JP5483592B2 - Test equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a test apparatus that performs a durability test of a power steering apparatus by pressing a rack included in a rack-and-pinion type power steering apparatus against right and left regulating members that regulate the movable range of the rack.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an electric power steering device that assists a steering operation by a vehicle occupant is known (for example, Patent Document 1). Among such electric power steering devices, there is a rack and pinion type electric power steering device using a rack and a pinion.

JP 2000-190856 A

  Such a rack-and-pinion type electric power steering apparatus uses a regulating member that regulates the movable range of the rack in order to regulate the steering range of the steering wheel. Such restricting members are provided at both ends of the movable range to restrict the movable range of the rack, and are mechanically restricted when the rack hits the restricting member. When an electric power steering apparatus is developed, a durability test of the electric power steering apparatus is performed by pressing a rack against such a regulating member.

  Although details are omitted, in such an endurance test, a torsion torque that acts on the pinion when the rack is pressed against the regulating member as a parameter is required. Conventionally, such torsional torque has been derived by analyzing data obtained when an operator actually operates. In order to improve the reliability, such data was acquired by causing several tens of workers to perform, for example, a steering operation 100 times or more, and thus was very inefficient.

  In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a test apparatus that can efficiently perform an endurance test of an electric power steering apparatus.

  A feature of the test apparatus according to the first invention for achieving the above object is that a rack and a pinion type power steering apparatus have a rack pressed against right and left regulating members that regulate the movable range of the rack, In order to perform an endurance test of the power steering device, a motor that inputs rotational force to a steering wheel, a torque sensor that detects a torsion torque acting on a pinion of the power steering device, and a rotation angle of the motor are detected. An angle sensor, and when the steering wheel is turned to the right based on an input from the motor, the rotation angle of the motor when the torsional torque becomes the preset right first torque is set to the right And the steering wheel is turned to the left based on the input from the motor. The rotation angle of the motor when the torsional torque becomes a preset first torque on the left side is stored as the first left angle, and the rotation angle of the motor is determined from the first right angle. Further, when the torque is further increased in the right direction, the rotation angle of the motor when the torsion torque becomes a preset second right torque that is larger than the first right torque is stored as the second right angle. In addition, when the rotation angle of the motor is further increased to the left than the first left angle, the torsional torque becomes a preset second left torque that is larger than the first left torque. A test condition setting unit for storing the rotation angle of the motor as a second left angle; and the durability test by repeatedly changing the rotation angle of the motor over the second right angle and the second left angle. A test execution unit for performing To obtain a point there.

  Here, the right side first torque and the left side first torque are such torques that the rack and pinion do not hit other mechanisms when the steering wheel is turned and are not damaged, and the rotation angle of the motor at that time However, this corresponds to the first angle on the right and the first angle on the left (corresponding to the state in which the driver turns and operates the steering wheel until the rack hits the restricting member). Further, the right side second torque and the left side second torque are torques that the rack and pinion do not get damaged by hitting with other mechanisms and that can play the play of each part and push in the buffer member, and the motor at that time Respectively correspond to the right second angle and the left second angle (corresponding to a state in which the driver tries to further turn the steering wheel after the rack hits the regulating member).

  According to the feature of the first invention, the rotation angle of the motor corresponding to the range in which the durability test is performed can be easily detected, and the durability test can be appropriately performed based on the detected rotation angle. Therefore, the durability test can be performed efficiently. For this reason, while reducing the development cost of a power steering device, the development period of a power steering device can be shortened. Here, in addition to the durability test, the power steering device may be subjected to a stationary durability test for evaluating the stationary durability. Such a stationary durability test is performed within a range defined by an angle smaller than the first right angle and an angle smaller than the first left angle. Therefore, the range of the rotation angle of the motor used for the stationary durability test for evaluating the stationary durability of the power steering device is included in the range of the rotational angle of the motor used for the durability test. By doing so, a stationary durability test can be performed at the same time.

  Further, the test apparatus according to the second invention is characterized in that the motor is controlled by an operation program for slowly stopping at a predetermined time constant after operation at a predetermined rotation number, and the second angle on the right is the operation The rotation angle of the motor controlled by the program is gradually widened over a plurality of times, and the output of the angle sensor when the right second torque is detected when the motor is stopped gently, The second angle is the angle when the left side second torque is detected when the rotation angle of the motor controlled by the operation program is gradually widened over a plurality of times and the motor is stopped slowly. This is the output of the sensor.

