MXPA98010384A - Direcc entry device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vehicle steering input device comprising: a fixed case, a steering input shaft that rotates in relation to the case by a vehicle operator, a hub member mounted non-rotatably on the shaft A friction member frictionally engages the hub and rotates normally with the hub, a resilient member pressed to hold the friction member in contact with the hub member, a movable engaging member engageable with the friction member and capable of engaging the friction member. moving to selectively selectively couple and uncouple the friction member to the housing, and means for moving the coupling member to a coupling engagement with the housing, thereby limiting the rotation of the coupling member and the friction member with respect to the AC

Description

STEERING ADDRESS DEVICE Background of the Invention This invention relates to a steering input device for a controllable feel.

U.S. Patent No. 4,771,846 shows a steering apparatus, which creates a steering sensation or a steering system for controlling a vehicle with steerable wheels. The sensation is provided by an electromagnetic friction brake, which is controlled by an electronic control unit in response to a position wheel position sensor and a steered wheel position sensor. The amount of friction force will depend on and is limited by the resistance of the electromagnet. The rotation of the steering wheel shaft is mechanically limited to one and a half turns in any direction from a central position by a gear mechanism when it includes a pair of end stops. Further, in U.S. Patent No. 4,771,846 the design of the steering wheel position sensor is a linear potentiometer type sensor, which limits the range of steering wheel shaft positions, which can perceive U.S. Patent No. 3,011,579 shows a steering apparatus which creates a sense of direction in a steering system for controlling a vehicle with steerable wheels. The system of US Pat. No. 3,011,579 has a servo-responsive system, which includes a boosting hydraulic motor connected to the steering input shaft through a gear arrangement.

It would be desirable to provide an address input device wherein the sensation is not directly limited by the capabilities of an electromagnet and wherein the sensing mechanism does not require a hydraulic motor and a gear arrangement.

Synthesis of the Invention Therefore, an object of this invention is to provide an address input device wherein the sensation is not directly limited to the capabilities of an electromagnet.

Another object of this invention is to provide a steering input device wherein the sensing mechanism does not require a hydraulic motor and a gear arrangement.

Another object of this invention is to provide an address input device wherein the rotation of the steering shaft is not limited.

Another object of this invention is to provide an address input device where there is no limit to the range of the positions of the steering axis that can be perceived.

These and other objects are achieved by the present invention, wherein a vehicle of the steering input device includes a fixed case, a steering input shaft that can be rotated relative to the case by a vehicle operator, a non-assembled hub. rotating on the input shaft, a friction member frictionally engaging the hub, a resilient member pressed to hold the friction member in contact with the hub member, a movable closure ring engageable to the friction member, and an electromagnet. When the electromagnet is energized, it moves the closing ring to a contact engaging with the box, thereby limiting the rotation of the friction member. The frictional engagement of the friction member with the rotation hub produces a frictional force which makes it more difficult to rotate the hub and the input shaft. The magnitude of the friction force will depend on the pressure of the elastic member and is not limited by the resistance of the electromagnet.

Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a sectional view of an address input device according to the present invention.

In Figures 2 and 3 are section and end views, respectively of the tail member of the present invention.

Figures 4 and 5 are sectional and end views, respectively, of the closure ring of the present invention.

Figure 6 is an end view of the ring Belleville of the present invention; Y Figure 7 is an end view of the return spring of the present invention.

Figure 8 is a view in the direction of arrows 8-8 of Figure 1, with parts removed for clarity.

Detailed Description Referring to Figure 1, a steering input device 10 includes a known conventional steering input shaft 12 which is coupled to a conventional steering wheel (not shown) and which is rotatably supported within the bearings. inside a steering column support box 22, which is fixed to a vehicle frame (not shown). The steering input device 10 includes an axle 32 in which is slotted to a shaft end portion 34 of the steering input shaft 12, the end portion being press fit within the steering input shaft 12. A non-magnetic case 36 is mounted on the shaft 32 and includes an appendix 38 which is received by a groove 40 formed in the case 22 so that the case 36 is prevented from rotating. The housing 36 includes a generally cylindrical outer flange 42, which extends axially from the outside of an annular disc 44. A plurality of spaced apart spaced blind holes 46 extend axially in the eyebrow 42. Thus, the box 36 forms a recess 48, which opens in an outward direction of the input shaft 12 and through which the shaft 32 extends.

