Device for determining the position of a steering rod for a steering unit, steering unit and use of the device in the steering unit

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1) for determining the position of a handlebar (2) for a steering unit, in particular a steer-by-wire steering unit, of a vehicle, wherein the device (1) comprises: a sensor device (5) for determining the position of the handlebar, which is designed to be arranged in the bearing unit (8), and a measuring body (3) for arrangement on the handlebar (2), which is designed to be movable in a first direction (A) relative to the sensor device (5), wherein the measuring body (3) has a predetermined length in the first direction (A) and a predetermined thickness or width in a second direction (R), wherein the predetermined thickness varies continuously between a first end (11) of the measuring body (3) in the first direction (A) and a second end (12) of the measuring body (3) in the first direction (A).

Description

The present invention relates to a device for determining the position of a steering rod for a steering unit, in particular a steer-by-wire steering unit, of a vehicle, a steering unit, in particular a steer-by-wire steering unit, for a vehicle, and to a use of such a device in a steering unit, in particular a steer-by-wire steering unit.Prior ArtNowadays, both mechanical steering systems or steering units and so-called steer-by-wire steering systems or steering units are known. In this case, the steering systems can be divided into two subsystems, the system of the steering shaft with a steering element, such as a steering wheel, which is also referred to as a "hand wheel actuator" (HWA) system, and the system of the steering actuator for steering the wheels, which is also referred to as a "road wheel actuator" (RWA) system. In the case of the mechanical steering systems, these two subsystems are mechanically connected to one another via the steering column and, if appropriate, a steering gear. Thus, the two subsystems in the mechanical steering systems are connected to one another directly, i.e. physically. In these mechanical steering systems, a position of the steering element is thus always linked one-to-one to a position of the steering actuator, in particular of a steering rod. This means that a specific position of the steering element is assigned one-to-one to a specific position of the steering rod, so that each position of the steering rod is assigned a specific position of the steering element.In the steer-by-wire steering systems, the mechanical connection between the two subsystems via the steering column is dispensed with, and the steering of the wheels in accordance with a movement of the steering element is controlled by transmitting corresponding signals between the two subsystems HWA and RWA. In other words, with steer-by-wire steering systems, the physical steering column, which transmits the steering movement or driver's wishes from the steering wheel directly via the steering gear and tie rod and wheel carrier to the wheel, is replaced electrically redundantly by "by wire", i.e. signal transmission by means of cable. As a result, a position of the steering element is no longer physically coupled to a position of the steering rod, and such one-to-one coupling of the position of the steering element to the position of the steering rod is usually released with a sensor system which is arranged in the RWA system and serves to determine the position of the steering rod. Various sensor system arrangements are known, as for example from WO 2018 / 073267 A1, DE 11 2020 002 949 T5, DE 10 2021 212 470 A1.It has now been found that there is a further need to improve a known device for determining the position of the steering rod for a steering unit, in particular a steer-by-wire steering unit, of a vehicle. In particular, there is a further need to provide a device for determining the position of the steering rod, which device makes it possible to determine the position of the steering rod in an absolute manner, and further in particular also after the vehicle has been in a switched-off or non-energized state.Against this background, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved device for determining the position of a steering rod for a steering unit, in particular a steer-by-wire steering unit, of a vehicle, which device in particular enables an absolute, more particularly continuous, determination of the steering rod position.Disclosure of the InventionThese and other objects, which will be mentioned in the reading of the following description or which can be recognized by the person skilled in the art, are achieved by the subject matter of the independent claim. Advantageous embodiments and developments can be taken from the dependent claims and the following description.The device according to the invention for determining the position of a steering rod for a steering unit, in particular a steer-by-wire steering unit, of a vehicle has a sensor device for determining the position of the steering rod, and a measuring body for arrangement on the steering rod. The sensor device for determining the position of the steering rod is configured to be arranged in the steering unit, in particular in a bearing unit. The measuring body for arrangement