Chassis assembly and electric vehicles

Abstract

This invention provides a chassis assembly and an electric vehicle, relating to the field of electric vehicle technology. The chassis assembly includes a chassis, wheels, half-shafts, wheel-side motors, tie rods, an arc-shaped track, and a steering drive unit. One end of the half-shaft is drive-connected to the output end of the wheel-side motor, and the other end is drive-connected to the wheel hub. The wheel-side motor can drive the wheel hub to rotate via the half-shaft. One end of the wheel's steering arm is rotatably connected to the wheel hub, and the other end is connected to one end of the tie rod. The other end of the tie rod is connected to the wheel-side motor. The arc-shaped track and the steering drive unit are both rigidly connected to the chassis. The wheel-side motor is slidably connected to the arc-shaped track, and the steering drive unit is drive-connected to the wheel-side motor. The steering drive unit can drive the wheel-side motor to slide along the arc-shaped track, so that the wheel-side motor can drive the wheel hub to steer via the tie rod and the steering arm. The chassis assembly and electric vehicle provided by this invention have a large steering angle for the wheels and are relatively lightweight at the wheels.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of electric vehicle technology, and more particularly to chassis assemblies and electric vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] Automobiles are a common mode of transportation, and the steering angle of a car's wheels is crucial to its handling performance. For example, to reduce the turning radius and enable lateral movement, the car's wheels need to be able to turn at a relatively large angle.

[0003] A car includes a chassis assembly. In some electric vehicles that use electricity as a power source and are driven by a drive motor, the chassis assembly includes a chassis, wheels, a drive motor, and a steering system. The drive motor is connected to the wheels and drives them to rotate. The steering system is mounted on the chassis and connected to the wheels to steer them. To increase the steering angle of an electric vehicle's wheels, some related technologies use hub motors mounted on the wheels as drive motors. The hub motor drives the wheel at its mounting point to rotate. This reduces the limitation on the steering angle of the wheels caused by the need for a half-shaft connection between the wheel and the drive motor when the drive motor is rigidly connected to the chassis. However, mounting hub motors on the wheels significantly increases the weight at the wheels, which is detrimental to the handling of the electric vehicle.

[0004] Therefore, how to design a chassis assembly that is lightweight at the wheels and has a large steering angle is an urgent problem to be solved in the current electric vehicle technology field. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention aims to provide a chassis assembly and an electric vehicle to solve the problem of heavy weight at the wheels with a large steering angle in the prior art.

[0006] On one hand, the present invention provides a chassis assembly including a chassis, wheels and wheel-side modules.

[0007] The wheel-side module includes a half-shaft, wheel-side motor, tie rod, curved track, and steering drive unit.

[0008] The wheel consists of a hub and a steering arm. One end of the half-shaft is connected to the output of the wheel-side motor, and the other end of the half-shaft is connected to the hub. The wheel-side motor is used to drive the hub to rotate through the half-shaft.

[0009] One end of the steering arm is rotatably connected to the wheel hub, and the rotation axis of the steering arm relative to the wheel hub is coaxial with the rotation axis of the wheel-side motor driving the wheel hub to rotate. The other end of the steering arm is connected to one end of the tie rod, and the other end of the tie rod is connected to the wheel-side motor.

[0010] Both the arc-shaped track and the steering drive unit are securely connected to the chassis. The wheel-side motor is slidably connected to the arc-shaped track, and the steering drive unit is drively connected to the wheel-side motor. The steering drive unit is used to drive the wheel-side motor to slide along the arc-shaped track so that the wheel-side motor can drive the wheel hub to turn through the tie rod and steering arm.

[0011] Optionally, a mounting base is installed on the curved track and slidably connected thereto, and the wheel-side motor is fastened to the mounting base to slidably connect with the curved track.

[0012] The steering drive unit includes a steering drive motor, which is fixedly connected to the chassis. The output end of the steering drive motor is equipped with a drive gear, the axis of which is perpendicular to the ground. An arc-shaped rack corresponding to the arc-shaped track is fixedly connected to the side wall of the mounting base. The drive gear meshes with the arc-shaped rack. The steering drive motor is connected to the wheel-side motor through the drive gear, the arc-shaped rack, and the mounting base. The steering drive motor is used to drive the wheel-side motor to slide along the arc-shaped track through the drive gear, the arc-shaped rack, and the mounting base.

[0013] Optionally, the curved track is located on the bottom surface of the chassis, and the wheel-side motor is suspended below the curved track through a mounting base. A bearing is provided between the mounting base and the curved track, and the mounting base and the curved track are slidably connected through the bearing.

[0014] Optionally, the central angle subtended by the curved track is greater than or equal to 130°.

[0015] Optionally, the wheel-side module also includes a first ball cage and a second ball cage. One end of the half shaft is connected to the output end of the wheel-side motor via the first ball cage, and the other end of the half shaft is connected to the wheel hub via the second ball cage.

[0016] The tie rod is a telescopic rod, and the tie rod and the steering arm are rotatably connected through the first connecting shaft. The axis of the first connecting shaft is parallel to the ground, and the axis of the first connecting shaft intersects the perpendicular line of the center of the arc track.

[0017] Optionally, a buffer bushing is provided at the connection between the tie rod and the steering arm. One end of the buffer bushing is connected to the tie rod, and the other end is connected to the steering arm. The first connecting shaft is located inside the buffer bushing.

