IP Library Granted Patent US 12,709,327
Granted Patent B2
US 12,709,327 · App. 18/486,278 · Granted Aug 18, 2026

Steer-by-wire steering system for a vehicle and method for providing haptic feedback at the steering handle of such a steer-by-wire steering system

Inventors: Peter Hambloch (Krefeld, DE); Andreas Kotz (Duisburg, DE); Rene Michels (Grevenbroich, DE); Thomas Schubert (Kelberg, DE)
Assignee: ZF Automotive Germany GmbH
B62D6/008B62D15/022
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,709,327
App. No.
18/486,278
Granted
Aug 18, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The disclosure relates to a steer-by-wire steering system for a vehicle and with a steering device, the steering device having a manual steering handle, a steering sensor system and a feedback actuator, and with a wheel positioning device, the wheel positioning device having a positioning actuator for steering at least one wheel, and with at least one control device, the control device electrically connecting the steering device and the wheel positioning device to one another, and with at least one acceleration sensor, the feedback actuator and the acceleration data acquired by the acceleration sensor being used to provide haptic feedback at the steering handle.

Claims (22)

1 . A steer-by-wire steering system for a vehicle, comprising:

a steering device having a manual steering handle, a steering sensor system, and a feedback actuator,

a wheel positioning device having a positioning actuator for steering at least one wheel,

at least one control device electrically connecting the steering device and the wheel positioning device to one another,

wherein steering commands from the steering device to the wheel positioning device are exclusively provided electrically by the at least one control device, and

at least one acceleration sensor,

wherein the feedback actuator and acceleration data acquired by the acceleration sensor are used to provide haptic feedback at the steering handle,

wherein the acceleration sensor is arranged inside of a housing of the wheel positioning device is mechanically coupled to the positioning actuator so as to directly detect accelerations introduced by road-wheel interaction, and

wherein the control device processes the acceleration data to generate the haptic feedback as a function of existing force ratios between a road surface and the steered wheel.

2 . The steer-by-wire steering system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the housing is designed as a positioning actuator housing of the positioning actuator and the acceleration sensor is arranged inside the positioning actuator housing.

3 . The steer-by-wire steering system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the wheel positioning device and/or the positioning actuator have/has an electrical or electronic control unit, the control unit having the acceleration sensor.

4 . The steer-by-wire steering system as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the control unit has a printed circuit board, the acceleration sensor being fastened to the printed circuit board.

5 . The steer-by-wire steering system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the acceleration sensor is designed to detect accelerations of the wheel positioning device and/or of the positioning actuator in at least one spatial direction and/or vehicle axis direction.

6 . The steer-by-wire steering system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the control device is assigned to the steering device or to the wheel positioning device, the control device designed as a constituent part of the steering device or of the wheel positioning device, the control unit of the wheel positioning device and/or of the positioning actuator designed as a constituent part of the control device.

7 . The steer-by-wire steering system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the control device processes the acceleration data acquired by the acceleration sensor, the feedback actuator controlled based on data processing and configured to generate haptic feedback at the steering handle with respect to existing force ratios between a road surface and the steered wheel.

8 . A method for providing haptic feedback at the steering handle of a steer-by-wire steering system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the acceleration data for generating the haptic feedback with respect to a dynamic transmission of force and torque between a road surface and the steered wheel are acquired the acceleration sensor arranged in or on the wheel positioning device.

9 . A steer-by-wire steering system for a vehicle, comprising a steering device having a steering handle, a steering sensor system, and a feedback actuator, a wheel positioning device having a position actuator for steering at least one wheel, at least one control device electrically connecting the steering device and the wheel positioning device, wherein steering commands from the steering device to the wheel positioning device are exclusively provided electrically, and at least one acceleration sensor, wherein the feedback actuator and acceleration data acquired by the acceleration sensor is used to provide haptic feedback at the steering handle, wherein the acceleration sensor is arranged inside a housing of the wheel positioning device and mechanically coupled to the positioning actuator, and wherein the control device processes the acceleration data to generate haptic feedback representing force ratios between the road surface and the steered wheel.

10 . The steer-by-wire steering system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the housing is designed as a positioning actuator housing of the positioning actuator and the acceleration sensor is arranged inside the positioning actuator housing.

11 . The steer-by-wire steering system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the wheel positioning device and/or the positioning actuator have/has an electrical or electronic control unit, the control unit having the acceleration sensor.

12 . The steer-by-wire steering system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the control unit has a printed circuit board, the acceleration sensor being fastened to the printed circuit board.

13 . The steer-by-wire steering system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the acceleration sensor is designed to detect accelerations of the wheel positioning device and/or of the positioning actuator in at least one spatial direction and/or vehicle axis direction.

14 . The steer-by-wire steering system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the control device is assigned to the steering device or to the wheel positioning device, the control device designed as a constituent part of the steering device or of the wheel positioning device, the control unit of the wheel positioning device and/or of the positioning actuator designed as a constituent part of the control device.