Steering Wheel Centering Using Recoil Offset Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing steering systems in vehicles face challenges in accurately centering the steering wheel and road wheels, particularly when actuators are disengaged, due to residual forces from tire deformation, leading to misalignment and difficulty in stowing the steering wheel or positioning the road wheels for straight travel.
Innovation Solution
The use of an external angle controller (EAC) to rapidly adjust and center the steering wheel and road wheels by determining their angular offset from the desired position, and then disabling the EAC to allow recoil, which corrects the position to the center or straight-forward orientation using recoil rotation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the steering wheel is adjusted to a target position using a steering assistance system, then the wheel reaches the desired position, but residual forces from tire deformation cause the wheel to move to an offset position when the system is disengaged
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary adjustment actions by moving the wheel to a position that anticipates the expected recoil offset. The controller calculates a compensated target position that accounts for predicted residual forces, so when the assistance system disengages, the wheel naturally settles at the desired center position rather than drifting to an offset position.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by monitoring the actual wheel position after disengagement and comparing it to the desired position. Based on this feedback, the controller adjusts the target position for subsequent operations to compensate for observed recoil patterns, continuously improving positioning accuracy through learned compensation values.
2Measurement precision
If the steering assistance system continuously compensates for recoil, then positioning accuracy is maintained, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs self-service by using the wheel's own recoil characteristics to inform future positioning adjustments. The controller learns from each disengagement event and automatically compensates in subsequent operations without requiring external intervention or complex real-time control algorithms, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining accuracy.
3Speed
If the steering wheel is rapidly adjusted to center position, then the centering speed increases, but oscillation and overshoot may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary damping actions during the adjustment phase, gradually reducing the adjustment speed as the wheel approaches the target position. This prevents overshoot and oscillation by anticipating the need for reduced force before the wheel reaches the center position, ensuring stable settling without sacrificing overall centering speed.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures precise centering of the steering wheel and alignment of road wheels, even when actuators are not providing forces, by actively adjusting and correcting the angular offset, facilitating efficient stowage and straight travel.
Implementation Method 1
residual forces from tire deformation
Implementation Method 2
determining their angular offset from the desired position
Implementation Method 3
disabling the EAC to allow recoil, which corrects the position to the center or straight-forward orientation using recoil rotation
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus are disclosed herein to center a steering wheel. An example vehicle includes a steering assistance system, an axle including a wheel, memory, and a processor to execute instructions to identify a first position of the wheel, detect a request to move the wheel to a second position, adjust the wheel from the first position to the second position via the steering assistance system, disengage the steering assistance system, the disengagement of the steering assistance system to cause the wheel to move to a third position, the third position offset from the second position by an angular offset in a first direction, adjust the wheel to a fourth position, the fourth position offset from the second position by the angular offset in a second direction different than the first direction, and disengage the steering assistance system, the disengagement of the steering assistance system to cause the wheel to move to the second position.