DETECTION UNIT FOR DETECTING AN EXCEEDANCE OF A PREDEFINED MAXIMUM STEERING ANGLE, STEERING DEVICE, STEERING SYSTEM, AND METHOD USING SAME

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a detection unit for detecting an exceedance of a predefined maximum steering angle of a steering device, with a trigger unit and with a signal transmitting section, wherein, upon an exceedance of the predefined maximum steering angle, the trigger unit changes the signal transmitting section with respect to the transmission of a signal.

Claims

1. A detection unit for detecting an exceedance of a predefined maximum steering angle of a steering device, the detection unit comprising with-a trigger unit and a signal transmitting section, wherein, upon an exceedance of the predefined maximum steering angle, the trigger unit changes the signal transmitting section (27, 39) with respect to the transmission of a signal.

2. The detection unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signal transmitting section is irreversibly interrupted, closed, or changed after the exceedance of the predefined maximum steering angle.

3. The detection unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signal transmitting section is reversibly interrupted, closed, or changed after the exceedance of the predefined maximum steering angle, and wherein an interruption, closure, or change of the signal transmitting section is cancellable by a mechanical, electromechanical, or electronic reset unit.

4. The detection unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signal transmitting section is designed as a predetermined breakage point upon an exceedance of the predefined maximum steering angle, wherein the signal transmitting section is formed by an electrical conducting wire or by an electrical conduction band.

5. The detection unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the trigger unit includes a rotation element operatively connectable to a shaft of the steering device, wherein a rotary motion of the shaft about a central longitudinal axis of the shaft effectuates a rotation of the rotation element.

6. The detection unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the trigger unit has a contour section, wherein the contour section effectuates an interruption of the signal transmitting section upon exceedance of the predefined maximum steering angle.

7. The detection unit as claimed in claim 6, wherein the contour section is arranged at the rotation element in a rotationally fixed manner, wherein the contour section projects radially outward beyond an edge of the rotation element.

8. The detection unit as claimed in claim 5, wherein a signal transmitting unit includes the signal transmitting section, and the signal transmitting unit has a mount, which has or holds the signal transmitting section for interacting with the trigger unit.

9. The detection unit as claimed claim 1, wherein a sensor unit for detecting the steering angle and/or a steering torque includes the detection unit, and a rotation element of the trigger unit designed as a gearwheel is connected to a transmission or at least one gearwheel of the sensor unit, via an intermediate connection of a toothed gear.

10. The detection unit as claimed in claim 14, wherein the trigger unit includes a winding element, which is operatively connectable to a shaft of the steering device, wherein a rotary motion of the shaft about a central longitudinal axis of the shaft effectuates a winding movement of the winding element.

11. The detection unit as claimed in claim 10, wherein the winding element includes the signal transmitting section or is connected to the signal transmitting section, and wherein, a change of the winding element due to an at least partial winding or unwinding of the winding element, or a ripping-off of the winding element from the signal transmitting section or a tearing in two of the signal transmitting section upon exceedance of the predefined maximum steering angle, effectuates the change or an interruption of the signal transmitting section.

12. The detection unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signal transmitting section is connected to an evaluation unit for detecting the change of the signal transmitting section and for forwarding a warning signal to a user interface.

13. A steering device with a detection unit as claimed in claim 1, comprising a shaft, which is rotatable about its central longitudinal axis in two opposite directions of rotation, wherein a rotation element or a winding element of the trigger unit is directly or indirectly connected to the shaft, wherein a rotary motion of the shaft about the central longitudinal axis of the shaft effectuates a rotation of the rotation element or a winding movement of the winding element, and the rotation element or the winding element effectuates a change of the signal transmitting section upon an exceedance of the predefined maximum steering angle.

14. (canceled)

15. A method for detecting an exceedance of a predefined maximum steering angle of a steering device as claimed in claim 13, in which the rotation element or winding element, which is directly or indirectly connected to the shaft of the steering device, is set into a rotation or a winding movement during a rotary motion of the shaft about its central longitudinal axis, and the signal transmitting section is interrupted or closed or changed by the rotation element or the winding element upon an exceedance of the predefined maximum steering angle.

