Abnormality detector for motor assisted steering apparatus

Claim 2

An abnormality detector for detecting an abnormality in a motor assisted steering apparatus, the apparatus comprising: a steering mechanism for adjusting the orientation of wheels with respect to a car body; an input means for manually inputting a steering force to adjust the wheels with respect to the car body; an input detecting means for detecting steering force information indicative of the magnitude of the steering force manually input to the input means; an motor producing a drive force; an energization control means for controlling the energization or deenergization of the motor in accordance with at least the steering force information from the input detecting means; a transmission mechanism for transmission to the steering mechanism the steering force manually input to the input means combined with the drive force produced by the motor; an operation condition detecting means for detecting operation information indicative of an operational condition of the motor; and an abnormality annunciator means for monitoring the steering force information and the operation information and for annunciating the existence of an abnormality in the event the operation information detected by the operating condition detecting means indicates the motor is developing the drive force and the steering force information from the input detecting means remains within a predetermined range.

Claim 3

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the controlling by the energization control means comprises deenergizing the motor when the steering force information from the input detecting means is within a given range, and energizing the motor in response to the steering force manually input to the input means, when the steering force information from the input detecting means goes outside the given range.

Claim 4

The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the abnormality annunciator means is further capable of annunciating the existence of an abnormality if the operation information detected by the operating condition detecting means indicates that the motor is developing a drive force different than the steering force information from the input detection means which deviates by a predetermined relationship.

Claim 5

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the controlling by the energization control means energizes the motor for rotation in a forward direction when the steering force information from the input detecting means indicates the use of a steering force which turns the wheels to the right with respect to the car body, and energizes the motor for rotation in a reverse direction when the steering force information from the input detecting means indicates the use of a steering force which turns the wheels to the left with respect to the car body.

Claim 6

The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the abnormality annunciator means annunciates the existence of an abnormality when the steering force information from the input detecting means indicates the use of a steering force which turns the wheels to the right with respect to the car body and when the operation information from the operation condition detecting means indicates that the motor is energized for rotation in the forward direction, or annunciates the existence of an abnormality when the steering force information from the operation condition detecting means indicates the use of a steering force which turns the wheels to the left with respect to the car body and when the operation information from the operation condition detecting means indicates that the motor is energized for rotation in the reverse direction.

Claim 7

The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the abnormality annunciator means annunciates the existence of an abnormality when the operation information from the operation condition detecting means indicates that the energization of the motor for rotation in the forward and the reverse direction occurs simultaneously.

Claim 8

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the operation condition detecting means comprises means for detecting an energizing current for the motor which causes rotation in the forward direction and means for detecting an energizing current for the motor which causes rotation in the reverse direction.

Claim 9

The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said means for detecting an energizing current for the motor which causes rotation in the forward direction comprises a first resistor connected in a supply line which enables the motor to be energized for rotation in the forward direction, and said means for detecting an energizing current for the motor which causes rotation in the reverse direction comprises a second resistor connected in a supply line which enables the motor to be energized for rotation in the reverse direction.

Claim 10

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the abnormality annunciator means annunciates the existence of an abnormality when the operation information detected by the operation condition detecting means indicates the motor is developing the drive force at a magnitude in excess of a given limit, the abnormality annunciator means removing such annunciation when the operating information detected by the operation condition detecting means indicates the motor is developing a drive force at a magnitude equal to or less than the given limit.

Claim 11

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the energization control means deenergizes the motor when the abnormality annunciator means annunciates the existence of an abnormality.

Claim 12

The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the abnormality annunciator means annunciates the existence of an abnormality when the operation information detected by the operation condition detecting means indicates the motor is developing a drive force of a magnitude in excess of a given limit, the abnormality annunciator means removing such annunciation when the operation information detected by the operation condition detecting means indicates the motor is developing a drive force of a magnitude equal to or less than the given limit.

