Vehicle Auxiliary Steering Device Comprising Double Acting Clutch

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vehicle auxiliary steering device comprising a double acting clutch, the device replacing a conventional motor driven power steering (MDPS) system and, more specifically, to a vehicle auxiliary steering device comprising a double acting clutch, the device transmitting power, which is generated from a power generation device rotating in one direction, through the double acting clutch to a handle shaft coupled to a steering wheel and a wheel shaft, so as to assist the direction changing ability of a vehicle, thereby having excellent safety and excellent steerability, which is transmitted to a driver, and operability (handling) of the steering wheel.

Claims

1) An auxiliary steering device for a vehicle comprising a double-acting clutch, comprising: a power generation device generating power and rotating in one direction; a wheel shaft gear having a wheel shaft A provided with a steering wheel H; a double-acting clutch operating under the control of an electronic control unit (ECU) depending on the turning direction of the wheel shaft A; a mechanical connection means transmitting the power generated by the power generation device to the double-acting clutch; and a main gear located between the double-acting clutch and the wheel shaft gear and allowing the power generated by the power generation device to be transmitted to the wheel shaft gear via the double-acting clutch, wherein the double-acting gear comprises: a first gear engaged with one side of the main gear; a second gear engaged with the other side of the main gear; a central axis located between the first gear and the second gear and coupled with the mechanical connection means; a first electromagnetic clutch allowing the first gear and the central axis to be connected/disconnected; and a second electromagnetic clutch allowing the second gear and the central axis to be connected/disconnected, wherein the first gear, the second gear, the central axis, the first electromagnetic clutch, and the second electromagnetic clutch are arranged in series on the same axis, and the first and second electromagnetic clutches operate in an opening/closing manner under the control of the electronic control unit (ECU), such that when the first electromagnetic clutch is in a closed state, the central axis and the first gear are connected, and the second electromagnetic clutch is in an open state, disconnects the central axis and the second gear and, at the same time, acts as a bearing to assist an idle operation of the second gear; and when the second electromagnetic clutch his in a closed state, the central axis and the second gear are connected, and the first electromagnetic clutch is in an open state, disconnects the central axis and the first gear and, at the same time, acts as a bearing to assist an idle operation of the first gear; and thus, when the first gear or the second gear is connected with the central axis, the power generated by the power generation device is transmitted to the wheel shaft gear, thereby assisting the operation of the steering wheel H by the driver.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram comparing a prior art MDPS system and FIG. 1B is an auxiliary steering device for a vehicle comprising a double-acting clutch according to the present invention.

[0033] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an auxiliary steering device for a vehicle comprising a double-acting clutch according to the present invention.

[0034] FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B are a schematic diagram showing the operation of an auxiliary steering device for a vehicle comprising a double-acting clutch according to the present invention.

[0035] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an auxiliary steering device for a vehicle comprising a double-acting clutch according to the present invention.

[0036] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an auxiliary steering device for a vehicle comprising a double-acting clutch according to the present invention.

[0037] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a double-acting clutch in an auxiliary steering device for a vehicle comprising a double-acting clutch according to the present invention.

[0038] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a main gear in an auxiliary steering device for a vehicle comprising a double-acting clutch according to the present invention.

[0039] FIG. 8 is an operation flow diagram of an auxiliary steering device for a vehicle comprising a double-acting clutch according to the present invention.

[0040] FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B show representative views of prior arts over an auxiliary steering device for a vehicle comprising a double-acting clutch according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0041] Hereinafter, the configuration and operation of an auxiliary steering device for a vehicle comprising a double-acting clutch according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0042] FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram comparing a prior art MDPS system and FIG. 1B is an auxiliary steering device for a vehicle comprising a double-acting clutch according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an auxiliary steering device for a vehicle comprising a double-acting clutch according to the present invention.

[0043] The present invention is directed to an auxiliary steering device 1 for a vehicle comprising a double-acting clutch, comprising: a power generation device 100 generating power and rotating in one direction; a wheel shaft gear 200 having a wheel shaft A provided with a steering wheel H; a double-acting clutch 300 operating under the control of an electronic control unit (ECU) depending on the turning direction of the wheel shaft A; a mechanical connection means 400 transmitting the power generated by the power generation device 100 to the double-acting clutch 300; and a main gear 500 located between the double-acting clutch 300 and the wheel shaft gear 200 and allowing the power generated by the power generation device 100 to be transmitted to the wheel shaft gear 200 via the double-acting clutch 300.

