The reverse input shutoff clutch includes: an input member, an output member coaxially arranged with the input member, a pressed member having a pressed surface, and an engaging element. The engaging element, when rotational torque is inputted to the input member, moves in a direction away from the pressed surface due to engagement with the input member and transmits the rotational torque to the output member, and when rotational torque is reversely inputted to the output member, moves in a direction toward the pressed surface due to engagement with the output member, and prevents or suppresses relative rotation between the output member and the pressed member.

A method for steering a motor vehicle by a steering mechanism. The steering mechanism has an actuating element, a manual actuator, a steering actuator, at least one transmission component, and a steering feel function. The steering actuator is connected to at least one steerable wheel of the motor vehicle via the at least one transmission component. The actuating element and the manual actuator are mechanically connected to each other. Operating values of a total transmission force acting on the at least one transmission component are transmitted to the steering feel function, which is used to determine input values of a manual force for the manual actuator from the determined operating values for the entire transmission force. The input values are transmitted to a system function for limiting the input values and compared to a predefined maximum value and a predefined minimum value for the actuating force by the system function.

According to the present embodiments, torque caused by friction when a steering shaft rotates is applied so as to provide weight to the operation of a steering wheel by a driver, and the steering shaft is restricted from rotating in certain situations in which wheels can no longer rotate, such as when the wheels are caught on a curb, thereby enabling the steerability and steering stability of the driver to be improved.

A vehicle steering apparatus includes a shaft member, a moving portion, a support member, and a stop portion. The moving portion includes a first abutting surface that faces the stop portion in a circumferential direction of the shaft member. The first abutting surface is inclined with respect to an axial direction of the shaft member to face a shaft support portion side when the moving portion is viewed in a radial direction of the shaft member. The stop portion includes a first abutted surface that abuts the first abutting surface.

According to embodiments of the present invention, when a driver applies steering torque greater than the reaction torque of a reaction motor to a steering shaft, the steering shaft is mechanically prevented from rotating any more, and thus the driver's steering feel can be improved.

A steering system and method can determine one or more position-related characteristics of a steering column of a machine, determine that the one or more position-related characteristics indicate that a resistive force is to be applied to the steering column, and control operation of an electric motor to apply the resistive force to the steering column, wherein a mechanical stop (e.g., a progressive mechanical stop) can be provided to restrict rotation of the steering column. One or more virtual stops may be set to limit rotation of the steering column by way of controlling the operation of the electric motor to apply the resistive force.

A motor control system shorts motor windings of a motor by using enhancement metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) so that the motor generates braking torque when all or some electric control units of the motor are disabled or failed. The motor control system comprises: a motor comprising a plurality of motor phase terminals; a plurality of electric control units electrically connected to the motor and configured to control the motor, wherein the electric control units configured to output control signals, respectively; a plurality of power sources, each of the power sources electrically connected to a respective one of the electric control units; and a shorting circuit connected between the power sources and the motor, the shorting circuit configured to selectively short the motor phase terminals in response to one or more of the control signals of the electric control units.

A motor control system comprises: a motor comprising motor windings; and electric control units connected with the motor, each of the electric control units comprising an inverter. One of the electric control units comprises: a direct current (DC) bus; first switches, each of the first switches connected with a respective one of the motor windings; second switches, each of the second switches connected with the DC bus and a respective one of the motor windings; a first switch driver generating drive signals to drive the first and second switches; pull up resistors, each of the pull up resistors connected between the DC bus and a respective one of the second switches. The voltage pulled up by the pull up resistors can force the second switches to be turned on to short the motor windings in a state that the first switch driver does not generate the drive signals.

A steering system and method can determine one or more position-related characteristics of a steering column of a machine, determine that the one or more position-related characteristics indicate that a resistive force is to be applied to the steering column, and control operation of an electric motor to apply the resistive force to the steering column, wherein a mechanical end stop can be provided to restrict rotation of the steering column. One or more virtual stops may be set to limit rotation of the steering column by way of controlling the operation of the electric motor to apply the resistive force.

The electric power steering apparatus according to the present disclosure includes a steering assist mechanism and a controller. The steering assist mechanism is driven by a motor and assists operation of a steering wheel by a driver. The controller acquires the position of the steering wheel and sets a target value of a steering reaction torque acting on the steering wheel. Then, the controller calculates a position target of the steering assist mechanism based on the position of the steering wheel and the target value of the steering reaction torque, and controls the motor of the steering assist mechanism according to the position target of the steering assist mechanism.