16. The detection unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signal transmitting section is severed due to an interaction with the trigger unit upon exceedance of the predefined maximum steering angle.

17. The detection unit as claimed in claim 6, wherein the contour section is movable due to a rotary motion of the shaft of the steering device.

18. The detection unit as claimed in claim 7, wherein the contour section is arranged on a lateral surface of the rotation element, wherein the lateral surface extends at a right angle to a central longitudinal axis of the shaft or of a rotation axis of the rotation element.

19. The detection unit as claimed in claim 8, wherein the signal transmitting section extends transversely to a lateral surface of the rotation element and/or in parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the shaft or in parallel to a rotation axis of the rotation element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0034] The disclosure is explained in greater detail in the following reference to the figures. Identical reference characters refer to identical, similar, or functionally identical components or elements. Wherein:

[0035] FIG. 1 shows a perspective side view of a first steering device according to the disclosure,

[0036] FIG. 2 shows a perspective top view of a detection unit according to the disclosure for the steering device according to FIG. 1,

[0037] FIG. 3 shows a detail of a perspective top view of the detection unit according to the disclosure, according to FIG. 2,

[0038] FIG. 4 shows a detail of a perspective side view of the detection unit according to the disclosure, according to FIG. 3, and

[0039] FIG. 5 shows a detail of a perspective side view of another steering device according to the disclosure with a schematically represented other detection unit according to the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] FIG. 1 shows a perspective side view of a steering device 1 according to the disclosure. The steering device 1 is an integral part of a steer-by-wire steering system, which is not represented here in greater detail. Here, the steering device 1 is provided and designed, for example, for a motor vehicle. The steering device 1 has a shaft 2. The shaft 2 is rotatable and mounted so as to be rotatable about its central longitudinal axis 3. The shaft 2 is connectable or connected to a steering wheel 4, which is merely schematically indicated here. Moreover, the shaft 2 is mounted so as to be rotatable within and in relation to a housing 5. The shaft 2 is rotatable about the central longitudinal axis 3, for example by the steering wheel 4, in two opposite directions of rotation.

[0041] The steering device 1 includes a feedback motor 40 in this case. An end of the shaft 2 facing away from the steering wheel 4 is connected to the feedback motor 40. The shaft 2 is drivable in a rotary motion about the central longitudinal axis 3 by the feedback motor 40. As a result, a controllable, torque resistance can be provided. Therefore, a user or driver of a motor vehicle with a steering device 1 of this type can be provided with feedback on the steering forces acting at the wheels. The feedback motor 40 is designed as an electric motor in this exemplary arrangement.

[0042] Moreover, the steering device 1 in this exemplary arrangement includes a sensor unit 6. The sensor unit 6 in this exemplary arrangement is arranged in the area of the feedback motor 40 and at an end of the shaft 2 facing away from the steering wheel 4. The sensor unit 6 is designed in this case, for example, for detecting a steering torque and a steering angle of the steering device 1. In this exemplary arrangement, the sensor unit 6 also includes a detection unit 7 for detecting an exceedance of a predefined maximum steering angle. The configuration and the mode of operation of the detection unit 7 are described in greater detail with reference to the following figures.

[0043] FIG. 2 shows a perspective top view of the detection unit 7 according to the disclosure. In this case, the detection unit 7 is accommodated, for example, in the sensor unit 6. The sensor unit 6 has a sensor housing 8 in which a hollow cylindrical sleeve 9 is mounted so as to be rotatable with respect to the sensor housing 8. In the assembled state according to FIG. 1, the shaft 2 extends through the sleeve 9. Here, the sleeve 9 is rotationally fixed to the shaft 2. Therefore, a rotary motion of the shaft 2 is transmitted onto the sleeve 9 and the sleeve 9 is moved and rotated together with the shaft 2. The sleeve 9 has an outer gear ring 10. The sensor unit 6 has a gearwheel 11, which engages into the gear ring 10. Therefore, the gearwheel 11 is likewise set into rotation when the sleeve 9 rotates. In this exemplary arrangement, a toothed gear 12 is rotationally fixed to the gearwheel 11. The axes of rotation of the gearwheel 11 and of the toothed gear 12 coincide in this exemplary arrangement. When the gearwheel 11 rotates, the toothed gear 12 therefore also rotates. In this exemplary arrangement, the toothed gear 12 has a smaller outer diameter than the gearwheel 11.