A hub member 50 is rotatably and slidably received within the recess 48. The hub member 50 includes a hollow cylindrical hub 52 through which the hole 53 extends which receives in a fixed manner the shaft 32, an annular disk 54, which extends radially outward from the hub 52 and a hollow cylindrical eyebrow 56, which extends axially from an outer portion of the disc 54. The thickness of the eyebrow 56 tapers from a thicker part adjacent the disc 54 to a a thinner end portion so that the inner surface 58 of the eyebrow 56 is a frusto-conical surface. The radially outer surface of the flange 56 of the outer surface of the disc 54 may include the grooves to ensure that the lubricating oil is adequately dispersed.

Referring now to Figures 1, 2 and 3, a hollow non-magnetic cone or friction member 60 is received within the hub 50 and within the recess 48. The cone member 60 has an external frustoconical surface 62 which coincides with and the inner surface 50 of the hub member 50 engages and which is used at a small diameter end in the direction towards the input shaft 12. The inner surface of the cone member 60 forms a smaller diameter cylindrical surface 64 attached to a cylindrical surface of greater diameter 66 by an annular wall 66, which faces the input shaft 12. A plurality of recesses 70 are formed in the surface 66 as to define a plurality of appendix 72, which extend axially outside wall 68 and which project radially inward.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, a hollow ferromagnetic coupling member or ring 80 is also received by the cone member 60 and within the recess 48. The closure ring 80 has a cylindrical outer surface 88 on the which is formed a plurality of axially extending grooves 84 which meshingly receive the appendages 72 of the cone member 60 so that the closure ring 80 is engageable and slidably coupled to the cone member 60. The inner surface of the closure ring 80 forms a cylindrical surface of smaller diameter 86 joined to a larger diameter cylindrical surface 88 by an annular wall 90 which faces outwardly from the input shaft 12. A plurality of recesses 92 are formed in the surface 88, whose recesses open radially inwardly and axially outwardly from the steering input shaft 12.

A generally cylindrical thrust bearing 100 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 32. The thrust bearing 100 includes a smaller diameter base portion 102 and a larger diameter portion 104, which faces outward from the base 102. and towards the hub so that the part 104 partially surrounds the hub 52 of the hub member 50. A plurality, eg, 4, of projections 106 projects essentially axially towards the hub member 50 from the end of the part. 104 Referring now to Figures 1 and 6, an annular Belleville spring 110 is mounted in the recess 48 with its outer end 102 engaging the wall 68 of the cone member 60 and with its inner end 114 engaging the part 104 of the thrust bearing 100. The leading end 114 includes four slots 116, which receive the projections 106. The ring Belleville 110 is concave in the direction toward the hub member 50. The Belleville ring 110 thus comprises an elastic member which is pressed to hold the cone member 60 in contact with the hub member 50.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 7, a ferromagnetic return spring 120 is also mounted in the recess 48. The return spring 120 has a hollow annular disc 122 which rotatably receives the thrust bearing 100 and the cylindrical eyebrows 124 which it extends axially from the outer end of the disc 22. In a plurality, preferably three spaced apart locations, a material is removed from the return spring 120 to form three fingers 126. The fingers 126 project radially outwardly and are inclined in a direction towards the hub member 50. The outer ends of the fingers 126 engage slidably with the annular wall 90 of the closure ring 80. The eyebrow 124 includes an end portion 128 which extends beyond the fingers 126 and is rotatable and slidably received within the small diameter surface 86 of the closure ring 80.

A ferromagnetic cover 130 is fastened to the case 36, for example by the threaded screws in the holes 46. A central hole 132 extends through the cover 130 and rotatably receives 132. The cover 130 forms an annular recess 134 which is opens to the hub member 50 and on which an electromagnet bobbin 136 is mounted. The cover also forms a plurality of radially extending projections 138 which project axially towards the hub member 50 and which are spaced apart and separated in an annular ruler around the outer edge of the recess 134. As best seen in FIG. 8, the projections 130 engage the recesses 92 of the closure ring 80 to restrict the rotation of the closure ring 80 with respect to the cover 130. Finally, the cover 130 also receives an annular lip 139, which projects axially towards the hub member 50, which receives a part of the cushion. Inert 100 and hooks an inner part of the return ring 120.