[0044] Here, the double-acting gear 300 comprises: a first gear 310 engaged with one side of the main gear 500; a second gear 320 engaged with the other side of the main gear 500; a central axis 330 located between the first gear 310 and the second gear 320 and coupled with the mechanical connection means 400; a first electromagnetic clutch 340 allowing the first gear 310 and the central axis 330 to be connected/disconnected; and a second electromagnetic clutch 350 allowing the second gear 320 and the central axis 330 to be connected/disconnected, wherein the first gear 310, the second gear 320, the central axis 330, the first electromagnetic clutch 340, and the second electromagnetic clutch 350 are arranged in series on the same axis, and the first and second electromagnetic clutches 340 and 350 operate in an opening/closing manner under the control of the electronic control unit (ECU), such that when the first electromagnetic clutch 340 is in a closed state, the central axis 330 and the first gear 310 are connected, and the second electromagnetic clutch 350 is in an open state, disconnects the central axis 330 and the second gear 320 and, at the same time, acts as a bearing to assist an idle operation of the second gear 320; and when the second electromagnetic clutch 350 is in a closed state, the central axis 330 and the second gear 320 are connected, and the first electromagnetic clutch 340 is in an open state, disconnects the central axis 330 and the first gear 310 and, at the same time, acts as a bearing to assist an idle operation of the first gear 310; and thus, when the first gear 310 or the second gear 320 is connected with the central axis 330, the power generated by the power generation device 100 is transmitted to the wheel shaft gear 200, thereby assisting the operation of the steering wheel H by the driver.

[0045] That is, as described above and shown in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, the double-acting clutch 300 is operated by an electronic control unit (ECU) controlling an electronic system in the vehicle and is a key component of the present invention which assists the operation of the steering wheel H by the driver during driving of the vehicle.

[0046] Moreover, the mechanical connection means 400 is required to transmit the power generated by the power generation device 100 rotating in one direction to the double-acting clutch 300, and in the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the power can be transmitted by a combination of a pulley and a belt.

[0047] The mechanical connection means 400 plays a major role in transmitting the power generated by the power generation device 100 to the double-acting clutch 300 as described above, and thus, although not shown in the drawings, the mechanical connection means 400 can be constructed with various combinations with bevel gears, worm gears, chains, etc.

[0048] As such, the power generated by the power generation device 100 rotating in one direction is transmitted to the double-acting clutch 300 through the mechanical connection means 400, and the operation of the double-acting clutch 300, which is already controlled by the electronic control unit (ECU) due to the turn of the steering wheel H by the driver, assists the driver's operation of the steering wheel H. Here, the above-mentioned main gear 500 should be provided in the double-acting clutch 300 to transmit the power to the wheel shaft gear 200 provided with the steering wheel H.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 7, the main gear 500 includes gear teeth formed on an upper surface B and an outer circumferential surface S such that the upper surface B is engaged with the first and second gear 310 and 320 and the outer circumferential surface S is engaged with the wheel shaft gear 200, thereby connecting the double-acting clutch 300 and the wheel shaft gear 200 to assist the operation of the steering wheel H by the driver.

[0050] As such, the configuration and the operation principle of the present invention are as shown in FIG. 8, in which the power generation device 100 is operated by the electronic control unit (ECU) which controls the electronic system in the vehicle by detecting the turning direction by means of a torque sensor according to the driver's operation of the steering wheel H and, at the same time, the first and second clutches 340 and 350 of the double-acting clutch 300 are operated in an open or close state depending on the turning direction of the steering wheel H, thereby assisting the driver's operation of the steering wheel H.

[0051] Therefore, as described above, despite the excellent safety, the present invention is simple in configuration, which allows easy maintenance, and can be constructed with low economic costs and easily applied to the vehicle.

[0052] Moreover, the auxiliary steering device for a vehicle comprising a double-acting clutch according to the present invention can replace the conventional MDPS system, and thus the electronic control unit (ECU) applied to the existing vehicle also can be used in the present invention.

[0053] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described in the specification, but various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Accordingly, the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the technical idea or essential features thereof, and thus the embodiments of the present invention are only illustrative and should not be interpreted as limiting the present invention.

[0054] The steering device is used to change the traveling direction of the vehicle.

[0055] In this steering device, the motor-driven power steering (MDPS) system is added, which is an auxiliary device for transmitting power to assist the driver's operation of the steering device.

[0056] However, the conventional motor-driven power steering (MDPS) system makes the driver feel uncomfortable and anxious about the safety of the vehicle.

[0057] Therefore, the auxiliary steering device for a vehicle comprising a double-acting clutch according to the present invention provides excellent safety and improves the driver's operability (handling) of the steering wheel, and thus it can contribute to promotion of various automobile industrial fields such as an inspection agency for inspecting the performance and safety of vehicles, a manufacturing industry for manufacturing automobile parts, an automobile manufacturing industry, etc.

[0058] Although the best mode contemplated by the inventors of carrying out the present invention is disclosed above, practice of the above invention is not limited thereto. It will be manifest that various additions, modifications and rearrangements of the features of the present invention may be made without deviating from the spirit and the scope of the underlying inventive concept.