DE102024004563A1 - PCB component for a force feedback actuator - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a PCB component (1) for a force feedback actuator (10) comprising a motor (5) of a steer-by-wire system (10) with a rotor position sensor unit (2), wherein the PCB component (1) has a phase connection (3) for the motor (5).

Description

The invention relates to a PCB component for a force feedback actuator comprising a motor of a steer-by-wire system with a rotor position sensor unit. The invention further relates to a force feedback actuator for a steer-by-wire system, wherein the force feedback actuator comprises a motor and a PCB component. The invention further relates to a steer-by-wire system with a force feedback actuator and a vehicle with a steer-by-wire system. The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a PCB component.

PCB components are also known as printed circuit board components or circuit boards. PCB components enable the mechanical mounting of electronic components and their electrical connections. They typically consist of an electrically insulating substrate and electrically conductive traces applied to the substrate.

In vehicles with a steer-by-wire system, the steering feel is no longer generated via a mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the wheels. Instead, the steering feel is generated synthetically using a force feedback actuator (FFA) that is mechanically coupled to the vehicle's steering wheel. The force feedback actuator performs several functions in such a steer-by-wire system. Firstly, it generates force feedback torque, which is transmitted to the user at the steering wheel. Secondly, the force feedback actuator contains sensors used to detect the steering angle. These sensors detect the position of a rotor within the force feedback actuator and are therefore also used to control the actuator's motor.

According to the prior art, such force feedback actuators comprise a motor with a rotor and a PCB component on which the sensors for detecting the rotor position are arranged. Such force feedback actuators typically include further separate components, for example, a sensor target connected to the rotor and a motor phase switching unit, which provides a connection between phase inputs connected to a motor controller and several winding terminals of the motor.

Similar designs are known from the field of power steering systems and are described, for example, in the printed publication. EP 3 852 247 B1 described. However, such a design has the disadvantage that a large number of individual components are required. This results in increased effort in the development and manufacturing of the force feedback actuator.

Against this background, the task arises to reduce the effort required for the development and manufacturing of the force feedback actuator.

DE 10 2022 204 530 A1 The patent application discloses an electric motor comprising a rotor, a control board with control devices mounted on it, and a multi-turn sensor device arranged between them. The multi-turn sensor device includes at least one sensor that is attached to the control board and electrically contacted to detect the rotor's rotational position over several revolutions. Furthermore, the patent application describes the use of this electric motor as a haptic actuator in a steer-by-wire steering column module, which provides a steering handle for inputting a driver steering command and simulating steering feedback. Additional design features or special signal processing measures are not described in detail in the patent application.

DE 10 2011 002 007 A1 Disclosing a motorized device comprises a motor housing, a stator mounted therein, a rotor rotatably mounted relative to the stator, and power electronics arranged on one axial side of the rotor shaft. A multitude of power transistors are electrically connected via tap leads to a coil wound around the stator to supply it with a control current. A control board for switching the transistors is located on the side of the transistors facing the rotor, while a heat sink is arranged on the opposite side of the control board. This staggered arrangement allows for the dimensional adjustment of only the heat sink to be changed when power requirements change, without altering the position of the control board and power transistors relative to the motor.

The task is solved by a PCB component for a force feedback actuator of a steer-by-wire system comprising a motor, a rotor position sensor unit, and a phase switching system for the motor.

According to the invention, both the rotor position sensor unit and the phase interconnection are thus formed as part of the PCB component. The phase interconnection is configured to establish connections between the phase inputs connected to a motor controller and several winding terminals of the motor. This offers the advantage that, in addition to the PCB component, no further component is required to provide the connections between the phase inputs connected to a motor controller and the winding terminals of the motor. The number of components required, and therefore the effort required for the development and manufacturing of the force feedback actuator, can thus be reduced.

