JPH06206557A - Steering device for automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To automatically obtain a proper steering amount and to surely prevent oversteering exceeding this proper steering amount through only steering simply operated by a driver by a simple structure without providing a new steering actuator, in a steering device for an automobile. CONSTITUTION:A present steering amount is detected by a steering angle sensor 6, for instance, at turn running time, information of a turn running path is fetched by a target steering amount setting means to set a proper steering amount for passing a track along this turn running path as the target steering amount, and by a steering resistance control means 12, when the present steering amount leads to the target steering amount, a steering brake 8 is actuated to increase steering resitance.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a steering apparatus for an automobile which regulates steering by a driver to realize safe and proper steering.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various steering devices have been proposed for realizing safe and proper steering in an automobile. For example, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 2-49785 proposes a steering device that suppresses sudden steering by increasing steering resistance during straight forward sudden acceleration. A steering device that limits the steering assist force in the restoring direction has been proposed.

[0003]

In order to realize safe and proper steering in an automobile, for example, during turning, a camera or the like detects the turning state of the road to detect safe and proper steering along the road. It is possible to consider a device that calculates and sets an appropriate steering amount that allows the vehicle to travel, and automatically steers the steering amount so that the steering amount becomes the appropriate steering amount.

However, in such a steering system, a steering actuator must be newly provided,
There is a problem that the configuration of the steering device becomes complicated. Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a steering device having a simple structure that can realize safe and proper steering when turning, for example, without newly providing a steering actuator. Further, in that case, it is desirable that the steering device is such that the driver can naturally obtain an appropriate steering amount by simply steering, and can reliably prevent oversteering beyond the appropriate steering amount.

In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to ensure that the driver can naturally obtain an appropriate steering amount by simply steering and prevent oversteering beyond the appropriate steering amount. An object of the present invention is to provide an automobile steering device having a simple structure.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a vehicle steering system according to the present invention comprises a steering resistance varying means for increasing a steering resistance force and a target steering amount setting means for setting a target steering amount. A current steering amount detecting means for detecting the current steering amount, and the steering operation when the current steering amount output from the current steering amount detecting means reaches the target steering amount output from the target steering amount setting means. Steering resistance control means for activating the resistance variable means to increase the steering resistance.

The target steering amount setting means may be configured to set an appropriate steering amount as the target steering amount, or a steering amount that gradually changes as the target steering amount and reaches the appropriate steering amount. It can be configured as a set quantity.

Further, a vehicle stop / running state determination means is provided, and the target steering amount setting means sets an appropriate steering amount as a target steering amount while the vehicle is stopped, and as a target steering amount during running, as time elapses. It can be configured to set a steering amount that gradually changes and reaches an appropriate steering amount.

Further, the steering resistance control means can be configured to turn on / off the steering resistance varying means at a high speed while the target steering amount is gradually changing with the passage of time.

The target steering amount is, for example, a steering amount capable of properly and safely traveling along a turning road during turning, a steering amount for passing a track capable of being appropriately put into a garage, and the like. Can be set.

[0011]

As described above, the vehicle safety device according to the present invention is provided with the steering resistance variable means for increasing the steering resistance force, and when the current steering amount reaches the target steering amount, the steering resistance variable is changed. Since the steering resistance is increased by operating the means, if the driver steers the steering wheel and the steering amount reaches the target steering amount, the steering resistance increases, and further steering is suppressed. A person can naturally obtain a target steering amount (appropriate steering amount) simply by steering, and over steering exceeding the target steering amount is reliably prevented, and a safe and proper steering is provided by a simple structure without providing a new steering actuator. Is realized.

