Corner module for vehicle and vehicle

Abstract

The invention provides a corner module for a vehicle and the vehicle. The angle module comprises a steering unit, a suspension unit, a hub motor mounting frame integrally in a portal frame form and a sliding column; the steering unit comprises a steering motor, a steering frame and a steering ball pin; the suspension unit comprises a pair of upper connecting rods, a toe-in connecting rod and a pair of lower connecting rods, and the first end of each of the pair of upper connecting rods, the toe-in connecting rod and the pair of lower connecting rods is connected with a bogie of the steering unit. The hub motor mounting frame is connected with the second end of each of the paired upper connecting rods, the toe-in connecting rods and the paired lower connecting rods, a lifting lug at the upper end of the sliding column is connected with the bogie, and a shaft pin at the lower end of the sliding column is connected with the hub motor mounting frame. Through the multi-component flexible design, the universality of all the components of the angle module is ensured, the angle module has the large adjustment bandwidth, and the angle module is greatly improved in the aspects of structure optimization, cost control, mechanical property improvement and adaptability expansion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of vehicles, and in particular to a corner module for a vehicle and a vehicle having the corner module. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of vehicle technology, users' requirements for the motion efficiency of vehicle corner modules are also increasing. However, the integrated corner module architecture in the prior art usually has the following main disadvantages and shortcomings: the left and right versatility of the bogies and control arms of the left and right corner modules is poor, resulting in high mold and manufacturing costs, especially when casting technology is used, the mold and manufacturing costs will be further increased, and the production efficiency is low; the control arm is large in size and complex in structure, and the mold and manufacturing costs are high; some corner module architectures do not have auxiliary support lower control arms, resulting in excessive loads on the top mounting holes of the bogies and insufficient overall structural rigidity; the left and right corner modules are independently driven to steer, lacking the rigid connection of traditional racks or steering tie rods, and the gear meshing clearance of the electric steering mechanism may cause wheel shimmy problems when the vehicle is driving; the existing architecture does not reflect flexible design, lacks the ability to adjust hard points and wheel alignment parameters (toe angle, camber angle) and Y-axis wheelbase and Z-axis vehicle height, and the expansibility of later vehicle model development is poor. It can be seen that the corner modules in the prior art still have a lot of room for improvement in structural optimization, cost control, mechanical performance improvement and adaptability expansion. Summary of the invention

[0003] In order to solve the above technical problems, according to one aspect of the present invention, a corner module for a vehicle is provided. The corner module comprises:

[0004] A steering unit, the steering unit comprising a steering motor, a steering rack and a steering ball pin;

[0005] a suspension unit, the suspension unit comprising a pair of upper links, a toe link, and a pair of lower links, a first end of each of the pair of upper links, the toe link, and the pair of lower links being connected to the bogie of the steering unit;

[0006] a wheel hub motor mounting frame, the wheel hub motor mounting frame being in the form of a gantry frame as a whole, the wheel hub motor mounting frame being connected to the second end of each of the paired upper connecting rods, the toe connecting rod and the paired lower connecting rods; and

[0007] A sliding column, wherein the sliding column is provided with an upper end lifting ear and a lower end axle pin, the lower end axle pin is provided with a lower end axle pin mounting hole, the upper end lifting ear is connected to the bogie, and the lower end axle pin is connected to the hub motor mounting frame through the lower end axle pin mounting hole.

[0008] Optionally, the bogie is provided with a first upper link inner mounting hole and a second upper link inner mounting hole symmetrically arranged on both sides of the bogie, and the paired upper links are respectively connected to the first upper link inner mounting hole and the second upper link inner mounting hole, and the bogie is also provided with a first upper link mounting adjustment portion and a second upper link mounting adjustment portion, wherein the first upper link inner mounting hole is arranged on the first upper link mounting adjustment portion, and the second upper link inner mounting hole is arranged on the second upper link mounting adjustment portion.

[0009] Optionally, the bogie is provided with a first toe link inner mounting hole and a second toe link inner mounting hole symmetrically arranged on both sides of the bogie, the toe link is connected to one of the first toe link inner mounting hole and the second toe link inner mounting hole, and the bogie is also provided with a first toe link mounting adjustment portion and a second toe link mounting adjustment portion, wherein the first toe link inner mounting hole is arranged on the first toe link mounting adjustment portion, and the second toe link inner mounting hole is arranged on the second toe link mounting adjustment portion.

[0010] Optionally, the bogie is provided with a first lower-link inner mounting hole and a second lower-link inner mounting hole symmetrically arranged on both sides of the bogie, and the paired lower links are respectively connected to the first lower-link inner mounting hole and the second lower-link inner mounting hole, and the bogie is also provided with a first lower-link mounting adjustment portion and a second lower-link mounting adjustment portion, wherein the first lower-link inner mounting hole is arranged on the first lower-link mounting adjustment portion, and the second lower-link inner mounting hole is arranged on the second lower-link mounting adjustment portion.

[0011] Optionally, the hub motor mounting frame is provided with a suspension unit mounting adjustment portion, and the suspension unit mounting adjustment portion is provided with a suspension unit mounting hole.