[0018] Optionally, the wheel-side module also includes a suspension assembly mounted on the chassis.

[0019] The wheel also includes an upper connecting arm and a lower connecting arm distributed vertically.

[0020] One end of the upper connecting arm is fastened to the steering arm so that the upper connecting arm is rotatably connected to the wheel hub, and the other end of the upper connecting arm is movably connected to the suspension assembly. The upper connecting arm can rotate relative to the suspension assembly about a first rotation axis.

[0021] One end of the lower connecting arm is fastened to the steering arm so that the lower connecting arm is rotatably connected to the wheel hub, and the other end of the lower connecting arm is movably connected to the suspension assembly. The lower connecting arm can rotate relative to the suspension assembly about a second rotation axis.

[0022] The first rotation axis is collinear with the second rotation axis and intersects the axis of the first connecting axis perpendicularly.

[0023] Optionally, the suspension assembly includes an upper suspension arm, a lower suspension arm, an upper ball joint, a lower ball joint, and a damping mechanism.

[0024] The upper connecting arm is rotatably connected to the upper ball joint pin. The upper connecting arm can rotate relative to the upper ball joint pin around the first rotation axis. One end of the upper suspension arm is rotatably connected to the chassis through the second connecting shaft, and the other end is provided with an upper ball joint seat corresponding to the upper ball joint pin. The ball head of the upper ball joint pin is installed in the upper ball joint seat. The upper ball joint pin is movably connected to the upper suspension arm through the upper ball joint seat, so that the upper connecting arm and the upper suspension arm are movably connected.

[0025] The lower connecting arm is rotatably connected to the lower ball joint pin. The lower connecting arm can rotate relative to the lower ball joint pin around the second rotation axis. One end of the lower suspension arm is rotatably connected to the chassis through the third connecting shaft, and the other end is provided with a lower ball joint seat corresponding to the lower ball joint pin. The ball head of the lower ball joint pin is installed in the lower ball joint seat. The lower ball joint pin is movably connected to the lower suspension arm through the lower ball joint seat, so that the lower connecting arm and the lower suspension arm are movably connected.

[0026] The axes of the second and third connecting shafts are both parallel to the ground, and the plane containing the axes of the second and third connecting shafts is perpendicular to the ground.

[0027] The upper end of the shock absorption mechanism is fastened to the chassis, and the lower end of the shock absorption mechanism is fastened to the lower suspension arm.

[0028] Optionally, the tie rod is located below the half-shaft.

[0029] On the other hand, the present invention provides an electric vehicle, which includes a body assembly and a chassis assembly in any of the above embodiments, the body assembly being mounted on the chassis of the chassis assembly.

[0030] The present invention provides a chassis assembly and an electric vehicle. The chassis assembly includes a chassis, wheels, and a wheel-side module. The wheel-side module includes a half-shaft, a wheel-side motor, a tie rod, an arc-shaped track, and a steering drive unit. The wheel includes a hub and a steering arm. One end of the half-shaft is driven to the output end of the wheel-side motor, and the other end of the half-shaft is driven to the hub. The wheel-side motor drives the hub to rotate via the half-shaft. One end of the steering arm is rotatably connected to the hub, and the rotation axis of the steering arm relative to the hub is coaxial with the rotation axis of the wheel-side motor driving the hub to rotate. The other end of the steering arm is connected to one end of the tie rod, and the other end of the tie rod is connected to the wheel-side motor. The arc-shaped track and the steering drive unit are both fixedly connected to the chassis. The wheel-side motor is slidably connected to the arc-shaped track, and the steering drive unit is driven to the wheel-side motor. The steering drive unit drives the wheel-side motor to slide along the arc-shaped track, so that the wheel-side motor drives the hub to steer via the tie rod and the steering arm.

[0031] With the above setup, when the wheels need to turn, the steering drive unit drives the wheel-side motor to slide along an arc-shaped track. As the wheel-side motor slides along the track, it drives the tie rod, half-shaft, and wheel to rotate together, thus achieving wheel steering. When the wheels turn, the wheel, tie rod, half-shaft, and wheel-side motor rotate together, reducing the impact of the half-shaft connecting the wheel and the wheel-side motor on the wheel's steering angle. Furthermore, when the wheels can achieve a large steering angle, there is no need to install the drive motor on the wheel, resulting in lighter weight at the wheel and improved handling of the electric vehicle. In addition, each wheel is individually driven and controlled by a wheel-side module, allowing for individual control of the speed and steering angle of each wheel, further enhancing the handling performance of the electric vehicle. Attached Figure Description

[0032] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0033] Figure 1 A top view of an embodiment of a chassis assembly provided by the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Enlarged view of section A;

[0035] Figure 3 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of the wheel-side motor and arc-shaped track assembly in an embodiment of a chassis assembly provided by the present invention;

[0036] Figure 4A schematic diagram of the connection between the steering arm and the tie rod in an embodiment of a chassis assembly provided by the present invention;

[0037] Figure 5 This is a rear view of the wheel and the corresponding wheel-side module assembly of an embodiment of a chassis assembly provided by the present invention.