Further, while the vehicle is running, the steering amount is gradually changed while the vehicle is running by setting the steering amount that gradually changes with time as the target steering amount and reaches an appropriate steering amount. As a result, smooth steering that reaches an appropriate steering amount can be obtained, and it is possible to suppress the occurrence of angular acceleration of the vehicle due to sudden steering during traveling, and further safe and proper steering is realized.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a vehicle steering system according to the present invention. The steering apparatus shown in the drawing is a steering wheel 2 for steering a vehicle by a driver, and a current steering wheel for detecting a current actual steering amount (current steering amount) provided on a shaft 4 of the steering wheel 2. Amount detecting means 6, a steering resistance varying means 8 provided on the shaft 4 for increasing a steering resistance force, a target steering amount setting means 10 for setting a target steering amount, the present steering amount detecting means 6 and a target steering amount. Based on the current steering amount and the target steering amount output from the amount setting means 10, when the current steering amount reaches the target steering amount, the steering resistance varying means 8 is operated to increase the steering resistance. 12, a display means 14 provided in the instrument panel section for displaying the current steering amount and the target steering amount output from the steering resistance control means 12 to the driver, and whether the vehicle is stopped or not. A vehicle stop / running state determination means 16 for determining whether the vehicle is in a running state and inputting the determination result to the target steering amount setting means 10.
And.

The current steering amount detecting means 6 is composed of a known steering angle sensor for detecting the rotation angle of the steering shaft 4.

The steering resistance varying means 8 is composed of an electromagnetic steering brake that exerts a braking action on the steering shaft 4 to increase steering resistance.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, this electromagnetic steering brake includes an electromagnetic coil 22, a spring 24, a friction coil 24, a spring 24, and a friction member, which are provided in a steering column 18 fixedly installed on the vehicle body side for rotatably accommodating the steering shaft 4. Consisting of a large diameter portion 4a provided on the plate 26 and the steering shaft 4,
As shown in the figure, the friction plate 26 is normally pushed leftward in the figure by the spring 22 so that it is not in contact with the large diameter portion 4a of the steering shaft and friction resistance is not applied, and the electromagnetic coil 22 is energized when the steering brake is activated. Then, the friction plate 26 is attracted to the right side in the drawing against the spring 24, and the friction plate 26 is pressed against the large diameter portion 4a of the steering shaft to apply a friction force, thereby increasing steering resistance.

The target steering amount setting means 10 sets an appropriate steering amount for passing a target trajectory as a target steering amount. The target trajectory is, for example, when traveling on a turning road. A turning track along the turning path,
There are various possible tracks, such as an appropriate track for guiding the vehicle to a predetermined position in the parking lot. The target steering amount may be given in advance or may be calculated based on various information. The information used for this calculation may also be given in advance, or may be input from an appropriate information input means.

For example, the target steering amount when traveling on a turning road is calculated by taking an image of the turning road with a camera and image-processing the picked-up turning road image to calculate a turning trajectory along the turning road. It is possible to calculate and obtain an appropriate steering amount for passing the turning trajectory.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the target steering amount when the garage is parked advances the automobile 40 from the (A) position to the (B) position, stops at the (B) position, and from this (B) position. When entering the garage (including a predetermined stop position in the parking lot) 42, the relationship between the position (B) where the vehicle is stopped and the position of the garage 42 is detected by an appropriate means, and the position (B) is set. A target track 50 that turns around an intersection 48 between the extension line 44 at the rear end of the vehicle and the extension line 46 at the front end of the garage at a given time is set, and the target steering amount is set so as to pass through the target track 50, or When the (B) position to be stopped is set in advance and the vehicle is parked at the (B) position and is put into the garage from there, a target trajectory determined in advance from the (B) position and the garage position
A target steering amount for passing 50 can be calculated and input. In either case, the vehicle is steered at the stop (B) position so that the target steering amount is reached while the vehicle is stopped, and the vehicle is backed up from that state until the vehicle reaches the (C) position parallel to the garage. Move back by steering amount.

The steering resistance control means 12 operates the steering resistance varying means 8 to increase the steering resistance when the current steering amount reaches the target steering amount as described above. As a result, if the driver steers and the steering amount reaches the target steering amount, the steering resistance increases, so that further steering is suppressed. Therefore, the driver simply steers the target steering amount (the appropriate steering amount). )
Is obtained and oversteering exceeding the target steering amount is reliably prevented, and safe and proper steering is realized with a simple structure without providing a new steering actuator.

When setting the target steering amount, a method of directly setting the proper steering amount (proper steering amount) itself for passing the target trajectory as the target steering amount, or gradually changing with the passage of time. It is possible to adopt a method of setting the steering amount that changes to the appropriate steering amount as the target steering amount. For example, the target steering amount can be set by the former method while the vehicle is stopped and by the latter method while the vehicle is traveling.

