JPS60163771A - Steering device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To steer front wheels simultaneously with steering of rear wheels and to enable ideal steering of the wheels, by installing two control levers, a computing processing means which controls a control amount of each control lever, and each steering means which respectively steers the front and the rear wheels. CONSTITUTION:Different detecting results for 2 systems are produced through rotation control and inclination control of a steering handle 1 by means of a control amount detecting unit 3. A control amount delta1 of a first control lever 1A is provided by means of, for example, a rotating angle detecting sensor 4, and a control amount delta2 of a second control lever 1B is provided by means of an inclining angle detecting sensor 5. A control unit 6 is provided with various computing functions and adding functions to output given control information. Namely, provided control information fed to an actuator 11 for steering front wheels is a first control information df, control information fed to an actuator 16 for steering rear wheels is second control information dr, and K1-K4 are a constant, control information of df=delta1K1+delta2K2, dr=delta1K3+delta2K4 is outputted.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a vehicle steering system that can arbitrarily steer front wheels and rear wheels.

The present applicant has already developed a system that not only steers the front wheels of a vehicle, but also steers the rear wheels depending on certain conditions such as vehicle speed and front wheel steering angle, greatly improving vehicle maneuverability and steering response. Various steering devices have been proposed that can improve performance.

The steering system for such a vehicle is operated by the driver by turning the steering wheel in the same way as a conventional steering system for only the front wheels, and the rear wheels are steered by following the rotation of the steering wheel or According to other factors, steering control is automatically performed to obtain the best driving performance, so to speak, regardless of the driver's intention.

By the way, in a steering device that also steers the rear wheels, the steering of the front and rear wheels is left to the driver's discretion, and for example, when changing lanes on a highway etc., regardless of the vehicle speed, the front wheels and the rear wheels are turned. The rear wheels are steered in the same phase direction, and when performing a knee turn on a narrow road, the rear wheels are steered in the opposite phase direction relative to the front wheels, and these phase directions and degrees are determined depending on road conditions, traffic conditions, etc. If the driver can arbitrarily and easily control the vehicle, the vehicle will be extremely convenient to drive.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to enable the driver to simultaneously and easily steer the front and rear wheels according to his/her will, and to perform the best and ideal steering in response to road conditions, traffic conditions, etc. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a steering device for a vehicle that can be used.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is applied to a steering device for a vehicle such as a four-wheeled vehicle, and its main components are a first operating stick and a second operating stick that can be operated simultaneously by a driver, and a steering system for a vehicle such as a four-wheeled vehicle. Let the amount of operation of the operation stick be δ1, the amount of operation of this second operation stick be δ2, and further assume that 2°K3 and 4 are constants, then K, δ1 + K21% - first control information, and arithmetic processing means that outputs 4δ2− second control information to 3δ1+, front wheel steering means that steers the front wheels according to the first control information, and rear wheel steering means that steers the rear wheels according to the second control information. For example, a single steering wheel can be rotated left and right to function as the first control stick, and tilted left and right to function as the second control stick, and these operations can be combined. The vehicle is characterized by being able to be controlled by

Below, preferred embodiments that further embody the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

First, the overall configuration of a vehicle steering system according to the present invention will be explained with reference to FIG. This figure is a perspective view showing the general basic structure of a vehicle equipped with the device.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a ring-shaped steering handle, and the center of the handle 1 is fixedly supported at the upper end of a steering shaft 2. The lower end of the steering shaft 2 is connected to a manipulation amount detection unit 3 that detects the manipulation amount of the steering wheel 1, and the rotation angle detection sensor 4 constituting this detection unit 3 detects the rotation of the steering shaft 2 (arrows H, -H in the figure). The tilt angle detection sensor 5 detects the tilt angle of the steering shaft 2 (in the arrow H2H'1 direction). Each of these detection sensors 4 and 5 is connected to a control unit (
Connect to the on-vehicle computer (6) and input the detection results of each detection sensor 4 and 5.

