公开(公告)号：US20250018996A1

公开(公告)日：2025-01-16

申请号：US18765409

申请日：2024-07-08

Applicant: ZF Automotive UK Limited

Inventor： David Julian Moule

IPC: B62D5/04 ,  H02K1/14 ,  H02K1/279

Abstract: A motor includes a stator and a rotor. The stator carries a plurality of phase windings and the rotor carries a plurality of magnet poles and is connected to a shaft. The stator has a ferromagnetic material defining a yoke and a plurality of teeth and further includes at least one band of electrically conductive material that encompasses at least a portion of one of the teeth or encompasses at least a portion of the yoke in a region between adjacent teeth and is in direct contact with the tooth. The band provides an electrical path between the band and the portion of the tooth or yoke. The band wraps around upper and lower end regions of the portion of the tooth or yoke and extends axially down the opposing side faces of the tooth or yoke. The band is isolated from any external source of motor drive current.

公开(公告)号：US20240059350A1

公开(公告)日：2024-02-22

申请号：US18270041

申请日：2021-12-30

Applicant: ZF Automotive UK Limited

Inventor： Xiao-Dong Sun

IPC: B62D6/00 ,  B62D5/04 ,  G05B6/02 ,  G05B13/02

CPC classification number: B62D6/002 ,  B62D5/046 ,  B62D5/0409 ,  B62D5/0421 ,  G05B6/02 ,  G05B13/027

Abstract: A steer by wire system for a vehicle includes a hand wheel, a steering gear that is attached to at least one steered road wheel, and at least one actuator that is connected to the hand wheel or the steering gear for the vehicle to apply to torque to the hand wheel or steering gear. The steer by wire system can include a control circuit comprising a first PID Controller which receives at an input a set point signal and provides as an output a control signal that is used to control the motor, the controller being arranged in a closed loop with the motor and configured to minimise an error value indicative of the difference between the demanded behaviour of the motor as indicated by the set point signal and the actual behaviour of the motor.

公开(公告)号：US20240059348A1

公开(公告)日：2024-02-22

申请号：US18270040

申请日：2021-12-30

Applicant: ZF Automotive UK Limited

Inventor： Xiao-Dong Sun

IPC: B62D5/04 ,  B62D6/08

CPC classification number: B62D5/0463 ,  B62D6/08

Abstract: An electric power assisted steering system for a vehicle is disclosed. The electric power assisted steering system can include an electric motor configured to apply an assistance torque to a part of a steering assembly so as to assist a driver of a vehicle in turning the steering wheel, a drive circuit for the motor which selectively connects the motor phases to an electrical supply to cause current to flow in the motor phases. The amount of assistance torque applied by the motor can be a function of the current flowing in the phases of the motor. The electric power assisted steering system can include a control circuit which generates a control signal that is applied to the motor drive stage.

公开(公告)号：US20240051603A1

公开(公告)日：2024-02-15

申请号：US18363185

申请日：2023-08-01

Applicant: ZF Automotive UK Limited

Inventor： Russell Wilson-Jones ,  Mark Anthony Wilkes ,  Aleksejs Semjonovs

IPC: B62D6/00

CPC classification number: B62D6/008 ,  B62D5/006

Abstract: A dual motor drive assembly comprising a housing, a shaft rotatably mounted with respect to the housing, a first gear connected to and configured to rotate with the shaft, first and second motors, each having an output driving a respective output gear, the output gears being engaged with the first gear, an allocation arrangement for allocating torque demands to each of the first and second motors, a target friction detection arrangement for determining a target friction, a calculation arrangement for calculating a mechanical friction, wherein the target friction and mechanical friction are compared, and wherein the mechanical friction is modified to meet the target friction by varying the difference between the two motor torque demands when the two motor torques are in opposing directions.

公开(公告)号：US20230331281A1

公开(公告)日：2023-10-19

申请号：US18298705

申请日：2023-04-11

Applicant: ZF Automotive UK Limited

Inventor： Russell Wilson-Jones ,  Samuel Morris ,  Timothy Buttery ,  Philip Owen Browne ,  Pablo Rojo

IPC: B62D1/16 ,  B62D5/04

CPC classification number: B62D1/16 ,  B62D5/0406 ,  B62D5/0409 ,  B62D5/0454

Abstract: A steering column assembly for a vehicle, comprises: an elongate steering column mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis and configured for attachment to a steering wheel at one end; a first gear connected to the steering column at a location spaced from the one end to which the steering wheel is attached and configured to rotate with the steering column; first and second motors, each having an output shaft; first and second worm screws directly connected to and rotatable with the output shaft of the first and second motors respectively and engaged with the first gear; a control arrangement configured to operate the first and second motors; and a motor position sensor arrangement for sensing the rotational position of the motor output shafts, each sensor arrangement comprising a target member fixedly mounted to a respective motor output shaft on the opposite side of the worm screw from the motor and a sensor for detecting the target member.