[0044] The detection unit 7 includes a trigger unit 13 in this exemplary arrangement. The trigger unit 13 has a rotation element 14. The rotation element 14 is designed as a gearwheel in this exemplary arrangement. The rotation element 14 designed as a gearwheel engages into the toothed gear 12. Therefore, due to a rotation of the toothed gear 12, the rotation element 14 is set into rotation about a rotation axis 15. The sleeve 9, the gear ring 10, the gearwheel 11, and the toothed gear 12, indirectly connects the rotation element 14 to the shaft 2 in the assembled state according to FIG. 1.

[0045] The trigger unit 13 has a contour section 16 in this exemplary arrangement. The contour section 16 is arranged at the rotation element 14 in a rotationally fixed manner. The contour section 16 projects radially, with respect to the rotation axis 15, outward beyond an edge 17 of the rotation element 14. The contour section 16 is arranged on a lateral face 18 of the rotation element 14. The lateral face 18 extends at a right angle to the central longitudinal axis 3 and at a right angle to the rotation axis 15 of the rotation element 14.

[0046] The projection-like contour section 16 is designed to be wedge-like in this exemplary arrangement. The contour section 16 has two wedge surfaces 19, 20 aligned facing away from each other in the circumferential direction with respect to the rotation element 14. Two cutting edges 21, 22 are formed by the wedge surfaces 19, 20 in this exemplary arrangement.

[0047] In this exemplary arrangement, the detection unit 7 includes a signal transmitting unit 23. The signal transmitting unit 23 has a mount 24. The mount 24 is fastened in a positionally fixed manner at the sensor unit 6 or at the sensor housing 8. In this exemplary arrangement, the mount 24 is designed in a U-shape. Two legs 25, 26 of the mount 24, which are spaced apart from each other and aligned in parallel to each other, extend in the direction of the rotation element 14 and the rotation axis 15. The legs 25, 26 are aligned at a right angle to the rotation axis 15 and to the central longitudinal axis 3 in this exemplary arrangement.

[0048] The mount 24 has a signal transmitting section 27 in this exemplary arrangement. The signal transmitting section 27 is designed as an electrical line section and implemented by an electrical conducting wire in this exemplary arrangement. The signal transmitting section 27 is held by the mount 24 for interacting with the trigger unit 13. The signal transmitting section 27 extends between the two legs 25, 26 at a right angle to the lateral face 18 of the rotation element 14 and in parallel to the central longitudinal axis 3 and in parallel to the rotation axis 15.

[0049] The edge 17 of the rotation element 14 is arranged approximately in the middle between the two legs 25, 26. The rotation element 14, the mount 24, and the signal transmitting section 27 are aligned with respect to one another such that the edge 17 and the rotation element 14 are spaced apart from the signal transmitting section 27.

[0050] The contour section 16 is designed and arranged such that, upon exceedance of a predefined maximum steering angle, the contour section 16 is guided between the two legs 25, 26 through the mount 24 and, thus, changes the signal transmitting section 27, namely severs the signal transmitting section 27 in this exemplary arrangement. This is described in greater detail with reference to the following figures.

[0051] FIG. 3 shows a detail of a perspective top view of the detection unit 7 according to the disclosure, according to FIG. 2. Starting from a zero position of the detection unit 7 according to FIG. 2, the detection unit 7 according to FIG. 3 is shown in a position in which the predefined maximum steering angle has been reached and a further turning in the same direction of rotation represents an exceedance of the predefined maximum steering angle.

