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US4893688A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Electric rear wheel steering apparatus

Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
•
Filing: 1987-11-30
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Granted: 1990-01-16
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Expires: 2007-11-30
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Abstract

Abstract An electric rear wheel steering apparatus provided with an electromagnetic clutch 12 between a motor 11 for driving rear wheels 9 and a worm reduction gear 12 having a reversion efficiency of zero or lower, and a control unit 20 adapted to cut off an electric current flowing to the motor 11 and disengage the electromagnetic clutch 12 when an abnormal operation other than predetermined operation is ascertained. When an abnormal operation is detected, the rear wheel steering gear is fixed in the actual position by a control operation of the control unit 20, so that the rear wheels are prevented from becoming uncontrollable.

Inventors

  • 👤 Mitsuharu Morishita

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-26 10:59
CPC Classifications
B; B62; B62D; B62D5/00; B62D5/04; B62D7/00; B62D7/06; B62D7/14; B62D7/148; B62B; B62B5/00; B62B5/04; B62D5/043; B62D5/0433; B62D5/0436; B62D5/0457; B62D5/0475; B62D5/0478; B60; B60G; B60G2202/00; B60G2202/10; B60G2202/13; B60G2202/135; B60G2202/40; B60G2202/42; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S477/00; Y10S477/906

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 3
Claim 1
Independent Claim 237 words
An electric rear wheel steering apparatus for steering rear wheels of a vehicle by a motor having a worm reduction gear (11) depending on the steering state of front wheels of said vehicle, comprising: a steering wheel steering state sensor (16) for detecting at least one of the steering states of the steering direction, steering angle, steering torque, and steering speed of the steering wheel , a vehicle speed sensor (17) for detecting the vehicle speed, a motor rotation speed sensor (15) for detecting the rotation direction and rotation speed of said motor, a rear wheel steering angle sensor (14) for detecting the steering angle of rear wheels, an electromagnetic clutch (12) disposed between said motor and said worm reduction gear (13) for transmitting the rotation force of the motor having a reversion efficiency of zero or lower so as to engage or disengage the rotation force of the motor, a gear box (7) for steering the rear wheels being driven by the output of said worm reduction gear, and a control unit (20) for receiving signals from said steering wheel steering state sensor, said vehicle speed sensor, said motor rotation speed sensor, and said rear wheel steering angle sensor to drive and control the motor in response to said sensor signals, and for cutting off the current supply to the motor and disengage the electromagnetic clutch when an abnormal operation other than predetermined operation is ascertained.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 237 words
An electric rear wheel steering apparatus for steering rear wheels of a vehicle by a motor having a worm reduction gear (11) depending on the steering state of front wheels of said vehicle, comprising: a steering wheel steering state sensor (16) for detecting at least one of the steering states of the steering direction, steering angle, steering torque, and steering speed of the steering wheel , a vehicle speed sensor (17) for detecting the vehicle speed, a motor rotation speed sensor (15) for detecting the rotation direction and rotation speed of said motor, a rear wheel steering angle sensor (14) for detecting the steering angle of rear wheels, an electromagnetic clutch (12) disposed between said motor and said worm reduction gear (13) for transmitting the rotation force of the motor having a reversion efficiency of zero or lower so as to engage or disengage the rotation force of the motor, a gear box (7) for steering the rear wheels being driven by the output of said worm reduction gear, and a control unit (20) for receiving signals from said steering wheel steering state sensor, said vehicle speed sensor, said motor rotation speed sensor, and said rear wheel steering angle sensor to drive and control the motor in response to said sensor signals, and for cutting off the current supply to the motor and disengage the electromagnetic clutch when an abnormal operation other than predetermined operation is ascertained.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 79 words
An electric rear wheel steering apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a fail-safe relay (201) having normally open contacts disposed in series in the power supply line to the motor and the electromagnetic clutch, and a fail-safe relay drive circuit (209) for driving the fail-safe relay, wherein if the control unit detecto any abnormality in said sensor signals, the control unit sends out a cut-off signal for the fail-safe relay to the fail-safe relay drive circuit.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4762194A Cited
US4782907A Cited
US4789040A Cited
US4779693A Cited
WO1988004251A1 Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1993-01-15 1993-07-17 1994-01-16 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1997-01-15 1997-07-17 1998-01-16 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2001-01-15 2001-07-17 2002-01-16 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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