Patent ID: 8306702
Filing Date: 2012-11-06
Classification: B62D

Abstract:
1. An electric power steering apparatus of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising: a steering force assisting section that applies an assisting force to a steering system of the vehicle to assist manipulation of a steering wheel, the steering force assisting section including a motor as a driving source; and a control section that calculates a target value of the assisting force applied to the steering system, the control section calculating the target value by superimposing on a basic assist component a steering wheel return compensation component in accordance with which the steering wheel is returned to a neutral position, the control section controlling operation of the steering force assisting section by supplying a driving power to the motor in such a manner that the assisting force matching the target value is applied to the steering system, wherein the steering wheel return compensation component is repeatedly calculated by the control section based on a basic control amount of the steering wheel return compensation computed by the control section in such a manner that the basic control amount has a property to rotate the steering wheel with a specific steering angle by a greater amount to the neutral position as the absolute value of the steering angle becomes greater, and wherein the control section calculates the steering wheel return compensation component by integrating the basic control amount with at least one previously calculated basic control amount previously computed by the control section.