A transducer unit 140 generates signals representing changes in position of the steering wheel (not shown) for communication to an electronic controller (not shown). The transducer unit 140 includes a meshing ring 141, which is mounted on the end of the shaft 32. The engagement ring 141 drives a gear pair 142 and 144, each of which drives a correspondingly rotational incremental encoder 146 and 148 such as the OakGrigsby 900 optical encoder or a Grayhill 61H Series encoder. The gears 141 and 144 and the encoders 146 and 148 are protected by a cover 150.

Operation mode In operation the hub member 50 always turns with the shaft 32. When the bovine 136 is not energized the cone member 60 and the locking ring 80 will also turn with the shaft 32 because the locking ring 80 is unhooked from the projections 138 of the box 130.

When the bovine 136 is energized, the closing ring 80 is pulled towards the bovine 136 so that the projections 138 of the box 130 are received by the recesses 92 of the closing ring 80, thus limiting the rotation of the closing ring 80. Due to the engagement with engagement between the grooves 84, the locking ring 80 with the appendages 72 of the cone member 60, the rotation of the member 60 is also limited. Due to the outer surface 62 of the cone member 60 frictionally engages the inner surface 58 of the hub member 50, this essentially increases the force or effort required to rotate the shaft 32 and the steering input shaft 12. The magnitude of this friction force will depend on the ring pressure Belleville 120 and is not limited by the resistance of electromagnet 136. Closing ring 80 is also allowed to rotate freely by a few degrees relative to cone member 60 to allow easier disengagement when bovine 136 is de-energized. It should be noted that the shaft 32 is not spring-centered and that it can be rotated by an unlimited amount in any direction, even though its rotation is impaired by the larger frictional force resulting from the energization of the bovine 136 and the engagement of the ring. of closure 80 with projections 138.

Although the present invention has been described in conjunction with a specific embodiment, it is understood that many alternatives, modifications and variations may be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Therefore, this invention is intended to encompass all those alternatives, modifications and variations, which fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims (12)

R E I V I N D I C A C I O N S

1. A vehicle steering input device comprising:

a fixed box;

a steering input shaft that rotates in relation to the box by a vehicle operator;

a hub member mounted non-rotatably on the shaft;

a friction member that frictionally engages the hub and rotates normally with the hub;

an elastic member pressed to hold the friction member in contact with the hub member;

a movable coupling member engageable with the friction member and movable to selectively couple and selectively decouple the friction member to the housing; Y

means for moving the coupling member to a coupling coupling with the box, thereby limiting the rotation of the coupling member and the friction member with respect to the box.

2. The address input device as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that:

the elastic member comprises a cylindrical member mounted around the shaft and having a part engaging the friction member.

3. The address input device as claimed in clause 2, characterized in that it comprises:

a bearing member rotatably mounted on the shaft; Y

the elastic member having a radially inner part engaging the bearing member and the outer peripheral part engaging the friction member.

4. The steering input device as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the elastic member comprises: an annular Belleville spring mounted around the shaft and having an outer part engaging with the friction member.

the steering input device as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that it comprises a spring member pressed to push the coupling member out of contact with the box.

6. The address input device as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that:

the coupling member is slidably coupled axially to the friction member is coupled to the friction member to limit rotation with respect thereto.

7. The address input device as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that:

the friction member has a hollow cylindrical body with an inner surface forming a plurality of appendages, which project radially inwardly and which extend axially; and the coupling member has a hollow cylindrical body with an outer surface that forms a plurality of axially extending grooves, which engage the appendages of the friction member in a slidably and slidably manner.

8. The address input device as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that:

the box forms a plurality of projections, which extend radially and which project axially towards the coupling member; Y

the coupling member has a hollow cylindrical body which forms a plurality of recesses, which extend radially and which open in an axial direction, the coupling member being axially movable to a closed position where the recesses receive in turn the projections and to a non-fixed position where the recesses are disengaged from the projections.

9. The address input device as claimed in clause 8, characterized in that:

the box forms an annular recess which opens towards the coupling member, the plurality of projections are arranged in an annular arrangement around an outer edge around the annular recess; Y

the means for moving the coupling member comprises an electromagnet bovine mounted on the annular recess.

10. The steering input device as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the hub member has a hollow cylindrical body that forms an internal frictional friction surface; Y

the coupling member has a hollow cylindrical body which forms an external frusto-conical friction surface, which engages the frusto-conical friction surface of the hub member.

11. The address input device as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that:

the friction member, the elastic member and the coupling member are received by the hub member.

12. The steering input device as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that the input shaft extends through the friction member, the elastic member and the coupling member.