The control unit 6 has a computer function, for example, and processes the detection results from the detection sensors 4 and 5, and generates and outputs control information for steering the front wheels and rear wheels.

On the other hand, this control unit 6 includes a front wheel steering mechanism 7.
is connected, and the control information is supplied to this to control the steering of the front wheels 8, 8. The front wheel steering mechanism 7 includes a knuckle arm 9 that supports a front wheel 8.8, a tie rod 10 pivotally connected to the knuckle arm 9, and a tie rod 10 that moves the tie rod 10 in the vehicle width direction (horizontal direction) according to control information from the control unit 6. It consists of a front wheel steering actuator 11 for driving displacement. In addition, a rear wheel steering mechanism 12 is connected to the control unit 6, and control information is supplied to the rear wheel steering mechanism 12.
3.13 to control steering. This rear wheel steering mechanism 12 includes knuckle arms 14, 14 supporting rear wheels 13.13;
It consists of a tie rod 15 pivotally connected to this knuckle arm 14.degree. 14, and a rear wheel steering actuator 16 for driving and displacing this tie rod 15 in the width direction of the vehicle body.

Next, the functions of the vehicle steering system according to the present invention will be specifically explained with reference to FIG. This figure is a functional block diagram showing the steering system.

As mentioned above, the operation amount detection unit 3 detects two separate signals by rotating and tilting the steering wheel 1.
Obtain the system detection results. This means that the single nondle 1 serves as two operation frames, and for convenience, the rotation angle detection sensor 4 detects the operation amount δ of the first operation rod 1'A.
, and the second operation stick 1B is obtained from the tilt angle detection sensor 5.
Assume that the manipulated variable δ2 is obtained. The control unit 6 is equipped with various calculation functions, addition functions, etc. K, 2. When 3 and 4 are fixed constants (negative numbers, zero, positive numbers), the following control information is output. The control information to be supplied to the front wheel steering actuator 11 is the first control information at.
, the control information to be supplied to the rear wheel steering actuator 16 is transmitted to the second
If the control information is dr, then the first control information df = δ1, +δ2 is 2 second control information d
r = 3 for δ1 + 4 for δ2.

Here, to give an example of the setting values, if you set 1→positive, K2→zero, K3→zero, and K4→positive, respectively, df=+δ1 becomes 1 and dr−1δ2 becomes 4. , the first steering rod 1A, the knob 1... When the handle 1 is rotated, only the front wheels are steered in the same way as in conventional front wheel steered vehicles, and at the same time, the second operating rod 1B, the knob 1, etc. - If the steering wheel 1 is tilted arbitrarily, the rear wheels can be additionally steered. Also, for example, = positive, K2 = positive, K3 =
If K4 is set to positive and K4 is set to negative, df=δ1 is set to 1+
2 for δ2, 3 for dr-δ1 - 4 for δ2.If the handle 1 is rotated, the front and rear wheels will be steered in the same phase direction at the same time, and if the steering wheel 1 is tilted, the front and rear wheels will be steered simultaneously. The wheels can be simultaneously steered in opposite phase directions, K, ~
By arbitrarily setting the magnitude of each of the four constants, it is possible to vary the magnitude of steering of the rear wheels relative to the front wheels.

Each of the control information df and dr is supplied to the front wheel steering actuator 11 and the rear wheel steering actuator 16, respectively, to steer the front wheels 8, 8 and the rear wheels 13, 13. The steering wheel 9 and each of the steering actuators 11 and 16 convert electrical control information into mechanical displacement proportional to the electrical control information using a motor, a reduction mechanism, a direction transmission mechanism, or the like.

Note that the control unit 6 can be caused to execute arithmetic processing by an on-vehicle computer according to a predetermined control program (software), or can be configured with an electric circuit consisting of a combination of the ground functions. Further, for each constant of 1 to 4, any positive number, negative number, zero, and size can be selected according to the other conditions illustrated above,
These may be set in advance in a memory or the like, or may be changed arbitrarily by the driver or the like from the outside using a manual switch or the like.