[0038] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0039] 100. Chassis;

[0040] 200. Wheel; 210. Wheel hub; 220. Steering arm; 230. Upper connecting arm; 240. Lower connecting arm;

[0041] 300. Wheel-side module;

[0042] 310. Half-shaft; 311. First ball cage; 312. Second ball cage;

[0043] 320. Tie rod; 321. First connecting shaft; 322. Buffer bushing;

[0044] 330. Arc-shaped track;

[0045] 340. Wheel-side motor;

[0046] 350. Steering drive unit; 351. Steering drive motor; 352. Drive gear;

[0047] 360. Mounting base; 361. Arc-shaped rack;

[0048] 370. Bearings;

[0049] 380. Suspension assembly; 381. Upper suspension arm; 3811. Upper ball joint; 382. Lower suspension arm; 3821. Lower ball joint; 383. Upper ball joint pin; 384. Lower ball joint pin; 385. Damping mechanism; 3851. Spring; 3852. Shock absorber; 386. Second connecting shaft; 387. Third connecting shaft;

[0050] 400. Subframe. Detailed Implementation

[0051] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0052] It should be noted that the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0053] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "fixation," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0054] In the present invention, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, when a first feature is "above" or "below" a second feature, it may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediary. Furthermore, when a first feature is "above," "above," or "above" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a higher level than the second feature. When a first feature is "below," "below," or "below" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a lower level than the second feature.

[0055] In the above description, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0056] In some related technologies, the chassis assembly of an electric vehicle includes a chassis, wheels, a drive motor, and a steering system. The drive motor is a wheel-side motor rigidly connected to the chassis. The wheel-side motor is driven by the wheel hub through a half-shaft and a ball joint on the half-shaft, driving the wheel hub to rotate. The wheel hub can swing relative to the half-shaft via the ball joint. The steering system is rigidly connected to the chassis and driven by the steering arm of the wheel via a tie rod. The steering system is used to drive the wheel to swing relative to the half-shaft via the tie rod for steering. Due to the limitations of the ball joint structure, the angle at which the wheel can swing relative to the half-shaft is relatively small, and the angle at which the wheel can turn is also relatively small.

[0057] As described in the background section, to increase the steering angle of electric vehicle wheels, some related technologies employ hub motors mounted on the wheels as drive motors. These hub motors drive the wheels at their mounting points to rotate. This reduces the limitation on the wheel's steering angle caused by the need for a half-shaft connection between the wheel and the drive motor, which is rigidly connected to the chassis. The steering device, rigidly connected to the chassis, is then connected to the wheels via a transmission mechanism, enabling the wheels to be steered at larger angles.

[0058] However, while using hub motors mounted on the wheels as drive motors allows for greater steering angles, it also significantly increases the weight at the wheels, which in turn affects the handling of the electric vehicle.

[0059] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application provides a chassis assembly comprising a chassis, wheels, and a wheel-side module. The wheel-side module includes a half-shaft, a wheel-side motor, a tie rod, an arc-shaped track, and a steering drive unit. The wheel includes a hub and a steering arm. One end of the half-shaft is driveably connected to the output end of the wheel-side motor, and the other end is driveably connected to the hub. The wheel-side motor drives the hub to rotate via the half-shaft. One end of the steering arm is rotatably connected to the hub, and the rotation axis of the steering arm relative to the hub is coaxial with the rotation axis of the wheel-side motor driving the hub to rotate. The other end of the steering arm is connected to one end of the tie rod, and the other end of the tie rod is connected to the wheel-side motor. The arc-shaped track and the steering drive unit are both securely connected to the chassis. The wheel-side motor is slidably connected to the arc-shaped track, and the steering drive unit is driveably connected to the wheel-side motor. The steering drive unit drives the wheel-side motor to slide along the arc-shaped track, so that the wheel-side motor drives the hub to steer via the tie rod and the steering arm.

[0060] In this way, when the wheel needs to turn, the steering drive unit can drive the wheel-side motor to slide along the arc-shaped track. As the wheel-side motor slides along the arc-shaped track, it drives the tie rod, half-shaft, and wheel to rotate together, thereby achieving wheel steering. When the wheel turns, the wheel, tie rod, half-shaft, and wheel-side motor rotate together, which reduces the impact of the half-shaft connecting the wheel and the wheel-side motor on the wheel's steering angle, allowing the wheel to achieve a larger steering angle. Furthermore, when the wheel can achieve a larger steering angle, there is no need to install the drive motor on the wheel, resulting in lighter weight at the wheel and improved handling of the electric vehicle. In addition, each wheel is individually driven and controlled by a wheel-side module, allowing for individual control of the speed and steering angle of each wheel, which helps improve the handling performance of the electric vehicle.

[0061] The chassis assembly and electric vehicle provided in this application will be described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0062] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a chassis assembly provided by the present invention.

[0063] like Figure 1 As shown, the chassis assembly provided in this application embodiment includes a chassis 100, wheels 200, and wheel-side modules 300.

[0064] It is understood that the chassis assembly may include multiple wheels 200, and multiple wheel-side modules 300 corresponding to each wheel 200 may be set on the chassis 100, with each wheel 200 connected to its corresponding wheel-side module 300.

[0065] For example, the electric vehicle is a four-wheeled vehicle, with a wheel 200 provided on the left front, right front, left rear and right rear of the chassis 100, and a wheel-side module 300 connected to the corresponding wheel 200 provided on the left front part, right front part, left rear part and right rear part of the chassis 100.