  According to the second aspect of the invention, since the driving program is started at an angle smaller than the right second angle and an angle smaller than the left second angle, the range of the rotation angle of the motor used for the durability test is set. It can be set appropriately. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently set the test conditions for the durability test, and to effectively perform the durability test based on the set test conditions.

It is the figure which showed typically schematic structure of the test apparatus. It is a figure which shows typically about the setting of a 1st angle. It is a figure which shows a driving | operation program typically. It is a figure showing typically about setting of the 2nd angle. It is a figure which shows an example of test conditions.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail. The test apparatus according to the present invention has a function of performing a durability test of the power steering apparatus by pressing a rack included in the rack and pinion type power steering apparatus against right and left regulating members that regulate the movable range of the rack. I have. In the present embodiment, the power steering device will be described as an electric power steering device provided in a vehicle. FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing a test apparatus 100 according to the present invention. In addition, FIG. 1 also shows a diagram schematically showing a schematic configuration of an electric power steering apparatus 200 to be subjected to an endurance test.

1. Electric Power Steering Device As described above, the electric power steering device 200 is mounted on a vehicle (not shown). In the present embodiment, as shown in the left part of FIG. 1, the electric power steering apparatus 200 is a so-called rack and pinion type, and includes a steering wheel 20, a steering shaft 21, a torque sensor 22, a motor 23, and a speed reducer. 24, a motor control unit 25, a pinion 26, and a rack 27.

  The steering wheel 20 is steered by the driver. In the present embodiment, steering by the driver is referred to as a steering operation. A steering shaft 21 is connected to the steering wheel 20. The steering shaft 21 includes an input side shaft 21a and an output side shaft 21b. A steering force corresponding to a steering operation is input to the input side shaft 21a. A torque sensor 22 is provided between the input side shaft 21a and the output side shaft 21b. Moreover, the reduction gear 24 is provided in the output side shaft 21b. The rotational torque of the input side shaft 21 a is detected by the torque sensor 22. The detection result by the torque sensor 22 is transmitted to the motor control unit 25 described later.

  The motor control unit 25 controls the rotation of the motor 23 based on the rotational torque of the input side shaft 21a transmitted from the torque sensor 22 and a vehicle speed signal indicating the speed of the vehicle. The vehicle speed signal can be transmitted from a wheel speed sensor (not shown) that detects the rotational speed of a wheel (corresponding to “steering wheel 31” in this embodiment). In such a case, the detection result of the wheel speed sensor becomes a vehicle speed signal. The motor control unit 25 controls the current supplied to a coil (not shown) of the motor 23 based on the rotational torque of the input side shaft 21a and the vehicle speed signal, and adjusts the output torque of the motor 23.

  A reduction gear 24 is connected to the rotation shaft 23 a of the motor 23. The speed reducer 24 reduces the rotational speed of the rotating shaft 23a of the motor 23 to a predetermined rotational speed. Such a speed reducer 24 includes an input gear 24a provided so as to be integrally rotatable with a rotating shaft 23a of the motor 23, and an output gear 24b fitted with the input gear 24a and provided so as to be integrally rotatable with the output side shaft 21b. It is prepared for. The speed reducer 24 is connected to the output side shaft 21b. As a result, the steering operation can be assisted by the driver with the rotational force of the motor 23.

  A pinion 26 is connected to the output side shaft 21b through a universal joint 28. Therefore, the pinion 26 rotates integrally with the output side shaft 21b. The rack 27 is connected to the pinion 26 so that the rotation of the pinion 26 can be transmitted. The rack 27 is connected to the steering wheel 31 via a tie rod 29 and a knuckle arm (not shown).

  In addition, the electric power steering apparatus 200 includes left and right regulating members 30 that regulate the left and right movable ranges of the rack 27. Here, in the present embodiment, the rack 27 moves in the horizontal direction in accordance with the driver's steering operation. The restricting member 30 includes a right restricting member 30a provided at a predetermined distance in the horizontal direction from the restricted portion 27a provided on the rack 27, and a predetermined distance in the horizontal direction from the restricted portion 27b provided on the rack 27. And a left restricting member 30b provided. This predetermined interval corresponds to the amount by which the rack 27 can move from the state where the steering wheel 20 is neutral. Therefore, the rack 27 that moves in the horizontal direction in accordance with the steering operation can be prevented from moving more than a preset amount. Such a regulating member 30 may be provided integrally with a case (not shown) in which the rack 27 is accommodated, or may be provided attached to the body. The electric power steering device 200 has such a configuration.

