JPS6342686Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a steering device for an automobile, and more particularly to an automatic steering device that performs steering by selectively driving and rotating a steering shaft left and right by a motor.

Various automatic steering mechanisms for automobiles have been proposed in the past, but all of them are mechanically complex and do not have a mechanism for easily switching between automatic steering and manual steering.

For example, Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 58-190259 discloses a technique in which steering can be performed using a steering handle and a lever. However, since such known technology uses a hydraulic clutch to switch and disconnect the handle and lever, it requires complicated and expensive parts such as piping, hydraulic motors, and valves, and also requires measures to prevent oil leakage. Special measures must be taken. Furthermore, since the hydraulic clutch is disposed in parallel with the steering shaft, it makes the narrow operator's cab even smaller and requires large, heavy gears and other parts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an automatic steering system for a motor vehicle that can be switched to automatic steering without taking up much space and using relatively lightweight parts.

According to the present invention, in an automatic steering device for an automobile in which steering is performed by selectively driving and rotating a steering shaft left and right by a motor, the motor is an electric servo motor, and a driving force transmission path between the motor and the steering shaft is provided. An electromagnetic clutch is installed around the steering shaft to cut off the transmission of driving force from the motor to the steering shaft, and the electromagnetic clutch is composed of a pulley or sprocket with a bearing pivotally supported by the steering shaft fitted into the inner peripheral surface. a transmitted member, an armature mounted on the transmitted member so as to be movable in the axial direction, a rotor that is pivotally supported so as to engage and mesh with the armature during excitation, and a rotor that is rotatable via a bearing on the rotor. It consists of a field coil fixed to the steering shaft cover, which is pivotally supported by the steering shaft cover.

Therefore, when the electromagnetic clutch is connected, the motor moves the steering shaft for automatic steering, and when the electromagnetic clutch is disconnected, the transmission of driving force from the motor to the steering shaft is cut off, allowing manual steering. I can do it.

According to the present invention, since the electromagnetic clutch is installed around the steering shaft, it does not take up much space, and the motor can also be installed in a dead space near the steering shaft, so there is no problem in terms of space. . Especially in the case of an electromagnetic clutch, only wiring is required. Therefore, it has the effect of saving space and is easy to maintain.

Furthermore, in the present invention, since the electromagnetic clutch is directly attached to the steering link shaft, the number of parts is small, the weight is light, the operation force is small, and the operation response is good. Furthermore, since the structure is simple and lightweight, the number of manufacturing steps is reduced.

Hereinafter, implementation of the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.

In Figure 1, 1 is the steering wheel, 2
1 is a steering shaft, and 3 is a steering shaft cover. When the steering wheel 1 is operated, the steering shaft 2 rotates left and right, and the vehicle is steered by a conventionally known mechanism. Reference numeral 4 denotes a pulley or sprocket, the details of which will be described later, but the electromagnetic clutch 5 is rotatably integrated with the steering shaft 2 or is connected to the steering shaft 2.
It is assumed to be free to rotate relative to the 6 is an electric servo motor capable of forward and reverse rotation; 7 is a pulley or sprocket that is rotatably attached to the rotating shaft of the electric servo motor 6; and 8 is a timing belt or chain that is stretched between the pulley or sprocket 7. It is. Reference numeral 9 denotes a rotation angle detection sensor that detects when the turning is to the right or to the left and turns off the power to the servo motor 6.

During automatic steering operation, the electromagnetic clutch 5 is turned on (connected), and the pulley or sprocket 4 and the steering shaft 2 are rotated together by the electromagnetic clutch 5. When the electric servo motor 6 is operated in this state, the driving force of the motor 6 is transmitted to the steering shaft 2 via the pulley or sprocket 7, the timing belt or chain 8, and the pulley or chain 4, thereby performing automatic steering. When the steering shaft 2 rotates within a specified range, that is, when turning right or turning left, the rotation angle detection sensor 9 detects this and sends a signal to the servo motor 6 to turn off the power to the servo motor 6 to prevent motor seizure. .

Turn off (disconnect) electromagnetic clutch 5 during manual operation.
By doing so, the pulley or sprocket 4 can freely rotate relative to the steering shaft 5, so that manual steering operations can be performed in the same manner as in the past without being subjected to resistance from the servo motor 6.

FIG. 2 shows details of the electromagnetic clutch, in which a pulley or sprocket 4 is rotatably supported by a steering shaft 2 by a bearing 10. Reference numeral 11 denotes an armature meshing member having external teeth 11a that mesh with internal teeth 13a of the armature 13, and is fixed to the pulley or sprocket 4 by bolts 12. An armature 13 is provided with internal teeth 13a that mesh with external teeth 11a of the armature meshing member 11, and is constantly pulled to the left in the figure by a tension spring 14. 15
16 has a rotor keyed to the steering shaft 2, and 16 has a coil 17 and a bearing 1.
8 is a field core rotatably supported by the rotor 15. A lock bolt 19 fixes the pulley or sprocket 7 to the shaft 6a of the electric servo motor 6.

