Power steering

A power steering is a mechanical device equipped on a motor vehicle that helps drivers steer the vehicle
by augmenting steering effort needed to turn the steering wheel, making it easier for the vehicle to turn or
maneuver at lower speeds.

Hydraulic or electric actuators add controlled energy to the steering mechanism, so the driver can provide
less effort to turn the steered wheels when driving at typical speeds, and reduce considerably the physical
effort necessary to turn the wheels when a vehicle is stopped or moving slowly. Power steering can also be
engineered to provide some artificial feedback of forces acting on the steered wheels.

Hydraulic power steering systems for cars augment steering effort via an actuator, a hydraulic cylinder that
is part of a servo system. These systems have a direct mechanical connection between the steering wheel
and the linkage that steers the wheels. This means that power-steering system failure (to augment effort) still
permits the vehicle to be steered using manual effort alone.

Electric power steering systems use electric motors to provide the assistance instead of hydraulic systems.
As with hydraulic types, power to the actuator (motor, in this case) is controlled by the rest of the power
steering system.

Other power steering systems (such as those in the largest off-road construction vehicles) have no direct
mechanical connection to the steering linkage; they require electrical power. Systems of this kind, with no
mechanical connection, are sometimes called "drive by wire" or "steer by wire", by analogy with aviation's
"fly-by-wire". In this context, "wire" refers to electrical cables that carry power and data, not thin wire rope
mechanical control cables.

Some construction vehicles have a two-part frame with a rugged hinge in the middle; this hinge allows the
front and rear axles to become non-parallel to steer the vehicle. Opposing hydraulic cylinders move the
halves of the frame relative to each other to steer.

Contents
History
Hydraulic systems
DIRAVI variable-assist power steering
Electro-hydraulic systems
Electric systems
Electrically variable gear ratio systems
See also
References
External links

History
The first power steering system on a vehicle was apparently installed in 1876 by a man with the surname of
Fitts, but little else is known about him.[1] The next power steering system was put on a Columbia 5-ton
truck in 1903 where a separate electric motor was used to assist the driver in turning the front wheels.[1][2]

Robert E. Twyford, a resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, included a mechanical power steering

mechanism as part of his patent (U.S. Patent 646,477) issued on April 3, 1900 for the first four-wheel drive
system.[3]

Francis W. Davis, an engineer of the truck division of Pierce-Arrow, began exploring how steering could
be made easier, and in 1926 invented and demonstrated the first practical power steering system.[4][5][6]
Davis moved to General Motors and refined the hydraulic-assisted power steering system, but the
automaker calculated it would be too expensive to produce.[5] Davis then signed up with Bendix, a parts
manufacturer for automakers. Military needs during World War II for easier steering on heavy vehicles
boosted the need for power assistance on armored cars and tank-recovery vehicles for the British and
American armies.[5]

Chrysler Corporation introduced the first commercially available passenger car power steering system on
the 1951 Chrysler Imperial under the name "Hydraguide".[7] The Chrysler system was based on some of
Davis' expired patents. General Motors introduced the 1952 Cadillac with a power steering system using
the work Davis had done for the company almost twenty years earlier.

Charles F. Hammond from Detroit filed several patents for improvements of power steering with the
Canadian Intellectual Property Office in 1958.[8][9][10]

Starting in the mid-1950s American manufacturers offered the technology as optional or standard
equipment while it is widely offered internationally on modern vehicles, owing to the trends toward front-
wheel drive, greater vehicle mass, reduced assembly line production costs, and wider tires, which all
increase the required steering effort. Heavier vehicles, as are common in some countries, would be
extremely difficult to maneuver at low speeds, while vehicles of lighter weight may not need power assisted
steering at all.

