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EP0223256A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Rear wheel steering apparatus for vehicle

Assignee: Toyota Motor Corp
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Filing: 1986-11-18
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-11-18
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Abstract

Abstract A rear wheel steering apparatus for a vehicle has a vehicle speed sensor (10) for detecting a vehicle speed, a front wheel steer angle sensor (16) for detecting a steer angle of front wheels of the vehicle, a rear wheel steer angle driving device (26L, 26R) for varying the steer angle of each of the right and left rear wheels, and a rear wheel steer angle controller for controlling the rear wheel steer angle driving device. The controller is adapted to calculate a toe-in quantity of the rear wheels as an increasing function of the vehicle speed, calculate a steer angle of each of the right and left rear wheels by the use of the vehicle speed and the steer angle of the front wheels, and control the rear wheel steer angle driving device on the basis of results of these calculating operations such that the steer angle of each of the right and left rear wheels changes by a predetermined angle. Accordingly, it is possible to improve the response to the steering input for turning the vehicle.

Inventors

  • 👤 Mizuho Sugiyama
  • 👤 Yasuo Oguni

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 03:35
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60G; B60G7/00; B60G7/006; B62; B62D; B62D7/00; B62D7/06; B62D7/14; B62D7/15; B62D7/159; B60G2200/00; B60G2200/40; B60G2200/44; B60G2200/462; B60G2204/00; B60G2204/10; B60G2204/14; B60G2204/143; B60G2204/40; B60G2204/419; B60G2204/4193

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim 176 words
A rear wheel steering apparatus for a vehicle having a vehicle speed sensor for detecting a vehicle speed, a front wheel steer angle sensor for detecting a steer angle of front wheels of said vehicle, rear wheel steer angle driving means for varying the steer angle of each of the right and left rear wheels, and rear wheel steer angle control means for controlling said rear wheel steer angle driving means, characterized in that said rear wheel steer angle control means calculates a toe-in quantity of said rear wheels as an increasing function of the vehicle speed, calculated a steer angle of each of said right and left rear wheels by the use of the vehicle speed detected by said vehicle speed sensor and the steer angle of said front wheels detected by said front wheel steer angle sensor, and controls said rear wheel steer angle driving means on the basis of results of these calculating operations such that the steer angle of each of said right and left rear wheels changes by a predetermined angle.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 176 words
A rear wheel steering apparatus for a vehicle having a vehicle speed sensor for detecting a vehicle speed, a front wheel steer angle sensor for detecting a steer angle of front wheels of said vehicle, rear wheel steer angle driving means for varying the steer angle of each of the right and left rear wheels, and rear wheel steer angle control means for controlling said rear wheel steer angle driving means, characterized in that said rear wheel steer angle control means calculates a toe-in quantity of said rear wheels as an increasing function of the vehicle speed, calculated a steer angle of each of said right and left rear wheels by the use of the vehicle speed detected by said vehicle speed sensor and the steer angle of said front wheels detected by said front wheel steer angle sensor, and controls said rear wheel steer angle driving means on the basis of results of these calculating operations such that the steer angle of each of said right and left rear wheels changes by a predetermined angle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 48 words
A rear wheel steering apparatus according to Claim 1, further comprising a right rear wheel steer angle sensor for detecting an actual steer angle of said right rear wheel, and a left rear wheel steer angle sensor for detecting an actual steer angle of said left rear wheel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 33 words
A rear wheel steering apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein said rear wheel steer angle driving means includes right rear wheel steer angle driving means and left rear wheel steer angle driving means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 50 words
A rear wheel steering apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein said control means incl udes mean rear wheel steer angle calculating means for calculating a mean steer angle of said right and left rear wheels by the use of the vehicle speed and the steer angle of said front wheels.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 65 words
A rear wheel steering apparatus according to Claim 4, wherein said control means includes target right rear wheel steer angle calculating means and target left rear wheel steer angle calculating means for calculating a target right rear wheel steer angle and a target left rear wheel steer angle, respectively, on the basis of said calculated toe-in quantity and said calculated mean rear wheel steer angle.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 111 words
A rear wheel steering apparatus according to Claim 5, wherein said control means includes right rear wheel steer angle comparing means for making comparison between an actual steer angle of said right rear wheel detected by said right rear wheel steer angle sensor and a target right rear wheel steer angle calculated by said target right rear wheel steer angle calculating means, and left rear wheel steer angle comparing means for making comparison between an actual steer angle of said left rear wheel detected by said left rear wheel steer angle sensor and a target left rear wheel steer angle calculated by said target left rear wheel steer angle calculating means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 127 words
A rear wheel steering apparatus according to Claim 6, wherein said control means includes right rear wheel steer angle correcting means adapted to calculate a correction quantity for a steer angle of said right rear wheel on the basis of a signal output from said right rear wheel steer angle comparing means and control said right rear wheel steer angle driving means on the basis of the calculated correction quantity, and left rear wheel steer angle correcting means adapted to calculate a correction quantity for a steer angle of said left rear wheel on the basis of a signal output from said left rear wheel steer angle comparing means and control said left rear wheel steer angle driving means on the basis of the calculated correction quantity.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 42 words
A rear wheel steering apparatus according to Claim 7, wherein each of said right and left rear wheel steer angle driving means has an arm for giving a steer angle to the corresponding rear wheel, and a motor for activating said arm.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 78 words
A rear wheel steering apparatus according to Claim 8, wherein each of said right and left rear wheel steer angle driving means further has a pillow ball inner tube and a pillow ball outer tube which are disposed between said arm and said motor, said pillow ball inner tube being eccentrically rotated by said motor, and said pillow ball outer tube being fitted on said pillow ball inner tube and rigidly secured to one end of said arm.

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