[0066] In other examples, the electric vehicle may be a three-wheeled vehicle, with a chassis assembly including three wheels 200 and three wheel-side modules 300 correspondingly provided on the chassis 100; or, the electric vehicle may be a five-wheeled vehicle, with a chassis assembly including five wheels 200 and five wheel-side modules 300 correspondingly provided on the chassis 100.

[0067] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Enlarged view of part A in the middle.

[0068] like Figure 2 As shown in the embodiments of this application, the wheel-side module 300 includes a half-shaft 310, a wheel-side motor 340, a pull rod 320, an arc-shaped track 330, and a steering drive unit 350.

[0069] The wheel 200 includes a hub 210 and a steering arm 220. One end of the half shaft 310 is connected to the output end of the wheel-side motor 340, and the other end of the half shaft 310 is connected to the hub 210. The wheel-side motor 340 is used to drive the hub 210 to rotate through the half shaft 310.

[0070] One end of the steering arm 220 is rotatably connected to the wheel hub 210, and the rotation axis of the steering arm 220 relative to the wheel hub 210 is coaxial with the rotation axis of the wheel-side motor 340 driving the wheel hub 210 to rotate. The other end of the steering arm 220 is connected to one end of the tie rod 320, and the other end of the tie rod 320 is connected to the wheel-side motor 340.

[0071] The arc-shaped track 330 and the steering drive unit 350 are both fastened to the chassis 100. The wheel-side motor 340 is slidably connected to the arc-shaped track 330, and the steering drive unit 350 is drively connected to the wheel-side motor 340. The steering drive unit 350 is used to drive the wheel-side motor 340 to slide along the arc-shaped track 330, so that the wheel-side motor 340 drives the wheel hub 210 to turn through the tie rod 320 and the steering arm 220.

[0072] It is understandable that when the steering drive unit 350 drives the wheel-side motor 340 to slide along the arc track 330, the wheel hub 210 rotates around the vertical line where the center of the arc track 330 is located.

[0073] In the above embodiment, when the wheel 200 needs to turn, the steering drive unit 350 can drive the wheel-side motor 340 to slide along the arc-shaped track 330. When the wheel-side motor 340 slides along the arc-shaped track 330, it will drive the tie rod 320, the half-shaft 310, and the wheel 200 to rotate together, thereby realizing the steering of the wheel 200. When the wheel 200 turns, the wheel 200, tie rod 320, half-shaft 310, and wheel-side motor 340 will rotate together, which can reduce the influence of the half-shaft 310 connecting the wheel 200 and the wheel-side motor 340 on the steering angle of the wheel 200, and the wheel 200 can achieve a larger steering angle. Furthermore, when the wheel 200 can achieve a larger steering angle, it is not necessary to install the drive motor on the wheel 200, and the weight at the wheel 200 is lighter, which is beneficial to the handling of the electric vehicle. In addition, each wheel 200 is individually driven and controlled by a wheel-side module 300, which allows for individual control of the rotational speed and steering angle of each wheel 200, thus improving the handling performance of the electric vehicle.

[0074] It is understandable that each wheel 200 is driven and controlled by a wheel-side module 300, which can make the rotation speed of each wheel 200 the same, partially the same, or all different, and the steering angle of each wheel 200 the same, partially the same, or all different.

[0075] The chassis 100 may include a main body and a damping mount. The main body is used to mount the body assembly, and the damping mount can be mounted on the main body via a damping structure. The curved track 330 and the steering drive unit 350 can both be fixed to the damping mount, and the curved track 330 and the steering drive unit 350 are connected to the main body for damping via the damping mount and the damping structure. Alternatively, the chassis 100 may include a main body for mounting the body assembly without a damping mount, in which case the curved track 330 and the steering drive unit 350 are fixed to the main body and rigidly connected to it.

[0076] The pull rod 320 and the wheel-side motor 340 can be rigidly connected, or a buffer sleeve, buffer pad or other buffer structure can be set between the pull rod 320 and the wheel-side motor 340, and the pull rod 320 is installed on the wheel-side motor 340 through the corresponding buffer structure.

[0077] The tie rod 320 and the steering arm 220 can be rigidly connected; alternatively, a buffer sleeve, buffer pad, or other buffer structure can be provided between the tie rod 320 and the steering arm 220, and the tie rod 320 can be installed on the steering arm 220 through the corresponding buffer structure; alternatively, the tie rod 320 and the steering arm 220 can be rotatably connected through a first connecting shaft 321 whose axis is parallel to the ground. Both ends of the first connecting shaft 321 are used to abut against the tie rod 320. In this case, the tie rod 320 can drive the steering arm 220 to rotate in a plane parallel to the ground.

[0078] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the wheel-side motor and the arc-shaped track assembly of an embodiment of a chassis assembly provided by the present invention.

[0079] like Figure 3 As shown, and see Figure 2 In some possible implementations, a mounting base 360 ​​is slidably connected to the curved track 330, and the wheel-side motor 340 is fastened to the mounting base 360 ​​to slidably connect with the curved track 330.

