IP Library Granted Patent US 12,097,911
Granted Patent B2
US 12,097,911 · App. 17/032,176 · Granted Sep 24, 2024

Steering system and vehicle equipped with same

Inventors: Hirokazu Ooba (Iwata, JP); Norio Ishihara (Iwata, JP); Satoshi Utsunomiya (Iwata, JP); Yusuke Ohata (Iwata, JP)
Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
B62D5/0418B62D5/0463B62D7/09
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,097,911
App. No.
17/032,176
Granted
Sep 24, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a steering system capable of enhancing traveling stability when a vehicle drives straight and improving small-turn performance. The steering system includes: a first steering device; a second steering device including a mechanical section configured to individually steer each of left and right wheels by driving a steering actuator and a control section configured to control the steering actuator; and a vehicle information detection section configured to detect a velocity of the vehicle and a steering angle. The control section includes a turning angle control module configured to control the steering actuator pursuant to a predetermined rule in accordance with the velocity of the vehicle and the steering angle so as to control turning angles of the left and right wheels.

Claims (13)

1. A steering system for a vehicle, the steering system comprising:

a first steering device configured to steer wheels of the vehicle in accordance with a command of a steering amount outputted by a steering command device;

a second steering device including a mechanical section configured to individually steer each of the wheels on left and right sides about a turning axis which is different from a king pin axis with a rotation permitting support component preloaded by driving a steering actuator disposed in a tire housing of the vehicle, and

an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to control the steering actuator; and

wherein the ECU is configured to control the steering actuator pursuant to a predetermined rule in accordance with vehicle information including a velocity of the vehicle detected and a steering angle of the first steering device so as to control turning angles of the wheels on the left and right sides.

2. The steering system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the ECU is configured to control the steering actuator such that only an outer wheel in turning of the wheels on the left and right sides is turned by an increased amount when the vehicle turns.

3. The steering system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the mechanical section of the second steering device includes:

a hub unit main body including a hub bearing supporting each of the wheels;

a unit support member provided to a chassis frame component of a suspension device and supporting the hub unit main body so as to be rotatable about a turning axis extending in a vertical direction; and

the steering actuator configured to rotationally drive the hub unit main body about the turning axis.

4. The steering system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the ECU is configured to output a current command signal in accordance with a given steering angle command signal, and output a current in accordance with the current command signal so as to drive and control the steering actuator.

5. The steering system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the mechanical section of the second steering device is configured to steer one or both of left and right front wheels and left and right rear wheels.

6. A vehicle comprising the steering system as claimed in claim 1 .

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 25, 2020
From: OOBA, HIROKAZU; ISHIHARA, NORIO; UTSUNOMIYA, SATOSHI; OHATA, YUSUKE
To: NTN CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 053885/0726 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2018-059170 · Mar 27, 2018 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2019012715 · Mar 26, 2019
Related Publication 20210009193A1 · Jan 14, 2021
Cited By (4)
US 12,448,030 US 12,552,446 US 12,589,794 US 12,722,688