2. Test device The electric power steering device 200 described above is designed for each vehicle type. In such a case, the durability test of the electric power steering device 200 is performed for each vehicle type. According to the test apparatus 100 according to the present invention, the durability test of the electric power steering apparatus 200 can be performed appropriately and efficiently.

  In the right part of FIG. 1, a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a test apparatus 100 according to the present invention is shown. The test apparatus 100 includes the functional units of a motor 10, a torque sensor 11, an angle sensor 12, a motor control unit 13, a test condition setting unit 40, and a test execution unit 50. In such a test apparatus 100, a functional unit for performing various operations related to the durability test of the electric power steering apparatus 200 using a CPU as a core member is constructed by hardware and / or software.

  The motor 10 inputs a rotational force to the steering wheel 20. That is, in the durability test, the operator does not perform the steering operation, but the steering operation is performed by the motor 10. Such a steering operation is performed using the rotational force of the motor 10. As for the input of the rotational force of the motor 10 to the steering wheel 20, the rotational force of the motor 10 may be directly input to the steering wheel 20, or may be input to, for example, the input side shaft 21a. In any case, the steering wheel 20 can be appropriately rotated using the rotational force of the motor 10.

  The torque sensor 11 detects torsion torque acting on the pinion 26 included in the electric power steering apparatus 200. In FIG. 1, for convenience of illustration, the torque sensor 11 is illustrated at a position away from the pinion 26, but actually, it is provided in the vicinity of the pinion 26. The torsion torque acting on the pinion 26 is a torque acting on the pinion 26 when a steering operation is performed by the motor 10. The torque sensor 11 detects such a torsion torque and transmits it to the test condition setting unit 40 described later.

  The angle sensor 12 detects the rotation angle of the motor 10. The rotation angle of the motor 10 corresponds to an angle at which the rotation shaft of the motor 10 rotates. Such a rotation angle can be configured using, for example, a Hall IC. In such a case, it is possible to detect the rotation angle based on the magnetic flux from the permanent magnet provided on the rotating body (for example, the rotating shaft) of the motor 10. Of course, the rotation angle can be detected by other methods. A detection result detected by the angle sensor 12 is transmitted to a motor control unit 13 and a test condition setting unit 40 described later.

  The motor control unit 13 controls the rotation of the motor 10. Such rotation may be controlled by an applied voltage as in the above-described motor control unit 25, or may be controlled by an energized current. The motor control unit 13 generates a motor according to the first torque, the second torque, the first angle, and the second angle transmitted from the test condition setting unit 40 and the test execution unit 50 described later, and the detection result of the angle sensor 12. 10 rotations are controlled. The first torque, the second torque, the first angle, and the second angle will be described later.

  The test condition setting unit 40 includes a first torque storage unit 41, a second torque storage unit 42, a first angle storage unit 43, and a second angle storage unit 44. The first torque storage unit 41 stores a preset first right torque and a preset first left torque. The first torque on the right side is such that when the steering wheel 20 is turned to the right and, for example, the regulated portion 27a of the rack 27 hits the right regulating member 30a, the rack 27 and the pinion 26 are not damaged. Is preferred. Further, the first torque on the left side is a torque that does not damage the rack 27 and the pinion 26 when the steering wheel 20 is turned to the left, for example, when the regulated portion 27b of the rack 27 hits the left regulating member 30b. This is preferable. These two right first torques and left first torques are preferably set to 1 Nm or less, for example, but can be appropriately changed by a user (a person who performs a test). In the present embodiment, the right first torque and the left first torque are assumed to be the first torque set with the same value, and the first torque will be described with reference to T1.