on the steering rod is configured to be movable, in particular displaceable, in particular together with the steering rod, in a first, in particular axial, direction relative to the sensor device. The measuring body has a predetermined length in the first, in particular axial, direction and has a predetermined thickness or width in a second, in particular radial direction, wherein the predetermined thickness continuously varies between an end of the measuring body that is first in the first direction and an end of the measuring body that is second in the first direction, in particular continuously increases or continuously decreases along the first direction over the entire length of the measuring body.The sensor device is configured in particular to detect a distance in the second, in particular radial, direction to the measuring body and can here comprise for example a distance sensor and be arranged in such a way that a distance or a distance to the lateral surface of the steering rod (not in the region of the measuring body) remains substantially constant. In particular, the sensor device can be arranged fixed in position.The first, in particular axial, direction is a direction which substantially corresponds to a longitudinal direction or an extension direction of the steering rod. The second, in particular radial, direction is a direction which is arranged substantially orthogonally or perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction or extension direction of the steering rod.The advantage of the solution according to the invention lies in particular in the fact that, due to the continuously varying or changing thickness of the measuring body in the second direction, the distance from the sensor device changes depending on the position of the measuring body, and thus also the position of the steering rod, relative to the sensor device. Thus, a distance can be assigned to each position of the measuring body or of the steering rod relative to the sensor device. Since the measuring body has a continuously varying thickness which either continuously increases or continuously decreases along the entire length of the measuring body, each thickness is present only once, as seen over the entire length of the measuring body. Thus, a distance detected by the sensor device can be unambiguously assigned a position of the measuring body and thus of the steering rod.In other words, since the measuring body is configured to be arranged on the steering rod in an axially and radially fixed manner, a movement of the steering rod along its longitudinal direction, i.e. in the first, axial direction, or also longitudinal direction, leads to a measurable change in distance between the measuring body and the sensor device. It can therefore also be said that the device according to the invention enables an, in particular indirect, measurement of the steering rod position via the measuring body on the steering rod, wherein in particular a radial deflection of the measuring body is proportional to an axial deflection of the steering rod.According to one embodiment, the predetermined thickness has a constant gradient over the entire, in particular axial, length of the measuring body. The constant slope makes it possible for a radial deflection of the measuring body, i.e. the change in thickness of the measuring body in the second direction, to be proportional to the axial deflection of the measuring body, and thus of the steering rod, i.e. a change in position of the measuring body in the first direction. As a result, the position of the steering rod can be determined in a particularly simple manner. Alternatively, the predetermined thickness can have a variable pitch over the entire, in particular axial, length of the measuring body. A variable gradient makes it possible to implement different precisions over the measurement path, that is to say over the entire length of the measurement body in the first direction. In this case, a higher accuracy can be realized with large slopes than with small slopes. Thus, for example, in the central position, i.e. in a central section of the measuring body, a large slope and small slopes towards the edges, i.e. the axial ends of the measuring body, can be present. As a result, a higher detection or measurement accuracy is possible in the central section than at the axial ends of the measurement body.According to one embodiment, the measuring body has a substantially wedge-like or ramp-like shape which extends in the first direction, that is to say a longitudinal direction, in particular an axial direction. The wedge-like or ramp-like shape has a constant slope and thus enables a constant, i.e. constant, measurement accuracy. Due to the constant slope, the change in thickness of the measuring body in the second, in particular radial, direction is proportional to the change in position of the measuring body in the first, in particular axial, direction of the measuring body. This enables a simple assignment of a position of the measuring body in the first direction to a distance in the second direction detected by the sensor device, and in particular a substantially reliable continuation or extrapolation of this assignment beyond the known values.According to one embodiment, the measuring body has a curved surface towards