[0012] Optionally, the wheel hub motor mounting frame is provided with a wheel hub motor mounting adjustment portion, and the wheel hub motor mounting frame is mounted to the wheel hub motor via the wheel hub motor mounting adjustment portion.

[0013] Optionally, the steering unit further comprises a lower control arm, an outer end of the lower control arm is connected to the steering ball pin, and an inner end of the lower control arm is connected to a body of the vehicle.

[0014] Optionally, the steering unit also includes a steering damper, which is horizontally arranged between the bogie and the lower control arm, the outer end of the steering damper is connected to the bogie, and the inner end of the steering damper is connected to the body of the vehicle, and when the bogie rotates, the steering damper produces compression or tension movement.

[0015] Optionally, the bogie is a thin-walled structure.

[0016] According to another aspect of the present invention, a vehicle is provided, comprising any one of the above-mentioned corner modules.

[0017] According to the solution of the present invention, the new corner module architecture greatly improves the lightweight level, versatility and flexible adjustment ability of the module by optimizing the suspension selection, structural design and hard point arrangement, and effectively solves the problems of high cost, low efficiency and design rigidity existing in the traditional architecture. In addition, the addition of the steering damper can also significantly improve the shimmy problem during high-speed driving, providing a broader expansion space for the development of different models of the same architecture. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Features, advantages, and exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like elements, and in which:

[0019] Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a corner module according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 An exploded schematic diagram of the corner module shown in ;

[0021] Figure 3 for Figure 2 B detail view in;

[0022] Figure 4 for Figure 2 C detail view in;

[0023] Figure 5 for Figure 2 D detail view in;

[0024] Figure 6 It is a schematic side view of a corner module bogie expanded in the Z direction according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 7 for Figure 6 E detail view in;

[0026] Figure 8 It is a schematic side view of a corner module bogie expanded in the Y direction according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Fig. 9 for Figure 8 F detail view in;

[0028] Fig.10 is a front view schematic diagram of a bogie of a corner module according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Fig.11 is a side view of an upper connecting rod shaft of a corner module according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Fig.12 is a side view of an upper connecting rod axis of another side angle module of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Fig.13 is a side view of a toe link axis of a corner module according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Fig.14 is a side view of a toe link axis of a corner module according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Fig.15 is a side view of a lower link shaft of an angle module according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Fig.16 is a side view of a lower control arm shaft of a corner module according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Fig.17 yes Fig.16 A schematic front view of a lower control arm shown in FIG.

[0036] Fig.18 yes Fig.17 A schematic cross-sectional view of the lower control arm GG shown in FIG.

[0037] Fig.19 It is a front view schematic diagram of a hub motor mounting frame of an angle module according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Fig. 20 is a schematic side view of a hub motor mounting frame of an angle module according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Fig.21 is a side view of the hub motor shaft of an angle module according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Fig. 22 yes Fig.21 Another axial side view of the hub motor shown in;

[0041] Fig.23 is a schematic diagram of the left and right corner modules and the wheel assembly axis of an embodiment of the present invention; and

[0042] Fig.24 yes Fig.23 Another perspective diagram of the assembly axle side of the corner module and wheel shown in . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that if terms such as "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like appear to indicate the orientation or position relationship, unless otherwise specified, they are understood to be based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the drawings, which is only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present application.

[0044] The exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The description of the exemplary embodiments is merely exemplary and is by no means a limitation of the present invention and its application or usage. Moreover, the sizes and proportions of the components in the drawings are merely schematic and do not strictly correspond to actual products.

[0045] Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a corner module 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 yes Figure 1 An exploded schematic diagram of the corner module 1 shown in FIG. Figure 3 for Figure 2 B detail view in; Figure 4 for Figure 2 C detail view in; Figure 5 for Figure 2 D detail view in; Figure 6 1 is a schematic side view of a bogie 200 of an angle module 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, which is expanded in the Z direction; Figure 7 for Figure 6 E detail view in; Figure 8 1 is a schematic side view of a bogie 200 of an angle module 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, which is expanded in the Y direction; Fig. 9 for Figure 8 F detail view in; Fig.10 is a front view schematic diagram of a bogie 200 of a corner module 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig.11 is an axial side view of an upper connecting rod 300 of a corner module 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig.12 is an axial side view of an upper connecting rod 300 of another side angle module 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig.13 An axonometric view of a toe link 400 of a corner module 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig.14 is an axonometric view of a toe link 400 of a corner module 1 according to another embodiment of the present invention; Fig.15 is an axonometric view of a lower link 400 of a corner module 1 according to another embodiment of the present invention; Fig.16is an axonometric view of a lower control arm 600 of a corner module 1 according to another embodiment of the present invention; Fig.17 yes Fig.16 A schematic front view of a lower control arm 600 shown in FIG. Fig.18 yes Fig.17 A schematic cross-sectional view of a lower control arm 600G-G shown in FIG. Fig.19 is a front view schematic diagram of a hub motor mounting frame 700 of an angle module 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 20 is a schematic side view of a hub motor mounting frame 700 of a corner module 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig.21 is an axial side view of a hub motor 1300 of an angle module 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 22 yes Fig.21 Another axial side view of the hub motor 1300 shown in ; Fig.23 is a schematic diagram of the left and right corner modules and the wheel assembly axis of an embodiment of the present invention; and Fig.24 yes Fig.23 Another perspective schematic diagram of the assembly axle side of the corner module 1 and the wheel shown in FIG.