公开(公告)号：US20230322290A1

公开(公告)日：2023-10-12

申请号：US18296167

申请日：2023-04-05

Applicant: ZF Automotive Germany GmbH ,  ZF Automotive UK Limited

Inventor： Russell Wilson-Jones ,  Mark Anthony Wilkes ,  Lorenz Graeff

IPC: B62D5/00

CPC classification number: B62D5/003

Abstract: A steering column assembly for a vehicle comprises a steering column mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis and configured for attachment to a steering wheel at one end; a first gear connected to the steering column at a location spaced from the end where the steering wheel may be attached and configured to rotate with the steering column; first and second motors; first and second worm screws connected to and rotatable with an output of the first and second motors respectively and engaged with the first gear; and a control arrangement configured to operate the first and second motors. The control arrangement comprises a circuit board located between the first and second worm screws and their respective motors. The circuit board comprises a motor output position sensor for each of the first and second motors.

公开(公告)号：US11777378B2

公开(公告)日：2023-10-03

申请号：US16881665

申请日：2020-05-22

Applicant: ZF Automotive UK Limited

Inventor： Connel Brett Williams

IPC: H02K11/30 ,  H02K11/33 ,  H02K1/14 ,  H02K1/2706 ,  H02K3/52

CPC classification number: H02K11/33 ,  H02K1/14 ,  H02K1/2706 ,  H02K3/521 ,  H02K11/30

Abstract: A motor apparatus includes a multi-lane permanent magnet synchronous motor having at least two sets of phase windings, and a control circuit. The control circuit selectively connects a first direct current power source to the motor phase windings of a first set of the motor phasing windings to form a first lane. The control circuit may also selectively connect a second direct current power source to the motor phase windings of a second set of the motor phasing windings to form a second lane. The control circuit may cause current to flow in the motor that meets a current demand from a current demand circuit. During at least one mode of operation, the control circuit may apply waveforms to a motor phase winding which causes an actively controlled transfer of energy from the first direct current source of the first lane into a component of the second lane.

公开(公告)号：US11697450B2

公开(公告)日：2023-07-11

申请号：US16770710

申请日：2018-12-04

Applicant: ZF AUTOMOTIVE UK LIMITED ,  ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG

Inventor： Lukas Schemmel ,  David Julian Moule ,  Russell Wilson-Jones

IPC: B62D5/00 ,  B60K35/00 ,  B60R16/02 ,  B62D1/10

CPC classification number: B62D5/006 ,  B60K35/00 ,  B60R16/0207 ,  B62D1/105 ,  B60K2370/16

Abstract: A handwheel actuator assembly 600 for a steer by wire steering system of a vehicle is disclosed. The assembly 600 comprises a steering wheel 601 and a feedback torque generator. The steering wheel 601 has at least one hand grip portion rotatable around an axis of rotation of the steering wheel 601 which can be gripped by a driver and a hub 602 that supports the hand grip portion. The feedback torque generator comprises an electric motor which has a stator 609 and a rotor 610. The rotor 610 is directly or indirectly fixed to and rotates with the hub of the steering wheel 601 and the stator 609 is secured to a fixed part of the vehicle body such that it cannot rotate relative to the vehicle body. The motor comprises a brushless permanent magnet Vernier motor.

公开(公告)号：US11667322B2

公开(公告)日：2023-06-06

申请号：US17534910

申请日：2021-11-24

Applicant: ZF Automotive UK Limited

Inventor： Russell Wilson-Jones ,  Timothy Buttery ,  Mark Anthony Wilkes ,  Sebastian Granville-Edmunds

IPC: B62D1/183 ,  B62D1/181 ,  B62D1/184 ,  B62D6/10 ,  B62D15/02

CPC classification number: B62D1/183 ,  B62D1/181 ,  B62D1/184 ,  B62D6/10 ,  B62D15/0215

Abstract: A steering column assembly is disclosed that comprises: an elongate rotatable steering column, a displacement motor, a torque feedback motor; an engagement mechanism and a control. The steering column is configured at one end for attachment of a steering member and is displaceable along its longitudinal axis between a withdrawn, stowed position in which the steering function of the steering column is inhibited and an extended, deployed position in which the steering function of the steering column can be enabled. The displacement motor displaces the steering column between the stowed and deployed positions. The torque feedback motor is connected to the steering column and by which the steering column is rotatable. The engagement mechanism is engaged when the steering column is in the stowed position and limits the angular displacement of the steering column to a predetermined value. A control is configured to control the operation of the displacement motor and torque feedback motor and to inhibit and enable the steering function of the steering column.

公开(公告)号：US11456593B2

公开(公告)日：2022-09-27

申请号：US16815051

申请日：2020-03-11

Applicant: ZF Automotive UK Limited

Inventor： Leonardo Ferrari ,  Naiwu Yuan ,  Mansoor Shah

IPC: H02H7/18 ,  H02H11/00 ,  H01G9/00 ,  H01G11/16

Abstract: A battery protection circuit has two input nodes and two output nodes. The input nodes are connected to a positive supply line and a negative or ground line respectively, and the two output nodes are connected to a positive side of a load and a negative or ground return side of the load. The circuit includes a solid state switch which is oriented such that when the switch is open current cannot flow from the battery through the load. At least one capacitor is connected in series with a diode between the two input nodes of the circuit to smooth out any negative transient voltages present at the positive input node of the circuit. The capacitor includes a polarized capacitor and the diode is oriented to protect the capacitor during normal use when a positive voltage is present at the input node that is connected to the positive supply line.