the sensor direction. In particular, the surface of the measuring body curved towards the sensor device is configured to be formed and arranged concentrically to the steering rod. This can ensure that a rotation or rotation of the steering rod hardly influences or does not influence the measurement of the distance from the measuring body by the sensor device. In other words, it can be said that a signal generated by the sensor device does not change with twisting of the steering rod.According to one embodiment, the apparatus further comprises an intermediate element which, as seen in the second, in particular radial, direction, is arranged between the measuring body and the sensor device, and comprises a planar surface facing the sensor device, which planar surface is arranged in particular substantially perpendicular to a measurement direction of the sensor device. Thus, the intermediate element, which can also be referred to as a target, provides a planar surface from the point of view of the sensor device, to which the sensor device detects the distance. Detection of a distance to a planar surface is simpler for the sensor device than detection of a distance to a curved surface. In particular, a measurement accuracy in the detection of a distance to the planar surface is higher and thus less susceptible to measurement inaccuracies, or even measurement errors, than a distance detection to the curved surface. The planar surface lies substantially in one plane and thus substantially always has the same distance, regardless of a measurement position on the planar surface.According to one embodiment, the device further comprises a spring element for prestressing the intermediate element or against the measurement body. The prestress by the spring element can compensate for smaller tolerances and / or movements of the steering rod, and thus reduce or even prevent measurement inaccuracies owing to play between the intermediate element and the measurement body or the steering rod. In other words, it can be said that a precise guidance of the intermediate element and / or a prestress in the direction of movement of the steering rod is required in order to keep a reversal play low or even to avoid it.According to one embodiment, the sensor device comprises at least one sensor. In addition, the sensor device can also comprise two or more sensors. According to one embodiment, the at least one sensor is a capacitive sensor or an inductive sensor. The at least one sensor is designed in particular as a distance sensor. In addition, the sensor is designed as an inductive sensor, as a capacitive sensor or as a magnetic sensor. However, other types of sensors other than sensors in the sensor device are also conceivable. In the case where the sensor device comprises two or more sensors, these are in particular all of the same type of sensor, that is to say that all sensors comprised in the sensor device are configured, for example, as capacitive sensors, inductive sensors or magnetic sensors, etc.A further aspect of the invention relates to a steering unit, in particular a steer-by-wire steering unit, for a vehicle. The steering unit comprises a steering rod, a bearing unit for radially bearing the steering rod, an actuator and a device according to the present invention. The steering rod is configured to be coupled at each of its axial ends to a wheel of the vehicle. The actuator is coupled to the steering rod in such a way that a rotational movement of the actuator causes a translatory movement of the steering rod along its longitudinal axis, which in particular extends substantially along a first direction. The sensor device for determining the position of the steering rod is arranged, in particular fixed in position, on the bearing unit for the radial bearing of the steering rod. The measuring body is arranged on the steering rod, in particular on an outer lateral surface of the steering rod, and is displaceable, in particular together with the steering rod, in a first direction relative to the sensor device. The measuring body has a predetermined length in the first, in particular axial, direction and has a predetermined thickness or width in a second, in particular radial, direction, wherein the predetermined thickness continuously varies between an end of the measuring body that is first in the first direction and an end of the measuring body that is second in the first direction, in particular continuously increases or continuously decreases over the entire length of the measuring body.The bearing unit for the radial bearing of the steering rod is arranged in a housing of the steering rod in such a way that it takes along movements of the steering rod, in particular by radial forces or bending. This means that the bearing unit is not arranged fixedly in the housing, but is, for example, pressed or pretensioned resiliently against the steering rod. In addition, the bearing unit is arranged in particular rotatably in the housing, so that it is possible for the bearing unit to participate in movements of the steering rod, in particular due to radial forces and bending.The actuator is designed in particular as an electric motor. The actuator can be coupled to the steering rod, for example, via a belt drive, wherein the belt drive enables a rotational movement of