Electric power steering device
US8381869B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 25, 2009 |
| Grant date | Feb 26, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 15, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH02P29/64
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An electric power steering device for a vehicle includes an estimation mechanism estimating if there is a possibility that a backward electric current flows in a booster circuit toward a vehicle battery device, and a boosting controller stopping the boosting operation of the booster circuit to prevent a backward electric current from flowing in the booster circuit when it is estimated that there is a possibility that a backward electric current flows by the estimation mechanism. The estimation mechanism estimates that there is a possibility that a backward electric current flows in the booster circuit when the steering condition of a steering wheel is a returning condition or a steering-held condition. Otherwise, the estimation mechanism estimates if a backward electric current flows on the basis of input and output voltages of the booster circuit and information on the switching of a first boosting switching element. Thereby, overheat of the booster circuit can be prevented.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.