Power-assisted steering system

Abstract

Abstract 1379606 Power steering NISSAN MOTOR CO Ltd 21 Dec 1971 [29 Dec 1970 (2) 16 March 1971 (2) 17 March 1971] 59381/71 Heading B7H An hydraulic power-assisted steering apparatus comprises a steering control valve 10 responsive to steering resistance from the front wheels of a vehicle and hydraulically connected to constant delivery pump A to produce a steering assistance fluid pressure in accordance with the steering resistance, a speed sensitive control 11 responsive to vehicle speed which produces an electric signal representative of this speed, a pressure control valve 13 which produces a central signal responsive to the steering assistance fluid pressure and electric signal, and a pressure booster 14 connected to the pump, a reaction chamber B, and valve 10 for multiplying the fluid pressure to be directed to the reaction chamber B in accordance with the control signal from the valve 13. The fluid pressure booster 14, Fig. 3, is supplied at pressure Pp by the pump A. A valve 21, axially slidable in a bore 16, has a land 22 providing surfaces 22a and 22b of different areas subjected to pressures Pp and Ps. When Pp differs from Ps, the valve 21 is moved axially. When the vehicle is driven at increased speed, the control valve 13 delivers an increased signal pressure Ps causing valve 21 to open a port 20, thus reducing an orifice 27 to reduce flow from port 17 to port 19. The pump delivery pressure Pp rises to move the valve 21 towards port 20 until equilibrium is reached. Thus, the pump delivery pressure Pp is multiplied to equal the pressure Ps times the ratio of area of surface 22b to surface 22a; the increased pump delivery pressure is fed through port 18 to reaction chamber B. Should pressure Pp exceed a predetermined amount, a relief valve 31 opens to a reservoir 36, similarly a valve 32 opens when Ps exceeds a predetermined level In another embodiment, a steering control valve 10, Fig. 6, has a valve 37 interposed between a steering drop arm 38 and a double acting piston 40. The valve 37 is fed by the pump A at pressure Pp. Valves 50, 51 are controlled by solenoids 56, 57 energized according to vehicle speed through a trigger circuit, Fig. 8 (not shown) connected to a vehicle speed detector (60). In another embodiment, Fig. 10, the booster is arranged to be controlled by four different vehicle speed ranges. The booster comprises sections 66, 67 connected in series with control valve 10 and reaction chamber B and associated with pressure control valves 68 and 69 controlled by solenoids 70 and 71 respectively. The solenoids 70 and 71 are controlled by a circuit 12 in response to vehicle speed as detected by a detector 11. The booster sections 66, 67 include balanced valves 78 and 79 which operate in similar manner to the balanced valve 21, Fig. 3. At a low vehicle speed, the solenoid 70 is energized and the solenoid 71 de-energized to close valves 99 and 100. The valve 78 is moved to the right by fluid pressure Pp from the pump A, thus opening orifice 84. The pressure Pm is therefore equal to Pp and causes valve 79 to move to the right and thus open orifice 85. The steering assistance pressure Pa is therefore equal to Pm and there is no multiplication of fluid pressure. On increase of vehicle speed, both solenoids 70, 71 are de-energized to open valve 99. Fluid pressure Pm is directed to chamber 87 to move valve 78 to the left to close orifice 84, thereby increasing pump pressure Pp. A further increase in vehicle speed causes energization of solenoids 70, 71 to close valve 99 and open valve 100. The valve 78 moves to the right to allow fluid to move valve 79 initially leftwardly (causing an increase in fluid pressure in chamber 86) and then rightwardly to achieve equilibrium, thus producing a multiplication of the fluid pressure of the pump pressure fed to the reaction chamber. A further increase in vehicle speed, by de-energizing solenoid 70 and energizing solenoid 71, causes a further multiplication of pump pressure. In another embodiment, Fig. 12 (not shown) operating in a similar manner to the Fig. 10 embodiment a port (76) communicates with a passage (104) and pump inlet passage (75). The solenoids are controlled by the vehicle speed somewhat differently from the Fig. 10 embodiment by means of a trigger control circuit, Fig. 13 (not shown).

Inventors

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