[0046] In a first aspect of the present invention, a corner module 1 for a vehicle is provided. Figures 1 to 22 As shown, the corner module 1 includes a steering unit 2, a suspension unit 3 and a hub motor mounting frame 700 in the form of a gantry frame. The steering unit 2 includes a steering motor 100, a bogie 200 and a steering ball pin 1000; the suspension unit 3 includes a pair of upper connecting rods 300, a toe connecting rod 400 and a pair of lower connecting rods 500, each of which has a first end connected to the bogie 200 of the steering unit 2, and a second end connected to the hub motor mounting frame 700.

[0047] Specifically, in this embodiment, Figures 1 to 10 As shown, the steering motor 100 of the steering unit 2 is positioned at the top of the bogie 200. More specifically, the top of the bogie 200 is provided with a circular central through hole 201, and the steering motor 100 has a cylindrical motor body, which is coaxially installed in the central through hole 201. In addition, the steering motor 100 is provided with a step portion 101. When the motor body of the steering motor 100 is coaxially installed in the central through hole 201, the bottom side 120 of the step portion 101 can contact the top side 220 of the bogie 200, and the steering motor 100 can be detachably fixed to the top of the bogie 200 by means of a fastening element such as a bolt. Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, multiple bolts are evenly distributed on the step portion 101 to ensure the stability of the installation. In addition, the steering motor top 110 is also detachably installed on the vehicle body 10 through multiple bolts and other fastening elements evenly distributed in the circumferential direction.

[0048] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figures 6 to 10 As shown, the bogie 200 is provided with a pair of first upper link inner mounting holes 231 and second upper link inner mounting holes 232 at the upper part of both sides thereof, a pair of first toe link inner mounting holes 241 and second toe link inner mounting holes 242 are provided at both sides of the middle part, and a pair of first lower link inner mounting holes 251 and second lower link inner mounting holes 252 are provided at both sides of the lower part. Specifically, each of the upper link 300, the toe link 400 and the lower link 500 has a first end and a second end, and the first ends of the upper link 300 and the lower link 500 are mounted on the bogie 200 through the first upper link inner mounting hole 231, the second upper link inner mounting hole 232, the first lower link inner mounting hole 251 and the second lower link inner mounting hole 252, and the first end of the toe link 400 is mounted on the bogie 200 through the first toe link inner mounting hole 241 or the second toe link inner mounting hole 242.

[0049] In addition, if Figures 1 to 10 As shown, the bogie 200 is provided with a steering ball pin installation hole 260 at its bottom and at the middle position of the bogie 200 along the X direction, which is used to install the steering ball pin 1000 of the steering unit 2, wherein the steering ball pin 1000 is provided with a ball pin seat 1060, and the ball pin seat 1060 has a cylindrical outer surface. During the assembly process, the inner surface of the steering ball pin installation hole 260 can be matched with the cylindrical outer surface of the ball pin seat 1060, and the ball pin seat 1060 can be locked in the steering ball pin installation hole 260 through two side holes 261 provided adjacent to the steering ball pin installation hole 260. Specifically, the ball pin seat 1060 can be locked in the steering ball pin installation hole 260 by inserting bolts into the two side holes 261 and by tightening the two side holes 261 with nuts so that the gap between the two side holes 261 becomes smaller.

[0050] like Figure 2As shown, the upper link 300 of the suspension unit 3 has an upper link first end 332 and an upper link second end 312 , the toe link 400 has a toe link first end 442 and a toe link second end 431 , and the lower link 500 has a lower link first end 551 and a lower link second end 541 . The first upper link inner mounting hole 231 and the second upper link inner mounting hole 232 are connected to the upper link first end 332, the first toe link inner mounting hole 241 or the second toe link inner mounting hole 242 is connected to the toe link first end 442, and the first lower link inner mounting hole 251 and the second lower link inner mounting hole 252 are connected to the lower link first end 551. In addition, the upper link second end 312, the toe link second end 431 and the lower link second end 541 are connected to an independent hub motor mounting frame 700, so that the bogie 200 can be connected to the hub motor mounting frame 700 via the suspension unit 3.

[0051] like Figure 2 As shown, the hub motor mounting frame 700 is connected to the hub motor 1300 which will be described in detail later, and a flange 1400 and a brake disc 1600 are arranged between the hub motor 1300 and the wheel 1700 of the vehicle, and a brake caliper 1500 is also arranged on the hub motor 1300. The flange 1400 and the hub motor 1300 are splined, and the shaft end is locked with a washer and a large nut. Optionally, an external brake disc 1600 can be arranged between the flange 1400 and the wheel 1700.

