Actuator for generating an additional steering angle for road vehicles

US6343671B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• DEUTSCHES ZENTRUM FÜR LUFT—UND RAUMFAHRT E.V. · DE

Inventors

• Jurgen Ackermann · Bensberg, DE
• Tilmann Bünte · Gilching, DE
• Johannes Dietrich
• Bernd Gombert · Fürstenfeldbruck, DE
• Bertram Willberg · Fürstenfeldbruck, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 17, 1998
• Grant date: Feb 5, 2002
• Expiry date: Nov 17, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B62D7/20
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

To create an additional steering angle for a vehicle, an actuator having a microprocessor-controlled electric motor functioning as the drive and a gear driven by said electric motor, is used to apply to the wheels the additional steering angle at the vehicle axle. The gear is a known constant-pitch planetary rolling-contact threaded-spindle gear (constant-pitch PRCTS gear) (12), consisting of a spindle rod (16), a spindle nut (14) surrounding the former, and a number of interposed rollers or rolling elements (18) with a groove profile (19) matching the thread (17) of the spindle rod (16). The rollers or rolling elements (18) are run on a number of guide rings (20) and interposed bearings (20), and placed at a fixed predetermined distance relative to the spindle nut (14) and to one another.The spindle rod (16) concurrently functions as the axis of the electric motor and is placed inside an electric motor rotor (9′). The constant-pitch PRCTS gear (12) furthermore has assigned sensor means with control-engineering type feedback to determine the position of the spindle rod (12).