Control Device for a Steering System

Abstract

A control device for a steering system in a motor vehicle includes two chambers configured to receive electronic components.

Claims

1. A control device for a steering system in a vehicle with electromotive servo assistance, the control device comprising: a body that includes at least two chambers that are sealed off from each other in a watertight fashion at least up to a predefined filling level; and at least two sets of electronic components configured to actuate a servo motor, wherein: each set is distributed over the at least two chambers; and the electronic components in each set form a respective control device element.

2. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein: each set includes a control unit and a power electronics unit; and the control unit and power electronics unit of at least one set are positioned in different chambers of the at least two chambers.

3. The control device as claimed in claim 2, wherein: the power electronics units of at least two control device elements are received in a common chamber of the at least two chambers; and the control units of at least two control device elements are distributed over different chambers of the at least two chambers.

4. The control device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a respective plug connection associated with each control device element, wherein all of the plug connections for the control device elements are positioned in a first chamber of the at least two chambers; and a respective motor connection terminal associated with each motor winding set of the serve motor, wherein all of the motor connection terminals for the motor winding sets are positioned in a further chamber of the at least two chambers.

5. The control device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the plug connections and the motor connection terminals are each arranged one above the other.

6. The control device as claimed in claim 4, wherein: each set includes a control unit and a power electronics unit; and the power electronics units are positioned in the further chamber of the at least two chambers.

7. The control device as claimed in claim 4, wherein each set further includes an EMC filter unit positioned in the first chamber of the at least two chambers.

8. The control device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: at least one separating wall positioned between adjacent chambers of the at least two chambers, each separating wall including a line aperture positioned at a distance from a base of the chambers.

9. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sets are positioned within the at least two chambers so that each set is at a different distance from a base of the chambers.

10. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic components of a set associated with a control device element are positioned at different distances from a base of the chambers in different chambers, such that electronic components of the set are at a relatively small distance from the base in a first chamber, and are at a relatively large distance from the base in a further chamber.

11. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each set includes a control unit, a power electronics unit, an EMC filter unit, a plug connection and a motor connection terminal.

12. A steering system in a vehicle comprising: an electric servo motor; and a control device that includes: a body that includes at least two chambers that are sealed off from each other in a watertight fashion at least up to a predefined filling level; and at least two sets of electronic components configured to actuate a servo motor, wherein: each set is distributed over the at least two chambers; and the electronic components in each set form a respective control device element.

13. The steering system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the servo motor in the steering system includes at least two separate motor winding sets, each motor winding set actuatable via a respective control device element, and configured to receive current.

14. The steering system as claimed in claim 13, wherein: the servo motor includes a stator; and the motor winding sets are each distributed over a semicircle of the stator.

15. A method for operating a steering system with an electric servo motor and a control device having (i) a body that includes at least two chambers that are sealed off from each other in a watertight fashion at least up to a predefined filling level, and (ii) at least two sets of electronic components configured to actuate a servo motor, each set distributed over the at least two chambers, and the electronic components in each set forming a respective control device element, the method comprising: actuating the servo motor via at least one control device element to perform automated steering.

Description

[0021] Further advantages and expedient embodiments can be gathered from the further claims, the description of the figures and the drawings, in which:

[0022] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a steering system in a vehicle,

[0023] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a control device for the electric servo motor of the steering system, comprising two chambers which are separated by means of a separating wall, wherein electronic components of two control device elements are arranged in the two chambers, wherein the base of one chamber is covered by water, and

[0024] FIG. 3 is an illustration corresponding to FIG. 2, but with water in the second chamber.

[0025] Identical components are provided with identical reference numerals in the figures.

[0026] The steering system 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises a steering wheel 2, a steering spindle or shaft 3, a steering housing 4 having a steering mechanism which is accommodated in said steering housing, and a steering linkage having a steering rack 5 by means of which a steering movement is transmitted to the steerable wheels 6 of the vehicle. The driver prespecifies a steering angle .sub.L by means of the steering wheel 2, to which the steering spindle 3 is fixedly connected, and said steering angle is transmitted in the steering mechanism in the steering housing 4 to the steering rack 5 of the steering linkage, whereupon a wheel steering angle .sub.V is set at the steerable wheels 6.

[0027] The steering system 1 comprises an electric servo motor 7 by means of which a servo moment can be fed to the steering mechanism in the steering housing 4 in order to assist the manual moment applied by the driver. The servo motor 7 is actuated by means of a control device 8 which generates control signals depending on input signals detected by sensor, amongst others the steering moment and, for example, the vehicle speed.

[0028] For highly automated driving, the servo motor 7 can also be actuated by means of the control device 8 in such a way that the steering movement is generated without intervention by the driver.

