Closed center steering system

1. A hydraulic power steering apparatus for a vehicle having steerable road-engaging wheels, said apparatus comprising:

a hydraulic power steering gear for turning the steerable wheels of the vehicle;

a rotatable vehicle steering wheel;

said steering gear including a closed center valve operatively connected with the steering wheel and fluidly connected to a fluid source, and a fluid motor for turning the steerable road-engaging wheels,

said closed center valve having an open position allowing the flow of hydraulic fluid from the fluid source to the fluid motor to effect turning of the steerable wheels; and

said closed center valve having a closed position blocking the flow of hydraulic fluid to the fluid motor from the fluid source when no turning of the steerable wheels is underway,

said closed center valve being moved from said closed position to said open position by movement of said steering wheel; and

an electric motor operatively connected to said steering wheel for, when activated, resisting rotation of said steering wheel to provide steering feel to the vehicle driver and a controller controlling said motor to modulate force applied to said steering wheel upon initial opening of said closed center valve.

2. The steering apparatus of claim 1 wherein said fluid source includes a pump, a sensor for sensing a rotational position of said steering wheel and for generating a steering wheel position signal corresponding to the sensed rotational position of said steering wheel, said sensor being electrically coupled to said pump, wherein said pump is activated when said steering wheel position signal indicates that said steering wheel is being turned.

3. The steering apparatus of claim 2 wherein said fluid source includes an accumulator for storing high pressure hydraulic fluid, said accumulator being fluidly connected to said pump, said pump supplying hydraulic fluid to said accumulator when activated, wherein hydraulic fluid from said accumulator flows to said fluid motor when said closed center valve is in said open position.

4. The steering apparatus of claim 2 including a pressure switch operatively connected to the accumulator and pump, wherein said pressure switch maintains the pressure in said accumulator between predetermined limits.

5. A hydraulic power steering apparatus for a vehicle having steerable road-engaging wheels, said apparatus comprising:

a hydraulic power steering gear for turning the steerable wheels of the vehicle;

a rotatable vehicle steering wheel for effecting operation of said steering gear;

a fluid source for supplying hydraulic fluid to said steering gear including a fluid accumulator for storing high pressure fluid;

said steering gear including a closed center valve operatively connected to said steering wheel and fluidly connected to said accumulator, and a fluid motor for turning the steerable road-engaging wheels;

said valve having a closed position blocking the flow of high pressure hydraulic fluid to the fluid motor from said accumulator when no steering of the steerable wheels is underway and an open position allowing the flow of hydraulic fluid from said accumulator to the fluid motor to effect steering of the steerable wheels;

said valve, when initially opened and initially exposed to said accumulator pressure, being effective to transmit force to said steering column; and

an electric motor operatively connected to said steering column and a controller controlling said motor, for when activated, modulating said force and minimizing transmission of said force to said steering wheel, said electric motor also resisting rotation of said steering wheel to provide steering feel to the vehicle driver during steering of the steerable wheel.

6. The steering apparatus of claim 5 including a column torque sensor for sensing the column torque of said steering column and outputting a column torque signal indicative of the column torque, said electric motor providing a predetermined amount of resistance to the rotation of said steering wheel as a function of the column torque signal.

7. The steering apparatus of claim 6 wherein said controller is responsive to the column torque signal for controlling said electric motor to provide a resistance to the rotation of said steering wheel which varies as a function of variations in the column torque signal.

8. The steering apparatus of claim 5 wherein said fluid source includes a pump for supplying hydraulic fluid to said accumulator, said apparatus includes a sensor which senses a rotational position of said steering wheel and generates a steering wheel position signal corresponding to the sensed rotational position of said steering wheel, said controller being connected with said sensor to activate said pump when said steering wheel position signal indicates that said steering wheel is being turned.

9. The steering apparatus of claim 6 wherein said controller sends a control signal to the motor based on the column signal from the column torque sensor to increase an output torque of the motor and add resistance to the turning of the steering wheel upon initial opening of said closed center valve.

10. The steering apparatus of claim 9 wherein said controller sends a control signal to the motor to reduce the output torque of the motor after a steering force caused by the initial opening of said closed center valve subsides.

11. The steering apparatus of claim 1 wherein said controller sends a control signal to the motor to increase an output torque of the motor and add resistance to the turning of the steering wheel upon initial opening of said closed center valve.

12. The steering apparatus of claim 11 wherein said controller sends a control signal to the motor to reduce the output torque of the motor after a steering force caused by the initial opening of said closed center valve subsides.

13. The steering apparatus of claim 11 including a column torque sensor for sensing the column torque of said steering column and outputting a column torque signal indicative of the column torque, said controller being responsive to the column torque signal for controlling said electric motor to provide a resistance to the rotation of said steering wheel which varies as a function of variations in the column torque signal.