[0052] In addition, the suspension unit 3 is also provided with a sliding column 800, which is provided with an upper end lifting ear 881 and a lower end axle pin 882, and the lower end axle pin 882 is provided with lower end axle pin mounting holes 851, 852. The upper end lifting ear 881 is connected to the bogie 200, specifically, connected by bolts and nuts through the mounting ear, and the lower end axle pin 882 is connected to the hub motor mounting frame 700 through the lower end axle pin mounting holes 851, 852. Specifically, as Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, the lower end axle pin 882 is provided with lower end axle pin mounting holes 851, 852 at its two ends, and two mounting ears are also provided on the two upright columns of the gantry of the hub motor mounting frame 700. The press-fit bolts 751, 752 can be screwed into nuts after passing through the lower end axle pin mounting holes 851, 852 and the two mounting ears of the hub motor mounting frame 700, so as to fix the lower end axle pin 882 of the sliding column 800 with the hub motor mounting frame 700. By providing the mounting ears that set the sliding column 800 on the inner side of the hub motor mounting frame 700, the space occupied by the hub motor mounting frame 700 and the sliding column 800 in the axial direction of the wheel can be significantly reduced.

[0053] Therefore, compared with the corner module of the prior art that adopts the independent suspension structure of double wishbone, the corner module of the present invention introduces the five-link independent suspension design. This design cleverly utilizes the two-force bar structure with simple force, significantly reduces the size of the component, achieves lightweight, and solves the following problems faced by the corner module in the prior art: the position of the sliding column 800 (the coaxial assembly of the spring and the shock absorber) is far away from the wheel center, resulting in low movement efficiency (lever ratio), requiring the use of larger springs and shock absorbers, thereby increasing the weight of the parts; the control arm is large in size, complex in structure, and has high mold and manufacturing costs.

[0054] like Figures 1 to 10 As shown, the bogie 200 is provided with a first upper link inner mounting hole 231 and a second upper link inner mounting hole 232, a first toe link inner mounting hole 241 and a second toe link inner mounting hole 242, and a first lower link inner mounting hole 251 and a second lower link inner mounting hole 252 which are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the bogie 200, a pair of upper links 300 are respectively connected to the first upper link inner mounting hole 231 and the second upper link inner mounting hole 232, a toe link 400 is connected to one of the first toe link inner mounting hole 241 and the second toe link inner mounting hole 242, and a pair of lower links 500 are respectively connected to the first lower link inner mounting hole 251 and the second lower link inner mounting hole 252. That is, the pair of upper links 300 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the bogie 200 of the steering unit 2, the toe link 400 is only arranged on one side of the bogie 200 of the steering unit 2, and the pair of lower links 500 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the bogie 200 of the steering unit 2, so that in the installed state of the corner module, the pair of upper links 300 are symmetrically arranged relative to the bogie 200 in the X direction, and the pair of lower links 500 are symmetrically arranged relative to the bogie 200 in the X direction.

[0055] In addition, it should be noted that the pair of upper connecting rods 300 and the pair of lower connecting rods 500 are two components that are completely identical to each other.

[0056] By setting the bogie 200 and the suspension unit 3 in the above manner, the present invention optimizes the hard point design to achieve symmetry in the bogie structure and arranges the same parts of the suspension unit 3 symmetrically, thereby ensuring the commonality of the bogie 200 between the left corner module and the right corner module. In addition, the upper connecting rod 300, the toe connecting rod 400 and the lower connecting rod 500 are common inside the corner module and between the left corner module and the right corner module, effectively reducing the mold cost. The high degree of freedom of the hard point design not only helps to achieve the excellent K&C characteristics of the suspension, but also can significantly improve the handling stability of the whole vehicle. In addition, by optimizing the hard point design, the movement efficiency of the spring and shock absorber of the corner module can also be improved.

[0057] like Figure 11 to Figure 12As shown, the upper connecting rod 300 adopts a two-force rod structure, and the overall design is "I"-shaped. The connecting rod body is symmetrical relative to its own parting surface and has good versatility. The body can be formed by casting, forging, extrusion profile or sheet metal welding process, and rubber bushings are pressed into the through holes at both ends to improve the buffering performance. The middle and rear part of the upper connecting rod 300 body is also provided with a connecting rod bracket threaded hole 321 for installing the air spring height sensor 20, and positioning holes 322 and 323 are designed to meet the universal installation requirements of the left and right corner modules. In the left corner module, the upper connecting rod 300 fixes the sensor connecting rod bracket through the threaded hole 321 and the positioning hole 322; in the right corner module, the fixing design is completed through the threaded hole 321 and the positioning hole 323. The overall design of the upper connecting rod 300 ensures its versatility within the module and between the left and right corner modules.

[0058] like Fig.13 As shown, the inner end of the toe link 400 is designed as a rubber bushing structure, the outer end is a ball pin structure, and the middle section adopts a stud bolt structure with opposite thread rotation directions. The length of the toe link 400 can be adjusted. For example, when the two sides are rotated, the distance between the inner and outer points of the link can be adjusted, thereby realizing the adjustment function of the wheel toe angle. Fig.14 Another toe link 400' is shown, the middle section of which is a threaded tube structure with opposite thread directions, and its working principle is similar to that of the toe link 400. The toe links 400 and 400' have good commonality between the left corner module and the right corner module.

