Steering Wheel Stowing via Angular Offset Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In vehicles with stowable steering wheels, residual forces from the suspension and steering systems cause the steering wheel to rotate after the power steering assist system is disengaged, preventing proper centering and stowing of the wheel.
Innovation Solution
A steering controller determines an angular offset based on the relationship between the steering system's position and load parameters during initial rotation, allowing the steering wheel to be adjusted to a desired position without directly measuring recoil rotation, and disengaging the assist system to allow the wheel to rotate back to the target position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the power steering assist system is disengaged to allow the steering wheel to be stowed, then the steering wheel can be moved to a retracted position, but residual forces from the suspension and steering systems cause the steering wheel to rotate away from the desired centered position
Solution Approach 1:
The controller determines an angular offset based on the relationship between steering system position and load parameters during initial rotation, before disengaging the assist system. This preliminary calculation of the angular offset compensates for the expected recoil rotation that will occur when the assist system is disengaged, allowing the steering wheel to be positioned accurately despite the subsequent residual forces
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces direct mechanical measurement of recoil rotation with an electronic control system that calculates the angular offset based on measured relationships between position and load parameters. Instead of mechanically compensating for recoil forces, the system uses electronic sensing and computational methods to determine the appropriate positioning offset
2Manufacturing precision
If the steering wheel position is adjusted to account for recoil rotation, then centering precision is improved, but the system complexity increases due to the need for measuring and calculating angular offsets
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the steering system's own position and load parameters, already measured during normal operation, to calculate the angular offset. The existing sensors and control infrastructure serve dual purposes: both controlling steering assist and providing data for recoil compensation calculations, eliminating the need for separate measurement systems
Solution Approach 2:
The controller dynamically adjusts the target angular position parameter based on the calculated angular offset, which is derived from the relationship between position and load parameters. This parameter adjustment allows the system to compensate for recoil effects without requiring additional hardware, simply by changing the control target
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed. An example vehicle disclosed herein includes a steering assist system, a steering wheel, and a steering controller to detect a request to move the steering wheel of the vehicle to a first rotational position, the steering wheel having a second rotational position, actuate, via the steering assist system, the steering wheel towards the first rotational position, determine, based on a relationship between a first parameter and a second parameter, a third rotational position, the third rotational position having an angular offset from the first rotational position, the first parameter corresponding to a position of the steering system, the second parameter corresponding to a load on the steering system, and in response to reaching the third rotational position, disengage the steering assist system, the disengagement causing the steering wheel to rotate to the first rotational position.