Steering mechanism, steering system, vehicle, and control method

A steering system, comprising an inner-side wheel, an outer-side wheel, and a steering mechanism, wherein the steering mechanism is configured to control rotation of the inner-side wheel and the outer-side wheel, and wherein the steering mechanism comprises:

• a first steering gear, wherein the first steering gear is configured to convert obtained driving force to transmit driving force to an outer-side wheel during steering, to control steering force applied to the outer-side wheel;
• and
• a second steering gear, wherein the second steering gear is configured to convert obtained driving force to transmit driving force to an inner-side wheel during steering, to control steering force applied to the inner-side wheel, wherein;
• the first steering gear and the second steering gear are connected by a first clutch, and if the first clutch is in a disengaged state, driving force is not transmitted between the first steering gear and the second steering gear, or if the first clutch is in an engaged state, driving force is transmitted between the first steering gear and the second steering gear;
• the steering mechanism comprises a driving apparatus;
• the driving apparatus drives a rack to move by providing a rack-driving force for the rack, wherein the rack is comprised in the first steering gear or the second steering gear;
• the rack transmits the rack-driving force to a first gear to allow the first gear to obtain a gear-driving force, wherein the rack and the first gear are comprised in a same steering gear;
• and
• when the first clutch is in the engaged state, the first gear transmits the gear-driving force to a second gear by using the first clutch, wherein the first gear and the second gear are comprised in different steering gears.

A control method for a steering system, wherein the steering system comprises:

• a first steering gear, and the first steering gear is configured to convert obtained driving force to transmit driving force to an outer-side wheel during steering, to control steering force applied to the outer-side wheel;
• and
• a second steering gear, wherein the second steering gear is configured to convert obtained driving force to transmit driving force to an inner-side wheel during steering, to control steering force applied to the inner-side wheel, and the first steering gear and the second steering gear are connected by a first clutch, wherein the control method comprises:
• controlling, by a controller, the first clutch to be in a disengaged state to disallow driving force to be transmitted between the first steering gear and the second steering gear;
• and
• controlling, by the controller, the first clutch to be in an engaged state to allow driving force to be transmitted between the first steering gear and the second steering gear, wherein the steering system comprises a driving apparatus, and wherein the controlling, by the controller, the first clutch to be in an engaged state comprises:
• controlling, by the controller, the driving apparatus to provide a rack-driving force for a rack to drive the rack to move, allowing the rack to transmit the rack-driving force to a first gear to allow the first gear to obtain a gear-driving force, wherein the rack is comprised in the first steering gear or the second steering gear, and wherein the rack and the first gear are comprised in a same steering gear;
• and
• controlling, by the controller, the first clutch to be in the engaged state to allow the gear-driving force to be transmitted to a second gear by using the first clutch, wherein the first gear and the second gear are comprised in different steering gears.

A control apparatus for a steering system, wherein the steering system comprises:

• a first steering gear, and the first steering gear is configured to convert obtained driving force to transmit driving force to an outer-side wheel during steering, to control steering force applied to the outer-side wheel;
• and
• a second steering gear, wherein the second steering gear is configured to convert obtained driving force to transmit driving force to an inner-side wheel during steering, to control steering force applied to the inner-side wheel, and the first steering gear and the second steering gear are connected by a first clutch, wherein the control apparatus comprises:
• at least one processor;
• and
• one or more memories coupled to the at least one processor and storing programming instructions for execution by the at least one processor to:
• control the first clutch to be in a disengaged state to disallow driving force to be transmitted between the first steering gear and the second steering gear;
• and
• control the first clutch to be in an engaged state to allow driving force to be transmitted between the first steering gear and the second steering gear, wherein the steering system comprises a driving apparatus, and wherein controlling the first clutch to be in the engaged state comprises:
• controlling the driving apparatus to provide a rack-driving force for a rack to drive the rack to move, allowing the rack to transmit the rack-driving force to a first gear to allow the first gear to obtain a gear-driving force, wherein the rack is comprised in the first steering gear or the second steering gear, and wherein the rack and the first gear are comprised in a same steering gear;
• and
• controlling the first clutch to be in the engaged state to allow the gear-driving force to be transmitted to a second gear by using the first clutch, wherein the first gear and the second gear are comprised in different steering gears.