Steering apparatus

An apparatus for use in assisting in turning steerable vehicle wheels in either a first direction or a second direction in response to rotation of a steering member connected with a steering wheel, said apparatus comprising:

• first sensor means for providing an output which varies as a function of vehicle speed during operation of the vehicle;
• second sensor means for providing an output which varies as a function of force applied to the steering wheel during rotation of the steering wheel to turn steerable vehicle wheels;
• a variable speed electric motor which is continuously energized during operation of the vehicle;
• first clutch means connected with the steering member for transmitting force to the steering member to assist in turning the steerable vehicle wheels in the first direction;
• drive means connected with said continuously energized electric motor and with said first and second clutch means for transmitting force from said continuously energized electric motor to said first and second clutch means;
• said first clutch means including a first input member which is driven by said drive means, a first output member which is connected with the steering member, and first clutch control means which is operable to vary the amount of force transmitted between said first input member and said first output member;
• said second clutch means including a second input member which is driven by said drive means, a second output member which is connected with the steering member, and second clutch control means which is operable to vary the amount of force transmitted between said second input member and said second output member;
• and
• main control means connected with said variable speed electric motor and with said first sensor means for varying the speed of operation of said variable speed motor as a function of variations in the output of said first sensor means, said main control means being connected with said second sensor means and said first and second clutch control means to effect operation of said first clutch control means to vary the force transmitted from said first input member to said first output member as a function of variations in the output of said second sensor means during turning of the steerable vehicle wheels in the first direction and to effect operation of said second clutch control means to vary the force transmitted from said first input member to said first output member as a function of variations in the output of said second sensor means during turning of the steerable vehicle wheels in the second direction.

An apparatus for use in assisting in turning steerable vehicle wheels in either a first direction or a second direction in response to rotation of a steering member connected with a steering wheel, said apparatus comprising:

• a variable speed electric motor which is continuously energized during operation of the vehicle;
• first clutch means connected with the steering member for transmitting force to the steering member to rotate the steering member in one direction to assist in turning the steerable vehicle wheels in the first direction;
• second clutch means connected with the steering member for transmitting force to the steering member to rotate the steering member in another direction opposite to the one direction to assist in turning the steerable vehicle wheels in the second direction;
• drive means connected with said variable speed electric motor and said first and second clutch means for continuously transmitting force from said variable speed electric motor to said first and second clutch means during operation of the vehicle;
• and
• control means for varying the speed of operation of said variable speed electric motor as a function of variations in vehicle speed during operation of the vehicle.

An apparatus for use in assisting in turning of steerable vehicle wheels in either a first direction or a second direction in response to rotation of a steering member connected with a steering wheel, said apparatus comprising:

• an electric motor which is continuously energized during operation of the vehicle;
• first clutch means connected with the steering member for transmitting force to the steering member to rotate the steering member in one direction to assist in turning the steerable vehicle wheels in the first direction, said first clutch means includes a first rotatable input member, a first output member which is connected with the steering member, and a first body of fluid which is at least partially disposed between said first input member and said first output member;
• second clutch means connected with the steering member for transmitting force to the steering member to rotate the steering member in another direction which is opposite to the one direction to assist in turning the steerable vehicle wheels in the second direction, said second clutch means includes a second rotatable input member, a second output member which is connected with the steering member, and a second body of fluid which is at least partially disposed between said second input member and said second output member;
• drive means connected with said electric motor and with said first and second input members for transmitting force from said electric motor to continuously rotate said first and second input members in opposite directions during operation of the vehicle;
• control means for effecting operation of said first clutch means to transmit force from said first input member through said first body of fluid to said first output member in response to rotation of the vehicle steering wheel to turn the steerable vehicle wheels in the first direction and for effecting operation of said first clutch means to transmit force from said second input member through said second body of fluid to said second output member in response to rotation of the vehicle steering wheel to turn steerable vehicle wheels in the second direction;
• and
• said first body of fluid is a body of rheological fluid which is responsive to an energy field, said first clutch means including first field generating means which is energizeable by said control means to provide a first energy field which is effective to increase the resistance of said first body of rheological fluid to shear as strength of the first energy field increases, said second body of fluid being a body of rheological fluid which is responsive to an energy field, said second clutch means including second field generating means which is energizeable by said control means to provide a second energy field which is effective to increase the resistance of said second body of rheological fluid to shear as strength of the second energy field increases.

