IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0085431
(2005-03-21)
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등록번호 |
US-7389849
(2008-06-24)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
Tarolli, Sundheim, Covell & Tummino LLP
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
2 인용 특허 :
20 |
초록
▼
An apparatus (10) for use in turning steerable vehicle wheels (12, 14) includes first and second piston and cylinder type hydraulic motors (32, 34) which are connected with a central portion of a vehicle. A steering control valve (24) is operable in response to manual rotation of a steering wheel (1
An apparatus (10) for use in turning steerable vehicle wheels (12, 14) includes first and second piston and cylinder type hydraulic motors (32, 34) which are connected with a central portion of a vehicle. A steering control valve (24) is operable in response to manual rotation of a steering wheel (18) to effect extension and contraction of the first and second hydraulic motors. A rack and pinion steering gear (110, 114) may be connected with a piston rod (86) of one of the hydraulic motors (32). A secondary control valve (200) may be provided to effect operation of one of the hydraulic motors to a greater extent than the other hydraulic motor.
대표청구항
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Having described the invention, the following is claimed: 1. An apparatus for use in turning first and second steerable vehicle wheels of a vehicle in response to manual rotation of a steering wheel, said apparatus comprising: a first cylinder type hydraulic motor connected with the first steerable
Having described the invention, the following is claimed: 1. An apparatus for use in turning first and second steerable vehicle wheels of a vehicle in response to manual rotation of a steering wheel, said apparatus comprising: a first cylinder type hydraulic motor connected with the first steerable vehicle wheel and with a central portion of the vehicle, a second cylinder type hydraulic motor connected with the second steerable vehicle wheel and with the central portion of the vehicle, a steering control valve which is connected in fluid communication with said first and second hydraulic motors, said steering control valve being operable in response to manual rotation of the steering wheel in one direction to enable fluid to flow to the first hydraulic motor to effect contraction of the first hydraulic motor and to enable fluid to flow from the second hydraulic motor to effect expansion of the second hydraulic motor, said steering control valve being operable in response to manual rotation of the steering wheel in a direction opposite to the one direction to enable fluid to flow from the first hydraulic motor to effect expansion of the first hydraulic motor and to enable fluid to flow to the second hydraulic motor to effect contraction of the second hydraulic motor, a pinion connected with said steering control valve, and an array of rack teeth connected with said first hydraulic motor, said pinion being disposed in meshing engagement with said array of rack teeth and being rotatable by said array of rack teeth upon operation of said first hydraulic motor. 2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said apparatus is a steer-by-wire steering system which is normally free of mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the first and second steerable vehicle wheels. 3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and second hydraulic motors have central axes which intersect at the central portion of the vehicle. 4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein the central axes of said first and second hydraulic motors are skewed at an acute angle to an axis extending through central portions of the first and second steerable vehicle wheels. 5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first hydraulic motor includes a cylinder, a piston disposed in said cylinder, and a piston rod connected to said piston and extending from said cylinder, said array of rack teeth being disposed on said piston rod and being enclosed by said cylinder, said pinion being at least partially enclosed by said cylinder and spaced from said piston during at least a portion of the operation of said first hydraulic motor. 6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including a second control valve which is connected in fluid communication with said first and second hydraulic motors and is operable to effect operation of one of said first and second hydraulic motors to a greater extent than the other of said first and second hydraulic motors during turning of the steerable vehicle wheels. 7. The apparatus as set forth claim 1 further including a secondary control valve which is connected in fluid communication with said first and second hydraulic motors, said secondary control valve being operable in response to rotation of the steering wheel in a first direction to effect operation of said first hydraulic motor to a greater extent than said second hydraulic motor during rotation of the steering wheel in the first direction, said secondary control valve being operable in response to rotation of the steering wheel in a second direction to effect operation of said second hydraulic motor to a greater extent than said first hydraulic motor during rotation of the steering wheel in the second direction. 8. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including an axle, said first steerable vehicle wheel being pivotally connected to a first end portion of said axle, said second steerable vehicle wheel being pivotally connected to a second end portion of said axle, said central portion of the vehicle being disposed on said axle at a location midway between said first and second end portions of said axle. 9. An apparatus for use in turning first and second steerable vehicle wheels of a vehicle in response to manual rotation of a steering wheel, said apparatus comprising: a first cylinder type hydraulic motor connected with the first steerable vehicle wheel and with a central portion of the vehicle, a second cylinder type hydraulic motor connected with the second steerable vehicle wheel and with the central portion of the vehicle, and a steering control valve which is connected in fluid communication with said first and second hydraulic motors, said steering control valve being operable in response to manual rotation of the steering wheel in one direction to enable fluid to flow to the first hydraulic motor to effect contraction of the first hydraulic motor and to enable fluid to flow from the second hydraulic motor to effect expansion of the second hydraulic motor, said steering control valve being operable in response to manual rotation of the steering wheel in a direction opposite to the one direction to enable fluid to flow from the first hydraulic motor to effect expansion of the first hydraulic motor and to enable fluid to flow to the second hydraulic motor to effect contraction of the second hydraulic motor, said first and second hydraulic motors having axes which intersect at the central portion of the vehicle, both of said first and second hydraulic motors being connected to the central portion at a single pivot connection. 