  The second torque storage unit 42 stores a preset second right torque that is greater than the first right torque described above and a preset second left torque that is greater than the first left torque described above. For example, when the restricted portion 27a of the rack 27 hits the right restricting member 30a, the rack 27 and the pinion 26 are not damaged and the play of the respective portions and the buffer member can be pushed in. A suitable torque is preferable. Further, the second torque on the left side, for example, when the regulated portion 27b of the rack 27 hits the left regulating member 30b, does not damage the rack 27 and the pinion 26, and pushes the play and buffer members of each portion. It is preferable that the torque be capable of. These two right side second torques and left side second torques are preferably set to 10 Nm or less, for example, but can be appropriately changed by a user (a person who performs a test). In the present embodiment, the second torque on the right side and the second torque on the left side are assumed to be the second torque set with the same value, and the second torque will be described with reference numeral T2. Here, as described above, in the present embodiment, the right first torque and the left first torque are the first torque T1. The right side second torque and the left side second torque are the second torque T2. Therefore, the second torque T2 is set to a value larger than the first torque T1.

  As described above, by setting the first torque T1 and the second torque T2, an unnecessary load is not applied to the electric power steering device 200 before performing the durability test. Damage to each part can be prevented. Therefore, a highly reliable durability test can be performed.

  The first angle storage unit 43 determines the rotation angle of the motor 10 when the torsional torque becomes the first torque T1 when the steering wheel 20 is turned to the right based on the input from the motor 10. Automatically memorize as The input from the motor 10 is a rotational force input from the motor 10 to the steering wheel 20. When the steering wheel 20 is turned to the right by such a rotational force, the rack 27 also moves to the right according to the rotational force. As a result, the torsional torque acts on the pinion 26 when the regulated portion 27a of the rack 27 hits the right regulating member 30a. This torsional torque can be detected by the torque sensor 11 described above, and the rotation angle of the motor 10 at this time can be detected by the angle sensor 12.

  The test condition setting unit 40 causes the first angle storage unit 43 to store the rotation angle 10 of the motor when the steering wheel 20 is turned to the right and the torsional torque becomes the first torque T1 as the first right angle. Thereby, the test condition setting unit 40 can recognize the position where the rack 27 corresponds to the right regulating member 30a when the steering wheel 20 is turned to the right. In the following, the right first angle is described with reference R1.

  In addition, the first angle storage unit 43 determines the rotation angle of the motor 10 when the torsional torque becomes the first torque T1 when the steering wheel 20 is turned to the left based on the input from the motor 10. It is automatically stored as one angle. When the steering wheel 20 is turned to the left by the rotational force input from the motor 10 to the steering wheel 20, the rack 27 also moves to the left according to the rotational force. As a result, the torsional torque acts on the pinion 26 when the regulated portion 27b of the rack 27 hits the left regulating member 30b. This torsional torque can be detected by the torque sensor 11 described above, and the rotation angle of the motor 10 at this time can be detected by the angle sensor 12.

  The test condition setting unit 40 causes the first angle storage unit 43 to store the rotation angle of the motor 10 when the steering wheel 20 is turned to the left and the torsional torque becomes the first torque T1 as the first left angle. Accordingly, the test condition setting unit 40 can recognize the position where the rack 27 corresponds to the left regulating member 30b when the steering wheel 20 is turned to the left. In the following description, the left first angle is described with reference L1.

  The second angle storage unit 44 sets the rotation angle of the motor 10 to the right when the torsional torque becomes the second torque T2 when the rotation angle of the motor 10 is further increased to the right than the first angle R1 on the right. It is automatically stored as the second angle. The first right angle R1 is the rotation angle of the motor 10 when the restricted portion 27a of the rack 27 hits the right restricting member 30a when the steering wheel 20 is turned to the right as described above. Therefore, to increase the rotation angle of the motor 10 further to the right than the first right angle R1, the steering wheel 20 is turned to the right, and the steering wheel 20 is further moved to the right from the position where the rack 27 hits the right regulating member 30a. Indicates to cut. As a result, the regulated portion 27b of the rack 27 corresponds to the right regulating member 30a, and the torsional torque acting on the pinion 26 is increased while further pushing the play of each portion and the buffer member (not shown). The torsional torque can be detected by the torque sensor 11 and the rotation angle of the motor 10 at this time can be detected by the angle sensor 12 in the same manner as the detection of the first angle.

  The test condition setting unit 40 determines the rotation angle 10 of the motor when the steering wheel 20 is further turned to the right from the position corresponding to the first angle R1 on the right and the torsional torque becomes the second torque T2. The angle is stored in the second angle storage unit 44 as an angle. Accordingly, the test condition setting unit 40 can recognize the position where the rack 26 moves when the steering wheel 20 is fully turned to the right. Such a position corresponds to an end on the mechanism (right mechanical end point). In the following description, the right second angle is described with reference R2.