the actuator into a translatory movement of the steering rod along its longitudinal axis. For this purpose, the belt drive is coupled in particular to a linear gear, such as a ball screw drive or a planetary rolling screw drive. An electric motor as a control actuator enables a rotational movement in two mutually opposite directions, whereby it is possible to move the steering rod along its longitudinal axis, corresponding to the selected rotational direction of the control actuator, in one direction or in the other direction along its longitudinal axis. In other words, it can be said that the actuator enables the steering rod to be moved translationally back and forth along its longitudinal axis.The measuring body may be provided integrally integrally with or separately from the handlebar. If the measuring body is provided integrally in one piece with the steering rod, the measuring body can be introduced directly into the steering rod, e.g. by milling, etc. The measuring body as a component manufactured separately from the steering rod can be manufactured in particular from a plastic, such as a single-grade plastic, a plastic mixture and / or a fiber-reinforced plastic, and is then mounted on the steering rod. Thus, the measuring body is arranged on the steering rod in such a way that the measuring body moves axially together with the steering rod relative to the sensor device when the steering rod is moved along its longitudinal axis. As a result, the position of the measuring body relative to the sensor device changes in accordance with a change in position of the steering rod. The position of the measuring body relative to the sensor device influences or changes a distance in the second direction between the measuring body, or optionally the intermediate element, and the sensor device in such a way that each position of the measuring body relative to the sensor device can be assigned a specific distance in the second direction between the measuring body and the sensor device. Since the position of the measuring body relative to the sensor device is directly related to the position of the steering rod, the position of the steering rod can be determined by means of the distance in the second direction between the measuring body, or optionally the intermediate element, and the sensor device.Thus, the device for determining the position of the steering rod, in particular the absolute position of the steering rod, generally operates independently and can determine the position of the steering rod with sufficiently high accuracy, resolution and reliability essentially alone and output it as an output signal.In addition, it is also possible, however, to combine the output signal of the device for determining the position of the steering rod with a further signal, in particular the signal of a rotor position sensor from the actuator. The rotor position sensor generally supplies a highly precise signal corresponding to an electrical or mechanical angle of the rotor, which signal is required for actuating the actuator, in particular in the form of an electric motor. The angle of the rotor behaves in a highly redundant manner in proportion to the position of the steering rod, in particular usually about 2-5 mm / U, but cannot be used-considered alone-to determine the absolute position of the steering rod, since the angle of the rotor performs a plurality of complete revolutions, for example of the order of magnitude of about 20-100 revolutions, over the entire travel path of the steering rod, which can also be referred to as steering rod travel path. In combination with the above-described device according to the invention, an accurate determination of the position of the steering rod, in particular the absolute position of the steering rod, is now possible, wherein the device only has a low resolution or low resolution.The position of the steering rod must be determined precisely because the device only has to perform a rough determination of the position determination of the steering rod, while the rotor position sensor supplies the high resolution or accuracy, so to speak the decimal point positions. Such a combination may make it possible to further improve the resolution and the accuracy.Thus, the costs for the device for determining the position of the steering rod can be reduced, since the requirements placed on the device are lower than in a case in which the device alone, i.e. independently, has to deliver the high accuracy or resolution. Even in a case where the rotor position sensor fails during operation, it is possible to regulate the actuator temporarily based on the signal of the device even if the resolution or accuracy of the device with respect to the angle of the rotor of the actuator is rather low. Conversely, it is also possible to compensate for a failure of the device for determining the position of the steering rod during operation by incrementally "counting" the signal of the rotor position sensor, in particular at least as long as an energization of the rotor position sensor and, if appropriate, an associated control device is ensured.In addition, a continuous monitoring of the signal of the rotor position sensor and of the signal of the device for determining the position of the steering rod can make it possible to detect implausible