[0080] The steering drive unit 350 includes a steering drive motor 351, which is fixedly connected to the chassis 100. The output end of the steering drive motor 351 is provided with a drive gear 352, the axis of which is perpendicular to the ground. The side wall of the mounting base 360 ​​is fixedly connected to an arc rack 361 corresponding to the arc track 330. The drive gear 352 meshes with the arc rack 361. The steering drive motor 351 is connected to the wheel-side motor 340 through the drive gear 352, the arc rack 361, and the mounting base 360. The steering drive motor 351 is used to drive the wheel-side motor 340 to slide along the arc track 330 through the drive gear 352, the arc rack 361, and the mounting base 360.

[0081] With this configuration, the wheel-side motor 340 is easy to assemble. The driving force of the steering drive motor 351 is transmitted to the mounting base 360 ​​through the meshing drive gear 352 and the arc-shaped rack 361. The drive mounting base 360 ​​drives the wheel-side motor 340 to slide along the arc-shaped track 330, which is convenient for controlling the position of the wheel-side motor 340 on the arc-shaped track 330. In addition, the drive gear 352 and the arc-shaped rack 361 have a self-locking function, which can reduce the risk of the wheel-side motor 340 sliding randomly along the arc-shaped track 330.

[0082] It should be noted that the steering drive motor 351, which is connected to the drive gear 352 at the output end, is a rotary motor.

[0083] In some examples, the steering drive motor 351 can also be a linear motor. When the steering drive motor 351 is a linear motor, the drive gear 352 set at the output end of the rotary drive motor in the above embodiment can be replaced with a rack. The rack meshes with the arc rack 361. The steering drive motor 351 is connected to the wheel-side motor 340 through the rack, the arc rack 361 and the mounting base 360. The steering drive motor 351 is used to drive the wheel-side motor 340 to slide along the arc track 330 through the rack, the arc rack 361 and the mounting base 360.

[0084] In some examples, a hydraulic motor may be used to replace the steering drive motor 351 in the above-described steering embodiments.

[0085] In some examples, a drive chain can also be installed on the curved track 330, with the wheel-side motor 340 mounted on the drive chain. The steering drive motor 351 is connected to the drive chain to drive the drive chain to rotate, thereby moving the wheel-side motor 340 along the curved track 330.

[0086] In some possible implementations, the arc-shaped track 330 is located on the bottom surface of the chassis 100, and the wheel-side motor 340 is suspended below the arc-shaped track 330 via the mounting base 360. A bearing 370 is provided between the mounting base 360 ​​and the arc-shaped track 330, and the mounting base 360 ​​and the arc-shaped track 330 are slidably connected via the bearing 370.

[0087] This arrangement facilitates the placement of the wheel-side module 300 on the chassis 100, and minimizes the impact of the wheel-side module 300 on other components mounted on the top surface of the chassis 100. The bearing 370 facilitates the sliding of the mounting base 360 ​​suspended on the arc-shaped track 330 relative to the arc-shaped track 330.

[0088] In some possible implementations, the central angle subtended by the arc track 330 is greater than or equal to 130°.

[0089] With this configuration, the wheel 200 can turn at a large angle, which is beneficial for the wheel 200 to turn at a 90° angle with the front and rear directions of the vehicle body, so that the electric vehicle can achieve functions such as lateral movement.

[0090] In some possible implementations, the wheel-side module 300 also includes a first ball cage 311 and a second ball cage 312. One end of the half-shaft 310 is connected to the output end of the wheel-side motor 340 via the first ball cage 311, and the other end of the half-shaft 310 is connected to the wheel hub 210 via the second ball cage 312.

[0091] With this configuration, the half-shaft 310 can swing relative to the wheel-side motor 340 via the first ball cage 311, and the wheel hub 210 can swing relative to the half-shaft 310 via the second ball cage 312. This reduces the impact on the half-shaft 310 and the wheel-side motor 340 when the wheel 200 is excited by the ground. Furthermore, when the wheel 200 bounces or swings due to ground excitation, the wheel-side motor 340 can drive the wheel 200 to rotate, thereby driving the electric vehicle to move.

[0092] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the connection between the steering arm and the tie rod in an embodiment of a chassis assembly provided by the present invention.

[0093] like Figure 4 As shown, and see Figure 2 The tie rod 320 is a telescopic rod. The tie rod 320 and the steering arm 220 are rotatably connected through the first connecting shaft 321. The axis of the first connecting shaft 321 is parallel to the ground, and the axis of the first connecting shaft 321 intersects the perpendicular line of the center of the arc track 330.

[0094] It should be noted that the tie rod 320 can extend and retract as the steering arm 220 rotates around the first connecting shaft 321.

[0095] With this configuration, the steering arm 220 can rotate around the first connecting shaft 321 in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the first connecting shaft 321. When the wheel 200 is excited by the vertical direction of the ground, the wheel 200 can bounce relative to the tie rod 320 and the wheel-side motor 340. When the wheel 200 bounces, the length of the tie rod 320 changes, which reduces the restriction on the shape of the wheel 200 during bounce. In addition, the steering arm 220 can only rotate relative to the tie rod 320 in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the first connecting shaft 321, which also has less impact on the rotation of the steering arm 220 driven by the tie rod 320 in a plane parallel to the ground. Based on the fact that the wheel hub 210 can be steered by the wheel-side motor 340 sliding along the arc track 330, the electric vehicle can drive more smoothly and the risk of damage to the tie rod 320 can be reduced.

