Control device for steer-by-wire steering mechanism

Abstract

Provided is a control device for a steer-by-wire steering mechanism, the control device including: a tire lateral force detection unit configured to detect tire lateral forces acting on left and right wheels; and a toe angle control unit configured to control toe angles of left and right wheels independently of each other such that the detected tire lateral forces become target lateral forces. Not during deceleration, the toe angle control unit sets target lateral forces FLt and FRt such that the total sum of the left and right target lateral forces is not changed and the total sum of absolute values thereof is decreased, and during deceleration, the toe angle control unit sets the target lateral forces FLt and FRt such that straight traveling stability can be obtained.

Claims

1. A control device configured to perform control for a steer-by-wire steering mechanism which includes a steering wheel mechanically unconnected with a turning shaft, the turning shaft configured to turn wheels and change toe angles of the wheels; a steering angle sensor configured to detect a steering angle of the steering wheel; a turning motor configured to axially move the turning shaft to cause the turning shaft to perform a turning operation; and a toe angle controlling motor provided independently from the turning motor and configured to change a length of the turning shaft to cause the turning shaft to perform a toe angle changing operation, the control device comprising: a tire lateral force detection unit configured to detect tire lateral forces acting on left and right wheels; and a toe angle control unit configured to control toe angles of the left and right wheels independently of each other such that the detected tire lateral forces become target lateral forces, wherein the control device is configured to control the turning motor based on a traveling state and the steering angle detected by the steering angle sensor and configured to control the toe angle controlling motor based on the traveling state, wherein the toe angle control unit includes a target lateral force calculation output section configured to calculate and output target lateral forces, wherein the target lateral force calculation output section is configured to set to 0 the target tire lateral force acting on one of the wheels that has the smaller of absolute values of the tire lateral forces when the tire lateral forces acting on the left and right wheels are in opposite directions to each other, and to set a sum of the tire lateral forces acting on the left and right wheels the target tire lateral force acting on the other of the wheels, and wherein the toe angle control unit is configured to control the toe angles of the left and right wheels based on the target lateral forces as calculated and output by the target lateral force calculation output section.

2. The control device for the steer-by-wire steering mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tire lateral force detection unit includes load sensors respectively provided at the left and right wheels.

3. The control device for the steer-by-wire steering mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the toe angle control unit uses the target lateral forces calculated and outputted by the target lateral force calculation output section, in toe angle control during acceleration in which driving force is required or during constant speed travel.

4. The control device for the steer-by-wire steering mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the toe angle control unit includes a decelerating-time target lateral force output section configured to output, as target lateral forces, target lateral forces set so as to realize optimum straight traveling stability, or target lateral forces calculated in accordance with a deceleration degree, the target lateral forces to be used in toe angle control during decelerating travel, and wherein the toe angle control unit is configured to control the toe angles of the left and right wheels such that the tire lateral forces detected by the tire lateral force detection unit become target lateral forces calculated by the decelerating-time target lateral force output section.

5. The control device for the steer-by-wire steering mechanism as claimed in claim 4, wherein in toe angle control using the target lateral forces outputted from the decelerating-time target lateral force output section, the toe angle control unit sets the toe angles increasingly toward toe-in sides in accordance with increase of the deceleration degree.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In any event, the present invention will become more clearly understood from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the embodiments and the drawings are given only for the purpose of illustration and explanation, and are not to be taken as limiting the scope of the present invention in any way whatsoever, which scope is to be determined by the appended claims. In the accompanying drawings, like reference numerals are used to denote like parts throughout the several views, and:

(2) FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a concept of a steer-by-wire steering mechanism including a control device according to one embodiment of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a concept of a toe angle control unit in the control device of the steer-by-wire steering mechanism;

(4) FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a calculation process of target lateral force performed in the toe angle control unit;

(5) FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a wheel bearing including a load sensor; and

(6) FIG. 5 is a side view of an outer member of the wheel bearing.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

(7) One embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 3. FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a steer-by-wire steering device and a control device therefor. The steer-by-wire steering device 100 includes a steering wheel 1, called a handle, to be steered by a driver; a steering angle sensor 2, a steering reaction force motor 4, a turning shaft 10 (also referred to as a “shaft between tie rods”) movable in an axial direction for performing turning, which is connected to left and right wheels 13 being steered wheels, via knuckle arms 12 and tie rods 11, and a turning shaft driving mechanism 14 configured to drive the turning shaft 10.