Furthermore, not only the embodiment but also the entire steering system may have a mechanical configuration, for example. FIG. 3 shows a steering system according to a modified example of the mechanical configuration, and this figure is a perspective view showing the general basic structure of the vehicle. Note that the same parts as in FIG. 1 are given the same reference numerals to clarify the structure, and detailed explanation thereof will be omitted.

In Fig. 3, there is a bevel gear 3 at the lower end of the steering shaft 2.
A pair of bevel gears 31 and 32 are meshed with the bevel gear 30 before and after the bevel gear 30. A transmission shaft 33 is provided on the front bevel gear 31 and connected to a front wheel steering mechanism 34.

This front wheel steering mechanism 34 has a direction changing function using a rack and bevel system, whereby the rotation of the bevel gear 31 is converted into a displacement of the tie rod 100 in the width direction of the vehicle body. Similarly, a transmission shaft 35 is provided on the rear bevel gear 32 and connected to a rear wheel steering mechanism 36.

This rear wheel steering mechanism 36 also has a direction steering function using a rack and binion system, and similarly to the front wheel side, the rotation of the bevel gear 32 is converted into displacement of the tie rod 15 in the vehicle width direction. The bevel gears 31 and 32 are coaxially movably supported, and the bevel gear 30 is supported by an L-shaped support member 37 whose one end is inserted into the shaft 35.

Therefore, when the steering wheel 1 is rotated, the front wheels 8, 8 and the rear wheels 13, 13 are steered to opposite phases, and when the steering wheel 1 is tilted, the front and rear wheels are steered to the same phase. He will be forced to steer the ship.

In both of the embodiments shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the steering handle 1 functions as two operating frames by rotating and tilting, but there are other functions such as a combination of a handle and a lever, and an upper lever. The first operating stick and the second operating stick may be provided separately by a combination of the upper and lower handles, respectively, and have independent functions.

As described above, the vehicle steering system according to the present invention can simultaneously and easily steer the front wheels and rear wheels according to the driver's will, and can be used, for example, when changing lanes on a highway regardless of the vehicle speed. The front and rear wheels are steered in the same phase direction to improve the steering response of the vehicle, and when making a knee turn on a narrow road, the rear wheels are steered in the opposite phase direction relative to the front wheels, and these phase directions It is possible to perform the best and ideal maneuvering by adjusting the amount and degree of steering in response to road conditions, traffic conditions, and the like.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the general basic structure of a vehicle equipped with a vehicle steering device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a steering system in the vehicle steering device shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing the basic structure of a vehicle equipped with a steering device according to a modified example. In the drawing, 1 is a steering handle, IAld first operation stick, 1B is a second operation stick, 3 is an operation amount detection unit, and 6
is a control unit, 7 is a front wheel steering mechanism, 8, 8 are front wheels, 11 is a front wheel steering actuator, 12 is a rear wheel steering mechanism, 13.13 is a rear wheel, 16 is a rear wheel steering actuator,
δ1. δ2 is the manipulated variable, Kt, Kt, ni- and ni4 are constants, df is the first control information, and dr is the second control information.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A vehicle steering device characterized by having the following configuration. (B) A first operating stick and a second operating stick that can be operated simultaneously by the driver; (0) Let the operating amount of the first operating stick be δ1, the operating amount of the second operating stick be δ2, K,, K2. When K3 and 4 are constants, an arithmetic processing means that outputs the following control information, first control information =, 2δ2 for δ1+, second control information -, 3δ1+, 4δ2 (C) The front wheels are controlled by the first control information. A front wheel steering means for steering the rear wheels; and 2) a rear wheel steering means for steering the rear wheels based on the second control information. (2) The vehicle steering device according to claim 1, wherein the first operation stick and the second operation stick have a single operation amount.