Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090294206 | Reducing The Effects Of Vibrations In An Electric Power Steering (EPS) System - The system and method described herein can be used to reduce the effects of periodic vibrations in an electric power steering (EPS) system for a vehicle, particularly, those that can lead to smooth road shake (SRS), torsional nibble, and/or other undesirable conditions. According to an exemplary embodiment, an electric motor is used to purposely generate counter-acting vibrations in the EPS system to cancel out the periodic vibrations generated by the wheel assemblies or corners. | 12-03-2009 |
20090301803 | VEHICULAR STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN ASSEMBLY INCLUDING TORSIONAL DAMPER DEVICE - A steering wheel and column assembly is provided for deployment on a vehicle. In one embodiment, the steering wheel and column assemblies comprises: (i) a steering column housing, (ii) a rotatable steering assembly, and (iii) a torsional damper device. The rotatable steering assembly includes a steering column shaft, which is rotatably coupled to the steering column housing, and a steering wheel, which is fixedly coupled to the steering column shaft. The torsional damper device includes a stator body, which is fixedly coupled to the steering column housing, and a rotor body, which is fixedly coupled to the rotatable steering assembly. The rotor body frictionally engages the stator body to produce a predetermined coulomb torque frictional resistance. | 12-10-2009 |
20100031739 | METHOD OF MEASURING TORSIONAL DYNAMICS OF A STEERING COLUMN AT SMALL DYNAMIC AMPLITUDES - A method for measuring low amplitude dynamic properties of a steering column includes mounting the steering column into a test fixture and performing test runs. The test runs include subjecting the input end of the steering column to input excitations and measuring output conditions, which include at least one of acceleration, velocity and position, and determining whether the output conditions are within a predetermined output range. Input excitations may include sinusoidal excitations having a selected frequency range, torque, or displacement; or dither excitations. The selected torque or displacement is determined using open loop calculations from the output conditions, to achieve target acceleration levels. Data is interpreted to determine the natural frequency or rim gain of the steering column, which are compared to predetermined permissible ranges. The maximum steering wheel rim gain permissible level may be equal to approximately 1 divided by the polar moment of inertia of the wheel. | 02-11-2010 |
20100032877 | Cord Reinforced Resilient Membrane - A cord reinforced resilient membrane (or diaphragm) having a high radial (transverse) stiffness and a relatively low axial stiffness, wherein the cord reinforced resilient membrane has adapatability for use in both hydraulic and conventional strut mounts, as well as other applications, and wherein the radial stiffness provided by the cords is directionally tunable for utilization in a particular application. | 02-11-2010 |
20100057396 | Method For Analyzing Output From A Rotary Sensor - A method for analyzing the output of a rotary sensor, such as that coupled to a vehicle wheel assembly. In one embodiment, the method detects periodic irregularities in the output of an incremental rotary sensor and uses those irregularities with a reference signal and a pattern comparison technique to determine the absolute angular position of the sensor. | 03-04-2010 |
20100096789 | MULTISTATE SWITCHABLE ENGINE MOUNT AND SYSTEM - A vehicle engine mount system comprises a housing and an inertia track assembly that forms a first fluid chamber with an upper compliant member and a second fluid chamber with the second end of the housing. The inertia track assembly has first and second passageways therethrough for conducting fluid between the first and second fluid chambers. The first passageway has a substantially greater flow resistance than the second. First and second switches are coupled to the first and second passageways, respectively, for selectively enabling the first and second switches to control fluid displacement between the first fluid chamber and the second fluid chamber. | 04-22-2010 |
20100138109 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING MOTOR CURRENT IN STEERING SYSTEMS OF VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRIC STEERING ASSIST - A method of controlling a motor current for a vehicle having a motor and a steering system includes the steps of obtaining a torque signal from the steering system, calculating a torque, and adjusting the motor current based at least in part on the torque signal, the torque gain, or both. | 06-03-2010 |
20100257925 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR TESTING TIRES OF VEHICLES TO QUANTIFY TRANSIENT TIRE FORCE AND MOMENT RESPONSES - A method for testing a tire of a vehicle that includes the steps of creating a first condition comprising a first slip angle of the tire, obtaining a first set of data regarding performance of the tire under the first condition, creating a second condition comprising either a second slip angle or lateral displacement of the tire, obtaining a second set of data regarding performance of the tire under the second condition, and determining the transient response of the lateral force and aligning moment of the tire, using the first set of data and the second set of data. | 10-14-2010 |