(8) The steering wheel 1 is mechanically unconnected with the turning shaft 10, and is configured to control a turning motor 15 of the turning shaft driving mechanism 14 via a steering control unit 5, to cause turning operation. The turning shaft driving mechanism 14 has a function of converting rotary motion of the turning motor 15 into reciprocating rectilinear motion to cause the turning shaft 10 to advance and retract, and a function of changing the length of the turning shaft 10 through rotary motion of a toe angle controlling motor 16 to change the interval between the tie rods 11. The turning shaft 10 has a two-piece construction made up of left and right split shafts 10a and 10b which are partially fitted to each other, with one externally fitted to the other. Accordingly, the length of the turning shaft 10 can be changed by adjusting the length of the fitted portion of the split shafts 10a and 10b. By this length changing, adjustment of the toe angles is performed, and turning is performed by axial movement in which the split shafts 10a and 10b move together with each other. By combining the axial movement with the length adjustment of the turning shaft 10, independent toe angle adjustments of the left and right wheels 13, i.e., adjustments of toe angles having different angles from each other, can be performed. The steering reaction force motor 4 is a drive source configured to apply a steering reaction force torque on the steering wheel 1. The steering angle sensor 2 is a sensor configured to detect a steering angle of the steering wheel 1, and may be composed of a resolver, an optical or magnetic encoder, or the like.

(9) The steering control unit 5 is provided as a part of a main ECU (electronic control unit) 3 configured to control the entirety of the vehicle, or as another electronic control unit different from the main ECU 3. The steering control unit 5 is a unit configured to cause the turning shaft 10 to perform turning operation, by controlling the turning motor 15 based on a traveling state and a steering angle detected by the steering angle sensor 2. The steering control unit 5 includes a controller (not shown) configured to control the turning motor 15 and the steering reaction force motor 4. As another part of the ECU 3, a toe angle control unit 6 is provided. The toe angle control unit 6 is a unit configured to cause the turning shaft 10 to perform toe angle changing operation, by controlling the toe angle controlling motor 16 of the turning shaft driving mechanism 14 based on the traveling state. Each of the ECU 3 and the another electronic control unit includes a microcomputer, an electronic circuit including a control program therefor, and the like.

(10) The left and right wheels 13 are respectively provided with load sensors 41 which serve as a tire lateral force detection unit configured to detect tire lateral forces acting on these wheels 13. Tire lateral forces acting on the left and right wheels 13 detected by the load sensors 41 are to be used in toe angle control performed by the toe angle control unit 6. The steering control unit 5, the toe angle control unit 6, and the load sensors 41 form the control device of the present embodiment. The tire lateral force detection unit is not limited to the load sensors 41 provided at the left and right wheels 13 as in this example, but may employ other instruments.

(11) FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a concept of the toe angle control unit 6. The outline is as follows. Tire lateral forces of the left and right wheels are detected by the load sensors 41, and the toe angles of the left and right wheels are controlled such that the tire lateral forces of the left and right wheels become target values. Specifically, the toe angle control unit 6 includes: a tire lateral force target value setting unit 17 configured to set tire target values FLt and FRt to be used in toe angle control; a comparator 18 configured to compare the tire lateral force target values FLt and FRt set by the tire lateral force target value setting unit 17 with tire lateral forces FL and FR detected by the load sensors 41; and a controller 19 configured to perform feedback control by providing correction commands δL and δR to the toe angle controlling motor 16 in accordance with the comparison result obtained by the comparator 18.

(12) The tire lateral force target value setting unit 17 includes a target lateral force calculation output section 20, and a decelerating-time target lateral force output section 21. The target lateral force calculation output section 20 is configured to calculate and output the tire lateral force target values FLt and FRt, such that, when the tire lateral forces FL and FR acting on the left and right wheels 13 detected by the load sensors 41 are in opposite directions to each other, the tire lateral force acting on one of the wheels 13 that has the smaller of absolute values of the tire lateral forces FL and FR becomes “0”, and the tire lateral force acting on the other of the wheels 13 becomes the sum of the tire lateral forces FL and FR acting on the left and right wheels 13. The tire lateral force target values FLt and FRt calculated and outputted by the target lateral force calculation output section 20 are to be used in toe angle control during acceleration in which the vehicle requires driving force or during constant speed travel.

(13) The decelerating-time target lateral force output section 21 outputs, as the tire lateral force target values FLt and FRt to be used in toe angle control during decelerating travel of the vehicle, target lateral forces set in advance so as to realize optimum straight traveling stability, or target lateral forces calculated in accordance with a deceleration degree. Each “target lateral force set in advance” may be determined based on the design or experiments and set in the decelerating-time target lateral force output section 21 prior to the actual use of the vehicle. During decelerating travel when the target lateral forces are used, the toe angle control unit 6 performs control so as to set the toe angles increasingly toward toe-in sides in accordance with increase of the deceleration degree. To the toe angle control unit 6, as information regarding a vehicle traveling state to be used in the control, vehicle speed information detected by a vehicle speed sensor 22 is inputted.