Claim 13

The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the abnormality annunciator means continues to annunciate the existence of an abnormality when an abnormality is annunciated in excess of a given time interval.

Claim 14

An abnormality detector for detecting an abnormality in a motor assisted steering apparatus, the apparatus comprising: a steering mechanism for adjusting the orientation of wheels with respect to a car body; an input means for manually inputting a steering force to adjust the wheels with respect to the car body; an input detecting means for detecting steering force information indicative of the magnitude of the steering force manually input to the input means; an electric motor producing a drive force; an energization control means for controlling the energization or deenergization of the electric motor in accordance with at least the steering force information from the input detecting means; a transmission mechanism for transmission to the steering mechanism the steering force manually input to the input means combined with the drive force produced by the electric motor; an operation condition detecting means for detecting operation information indicative of an operational condition of the electric motor; an abnormality annunciator means for annunciating the existence of an abnormality in the event a relationship between the steering force manually input to the input means, and the operation information detected by the operation condition detecting means deviates from the predetermined relationship; the energization control means energizing the electric motor for rotation in a forward direction when the steering force information from the input detecting means indicates the use of a steering force which turns the wheels to the right with respect to the car body, and energizing the electric motor for rotation in a reverse direction when the steering force information from the input detecting means indicates the use of a steering force which turns the wheels to the left with respect to the car body; and the abnormality annunciator means annunciating the existence of an abnormality when the steering force information from the input detecting means indicates the use of a steering force which turns the wheels to the right with respect to the car body and when the operation information from the operation condition detecting means indicates that the motor is energized for rotation in the forward direction, or annunciating the existence of an abnormality when the steering force information from the operation condition detecting means indicates the use of a steering force which turns the wheels to the left with respect to the car body and when the operation information from the operation condition detecting means indicates that the motor is energized for rotation in the reverse direction.

Claim 15

An abnormality detector for detecting an abnormality in a motor assisted steering apparatus, the apparatus comprising: a steering mechanism for adjusting the orientation of wheels with respect to a car body; an input means for manually inputting a steering force to adjust the wheels with respect to the car body; an input detecting means for detecting steering force information indicative of the magnitude of the steering force manually input to the input means; an electric motor producing a drive force; an energization control means for controlling the energization or deenergization of the electric motor in accordance with at least the steering force information from the input detecting means; a transmission mechanism for transmission to the steering mechanism the steering force manually input to the input means combined with the drive force produced by the electric motor; an operation condition detecting means for detecting operation information indicative of an operational condition of the electric motor; an abnormality annunciator means for annunciating the existence of an abnormality in the event a relationship between the steering force manually input to the input means, and the operation information detected by the operation condition detecting means deviates from the predetermined relationship; the energization control means energizing the electric motor for rotation in a forward direction when the steering force information from the input detecting means indicates the use of a steering force which turns the wheels to the right with respect to the car body, and energizing the electric motor for rotation in a reverse direction when the steering force information from the input detecting means indicates the use of a steering force which turns the wheels to the left with respect to the car body; and the abnormality annunciator means annunciating the existence of an abnormality when the steering force information from the input detecting means indicates the use of a steering force which turns the wheels to the right with respect to the car body and when the operation information from the operation condition detecting means indicates that the motor is energized for rotation in the forward direction, or annunciating the existence of an abnormality when the steering force information from the operation condition detecting means indicates the use of a steering force which turns the wheels to the left with respect to the car body and when the operation information from the operation condition detecting means indicates that the motor is energized for rotation in the reverse direction.

Claim 16

The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the operation condition detecting means comprises means for detecting an energizing current for the electric motor which causes rotation in the forward direction and means for detecting an energizing current for the electric motor which causes rotation in the reverse direction.

Claim 17

The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said means for detecting an energizing current for the electric motor which causes rotation in the forward direction comprises a first resistor connected in a supply line which enables the motor to be energized for rotation in the forward direction, and said means for detecting an energizing current for the electric motor which causes rotation in the reverse direction comprises a second resistor connected in a supply line which enables the electric motor to be energized for rotation in the reverse direction.