discrepancies in the signals, which can indicate, for example, a belt jump and / or wear on the belt. Thus, an beginning failure of the mechanism can be detected early.It is also conceivable to determine the position of the steering rod, in particular the absolute position of the steering rod, with the aid of the Nonius / Vernier principle. In this case, it is conceivable not to design the position determination device for determining the absolute position of the steering rod, but rather such that it covers only a small, in particular high-resolution, measurement range on the steering rod, which measurement range is repeated periodically over the entire travel path of the steering rod. The period length is to be selected in particular such that it differs only slightly from that of the rotor position sensor and the difference or phase shift between the signals allows a clear determination of the position, in particular the absolute position, of the steering rod at any time. As a result, the requirements with regard to the detection accuracy of the apparatus, in particular of the sensor device, can be reduced, since a significantly smaller measurement range has to be covered, but instead it is arranged in a row several times. Inductive sensor devices are particularly suitable for this purpose.According to one embodiment, the bearing unit has a pressure piece and a pressure roller, which are arranged opposite one another so as to guide the steering rod between them so as to be displaceable in the first direction, wherein the sensor device is arranged in the pressure piece and the measuring body is arranged on the lateral surface of the steering rod facing the pressure piece as viewed in the second direction. Due to the arrangement of the sensor device in the pressure piece of the bearing unit, the sensor device carries along all the movements that the pressure piece makes. This means that the sensor device in the pressure piece also carries along movements of the steering rod, in particular due to radial forces or deflection, whereby an influence or change of the distance between the sensor device and the steering rod or the measuring body due to movements of the steering rod, in particular in the second direction, is avoided. As a result, the measurement accuracy of the sensor device can be increased because measurement errors due to movements of the steering rod in the second direction relative to the sensor device are reduced or even avoided. In other words, it can be said that during the mounting of the sensor device in the pressure piece, the distance between the sensor device and the steering rod always remains substantially the same even in the case of external forces or bending of the steering rod, since the pressure piece is pressed against the steering rod by means of spring force or prestress.Furthermore, the arrangement of the sensor device within the pressure piece requires little or no additional installation space, since the pressure piece is generally semicircular, in particular concentric to the steering rod, wherein the pressure piece carries the steering rod only in the outer regions and thus the central region is not in load-bearing contact with the steering rod. It is thus possible to cut out the central region of the pressure piece in order to arrange the sensor device in this region and to allow the measuring body to penetrate through the pressure piece in this region. Alternatively, other positions for the arrangement of the measuring body and the sensor device are also conceivable. For example, the measuring body can also be arranged on the roller side, wherein the pressure roller has a recess and / or step for this purpose in order to allow the measuring body to be dipped through. In this case, the sensor device is arranged in front of or behind the pressure roller.According to one embodiment, the steering unit further comprises a second measuring body which is arranged on the steering rod offset in a circumferential direction of the steering rod, e.g. offset by 90°, 180° or 270° in the circumferential direction, with respect to the first measuring body. In addition, the steering unit also has a second sensor device for determining the position of the steering rod, which is configured to record a distance, in particular perpendicular to the longitudinal axis or direction of extent of the steering rod, from the second measuring body. The provision of a second measuring body can be helpful or even necessary, in particular for safety reasons, in particular redundancy in the event of a failure, fault etc. of the first measuring body and / or of the first sensor device.According to one embodiment, the device further comprises two measuring bodies having a predetermined length in the first, in particular axial, direction and having a predetermined thickness or width in a second, in particular radial, direction, wherein the predetermined thickness continuously varies between the first end of the measuring body in the first direction and the second end of the measuring body in the first direction. In this case, the thicknesses of the measurement bodies are in particular embodied in opposite directions. This means that the first measuring body continuously decreases over its entire length from the first end to the second end and the