(14) FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a calculation process performed when the target lateral force calculation output section 20 of the toe angle control unit 6 calculates and outputs the tire lateral force target values FLt and FRt. With reference to the flowchart, the outline of the calculation process will be described below. Not during deceleration, i.e., during acceleration in which the vehicle requires driving force from a travel drive source (not shown) or during constant speed travel (step S1), the target lateral force calculation output section 20 obtains the tire lateral forces FL and FR acting on the left and right wheels 13, from the load sensors 41 provided at the left and right the wheels 13 (step S2). When the directions of the tire lateral forces are opposite to each other (step S3), the target value of the tire lateral force acting on one of the wheels 13 that has the smaller of absolute values of the tire lateral forces FL and FR is set to “0”, and the target value of the tire lateral force acting on the other of the wheels 13 is set to the sum FL+FR of the tire lateral forces of the left and right wheels 13 (steps S4, S5). That is, the absolute value of the tire lateral force acting on the other wheel 13 is decreased.

(15) In the toe angle control during decelerating travel of the vehicle, tire lateral force target values are used which are set in the decelerating-time target lateral force output section 21 so as to realize appropriate straight traveling stability as described above.

(16) Thus, through the toe angle control by the toe angle control unit 6 shown in FIG. 2, not during deceleration (during acceleration or during constant speed travel), the total sum of the tire lateral forces FL and FR acting on the left and right wheels 13 is not changed, and the total sum of the absolute values of the tire lateral forces FL and FR acting on the left and right wheels 13 can be decreased. Accordingly, travel resistance caused by rearward components of the tire lateral forces can be decreased, and the fuel efficiency can be improved. This control is performed during acceleration in which driving force is required or during constant speed travel.

(17) As a result, without being affected by discrepancy (i.e., error) and the like between the stroke amount of the rod of the actuator and the actual toe angle as in conventional examples (for example, Patent Document 2), the toe angles can be set to values that realize the best fuel efficiency. Even when there is influence of an inclination of the traveling path, wind outside the vehicle, and the like, the toe angles can be controlled to be values that realize the minimum total sum of the tire lateral forces acting on the left and right wheels 13, and thus, travel at the best fuel efficiency can be realized. Moreover, the control device does not require a special storage device for toe angle control, and thus, the configuration of the control device can be simplified.

(18) During decelerating travel of the vehicle, in order to improve straight traveling stability, the toe angles are set toward toe-in sides so as to realize the tire lateral force target values set in advance or the tire lateral force target values calculated in accordance with the deceleration degree. In the toe angle control unit 6 of this control device, not the toe angles but the tire lateral forces are feedback-controlled, whereby the toe angles are set. Thus, without being affected by discrepancy (error) between the stroke amount of the rod of the actuator and the actual toe angle, the state of the road surface, and the like as in conventional examples (for example, Patent Document 2), optimum straight traveling stability can be obtained.

(19) The load sensors 41 in the above described embodiment may be mounted to, for example, wheel bearings of the left and right wheels 13 of the vehicle. One example of the wheel bearing with load sensors will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. This wheel bearing 31 includes a plurality of rows of rolling elements 53 interposed between an outer member 51 which is a stationary ring and an inner member 52 which is a rotating ring, and a vehicle body mounting flange 51a of the outer member 51 is mounted to a knuckle 55, and to a wheel mounting flange 52a of the inner member 52, a wheel (not shown in the FIGS. 4 and 5) is mounted. As shown in FIG. 5, the load sensors 41 are mounted at four positions, i.e., up, down, left, and right, of the outer periphery of the outer member 51. Each load sensor 41 may be a strain sensor which is mounted to the outer member 51 and directly detects strain of the outer member 51. Alternatively, each load sensor 41 may include a strain generator member (not shown) in contact with the outer member 51 at a plurality of positions (for example, two or three positions) thereof, and a strain sensor (not shown) affixed to this strain generator member, and may be configured such that the strain generator member is strained such that the strain thereof is increased by the strain of the outer member 51, whereby the load is detected from the strain of this strain generator member.

(20) An estimation unit 42 shown in FIG. 4 calculates estimated values of the tire lateral forces FL and FR acting on the left and right wheels 13, based on values detected by the load sensors 41. The estimation unit 42 may be provided, for example, in the ECU 3 (FIG. 1) or as a dedicated electronic circuit.

(21) Although the present invention has been fully described in connection with the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings which are used only for the purpose of illustration, those skilled in the art will readily conceive numerous changes and modifications within the framework of obviousness upon the reading of the specification herein presented of the present invention. Accordingly, such changes and modifications are, unless they depart from the scope of the present invention as delivered from the claims annexed hereto, to be construed as included therein.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

(22) 1 . . . Steering wheel 2 . . . Steering angle sensor 4 . . . Steering reaction force motor 5 . . . Steering control unit 6 . . . Toe angle control unit 10 . . . Turning shaft 13 . . . Wheel 15 . . . Turning motor 16 . . . Toe angle controlling motor 17 . . . Tire lateral force target value setting unit 20 . . . Target lateral force calculation output section 21 . . . Decelerating-time target lateral force output section 22 . . . Vehicle speed sensor 41 . . . Load sensor (Tire lateral force detection unit) 5, 6, 41 . . . Control device