When the vehicle is steered while the vehicle is stopped as in the case of garage parking, there is no change in the angular acceleration of the vehicle due to steering, so there is no problem even if the vehicle is steered to the proper steering amount all at once.
Therefore, the proper steering amount itself is directly set as the target steering amount, the driver freely steers until the steering amount reaches the appropriate steering amount, and when the appropriate steering amount is reached, the steering resistance is increased and the steering is stopped. Just go.

The steering resistance control in this case is shown in FIG. That is, as shown in FIG. 3 (a), the driver steers the steering wheel so that the steering amount is t ₁
At the time when the proper steering amount θ _T is reached,
Until time point t ₁ as shown in is zero steering resistance imparted by the steering resistance variable means 8, the steering amount increases the steering resistance t ₁ when it reaches the proper steering amount theta _T, proper steering a steering amount Maintain the amount θ _T. In this case, if the steering resistance suddenly increases during a sudden steering, the driver may feel uncomfortable. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3 (c), the steering amount is the proper steering amount θ _T.
It is also possible to gradually increase the steering resistance at the time point t ₂ approaching to the point t ₁ and give a large steering resistance enough to suppress the steering at the time point t ₁ when the proper steering amount θ _T is reached.

When the vehicle is steered while the vehicle is traveling as in the case of traveling on the turning road, an angular acceleration of the vehicle is generated by the steering. Therefore, smooth steering is performed in order to suppress the angular acceleration. Is desirable. For that purpose, the proper steering amount θ _T itself is directly set as the target steering amount as described above, and the driver is not allowed to freely steer up to the proper steering amount θ _T. While gradually changing, set the steering amount to reach the proper steering amount θ _T ,
By doing so, the steering amount is gradually changed to smoothly change following the change in the target steering amount up to the proper steering amount θ _T , and the steering amount is prevented from rapidly changing to the proper steering amount θ _T. Good to do.

In setting the steering amount that reaches the proper steering amount θ _T while gradually changing with the passage of time as the target steering amount, even if the steering amount that changes stepwise with the passage of time is set. It is also possible to set a steering amount that changes linearly or curvedly with time. In the latter case, while the target steering amount changes with the passage of time, the steering resistance varying means 8 can be turned on / off at high speed to increase the steering resistance intermittently at high speed.

In FIG. 4, the steering amount that linearly increases to reach the appropriate steering amount θ _T is set as the target steering amount, and the steering resistance is intermittently increased at high speed while the target steering amount is changing with time. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the relationship between the target steering amount and the current steering amount, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing in detail the relationship between the target steering amount, the current steering amount, and the steering resistance control.

As shown in the figure, the steering amount (indicated by the thick solid line in FIG. 4) that linearly increases to reach the proper steering amount θ _T is set as the target steering amount, and the target steering amount changes with time. while in (up to time point t ₁ in the figure) is intermittently increases the steering resistance at high speed, i.e. by When steering amount reaches the target steering amount increases very short predetermined time steering resistance (steering resistance variable means on) The target steering amount is maintained, and when the predetermined time elapses, the steering resistance is set to zero (the steering resistance variable means is turned off) to allow an increase in the current steering amount, and when the current steering amount reaches the target steering amount, an extremely short predetermined again. increases the time the steering resistance, the current steering amount smoothly changed toward the proper steering amount θ _T so as to follow the target steering amount, and thereafter reaches the proper steering amount θ _T steering by repeating this later at a high speed Keep increasing resistance.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the display means 14 described above.
This display means 14 is provided with a bar graph 30 showing the target steering amount, a bar graph 32 showing the current steering amount, and an arrow portion 34 showing the direction to be steered. For example, as shown in FIG. When the steering amount is 1/4 of the right maximum steering amount and the current steering amount is 1/2 of the left maximum steering amount, the target steering bar graph 30 blinks one section from the center to the right, In the quantity bar graph 32, the right two sections from the center blink, and the steering direction arrow portion 34 blinks the right arrow. This indicates to the driver that the target steering amount and the current steering amount are as described above and therefore the vehicle should steer to the right.