[0052] Starting from the zero position according to FIG. 2, the sleeve 9 is rotated in a first direction of rotation about the central longitudinal axis 3, for example, by means of the shaft 2 in the assembled state according to FIG. 1, according to the arrow 28. Due to the engagement of the gear ring 10 with the gearwheel 11, the gearwheel 11 and the toothed gear 12 are instantly set into rotation according to the arrow 29. Due to the engagement of the toothed gear 12 into the rotation element 14 designed as a gearwheel, this rotation element 14 is simultaneously rotated about the rotation axis 15 according to the arrow 30. As a result, the contour section 16 is simultaneously moved in the direction of the signal transmitting section 27. When the predefined maximum steering angle has been reached, the contour section 16 arrives between the two legs 25, 26 of the mount 24 and directly in front of the signal transmitting section 27.

[0053] FIG. 4 shows a detail of a perspective side view of the detection unit 7 according to the disclosure, according to FIG. 3. If a rotary motion according to the arrow 30 continues beyond the predefined maximum steering angle, the contour section 16 passes through the area between the two legs 25, 26. The contour section 16 severs the signal transmitting section 27. As a result, the signal transmitting section 27 is interrupted. In order to detect this interruption of the signal transmitting section 27, the signal transmitting section 27 is connected to an evaluation unit 31, which is merely schematically indicated here. If an interruption of the signal transmitting section 27 is detected by the evaluating unit 31, the evaluation unit 31 forwards a warning signal to a user interface 32, which is merely schematically represented here. The user interface 32 can be a display in a dashboard of a motor vehicle and/or a fault memory that can be read out.

[0054] FIGS. 3 and 4 show the attainment of the predefined maximum steering angle in a first direction of rotation of the sleeve 9 and of the shaft 2 about the central longitudinal axis 3. Upon an exceedance of the predefined maximum steering angle, the signal transmitting section 27 is severed by the cutting edge 22 and the wedge surface 20 of the contour section 16. If the rotation element 14 moves in a second direction of rotation, which is opposite this first direction of rotation, and the associated predefined maximum steering angle is exceeded, the signal transmitting section 27 is severed in a similar way by the cutting edge 21 and the wedge surface 19.

[0055] FIG. 5 shows a detail of a perspective side view of another steering device 33 according to the disclosure with another detection unit 34 according to the disclosure, which is merely schematically represented here. The steering device 33 essentially corresponds to the steering device 1. In this regard, reference is also made to the preceding description to avoid repetition. However, the steering device 33 includes the detection unit 34 instead of the detection unit 7.

[0056] In this exemplary arrangement, the detection unit 34 is assigned to an end of the shaft 2 facing the steering wheel 4. The detection unit 34 includes a trigger unit 35. The trigger unit 35 in this exemplary arrangement has a winding element 36. The winding element 36 is directly or indirectly connectable or connected to the shaft 2. In this exemplary arrangement, a first end 37 of the winding element 36 is connected to the shaft 2 in a manner not represented in greater detail. Therefore, the first end 37 is rotationally fixed to the shaft 2. As a result, when the shaft 2 rotates, the first end 37 rotates about the central longitudinal axis 3 along with the shaft 2. As a result, the winding element 36 is wound and unwound between two predefined maximum steering angles. The winding element 36 is essentially spiral-shaped in this exemplary arrangement. Moreover, the winding element 36 is designed here, for example, as a clock spring, which simultaneously provides an electrical conduction band. A second end 38 of the winding element 36, which faces away from the first end 37, is arranged and fastened at a housing section in a way not represented here in greater detail. The second end 38 is arranged in an immovable and positionally fixed manner with respect to the shaft 2 and the first end 37.

[0057] In this exemplary arrangement, the winding element 36 simultaneously also includes a signal transmitting section 39. In this case, the signal transmitting section 39 is assigned to the second end 38. Alternatively, the signal transmitting section 39 can also be arranged, however, at the first end 37 or at any point between the first end 37 and the second end 38.

[0058] The detection unit 34 and the winding element 36 are designed such that, upon an exceedance of the predefined maximum steering angle, the signal transmitting section 39 is torn in two and the winding element 36 is ripped off of the second end 38. As a result, the signal transmitting section 39 is interrupted, which is detected by the evaluation unit 31, which is merely schematically indicated here.