KR0130512B1 - Steering apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention is an automotive steering mechanism utilizing a joystick other than a traditional steering wheel. The device comprises a joystick(12) directing the angle and direction of the wheel; a wheel velocity sensor(13); a rack bar(5) connecting the tire lower arm; rack and pinion(16) connected to the rack bar(5); a potentiometer(18) measuring the rotating angle of the spur gear(17) and pinion(16); and an electronic controller(14) supervising the conditions of the electric motor(15), reduction gear(19) and the vehicle. To compensate for sensitivity, 10% of the rack bar distance is applied at maximum joystick angle for high vehicle speed, proportionally applied at medium speed, and maximum rack bar distance applied at maximum joystick angle for low vehicle speed. The invention offers more room in the driver's space and reduces the weight of an automobile.

Description

Car steering

1 is a reference diagram showing the structure of a conventional driver's seat.

2 is a schematic diagram for explaining a conventional vehicle steering apparatus.

3 is a reference diagram showing the structure of the driver's seat of the vehicle to which the present invention is applied.

4 is a schematic diagram for explaining a steering apparatus according to the present invention.

5 is a diagram showing the relationship between the rack bar travel distance and the joystick rotation angle.

* Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings

1: steering wheel 2: colum

3: universal joint 4: pinion valve

5: rack bar 6: power cylinder

7: engine 8: oil pump

9: relief valve 10: oil tank

11: tire 12: joystick

13: vehicle speed sensor 14: electronic controller (EUC)

15: motor 16: pinion

17: spur gear 18: potentiometer

19: reducer

The present invention relates to a vehicle steering apparatus, and more particularly, to an automobile steering apparatus in which an operation of changing a traveling direction of a vehicle may be performed by a joystick rather than a steering wheel.

In general, as shown in FIG. 1, the steering wheel 1 fixed to change the traveling direction of the vehicle is fixedly installed in the driver's seat of the vehicle C so that the steering wheel 1 is operated, that is, installed in the driver's seat. As the steering wheel 1 rotates clockwise, the traveling direction of the vehicle is arbitrarily changed.

As shown in FIG. 2, the steering device includes a steering wheel (1: steering wheel) for the driver to rotate in response to a direction, a colum (2: columm) for supporting the steering wheel (1), and an arbitrary colum. Universal joint (3: universal joint) to enable rotational movement at an angle, pinion valve (4) equipped with a valve that creates pressure on the left and right sides of the cylinder to rotate left and right, and a straight line with the pinion of the pinion valve The rack (5) converts the movement, the power cylinder (6) to power assist by receiving pressure, the oil pump (8) to supply hydraulic pressure while rotating in conjunction with the engine (7), and protects the pressure of the entire circuit The relief valve 9 and the tire 11 which finally steer a vehicle are also comprised.

The steering device configured as described above rotates the pinion valve 4 in the same direction through the colum 2 and the universal joint 3 as the driver rotates the steering wheel 1 to the left and right. As the interlocking oil pump 8 discharges the flow rate, the pinion valve 4 generates angular displacements corresponding to the rigidity of the torsion bar, and the rack 5 moves left and right by the pressure generated in the power cylinder. When the tire 11 connected to the rack 5 rotates by a predetermined angle, the vehicle rotates. As the driver rotates the steering wheel left and right (clockwise, counterclockwise) to change the driving direction, the driving angle of the vehicle is changed by adjusting the angle of the tire.

However, in the related art, a steering device for changing a traveling direction of a vehicle has many required parts such as a steering wheel, a column, a universal joint, a pinion valve, a rack, a power cylinder, an oil pump, a hose, and a tank, and the structure is very complicated and heavy. In addition, there are many problems, such as the assembly process and work time required for assembling them due to the large number of required parts and complex relationship.

The steering wheel is fixedly installed in the driver's seat, which makes the driver's seat complex, which makes the driver's seat cramped and has difficulty in engine room design and engine room noise blocking. In particular, there is a problem that the back of the driver's face portion hit the steering wheel in the collision of the vehicle, or the steering wheel is installed on the dashboard (D) of the driver's seat to cover various instruments providing information of the vehicle. Moreover, when the driver rotates the steering wheel to change the direction of travel, both hands holding the steering wheel are twisted with each other, which is a obstacle to safe driving.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an automobile steering apparatus which can be operated by a joystick instead of a steering wheel in order to solve the conventional problems as described above.

In accordance with the above object in the present invention, instead of removing the column (column), universal joint (U-joint), steering wheel (wheel) that is installed in the conventional vehicle steering device coupled to the rack gear driven by an electric motor. Thus, by configuring the steering to change the traveling direction of the vehicle can be made by the joystick (JOYSTICK), there is a feature in the automobile steering apparatus that can be provided with vehicle weight reduction and assembly convenience.

