US 11,814,121 B2
Steering device
Yusuke Kakimoto, Okazaki (JP); Yoshiyuki Uchino, Okazaki (JP); Kenji Shibata, Nagoya (JP); and Takafumi Sato, Kariya (JP)
Assigned to JTEKT CORPORATION, Kariya (JP)
Filed by JTEKT CORPORATION, Osaka (JP)
Filed on Jun. 7, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/340,779.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-105194 (JP), filed on Jun. 18, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0394824 A1, Dec. 23, 2021
Int. Cl. B62D 6/00 (2006.01); B62D 5/00 (2006.01)
CPC B62D 6/008 (2013.01) [B62D 5/006 (2013.01)] 6 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A steering device comprising:
a steering shaft configured to rotate in conjunction with an operation of a steering wheel, the steering shaft being separated from steered wheels of a vehicle in terms of power transfer;
a steering motor configured to generate steering force of the steered wheels of the vehicle;
a reaction force motor configured to generate a steering reaction force that is torque in an opposite direction of a direction of steering applied to the steering shaft;
a stopper mechanism configured to restrict rotation of the steering wheel; and
a controller configured to control power supply to the reaction force motor, wherein
the controller is configured to execute a first process and a second process when a determined condition is established,
the first process includes causing the steering wheel to operate to a first operation end through control of the reaction force motor and thereafter operate in reverse to a second operation end,
the second process includes computing a neutral position of the steering wheel based on a rotational angle of the reaction force motor at a time when reverse operation of the steering wheel is started and at a time when the reverse operation of the steering wheel is ended,
the determined condition includes at least one of: i) switching a power source switch of the vehicle from off to on, and ii) before operation of the vehicle is started,
the controller is configured to set a target steering angle to an angle that is equal to or more than a limit value of an operation range of the steering wheel determined by the stopper mechanism at a predetermined timing when the first process is executed, the target steering angle being a target value for a steering angle of the steering wheel, and
the controller is configured to control the reaction force motor such that a steering angle computed based on the rotational angle of the reaction force motor follows the target steering angle, the predetermined timing being when the steering wheel is caused to operate to the first operation end and when the steering wheel is caused to operate in reverse from the first operation end to the second operation end.