# US 11,027,770 B2 · Steer by wire road vehicle steering system provided with a telescopic support element for the steering wheel > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,027,770 B2 - Document ID: US11027770B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/171,443 - Filed: 2018-10-26 - Published: 2019-05-09 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-10-26 - Assignees: Ferrari S.P.A. - Applicants: FERRARI S.p.A. - Inventors: Franco Cimatti - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11027770B2 ## CPC - B62D 5/0409: {Electric motor acting on the steering column} - B62D 1/105: {Non-rotatable hubs, e.g. the central part of the steering wheel not rotating} - B62D 1/181: with power actuated adjustment, e.g. with position memory - B62D 5/001: {Mechanical components or aspects of steer-by-wire systems, not otherwise provided for in this maingroup} - B62D 5/006: {power actuated} - B62D 5/0403: {characterised by constructional features, e.g. common housing for motor and gear box} - B62D 5/0454: {Worm gears} - B62D 5/0481: {monitoring the steering system, e.g. failures} - B62D 6/10: characterised by means for sensing {or determining} torque - G01L 5/221: {to steering wheels, e.g. for power assisted steering} - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) - G01L: MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE (weighing G01G) ## Abstract A steering system for a road vehicle; the steering system comprises: a steering wheel provided with an outer ring, which is mounted so as to rotate around a rotation axis and has no mechanical connection to steering wheels; a support element, which, on one side, can be rigidly fixed on the inside of the vehicle and, on the other side, is connected to the steering wheel so as to support the steering wheel; and a position sensor, which is designed to detect the angular position of the outer ring of the steering wheel around the rotation axis. The support element is telescopic so as to vary its axial size along the rotation axis in order to change the axial position of the steering wheel. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A steering system (4) for a road vehicle (1); the steering system (4) comprises: a steering wheel (6) provided with an outer ring (15), which is mounted so as to rotate around a rotation axis (13) and has no connection to steering wheels (2); a support element (21), which, on one side, can be rigidly fixed on the inside of the vehicle (1) and, on the other side, is connected to the steering wheel (6) so as to support the steering wheel (6); and a position sensor (8), which is designed to detect the angular position of the outer ring (15) of the steering wheel (6) around the rotation axis (13); wherein the support element (21) is telescopic so as to vary its axial size along the rotation axis (13) in order to change the axial position of the steering wheel (6); wherein the support element (21) comprises: an outer body (22), which can be rigidly fixed on the inside of the vehicle (1) and is internally hollow; an inner body (24), which is connected to the steering wheel (6), is partially arranged on the inside of the outer body (22), and can axially slide relative to the outer body (22); and an actuator device (26), which is designed to axially translate the inner body (24) relative to the outer body (22); and wherein the actuator device (26) is completely arranged on the inside of the outer body (22). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The steering system (4) according to claim 1, wherein the outer body (22) is tubular and has, on the inside, a chamber (23), which is open on one side, partially houses the inner body (24) in an axially sliding manner, and houses the actuator device (26). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The steering system (4) according to claim 1, wherein the actuator device (26) is designed to stop the axial translation between the outer body (22) and the inner body (24) so as to make sure that, in use, the steering wheel (6) remains still in a predefined axial position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The steering system (4) according to claim 1, wherein the actuator device (26) is active and comprises a first electric motor, which causes an axial translation movement of the inner body (24) relative to the outer body (22). ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The steering system (4) according to claim 4, wherein the actuator device (26) comprises: the first electric motor, which is integral to the outer body (22); a worm screw, which is caused to rotate by the first electric motor; and an abutment, which is screwed in the worm screw and is integral to the inner body (24). ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The steering system (4) according to claim 1, wherein the support element (21) is not aligned with the steering wheel (6) and is arranged lower than the steering wheel (6). ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The steering system (4) according to claim 1 and comprising a second electric motor (16), which applies a variable feedback torque to the outer ring (15) of the steering wheel (6), is interposed between the support element (21) and the steering wheel (6) so as to support the steering wheel (6), and comprises a stator (17), which is rigidly connected to the support element (21), and a rotor (18), which is rigidly connected at least to the outer ring (15) of the steering wheel (6). ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The steering system (4) according to claim 1 and comprising a third electric motor (10), which is mechanically completely independent of and separate from the steering wheel (6) and is designed to control the steering of the steering wheels (2) of the vehicle (1). ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The steering system (4) according to claim 8 and comprising a control unit (12), which is connected to the position sensor (8) so as to receive the reading of the angular position of the steering wheel (6) and is designed to control the third electric motor (10) so as to adjust the steering of the steering wheels (2) of the vehicle (1) based on the angular position of the steering wheel (6). ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The steering system (4) according to claim 1 and comprising a mechanical limit stop device (30), which is coupled to the outer ring (15) of the steering wheel (6) and limits, in both directions, the maximum angular width of the rotation of the steering wheel (6) around the rotation axis (13), so that the steering wheel (6) can make, on the whole, a rotation around the rotation axis (13) that is greater than 360.degree. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The steering system (4) according to claim 10, wherein: the limit stop device (30) comprises a groove (31), which is wound in a spiral shape around the rotation axis (13) over more than 360.degree. and has, at the two opposite ends, two abutments (32), which define respective stop strikers; the limit stop device (30) comprises a pin (33), which is arranged on the inside of the groove (31) so as to engage and follow the groove (31) from an abutment (32) to the opposite abutment (32); one between the groove (31) and the pin (33) is angularly integral to the outer ring (15) of the steering wheel (6), whereas the other one between the groove (31) and the pin (33) is angularly integral to a part that does not rotate together with the outer ring (15) of the steering wheel (6); and one between the groove (31) and the pin (33) can axially slide relative to the outer ring (15) of the steering wheel (6). ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The steering system (4) according to claim 11, wherein: the groove (31) is angularly integral to the outer ring (15) of the steering wheel (6) and can axially slide relative to the outer ring (15) of the steering wheel (6); and the pin (33) is rigidly connected to a part that does not rotate together with the steering wheel (6). ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The steering system (4) according to claim 12, wherein the groove (31) is coupled to the steering wheel (6) through a splined coupling. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The steering system (4) according to claim 7, wherein: the electric motor (16) comprises a stator (17), which does not rotate, and a rotor (18), which can rotate relative to the stator (17) around the rotation axis (13); in the electric motor (16), the rotor (18) is internal and, therefore, it is radially arranged on the inside of the stator (17); the rotor (18) of the electric motor (16) comprises a shaft (19), which supports the steering wheel (6) and is supported by bearings (20) interposed between the rotor (18) and the stator (17); and the bearings (20) supporting the rotor (18) are coupled to the shaft (19) of the rotor (18). ### Claim 15 (depends on 7) The steering system (4) according to claim 7, wherein: the electric motor (16) comprises a stator (17), which does not rotate, and a rotor (18), which can rotate relative to the stator (17) around the rotation axis (13); and in the electric motor (16), the rotor (18) is external and, therefore, it is radially arranged on the outside of the stator (17). ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The steering system (4) according to claim 15, wherein the rotor (18) of the electric motor (16) is without shaft. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The steering system (4) according to claim 15, wherein: the steering wheel (6) comprises a central hub (14) which is fixed, i.e. does not rotate around the rotation axis (13), and the outer ring (15) which can rotate around the rotation axis (13); and the central hub (14) of the steering wheel (6) is directly connected to the stator (17) of the electric motor (16), whereas the outer ring (15) of the steering wheel (6) is directly connected to the rotor (18) of the electric motor (16). ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The steering system (4) according to claim 15, wherein: the stator (17) of the electric motor (16) has, at the center, a cable-leading through duct (27), which is coaxial to the rotation axis (13); and a cabling (29) is provided, which originates from the central hub (14) of the steering wheel (6) and is arranged through the cable-leading duct (27).