Claim 18

The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the abnormality annunciator means annunciates the existence of an abnormality when the operation information detected by the operation condition detecting means indicates the electric motor is developing the drive force at a magnitude in excess of a given limit, the abnormality annunciator means removing such annunciation when the operating information detected by the operation condition detecting means indicates the electric motor is developing a drive force at a magnitude equal to or less than the given limit.

Claim 19

The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the energization control means deenergizes the electric motor when the abnormality annunciator means annunciates the existence of an abnormality.

Claim 20

The apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the abnormality annunciator means annunciates the existence of an abnormality when the operation information detected by the operation condition detecting means indicates the electric motor is developing a drive force of a magnitude in excess of a given limit, the abnormality annunciator means removing such annunciation when the operation information detected by the operation condition detecting means indicates the electric motor is developing a drive force of a magnitude equal to or less than the given limit.

Claim 21

The apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the abnormality annunciator means continues to annunciate the existence of an abnormality when an abnormality is annunciated in excess of a given time interval.

Claim 22

An abnormality detector for detecting an abnormality in a motor assisted steering apparatus, the apparatus comprising: a steering mechanism for adjusting the orientation of wheels with respect to a car body; an input means for manually inputting a steering force to adjust the wheels with respect to the car body; an input detecting means for detecting steering force information indicative of the magnitude of the steering force manually input to the input means; an electric motor producing a drive force; an energization control means for controlling the energization or deenergization of the electric motor in accordance with at least the steering force information from the input detecting means; a transmission mechanism for transmission to the steering mechanism the steering force manually input to the input means combined with the drive force produced by the electric motor; an operation condition detecting means for detecting operation information indicative of an operational condition of the electric motor; and an abnormality annunciator means for annunciating the existence of an abnormality in the event a relationship between the steering force manually input to the input means, and the operation information detected by the operation condition detecting means deviates from a predetermined relationship; the energization control means energizing the electric motor for rotation in a forward direction when the steering force information from the input detecting means indicates the use of a steering force which turns the wheels to the right with respect to the car body, and energizing the electric motor for rotation in a reverse direction when the steering force information from the input detecting means indicates the use of a steering force which turns the wheels to the left with respect to the car body; and the abnormality annunciator means annunciating the existence of an abnormality when the operation information from the operation condition detecting means indicates that the energization of the motor for rotation in the forward and the reverse direction occurs simultaneously.

Claim 23

An abnormality detector for detecting an abnormality in a motor assisted steering apparatus, the apparatus comprising: a steering mechanism for adjusting the orientation of wheels with respect to a car body; an input means for manually inputting a steering force to adjust the wheels with respect to the car body; an input detecting means for detecting steering force information indicative of the magnitude of the steering force manually input to the input means; an electric motor producing a drive force; an energization control means for controlling the energization or deenergization of the electric motor in accordance with at least the steering force information from the input detecting means; a transmission mechanism for transmission to the steering mechanism the steering force manually input to the input means combined with the drive force produced by the electric motor; an operation condition detecting means for detecting operation information indicative of an operational condition of the electric motor; and an abnormality annunciator means for annunciating the existence of an abnormality in the event a relationship between the steering force manually input to the input means, and the operation information detected by the operation condition detecting means deviates from a predetermined relationship; the energization control means energizing the electric motor for rotation in a forward direction when the steering force information from the input detecting means indicates the use of a steering force which turns the wheels to the right with respect to the car body, and energizing the electric motor for rotation in a reverse direction when the steering force information from the input detecting means indicates the use of a steering force which turns the wheels to the left with respect to the car body; and the abnormality annunciator means annunciating the existence of an abnormality when the operation information from the operation condition detecting means indicates that the energization of the motor for rotation in the forward and the reverse direction occurs simultaneously.