Vehicle power steering system with digital angle sensing device
US6374941B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 29, 2000 |
| Grant date | Apr 23, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 29, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01D5/2451
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A power steering system for a vehicle which has one or more steerable wheels (10) includes a manually operable steering wheel (12), a first angle sensing device (16) connected to the steering wheel (12), a servo motor (13) connected to the steering wheel or wheels (10), associated with the servo motor (13), and a control unit (17) for receiving signals from the first angle sensing device (16) and for energizing the servo motor (13). The first angle sensing device (16) includes a single digital angle encoder fed with a constant supply voltage (VCC) by the control unit (17), and generates electric pulses of a certain amplitude (&Dgr;V1) The control unit (17) includes a malfunction detecting device connected to the angle encoder (16), and the angle encoder (16) includes a circuit for establishing a constant analog voltage for reducing the pulse amplitude (&Dgr;V1) normally delivered by the angle encoder (16) to a suitable check amplitude (&Dgr;V2)
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.