Preferably, both the rotor position sensor unit and the phase circuit are formed by conductor tracks of the PCB component. In this respect, the rotor position sensor unit and the phase circuit can be designed as part of the layer structure of the PCB component. For example, the rotor position sensor unit can have one or more coils formed from conductor tracks and, optionally, vias. The phase circuit can have connections formed by conductor tracks and, optionally, vias. Optionally, the rotor position sensor unit and/or the phase circuit can include additional electronic components arranged on the PCB component, particularly on a surface of the PCB component. The electronic components can be passive and/or active components.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the phase circuit is at least partially inductively decoupled from the rotor position sensor unit and/or electromagnetically shielded. Decoupling measures can be implemented to reduce electromagnetic emissions from the phase circuit or the rotor position sensor unit and/or coupling into the phase circuit or the rotor position sensor unit. For example, shielding measures or measures that cause mutual cancellation of magnetic fields may be implemented.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the PCB component has an electrically conductive material layer, wherein the electrically conductive material layer is located between the phase connection and the rotor position sensor unit. Preferably, the electrically conductive material layer acts as an electrical ground and/or is grounded. The electrically conductive material layer allows the phase connection and the rotor position sensor unit to be electrically decoupled, thus reducing or eliminating capacitive and/or inductive coupling. For example, the PCB component can have multiple layers, wherein the phase interconnection is formed in one or more layers of the PCB component that are located closer to a first surface of the PCB component than to a second surface of the PCB component, wherein the rotor position sensor unit is formed in one or more layers that are located closer to the second surface of the PCB component than to the first surface, and wherein the electrically conductive material layer is located between the layers of the phase interconnection and the layers of the rotor position sensor unit, for example in a middle layer of the PCB component.

According to the invention, the PCB component has several vertical vias arranged in a row to form a via fence, which is located between the phase circuit and the rotor position sensor unit. Preferably, the via fence electrically decouples the phase circuit and the rotor position sensor unit from each other. For example, the phase circuit can be arranged in one or more layers on a first side of the via fence, and the rotor position sensor unit on a second side of the via fence. The via fence can, for example, be circular, with the rotor position sensor unit located on an inside side of the circular via fence and the phase circuit on an outside side of the circular via fence, or vice versa.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the PCB component is provided to have the form of a perforated disk. A perforated disk design offers the advantage that a shaft and/or the rotor of the force-feedback actuator motor can be arranged in the hole of the perforated disk.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the PCB component has a circular outer contour. This circular outer contour allows the PCB component to be integrated into a cylindrical housing. For example, the motor and the PCB component can be arranged side by side in a cylindrical housing along the axial direction of the motor shaft, resulting in a space-saving arrangement.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the phase connection comprises one or more vias. The use of vias allows currents to be guided both perpendicular to the main plane of the PCB component, namely in the vias, and parallel to the main plane of the PCB component, namely in the conductor tracks of the PCB component. This allows for orthogonal current guidance. in the phase connection, which avoids disruptive magnetic fields.

Another object of the invention is a force feedback actuator for a steer-by-wire system, wherein the force feedback actuator comprises a motor and a PCB component as described above.

Another object of the invention is a steer-by-wire system with such a force-feedback actuator.

Another object of the invention is a vehicle with such a steer-by-wire system.

Furthermore, a method for manufacturing a PCB component for a force-feedback actuator of a steer-by-wire system comprising a motor is proposed to solve the aforementioned problem, wherein a rotor position sensor unit and a phase circuit for the motor are produced on the PCB component.

The same technical effects and advantages can be achieved in the force feedback actuator, the steer-by-wire system, the vehicle and the method for manufacturing a PCB component as have been explained in connection with the PCB component according to the invention.

In the force feedback actuator, the steer-by-wire system, the vehicle and the method for manufacturing a PCB component, the preferred embodiments and features discussed in connection with the PCB component according to the invention can be applied alone or in combination.

• 1 zeigt eine schematische Darstellung eines Ausführungsbeispiels eines Force-Feedback-Aktuators.
• 2 zeigt ein erstes Ausführungsbeispiel eines PCB-Bauteils in einer schematischen Schnittdarstellung.
• 3 zeigt ein zweites Ausführungsbeispiel eines PCB-Bauteils in einer Aufsicht.
• 4 zeigt das PCB-Bauteil gemäß 3 und ein Sensortarget in einer perspektivischen Darstellung.

Further details and preferred features of the invention will be explained below with reference to the exemplary embodiments shown in the figures.

• 1 shows a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of a force feedback actuator.
• 2 shows a first embodiment of a PCB component in a schematic sectional view.
• 3 shows a second embodiment of a PCB component in a top view.
• 4 The PCB component is shown according to 3 and a sensor target in a perspective view.

In the 1 Figure 10 shows a force feedback actuator 10 that can be used in a vehicle's steer-by-wire system. The force feedback actuator 10 includes a motor 5 by means of which torque can be provided to a steering wheel 7, for example, to give the vehicle's user haptic feedback on the vehicle's steering behavior. The motor is in 1 It is shown schematically as a cube, but can also have a different shape, for example an essentially cylindrical shape.

