System and method for steering damping
AssigneeTusimple, Inc.
InventorTodd B. Skinner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Provided herein is a system and method for damping the steering of a vehicle. Methods of an example include: steering a pair of steerable wheels of the vehicle with a steering mechanism about an axis substantially perpendicular to an axis of rotation of a respective one of the pair of steerable wheels; damping the steering mechanism at a first damping rate in response to a steering change rate of the pair of steerable wheels being below a predetermined rate; and damping the steering mechanism at a second damping rate in response to the steering change rate of the pair of steerable wheels being above the predetermined rate.
Claims19
A system for damping steering of a vehicle comprising:
- a steering mechanism of the vehicle for steering a pair of steerable wheels about an axis substantially perpendicular to an axis of rotation of a respective one of the pair of steerable wheels;
- a first damper having a first damping rate, wherein the first damper is attached between the steering mechanism and the vehicle;
- and
- a second damper having a second damping rate, wherein the second damper is attached between the steering mechanism and the vehicle,
- wherein the first damper applies the first damping rate to the steering mechanism in response to a steering change rate of the pair of steerable wheels below a predetermined rate, and
- wherein the second damper provides the second damping rate to the steering mechanism in response to the steering change rate above the predetermined rate.
A method for damping steering of a vehicle comprising:
- steering a pair of steerable wheels of the vehicle with a steering mechanism about an axis substantially perpendicular to an axis of rotation of a respective one of the pair of steerable wheels;
- damping the steering mechanism at a first damping rate in response to a steering change rate of the pair of steerable wheels below a predetermined rate;
- and
- damping the steering mechanism at a second damping rate in response to the steering change rate of the pair of steerable wheels above the predetermined rate,
- wherein the damping the steering mechanism at the first damping rate is achieved with a first steering damper, and the damping the steering mechanism at the second damping rate is achieved with a second steering damper.
An apparatus for damping steering of a vehicle comprising:
- a first damper disposed between a steering mechanism of the vehicle a structural member of the vehicle, the steering mechanism of the vehicle configured for steering a pair of steerable wheels about an axis substantially perpendicular to an axis of rotation of a respective one of the pair of steerable wheels;
- and
- a second damper disposed between the steering mechanism of the vehicle and the structural member of the vehicle;
- wherein the first damper provides a first damping rate based on a rate of change of steering of the pair of steerable wheels being below a predefined rate, and wherein the second damper provides a second damping rate based on the rate of change of steering of the pair of steerable wheels being above the predefined rate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.