Abstract:
A four-wheel steering system has a front wheel turning mechanism for turning front wheels in response to operation of a steering wheel, a rear wheel turning mechanism for turning rear wheels, a controller for controlling the rear wheel turning mechanism to turn the rear wheels according to preset four-wheel steering characteristics and a relay shaft which is connected to the controller to transmit turning of the front wheels to the controller. The front wheel turning mechanism and the rear wheel turning mechanism are caused to bring the front wheels and the rear wheels to the respective straight-ahead positions while the relay shaft is disconnected from the controller. Then the controller is brought into the state corresponding to the straight-ahead positions of the front and rear wheels on the basis of the preset four-wheel steering characteristics. Thereafter, the relay shaft is connected to the controller.
Abstract:
A mechanism for steering the front and rear wheels of a four-wheel-steerable vehicle includes a front wheel steering device operatively coupled to a steering wheel and having at least a rack-and-pinion gear mechanism having a nonlinear gear ratio, a rear wheel steering device, a linkage shaft operatively connecting the front wheel steering device and the rear wheel steering device to each other, and at least one steering force assisting device disposed in a steering force transmitting path comprising the front wheel steering device, the rear wheel steering device, and the linkage shaft.
Abstract:
A steering system for a vehicle having a steering wheel, steerable front wheels and steerable rear wheels. The system comprises a linkage arrangement operatively interconnecting the steering wheel with the front and rear wheels for steering the front and rear wheels in response to operation of the steering wheel. The linkage arrangement includes a mechanical linkage mechanically connected with the steering wheel so as to transmit steering effort. The mechanical linkage is provided with a restoring mechanism for exerting restoring force to said mechanical linkage so as to urge the steering wheel toward a neutral position thereof. Favorable returnability of the steering system is achieved in this arrangement.
Abstract:
In a front and rear wheel steering device for a vehicle in which the steering angle ratio of the rear wheels relative to the front wheels is variable according to the vehicle speed, by accounting for the magnitude of vehicle acceleration in determining the steering angle ratio of the rear wheels by selecting a mathematical function from a plurality thereof, the vehicle response particularly in high speed range can be improved. Smooth transition from a certain characteristics to another may be achieved either by preparing a number of mathematical functions of vehicle speed for the steering angle ratio of the rear wheels or providing some time delay in the transition from one characteristics to another, preferably in proportion to the magnitude of the vehicle acceleration.
Abstract:
A steering system for a vehicle with a front wheel and a rear wheel, in which the rear wheel is steerable in relation to a steering operation of the front wheel, such that a ratio control of a steered angle ratio of the rear wheel to the front wheel is effected to be variable in accordance with a travelling speed of the vehicle. The steering system is provided with a mode selecting unit adapted to be manually operable for exclusively setting an arbitrary one of a plurality of control modes of the ratio control. The steering system may be further provided with a time-delay unit for gradually effecting the ratio control, when changing one of the control modes to another thereof.
Abstract:
In a four-wheeled vehicle, the rear wheels are turned as well as the front wheels in response to operation of the steering wheel. The rear wheel turning angle characteristics relative to the front wheel turning angle is changed according to the vehicle speed. In the low to high vehicle speed region, the rear wheel turning angle is increased with increase of the front wheel turning angle and the increasing rate is increased as the vehicle speed increases. In the very low vehicle speed region, the rear wheels are not turned until the front wheels are turned at least by a predetermined angle, and are turned in the direction opposite to the front wheels when the front wheels are turned by an angle larger than the predetermined angle. The rear wheel turning angle in the opposite direction is changed in proportion to the front wheel turning angle.
Abstract:
A steering system for vehicles in which the steered angle ratio (k) of a rear wheel (20) to a front wheel (7) is controllable by a control means (31) in accordance with the vehicle speed (u.sub.1), and the correction of the steered angle ratio in accordance with the vehicle speed (u.sub.1) is permitted under a predetermined condition only.The steering system has a speed control mechanism (35, 35) connected to the control means and controlled therewith, so that the vehicle speed (u.sub.1) is decreased or held constant when the relative deviation (u.sub.1 -u.sub.2) between the vehicle speed (u.sub.1) the vehicle actually has and a vehicle speed (u.sub.2) converted from the steered angle ratio (k) the vehicle actually has is larger than a predetermined value [f(u.sub.1)].
Abstract:
A steering apparatus for vehicles which includes a pinion rotatably mounted on an arm movable longitudinally in response to turning movement of a steering wheel, and a pair of longitudinally movable racks held in meshing engagement with the pinion. One of the racks is operatively coupled with front wheels of the vehicle and with a pivot arm pivotable on a movable pivot which is displaceable along the pivot arm in response to vehicle speeds. The other rack is coupled through a pivotable lever with an arm which is pivotally mounted on the pivot arm and is operatively coupled with the rear wheels. When the steering wheel is turned, the front and rear wheels are turned in the same direction or in opposite directions, depending on the position of the movable pivot on the pivot arm, which position is a function of the vehicle speed. The front and rear wheels are turned in the same direction when the vehicle is running at a high speed, and in opposite directions when the vehicle is running at a low speed. The racks and pinion may be dispensed with and the front wheels operatively coupled only through a connecting rod pivotally connected to a pivot arm pivotally mounted on a movable pivot, the rear wheels being pivotally connected through an arm to the pivot arm.
Abstract:
A steering system for a vehicle includes: an operation member operable by a driver; a front-wheel steering device to which the operation member is connected to enable a front wheel to be steered by a steering amount; a rear-wheel steering device configured to steer a rear wheel independently of the front wheel; and a controller configured to control the front-wheel and rear-wheel steering devices. The controller executes a front-wheel steering force application control to apply, to the front wheel, a steering force including, as a component thereof, a driving support force that causes the vehicle to travel along a target travel line. The controller determines, in the front-wheel steering force application control, the driving support force based on a target operation amount that is the operation amount of the operation member to cause the vehicle to travel along the target travel line and a steering amount of the rear wheel.