[0059] like Fig.15 As shown in the figure, the lower connecting rod 500 also adopts a two-force rod structure, and the overall design is "I"-shaped. The connecting rod body is symmetrical relative to its own parting plane, and has good versatility. The body can be formed by casting, extrusion, sheet metal welding or pipe welding, and has flexible manufacturing adaptability. Rubber bushings are pressed into the through holes at both ends to improve the connection performance. The lower connecting rod 500 also achieves high versatility inside the module and between the left corner module and the right corner module.

[0060] like Figures 6 to 10The bogie 200 is provided with a first upper link mounting adjustment portion 230′, a second upper link mounting adjustment portion 230, a first toe link mounting adjustment portion 240′, a second toe link mounting adjustment portion 240, a first lower link mounting adjustment portion 250′ and a second lower link mounting adjustment portion 250, wherein the first upper link inner mounting hole 231 is provided on the first upper link mounting adjustment portion 230′, the second upper link inner mounting hole 232 is provided on the second upper link mounting adjustment portion 230, the first toe link inner mounting hole 241 is provided on the first toe link mounting adjustment portion 240′, the second toe link inner mounting hole 242 is provided on the second toe link mounting adjustment portion 240, the first lower link inner mounting hole 251 is provided on the first lower link mounting adjustment portion 250′, and the second lower link inner mounting hole 252 is provided on the second lower link mounting adjustment portion 250. Specifically, in the present embodiment, in the YZ plane, the first upper link mounting adjustment portion 230′, the second upper link mounting adjustment portion 230, the first toe link mounting adjustment portion 240′, the second toe link mounting adjustment portion 240, the first lower link mounting adjustment portion 250′ and the second lower link mounting adjustment portion 250 have a substantially oblong area, and the area of ​​the corresponding mounting adjustment portion is significantly larger than the area of ​​the corresponding mounting hole, so that the first upper link inner mounting hole 231 and the second upper link inner mounting hole 232, the first toe link inner mounting hole 241, the second toe link inner mounting hole 242, the first lower link inner mounting hole 251 and the second lower link inner mounting hole 252 can be respectively arranged on the first upper link mounting adjustment portion 230', the second upper link mounting adjustment portion 230, the first toe link mounting adjustment portion 240', the second toe link mounting adjustment portion 240, the first lower link mounting adjustment portion 250' and the second lower link mounting adjustment portion 250 in the Y direction and the Z direction with a certain distance offset. Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, taking the second upper link 300 as an example, the mounting hole 232 in the second upper link, the mounting hole 242 in the second toe link and the mounting hole 252 in the second lower link can be offset in the Z direction by a distance and processed as 232′, 242′ and 252′, that is, the distance from the center of the mounting hole in the second upper link to the upper top surface of the bogie 200 changes from Z41 to Z41′, the distance from the center of the mounting hole in the second toe link to the upper top surface of the bogie 200 changes from Z42 to Z42′, and the distance from the center of the mounting hole in the second lower link to the upper top surface of the bogie 200 changes from Z43 to Z43′, thereby forming the Z-direction expansion strategy Z4 of the corner module, that is, adjusting the wheel center height by translating the suspension unit 3 on the bogie 200 along the Z direction, thereby changing the height of the entire vehicle. For another example, Figure 8 and Fig. 9As shown, still taking the second upper link 300 as an example, the mounting hole 232 in the second upper link, the mounting hole 242 in the second toe link and the mounting hole 252 in the second lower link can also be offset in the Y direction by a distance and processed as 232", 242" and 252", the distance from the center of the mounting hole in the second upper link to the reference axis in the Y direction is changed from Y31 to Y31", the distance from the center of the mounting hole in the second toe link to the reference axis is changed from Y32 to Y32", and the distance from the center of the mounting hole in the second lower link to the reference axis is changed from Y33 to Y33", thereby constituting the Y-direction expansion strategy Y3 of the corner module, that is, adjusting the wheelbase by translating the suspension unit 3 along the Y direction on the bogie 200.

[0061] It can be seen that the present invention adopts a flexible design concept, optimizes the system and components, and realizes that the Y-direction wheelbase and the Z-direction wheel center height can be adjusted within a certain range without replacing components. It has good adjustability and expansibility, so that the corner module of the present invention can meet the expansion requirements of different wheelbases and wheel center heights (corresponding to the height of the whole vehicle). In addition, the present invention makes it easy to adjust the toe angle and camber angle positioning parameters of the wheel, which can not only effectively eliminate the parameter deviation caused by manufacturing and assembly tolerances, but also meet the differentiated requirements of the front and rear axle wheel positioning parameters, thereby significantly improving the expansibility and adaptability of the corner module, so that the corner module can adapt to the requirements of different levels and forms of vehicles under the same architecture. In addition, by modularizing the bogie 200 in the above manner, the differentiated assembly requirements of the left corner module and the right corner module in the pipeline layout can be met only through local machining, which further greatly reduces the mold cost.

