angular acceleration is calculated from the rotation angular velocity, and based on this, the steering wheel 205 of the vehicle is automatically steered.

  The present invention can be mounted on devices that require direction control, such as aircraft, ships, construction machines, automobiles, special vehicles, playground equipment, and unmanned robots.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Steering device 2 ... Steering wheel (steering instruction part)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 3 ... Rotation angle detection part 4 ... Angular acceleration detection part 5 ... Steering wheel 6 ... Steering control part 7 ... Steering wheel drive part

Claims (1)

A rotatable steering instruction unit for instructing a steering direction;
A rotation state detection unit that detects a rotation state including a state of angular acceleration of the steering instruction unit;
A steering control unit that is connected to the rotation state detection unit and generates a control signal for controlling the steering direction and the steering angle of the steering body based on the rotation state detected by the rotation state detection unit;
A steering body drive unit that is connected to the steering control unit and steers the steering body based on a control signal from the steering control unit;
With
The steering control unit
Based on the state of angular acceleration of the steering instruction unit, when the angular acceleration is positive, the steering direction of the steering body is steered so as to coincide with the steering direction of the steering instruction unit, and the angular acceleration is negative. In this case, the steering apparatus is configured to steer the steering direction of the steering body in a direction opposite to the steering direction of the steering instruction unit, and to generate a control signal for returning the steering body toward the straight traveling position. .

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