Turn corner module device for a vehicle

Abstract

A cornering module device for a vehicle includes: a cornering module; a main platform mounted below the vehicle body and configured to mount a battery thereon; one or more first cornering module platforms detachably connected to one side of the main platform and configured to connect the cornering module thereto; and one or more second cornering module platforms detachably connected to the other side of the main platform and configured to connect the cornering module thereto. The cornering module includes: a drive unit configured to provide driving force to the wheels; a suspension unit connected to the drive unit and configured to absorb impacts exerted from the road surface; and a steering unit connected to the suspension unit and configured to adjust the steering angle of the wheels. According to the cornering module device for a vehicle, design freedom is increased, and various types of special-purpose vehicles can be mass-produced because the number and arrangement of the first and second platforms can be appropriately adjusted for the type or purpose of the vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a corner module device for a vehicle, and more specifically, to a corner module device for a vehicle that integrates a drive system, a braking system, a steering system and a suspension system. Background Technology

[0002] Generally, electric vehicles refer to environmentally friendly vehicles that emit no exhaust gases. Electric vehicles are equipped with a high-voltage battery to provide driving energy, and a drive motor to generate rotational power from the power output of the high-voltage battery. The electric vehicle is driven by the rotational power of the motor, which is transmitted to the wheels through the drive shaft.

[0003] Recently, in-wheel motor vehicles, which directly mount the motor inside the wheel to transmit power directly to the wheel, have gained attention due to their advantages in reducing vehicle weight and energy loss during power transmission. This is because intermediate power transmission units, such as reducers or differential gears, can be omitted. Furthermore, there is active development of wheels that integrate braking, steering, and suspension systems in addition to the drive system.

[0004] The background technology disclosed herein is disclosed in Korean patent application No. 10-2019-0041855, entitled "Steering System for Vehicles with In-Wheel Electric Motors", published on April 23, 2019. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Various embodiments aim to provide a cornering module device for a vehicle that allows for free adjustment of the number and alignment of wheels to suit the vehicle's intended use.

[0006] Furthermore, the various embodiments aim to provide a steering module device for a vehicle that can independently control the operation of each wheel.

[0007] In one embodiment, a cornering module device for a vehicle includes: a cornering module; a main platform mounted below the vehicle body and configured to mount a battery thereon; one or more first cornering module platforms detachably connected to one side of the main platform and configured to connect the cornering module thereto; and one or more second cornering module platforms detachably connected to the other side of the main platform and configured to connect the cornering module thereto, wherein the cornering module includes: a drive unit configured to provide driving force to a wheel; a suspension unit connected to the drive unit and configured to absorb impacts exerted from the road surface; and a steering unit connected to the suspension unit and configured to adjust the steering angle of the wheel.

[0008] The first corner module platform is configured as a plurality of such platforms, and adjacent first corner module platforms are connected in series along the length direction of the vehicle body; and the second corner module platform is configured as a plurality of such platforms, and adjacent second corner module platforms are connected in series along the length direction of the vehicle body.

[0009] The number of the first corner module platform and the number of the second corner module platform are the same.

[0010] The number of the first corner module platform and the number of the second corner module platform are different from each other.

[0011] The main platform includes: a motherboard configured to house the battery therein; a main wheel cover extending from the motherboard and configured to accommodate the cornering module therein; and a main fastener disposed in the motherboard and the main wheel cover.

[0012] The main wheel cover is configured as a plurality of such that the main wheel cover is respectively disposed on the corner side of the main board.

[0013] The first corner module platform includes: a first corner module plate in which an inverter is located; a first corner module wheel cover extending from the first corner module plate and configured to accommodate the corner module therein, and including a first mounting plate supporting the corner module; and a first corner module fastening part disposed in the first corner module plate and the first corner module wheel cover, and detachably connected to the main fastening part.

[0014] When the main fastening part and the first corner module fastening part are connected, the main platform and the first corner module platform come into contact with each other.

[0015] The first corner module platform also includes a first corner module extension fastening part, which is disposed in the first corner module plate and the first corner module wheel cover, and arranged on the side opposite to the first corner module fastening part.

[0016] The first corner module platform is configured as a plurality of such platforms, and a first corner module extension fastening part provided on any one of the first corner module platforms is detachably connected to a first corner module fastening part provided on a first corner module platform adjacent to any one of the first corner module platforms.