[0062] like Figure 5 and Figures 19 to 20As shown, the hub motor mounting frame 700 is provided with a suspension unit mounting adjustment portion, and the suspension unit mounting adjustment portion is provided with a suspension unit mounting hole. Specifically, in this embodiment, the hub motor mounting frame 700 is provided with 5 suspension unit mounting adjustment portions, namely, a first suspension unit mounting adjustment portion, a second suspension unit mounting adjustment portion, a third suspension unit mounting adjustment portion, a fourth suspension unit mounting adjustment portion, and a fifth suspension unit mounting adjustment portion, wherein the first suspension unit mounting adjustment portion is provided with a first suspension unit mounting hole 711, the second suspension unit mounting adjustment portion is provided with a second suspension unit mounting hole 712, the third suspension unit mounting adjustment portion is provided with a third suspension unit mounting hole 731, the fourth suspension unit mounting adjustment portion is provided with a fourth suspension unit mounting hole 741, and the fifth suspension unit mounting adjustment portion is provided with a fifth suspension unit mounting hole 742. Similar to the above description of the mounting adjustment part of the bogie 200, the first suspension unit mounting hole 711, the second suspension unit mounting hole 712, the third suspension unit mounting hole 731, the fourth suspension unit mounting hole 741 and the fifth suspension unit mounting hole 742 can be adjusted on the corresponding suspension unit mounting adjustment part, so that each mounting hole 711, 712, 731, 741, 742 can be offset by a certain distance in the Y direction and the Z direction on the corresponding suspension unit mounting adjustment part. For example, Fig. 20 As shown, the distance between the center of each mounting hole 711, 712, 731, 741, 742 and the reference plane before the offset is changed from Y20 to Y20′ relative to the distance between the center of each mounting hole and the reference plane after the offset, and the position of the hub motor mounting adjustment part 720 mentioned later is changed from 720 to 720′.

[0063] like Figure 5 and Figures 19 to 20As shown, the hub motor mounting frame 700 is provided with a hub motor mounting adjustment portion 720, and the hub motor mounting frame 700 is mounted to the hub motor 1300 through the hub motor mounting adjustment portion 720. Specifically, in this embodiment, the hub motor mounting adjustment portion 720 includes a first hub motor mounting adjustment portion 701, a second hub motor mounting adjustment portion 702, a third hub motor mounting adjustment portion 703 and a fourth hub motor mounting adjustment portion 704, the first hub motor mounting adjustment portion 701 is provided with an upper front mounting hole 721, the second hub motor mounting adjustment portion 702 is provided with an upper rear mounting hole 722, the third hub motor mounting adjustment portion 703 is provided with a lower rear mounting hole 724, and the fourth hub motor mounting adjustment portion 704 is provided with a lower front mounting hole 723. Similar to the above description of the installation adjustment part of the bogie 200, the upper front installation hole 721, the upper rear installation hole 722, the lower front installation hole 723, and the lower rear installation hole 724 can also be adjusted on the corresponding hub motor installation adjustment part 720, so that each upper front installation hole 721, the upper rear installation hole 722, the lower front installation hole 723, and the lower rear installation hole 724 can be offset by a certain distance in the Y direction and the Z direction on the corresponding hub motor installation adjustment part 720. For example, Fig.19 As shown, the upper front mounting hole 721, the upper rear mounting hole 722, the lower front mounting hole 723, and the lower rear mounting hole 724 can be offset in the Z direction by a distance, so that the upper front mounting hole 721, the upper rear mounting hole 722, the lower front mounting hole 723, and the lower rear mounting hole 724 are offset in the Z direction to the upper front mounting hole 721′, the upper rear mounting hole 722′, the lower front mounting hole 723′, and the lower rear mounting hole 724′, respectively, and the distance between the center of the upper front mounting hole and the center of the first suspension unit mounting hole 711 increases from Z21 to Z21′, and the upper rear mounting hole 721′ is increased to Z21′. The distance from the center of the mounting hole to the second suspension unit mounting hole 712 increases from Z22 to Z22′, the distance from the center of the lower front mounting hole to the fifth suspension unit mounting hole 742 increases from Z23 to Z23′, and the distance from the center of the lower rear mounting hole to the fourth suspension unit mounting hole 741 increases from Z24 to Z24′, thereby also constituting the Z-direction expansion strategy Z2 of the corner module, that is, adjusting the wheel center height by making the hub motor 1300 translate as a whole along the Z direction on the mounting hole of the hub motor mounting frame 700, thereby changing the height of the entire vehicle.

