A fluid controller (1), in particular as part of a hydraulic steering unit, is described, said controller (1) comprising a housing (2) having a supply port arrangement, a sleeve (4) arranged rotatably in a bore of the housing (2), a spool (3) arranged rotatably in the sleeve (4), and a measuring motor, wherein the measuring motor comprises a plurality of working chambers, each working chamber being connected to the bore, wherein the sleeve (4) comprises a commutation geometry (7) having a number of pairs of commutation grooves (12, 13) and controlling together with a housing geometry (5) of the housing (2) a flow of hydraulic fluid into and out of the working chambers and the spool (3) comprises a spool geometry controlling together with a valve geometry of the sleeve (4) a flow of hydraulic fluid between the supply port arrangement and the commutation geometry. Such a fluid controller should have a stable control behaviour. To this end at least one of the commutation grooves (12, 13) comprise a closed bottom and at least one of the commutation grooves (12, 13) comprise a throughgoing opening (10, 11) forming part of the valve geometry.

An electric power steering device includes: a steering column provided with: a base; an upper segment connected in a tiltable manner to the base, a steering axis comprising a lower axis rotatably contained inside the base; a hydrostatic steering assembly; an electrically assisted steering apparatus axially interposed between the steering column and the hydrostatic steering assembly and provided with: a support frame comprising a tubular central body; a shaft whose upper end axially projects outside an upper end of the central body and is connected to the lower end of the lower axis and whose lower end is connected to the hydrostatic steering assembly; and an electric motor positioned inside the central body of the support frame; in which the upper end of the central body is directly fixed to the base and in contact therewith.

A hydraulic steering unit (1) is described comprising a supply port arrangement having a pressure port (P) connected to a main flow path (5) and a tank port (T) connected to a tank flow path (6), a working port arrangement having a left working port (L) connected to a left working flow path (7) and a right working port (R) connected to a right working flow path (8), a bridge arrangement (14) of variable neutral open orifices, said bridge arrangement (14) comprising a first left orifice (A2L) connected to a main flow path (5) and to the left working flow path (7), a first right orifice (A2R) connected to a main flow path (5) and to the right working flow path (8), a second left orifice (A3L) connected to the left working flow path (7) and to the tank flow path (6), and a second right orifice (A3R) connected to the right working flow path (8) and to the tank flow path (6). Such a steering unit has a good steering behavior but can function as a closed-center solution. To this end a further variable orifice arrangement is arranged between the supply port (P) arrangement and the working port arrangement (T), which further orifice arrangement is closed in neutral position.

A hydraulic steering unit (1) is described comprising a supply port arrangement having a pressure port (P) connected to a main flow path (5) and a tank port (T) connected to a tank flow path (6), a working port arrangement having a left working port (L) connected to a left working flow path (7) and a right working port (R) connected to a right working flow path (8), a bridge arrangement (14) of variable neutral open orifices, said bridge arrangement (14) comprising a first left orifice (A2L) connected to a main flow path (5) and to the left working flow path (7), a first right orifice (A2R) connected to a main flow path (5) and to the right working flow path (8), a second left orifice (A3L) connected to the left working flow path (7) and to the tank flow path (6), and a second right orifice (A3R) connected to the right working flow path (8) and to the tank flow path (6). Such a steering unit has a good steering behavior but can function as a closed-center solution. To this end a further variable orifice arrangement is arranged between the supply port (P) arrangement and the working port arrangement (T), which further orifice arrangement is closed in neutral position.

A variable ratio hydraulic steering device with two or more orbit displacers ensures steering with low actuating forces even in the event of a total or partial failure of the oil flow supply. In the event of a total or partial failure of the oil flow supply, the device is capable of switching from one orbit displacer to another, if necessary, independently of the pressure at the inlet connection of the steering device.

The bearing assembly, consisting of a stator component (S1) and a rotor component (R1), where the rotor component is adapted for a back-and-forth oscillatory movement (P, P) relative to the stator component, whereby a number of cavities (301 and 302; 303 and 304) coordinated along the outer periphery of the rotor component and the inner periphery of the stator component, formed with an increasing volume (301 and 302) and a decreasing volume (303 and 304), respectively, during rotation of the rotor component in an initial direction (P) from an initial position (IP) and towards a final position (FP), while the cavities allow the volumes to decrease and increase during a rotational motion of the rotor component in a second direction (P) in relation to the stator component (S1). The invention specifies that the above-mentioned bearing arrangement is to be adapted to interact with an instrument (M1) in order to determine, with the help of at least two components, the momentary position of the rotor component in relation to the stator component.

A fluid controller (1), in particular as part of a hydraulic steering unit, is described, said controller (1) comprising a housing (2) having a supply port arrangement, a sleeve (4) arranged rotatably in a bore of the housing (2), a spool (3) arranged rotatably in the sleeve (4), and a measuring motor, wherein the measuring motor comprises a plurality of working chambers, each working chamber being connected to the bore, wherein the sleeve (4) comprises a commutation geometry (7) having a number of pairs of commutation grooves (12, 13) and controlling together with a housing geometry (5) of the housing (2) a flow of hydraulic fluid into and out of the working chambers and the spool (3) comprises a spool geometry controlling together with a valve geometry of the sleeve (4) a flow of hydraulic fluid between the supply port arrangement and the commutation geometry. Such a fluid controller should have a stable control behaviour. To this end at least one of the commutation grooves (12, 13) comprise a closed bottom and at least one of the commutation grooves (12, 13) comprise a throughgoing opening (10, 11) forming part of the valve geometry.

This power steering valve (1) includes a sleeve (40), a spool (60) held in such a way as to be able to rotate within the housing (40), to which an input shaft U of a steering wheel S is coupled, a gerotor (30) fixed to the sleeve (10) and configured to be driven by hydraulic fluid which flows out from the predetermined opening of the sleeve (40), and a drive shaft (80) meshing with an inner rotor (32) of the gerotor (30) and pivotally supported in a swingable manner by the sleeve (40) with use of a pin (81), wherein an overall length Ld of the drive shaft (80) is formed to have a dimension defined by (?).Math.Ls?Ld?(?).Math.Ls relative to an overall length Ls of the sleeve (40), and the pin (81) is arranged at a position nearer the gerotor (30) in an axial direction than a middle position in the sleeve (40).

This power steering valve (1) includes a sleeve (40), a spool (60) held in such a way as to be able to rotate within the housing (40), to which an input shaft U of a steering wheel S is coupled, a gerotor (30) fixed to the sleeve (10) and configured to be driven by hydraulic fluid which flows out from the predetermined opening of the sleeve (40), and a drive shaft (80) meshing with an inner rotor (32) of the gerotor (30) and pivotally supported in a swingable manner by the sleeve (40) with use of a pin (81), wherein an overall length Ld of the drive shaft (80) is formed to have a dimension defined by (?).Math.Ls?Ld?(?).Math.Ls relative to an overall length Ls of the sleeve (40), and the pin (81) is arranged at a position nearer the gerotor (30) in an axial direction than a middle position in the sleeve (40).

A hydraulic steering system (1) is provided having a steering device (2) and a symmetrically acting steering motor (3), said steering device (2) comprising a supply port arrangement having a high pressure port (P) and a low pressure port (T), a working port arrangement having two working ports (L, R), a control valve (14), two working lines (18, 19) each connecting said control valve (14) with one of said working ports (L, R), and a measuring motor (23). Such a hydraulic steering system should show a comfortable steering behavior. To this end said measuring motor (23) is arranged in one of said working lines (18, 19).