An apparatus for use in assisting in turning of steerable vehicle wheels in either a first direction or a second direction in response to rotation of a steering member connected with a steering wheel, said apparatus comprising:

• an electric motor which is continuously energized during operation of the vehicle;
• first clutch means connected with the steering member for transmitting force to the steering member to rotate the steering member in one direction to assist in turning the steerable vehicle wheels in the first direction, said first clutch means includes a first rotatable input member, a first output member which is connected with the steering member, and a first body of fluid which is at least partially disposed between said first input member and said first output member;
• second clutch means connected with the steering member for transmitting force to the steering member to rotate the steering member in another direction which is opposite to the one direction to assist in turning the steerable vehicle wheels in the second direction, said second clutch means includes a second rotatable input member, a second output member which is connected with the steering member, and a second body of fluid which is at least partially disposed between said second input member and said second output member;
• drive means connected with said electric motor and with said first and second input members for transmitting force from said electric motor to continuously rotate said first and second input members in opposite directions during operation of the vehicle;
• control means for effecting operation of said first clutch means to transmit force from said first input member through said first body of fluid to said first output member in response to rotation of the vehicle steering wheel to turn the steerable vehicle wheels in the first direction and for effecting operation of said first clutch means to transmit force from said second input member through said second body of fluid to said second output member in response to rotation of the vehicle steering wheel to turn steerable vehicle wheels in the second direction;
• and
• sensor means connected with said control means for providing an output which varies as a function of vehicle speed during operation of the vehicle, said control means being effective to vary the speed of operation of said electric motor as a function of the output of said sensor means.

An apparatus for use in assisting in turning of steerable vehicle wheels in either a first direction or a second direction in response to rotation of a steering member connected with a steering wheel, said apparatus comprising:

• an electric motor which is continuously energized during operation of the vehicle;
• first clutch means connected with the steering member for transmitting force to the steering member to rotate the steering member in one direction to assist in turning the steerable vehicle wheels in the first direction, said first clutch means includes a first rotatable input member, a first output member which is connected with the steering member, and a first body of fluid which is at least partially disposed between said first input member and said first output member;
• second clutch means connected with the steering member for transmitting force to the steering member to rotate the steering member in another direction which is opposite to the one direction to assist in turning the steerable vehicle wheels in the second direction, said second clutch means includes a second rotatable input member, a second output member which is connected with the steering member, and a second body of fluid which is at least partially disposed between said second input member and said second output member;
• drive means connected with said electric motor and with said first and second input members for transmitting force from said electric motor to continuously rotate said first and second input members in opposite directions during operation of the vehicle;
• control means for effecting operation of said first clutch means to transmit force from said first input member through said first body of fluid to said first output member in response to rotation of the vehicle steering wheel to turn the steerable vehicle wheels in the first direction and for effecting operation of said first clutch means to transmit force from said second input member through said second body of fluid to said second output member in response to rotation of the vehicle steering wheel to turn steerable vehicle wheels in the second direction;
• and
• said apparatus further includes sensor means connected with said control means for providing an output which varies as a function of force applied to the steering wheel during rotation of the steering wheel to turn steerable vehicle wheels, said control means being operable to effect a variation in the amount of force transmitted from said first input member through said first body of fluid to said first output member as a function of variations in the output of said sensor means during turning of the steerable vehicle wheels in the first direction and to effect a variation in the amount of force transmitted from said second input member through said second body of fluid to said second output member as a function of variations in the output of said sensor means during turning of the steerable vehicle wheels in the second direction.

An apparatus for use in assisting in turning of steerable vehicle wheels in either a first direction or a second direction in response to rotation of a steering member connected with a steering wheel, said apparatus comprising:

• an electric motor which is continuously energized during operation of the vehicle;
• first clutch means connected with the steering member for transmitting force to the steering member to rotate the steering member in one direction to assist in turning the steerable vehicle wheels in the first direction, said first clutch means includes a first rotatable input member, a first output member which is connected with the steering member, and a first body of fluid which is at least partially disposed between said first input member and said first output member;
• second clutch means connected with the steering member for transmitting force to the steering member to rotate the steering member in another direction which is opposite to the one direction to assist in turning the steerable vehicle wheels in the second direction, said second clutch means includes a second rotatable input member, a second output member which is connected with the steering member, and a second body of fluid which is at least partially disposed between said second input member and said second output member;
• drive means connected with said electric motor and with said first and second input members for transmitting force from said electric motor to continuously rotate said first and second input members in opposite directions during operation of the vehicle;
• control means for effecting operation of said first clutch means to transmit force from said first input member through said first body of fluid to said first output member in response to rotation of the vehicle steering wheel to turn the steerable vehicle wheels in the first direction and for effecting operation of said first clutch means to transmit force from said second input member through said second body of fluid to said second output member in response to rotation of the vehicle steering wheel to turn steerable vehicle wheels in the second direction;
• and
• sensor means connected with said control means for providing an output which varies as a function of vehicle speed during operation of the vehicle, said control means being operable to effect a variation in the amount of force transmitted from said first input member through said first body of fluid to said first output member as a function of variations in the output of said sensor means during turning of steerable vehicle wheels in the first direction and to effect a variation in the amount of force transmitted through said second body of fluid to said second output member as a function of variations in the output of said sensor means during turning of the steerable vehicle wheels in the second direction.