[0064] According to the present invention, an independent hub motor mounting frame 700 is arranged between the hub motor 1300 and the suspension unit 3. The hub motor mounting frame 700 is provided with flexible expansion areas in the Y direction and the Z direction, which can adapt to the requirements of different wheelbases and wheel center heights, significantly improve the flexibility and adaptability of the angle module, and meet various expansion requirements. In addition, the wheel toe angle is adjustable. This design can absorb the toe angle deviation caused by manufacturing and assembly tolerances on the one hand, and can adapt to the differentiated requirements of the front and rear axles for the wheel toe angle on the other hand. Similarly, the wheel camber angle is also adjustable. On the one hand, it can correct the camber angle deviation caused by manufacturing and assembly tolerances, and on the other hand, it can meet the differentiated requirements of the front and rear axle wheel camber angles. For example, the rear wheel usually requires a smaller initial negative camber angle, and this adjustment design can effectively meet this requirement.

[0065] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 16 to Figure 17 As shown, the steering unit 2 includes a lower control arm 600, the outer end of which is connected to the bogie 200 through a steering ball pin 1000, and the inner end of which is connected to the vehicle body 10. Specifically, in this embodiment, the lower control arm 600 is in a "Y" shape as a whole, arranged at the bottom of the bogie 200, connected to the vehicle body or the subframe, and parallel to the XY plane. The lower control arm 600 is used to provide auxiliary support, share the directional forces transmitted from the wheels to the bogie 200, thereby reducing the force on the contact area between the top of the bogie 200 and the vehicle body 10, optimizing the structural force distribution of the bogie 200, and realizing a lightweight design. The inner front point 611 and the inner rear point 612 of the lower control arm 600 are connected to the vehicle body or the subframe, and can be rigidly connected or flexibly connected by press-fit rubber bushings. The outer point 661 of the lower control arm 600 cooperates with the conical surface of the steering ball pin 1000. The center of the steering ball pin 1000 is located on the axis of the steering kingpin, providing horizontal support for the bogie and reducing the force on the top of the vehicle body. When the bogie 200 is turning or bouncing with the suspension unit 3, the lower control arm 600 remains stationary relative to the vehicle body 10. The characteristic of the lower control arm 600 being stationary relative to the vehicle body 10 allows the vertical space to be arranged with a steering damper. The outer end of the steering damper is connected to the bogie, and the inner end is connected to the vehicle body or the subframe. When the bogie is turning, it will drive the damper to swing horizontally relative to its inner mounting hole, and at the same time generate compression or tension movement along its own axis, thereby generating damping force, further optimizing the steering performance. In addition, the auxiliary support function of the lower control arm improves the load-bearing capacity of the corner module, making it applicable to a wider range of vehicle models, and supports the bogie to adopt a uniform wall thickness design, which is convenient for the implementation of high-pressure casting process, thereby reducing production costs and weight.

[0066] like Figures 1 to 4As shown, the steering unit 2 includes a steering damper 900, which is horizontally arranged between the bogie 200 and the lower control arm 600. The outer end of the steering damper 900 is connected to the bogie 200, and the inner end of the steering damper 900 is connected to the body 10 of the vehicle. When the bogie 200 undergoes a steering rotation, the steering damper 900 generates a compression or tension movement. Specifically, the axial direction of the steering damper 900 is substantially parallel to the plane where the lower control arm 600 is located, and is arranged in the vertical gap between the bogie 200 and the lower control arm 600. The steering damper 900 has an outer end and an inner end, and the steering damper 900 is provided with an outer ball pin end 991 at its outer end, and the outer ball pin end 991 is connected to the lower mounting hole 291 of the bogie 200, and optionally connected by bolts; in addition, the steering damper 900 is provided with an inner ball pin end 911 at its inner end, and the inner ball pin end 911 is connected to the vehicle body 10, and optionally connected by bolts. In this way, when the bogie 200 is turned and rotated, the steering damper 900 can be driven to generate compression or tension movement, so that the vibration phenomenon that may occur when the vehicle is driving at high speed can be effectively eliminated or weakened by the damping force of the damper 900, thereby improving the driving stability of the vehicle. In the present invention, the steering damper 900 is arranged by making full use of the vertical gap between the bogie 200 and the lower control arm 600, so that the space is more compact.

[0067] like Figures 6 to 10 As shown, the bogie 200 adopts a thin-walled structure design and is produced by a high-pressure casting process. Compared with gravity casting, low-pressure casting or sand mold hollow casting, it has a higher yield rate, strength and production efficiency. The bogie 200 is designed with a thin-walled structure and reinforced ribs are set between the mounting holes, which not only achieves lightweight, but also improves overall rigidity and strength. Figures 1 to 10 As shown, when viewed along the Y direction, the bogie 200 as a whole presents an "N"-shaped symmetrical structure, and when viewed along the X direction, the bogie 200 as a whole presents a "C"-shaped structure.

[0068] like Figure 21 to Figure 22As shown, the wheel hub motor 1300 is of an inner rotor type and includes an outer shell 1310, an inner shell 1320, an inner rotor 1330, a high-voltage interface 1340 and a cooling water circuit interface 1350. Optionally, the outer end surface of the outer shell is symmetrically provided with mounting threaded holes 1311, 1312 and 1311', 1312' for the brake caliper 1500 to respectively adapt to the installation requirements of the external brake caliper of the left corner module and the right corner module (the service brake can also be integrated inside the wheel hub motor), so as to achieve the universality of the outer shell 1310 between the left corner module and the right corner module. The inner shell is provided with threaded holes 1321, 1322, 1323, 1324 for connecting with the wheel hub motor mounting frame 700, as well as a high-voltage line interface 1340 and a cooling water circuit interface 1350 to meet the requirements of installation and operation.

