Dr Anthony B Will

Patent Abstract: A steering system for an automotive vehicle having two front wheels and two rear wheels is provided. The steering system includes a vehicle speed sensor; means for steering the front wheels at a desired steering angle; at least one steering angle sensor for sensing the steering angle of the front wheels; an axially displaceable rear rack, linked between the rear wheels, for steering the rear wheels at a determined steering angle; a centering resilient member, extending along the length of the rear rack, having a resiliency enabling the rear rack to return the rear wheels to a neutral steering angle position; a rear transmission mechanism connected to the rear rack; an actuator connected to the rear transmission mechanism for axially displacing the rear rack via the rear transmission mechanism against the resiliency of the centering resilient member; at least one steering angle sensor for sensing the steering angle of the rear wheels; an electronic control unit for determining a steering angle for the rear wheels from electric signals received from the vehicle speed sensor, each front wheels steering angle sensor, and each rear wheels steering angle sensor and for supplying an appropriate level of electric current to the actuator to thereby electrically empower the actuator to steer the rear wheels at the determined steering angle; and an electronic power regulation unit for selectively and electrically disabling the actuator according to electric signals received from the vehicle speed sensor, the level of the electric current supplied by the electronic control unit to the actuator, and a predetermined electric current limiting function.