Patent US3692137A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3692137A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vehicle power steering control device
Assignee: Nissan Motor Co Ltd
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Filing: 1971-05-11
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Granted: 1972-09-19
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Expires: 1991-05-11
Abstract
Abstract A vehicle power steering control device including a reaction assembly which applies a reaction force on the steering wheel that depends on both steering effort and vehicle speed. The device comprises a vehicle speed-responsive modulator valve adapted to control pressure in a reaction chamber transmitted from a fluid pump. Since the pressure from the fluid pump is proportional to steering effort on the power cylinder, the modulated pressure in the reaction chamber depends on both steering effort and vehicle speed and gives rise to a corresponding reaction applied on the steering wheel. The modulator valve is arranged to reduce the pressure in the reaction chamber in accordance with the decrease in vehicle speed. Thus, for low vehicle speeds, the driver encounters a small resistance in turning the steering wheel and, on the other hand for high vehicle speeds, a large turning resistance is provided to avoid the danger of too rapid turning of the steering wheel and road wheels.
Inventors
- 👤 Naohiko Inoue
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 14:01
CPC Classifications
B; B62; B62D; B62D6/00; B62D6/02; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T137/00; Y10T137/8593; Y10T137/86493; Y10T137/86574; Y10T137/86582; Y10T137/8659; Y10T137/86622; Y10T137/8663
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
359 words
A hydraulic power steering device for use on vehicle comprising a fluid flow and pressure control valve, a valve body having a bore therein, a hollow valve spool slidably disposed in said valve body bore and having a bore therein, said valve spool being operatively associateD with the steering wheel, two spring seats slidably disposed in said hollow valve spool and forming a reaction chamber between said seats, each of said spring seats having a flange peripherally formed thereon acting as a stopper, spring means mounted in said reaction chamber between said spring seats, said spring means being so preloaded as to urge said spring seats away from each other, said valve body having a first passage adapted to be connected to a fluid pump and communicating at its outlet end with a first annular groove formed in said valve body bore, said valve body bore having formed a second annular groove and a third annular groove spaced on both sides of said first groove, said second annular groove and said third annular groove being adapted to be connected to a fluid reservoir through a second passage and a third passage, respectively, a power cylinder having a piston and a rod and connected at one end to a fourth passage and the other end to a fifth passage, said valve spool having a fourth annular groove and a fifth annular groove therein adapted to selectively connect said first passage with said fourth passage and said fifth passage, respectively, to control fluid flow through said control valve to said power cylinder in response to movement of said valve spool relative to said valve body in either direction, said valve spool having a sixth passage therein adapted to communicate said first passage with said reaction chamber, and a modulator valve for controlling a pressure in said reaction chamber in response to vehicle speed, wherein the reaction applied on the steering wheel by said control valve corresponds to the sum of the hydraulic pressure in said reaction chamber and the force of said spring means and therefore depends not only upon steering load on said power cylinder but also upon vehicle speed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
359 words
A hydraulic power steering device for use on vehicle comprising a fluid flow and pressure control valve, a valve body having a bore therein, a hollow valve spool slidably disposed in said valve body bore and having a bore therein, said valve spool being operatively associateD with the steering wheel, two spring seats slidably disposed in said hollow valve spool and forming a reaction chamber between said seats, each of said spring seats having a flange peripherally formed thereon acting as a stopper, spring means mounted in said reaction chamber between said spring seats, said spring means being so preloaded as to urge said spring seats away from each other, said valve body having a first passage adapted to be connected to a fluid pump and communicating at its outlet end with a first annular groove formed in said valve body bore, said valve body bore having formed a second annular groove and a third annular groove spaced on both sides of said first groove, said second annular groove and said third annular groove being adapted to be connected to a fluid reservoir through a second passage and a third passage, respectively, a power cylinder having a piston and a rod and connected at one end to a fourth passage and the other end to a fifth passage, said valve spool having a fourth annular groove and a fifth annular groove therein adapted to selectively connect said first passage with said fourth passage and said fifth passage, respectively, to control fluid flow through said control valve to said power cylinder in response to movement of said valve spool relative to said valve body in either direction, said valve spool having a sixth passage therein adapted to communicate said first passage with said reaction chamber, and a modulator valve for controlling a pressure in said reaction chamber in response to vehicle speed, wherein the reaction applied on the steering wheel by said control valve corresponds to the sum of the hydraulic pressure in said reaction chamber and the force of said spring means and therefore depends not only upon steering load on said power cylinder but also upon vehicle speed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A hydraulic power steering control device according to claim 1, in which the reaction applied on the steering wheel increases with vehicle speed.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
A hydraulic power steering control device according to claim 1, in which one of said spring seats has a passage therein through which said reaction chamber is communicated with said modulator valve.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
A hydraulic power steering control device according to claim 1, in which said modulator valve is fixedly mounted on said control valve.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
86 words
A hydraulic power steering control device according to claim 1, in which said first chamber communicating with said second chamber through an opening, a plunger having its tip portion facing said opening and adapted to throttle the flow of fluid through said opening, a spring around said plunger, and a solenoid operatively associated with said plunger to move said plunger toward said opening in response to d.c. current proportional to said vehicle speed and supplied by a vehicle speed sensor to the coil of said solenoid.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
102 words
A hydraulic power steering control device according to claim 1, in which said modulator valve has a first chamber communicating with said reaction chamber and a second chamber communicating with said fluid reservoir, said first chamber and said second chamber being communicated through an opening, a plunger having its tip portion facing said opening to throttle the flow of fluid through said opening a spring around said plunger, a piston operatively connected to said plunger and slidably mounted in a cylinder, and means for applying a vehicle speed dependent pressure signal into said cylinder to move said piston and hence said plunger.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
A hydraulic power steering control device according to claim 6, in which said means comprises a vehicle speed-responsive hydraulic governor valve operatively associated with the transmission output shaft so as to produce a pressure signal corresponding to vehicle speed.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-09-19 | 1976-03-20 | 1976-09-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-09-19 | 1980-03-20 | 1980-09-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-09-19 | 1984-03-20 | 1984-09-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |