Steer-by-wire steering system

Abstract

To provide a steer-by-wire type steering system which facilitates automatic electronic control of a vehicle attitude.SOLUTION: A steer-by-wire type steering system includes: a travel monitoring device 64 for monitoring a vehicle travel situation; and an electronic control device 8 for performing switching to a state where operation of a steering wheel 1 is not reflected to control of a steering actuator 2, when a predetermined vehicle travel situation is detected by the travel monitoring device, and automatically controlling a vehicle attitude.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a steer-by-wire steering system that steers the steering wheels in a state where the steering wheel and the steering wheels are mechanically disconnected from each other.

Background Art

[0002] As a steering device that changes the direction of the steering wheels of a vehicle in response to a rotational operation of the steering wheel by a driver, a steer-by-wire type is known (for example, Patent Document 1). The steer-by-wire steering system has a steering sensor that detects the operation amount of the steering wheel and a steering actuator that is provided separately from the steering wheel in a mechanically disconnected manner, and the steering actuator operates in response to the operation amount of the steering wheel detected by the steering sensor to change the direction of the steering wheels.

[0003] This steer-by-wire steering system once converts the operation amount of the steering wheel by the driver into an electric signal and controls the operation of the steering actuator based on the electric signal. Therefore, for example, the amount of change in the direction of the steering wheels when the steering wheel is rotated can be adjusted according to the traveling speed of the vehicle. It is possible to optimize the correspondence relationship between the operation amount of the steering wheel and the operation amount of the steering actuator according to the traveling state of the vehicle, and it is expected to improve the traveling stability and motion performance of the vehicle.

[0004] Generally, in a steer-by-wire steering system of a vehicle, it has a reaction force motor that applies a steering reaction force calculated based on the vehicle speed, the operation amount of the steering wheel, etc. to the steering wheel, and a reaction force controller that controls the reaction force motor. For example, in Patent Document 1, the reaction force controller performs control to correct and increase the magnitude of the steering reaction force generated by the reaction force motor when the direction of the steering wheels reaches the stroke end. As a result, the driver can sense through the steering wheel that the direction of the steering wheels has reached the stroke end.

[0005] Furthermore, in recent years, autonomous driving technology has been developed that involves equipping vehicles with forward-facing cameras, radar devices, and various sensors to monitor driving conditions and electronically control the vehicle according to the detected conditions (for example, Patent Documents 2 and 3). [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-168952 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-172097 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-43365 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] However, in the steer-by-wire steering system described in Patent Document 1, the driver can always rotate the steering wheel. Therefore, when the vehicle's attitude is automatically controlled by an electronic control unit, if the driver operates the steering wheel, the corresponding amount of operation is detected by the steering sensor. It is difficult for the electronic control unit to decide whether or not to prioritize the detected amount of steering wheel operation over automatic control and reflect it in the control of the steering actuator, and if so, how to reflect it. In particular, in sudden driving situations requiring hazard avoidance, such as when the vehicle slips and its attitude becomes unstable, or when it is necessary to avoid obstacles (falling rocks on the road, a person suddenly jumping into the road, etc.), it is necessary to electronically check the vehicle's condition and perform appropriate steering actions rather than relying on human intuition.

[0008] In light of the above-mentioned background, the problem that this invention aims to solve is to provide a steer-by-wire steering system that facilitates the electronic and automatic control of vehicle posture. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To solve the above problems, this invention adopts a configuration 1 for a steer-by-wire steering system for a vehicle, comprising: a steering wheel operated by a driver; a steering sensor for detecting the amount of operation of the steering wheel; and a steering actuator provided mechanically separated from the steering wheel and changing the direction of the steering wheel according to the amount of operation of the steering wheel detected by the steering sensor, wherein the system further comprises: a driving monitoring device for monitoring the vehicle's driving conditions; and an electronic control device that, when the driving monitoring device detects a predetermined vehicle driving condition, switches to a state in which the operation of the steering wheel is not reflected in the control of the steering actuator, thereby automatically controlling the vehicle's attitude.

[0010] According to the above configuration 1, when the driving monitoring device detects that a predetermined vehicle driving condition has been reached where the vehicle attitude should be automatically controlled, the electronic control unit switches to a state where steering wheel operations are not reflected in the control of the steering actuator before automatically controlling the vehicle attitude. As a result, even if the driver operates the steering wheel, it will not affect the automatic control of the steering actuator by the electronic control unit. This makes it easier to electronically control the vehicle attitude automatically.

[0011] In the above configuration 1, a steering lock device is further provided that can switch between a locked state that prevents the rotation of the steering wheel and a free state that allows the rotation of the steering wheel, and a configuration 2 can be adopted in which the electronic control unit commands the steering lock device to switch to the locked state when it detects a predetermined vehicle driving condition with the driving monitoring device, and then automatically controls the vehicle attitude after this command.

[0012] According to the above configuration 2, when the driving monitoring device detects that a predetermined vehicle driving condition has been reached in which the vehicle's posture should be automatically controlled, the steering lock device, having received a command from the electronic control unit, switches to the locked state. From this point onward, the driver's operation of the steering wheel is prevented, thus reliably eliminating the amount of steering wheel operation from the steering sensor and switching to a state where steering wheel operation is not reflected in the control of the steering actuator. Furthermore, since the steering lock device prevents the rotation of the steering wheel when the vehicle driving condition is predetermined in which the vehicle's posture should be automatically controlled, the timing of the switch between the automatic steering control of the electronic control unit and the steering control based on the driver's steering wheel operation can be clearly communicated to the driver by whether or not they can turn the steering wheel. In addition, even if the driver uses the steering wheel to support their body when the vehicle's posture is unstable, the steering lock device prevents the steering wheel from rotating, so there is no risk of losing balance, and the driver can be prevented from being injured.

[0013] In the above configuration 2, it is preferable to adopt configuration 3, in which the electronic control unit commands the transition to the locked state and then, upon detecting the completion of this transition, starts automatic control of the vehicle's attitude.

[0014] According to configuration 3 described above, the electronic control unit starts automatic control of the vehicle's attitude only after the stroke position of the steering wheel direction is determined when the driver's operation of the steering wheel is blocked by the steering lock device. Therefore, the stroke position at the start of this control can be clearly identified by the electronic control unit.

[0015] In the above configuration 2 or 3, it is preferable to adopt configuration 4, in which the steering lock device comprises a shaft that rotates integrally with the steering wheel, a fixed member fixed so as not to rotate, an inner member connected to one of the shaft and the fixed member, an outer ring connected to the other of the shaft and the fixed member and surrounding the inner member, an engaging element positioned between the inner member and the inner circumference of the outer ring, a retainer supported to be circumferentially movable between an engagement position that holds the engaging element and engages the engaging element between the inner member and the inner circumference of the outer ring, and an engagement release position that releases the engagement of the engaging element between the inner member and the inner circumference of the outer ring, an armature supported to be axially movable, an electromagnet that attracts the armature and moves it in the axial direction by energizing, and an operation conversion mechanism that moves the retainer circumferentially from one of the engagement position and the engagement release position to the other in accordance with the movement of the armature.

[0016] According to the above configuration 4, a steering lock device is employed that can prevent the rotation of the steering wheel at any angular position based on the energization control of the electromagnet. Therefore, the electronic control unit can command the transition to the locked state at any time, regardless of the rotational position of the steering wheel.

[0017] In the above configuration 4, it is preferable to adopt a configuration 5 in which the electronic control unit detects the transition of the steering lock device to the locked state based on at least the current, which is one of the currents flowing through the electromagnet and the torque on the shaft that rotates integrally with the steering wheel.

[0018] According to the above configuration 5, it is possible to determine whether the steering lock device has transitioned to the locked state based on the magnitude of the current flowing through the electromagnet when switching between the locked and free states. Furthermore, when monitoring torque, it is possible to determine whether the steering wheel has transitioned to the locked state where rotation is prevented by the engagement of the engaging element, based on the magnitude of the torque when the rotation of the steering wheel is prevented by the engaging element after transitioning to the locked state.

[0019] In the above-described Configuration 1, when the electronic control device detects a predetermined vehicle driving situation with the driving monitoring device, it is possible to adopt Configuration 6 in which the operation amount of the steering wheel detected by the steering sensor is ignored and the state is shifted to a state where the operation amount of the steering wheel is ignored.

[0020] According to the above-described Configuration 6, it is possible to switch to a state where the operation of the steering wheel is not reflected in the control of the steering actuator without requiring mechanical rotation prevention of the steering wheel such as a steering lock device. [[ID=⑦]]

[0021] [[ID=⑧]] [[ID=⑨]]

[0022]

Effect of the Invention

[0023] As described above, by adopting the above-described Configuration 1, the present invention can be a steer-by-wire type steering system that can easily electronically automatically control the vehicle posture.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0024] [Figure 1] ​​Figure schematically showing a steer-by-wire steering system according to a first embodiment as an example of the present invention [Figure 2] Plan view of a vehicle equipped with the steer-by-wire steering system of FIG. 1 [Figure 3] Cross-sectional view near the steering lock device of FIG. 1 [Figure 4] Figure showing an enlarged view of the vicinity of the operation conversion mechanism of FIG. 3 [Figure 5] Cross-sectional view taken along the line V-V of FIG. 3 [Figure 6] Enlarged view near the engaging element of FIG. 5 [Figure 7] Figure showing the state where the retainer of FIG. 6 has moved to the engaging position [Figure 8] Flowchart showing an example of automatic control of a vehicle by the electronic control unit of FIG. 1 [Figure 9] Flowchart showing another example of automatic control of a vehicle by the electronic control unit of FIG. 1 [Figure 10] Flowchart showing an example of automatic control of a vehicle by the electronic control unit of a steer-by-wire steering system according to a second embodiment of the present invention

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0025] The steer-by-wire steering system according to the first embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 1 converts the operation amount of the steering wheel 1 by a driver (not shown) of the vehicle 100 illustrated in FIG. 2 into an electric signal, and controls the steering actuator 2 based on the electric signal, thereby changing the directions of the pair of left and right steering wheels 3 of the vehicle.

[0026] <( This steer-by-wire steering system comprises a steering wheel 1 rotated by the driver, a steering shaft 4 directly connected to the steering wheel 1, a steering sensor 5 that detects the amount of steering wheel 1 operated, a reaction motor 6 that provides steering reaction force to the steering wheel 1, a steering lock device 7 attached to the reaction motor 6, a steering actuator 2 mechanically disconnected from the steering wheel 1, and an electronic control device 8 that controls the steering actuator 2 and the like.

[0027] The steering shaft 4 is connected to the steering wheel 1 so as to rotate together with the steering wheel 1 when the steering wheel 1 is rotated.

[0028] The steering sensor 5 is attached to the steering shaft 4. The steering sensor 5 is, for example, a rotation sensor that detects the rotational angle position corresponding to the rotational position of the steering wheel 1.

[0029] The reaction motor 6 is an electric motor that generates rotational torque when energized. The reaction motor 6 is connected to the end of the steering shaft 4. By inputting rotational torque to the steering shaft 4, the reaction motor 6 applies a steering reaction force to the steering wheel 1 via the steering shaft 4.

[0030] The steering actuator 2 comprises a steering shaft 10, a steering shaft housing 11, a steering motor 12 for moving the steering shaft 10 in the left-right direction of the vehicle, and a steering sensor 13 for detecting the position of the steering shaft 10. The steering shaft 10 is supported by the steering shaft housing 11 so as to be movable in the left-right direction of the vehicle. The steering shaft housing 11 accommodates the central part of the steering shaft 10 such that both the left and right ends of the steering shaft 10 protrude from the steering shaft housing 11.

[0031] The steering motor 12 and steering sensor 13 are mounted on the steering shaft housing 11. Between the steering motor 12 and the steering shaft 10, a motion conversion mechanism (not shown) is incorporated to convert the rotation output by the steering motor 12 into linear motion of the steering shaft 10. Both the left and right ends of the steering shaft 10 are connected to a pair of left and right steering wheels 3 via tie rods 14, so that when the steering shaft 10 moves axially, the orientation of the pair of left and right steering wheels 3 changes in conjunction with it.

[0032] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the reaction motor 6 has a motor shaft 15 and a motor body 16 that applies rotational torque to the motor shaft 15. The motor body 16 consists of a cylindrical casing and an annular stator (not shown) housed in this casing. The motor body 16 is fixed to a stationary part on the vehicle body side within its casing and is always in a constant positional relationship with respect to the steering wheel 1 installed in the driver's cab and the steering shaft 4 directly connected thereto.

[0033] As shown in Figure 3, the motor shaft 15 has a portion that protrudes axially from the motor body 16 to one side (upper side in the figure) and a portion that protrudes axially from the motor body 16 to the other side (lower side in the figure). The lower end of the steering shaft 4 is coaxially connected to the upper portion of the motor shaft 15 in the figure, and the steering lock device 7 is coaxially connected to the lower portion of the motor shaft 15 in the figure. The steering shaft 4 and the motor shaft 15 constitute a transmission system that can rotate integrally with the steering wheel 1.

[0034] The steering lock device 7 shown in Figure 1 is mounted coaxially with the motor shaft 15, which acts as a shaft. When power is supplied to the steering lock device 7, it enters a locked state that prevents the rotation of the steering wheel 1, and when the power is cut off, it enters a free state that allows the rotation of the steering wheel 1. Based on this power supply control, the rotation of the steering wheel 1 can be prevented at any angle.

[0035] Specifically, as shown in Figures 3 to 5, the steering lock device 7 includes an inner member 21 mounted on the outer circumference of the motor shaft 15, an outer ring 22 surrounding the inner member 21, a brake case 23 as a fixing member fixed so as not to rotate relative to the outer ring 22 and the motor body 16, an engaging element 26 positioned between a cam surface 24 formed on the outer circumference of the inner member 21 and a cylindrical surface 25 formed on the inner circumference of the outer ring 22, a retainer 27 holding these engaging elements 26, an armature 28 supported so as to be movable in the axial direction, an electromagnet 29 that attracts the armature 28 and moves it in the axial direction when energized, and an action conversion mechanism 30 that moves the retainer 27 in the circumferential direction in accordance with the movement of the armature 28.

[0036] The inner member 21 is spline-fitted to the outer circumference of the motor shaft 15 so that it can rotate integrally with the motor shaft 15.

[0037] The outer ring 22 is fitted into the brake case 23. The brake case 23 is a cylindrical member that houses all the components of the steering lock device 7 (inner member 21, engaging element 26, retainer 27, armature 28, electromagnet 29, etc.). A flange portion extending radially outward is formed at one axial end of the brake case 23, and it is fixed to the axial end face of the casing of the motor body 16 with bolts (not shown) at this flange portion.

[0038] The outer ring 22 is prevented from coming off the brake case 23 by a retaining ring 31 mounted on the inner circumference of the brake case 23. As shown in Figure 5, a common key member 34 is fitted into a keyway 32 formed on the inner circumference of the brake case 23 and a keyway 33 formed on the outer circumference of the outer ring 22, and this key member 34 fixes the outer ring 22 in place so that it does not rotate.

[0039] As shown in Figure 3, a bearing 35 is positioned between the inner circumference of the outer ring 22 and the inner member 21, which rotatably supports the inner member 21 relative to the outer ring 22.

[0040] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, multiple cam surfaces 24 are formed on the outer circumference of the inner member 21. The cam surfaces 24 are radially opposite to the cylindrical surface 25 of the outer ring 22. Between each cam surface 24 and the cylindrical surface 25, a wedge space is formed that gradually narrows from the circumferential center to both ends in the circumferential direction.

[0041] The retainer 27 has multiple pockets 36 that penetrate radially and are spaced apart in the circumferential direction. Each pocket 36 houses an engaging element 26. A roller is used as the engaging element 26. The retainer 27 is supported so as to be circumferentially movable with respect to the inner member 21, between an engagement position in which the engaging element 26 is engaged between the cam surface 24 and the cylindrical surface 25 by moving the engaging element 26 circumferentially from the circumferential center of the cam surface 24, and an engagement release position in which the engaging element 26 is released from the cam surface 24 and the cylindrical surface 25 by moving the engaging element 26 to the circumferential center of the cam surface 24.

[0042] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the armature 28 is supported on the outer circumference of the inner member 21 so as to be movable in the axial direction. The armature 28 is a disc-shaped member made of a magnetic material (such as iron or silicon steel).

[0043] The electromagnet 29 is positioned opposite the armature 28 in the axial direction. The electromagnet 29 is fixed to the brake case 23 so as not to move in either the axial or circumferential direction. A separation spring 37 is positioned between the armature 28 and the electromagnet 29 to bias the armature 28 away from the electromagnet 29.

[0044] The electromagnet 29 has an annular field core 38 with a C-shaped cross-section that opens axially toward the armature 28, and a solenoid coil 39 wound around the field core 38. When current is supplied to the solenoid coil 39, a magnetic circuit is formed through the field core 38 and the armature 28, and the armature 28 is attracted to the field core 38. The brake case 23 has a through hole for passing lead wires 40 that supply power to the solenoid coil 39. A rubber grommet 41 is fitted into this through hole.

[0045] As shown in Figure 4, the motion conversion mechanism 30 includes a plate 42 that is fixed to the armature 28 and fixed to the retainer 27 in a state that allows relative movement in the axial direction with respect to the armature 28, and a centering spring 43 that elastically holds the retainer 27 in the disengaged position.

[0046] The outer circumference of the plate 42 is formed with engaging projections 45 that engage with engaging recesses 44 formed in the retainer 27. The plate 42 is prevented from rotating by the retainer 27 by the engagement of these engaging projections 45 and engaging recesses 44, so as to move circumferentially together with the retainer 27. The plate 42 also has projections 46 that extend axially toward the armature 28. The armature 28 has holes 47 into which the projections 46 of the plate 42 are slidably inserted axially. The plate 42 is prevented from rotating by the armature 28 by the engagement of these projections 46 and holes 47, so as to move circumferentially together with the armature 28, while being able to move axially relative to the armature 28.

[0047] As shown in Figure 5, the centering spring 43 consists of a C-shaped annular portion 48 made by winding steel wire in a C shape, and a pair of extension portions 49 that extend radially outward from both ends of the C-shaped annular portion 48. The C-shaped annular portion 48 is fitted into a circular spring housing recess 50 formed on one axial end face of the inner member 21. The pair of extension portions 49 are inserted into radial grooves 51 formed on the axial end face of the inner member 21 so as to penetrate radially outward from the spring housing recess 50.

[0048] The extension portion 49 of the centering spring 43 protrudes from the radial outer end of the radial groove 51 of the inner member 21, and this protruding portion is inserted into a notch 52 formed in the retainer 27. The radial groove 51 and the notch 52 are formed to have the same circumferential width. The extension portion 49 of the centering spring 43 contacts the inner surface of the radial groove 51 of the inner member 21 and the inner surface of the notch 52 of the retainer 27, respectively, and the circumferential force acting on the contact portion elastically holds the retainer 27 in the disengaged position.

[0049] In the steering lock device 7 shown in Figures 3 to 5, the free state that allows rotation of the inner member 21 corresponds to the state in which the electromagnet 29 is not energized. That is, when the electromagnet 29 is not energized, the armature 28 separates from the electromagnet 29 by the biasing force of the separation spring 37, and the armature 28 becomes able to rotate freely relative to the electromagnet 29. At this time, the retainer 27 is held in the disengaged position by the elastic restoring force of the centering spring 43, so that no matter whether the inner member 21 is rotated in forward or reverse direction, the engaging element 26 does not engage between the cam surface 24 of the inner member 21 and the cylindrical surface 25 of the outer ring 22, and the inner member 21 and the motor shaft 15 can rotate freely in both forward and reverse directions relative to the outer ring 22.

[0050] On the other hand, in the steering lock device 7, the locked state that prevents the rotation of the inner member 21 corresponds to the state in which the electromagnet 29 is energized and the armature 28 is attracted. That is, when the electromagnet 29 is energized, the armature 28 is attracted to the electromagnet 29 and the armature 28 is in frictional contact with the electromagnet 29. At this time, when the inner member 21 is rotated, the armature 28, which is in frictional contact with the electromagnet 29, is prevented from rotating by the retainer 27 via the plate 42, so the rotation of the retainer 27 is restricted, and the inner member 21 rotates relative to the retainer 27. As a result, the retainer 27 moves from the disengaged position to the engaged position against the elastic force of the centering spring 43, and the engaging element 26 engages between the cam surface 24 of the inner member 21 and the cylindrical surface 25 of the outer ring 22, thereby preventing the rotation of the inner member 21, and consequently preventing the rotation of the motor shaft 15, steering shaft 4, and steering wheel 1, which are integrated with the inner member 21.

[0051] Thus, in this steering lock device 7, as shown in Figure 6, there is play such as a gap set between the pocket 36 of the retainer 27 and the engaging element 26, and a gap required to achieve a free state between the wedge space formed by the cam surface 24 and the cylindrical surface 25 and the engaging element 26. Therefore, as the inner member 21 (motor shaft, steering shaft, steering wheel) rotates further after switching to the locked state, the retainer 27 and engaging element 26, which are in the disengaged position shown in Figure 6, move circumferentially by the aforementioned play amount α to the engaged position shown in Figure 7, until the engaging element 26 engages between the cam surface 24 and the cylindrical surface 25, that is, until the rotation of the inner member 21 is prevented, the inner member 21 rotates freely relative to the outer ring 22. This free rotation causes the steering shaft 4 and steering wheel 1 shown in Figure 1 to rotate. Note that Figures 6 and 7 illustrate the case where the inner member 21 rotates to the left in the locked state, but the same free rotation due to play occurs when rotating to the right, only in the opposite direction.

[0052] The electronic control unit 8 shown in Figure 1 is electrically connected to each of the controlled objects under its control, which are mounted on the vehicle 100 shown in Figures 1 and 2, and electronically determines the control content to control the controlled objects under its control.

[0053] The electronic control unit 8 includes a steering control unit 8a that commands the steering system of the vehicle 100, and a vehicle control unit 8b that commands the drive system, braking system, steering control unit 8a, and other equipment of the vehicle 100.

[0054] The steering control unit 8a is electrically connected to the steering sensor 5, reaction force motor 6, steering lock device 7, steering actuator 2, steering sensor 13, torque sensor 61, and vehicle control unit 8b. The vehicle control unit 8b is electrically connected to the brake force generating device 62, drive device 63, driving monitoring device 64, and brake 65.

[0055] The torque sensor 61 detects the torque on the shaft (inner member 21) that rotates integrally with the steering wheel 1. The torque sensor 61 outputs the detected torque value to the steering control unit 8a. The torque sensor 61 may also detect the torque on the motor shaft 15 or the steering shaft 4.

[0056] The brake force generating device 62 supplies braking force to the brake 65. The brake 65 brakes the steering wheel 3 by frictional contact with the steering wheel 3 side using the supplied braking force. The brake force generating device 62 adjusts the braking force or stops supplying braking force according to commands from the vehicle control unit 8b.

[0057] The drive unit 63 drives the steering wheels 3 of the vehicle 100. The drive unit 63 has a drive source such as an engine or an electric motor, and a transmission system that changes the speed of the output rotation of the drive source and outputs it to the steering wheels 3. The drive unit 63 adjusts the driving force according to commands from the vehicle control unit 8b, or stops driving the steering wheels 3 by stopping the drive source, cutting off the driving force, etc.

[0058] The driving monitoring device 64 monitors the driving status (vehicle driving conditions) of the vehicle 100 and outputs the detection results of the driving conditions to the vehicle control unit 8b. The driving monitoring device 64 has sensors such as a camera 64a, an acceleration sensor 64b, a radar 64c, and a vehicle speed sensor 64d, and detects the vehicle driving conditions based on the detection results of one or more sensors.

[0059] Camera 64a captures images of the area in front of the vehicle 100. Camera 64a is, for example, a digital camera having a solid-state image sensor. One or more cameras 64a are mounted on any location on the vehicle 100, such as the top of the front windshield or the rearview mirror. Camera 64a captures images of the area in front of the vehicle 100, for example, repeatedly and periodically. Camera 64a may be a stereo camera.

[0060] The acceleration sensor 64b detects the acceleration of the vehicle 100 in the longitudinal, lateral, and vertical directions. The vehicle speed sensor 64d detects the vehicle speed of the vehicle 100.

[0061] The radar 64c emits millimeter-wave or other radio waves in front of the vehicle 100 and detects the position (distance and direction) of an object by detecting the radio waves reflected by the object. One or more radars 64c can be mounted at any location on the vehicle 100, such as inside the front bumper. It is also possible to use a laser radar as the radar 64c, and when multiple radars are installed, radars with different detection principles, such as radio wave radar and laser radar, may be used in combination.

[0062] The driving monitoring device 64 recognizes the position, type, speed, etc., of objects in front of or around the vehicle 100 based on the image captured by the camera 64a. The driving monitoring device 64 also detects objects in front of the vehicle 100 and objects moving in front of the vehicle 100 based on at least one of the recognition results from the image captured by the camera 64a and the detection results from the radar 64c, and detects the type, position, and speed of those objects. The driving monitoring device 64 also uses at least one of the recognition results from the image captured by the camera 64a and the detection results from the radar 64c to detect the position of road shoulders, road signs, lane markers such as white lines indicating driving lines.

[0063] Furthermore, the driving monitoring device 64 detects the attitude (vehicle attitude) of the vehicle 100 using at least one of the recognition results of the image captured by the camera 64a and the detection results of the acceleration sensor 64b. Furthermore, the driving monitoring device 64 detects impacts to the vehicle 100 using at least one of the recognition results of the image captured by the camera 64a and the detection results of the acceleration sensor 64b. The driving monitoring device 64 outputs these detection results to the vehicle control unit 8b. Furthermore, the driving monitoring device 64 stores predetermined detection results, including impact detection, as history information.

[0064] Based on the detection results input from the driving monitoring device 64, the vehicle control unit 8b determines whether or not a predetermined vehicle driving condition has been detected by the driving monitoring device 64 while the vehicle 100 is driving. If detected, it commands the steering control unit 8a to switch the steering lock device 7 to the locked state. When the vehicle control unit 8b detects that the steering control unit 8a has completed the transition to the locked state, it determines the content of the automatic control of the vehicle attitude according to the vehicle driving condition at that time and outputs a command to the corresponding control target to realize that control content. The predetermined vehicle driving conditions are set to be a driving condition in which the vehicle attitude has become unstable and a driving condition in which an obstacle has appeared in front of the vehicle. The content of the automatic control of the vehicle attitude is set to stabilize the vehicle attitude and to avoid the obstacle.

[0065] Furthermore, the vehicle control unit 8b determines, based on predetermined conditions, whether or not to perform automatic stopping control after automatic control of the vehicle's attitude, and then automatically controls the steering wheel 1 and the steering actuator 2 to synchronize their phases after the automatic stopping. The predetermined conditions include whether or not the driving monitoring device 64 detected an impact during the automatic control of the vehicle's attitude. The content of the automatic stopping control is set to stop on the shoulder of the road. In addition, the vehicle 100 may appropriately activate its turn signals, hazard lights, and parking brake during the automatic stopping control.

[0066] Furthermore, after the vehicle 100 has stopped on the roadside, the vehicle control unit 8b instructs the communication device installed on the vehicle 100 to notify a designated contact. The designated contact may be, for example, a call center, police, fire department, etc., arbitrarily set by the driver. The means of communication may be telephone using the mobile phone network, email, etc. The content of the notification may include, for example, that the vehicle 100 is in an emergency, information indicating the location of the vehicle 100, and information about the owner and driver of the vehicle 100.

[0067] The steering control unit 8a appropriately controls the steering lock device 7, the steering motor 12 of the steering actuator 2, and the reaction force motor 6 to implement commands from the vehicle control unit 8b.

[0068] Furthermore, if the vehicle control unit 8b does not perform automatic steering of the vehicle 100 and allows steering by the driver's operation of the steering wheel 1, the steering control unit 8a operates the steering motor 12 according to the amount of steering (rotation angle position, etc.) of the steering wheel 1 detected by the steering sensor 5, and controls the direction of the left and right pair of steering wheels 3, and also operates the reaction force motor 6 so that a steering reaction force of a magnitude corresponding to the amount of steering wheel 1 is operated and the vehicle driving conditions is generated.

[0069] Furthermore, if the vehicle control unit 8b does not perform automatic steering of the vehicle 100 and allows steering by the driver's operation of the steering wheel 1, the steering control unit 8a determines whether the direction of the steering wheel 3 has reached the stroke end based on the position of the steering axis 10 detected by the steering sensor 13. When it is determined that the direction of the steering wheel 3 has not reached the stroke end, the steering control unit 8a holds the steering lock device 7 in the free state. On the other hand, when it is determined that the direction of the steering wheel 3 has reached the stroke end, the steering control unit 8a switches the steering lock device 7 to the locked state. In addition, if it is possible to maintain a state in which the phase of the steering wheel 1 and the steering actuator are aligned, it is also possible for the steering control unit 8a to monitor the rotational position of the steering wheel 1 detected by the steering sensor 5 and perform control to switch the steering lock device 7 to the locked or free state according to that rotational position.

[0070] The steering control unit 8a detects whether the steering lock device 7 has completed its transition to the locked state. This detection is performed by monitoring at least the current of the electromagnet 29 (see Figures 3 and 4; the same applies hereinafter) and the torque on the shaft that rotates integrally with the steering wheel 1. For example, the current value flowing through the electromagnet 29 can be determined by a threshold value, and it can be determined that the steering wheel is in a locked state when it is above the threshold value and in a free state when it is below the threshold value. In addition, it can be determined that the steering wheel 1 has transitioned to a locked state in which its rotation is blocked when the torque detected by the torque sensor 61 rises sharply (i.e., when the engaging element 26 engages between the cylindrical surface 25 and the cam surface 24, preventing the integral rotation of the inner member 21, motor shaft 15, steering shaft 4 and steering wheel 1 (see Figures 3, 4, and 7; the same applies hereinafter)).

[0071] The electronic control device 8 described above consists of hardware resources such as an information processing unit, an information storage device, and a communication device mounted on the vehicle 100, and software resources executed by the hardware resources. The information storage device stores the software resources necessary for the information processing unit to calculate and determine the vehicle attitude control content, as well as predetermined initial information.

[0072] Furthermore, the driving monitoring device 64 has hardware resources such as an information processing unit and an information storage device mounted on the vehicle 100, and software resources executed by the hardware resources. The information processing unit stores the software resources necessary for detecting driving conditions such as image recognition and radar detection, as well as predetermined initial information, in the information storage device.

[0073] The driving monitoring device 64 and the electronic control unit 8 may be implemented by a single processor or by distributed processors. In the latter case, the driving monitoring device 64 and the electronic control unit 8 may each be configured as one or more ECUs (Electronic Control Units). The writing process for storing the aforementioned initial information in the electronic control unit 8 and the driving monitoring device 64 may be performed at an appropriate time, such as during the assembly of the steer-by-wire steering system or during system configuration.

[0074] Figure 8 shows an example of automatic control of vehicle attitude by the electronic control unit 8.

[0075] The electronic control unit 8 starts the control actions shown in Figure 8 when a situation arises in which the steering wheel 1 may rotate and the steering wheels 3 may change direction, or when such a situation has occurred. The situation that triggers this start can be based on appropriate switch operations such as starting the vehicle 100 (turning the driver's key ON), starting the steer-by-wire steering system, or situation detection. At the time of start, the electronic control unit 8 is in a manual driving mode that allows the driver to operate the steering wheel 1, the accelerator, the brakes, etc.

[0076] The vehicle control unit 8b of the electronic control unit 8 monitors the vehicle driving conditions detected by the driving monitoring device 64 after the start (step S1), and determines whether the vehicle posture detected by the driving monitoring device 64 is unstable or not (step S2). If it is determined that the vehicle posture is stable, the electronic control unit 8 maintains the manual driving mode and returns to step S1. On the other hand, if it is determined that the vehicle posture has become unstable, the vehicle control unit 8b commands the steering control unit 8a to switch the steering lock device 7 to the locked state (step S3).

[0077] Upon receiving the command in step S3, the steering control unit 8a performs control to switch the steering lock device 7 to the locked state, and when it detects that the transition to the locked state is complete, it returns a response to the vehicle control unit 8b indicating that the transition to the locked state is complete (step S4).

[0078] Upon receiving the response in step S4, the vehicle control unit 8b determines the control content, such as steering angle and braking force, to stabilize the vehicle's attitude, and commands the steering control unit 8a to set the steering angle, the braking force generator 62 to set the braking force, and the drive unit 63 to set an output value according to the control content (step S5). The controlled object that receives the command then executes the commanded content.

[0079] For example, upon receiving the command in step S5, the steering control unit 8a drives the steering motor 12 so that the steering angle of the steering wheel 3 becomes the commanded angle. At this time, since the steering lock device 7 is in the locked state, even if the driver tries to rotate the steering wheel 1, the rotation is prevented by the steering lock device 7, thus preventing the detection result of the steering sensor 5 from changing due to the driver's steering wheel operation. As a result, the driver's steering wheel operation is not reflected in the steering control unit 8a and the vehicle control unit 8b, and the steering control unit 8a and the vehicle control unit 8b can calculate the steering angle control content using the stroke position detected by the steering sensor 13 (or the stroke position corresponding to the rotation angle position of the steering wheel 1 detected by the steering sensor 5) as the starting position for steering angle control. Therefore, compared to the case where the detection result of the steering sensor 5 due to the driver's steering wheel operation is continuously input to the steering control unit 8a, complex control calculations to invalidate the detection result are unnecessary, and it is also unnecessary to control the reaction force motor 6 according to the detection result, thus simplifying the control commands of the electronic control unit 8.

[0080] After the command in step S5, the vehicle control unit 8b determines whether the vehicle posture detected by the driving monitoring device 64 has stabilized (step S6). If it determines that the vehicle posture is not stable, the vehicle control unit 8b repeats steps S5 and S6 until it determines that the vehicle posture has stabilized. On the other hand, if it determines that the vehicle posture has stabilized, the vehicle control unit 8b determines whether the driving monitoring device 64 detected an impact during the automatic control of the vehicle posture (step S7). This can be determined by checking whether the history information of the driving monitoring device 64 records the detection of an impact during the period from step S5 to step S7.

[0081] When the vehicle control unit 8b determines that an impact has been detected in step S7, it performs automatic stopping control to bring the vehicle 100 to a stop on the shoulder of the road (step S8). Here, the vehicle control unit 8b sets the stopping position of the vehicle 100 by referring to the position of the shoulder of the road, the vehicle speed, etc. detected by the driving monitoring device 64, determines the control contents such as steering angle and braking force to stop at that position, and commands the steering control unit 8a to set the steering angle, commands the braking force generating device 62 to set the braking force, and commands the drive device 63 to set the output value according to the control contents. The controlled object that receives the command then executes the commanded contents.

[0082] The vehicle control unit 8b determines whether the vehicle 100 has stopped on the shoulder of the road after step S8 (step S9). Here, the vehicle control unit 8b repeats steps S8 and S9 until it determines that the vehicle 100 has stopped on the shoulder of the road. On the other hand, when it determines that the vehicle 100 has stopped on the shoulder of the road, the vehicle control unit 8b instructs the communication device (not shown) mounted on the vehicle 100 to contact the call center (step S10).

[0083] After step S10 is completed, the vehicle control unit 8b commands the steering control unit 8a to synchronize the phases of the steering wheel 1 and the steering actuator 2 (step S11). Upon receiving this command, the steering control unit 8a drives the reaction motor 6 until the stroke position detected by the steering sensor 13 matches the rotation angle position of the steering wheel 1 detected by the steering sensor 5.

[0084] If the vehicle control unit 8b has not detected an impact after step S11 or in step S7, it returns to manual operation mode (step S12) and returns to step S1.

[0085] Next, Figure 9 shows another example of automatic vehicle attitude control by the electronic control unit 8. Note that here, we will focus on explaining the differences from the example in Figure 8, and will omit explanations of content similar to that in Figure 8.

[0086] The vehicle control unit 8b of the electronic control unit 8 monitors the vehicle driving conditions detected by the driving monitoring device 64 after the start (step S21), and determines whether or not the driving monitoring device 64 has detected an obstacle that should be avoided (step S22). Here, the obstacles to be avoided are, for example, obstacles located in front of the vehicle 100, a person suddenly jumping out in front of the vehicle 100, falling rocks, etc.

[0087] If the vehicle control unit 8b determines in step S22 that it has not detected an obstacle, it maintains the manual driving mode and returns to step S21. On the other hand, if it determines that it has detected an obstacle, the vehicle control unit 8b commands the steering control unit 8a to switch the steering lock device 7 to the locked state (step S23).

[0088] Upon receiving the command in step S23, the steering control unit 8a performs control to switch the steering lock device 7 to the locked state, detects the completion of this transition to the locked state, and returns a response indicating the completion of this transition to the vehicle control unit 8b (step S24).

[0089] Upon receiving the response in step S24, the vehicle control unit 8b determines the control content, such as steering angle and braking force, to avoid the obstacle, and commands the steering control unit 8a to set the steering angle, the braking force generator 62 to set the braking force, and the drive unit 63 to set the output value according to the control content (step S25). The controlled object that receives the command then executes the commanded content. Here, since the vehicle 100 cannot be controlled to avoid the obstacle unless the vehicle attitude is stable, the steering angle and other parameters required to avoid the obstacle are determined on the premise that the vehicle attitude will be stable.

[0090] After the command in step S25, the vehicle control unit 8b determines whether or not the obstacle has been avoided (step S26). Whether or not the obstacle has been avoided can be determined, for example, by whether or not the driving monitoring device 64 has stopped detecting obstacles, or whether or not the vehicle has completed traveling the avoidance route determined in step S25. When it is determined that the obstacle has been avoided, the vehicle control unit 8b repeats steps S25 and S26 until it is determined that the obstacle has been avoided. On the other hand, when it is determined that the obstacle has been avoided, the vehicle control unit 8b determines whether or not the driving monitoring device 64 has detected an impact during the automatic control of the vehicle's attitude (step S27).

[0091] If it is determined in step S27 that an impact has been detected, the vehicle control unit 8b performs automatic stopping control to bring the vehicle 100 to the side of the road (step S28), determines whether the vehicle 100 has come to a stop on the side of the road after step S28 (step S29), and repeats steps S28 and S29 until it is determined that the vehicle 100 has come to a stop on the side of the road. If it is determined that the vehicle 100 has come to a stop on the side of the road, it commands the call center to be contacted (step S30), commands the steering control unit 8a to synchronize the phase of the steering wheel 1 and the steering actuator 2 (step S31), and after the execution of step S31 or if no impact was detected in step S27, it returns to manual driving mode (S32) and returns to step S21.

[0092] This steer-by-wire steering system (see Figures 1 to 9 as appropriate below) comprises, as described above, a steering wheel 1 operated by the driver, a steering sensor 5 that detects the amount of operation of the steering wheel 1, and a steering actuator 2 that is mechanically disconnected from the steering wheel 1 and changes the direction of the steering wheels (steering wheels 3) according to the amount of operation of the steering wheel 1. It further comprises a driving monitoring device 64 that monitors the vehicle's driving conditions, and an electronic control device 8 that, when the driving monitoring device 64 detects a predetermined vehicle driving condition, switches to a state where the operation of the steering wheel 1 is not reflected in the control of the steering actuator 2, thereby automatically controlling the vehicle's attitude.

[0093] In this steer-by-wire steering system, when the driving monitoring device 64 detects that a predetermined vehicle driving condition has been reached where the vehicle attitude should be automatically controlled, the electronic control unit 8 switches to a state where the operation of the steering wheel 1 does not reflect in the control of the steering actuator 2 before automatically controlling the vehicle attitude. As a result, the operation of the steering wheel 1 does not affect the automatic control of the steering actuator 2 by the electronic control unit 8, thereby making it easier to electronically control the vehicle attitude automatically.

[0094] Furthermore, this steer-by-wire steering system is further equipped with a steering lock device 7 that can switch between a locked state that prevents the rotation of the steering wheel 1 and a free state that allows the rotation of the steering wheel 1. When the electronic control unit 8 detects a predetermined vehicle driving condition with the driving monitoring device 64, it commands the steering lock device 7 to switch to the locked state, and after this command, it automatically controls the vehicle attitude. As a result, when the driving monitoring device 64 detects that the vehicle driving condition has reached a predetermined state where the vehicle attitude should be automatically controlled, the steering lock device 7, having received a command from the electronic control unit 8, switches to the locked state, and from this point onward, the driver's operation of the steering wheel 1 is prevented, thereby reliably eliminating the amount of steering wheel 1 operation from the steering sensor 5 and switching to a state where the operation of the steering wheel 1 is not reflected in the control of the steering actuator 2. Furthermore, since the steering lock device 7 prevents the rotation of the steering wheel 1 when the vehicle's posture should be automatically controlled, the timing of the switch between automatic vehicle posture control by the electronic control device 8 (automatic steering control) and steering control based on the driver's steering wheel operation (manual steering control) can be clearly communicated to the driver by whether or not they can turn the steering wheel 1. In addition, even if the driver uses the steering wheel 1 to support their body when the vehicle's posture is unstable, the steering lock device 7 prevents the steering wheel 1 from rotating, so there is no risk of losing balance, and the driver can be prevented from being injured.