[0029] The electric servo motor 7 is preferably designed as a permanent-magnet synchronous motor with permanent magnets on the rotor shaft, wherein windings to which current can be applied and to which current is applied by means of the control device are arranged split over the circumference of the stator. Two motor winding sets which are independent of one another and each have a plurality of windings to which current can be applied independently of one another are arranged on the stator side. In each case one motor winding set comprises a plurality of windings to which current can be applied and which are each arranged split over a semicircle of the stator. The motor winding sets complement one another to form a complete circle.

[0030] FIGS. 2 and 3 each illustrate a control device 8 for applying current to the servo motor. The control device 8 has, in a housing 9, two chambers 10 and 11 in which different electronic components 12 to 17 are accommodated. The two chambers 10 and 11 are separated by means of a separating wall 18 in which a line aperture 19 is made in order to connect electronic components, which are split over different chambers 10, 11, to one another. The line aperture 19 is located at a distance from the base 20 of the chambers 10, 11. The two chambers 10, 11 have a base 20 which is situated at the same height and which can be of flat or curved design.

[0031] The electronic components 12 to 17 in the two chambers 10, 11 belong to two control device elements by means of which in each case one motor winding set of the servo motor can be actuated. The control device elements are of identical construction and have the same electronic components. Each control device element comprises a control unit 12 and, respectively, 13 which contains the control logic system, a power electronics system 14 and, respectively, 15 for applying current to a motor winding set of the servo motor, and an EMC filter unit (electromagnetic compatibility) 16 and, respectively, 17. The electronic components of each control device element are split over the two chambers 10 and 11. The control unit 13 of the second control device element and the EMC filter units 16 and 17 of the first and the second control device element are located in the first chamber 10. The control unit 12 of the first control device element and the two power electronics units 14 and 15 of the two control device elements are located in the second chamber 11.

[0032] The electronic components are arranged partially one above the other and at different distances from the base 20 of the chambers 10, 11. For example, the two EMC filter units 16 and 17 in the first chamber 10 are situated one above the other at different distances, wherein the EMC filter unit 16 of the first control device element is arranged at a greater distance from the base 20 than the EMC filter unit 17 of the second control device element. In the chamber 11, the power electronics unit 14 of the first control device element is situated closer to the base 20 than the second power electronics unit 15 of the second control device element.

[0033] Plug connections 21 and 22, which are arranged one above the other, are located on the outside of the first chamber 10, wherein the plug connection 21 is associated with the first control device element and the plug connection 22 is associated with the second control device element. The control device 8 is linked to data buses or the sensor system in the vehicle or in the steering system and to the power supplies by means of the plug connections 21 and 22.

[0034] Motor connection terminals 23 and 24 which are associated with the first and, respectively, second control device element are located on the outside of the second chamber 11. The first motor connection terminal 23 of the first control device element is situated closer to the base 20 and is mounted directly in front of the first power electronics unit 14. The second motor connection terminal 24 for the second control device element is at a relatively large distance from the base 20 and is mounted directly in front of the second power electronics unit 15. The electrical connection to the two motor winding sets of the servo motor is made by means of the motor connection terminals 23, 24.

[0035] FIG. 2 illustrates ingress of water into the first chamber 10 with a water level or a filling level 25. The water level 25 is high enough that the second control unit 13 and the second EMC filter unit 17 enter the water, so that functional failure of these components has to be expected. However, since the second chamber 11 is free of water at the same time, the functioning of the electronic components which are contained in the second chamber is still ensured. In addition, the first EMC filter unit 16 does not detect the water level 25 in the first chamber 10. Therefore, all of the electronic components of the first control device element with the control unit 12, the power electronics unit 14 and the EMC filter unit 16 remain functional, so that the associated motor winding set in the servo motor can be actuated by means of these components.

[0036] FIG. 3 illustrates the control device 8 with ingress of water into the second chamber 11. As in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 2, the water level 25 is below the line aperture 19, so that the other chamber remains free of water. However, the water level 25 in the second chamber 11 is high enough that both the first control unit 12 and the first power electronics unit 14 come into contact with the water, so that the functioning of these electronic components which are associated with the first control device element is not ensured. However, at the same time, all of the electronic components of the second control device element are free of contact with water and are therefore functional, specifically the control unit 13, the power electronics unit 15 and the EMC filter unit 17. Therefore, the associated motor winding set of the servo motor can be actuated by means of these components.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0037] 1 Steering system [0038] 2 Steering wheel [0039] 3 Steering shaft [0040] 4 Steering housing [0041] 5 Steering rack [0042] 6 Front wheel [0043] 7 Electric servo motor [0044] 8 Control device [0045] 9 Housing [0046] 10 Chamber [0047] 11 Chamber [0048] 12 Control unit I [0049] 13 Control unit II [0050] 14 Power electronics unit I [0051] 15 Power electronics unit II [0052] 16 EMC filter unit I [0053] 17 EMC filter unit II [0054] 18 Separating wall [0055] 19 Line aperture [0056] 20 Base [0057] 21 Plug connection I [0058] 22 Plug connection II [0059] 23 Motor connection terminal I [0060] 24 Motor connection terminal II [0061] 25 Water level