[0096] It is understandable that the tie rod 320 and the steering arm 220 are rigidly connected or connected through a buffer structure in the direction parallel to the ground. When the tie rod 320 rotates around the vertical line where the center of the arc track 330 is located in the direction parallel to the ground, it can drive the steering arm 220 to rotate around the vertical line where the center of the arc track 330 is located.

[0097] In some possible implementations, a buffer bushing 322 is provided at the connection between the tie rod 320 and the steering arm 220. One end of the buffer bushing 322 is connected to the tie rod 320, and the other end is connected to the steering arm 220. The first connecting shaft 321 is located inside the buffer bushing 322.

[0098] This configuration reduces the impact between the steering arm 220 and the tie rod 320 when the steering arm 220 rotates relative to the tie rod 320, reduces the sway of the steering arm 220 relative to the tie rod 320, makes the electric vehicle drive more smoothly, and reduces the risk of damage to the connection between the steering arm 220 and the tie rod 320.

[0099] Figure 5 This is a rear view of the wheel and the corresponding wheel-side module assembly of an embodiment of a chassis assembly provided by the present invention.

[0100] like Figure 5 As shown, and see Figure 2 In some possible implementations, the wheel-side module 300 also includes a suspension assembly 380 mounted on the chassis 100.

[0101] The wheel 200 also includes an upper connecting arm 230 and a lower connecting arm 240 distributed vertically.

[0102] One end of the upper connecting arm 230 is fastened to the steering arm 220 so that the upper connecting arm 230 is rotatably connected to the wheel hub 210, and the other end of the upper connecting arm 230 is movably connected to the suspension assembly 380. The upper connecting arm 230 can rotate relative to the suspension assembly 380 about the first rotation axis.

[0103] One end of the lower connecting arm 240 is fastened to the steering arm 220 so that the lower connecting arm 240 is rotatably connected to the wheel hub 210, and the other end of the lower connecting arm 240 is movably connected to the suspension assembly 380. The lower connecting arm 240 can rotate relative to the suspension assembly 380 about the second rotation axis.

[0104] The first rotation axis is collinear with the second rotation axis and intersects perpendicularly with the axis of the first connecting shaft 321.

[0105] Understandably, the suspension assembly 380 allows the wheel 200 to be mounted on the chassis 100 to dampen its vibration, thereby enabling the wheel 200 to support the chassis 100. The suspension assembly 380 of each wheel-side module 300 can be set independently, or the suspension assemblies 380 of two or more wheel-side modules 300 can be connected together through a connecting structure.

[0106] With this configuration, the wheel 200 can rotate relative to the suspension assembly 380 connected to it around the line containing the first and second rotation axes. After the wheel 200 is installed on the suspension assembly 380, the influence on the steering of the wheel 200 is small, which is beneficial for the tie rod 320 to drive the wheel 200 to turn. This can reduce the impact on the chassis 100 when the wheel 200 bounces due to ground excitation, and make the electric vehicle drive more smoothly.

[0107] It should be noted that both the first connecting arm and the second connecting arm can be either forked arms or straight arms.

[0108] In some examples, the upper connecting arm 230 is located above the second ball cage 312, and the lower connecting arm 240 is located below the steering arm 220.

[0109] In some possible implementations, the suspension assembly 380 includes an upper suspension arm 381, a lower suspension arm 382, ​​an upper ball joint pin 383, a lower ball joint pin 384, and a damping mechanism 385.

[0110] The upper connecting arm 230 is rotatably connected to the upper ball joint pin 383. The upper connecting arm 230 can rotate relative to the upper ball joint pin 383 around the first rotation axis. One end of the upper suspension arm 381 is rotatably connected to the chassis 100 through the second connecting shaft 386, and the other end is provided with an upper ball joint seat 3811 corresponding to the upper ball joint pin 383. The ball head of the upper ball joint pin 383 is installed in the upper ball joint seat 3811. The upper ball joint pin 383 is movably connected to the upper suspension arm 381 through the upper ball joint seat 3811, so that the upper connecting arm 230 and the upper suspension arm 381 are movably connected.

[0111] The lower connecting arm 240 is rotatably connected to the lower ball joint pin 384. The lower connecting arm 240 can rotate relative to the lower ball joint pin 384 around the second rotation axis. One end of the lower suspension arm 382 is rotatably connected to the chassis 100 through the third connecting shaft 387, and the other end is provided with a lower ball joint seat 3821 corresponding to the lower ball joint pin 384. The ball head of the lower ball joint pin 384 is installed in the lower ball joint seat 3821. The lower ball joint pin 384 is movably connected to the lower suspension arm 382 through the lower ball joint seat 3821, so that the lower connecting arm 240 and the lower suspension arm 382 are movably connected.

[0112] The axes of the second connecting shaft 386 and the third connecting shaft 387 are both parallel to the ground, and the plane containing the axes of the second connecting shaft 386 and the third connecting shaft 387 is perpendicular to the ground.

[0113] The upper end of the damping mechanism 385 is fastened to the chassis 100, and the lower end of the damping mechanism 385 is fastened to the lower suspension arm 382.