20110071729 | METHOD FOR ATTENUATING SMOOTH ROAD SHAKE IN AN ELECTRIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM - A method to reduce vehicular sensitivity to torsional smooth road shake (SRS) at the steering wheel provided by selectively increasing reverse driven-impedance of the steering system via an effective dynamic tuned vibration absorber comprising the existing power steering motor inertia supported on the torsional stiffness of the gearing to the rack in the case of a REPS system, or of the column rotary shaft in the case of a CEPS system. | 03-24-2011 |
20120060602 | Dynamic Balancing of Vehicle Wheel Assemblies - A method to balance a wheel assembly. In a first aspect, corrective balance weights and position thereof are determined by a balancer and a closest corrective balance weight thereto is chosen, as well as one of higher and one of lower weight increment for each plane; chosen weights are paired to provide minimized residual and then attached to the planes of the wheel assembly. In a second aspect, imbalance weights are determined by a balancer; a pair of corrective balance weights, one at least ½ the determined imbalance weight are chosen, each separated by determined position angles to minimize residual and then respectively attached to the corrective balance plane(s) of the wheel assembly. | 03-15-2012 |
20120061169 | METHODS, SYSTEMS AND APPARATUS FOR STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION REDUCTION IN ELECTRIC POWER STEERING SYSTEMS - Methods, system and apparatus are provided for suppression of steering wheel vibrations generated by an electric power steering system of a vehicle. A feedback controller is provided that extracts information from ABS pulse trains communicated over the vehicle's LAN to generate estimates of instantaneous tire position and angular velocity. The estimated tire position is used to generate carrier signals. The carrier signals are then processed with a measured dynamic disturbance signal to extract periodic content of the torque sensor. The estimated tire frequency is applied to a stored inverse motor drive-to-sensor torque transfer function to generate gain and phase adjustments that, along with the extracted periodic content of the torque sensor, can be applied to carrier signals to generate a gain-and-phase-compensated motor drive signal. The gain-and-phase-compensated motor drive signal is fedback to the electric motor to suppress the periodic content in the output signal of the torque sensor to suppress vibrations at the vehicle's steering wheel. | 03-15-2012 |
20120150389 | ELECTRIC POWER STEERING SYSTEMS WITH IMPROVED ROAD FEEL - A method is provided for controlling a motor drive torque in an EPS system having a motor and a steering assembly. The method includes receiving a torque signal from the steering assembly; processing the torque signal in accordance with a steering perception program to produce a motor control signal; and controlling the motor drive torque based on the motor control signal. | 06-14-2012 |
20120173079 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR EVALUATING VEHICLE STEERING SYSTEMS - Methods and systems are provided for evaluating a steering system of a vehicle, in which the steering system includes a steering column, steering rack, and pinion. The rack is manipulated as the steering system is mounted to a testing system. The steering column is also manipulated as the steering system is mounted to the testing system. Data is collected from the manipulating of the rack and the dithering of the steering column for use in evaluating the steering system. | 07-05-2012 |
20120197549 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR EVALUATING TIRE PROPERTIES - A method is provided for evaluating a tire. The method includes impacting the tire with a force; measuring motion information; extracting the resonant frequencies from the measured motion information; and calculating stiffness characteristics of the tire from the resonant frequencies. | 08-02-2012 |
20120325383 | ACOUSTICAL CORE FOR ABSORBING NOISE WITHIN A TIRE INTERIOR CAVITY - A tire assembly includes an acoustic foam core disposed within a cavity of the tire for attenuating noise. The foam core defines an expanding radial force that biases the foam core against an inner surface of the tire to secure a position of the foam core relative to the tire. The foam core may include an annular base having a plurality of nodules disposed on an outer periphery of the annular base for engaging the inner surface of the tire and to position the annular base away from the inner surface of the tire. The foam core may further include a plurality of positioning tabs disposed on opposing axial ends of the annular base for engaging side walls of the tire to position the annular base away from the side walls of the tire. | 12-27-2012 |
20130030654 | ELECTRIC POWER STEERING COMPENSATION FOR VEHICLES - Methods and systems are provided for controlling steering in a vehicle having an electric power steering system (EPS) with a steering wheel, the EPS configured to attenuate smooth road shake (SRS) for the vehicle. A first relationship is determined between a torque of the steering wheel and motions of the steering wheel while free of SRS excitation. A second relationship is determined between the torque and the motions with SRS excitation. A mapping is generated based on the first relationship and the second relationship via a processor for use in adjusting steering control. | 01-31-2013 |
