US 12,344,340 B2
Method and system arrangement for vehicle steering and vehicle with such a system
Johan Hultén, Gothenburg (SE); Jochen Pohl, Partille (SE); Lars Markström, Västa Frölunda (SE); and Patrik Fagerberg, Trollhättan (SE)
Assigned to SENTIENT AB, Gothenburg (SE)
Appl. No. 17/639,668
Filed by SENTIENT AB, Gothenburg (SE)
PCT Filed Aug. 18, 2020, PCT No. PCT/SE2020/050876
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 2, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/076025, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 22, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 1951159-1 (SE), filed on Oct. 13, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0289288 A1, Sep. 15, 2022
Int. Cl. B62D 6/00 (2006.01); B62D 5/04 (2006.01); B62D 17/00 (2006.01)
CPC B62D 6/008 (2013.01) [B62D 5/0463 (2013.01); B62D 5/0484 (2013.01); B62D 17/00 (2013.01); B62D 5/0493 (2013.01); B62D 6/002 (2013.01)] 27 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for vehicle steering in a vehicle with a vehicle suspension allowing wheels to be steered and comprising a power assisted vehicle steering system with one or more feedback torque actuator(s),
wherein steering feel is controlled by a torque and/or angle control system, TAC, directly or indirectly sensing or calculating at least a steering wheel angle and steering wheel torque and controlling the one or more feedback torque actuator(s),
wherein the TAC comprising a closed-loop controlled torque or angle reference generator,
wherein there being a linkage between front axle steered wheels and the one or more feedback torque actuator(s), the linkage comprising a steering rack with associated tie rods connected via a pinion to a column axle to the one or more torque actuator(s), and a steering wheel connected to the one or more torque actuators, and
wherein the vehicle suspension allowing the front axle steered wheels of the vehicle to be steered and comprises or is defined by a plurality of vehicle suspension parameters or elements, the method comprising:
selecting or designing geometry and/or dimensions of one or more of the vehicle suspension parameters or elements to reduce or minimize a steering force required for steering the vehicle in driving, in combination with,
using the torque or angle reference generator for controlling the one or more feedback torque actuator(s) by calculating a target feedback steering angle and/or a target steering wheel torque, and for, based on at least the directly or indirectly sensed and/or calculated steering wheel angle and/or steering wheel torque, controlling the wheel steer angle and providing feedback control by minimizing error between the calculated target feedback steering angle or the calculated target feedback torque and the directly or indirectly sensed and/or calculated steering wheel angle or steering wheel torque, and thus also reducing or eliminating need for driver feedback provided by the vehicle suspension, such that the steering effort, if there is a fault in the steering control so that the steering assistance is lost, will be low enough for the driver to handle safely, hence rendering the need for fail-operational steering gear superfluous.