second measuring body continuously increases over its entire length from the first end to the second end, or vice versa. In addition to the redundancy already mentioned above, such an arrangement of two measurement bodies enables a plausibility check of the detected distance(s) and an improvement in the accuracy of a signal corresponding to the detected distance.A further aspect of the present invention relates to a use of a device according to the present invention in a steering unit, in particular a steer-by-wire steering unit, of a vehicle, for determining the position of the steering rod, wherein the position of the steering rod is determined on the basis of a distance detected by the sensor device in the second, in particular radial, direction to the measurement body.Detailed Description with DrawingsFurther measures which improve the invention are described in more detail below together with the description of a preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention on the basis of the figures. It shows: FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a device for determining the position of a steering rod according to an embodiment of the invention arranged in a steering unit in a side view, and FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of the device for determining the position of a steering rod from FIG. 1 in a view from the front.The figures are merely schematic in nature and serve only to understand the invention. The same elements are provided with the same reference numerals.FIGS. 1 and 2 show schematically and by way of example a device 1 for determining the position of a steering rod 2 according to one embodiment of the invention. The apparatus 1 has a measuring body 3, an intermediate element 4, and a sensor device 5. The measuring body 3 is arranged on the steering rod 2 in an axially and rotationally fixed manner, such that the measuring body 3 moves together with the steering rod 2 along its longitudinal axis L in a first, in particular axial, direction A. The sensor device 5 is arranged in a second, in particular radial, direction R, substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L of the steering rod and spaced apart from the steering rod 2.The sensor device 5 is arranged in a pressure piece 6, which together with a pressure roller 7 forms a bearing unit 8 for the radial bearing of the steering rod 2. The pressure piece 6 bears with outer regions 9 against the steering rod 2 (see FIG. 2 ), while a central region 10 (see in particular FIG. 1 ) of the pressure piece 6 is cut out, so that, on the one hand, the sensor device 5 can be arranged within the pressure piece 6 and, in addition, the measuring body 3 can be passed or dipped through the pressure piece during a movement of the steering rod 2 along its longitudinal axis L relative to the pressure piece 6 (and the sensor device 5).The measuring body 3 here has, for example, a wedge-like or ramp-like shape along the first direction A (see FIG. 1 ) and thus has a thickness or width continuously decreasing from a first end 11 of the measuring body 3 to a second end 12 of the measuring body 3. In other words, it can be said that a thickness of the measuring body 3 continuously decreases along the first direction A from the first end 11 to the second end 12, wherein a slope is constant here by way of example. Furthermore, the measuring body 3 has a curved lateral surface 13 facing the sensor device 5 (see FIG. 2 ), which is formed in particular concentrically with respect to the steering rod 2.The intermediate element 4 is arranged in the second direction R between the measuring body 3 and the sensor device 5 and has a flat surface 14 facing the sensor device 5, which surface serves to increase the measurement accuracy of the sensor device 5 when detecting a distance from the measuring body 3, here from the intermediate element 4. The intermediate element 4 is likewise arranged within the pressure piece 6, in particular substantially non-movable in the first direction A. In other words, it can be said that the measuring body 3 moves together with the steering rod 2 in the first direction A relative to the pressure piece 6 and thus to the intermediate element 4 and the sensor device 5. The intermediate element 5 is pressed against the measuring body 3 via a spring element 15, which is designed here as a compression spring 16, for example, so that the intermediate element 4 is prestressed against the measuring body 3. This prestress in the second direction R against the measuring body 3 enables a contact between the measuring body 3 and the intermediate element 4 without play.During a movement of the steering rod 2 along its longitudinal axis L, the measuring body 3 moves together with the steering rod 2 in the first direction A relative to the pressure piece. In this case, the lateral surface 13 of the measuring body 3 slides on the intermediate element 4, the position of which changes in the second direction R on account of the wedge-like shape of the measuring body 3. This change in the position of the intermediate element 4 causes a change in a distance d in the second direction R between the planar surface 14 of the intermediate element 4 and the sensor device 5.Since the sensor device 5 is configured to detect this distance d, the position, in