20130073224 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR CHARACTERIZING VEHICLE TIRES - A system for characterizing a vehicle tire is provided. The system includes a testing assembly configured to support the vehicle tire. The assembly includes a force-moment transducer configured to gather force information from the vehicle tire in response to a stimulus on the vehicle tire. The system further includes an accelerometer coupled to the vehicle tire and configured to gather vibration information from the vehicle tire in response to the stimulus on the vehicle tire. The system further includes a post-processing system configured to receive the vibration information from the accelerometer and the force information from the force-moment transducer. The post-processing system is further configured to extract resonant frequencies from the vibration information and the force information. | 03-21-2013 |
20130211677 | METHODS, SYSTEMS AND APPARATUS FOR STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION REDUCTION IN ELECTRIC POWER STEERING SYSTEMS - Methods and systems are provided for suppression of steering wheel vibrations generated by periodic disturbances in a vehicle steering system. An exemplary method reducing steering wheel vibrations caused by periodic disturbances involves determining a gross torque attributable to the periodic disturbances in the steering system, identifying a desired amount of suppression of the vibrations at the steering wheel, determining an offset torque based on the gross torque and the desired amount of suppression, and generating a motor command signal in a manner that is influenced by the offset torque. The motor drive command signal is provided to an electric motor coupled the steering wheel and/or the vehicle tires, and the motor drive command signal influences the torque applied by the motor to assist steering of the vehicle tires by the steering wheel in a manner that attenuates the vibrations communicated to the steering wheel by the desired amount. | 08-15-2013 |
20130299270 | ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING WITH DITHERED STEERING MOTOR CONTROL - Methods and apparatus are provided for a dithered EPS system of a vehicle. The apparatus includes a steering assembly having one or more sensors for sensing user steering input. A controller is responsive to the user steering input for providing a motor control signal. The apparatus also includes a dither signal generator providing a dither signal and a combiner for combining the motor control signal and the dither signal to provide a dithered motor control signal to control the motor of the apparatus. The methods include sensing user steering input via one or more sensors coupled to a steering assembly of a vehicle and generating a motor control signal responsive to the user steering input. A dither signal is generated and combined with the motor control signal to provide a dithered motor control signal that is used to control motor. | 11-14-2013 |
20130311042 | ELECTRIC POWER STEERING SYSTEMS AND METHODS - An electric power steering system for a vehicle includes a steering mechanism coupling a steering wheel to a steerable element. A first actuator is in communication with a controller and operatively connected to the steering mechanism for assisting movement of the steerable element in response to a first signal from the controller. The system also includes a second actuator in communication with the controller, separate from the first actuator, and operatively connected to the steering mechanism between the first actuator and the steering wheel for superimposing torque in response to a second signal from the controller. | 11-21-2013 |
20140207336 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING STEERING SYSTEMS OF VEHICLES - Methods and systems are provided for controlling a steering system of a vehicle is provided. A detection unit is configured to obtain one or more of the following values: a compass heading, a global positioning system (GPS) heading, a yaw velocity, and a difference in tire angular velocities. A processor is coupled to the detection unit, and is configured to determine whether a vehicle is on a straight line path using one or more of the compass heading, the GPS heading, the yaw velocity, and the difference in tire angular velocities, activate the steering system if it is determined that the vehicle is on a straight line path, and disable the feature of the steering system if it is determined that the vehicle is not on a straight line path. | 07-24-2014 |
20140277946 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REDUCING STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION IN ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING SYSTEMS - Methods and apparatus are provided for reducing steering wheel vibrations in electronic power steering systems. The apparatus includes a processor and performs a method that estimates an average angular wheel speed of at least one wheel of the vehicle; determines an average wheel angle from the average angular wheel speed; generates sine and cosine functions of the average angular wheel angle; processes the sine and cosine functions with a steering wheel torque signal received from a torque sensor to extract amplitude components of at least one of the sine and cosine functions; reconstructs the sine and cosine functions using the steering wheel torque signal; combines the sine and cosine functions to provide a control signal, and controls the EPS system via the control signal to attenuate smooth road shake vibrations in a steering wheel of the vehicle. | 09-18-2014 |