Electric power steering apparatus
US6226580A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 29, 1999 |
| Grant date | May 1, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 29, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB62D5/0493
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
Control unit in an electric power steering apparatus includes a motor drive inhibition section for inhibiting output of a motor control signal on the basis of at least a steering torque signal supplied from a steering torque sensor. The control unit also includes a zero-value setting section for, when drive inhibition signals are output by the motor drive inhibition section, setting a target motor current signal to a zero value irrespective of a value of the steering torque signal, and an inhibition cancellation section for cancelling the drive inhibition signals when an offset between the target motor current signal and the detected motor current signal becomes zero after the target motor current signal is set to the zero value by the zero-value setting section. With this arrangement, instructions can be communicated bidirectionally from the motor drive inhibition section to a main power steering control where an anomaly has occurred and from the main power steering control to the inhibition cancellation section, so that the inhibition of the motor drive can be canceled promptly.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.