[0069] In a second aspect of the present invention, a vehicle is further provided, the vehicle being provided with any one of the above-mentioned corner modules.

[0070] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "an example", "some embodiments", or "preferred embodiment" etc. means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner.

[0071] The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail above. However, aspects of the present invention are not limited to the above embodiments. Various modifications and substitutions may be applied to the above embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A corner module (1) for a vehicle, characterized in that The corner module (1) comprises: A steering unit (2), the steering unit (2) comprising a steering motor (100), a steering rack (200) and a steering ball pin (1000); A suspension unit (3), the suspension unit (3) comprising a pair of upper links (300), a toe link (400) and a pair of lower links (500), wherein a first end of each of the pair of upper links (300), the toe link (400) and the pair of lower links (500) is connected to the bogie (200) of the steering unit (2); A wheel hub motor mounting frame (700), the wheel hub motor mounting frame (700) being in the form of a gantry as a whole, the wheel hub motor mounting frame (700) being connected to the second end of each of the paired upper connecting rods (300), the toe connecting rod (400) and the paired lower connecting rods (500); and A sliding column (800), wherein the sliding column (800) is provided with an upper end lifting ear (881) and a lower end shaft pin (882), wherein the lower end shaft pin (882) is provided with a lower end shaft pin mounting hole (851, 852), wherein the upper end lifting ear (881) is connected to the bogie (200), and the lower end shaft pin (882) is connected to the hub motor mounting frame (700) through the lower end shaft pin mounting hole (851, 852).

2. The corner module according to claim 1, characterized in that The bogie (200) is provided with a first upper connecting rod inner mounting hole (231) and a second upper connecting rod inner mounting hole (232) which are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the bogie (200), and the paired upper connecting rods (300) are respectively connected to the first upper connecting rod inner mounting hole (231) and the second upper connecting rod inner mounting hole (232), and the bogie (200) is also provided with a first upper connecting rod mounting adjustment portion (230′) and a second upper connecting rod mounting adjustment portion (230), wherein the first upper connecting rod inner mounting hole (231) is arranged on the first upper connecting rod mounting adjustment portion (230′), and the second upper connecting rod inner mounting hole (232) is arranged on the second upper connecting rod mounting adjustment portion (230).

3. The corner module according to claim 1, characterized in that The bogie (200) is provided with a first toe link inner mounting hole (241) and a second toe link inner mounting hole (242) symmetrically arranged on both sides of the bogie (200), and the toe link (400) is connected to one of the first toe link inner mounting hole (241) and the second toe link inner mounting hole (242). The bogie (200) is also provided with a first toe link mounting adjustment portion (240′) and a second toe link mounting adjustment portion (240), wherein the first toe link inner mounting hole (241) is arranged on the first toe link mounting adjustment portion (240′), and the second toe link inner mounting hole (242) is arranged on the second toe link mounting adjustment portion (240).

4. The corner module according to claim 1, characterized in that The bogie (200) is provided with a first lower link inner mounting hole (251) and a second lower link inner mounting hole (252) symmetrically arranged on both sides of the bogie (200), and the paired lower links (500) are respectively connected to the first lower link inner mounting hole (251) and the second lower link inner mounting hole (252), and the bogie (200) is also provided with a first lower link mounting adjustment portion (250') and a second lower link mounting adjustment portion (250), wherein the first lower link inner mounting hole (251) is arranged on the first lower link mounting adjustment portion (250'), and the second lower link inner mounting hole (252) is arranged on the second lower link mounting adjustment portion (250).

5. The corner module according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The wheel hub motor mounting frame (700) is provided with a suspension unit mounting adjustment portion, and the suspension unit mounting adjustment portion is provided with suspension unit mounting holes (711, 712, 731, 741, 742).

6. The corner module according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The wheel hub motor mounting frame (700) is provided with a wheel hub motor mounting adjustment portion (720), and the wheel hub motor mounting frame (700) is mounted to the wheel hub motor (1300) via the wheel hub motor mounting adjustment portion (720).

7. The corner module according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The steering unit (2) further comprises a lower control arm (600), the outer end of the lower control arm (600) being connected to the steering ball pin (1000), and the inner end of the lower control arm (600) being connected to the vehicle body (10) of the vehicle.

8. The corner module according to claim 7, characterized in that The steering unit (2) further comprises a steering damper (900), wherein the steering damper (900) is horizontally arranged between the bogie (200) and the lower control arm (600), wherein the outer end of the steering damper (900) is connected to the bogie (200), and the inner end of the steering damper (900) is connected to the vehicle body (10) of the vehicle, and when the bogie (200) undergoes a steering rotation, the steering damper (900) generates a compression or a tension movement.

9. The corner module according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The bogie (200) is a thin-walled structure.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that: The vehicle comprises a corner module (1) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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