For this purpose, the joystick and the speed sensor to indicate the rotation angle to the tire to change the direction of the vehicle, the electronic controller to determine the driving condition of the vehicle, the rack, pinion and electronic controller installed in the rack bar connecting the tire lower arm It consists of a motor, a reducer, and a spur gear integrated with the pinion to receive the current, and a potentiometer connected to the spur gear to sense the rack bar travel distance, and to assist in the failure of the motor and the electronic controller. It characterized in that it comprises a motor and an auxiliary electronic controller.

In order to solve the human sensitivity to the joystick angle, the rack bar travel distance is about 10% with the joystick angle Max at high speed according to the vehicle speed, and moves at a percentage proportional to the vehicle speed at medium speed, and the joystick angle Max at stop and low speed. The rack bar travel distance is set to Max. As described above, the steering device of the present invention is steered by a joystick without installing a steering wheel in the driver's seat, so that the driver's space can be utilized and reduced in weight, sufficient visibility is ensured, and collision with the steering wheel in case of an accident. There is an advantage that there is no risk of.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, preferred embodiments of the vehicle steering apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail the configuration and operation effects as follows.

As shown in FIG. 4, the automobile steering apparatus of the present invention includes a joystick 12 indicating a direction and a tire angle, a vehicle speed sensor 13, a rack bar 5 connecting a tire lower arm, and a rack bar 5. The potentiometer 18, the electric motor 15, the reducer 19, which measures the rotation angle of the rack and pinion 16, the spur gear 17 and the pinion 16 connected to the rack, determines the driving state of the vehicle. The electronic air conditioner 14 is comprised.

The vehicle steering apparatus having such a configuration has a signal for the input angle and the direction of the joystick 12 and the vehicle speed sensor 13 as the driver rotates the joystick 12 left and right to change the traveling direction of the vehicle. ) Is input to the electronic controller (14). According to the input signal, the electronic controller 14 determines the traveling speed, the angle, and the direction to drive the electric motor 15 connected to the pinion 16.

The power driven by the electric motor 15 rotates the pinion 16 installed in the center of the rack bar 5 connected to the tire via the speed reducer 19, thereby increasing the rack bar 5 by the amount corresponding to the pinion 16. Move straight left and right.

At this time, the transfer distance of the rack bar 5 is recognized by the spur gear 17 installed between the electric motor 15 and the pinion 16 by rotating the potentiometer as the rotation angle. It is determined whether the recognized value coincides with the movement distance of the rack bar 5 corresponding to the direction of the joystick 12 and the input angle. If the value does not match, a signal is sent again to control the feed back.

On the other hand, the rack bar 5 transfer distance function for the joystick 12 rotation angle is symmetrical to the Max value against the Max value at the stop and the low speed. In addition, it is preferable that the vehicle operates sensitively with respect to the joystick 12 as the vehicle speed increases so that the operating range of the joystick 12 during high-speed driving does not deviate by more than 10%.

In the present invention, by restraining the tire lower arm of the vehicle steering apparatus with the rack bar 5, even when the electronic controller 14 breaks down, it is restored to the kinematic structure of the vehicle and acts as a restraining force to go straight ahead.

If there is no response of the potentiometer 18 to the angle change of the joystick 12 at the time of failure of the electric motor 15, it is judged as a failure and immediately sends a signal to another auxiliary electronic controller 14A connected to the electronic controller 14. Temporary driving is possible by driving the auxiliary motor 15A connected to the auxiliary electronic controller 14A.

As described above, the vehicle steering apparatus of the present invention is configured to change the traveling direction by the joystick 12 without installing the steering wheel in the driver's seat, so that the driver's space can be utilized and the weight is reduced, and the field of view is sufficiently sufficient. It is secured and there is no risk of collision with steering wheel in case of accident.

Claims (3)

In order to change the traveling direction of the vehicle, the rack is installed on the joystick 12 which instructs the rotation angle to the tire, the vehicle speed sensor, the electronic controller 14 which determines the driving state of the vehicle, and the rack bar 5 connecting the tire lower arm. And a pinion 16, a drive motor 15 for driving the pinion 16 by receiving current from the electronic controller 14, a reduction gear 19, and a spur gear 17 integrated with the pinion and connected thereto. Potentiometer (18) for detecting the transport distance of the rack bar (15) and the auxiliary motor (15A) and the electronic controller (14A) for compensating the failure of the drive motor and the electronic controller, characterized in that the steering device of the vehicle. The travel distance function of the rack bar 5 with respect to the rotation angle of the joystick 12 is matched to the maximum value for the maximum value at the stop and low speed, and the operating range of the joystick 12 is 10 at high speed. The steering apparatus of the vehicle, characterized in that less than%. According to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary motor 15A is driven by the auxiliary electronic controller 14A when there is no response of the potentiometer 18 to the angle change of the joystick 12 when the driving motor 15 fails. Steering device of a vehicle characterized by.