Patent ID: 9533703
Date: 2017-01-03
CPC Classifications: B62D,F16D

Claim:
1. A vehicle steering device comprising: a steering device configured to turn a steered wheel in accordance with operation of a steering member, the steering device including first and second motors for steering which are connected to each other through a steering force transmitting mechanism and have electric characteristics which are set commonly for the motors; a first current detecting unit configured to directly detect a first current value of a current flowing through the first motor; a second current detecting unit configured to directly detect a second current value of a current flowing through the second motor; an abnormality diagnosis unit configured to make a diagnosis indicating that the steering device is abnormal when a difference between the first and second current values detected by the first and second current detecting units exceeds a predetermined threshold value; a reaction force application device, including a third motor, configured to apply a reaction force in response to operation of the steering member; and a connecting device, disposed between the steering device and the reaction force application device and configured to switch a mechanical connection between a first rotation shaft on a side of the steering device and a second rotation shaft on a side of the reaction force applying device to either of a disconnection state or a connection state, wherein the connecting device comprises: a hollow cylindrical member provided at either one of the first rotation shaft or the second rotation shaft; a cam member, disposed at the other, different from the one, of the first and second rotation shafts, which can be housed in the hollow cylindrical member; a plurality of pairs of rollers in a gap between the hollow cylindrical member and the cam member; a plurality of spring members, which are disposed between the rollers of each of the pairs of the rollers, respectively, each of which applies a biasing force to the associated pair of the rollers in such a direction that the rollers of the pair are separated; a switching claw unit provided insertably and removably to and from a gap between the hollow cylindrical member and the cam member; a switching device which switches the switching claw unit to either of a disconnection state in which the switching claw unit is inserted into the gap or a connecting state in which the switching claw unit is removed from the gap; wherein, when the switching device switches the switching claw unit from the disconnection state to the connecting state in response to an abnormality diagnosis, a plurality of the spring members are released from a pressure force by the switching claw unit, which causes the plurality of pairs of rollers to engage with the gap between the hollow cylindrical member and the cam member in a cuneiform manner, which mechanically connects the first and second rotation shafts to mechanically connect the steering member and the steered wheel.