  The second angle storage unit 44 sets the rotation angle of the motor 10 to the left when the torsional torque becomes the second torque T2 when the rotation angle of the motor 10 is further increased to the left than the left first angle L1. It is automatically stored as the second angle. The left first angle L1 is a rotation angle of the motor 10 when the rack 27 hits the left regulating member 30b when the steering wheel 20 is turned to the left as described above. Therefore, to increase the rotation angle of the motor 10 further to the left than the first left angle L1, the steering wheel 20 is turned to the left, and the steering wheel 20 is further moved to the left from the position where the rack 27 hits the left regulating member 30b. Indicates to cut. As a result, the rack 27 hits the left regulating member 30b, and the torsional torque acting on the pinion 26 is increased while pushing the play of each part and the buffer member (not shown) further. The torsional torque can be detected by the torque sensor 11 and the rotation angle of the motor 10 at this time can be detected by the angle sensor 12 in the same manner as the detection of the first angle.

  The test condition setting unit 40 determines the rotation angle 10 of the motor when the steering wheel 20 is further turned to the left from the position corresponding to the left first angle L1 and the torsion torque becomes the second torque T2. The angle is stored in the second angle storage unit 44 as an angle. Thus, the test condition setting unit 40 can recognize the position where the rack 26 moves when the steering wheel 20 is fully turned to the left. Such a position corresponds to an end on the mechanism (left mechanical end point). In the following description, the left second angle is described with reference L2.

  In this way, the test condition setting unit 40 includes the right first angle R1, the left first angle L1, the right second angle R2, and the left second angle in the electric power steering apparatus 200 to be tested. It becomes possible to specify L2 easily. These are appropriately referred to by a test execution unit 50 described later, and are used for an endurance test of the electric power steering apparatus 200.

  The test execution unit 50 performs an endurance test on the electric power steering apparatus 200 by automatically and repeatedly changing the rotation angle of the motor 10 over the right second angle R2, the left second angle, and L2. The right second angle R2 and the left second angle L2 are stored in the first angle storage unit 43 and the second angle storage unit 44, respectively, and the rotation angle of the motor 10 is reciprocated several times so as to reciprocate between them. The motor control unit 13 is instructed to operate over this. Along with this, the steering wheel 20 is fully cut to the left and right by the rotational force of the motor 10, and the durability test can be performed.

3. Setting of the First Angle The first angle corresponds to the right first angle R1 and the left first angle L1, and is stored in the first angle storage unit 43. Here, the setting of the right first angle R1 and the left first angle L1 will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 2, the vertical axis represents torque and the horizontal axis represents the rotation angle. The test condition setting unit 40 does not recognize how much the rack 27 hits the restricting member 30 when the steering wheel 20 is turned off before detecting the first right angle R1 and the first left angle L1. For this reason, the test condition setting unit 40 rotates the motor 10 at the first rotation speed N <b> 1 preset for the motor control unit 13. Here, the first rotational speed N1 is stored in advance by the test condition setting unit 40, and the rack 27 and the regulating member 30 are damaged when the steering wheel 20 is cut and the rack 27 hits the regulating member 30. The number of rotations is such that no load is applied. For example, 1 rad / sec or less is preferable.

  The test condition setting unit 40 causes the motor control unit 13 to rotate the motor 10 at the first rotation speed N1 (for example, clockwise) to turn the steering wheel 20 to the right, and from the torque sensor 11 and the angle sensor 12. Each detection result is acquired. When the detection result from the torque sensor 11 is the first torque T1 stored in the first torque storage unit 41, the rotation angle at that time is automatically set to the first angle storage unit 43 as the right first angle R1. And the motor control unit 13 stops the motor 10.

  Similarly, in order to turn the steering wheel 20 to the left, the test condition setting unit 40 causes the motor control unit 13 to rotate the motor 10 at the first rotation speed N1 (for example, counterclockwise), and the torque sensor 11 and Each detection result is acquired from the angle sensor 12. If the detection result from the torque sensor 11 is the first torque T1 stored in the first torque storage unit 41, the rotation angle at that time is automatically set to the first angle storage unit 43 as the left first angle R1. And the motor control unit 13 stops the motor 10.