[0114] With this configuration, when the wheel 200 is excited by the ground, the wheel hub 210 can drive the upper ball joint pin 383 and the lower ball joint pin 384 to swing through the upper connecting arm 230 and the lower connecting arm 240 respectively. The upper suspension arm 381 can rotate around the second connecting shaft 386, and the lower suspension arm 382 can rotate around the third connecting shaft 387, which allows the wheel 200 to swing relative to the chassis 100. The wheel 200 can support the chassis 100 through the damping mechanism 385, and the damping mechanism 385 can reduce the swing amplitude of the wheel 200 relative to the wheel 200. This can reduce the impact of the wheel 200 jumping when it is excited by the ground on the chassis 100, and make the electric vehicle drive more smoothly.

[0115] It is understandable that the upper suspension arm 381 and the lower suspension arm 382 can both be wishbone arms or both be straight arms.

[0116] The ball head of the upper ball head pin 383 fits with the spherical surface of the upper ball head seat 3811, and the ball head of the lower ball head pin 384 fits with the spherical surface of the lower ball head seat 3821.

[0117] For example, the upper ball head pin 383 may include an upper shaft portion, the lower end of which is rotatably connected to the upper connecting arm 230. The upper connecting arm 230 is rotatable relative to the upper shaft portion about a first rotation axis, and the ball head of the upper ball head pin 383 is located at the upper end of the upper shaft portion. The lower ball head pin 384 may include a lower shaft portion, the upper end of which is rotatably connected to the lower connecting arm 240. The lower connecting arm 240 is rotatable relative to the lower upper shaft portion about a second rotation axis, and the ball head of the lower ball head pin 384 is located at the lower end of the lower shaft portion.

[0118] It is understandable that the center of the ball head of the upper ball head pin 383 can be on the axis of the upper shaft, or it can be off the axis of the upper shaft; the center of the ball head of the lower ball head pin 384 can be on the axis of the lower shaft, or it can be off the axis of the lower shaft.

[0119] The connection between the ball joint of the upper ball joint pin 383 and the upper suspension arm 381 can refer to the connection between the upper steering knuckle arm and the upper suspension arm 381 of the wheel 200 in the related art, and the connection between the ball joint of the lower ball joint pin 384 and the lower suspension arm 382 can refer to the connection between the lower steering knuckle arm and the lower suspension arm 382 of the wheel 200 in the related art.

[0120] In some examples, the chassis 100 is fastened to a subframe 400, and the lower suspension arm 382 is rotatably connected to the subframe 400 via a third connecting shaft 387, so that the lower suspension arm 382 is rotatably connected to the chassis 100; the upper suspension arm 381 is rotatably connected to the subframe 400 via a second connecting shaft 386, so that the upper suspension arm 381 is rotatably connected to the chassis 100.

[0121] In some examples, the damping mechanism 385 includes a spring 3851 and a damper 3852, the upper ends of which are fastened to the chassis 100, and the lower ends of which are fastened to the lower suspension arm 382.

[0122] Thus, the vibration damping mechanism 385 has good vibration damping performance.

[0123] In some examples, spring 3851 and damper 3852 can be arranged coaxially, with spring 3851 sleeved on the outside of damper 3852.

[0124] This reduces the space occupied by the vibration damping mechanism 385.

[0125] In some possible implementations, the pull rod 320 is located below the half shaft 310.

[0126] This configuration allows the connection point between the steering arm 220 and the wheel hub 210 to be closer to the point where the wheel 200 contacts the ground, which facilitates steering of the wheel hub 210 via the tie rod 320 and the steering arm 220.

[0127] The electric vehicle provided in this application includes a body assembly (not shown) and a chassis assembly in any of the above embodiments, with the body assembly mounted on the chassis 100 of the chassis assembly.

[0128] In the above embodiment, when the wheel 200 needs to turn, the steering drive unit 350 can drive the wheel-side motor 340 to slide along the arc-shaped track 330. When the wheel-side motor 340 slides along the arc-shaped track 330, it will drive the tie rod 320, the half-shaft 310, and the wheel 200 to rotate together, thereby realizing the steering of the wheel 200. When the wheel 200 turns, the wheel 200, tie rod 320, half-shaft 310, and wheel-side motor 340 will rotate together, which can reduce the influence of the half-shaft 310 connecting the wheel 200 and the wheel-side motor 340 on the steering angle of the wheel 200, and the wheel 200 can achieve a larger steering angle. Furthermore, when the wheel 200 can achieve a larger steering angle, it is not necessary to install the drive motor on the wheel 200, and the weight at the wheel 200 is lighter, which is beneficial to the handling of the electric vehicle. In addition, each wheel 200 can be driven and controlled independently by a wheel-side module 300, and the rotation speed and steering angle of each wheel 200 can be controlled individually, which helps to improve the handling performance of electric vehicles.

[0129] Understandably, the electric vehicle may also include a battery pack (not shown) that can be electrically connected to the wheel-side motor 340 via cables to provide power to the wheel-side motor 340.

[0130] When the steering drive unit 350 includes a steering drive motor 351, the battery pack can be electrically connected to the steering drive motor 351 via a cable to provide power to the steering drive motor 351.