When the driver starts steering to the right and the current steering amount becomes 1/4 of the left maximum steering amount, the current steering amount bar graph 32 is one left from the center as shown in FIG. 6 (b). Section blinks and the arrow 34 still has the right arrow blinking. When the steering amount is further steered to the right and the current steering amount becomes 1/4 of the maximum right steering amount, which is the same as the target steering amount, the current steering amount bar graph 32 blinks one section to the right from the center and the arrow 34 Does not illuminate any of the arrows, and at this point the steering resistance varying means 8 is activated to increase the steering resistance and maintain the current steering amount. If such display means 14 is attached to the present steering device, the driver can conveniently recognize the relationship between the target steering amount and the current steering amount and the direction to be steered, which is convenient.

The vehicle stop / running state determination means 16 determines whether the vehicle is in the stopped state or the running state, inputs the determination result to the target steering amount setting means 10, and the target steering amount setting means 10 Determines whether to set the proper steering amount itself as the target steering amount or to set the steering amount that gradually changes over time to reach the proper steering amount based on the input determination result. . Whether the vehicle is in the stopped state or the traveling state is determined based on, for example, the vehicle speed. In this case, it is possible to determine that the vehicle is in a stopped state when the vehicle speed is zero and the vehicle speed is extremely low, which is smaller than a predetermined value.

In the above embodiment, a steering brake is newly provided as the steering resistance changing means 8, but other than that, for example, the steering resistance is increased by reducing the assisting force of the existing power steering device. The power steering assist force varying means can be used as the steering resistance varying means.

Further, in the above embodiment, the stop / running state determining means is provided, and the method of setting the target steering amount is different between when the vehicle is stopped and when the vehicle is running. However, the method of setting the target steering amount according to the present invention is not necessarily implemented. It is not limited to the embodiment shown in the example, and various other embodiments may be adopted. That is, the method for setting the target steering amount according to the present invention does not necessarily have to be different depending on whether the vehicle is in the stopped state or the traveling state, and even when they are different, an arbitrary method for setting the target steering amount in each case is used. The method can be adopted.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a steering device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing steering resistance varying means in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing steering resistance control when a proper steering amount is directly set as a target steering amount.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a relationship between a target steering amount and a current steering amount when a steering amount that changes with time and reaches a proper steering amount is set as the target steering amount.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing in detail a relationship between a target steering amount, a current steering amount, and steering resistance control when a steering amount that changes with time and reaches a proper steering amount is set as the target steering amount.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing display means in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a method of setting a target steering amount when the vehicle is parked.

[Explanation of symbols]

 6 Current steering amount detecting means 8 Steering resistance varying means 10 Target steering amount setting means 12 Steering resistance controlling means

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A steering resistance variable means for increasing a steering resistance force, a target steering quantity setting means for setting a target steering quantity, a current steering quantity detecting means for detecting a current steering quantity, and a current steering quantity detecting means. Steering resistance control means for operating the steering resistance varying means to increase steering resistance when the current steering amount output from the target steering amount setting means has reached the target steering amount output from the target steering amount setting means. An automobile steering device characterized by: 2. The steering apparatus for an automobile according to claim 1, wherein the target steering amount setting means sets an appropriate steering amount as a target steering amount. 3. The target steering amount setting means sets a steering amount as a target steering amount that gradually changes with time and reaches an appropriate steering amount. Car steering system. 4. A vehicle stop / running state determination means is provided, wherein the target steering amount setting means sets an appropriate steering amount as a target steering amount while the vehicle is stopped, and as a target steering amount during running according to the passage of time. The steering apparatus for an automobile according to claim 1, wherein the steering amount is set while gradually changing to reach an appropriate steering amount. 5. The steering resistance control means is for turning on / off the steering resistance varying means at a high speed while the target steering amount is gradually changing with time. The steering apparatus for an automobile according to claim 3 or 4. 6. The steering apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the target steering amount is a target steering amount during turning travel. 7. The steering apparatus for an automobile according to claim 1, wherein the target steering amount is a target steering amount when the vehicle is parked. 8. The steering apparatus for an automobile according to claim 1, wherein the steering resistance varying means increases the rotational resistance of the steering shaft. 9. The vehicle steering system according to claim 1, wherein the steering resistance varying means reduces the assisting force of the steering power assisting system. 10. The steering apparatus for an automobile according to claim 1, further comprising display means for displaying the target steering amount and the current steering amount.