[0017] When the first corner module extension fastening part and the first corner module fastening part are connected, the adjacent first corner module platforms come into contact with each other.

[0018] The second corner module platform includes: a second corner module plate in which an inverter is located; a second corner module wheel cover extending from the second corner module plate and configured to accommodate the corner module therein, and including a second mounting plate supporting the corner module; and a second corner module fastener disposed in the second corner module plate and the second corner module wheel cover, and detachably connected to the main fastener.

[0019] The second corner module platform also includes a second corner module extension fastening part, which is disposed in the second corner module plate and the second corner module wheel cover, and arranged on the side opposite to the second corner module fastening part.

[0020] In one embodiment, a cornering module device for a vehicle includes: a cornering module; a main platform assembly including: at least two main platforms mounted below the vehicle body and configured to mount a battery thereon; and an intermediate module platform disposed between the main platforms; one or more first cornering module platforms detachably connected to one side of the main platform assembly and configured to connect the cornering module thereto; and one or more second cornering module platforms detachably connected to the other side of the main platform assembly and configured to connect the cornering module thereto, the cornering module including: a drive unit configured to provide driving force to wheels; a suspension unit connected to the drive unit and configured to absorb impacts applied from the road surface; and a steering unit connected to the suspension unit and configured to adjust the steering angle of the wheels.

[0021] The intermediate module platform includes one or more third corner module platforms, which are configured to connect to the corner module.

[0022] In one embodiment, a vehicle includes: a cornering module assembly; a roof cap mounted on top of the cornering module assembly and configured to provide entry space therein; and a door component mounted in the roof cap for opening and closing. The cornering module assembly includes: a cornering module; a main platform mounted below the vehicle body and configured to mount a battery thereon; one or more first cornering module platforms detachably connected to one side of the main platform and configured to connect the cornering module thereon and mount an inverter thereon; and one or more second cornering module platforms detachably connected to the other side of the main platform and configured to connect the cornering module thereon and mount the inverter thereon. The cornering module includes: a drive unit configured to provide driving force to wheels; a suspension unit connected to the drive unit and configured to absorb impacts from the road surface; and a steering unit connected to the suspension unit and configured to adjust the steering angle of the wheels.

[0023] The door component includes a first door mounted on the main platform.

[0024] The height of the battery is lower than the height of the main platform.

[0025] The door component further includes a second door, which is located on at least one of the first corner module platform or the second corner module platform.

[0026] The height of the inverter is lower than the height of the first corner module platform and the second corner module platform.

[0027] According to one aspect of this disclosure, design freedom can be increased and various types of purpose-built vehicles (PBVs) can be mass-produced because the number and arrangement of the first and second platforms can be appropriately adjusted according to the type or purpose of the vehicle.

[0028] Furthermore, according to one aspect of this disclosure, stable driving suitable for driving conditions is possible, and a wider range of steering angles (e.g., turning and lateral driving in its own position) can be ensured because the steering module can independently adjust the operation of each wheel. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic front view illustrating the configuration of a vehicle including a cornering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] Figure 2 This is a perspective view schematically illustrating the configuration of a vehicle including a cornering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] Figure 3 This is a perspective view schematically illustrating the configuration of the main platform according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] Figure 4 and 5 This is an enlarged view schematically showing the configuration of the main fastener according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] Figure 6 This is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of the first corner module platform and the second corner module platform according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] Figure 7 and Figure 8 This is an enlarged view schematically showing the configuration of the first corner module fastener and the second corner module fastener according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] Figure 9This is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of the corner module according to the first embodiment of this disclosure.

[0036] Figure 10 This illustrates a corner module according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure that differs from... Figure 9 A perspective view of the configuration from the perspective of the configuration.

[0037] Figure 11 This is a schematic front view showing the configuration of the corner module according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] Figure 12 This is a side view schematically showing the configuration of the corner module according to the first embodiment of this disclosure.

[0039] Figure 13 This is an exploded perspective view schematically showing the configuration of the corner module according to the first embodiment of this disclosure.

[0040] Figure 14 This is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the configuration of the steering drive unit according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0041] Figure 15 , Figure 16A and Figure 16B This is an operation diagram that schematically illustrates the operation process of the corner module according to the first embodiment of this disclosure.