A study in 1999 on the perceptual fidelity of steering force feedback, found that ordinary real-world truck
and car drivers naturally expect an increase in feedback torque as speed increases, and for this reason early
forms of power steering, which lacked such effect, were met with disapproval.[11][12]

Hydraulic systems
Hydraulic power steering systems work by using a hydraulic system to multiply force applied to the
steering wheel inputs to the vehicle's steered (usually front) road wheels.[13] The hydraulic pressure
typically comes from a gerotor or rotary vane pump driven by the vehicle's engine. A double-acting
hydraulic cylinder applies a force to the steering gear, which in turn steers the roadwheels. The steering
wheel operates valves to control flow to the cylinder. The more torque the driver applies to the steering
wheel and column, the more fluid the valves allow through to the cylinder, and so the more force is applied
to steer the wheels.[14]

One design for measuring the torque applied to the steering wheel has a torque sensor – a torsion bar at the
lower end of the steering column. As the steering wheel rotates, so does the steering column, as well as the
upper end of the torsion bar. Since the torsion bar is relatively thin and flexible, and the bottom end usually
resists being rotated, the bar will twist by an amount proportional to the applied torque. The difference in
position between the opposite ends of the torsion bar controls a valve. The valve allows fluid to flow to the
cylinder which provides steering assistance; the greater the "twist" of the torsion bar, the greater the force.
Since the hydraulic pumps are positive-displacement type, the flow
rate they deliver is directly proportional to the speed of the engine.
This means that at high engine speeds the steering would naturally
operate faster than at low engine speeds. Because this would be
undesirable, a restricting orifice and flow-control valve direct some
of the pump's output back to the hydraulic reservoir at high engine
speeds. A pressure relief valve prevents a dangerous build-up of
pressure when the hydraulic cylinder's piston reaches the end of its
stroke.

The steering booster is arranged so that should the booster fail, the
steering will continue to work (although the wheel will feel
heavier). Loss of power steering can significantly affect the
handling of a vehicle. Each vehicle owner's manual gives
instructions for inspection of fluid levels and regular maintenance
of the power steering system.
A power steering fluid reservoir and
The working liquid, also called "hydraulic fluid" or "oil", is the pulley driven pump
medium by which pressure is transmitted. Common working
liquids are based on mineral oil.

Some modern systems also include an electronic control valve to reduce the hydraulic supply pressure as
the vehicle's speed increases; this is variable-assist power steering.

DIRAVI variable-assist power steering

DIRAVI innovated the now common benefit of speed sensitive steering.[15]

In this power steering system, the force steering the wheels comes from the car's high pressure hydraulic
system and is always the same no matter what the road speed is. Turning the steering wheel moves the
wheels simultaneously to a corresponding angle via a hydraulic cylinder. In order to give some artificial
steering feel, there is a separate hydraulically operated system that tries to turn the steering wheel back to
centre position. The amount of pressure applied is proportional to road speed, so that at low speeds the
steering is very light, and at high speeds it is very difficult to move more than a small amount off centre.

It was invented by Citroën of France.

As long as there is pressure in the car's hydraulic system, there is no mechanical connection between the
steering wheel and the roadwheels. This system was first introduced in the Citroën SM in 1970, and was
known as 'VariPower' in the UK and 'SpeedFeel' in the U.S.

Electro-hydraulic systems
Electro-hydraulic power steering systems, sometimes abbreviated EHPS, and also sometimes called
"hybrid" systems, use the same hydraulic assist technology as standard systems, but the hydraulic pressure
comes from a pump driven by an electric motor instead of a drive belt at the engine.

In 1965, Ford experimented with a fleet of "wrist-twist instant steering" equipped Mercury Park Lanes that
replaced the conventional large steering wheel with two 5-inch (127 mm) rings, a fast 15:1 gear ratio, and
an electric hydraulic pump in case the engine stalled.[16][17]
In 1988, the Subaru XT6 was fitted with a unique Cybrid adaptive electro-hydraulic steering system that
changed the level of assistance based on the vehicle's speed.

In 1990, Toyota introduced its second-generation MR2 with electro-hydraulic power steering. This avoided
running hydraulic lines from the engine (which was behind the driver in the MR2) up to the steering rack.

In 1994 Volkswagen produced the Golf Mk3 Ecomatic, with an electric pump. This meant that the power
steering would still operate while the engine was stopped by the computer to save fuel.[18] Electro-
hydraulic systems can be found in some cars by Ford, Volkswagen, Audi, Peugeot, Citroën, SEAT, Škoda,
Suzuki, Opel, MINI, Toyota, Honda, and Mazda.

