Electric power steering apparatus
US6687590B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 15, 2001 |
| Grant date | Feb 3, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 27, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB62D5/0493
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
The present invention is an electric power steering apparatus which includes a multi-phase motor that assists steering effort of a driver, a motor drive circuit provided with at least an upper switching element that connects or disconnects the winding of each phase of the multi-phase motor and a power supply, and a lower switching element that connects or disconnects the winding of each phase of the multi-phase motor and grounding, a logic circuit that determines ON/OFF of the upper switching element and the lower switching element, and first and second microcontrollers that control the motor drive circuit via this logic circuit, in which the logic circuit determines ON/OFF of the upper switching element and the lower switching element so that the power to the winding of the each phase of the multi-phase motor is stopped according to the instruction of either the first microcontroller or the second microcontroller.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.