In the illustrated state in which the coil 17 is demagnetized, the meshing teeth 13b of the armature 13 and the meshing teeth 15a of the rotor 15 are separated from each other, and steering operations can be performed without receiving resistance from the servo motor 6 as in the conventional case. When the coil 17 is energized, the armature 13 moves to the right in the figure against the force of the spring 14, and its meshing teeth 13b mesh with the meshing teeth 15a of the rotor 15, and the rotational force of the servo motor 6 is transferred to the pulley or sprocket 7, timing belt, or Chain 8, pulley or sprocket 4, external teeth 11 of armature meshing member 11
a, the internal teeth 13a of the armature 13, the meshing teeth 13b of the armature 13, the meshing teeth 15a of the roller 15, and the rotor 15 to rotate the steering shaft 2 and perform a steering operation.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the electric circuit of a servo motor, where 20 is a power supply, 21 is a power switch, 9 is the aforementioned rotation angle detection sensor, 5 is an electromagnetic clutch, and 6 is a power supply switch.
2 is an electric servo motor, and 22 is a right-hand and left-hand switch. When the power switch 21 is turned on, the electromagnetic clutch 5 is connected and the pulley or sprocket 4 is integrated with the steering shaft 2.
For example, by operating a right turn/left turn operation switch 22 using an operation lever (not shown), the servo motor 6 rotates forward or reverse to perform steering.

Figure 4 shows an example of a case where a guide operator automatically steers the vehicle using a remote control when the vehicle is reversing, etc., where 23 is a radio transmitter operated by the guide operator, and 24 receives a radio signal from the radio transmitter. 25 is a main control device, 26 is a remote control switch, 27 is a generator that serves as a power source for the main control device, 2
8 is a pulse motor that rotates in response to a pulse signal from the main controller 25; 29 is a clutch control section of an automobile clutch that is controlled based on a signal from the main controller; 30 is a brake control section of the automobile brake; In the aforementioned steering handle, 2 is a steering shaft, 4 is a pulley or sprocket, and 9 is a rotation angle detection sensor.

Therefore, the remote control changeover switch 26 is switched to remote control operation, and the radio transmitter 2 is operated by the guide.
The radio receiver 24 receives the radio signal from the main controller 25, converts it into a pulse signal, and rotates the pulse motor 28 in accordance with the pulse signal from the main controller 25 to rotate the pulley or sprocket 4. , steering operation is performed via the steering shaft 2. Further, the rotation angle detection sensor 9 detects the specified rotation of the steering shaft 2 and provides feedback to the main controller 25. Furthermore, the main controller 25 performs clutch control of the automobile clutch and brake control of the automobile brake.

As explained above, the present invention uses an electric servo motor as the motor in a steering system for an automobile in which steering is performed by selectively driving and rotating the steering shaft left and right by a motor, and the drive between the motor and the steering shaft is controlled by an electric servo motor. Since the power transmission path is equipped with an electromagnetic clutch that disconnects and disconnects the transmission of driving force from the motor to the steering shaft, automatic steering can be performed using the electric servo motor by connecting the electromagnetic clutch. This can reduce the driver's effort, and if the electromagnetic clutch is disconnected, the steering operation can be carried out manually in the same manner as in the past without being subjected to resistance from the motor. Furthermore, by adding a remote control mechanism, remote control is also possible, and the driver can automatically steer the vehicle using the remote control when reversing the vehicle.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automatic steering system for an automobile embodying the present invention. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional plan view of a portion of the electromagnetic clutch used in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is an electrical circuit diagram of the electric servo motor used in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing remote control operation. 1... Steering wheel, 2... Steering shaft, 3... Steering shaft cover, 4... Pulley or sprocket, 5... Electromagnetic clutch, 6... Electric servo motor, 7... Pulley or sprocket, 8... Timing belt or chain.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] In an automatic steering system for an automobile in which steering is performed by selectively driving and rotating a steering shaft left and right by a motor, the motor is an electric servo motor, and a drive force transmission path between the motor and the steering shaft includes a motor from the motor to the steering shaft. An electromagnetic clutch is provided around the steering shaft to cut off the transmission of driving force to the steering shaft, and the electromagnetic clutch includes a transmission member constituted by a pulley or sprocket having a bearing rotatably supported by the steering shaft fitted on the inner peripheral surface; an armature mounted on the transmitted member so as to be movable in the axial direction; a rotor supported rotatably so as to engage and mesh with the armature during excitation; and a rotor rotatably supported via a bearing ring on the rotor. An automatic steering device for an automobile, comprising a field coil fixed to a steering shaft cover.