Electric power steering apparatus, malfunction judging method, and current estimating method

1. An electric power steering apparatus comprising:

a torque sensor configured to detect a torque applied to a steering wheel;

a current detector configured to measure a current flowing through a driving motor; and

an electronic control unit configured to estimate a current flowing through the driving motor based on the detected torque and compare the estimated current with the measured current to determined a malfunction of the torque sensor or the current detector,

wherein the electronic control unit calculates the current flowing through the driving motor by receiving a detected torque value from the torque sensor, by determining an angular speed of the steering wheel based on the detected torque value, by calculating an angular speed of the driving motor based on the angular speed of the steering wheel and a gear ratio of a reducer, and by estimating the current flowing through the driving motor based on a voltage across the driving motor, a back EMF constant of the driving motor, a resistance of the driving motor, and an angular speed of the driving motor.

2. A method for judging a malfunction in an electric power steering apparatus, the method comprising steps of:

detecting a torque applied to a steering wheel through a torque sensor;

measuring a current flowing through a driving motor through a current detector;

estimating a current flowing through the driving motor based on the torque detected by an electronic control unit; and

comparing a measured current value with an estimated current value to determine a malfunction of the torque sensor or the current detector,

wherein the step of estimating the current flowing through the driving motor includes steps of:

receiving a detected torque value from the torque sensor;

determining an angular speed of the steering wheel based on the detected torque value;

calculating an angular speed of the driving motor based on the angular speed of the steering wheel and a gear ratio of a reducer; and

estimating the current flowing through the driving motor based on a voltage across the driving motor, a back EMF constant of the driving motor, a resistance of the driving motor, and the angular speed of the driving motor.

3. The electric power steering apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the electronic control unit determines the angular speed of the steering wheel calculated through the detected torque, checks the gear ratio of the reducer for transmitting a driving force of the driving motor to an output shaft coupled to an input shaft coupled to the steering wheel through a torsion bar, and determines the angular speed of the driving motor based on the angular speed of the steering wheel and the gear ratio of the reducer.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2 , further comprising the step of performing a controlling operation so that the supplying of the current to the driving motor is stopped when the torque sensor or the current detector is determined to malfunction after the step of judging the malfunction.

5. The electronic power steering apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein if a difference between an estimated current value and a measured current value is greater than a critical value, the electronic control unit determines that the torque sensor or the current detector malfunctions.

6. The electric power steering apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein when it is determined that the torque sensor or the current detector a functions, the electronic control unit performs a controlling operation so that the supplying of the current to the driving motor is stopped.

7. The electric power steering apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the current detector measures the current flowing through the driving motor using a hall sensor or a shunt resistor.

8. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein in the step of judging the malfunction, when a difference between the measured current value and the estimated current value is greater than a critical value, the torque sensor or the current detector is determined to malfunction.