  In FIG. 2, the torque detected when the motor 10 is rotated in the clockwise direction is shown as a positive value, and the torque detected when the motor 10 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction is shown as a negative value. ing. Whether or not the detection result is the first torque T1 is determined with reference to the absolute value of each torque. As described above, the first first torque R1 is detected when the motor 10 is controlled at the first rotation speed N1 that is the predetermined rotation speed and the first rotation angle N1 that is the predetermined rotation speed. The output of the angle sensor 12 at the time corresponds.

4). Setting of the Second Angle In the present embodiment, the second angle corresponds to the right second angle R2 and the left second angle L2, and is stored in the second angle storage unit 44. When setting the right second angle R2 and the left second angle L2, the test condition setting unit 40 controls the motor 10 with an operation program that slowly stops the motor 10 at a predetermined time constant after operation at a predetermined rotation speed. . An example of such a control program is shown in FIG. In FIG. 3, the vertical axis represents the rotation speed of the motor 10 and the horizontal axis represents the rotation angle. FIG. 3A shows an example in which point A is the starting point and point B is the end point, and FIG. 3B shows an example in which point B is the starting point and point A is the end point.

  The predetermined rotation speed corresponds to a preset second rotation speed N2, and is preferably set to, for example, several rad / sec. For example, the predetermined time constant is preferably several tens of milliseconds. In FIG. 3, it is indicated by τe. After the motor 10 is operated at the second rotational speed N2, the rotational speed is decreased and stopped for several tens of milliseconds after the stop command is received from the motor control unit 13. In addition, the activation is also slowly activated with a predetermined time constant. Such a time constant is preferably about 100 msec, for example. In FIG. 3, it is indicated by τs.

  Here, before setting the right second angle R2 and the left second angle L2, the right first angle R1 and the left first angle L1 are stored in the first angle storage unit 43. The test condition setting unit 40 sets a predetermined rotation angle smaller than the rotation angle between the right first angle R1 and the left first angle L1. The rotation angle that is set is preferably about 90% of the rotation angle between the right first angle R1 and the left first angle L1, for example. That is, an angle that is about 90% of the right first angle R1 and an angle that is about 90% of the left first angle L1 are set. The angles are R0 and L0, respectively.

  First, the test condition setting unit 40 sets the above-described operation program including the slow start and the slow stop so as to be included between the angle R0 and the angle L0, and causes the motor control unit 13 to control the motor 10.

  The test condition setting unit 40 gradually increases the rotation angle of the motor 10 controlled by the operation program over a plurality of times. Such a configuration is shown in FIG. First, as shown in FIG. 4A, the rotational speed of the motor 10 is set to N2, and control is performed with the above-described operation program between the angle R0 and the angle L0. As this operation program, both FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B are used. In such a case, since the second torque T2 is not detected, the test condition setting unit 40 widens the rotation angle at which the motor 10 operates at N2. A form in which the rotation angle is thus widened is shown in FIG. As shown in (b), even in such a case, the second torque T2 is not detected. In this way, the test condition setting unit 40 gradually increases the rotation angle of the motor 10 that operates at the rotation speed N2 (see (c) and (d) of FIG. 4).

  When the motor 10 operating at the rotational speed N2 is gradually and gradually widened and operated according to the operation program, that is, when the motor 10 is slowly stopped, as shown in FIG. The outputs of the angle sensor 12 when T2 is detected are the right second angle R2 and the left second angle L2. The right second angle R2 and the left second angle L2 are automatically stored in the second angle storage unit 44. The operation program is executed by gradually increasing the number of revolutions of the motor 10 that operates at the number of revolutions N2. However, even if the preset number of times or the preset time has elapsed, the right second angle R2 and When the second left angle L2 cannot be set, it is preferable that the test condition setting is interrupted.

5. Test Operation Program The test execution unit 41 performs an evaluation test by automatically controlling the motor 10 repeatedly between the right second angle R2 and the left second angle L2 obtained as described above. The torsional torque obtained by such an evaluation test is shown in FIG.