Another component of the force feedback actuator 10 is a PCB component 1, which provides several functions. The PCB component 1 includes a rotor position sensor unit 2 for detecting the position or rotational orientation of the rotor of the motor 5. Furthermore, a phase connection 3 for the motor 5 is provided as part of the PCB component, which enables the connection of the phase lines, for example, the phase lines of a three-phase system, to the winding terminals of the motor 5. The phase connection 3 allows, for example, the connection of three phase lines to six windings of the motor 5.

In the embodiment shown here, the PCB component 1 is designed in the form of a perforated disk and has a circular outer contour.

The force feedback actuator 10 also includes a sensor target 6, which is rotationally fixed to the rotor of the motor 5. The sensor target 6 interacts with the rotor position sensor unit 2 and enables the determination of the rotational position of the sensor target 6 or of the rotor of the motor 5.

To reduce mutual interference between the rotor position sensor unit 2 and the phase circuit 3 of the PCB component 1, special measures have been taken. The illustration in the 2 Figure 1 shows a schematic cross-section through the layer structure of a PCB component 1 according to a first embodiment. The section plane is perpendicular to a principal extension plane H of the PCB component 1. 2 It is evident that the PCB component 1 has several layers. The phase connection 3 is formed in one or more layers of the PCB component 1, which are arranged closer to a first surface of the PCB component 1, as shown in the illustration. 1 the lower surface. The rotor position sensor unit 2 is configured in one or more layers closer to the second surface, the upper surface. 1 , are arranged. Between the rotor position sensor unit 2 and the phase connection 3, an electrically conductive material layer 4 is arranged, which serves as Shielding between the rotor position sensor unit 2 and the phase switching 3 is effective.

The representations in 3 and 4 Figure 1 shows a PCB component 1 according to a second embodiment of the invention together with a sensor target 6. The PCB component 1 is designed as an annular disk and includes a centrally arranged through-hole 8 for the passage of a rotor shaft. Adjacent to the through-hole 8, several sensor coils 2.2 are arranged concentrically to the through-hole 8; these coils are part of the rotor position sensor unit 2. The sensor coils 2.2 are designed as conductor tracks of the PCB component 1. The rotor position sensor unit 2 additionally includes a sensor circuit 2.1. The sensor circuit 2.1 comprises several electronic components.

In this embodiment of the PCB component 1, the phase connection is arranged in an area that concentrically surrounds the sensor coils 2.2. The phase connection is divided into several units, here three. Each of the units occupies an annular area 3.1.

The PCB components 1 according to the embodiments described above offer the advantage that the number of components required, and thus the effort for the development and manufacture of the force feedback actuator, is reduced.

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• EP 3 852 247 B1 [0005]
• DE 10 2022 204 530 A1 [0007]
• DE 10 2011 002 007 A1 [0008]

Claims (9)

PCB component (1) for a force feedback actuator (10) of a steer-by-wire system (10) comprising a motor (5) and a rotor position sensor unit (2), wherein the PCB component (1) has a phase connection (3) for the motor (5), characterized in that the PCB component (1) has several vertical vias arranged in a series to form a via fence, which is arranged between the phase connection (3) and the rotor position sensor unit (2). PCB component (1) according Claim 1 , characterized in that the phase connection (3) is at least partially inductively decoupled from the rotor position sensor unit (2) and/or is electromagnetically shielded. PCB component (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the PCB component (1) has an electrically conductive material layer (4) which acts in particular as an electrical ground and/or is in particular grounded, wherein the electrically conductive material layer (4) is located between the phase connection (3) and the rotor position sensor unit (2). PCB component (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the PCB component (1) has the form of a perforated disk and/or a circular outer contour. PCB component (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the phase interconnection (3) has one or more vias. Force feedback actuator (10) for a steer-by-wire system (10), wherein the force feedback actuator (10) comprises a motor (5) and a PCB component (1) according to one of the preceding claims. Steer-by-wire system with a force feedback actuator (10) according to Claim 6 . Vehicle with a steer-by-wire system according to Claim 7 . Method for manufacturing a PCB component (1) for a force feedback actuator (10) comprising a motor (5) of a steer-by-wire system (10), wherein a rotor position sensor unit (2) and a phase switching (3) for the motor (5) are produced on the PCB component (1).