[0131] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the above embodiments, or replace some or all of the technical features therein with equivalents. However, these modifications or replacements do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A chassis assembly, characterized in that, Includes chassis, wheels, and wheel-side modules; The wheel-side module includes a half-shaft, a wheel-side motor, a tie rod, an arc-shaped track, and a steering drive unit; The wheel includes a hub and a steering arm. One end of the half-shaft is connected to the output end of the wheel-side motor, and the other end of the half-shaft is connected to the hub. The wheel-side motor is used to drive the hub to rotate through the half-shaft. One end of the steering arm is rotatably connected to the wheel hub, and the rotation axis of the steering arm relative to the wheel hub is coaxial with the rotation axis of the wheel-side motor driving the wheel hub to rotate. The other end of the steering arm is connected to one end of the tie rod, and the other end of the tie rod is connected to the wheel-side motor. The arc-shaped track and the steering drive unit are both fixedly connected to the chassis. The wheel-side motor is slidably connected to the arc-shaped track, and the steering drive unit is drively connected to the wheel-side motor. The steering drive unit is used to drive the wheel-side motor to slide along the arc-shaped track so that the wheel-side motor drives the wheel hub to turn through the tie rod and the steering arm. The central angle subtended by the arc-shaped track is greater than or equal to 130°.

2. The chassis assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, A mounting base is installed on the arc-shaped track and slidably connected thereto. The wheel-side motor is fastened to the mounting base so as to slidably connect with the arc-shaped track. The steering drive unit includes a steering drive motor, which is fixedly connected to the chassis. The output end of the steering drive motor is provided with a drive gear, the axis of which is perpendicular to the ground. An arc-shaped rack corresponding to the arc-shaped track is fixedly connected to the side wall of the mounting base. The drive gear meshes with the arc-shaped rack. The steering drive motor is connected to the wheel-side motor through the drive gear, the arc-shaped rack, and the mounting base. The steering drive motor is used to drive the wheel-side motor to slide along the arc-shaped track through the drive gear, the arc-shaped rack, and the mounting base.

3. The chassis assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The arc-shaped track is located on the bottom surface of the chassis, and the wheel-side motor is suspended below the arc-shaped track through the mounting base. A bearing is provided between the mounting base and the arc-shaped track, and the mounting base and the arc-shaped track are slidably connected through the bearing.

4. The chassis assembly according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The wheel-side module further includes a first ball cage and a second ball cage. One end of the half shaft is connected to the output end of the wheel-side motor via the first ball cage, and the other end of the half shaft is connected to the wheel hub via the second ball cage. The pull rod is a telescopic rod, and the pull rod is rotatably connected to the steering arm through a first connecting shaft. The axis of the first connecting shaft is parallel to the ground, and the axis of the first connecting shaft intersects the perpendicular line of the center of the arc track.

5. The chassis assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that, A buffer bushing is provided at the connection between the tie rod and the steering arm. One end of the buffer bushing is connected to the tie rod, and the other end is connected to the steering arm. The first connecting shaft is located inside the buffer bushing.

6. The chassis assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that, The wheel-side module also includes a suspension assembly, which is mounted on the chassis; The wheel also includes an upper connecting arm and a lower connecting arm distributed vertically. One end of the upper connecting arm is fastened to the steering arm so that the upper connecting arm is rotatably connected to the wheel hub, and the other end of the upper connecting arm is movably connected to the suspension assembly. The upper connecting arm can rotate relative to the suspension assembly about a first rotation axis. One end of the lower connecting arm is fastened to the steering arm so that the lower connecting arm is rotatably connected to the wheel hub, and the other end of the lower connecting arm is movably connected to the suspension assembly. The lower connecting arm can rotate relative to the suspension assembly about the second rotation axis. The first rotation axis is collinear with the second rotation axis and intersects the axis of the first connecting axis perpendicularly.

7. The chassis assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that, The suspension assembly includes an upper suspension arm, a lower suspension arm, an upper ball joint pin, a lower ball joint pin, and a damping mechanism; The upper connecting arm is rotatably connected to the upper ball joint pin. The upper connecting arm can rotate relative to the upper ball joint pin around the first rotation axis. One end of the upper suspension arm is rotatably connected to the chassis through the second connecting shaft, and the other end is provided with an upper ball joint seat corresponding to the upper ball joint pin. The ball head of the upper ball joint pin is installed in the upper ball joint seat. The upper ball joint pin is movably connected to the upper suspension arm through the upper ball joint seat, so that the upper connecting arm and the upper suspension arm are movably connected. The lower connecting arm is rotatably connected to the lower ball joint pin. The lower connecting arm can rotate relative to the lower ball joint pin around the second rotation axis. One end of the lower suspension arm is rotatably connected to the chassis through a third connecting shaft, and the other end is provided with a lower ball joint seat corresponding to the lower ball joint pin. The ball head of the lower ball joint pin is installed in the lower ball joint seat. The lower ball joint pin is movably connected to the lower suspension arm through the lower ball joint seat, so that the lower connecting arm and the lower suspension arm are movably connected. The axes of the second connecting shaft and the third connecting shaft are both parallel to the ground, and the plane containing the axes of the second connecting shaft and the third connecting shaft is perpendicular to the ground. The upper end of the vibration damping mechanism is fastened to the chassis, and the lower end of the vibration damping mechanism is fastened to the lower suspension arm.

8. The chassis assembly according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The pull rod is located below the half shaft.

9. An electric vehicle, characterized in that, Includes the body assembly and the chassis assembly as described in any one of claims 1-8; The body assembly is mounted on the chassis of the chassis assembly.

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