  As described above, according to the test apparatus 100, the rotation angle of the motor 10 corresponding to the range in which the durability test is performed can be easily detected, and the durability test can be appropriately performed based on the detected rotation angle. it can. Therefore, the durability test can be performed efficiently. Therefore, the development cost of the electric power steering device 200 can be reduced and the development period of the electric power steering device 200 can be shortened. Further, when the rotation angle range of the motor 10 used for the durability test includes the rotation angle range of the motor used for the stationary durability test for evaluating the stationary durability of the electric power steering device 200. Can perform a stationary endurance test at the same time by performing an endurance test.

[Other Embodiments]
In the above embodiment, the right first torque and the left first torque have been described as being the first torque T1 set with the same value. However, the scope of application of the present invention is not limited to this. Of course, it is possible to set the right first torque and the left first torque with different values. Even in such a case, it is naturally possible to set the left first angle corresponding to the right first torque and the left first angle corresponding to the left first torque.

  In the above embodiment, the right side second torque and the left side second torque have been described as being the second torque T2 set with the same value. However, the scope of application of the present invention is not limited to this. Naturally, it is also possible to set the right-side second torque and the left-side second torque with different values. Even in such a case, it is naturally possible to set the left second angle corresponding to the right second torque and the left second angle corresponding to the left second torque.

  In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the test apparatus 100 performs an endurance test of the electric power steering apparatus 200 has been described. However, the scope of application of the present invention is not limited to this. According to this test apparatus 100, it is possible to perform a durability test of a hydraulic power steering apparatus, and naturally it is also possible to perform a durability test of a steering apparatus that does not have a power steering apparatus.

  In the above-described embodiment, it is assumed that the test apparatus 100 performs the durability test of the electric power steering apparatus 200 by changing the rotation angle of the motor 10 over the right second angle R2 and the left second angle L2. did. When the electric power steering apparatus 200 is developed, there is a case where a stationary test for evaluating the stationary durability of the steering wheel 20 is performed in addition to the durability test. Here, when the right second angle R2 and the left second angle L2 are set, the right first angle R1 and the left first angle L1 are set. Since the stationary test is performed at an angle narrower than the rotation angle defined by the first right angle R1 and the first left angle L1, according to the test apparatus 100, the durability test and the stationary test are performed. Tests can be performed simultaneously or individually.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used in a test apparatus that performs a durability test of a power steering apparatus by pressing a rack included in a rack and pinion type power steering apparatus against left and right regulating members that regulate the movable range of the rack. is there.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10: Motor 11: Torque sensor 12: Angle sensor 20: Steering wheel 26: Pinion 27: Rack 30: Restriction member 30a: Right restriction member 30b: Left restriction member 40: Test condition setting part 50: Test execution part 100: Test device 200: Electric power steering device T1: First torque T2: Second torque R1: Right first angle R2: Right second angle L1: Left first angle L2: Left second angle

Claims (2)

A rack-and-pinion-type power steering device has a rack that presses against the right and left regulating members that regulate the movable range of the rack, and performs a durability test of the power steering device,
A motor for inputting rotational force to the steering wheel;
A torque sensor for detecting a torsion torque acting on a pinion of the power steering device;
An angle sensor for detecting a rotation angle of the motor,
When the steering wheel is turned to the right based on the input from the motor, the rotation angle of the motor when the torsion torque becomes the preset right first torque is stored as the first right angle. In addition, when the steering wheel is turned to the left based on the input from the motor, the rotation angle of the motor when the torsion torque becomes the left first torque set in advance is set to the left first When the rotation angle of the motor is further increased in the right direction from the right first angle, the torsional torque becomes a preset right second torque that is larger than the right first torque. The rotation angle of the motor is stored as the second right angle, and when the rotation angle of the motor is further increased to the left than the first left angle, the torsion torque is And the test condition setting unit for storing a rotation angle as the second angle of the left motor when a preset left second torque is larger than the left first torque,
A test execution unit that repeatedly changes the rotation angle of the motor over the right second angle and the left second angle and performs the durability test;
A test apparatus comprising: The motor is controlled by an operation program that slowly stops at a predetermined time constant after operation at a predetermined rotational speed,
The right second angle gradually increases the rotation angle of the motor controlled by the operation program over a plurality of times, and when the right second torque is detected when the motor stops slowly. The output of the angle sensor;
The left second angle gradually increases the rotation angle of the motor controlled by the operation program over a plurality of times, and when the left second torque is detected when the motor stops slowly. The test apparatus according to claim 1, which is an output of the angle sensor.

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