particular the absolute position, of the steering rod 2 in the first direction A can be determined on the basis of the distance d detected by the sensor device 5. It is possible for the sensor device 5 itself to determine the position of the steering rod 2 on the basis of the detected distance d and to output a signal corresponding to the position of the steering rod 2. Alternatively, it is also conceivable for the sensor device to only detect the distance d and to output a signal corresponding to the detected distance d, for example to an evaluation unit, such as a control device or the like, which determines the position of the steering rod 2 in the first direction A on the basis of the signal of the sensor device 5.List of reference characters1 Device 2 Steering rod 3 Measuring body 4 Intermediate element 5 Sensor device 6 Pressure piece 7 Pressure roller 8 Bearing unit 9 Outer region (pressure piece) 10 Central region (pressure piece) 11 First end (measuring body) 12 Second end (measuring body) 13 Lateral surface (measuring body) 14 Planar surface (intermediate element) 15 Spring element 16 Compression spring A First direction R Second direction d DistanceReferences included in the specificationThis list of documents cited by the applicant has been produced in an automated manner and is only included for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent application or utility model application. The DPMA does not take any adhesion for any faults or omissions.Patent Literature citedWO 2018 / 073267 A1

[0003] DE 11 2020 002 949 T5

[0003] DE 10 2021 212 470 A1

[0003]

Claims

Device (1) for determining the position of a steering rod (2) for a steering unit, in particular a steer-by-wire steering unit, of a vehicle, wherein the device (1) comprises: a sensor device (5) for determining the position of the steering rod, which is configured to be arranged in the bearing unit (8), and a measuring body (3) for arrangement on the steering rod (2), which is configured to be movable in a first direction (A) relative to the sensor device (5), wherein the measuring body (3) has a predetermined length in the first direction (A) and has a predetermined thickness or width in a second direction (R), wherein the predetermined thickness continuously varies between a first end (11) of the measuring body (3) in the first direction (A) and a second end (12) of the measuring body (3) in the first direction (A).The device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined thickness has a constant slope over the entire length of the measuring body (3).Apparatus (1) according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the measurement body (3) has a surface (13) which is curved towards the sensor device (5).The device (1) according to claim 3, further comprising an intermediate element (4) arranged in the second direction (R) between the measuring body (3) and the sensor device (5) and having a surface (14) planar towards the sensor device (5).Device (1) according to claim 4, further comprising a spring element (15) for biasing the intermediate element (4) onto the measuring body (3).The device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the sensor device (5) comprises at least one sensor.The device (1) according to claim 6, wherein the at least one sensor is a capacitive sensor or an inductive sensor.Steering unit, in particular a steer-by-wire steering unit, for a vehicle, comprising: a steering rod (2) which is configured to be coupled at each of its axial ends to a wheel of the vehicle, a bearing unit (8) for radially bearing the steering rod (2), an adjusting actuator which is coupled to the steering rod (2) in such a way that a rotational movement of the adjusting actuator causes a translatory movement of the steering rod (2), a device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor device (5) for determining the position of the steering rod (2) is arranged on the bearing unit (8), wherein the measuring body (3) is arranged on the steering rod (2) and is displaceable in a first direction (A) relative to the sensor device (5), and wherein the measuring body (3) has a predetermined length in the first direction (A) and has a predetermined thickness in a second direction (R), wherein the predetermined thickness continuously varies between a first end (11) of the measuring body (3) in the first direction (A) and a second end (12) of the measuring body (3) in the first direction (A).Steering unit according to Claim 8, wherein the bearing unit (8) has a pressure piece (6) and a pressure roller (7), which are arranged so as to guide the steering rod (2) between them opposite one another, wherein the measuring body (3) is arranged on the lateral surface of the steering rod (2) in the second direction (R) facing the pressure piece (6) and the sensor device (5) is arranged in the pressure piece (6).Use of a device (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 7 in a steering unit, in particular a steer-by-wire steering unit, of a vehicle, for determining the position of the steering rod (2), wherein the position of the steering rod (2) is determined on the basis of a distance (d) in the second direction (R) from the measurement body (3) which is detected by the sensor device (5).

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