Motor vehicles – Compensating devices
Patent
1992-09-22
1994-07-19
Focarino, Margaret A.
Motor vehicles
Compensating devices
B62D 504
Patent
active
053300211
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention is related to a power steering system for vehicles.
A power steering system of the general kind of this invention is disclosed in German patent application DE-A-3,824,424. In this power steering system the servomotor is positioned coaxially or beside the steering column, however it is positioned in the engine compartment of the vehicle.
This can create problems for the power steering system because of possible soiling of the engine compartment and with regard to elevated temperatures in the engine compartment which may have detrimental effects on the electric servomotor.
In particular in heavy commercial vehicles, such as soil moving machines and similar vehicles, the functional parts are subject to heavy soiling because they are accommodated in the engine compartment which is generally not closed for cooling purposes. An individual mud protection means for specific functional parts is generally expensive, although it is necessary in order to maintain certain parts in operative condition in the known systems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to create a power steering system for vehicles which avoids the forementioned problems and, thus, prevents negative effects on the electric servomotor due to soiling and affords an arrangement offering more ease of mounting. Another object of the present invention is to provide a power steering system that is suited for incorporation of a sensor unit which recognizes the steering direction. This sensor unit is to feature a set-up which is compact, easy to integrate as well as failure-safe and inexpensive.
The power steering system of the present invention accommodates the servomotor in the passenger compartment so that there are no negative effects on the servo motor because of soiling existing in the engine compartment due to oil, fuel, engine cleaner, etc., moisture and excess temperatures.
The inventive power steering system, moreover, has the advantage of a more light-weight design, which is, then, cheaper and, consequently, more economic and easier to mount in comparison to the conventional power steering systems.
In a preferred embodiment, the electronic system of the motor is accommodated in the passenger compartment, which further simplifies mounting of the power steering system.
It is preferred to position the servomotor and the associated electronic system in the immediate vicinity of the steering wheel, or in an alternative version to integrate them in the steering wheel, for which purpose the servomotor is preferably a disc rotor-type or a travelling wave-type motor which represent especially small and flat motor variants.
For the protection of the servomotor and of the electronic system of the motor, a housing is provided which may, for example, be fixed beneath the steering wheel and the steering axle to the latter's guide tube. These locations are easily assessible so that both the initial assembly and repair work can be easily performed.
In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the servomotor meshes with a toothed rim which is integrated in the steering wheel. The latter offers the advantage that, on one hand, the necessary steering speed reduction and, on the other hand, simultaneously the required sensing are rendered possible.
One of the particular advantages of the invention is, above all, the ability to create a retrofittable, interchangeable unit which is preferably composed of the steering wheel, electric motor, integrated toothed rim and a sensor device. In this way, an existing vehicle can be equipped with a power steering system simply by interchanging the old steering wheel with the power steering unit.
It is an advantage for these purposes to separate in the steering wheel the steering gear and the handwheel which is required for sensing.
Furthermore, a collector-free electronically commutated electric motor is preferably utilized for this purpose. An electric motor of this kind cannot jam and is coupled directly without intermediate
REFERENCES:
patent: 4890683 (1990-01-01), Matsuda et al.
patent: 5010970 (1991-04-01), Yamamoto
patent: 5021721 (1991-06-01), Oshita et al.
patent: 5048852 (1991-09-01), Chikuma et al.
Balz Juergen
Beer Wilhelm
Alfred Teves GmbH
Focarino Margaret A.
Johnson Victor E.
Lewis J. Gordon
Seitter Robert P.
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