Electric power steering device

Claim 2

In an electric power steering device operatively positioned between a steering wheel and a steering mechanism of a vehicle: torque sensing means for detecting torque applied to the steering wheel for producing an electrical signal related to the amount of said torque; an electrically powered actuator means for generating rotational assist torque to provide an auxiliary steering force to the vehicle steering mechanism; control means responsive to the electrical signal supplied by the torque sensing means for producing an electric current to drive said actuator means in a direction corresponding to the direction of movement of the steering wheel to thereby generate a rotational assist torque; said control means being effective to maintain said drive electric current zero when the applied torque is smaller than a predetermined value that is less than when static friction is overcome and rotational assist torque occurs; said control means further being effective to provide a constant proportional relationship between said electric current and said applied torque when said applied torque exceeds said predetermined value until the applied torque causes initiation of rotational assist torque from said actuator means; and wherein a second proportional relationship between said electric current and said applied torque is provided after rotational assist torque is initiated, said second proportional relationship being less than said constant proportional relationship.

Claim 3

In an electric power steering device operatively positioned between a steering wheel and a steering mechanism of a vehicle; torque sensing means for detecting torque applied to the steering wheel for producing an electrical signal related to the amount of said torque; an electrically powered actuator means for generating rotational assist torque to provide an auxiliary steering force to the vehicle steering mechanism; control means responsive to the electrical signal supplied by said torque sensing means for producing an electric current to drive said actuator means in a direction corresponding to the direction of movement of the steering wheel to thereby generate a rotational assist torque; said control means being effective to maintain said drive electric current zero when the applied torque is smaller than a predetermined value that is less than when static friction is overcome and rotational assist torque occurs; said control means further being effective to provide a constant proportional relationship between said electric current and said applied torque when said applied torque exceeds said predetermined value until the applied torque causes initiation of rotational assist torque from said actuator means; and wherein the constant proportional relationship between the operation force and the electric current in the range of the operation force just before rotational assist torque is generated until rotational assist torque is applied by the actuator means is greater than a second porportional relationship which occurs starting at a point where said rotational assist torque by the actuator is applied to the steering mechanism.

Claim 4

In an electric power steering device operatively positioned between a steering wheel and a steering mechanism of a vehicle; torque sensing means for detecting torque applied to the steering wheel for producing an electrical signal related to the amount of said torque; an electrically powered actuator means for generating rotational assist torque to provide an auxiliary steering force to the vehicle steering mechanism; control means responsive to the electrical signal supplied by said torque sensing means for producing an electric current to drive said actuator means in a direction corresponding to the direction of movement of the steering wheel to thereby generate a rotational assist torque; said control means being effective to maintain said drive electric current zero when the applied torque is smaller than a predetermined value that is less than when static friction is overcome and rotational assist torque occurs; said control means further being effective to provide a constant proportional relationship between said electric current and said applied torque when said applied torque exceeds said predetermined value until the applied torque causes initiation of rotational assist torque from said actuator means; and wherein the constant proportional relationship between the operation force and the electric current in the range of the operation force just before rotational assist torque is generated until rotational assist torque is applied by the actuator means is greater than a second porportional relationship which occurs starting at a point where said rotational assist torque by the actuator is applied to the steering mechanism.