[0095] Furthermore, after the electronic control unit 8 commands a transition to the locked state, it starts automatic vehicle attitude control when it detects the completion of this transition. This ensures that the electronic control unit 8 starts automatic vehicle attitude control only after the stroke position of the steering wheel 3 is determined when the driver's operation of the steering wheel 1 is blocked by the steering lock device. Therefore, this steer-by-wire steering system allows the electronic control unit 8 to clearly identify the stroke position at which automatic vehicle attitude control begins.

[0096] Furthermore, the steering lock device 7 includes a shaft (motor shaft 15) that rotates integrally with the steering wheel 1, a fixed member (brake case 23) that is fixed so as not to rotate, an inner member 21 connected to one of the shaft (motor shaft 15) and the fixed member (brake case 23), an outer ring 22 connected to the other of the shaft (motor shaft 15) and the fixed member (brake case 23) and surrounding the inner member 21, an engaging element 26 positioned between the inner member 21 and the inner circumference of the outer ring 22, and a member that holds the engaging element 26 between the inner member 21 and the inner circumference of the outer ring 22. The steering wheel 1 has a retainer 27 that is circumferentially movable between an engagement position in which the retainer 26 engages and an engagement release position in which the retainer 26 disengages between the inner member 21 and the inner circumference of the outer ring 22, an armature 28 that is axially movable, an electromagnet 29 that attracts the armature 28 and moves it axially by energizing it, and an action conversion mechanism 30 that moves the retainer 27 circumferentially from one of the engagement position and the disengagement position to the other in accordance with the movement of the armature 28. As a result, the rotation of the steering wheel 1 can be blocked at any angular position based on the energization control of the electromagnet 29. For this reason, this steer-by-wire steering system is suitable for responding to sudden predetermined vehicle driving conditions, as the electronic control unit 8 can command the transition to a locked state at any time regardless of the rotation position of the steering wheel 1.

[0097] Furthermore, the electronic control unit 8 monitors at least the current flowing through the electromagnet 29 and the torque on the shaft (inner member 21) that rotates integrally with the steering wheel 1. Based on the magnitude of the current flowing through the electromagnet 29 when the steering lock device 7 switches between the locked and free states, it can determine whether the device has transitioned to the locked state. Also, when monitoring the torque on the shaft (inner member 21), it can determine whether the device has transitioned to the locked state in which the rotation of the steering wheel 1 is blocked by the engagement of the engaging element 26 after the device has transitioned to the locked state.

[0098] Furthermore, the electronic control unit 8 determines, based on predetermined conditions, whether or not to perform automatic stopping control after automatic control of the vehicle's attitude, and automatically controls the steering wheel 1 and the steering actuator 2 to align their phases after the automatic stopping. This allows the electronic control unit 8 to determine, based on predetermined conditions, whether or not there was a situation requiring interruption of driving, such as vehicle damage, during the automatic control of the vehicle's attitude, and to perform an automatic stop to allow the driver to confirm the situation. In addition, there is a possibility that the phases of the steering wheel 1 and the steering actuator 2 may not be aligned at the time of automatic stopping, and driving may be resumed by the driver after confirming the situation after the automatic stopping. However, by automatically aligning the phases of the steering wheel 1 and the steering actuator 2 after the automatic stopping, the electronic control unit 8 enables the driver to appropriately start steering by operating the steering wheel.

[0099] In the first embodiment, a steering lock device 7 was used as a means to switch to a state where the operation of the steering wheel 1 is not reflected in the control of the steering actuator 2. However, it is also possible to switch to a state where the operation of the steering wheel 1 is not reflected in the control of the steering actuator 2 without mechanically preventing the rotation of the steering wheel 1, such as with the steering lock device 7. A second embodiment as an example of this will be described with reference to Figure 10. Figure 10 shows an example of automatic control of vehicle attitude by an electronic control device according to the second embodiment. In the following, we will mainly describe the differences from the first embodiment, and the same reference numerals will be used for common devices (see Figure 1 as appropriate).

[0100] In the second embodiment, the driving monitoring device 64 monitors the vehicle's posture (step S41), and when the driving monitoring device 64 detects that the vehicle's posture has become unstable as a predetermined vehicle driving condition, the electronic control unit 8 switches to a control state that ignores the amount of steering wheel 1 operated by the steering sensor 5 (step S43). In step S43, the electronic control unit 8 switches to a state in which the operation of the steering wheel 1 is not reflected in the control of the steering actuator 2.

[0101] Next, the electronic control unit 8 automatically controls the vehicle to stabilize its posture (steps S44 to S45), then performs an impact detection after the vehicle posture has stabilized (step S46). If no impact is detected, it deactivates the automatic driving function (step S51). If an impact is detected, it performs automatic stopping control (steps S47 to S48), contacts the call center (step S49), performs automatic phase control of the steering wheel 1 and steering actuator 2 (step S50), and then deactivates the automatic driving function (step S51).

[0102] Here, between steps S44 and S51, the steering wheel 1 is in a rotatable state, and when the driver operates the steering wheel 1, the steering sensor 5 detects the amount of operation of the steering wheel 1 and outputs it to the electronic control unit 8. The electronic control unit 8 determines the control content of the steering angle to be commanded to the steering actuator 2 without referring to the amount of operation of the steering wheel 1 from the steering sensor 5. The processing content of steps S41 to S51 other than this is the same as the processing content of the corresponding steps S1 to S12 in the first embodiment, so a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0103] As described above, the steer-by-wire steering system for vehicles according to the second embodiment can switch to a state in which the operation of the steering wheel 1 is not reflected in the control of the steering actuator 2, without requiring a mechanical device such as a steering lock device 7 to prevent the rotation of the steering wheel. For this reason, the steer-by-wire steering system for vehicles according to the second embodiment can also be applied to vehicles that are not equipped with a steering lock device.

