IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,703,423
Granted Patent B2
US 12,703,423 · App. 19/049,215 · Granted Aug 11, 2026

Turning control device

Inventors: Yusuke Kakimoto (Okazaki, JP); Takashi Kodera (Okazaki, JP); Shinya Aono (Okazaki, JP)
Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
B62D5/0463B62D5/0424B62D15/0215
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,703,423
App. No.
19/049,215
Granted
Aug 11, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A processor included in a turning control device is configured to execute a manipulation process of manipulating a drive circuit of an assist motor depending on a torque that depends on at least one of the two values, the value of an assist torque variable and the value of a control torque variable. The processor is configured to execute a variation torque control process of varying a torque as an input variable in the manipulation process, depending on a steering angle, based on the value of the steering angle variable as an input variable. The processor is configured to execute a restriction process of restricting the magnitude of variation in the torque as the input variable in the manipulation process depending on the steering angle, to a small side, depending on the priority degree of the value of the control torque variable in the manipulation process.

Claims (15)

1 . A turning control device configured to control a turning device, the turning device including a steering wheel, an input shaft, an intermediate shaft, an output shaft, a first Cardan joint, a second Cardan joint, an assist motor, and a turning wheel, the input shaft being coupled to the steering wheel, the first Cardan joint being a member that couples the input shaft and the intermediate shaft, the second Cardan joint being a member that couples the intermediate shaft and the output shaft, the turning wheel being a member to which a steering torque input to the steering wheel is transmitted through the input shaft, the intermediate shaft, and the output shaft, and the assist motor being a motor configured to give a torque to a position that is closer to the turning wheel than the second Cardan joint is,

the turning control device comprising a processor configured to execute a rudder angle variable acquisition process, an assist torque variable calculation process, a control torque acquisition process, a manipulation process, a variation torque control process, and a restriction process, wherein:

the rudder angle variable acquisition process is a process of acquiring a value of a steering angle variable, the steering angle variable being a variable indicating a steering angle that is an angle of the steering wheel;

the assist torque variable calculation process is a process of calculating a value of an assist torque variable, the assist torque variable being a variable indicating a torque for assisting steering by a driver depending on manipulation of the steering wheel;

the control torque acquisition process is a process of acquiring a value of a control torque variable, the control torque variable being a variable indicating a torque for controlling a traveling direction of a vehicle independently from the manipulation of the steering wheel;

the manipulation process is a process of manipulating a drive circuit of the assist motor depending on a torque that depends on at least one of the two values, the value of the assist torque variable and the value of the control torque variable;

the variation torque control process is a process of varying a torque as an input variable in the manipulation process, depending on the steering angle, based on the value of the steering angle variable as an input variable; and

the restriction process is a process of restricting a magnitude of variation in the torque as the input variable in the manipulation process depending on the steering angle, to a small side, depending on a priority degree of the value of the control torque variable in the manipulation process.

2 . The turning control device according to claim 1 , wherein:

the processor is configured to execute a steering torque variable acquisition process, the steering torque variable acquisition process being a process of acquiring a value of a steering torque variable that is a variable indicating the steering torque; and

the restriction process includes a process of recognizing the priority degree depending on the value of the steering torque variable as an input variable.

3 . The turning control device according to claim 1 , wherein the restriction process includes a process of recognizing the priority degree of the value of the control torque variable, based on a signal that determines the priority degree of the value of the control torque variable depending on information about an exterior of the vehicle.

4 . The turning control device according to claim 1 , wherein the restriction process includes a process of gradually decreasing the magnitude of the variation to zero, at a time of switching from a state where the priority degree of the value of the control torque variable is lower than a priority degree of the value of the assist torque variable to a state where the priority degree of the value of the control torque variable is higher than the priority degree of the value of the assist torque variable.

5 . The turning control device according to claim 1 , wherein the restriction process includes a process of gradually increasing the magnitude of the variation from zero, at a time of switching from a state where the priority degree of the value of the control torque variable is higher than a priority degree of the value of the assist torque variable to a state where the priority degree of the value of the control torque variable is lower than the priority degree of the value of the assist torque variable.

6 . The turning control device according to claim 1 , wherein the value of the control torque variable is a torque that is added to the value of the assist torque variable for correcting the steering depending on the manipulation of the steering wheel.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 10, 2025
From: KAKIMOTO, YUSUKE; KODERA, TAKASHI; AONO, SHINYA
To: JTEKT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 070162/0473 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2024-020172 · Feb 14, 2024 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250256765A1 · Aug 14, 2025
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