US 11,591,001 B2Granted

Steering column for a steering system of a motor vehicle comprising a control unit for two adjustment drives

AssigneesThyssenkrupp Presta AG, thyssenkrupp AG

InventorsMiklos Siklodi, Gergoe Szegoe, Daniel Vitalis

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Abstract

A steering column may include a first adjustment drive for adjustments in a length adjustment direction and a second adjustment drive for adjustments in a height adjustment direction. The adjustment drives each have a drive motor. A joint control unit for the drive motors comprises three half bridges arranged in parallel and connected between two voltage potentials. Each half bridge has a high-side switch and a low-side switch connected in series via a connection point. The connection point of the first half bridge is electrically conductively connected to a first connection of a first drive motor. The connection point of a second half bridge is electrically conductively connected to a second connection of the first drive motor and to a first connection of the second drive motor. The connection point of a third half bridge is electrically conductively connected to a second connection of the second drive motor.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A steering column for a steering system of a motor vehicle, the steering column comprising:

a first adjustment drive for adjusting the steering column in a length adjustment direction;
a second adjustment drive for adjusting the steering column in a height adjustment direction, wherein the first and second adjustment drives each include a drive motor for adjusting the steering column;
and
a joint control unit for the drive motors, wherein the joint control unit includes three half bridges arranged in parallel and connected between two voltage potentials, with each half bridge having a high-side switch and a low-side switch connected in series via a connection point between the high-side switch and the low-side switch,
wherein the connection point of a first of the three half bridges is electrically conductively connected via an electrical path that is switch-free to a first connection of a first drive motor of the drive motors,
wherein the connection point of a second of the three half bridges is electrically conductively connected via electrical paths that are switch-free to a second connection of the first drive motor and to a first connection of a second drive motor of the drive motors,
wherein the connection point of a third of the three half bridges is electrically conductively connected via an electrical path that is switch-free to a second connection of the second drive motor.

4 more elements

A method for controlling two drive motors of a steering column for a steering system of a motor vehicle, wherein the steering column is adjustable in a length adjustment direction and a height adjustment direction, wherein a control unit for controlling the two drive motors comprises three half bridges arranged in parallel and connected between two voltage potentials, with each of the half bridges including a high-side switch and a low-side switch connected in series, the method comprising:

forming a connection point between the high-side switch and the low-side switch of each half bridge, wherein the connection point of a first of the three half bridges is electrically conductively connected via an electrical path that is switch-free to a first connection of a first drive motor of the drive motors, wherein the connection point of a second of the three half bridges is electrically conductively connected via electrical paths that are switch-free to a second connection of the first drive motor and to a first connection of a second drive motor of the drive motors, wherein the connection point of a third of the three half bridges is electrically conductively connected via an electrical path that is switch-free to a second connection of the second drive motor;
and
energizing the first and second drive motors with the second half bridge.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/290,803Filed 12 Nov 2019
Priority: DE 10 2018 128 399.713 Nov 2018
Published: US 2021/0403073 A130 Dec 2021
Granted: 28 Feb 2023
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

B62D 1/181
Yieldable or adjustable, e.g. tiltable: with power actuated adjustment, e.g. with position memory
B62D 1/185
Yieldable or adjustable, e.g. tiltable: adjustable by axial displacement, e.g. telescopically
B62D 1/187
Yieldable or adjustable, e.g. tiltable: with tilt adjustment; with tilt and axial adjustment
H02P 5/68
Arrangements specially adapted for regulating or controlling the speed or torque of two or more electric motors: controlling two or more DC…