[0104] Comparing the first and second embodiments, the first embodiment has more advantages than the second. In other words, in the second embodiment, if the driver operates the steering wheel 1 when the vehicle posture is unstable, the steering wheel 1 is rotated as in normal conditions, so the driver cannot clearly know the moment when the automatic steering control and manual steering control switch. Therefore, when the control system quickly switches to prioritizing the steering amount of the steering wheel 1 from the steering sensor 5 (manual steering control) after the vehicle posture returns to a stable state by the automatic steering control of the electronic control unit 8 (for example, when moving directly from step S43 to step S46 to step S51), it is unclear to the driver at what timing the vehicle posture returns and manual steering control is returned. For this reason, at the moment the control system switches from automatic steering control to manual steering control (step S51), the driver may be making a sudden operation of the steering wheel 1, and this sudden operation may cause the vehicle posture to become unstable again. Moreover, it is difficult to prevent this re-instance of the vehicle posture by electronic control. This is because, when the vehicle's posture is unstable, the driver's operation of the steering wheel 1 is detected by the steering sensor 5 and output to the electronic control unit 8. Therefore, it is difficult from a control perspective to prioritize whether to prioritize or ignore the amount of steering wheel 1 operation detected by the steering sensor 5 when switching from automatic steering control to manual steering control, making it difficult to realize electronic control that smoothly transitions from automatic steering control to manual steering control without causing further disruption of the vehicle's posture. In addition, if the driver uses the steering wheel 1 to support their body when the vehicle's posture is unstable, the steering wheel 1 may rotate, causing the driver's upper body posture to become unstable, potentially twisting their arms or wrists and injuring their joints. On the other hand, in the first embodiment, depending on the switching between the locked and free states of the steering lock device 7, the rotation of the steering wheel 1 is prevented when the vehicle's posture is unstable, clearly informing the driver that the system has switched to automatic steering control, and that when the rotation prevention of the steering wheel 1 is released, the system will return to manual steering control.Furthermore, when the vehicle's posture is unstable, the steering lock device 7 prevents the steering wheel 1 from rotating, so even if the driver uses the steering wheel 1 for body support, there is no risk of the driver losing their balance. Therefore, the first embodiment is superior to the second embodiment in that it can reliably eliminate the influence of steering wheel 1 operation and clearly communicate to the driver the timing of returning to manual steering control, thereby eliminating factors that disrupt the vehicle's posture and preventing injuries to the driver due to losing their balance.

[0105] In the embodiments described above, a vehicle 100 having a pair of left and right steering wheels 3 was used as an example, but this invention can be applied to steer-by-wire steering systems for vehicles such as construction machinery, agricultural machinery, all-terrain vehicles, and multi-purpose four-wheeled vehicles.

[0106] Furthermore, although each embodiment shows an example in which the steering lock device 7 is positioned on the side opposite to the steering wheel 1 relative to the reaction force motor 6, this invention can also be applied when the steering lock device is positioned between the reaction force motor and the steering wheel.

[0107] Furthermore, while each embodiment illustrates a case where the steering lock device 7 is connected to the motor shaft 15 of the reaction motor 6, this invention can also be applied to a steer-by-wire steering system that does not have a reaction motor. In this case, the steering lock device can be connected to any shaft belonging to the axial system that always rotates integrally with the steering wheel 1.

[0108] Furthermore, in each embodiment, a brake case 23 is used as the fixing member of the steering lock device 7. However, in this invention, the outer ring and the brake case are made of a single, seamless case member, and a fixing member separate from the case member is made of a stationary member on the body side of the vehicle or the like.

[0109] Furthermore, in this invention, the rotational position and rotational speed of the steering wheel 1 can be detected by detecting the rotational position corresponding to the rotational position of the steering wheel 1 and the rotational speed corresponding to the rotational speed of the steering wheel 1, and converting them as appropriate as necessary. When detecting the rotational angle position and angular velocity as in each embodiment, the rotational angle position and angular velocity at any position in the axial system that rotates integrally with the steering wheel 1 always coincide with the rotational angle position and angular velocity of the steering wheel 1. Therefore, the rotational angle position and angular velocity of any shaft in that axial system (steering shaft 4 or motor shaft 15) can be used directly as information indicating the rotational position and rotational speed of the steering wheel 1 for control of the electronic control device 8.

[0110] Furthermore, while each embodiment employs an excitation-operated steering lock device 7, this invention also allows for the use of a non-excitation-operated steering lock device.

[0111] Furthermore, in each embodiment, the electronic control unit 8 detects the transition of the steering lock device 7 to the locked state and starts automatic control of the vehicle attitude when it detects the completion of this transition. However, detection of the completion of the transition is not essential; after commanding the transition to the locked state, automatic control of the vehicle attitude can be started from the stroke position at the time of the command.

[0112] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all modifications in the sense and scope equivalent to the claims are intended to be included. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0113] 1. Steering wheel 2. Steering actuator 3 steering wheels 6. Reaction motor 7. Steering lock device 8. Electronic control unit 15 Motor shaft (shaft) 21 Inner member 22 Outer ring 23 Brake case (fixing component) 26 Engagement element 27 Cage 28 Armature 29 Electromagnet 30. Operation conversion mechanism 64. Driving monitoring device

Claims

1. The steering wheel is operated by the driver, A steering sensor that detects the amount of steering wheel movement, A steer-by-wire steering system for a vehicle, comprising a steering actuator that is mechanically separated from the steering wheel and changes the direction of the steering wheel according to the amount of steering wheel operation detected by the steering sensor, A vehicle driving monitoring device that monitors the vehicle's driving status, A steer-by-wire steering system for a vehicle, further comprising an electronic control device that, when a predetermined vehicle driving condition is detected by the driving monitoring device, switches to a state in which the operation of the steering wheel is not reflected in the control of the steering actuator, thereby automatically controlling the vehicle's attitude.

2. The steering lock device further comprises a steering lock device capable of switching between a locked state that prevents the rotation of the steering wheel and a free state that allows the rotation of the steering wheel. The steer-by-wire steering system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the electronic control device, when it detects a predetermined vehicle driving condition with the driving monitoring device, commands the steering lock device to transition to the locked state, and after this command, the vehicle attitude is automatically controlled.

3. The steer-by-wire steering system for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the electronic control unit commands a transition to the locked state and then detects the completion of this transition, initiating automatic control of the vehicle's attitude.

4. The steering lock device, A shaft that rotates integrally with the steering wheel, A fixing member that is fixed so as not to rotate, An inner member connected to one of the shaft and the fixing member, The shaft and the other of the fixing members are connected to an outer ring that surrounds the inner member, An engaging element is disposed between the inner member and the inner circumference of the outer ring, A retainer is supported so as to be movable in the circumferential direction between an engagement position in which the engaging element is engaged between the inner member and the inner circumference of the outer ring, and an engagement release position in which the engagement element is released from between the inner member and the inner circumference of the outer ring, An armature supported to be movable in the axial direction, An electromagnet that attracts the armature and moves it in the axial direction by applying current, A steer-by-wire steering system for a vehicle according to claim 2 or 3, further comprising: an motion conversion mechanism that moves the retainer circumferentially from one of the engagement position and the disengagement position to the other in accordance with the movement of the armature.

5. The steer-by-wire steering system for a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the electronic control device detects the transition of the steering lock device to the locked state based on at least the current of the current flowing through the electromagnet and the torque on the shaft rotating integrally with the steering wheel.

6. The steer-by-wire steering system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein when the electronic control unit detects a predetermined vehicle driving condition with the driving monitoring device, it transitions to a state in which it ignores the amount of steering wheel operation detected by the steering sensor.

7. The steer-by-wire steering system for a vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the electronic control unit determines, based on predetermined conditions, whether or not to perform automatic stopping control after the automatic control of the vehicle attitude, and after the automatic stopping, automatically controls the steering wheel and the steering actuator to synchronize their phases.

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