10. An apparatus for use in turning first and second steerable vehicle wheels of a vehicle in response to manual rotation of a steering wheel, said apparatus comprising: a first cylinder type hydraulic motor connected with the first steerable vehicle wheel and with a central portion of the vehicle, a pinion in meshing engagement with a part of said first hydraulic motor, a second cylinder type hydraulic motor connected with the second steerable vehicle wheel and with the central portion of the vehicle, and a steering control valve which is connected in fluid communication with said first and second hydraulic motors, said steering control valve being operable in response to manual rotation of the steering wheel in one direction to enable fluid to flow to the first hydraulic motor to effect contraction of the first hydraulic motor and to enable fluid to flow from the second hydraulic motor to effect expansion of the second hydraulic motor, said steering control valve being operable in response to manual rotation of the steering wheel in a direction opposite to the one direction to enable fluid to flow from the first hydraulic motor to effect expansion of the first hydraulic motor and to enable fluid to flow to the second hydraulic motor to effect contraction of the second hydraulic motor, said first and second hydraulic motors having axes which intersect at the central portion of the vehicle. 11. An apparatus for use in turning first and second steerable vehicle wheels of a vehicle in response to manual rotation of a steering wheel, said apparatus comprising: a first cylinder type hydraulic motor connected with the first steerable vehicle wheel and with a central portion of the vehicle, a second cylinder type hydraulic motor connected with the second steerable vehicle wheel and with the central portion of the vehicle, a steering control valve which is connected in fluid communication with said first and second hydraulic motors, said steering control valve being operable in response to manual rotation of the steering wheel in one direction to enable fluid to flow to the first hydraulic motor to effect contraction of the first hydraulic motor and to enable fluid to flow from the second hydraulic motor to effect expansion of the second hydraulic motor, said steering control valve being operable in response to manual rotation of the steering wheel in a direction opposite to the one direction to enable fluid to flow from the first hydraulic motor to effect expansion of the first hydraulic motor and to enable fluid to flow to the second hydraulic motor to effect contraction of the second hydraulic motor, said first and second hydraulic motors having axes which intersect at the central portion of the vehicle, and a secondary control valve which is connected in fluid communication with said first and second hydraulic motors. 12. The apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said secondary control valve is operable in response to rotation of the steering wheel in a first direction to effect operation of said first hydraulic motor to a greater extent than said second hydraulic motor during rotation of the steering wheel in the first direction, said secondary control valve being operable in response to rotation of the steering wheel in a second direction to effect operation of said second hydraulic motor to a greater extent than said first hydraulic motor during rotation of the steering wheel in the second direction. 13. An apparatus for use in turning first and second steerable vehicle wheels of a vehicle in response to manual rotation of a steering wheel, said apparatus comprising: a first cylinder type hydraulic motor connected with the first steerable vehicle wheel and with a central portion of the vehicle, a second cylinder type hydraulic motor connected with the second steerable vehicle wheel and with the central portion of the vehicle, a steering control valve which is connected in fluid communication with said first and second hydraulic motors, said steering control valve being operable in response to manual rotation of the steering wheel in one direction to enable fluid to flow to the first hydraulic motor to effect contraction of the first hydraulic motor and to enable fluid to flow from the second hydraulic motor to effect expansion of the second hydraulic motor, said steering control valve being operable in response to manual rotation of the steering wheel in a direction opposite to the one direction to enable fluid to flow from the first hydraulic motor to effect expansion of the first hydraulic motor and to enable fluid to flow to the second hydraulic motor to effect contraction of the second hydraulic motor, and a second control valve which is connected in fluid communication with said first and second hydraulic motors and is operable to effect operation of one of said first and second hydraulic motors to a greater extent than the other of said first and second hydraulic motors during turning of the steerable vehicle wheels. 14. The apparatus as set forth in claim 13 further including a pinion in meshing engagement with a part of said first hydraulic motor. 15. The apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein said part of said first hydraulic motor is an array of rack gear teeth being disposed on a piston rod of said first hydraulic motor. 16. The apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said first hydraulic motor and said second hydraulic motor are both connected to the central portion at a single pivot connection.
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