Electric systems
Electric power steering (EPS) or motor-driven power steering
(MDPS) uses an electric motor rather than hydraulic system to
assist the driver of a vehicle. Sensors detect the position and torque
of the steering column, and a computer module applies assistive
torque via the motor, which connects to either the steering gear or
steering column. This allows varying amounts of assistance to be
applied depending on driving conditions. Engineers can therefore
tailor steering-gear response to variable-rate and variable-damping
suspension systems, optimizing ride, handling, and steering for
each vehicle.[19] On Fiat group cars the amount of assistance can An EPS module with a partially
be regulated using a button named "CITY" that switches between disassembled steering column
two different assist curves, while most other EPS systems have
variable assist. These give more assistance as the vehicle slows
down, and less at faster speeds.

A mechanical linkage between the steering wheel and the steering gear is retained in EPS. In the event of
component failure or power failure that causes a failure to provide assistance, the mechanical linkage serves
as a back-up. If EPS fails, the driver encounters a situation where heavy effort is required to steer. This
heavy effort is similar to that of an inoperative hydraulic steering assist system. Depending on the driving
situation, driving skill and strength of the driver, steering assist loss may or may not lead to a crash. The
difficulty of steering with inoperative power steering is compounded by the choice of steering ratios in
assisted steering gears vs. fully manual. The NHTSA has assisted car manufacturers with recalling EPS
systems prone to failure.[20]

Electric systems have an advantage in fuel efficiency because there is no belt-driven hydraulic pump
constantly running, whether assistance is required or not, and this is a major reason for their introduction.
Another major advantage is the elimination of a belt-driven engine accessory, and several high-pressure
hydraulic hoses between the hydraulic pump, mounted on the engine, and the steering gear, mounted on the
chassis. This greatly simplifies manufacturing and maintenance. By incorporating electronic stability control
electric power steering systems can instantly vary torque assist levels to aid the driver in corrective
maneuvers.[21]

In 1986 NSK put the EPS for battery fork into practical use.[22] In the subsequent 8 years Koyo Seiko
(current JTEKT), NSK developed a column system exclusively for minicars, sold only in Japan such as
Suzuki and Mitsubishi Motors.[23] However, this simple method was noticeable due to the inertia feeling of
the motor at the time of rapid steering for danger avoidance in low speed running, at the time of high speed
running at which the steering force became small, returning to the manual steering. As a result, that system
was not adopted. In the late 1990s, a direct full control system of a rack assist without clutch to a regular car
was put into practical use in the Honda NSX (initially, automatic only) Since then, there has been a
transition from a brush-attached motor to a brushless motor in the rack type of ordinary vehicles and this
method has become mainstream.

Electric power steering systems appeared on the Honda NSX in 1990,The MG F, the FIAT Punto Mk2 in
1999, the Honda S2000 in 1999, Toyota Prius in 2000, the BMW Z4 in 2002, and the Mazda RX-8 in
2003.

The first electric power steering system appeared on the Suzuki Cervo in 1988.[24] The system has been
used by various automobile manufacturers, and most commonly applied for smaller cars to reduce fuel
consumption and manufacturing costs.

Electrically variable gear ratio systems

In 2000, the Honda S2000 Type V featured the first electric power variable gear ratio steering (VGS)
system.[25] In 2002, Toyota introduced the "Variable Gear Ratio Steering" (VGRS) system on the Lexus
LX 470 and Landcruiser Cygnus, and also incorporated the electronic stability control system to alter
steering gear ratios and steering assist levels. In 2003, BMW introduced "active steering" system on the 5
Series.[26]

This system should not be confused with variable assist power steering, which varies steering assist torque,
not steering ratios, nor with systems where the gear ratio is only varied as a function of steering angle.
These last are more accurately called non-linear types (e.g. Direct-Steer offered by Mercedes-Benz); a plot
of steering-wheel position versus axle steering angle is progressively curved (and symmetrical).

See also
Servomechanism
Steering engine
Comparison of direct-drive sim racing wheels

References
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External links

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