[0042] Figure 17 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of a vehicle including a cornering module device for a vehicle according to another embodiment of this disclosure.

[0043] Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of a first corner module platform and a second corner module platform according to another embodiment of this disclosure.

[0044] Figure 19 and Figure 20 This is an enlarged view schematically showing the configuration of the first corner module extension fastener and the second corner module extension fastener according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0045] Figure 21 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of a vehicle including a cornering module device for a vehicle according to yet another embodiment of this disclosure.

[0046] Figure 22 This is a block diagram illustrating the function of a cornering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0047] Figure 23This is an exemplary diagram schematically illustrating a series of processes for calculating first to fourth target angles in a first application (individual steering architecture) of a steering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0048] Figure 24 This is an exemplary diagram illustrating the first to fourth target angles in a front wheel steering mode in a first application (individual steering architecture) of the steering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0049] Figure 25 and Figure 26 This is an exemplary diagram illustrating the first to fourth target angles in a four-wheel in-phase steering mode in a first application (individual steering architecture) of the steering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0050] Figure 27 and Figure 28 This is an exemplary diagram illustrating the first to fourth target angles in a four-wheel counter-steering mode in a first application (separate steering architecture) of the steering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0051] Figure 29 This is a flowchart describing an operation method in a first application (separate steering architecture) of a steering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0052] Figures 30 to 33 This is an exemplary diagram illustrating the relationship between slope and vehicle position in a second application (by a braking mechanism with individual steering) of a cornering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0053] Figures 34 to 36 This is an exemplary diagram showing a state in which the wheels are aligned according to the steering angle in a second application (by a braking mechanism with individual steering) of a steering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0054] Figure 37 This is a flowchart describing an operation method in a second application (by individual steering) of the cornering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0055] Figure 38 This is an exemplary diagram illustrating a method for determining variable gain in a third application (a posture control mechanism for improving straight-line driving performance) of a steering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0056] Figure 39 This is a flowchart describing an operation method in a third application (a posture control mechanism for improving straight-line driving performance) of the cornering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0057] Figure 40 This is a flowchart describing the operation method in a fourth application (a posture control mechanism for resolving slippage) of the cornering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0058] Figure 41 This is an exemplary diagram illustrating the process of calculating distance information and the curvature of the center target in a fifth application (target trajectory generation and tracking control mechanism) of a cornering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0059] Figure 42 This is an exemplary diagram illustrating the process of calculating the curvature of the left target and the curvature of the right target in a fifth application (target trajectory generation and tracking control mechanism) of the cornering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0060] Figure 43 This is an example diagram illustrating the process of calculating the target steering angle in a fifth application (target trajectory generation and tracking control mechanism) of the steering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0061] Figure 44 This is a block diagram illustrating a method for independently controlling the steering of each wheel in a fifth application (target trajectory generation and tracking control mechanism) of a steering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0062] Figure 45 This is a flowchart describing the operation method in the fifth application (target trajectory generation and tracking control mechanism) of the cornering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0063] In the following description, embodiments of a vehicle including a cornering module device for a vehicle and a method of operating the cornering module device for a vehicle according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0064] In such a process, for clarity and convenience, the width of lines or the dimensions of components shown in the drawings may be exaggerated. The terms described below are defined by consideration of their function in this disclosure and may be modified according to the intent or practice of the user or operator. Therefore, such terms should be defined in accordance with the overall content of this specification.

[0065] Furthermore, throughout the specification, when a component is described as being “connected (or coupled)” to another component, a component may be “directly connected (or coupled)” to another component, or may be connected to another component “through another member inserted therein.” When an element “includes (or contains)” other elements, this means that the one element may further “include (or contain)” another element, rather than excluding the other element, unless explicitly stated otherwise.

[0066] Furthermore, in this specification, the same reference numerals may denote the same elements. Although not mentioned or described in a particular drawing, the same or similar reference numerals may be used to describe elements based on another drawing. Furthermore, although reference numerals may not be indicated in a portion of a particular drawing, that portion may be used to describe elements based on another drawing. Additionally, for ease of understanding, the number, shape, and size of specific elements included in the drawings of this application, relative differences between sizes, etc., have been provided, and the embodiments are not limited, and implementations can take various forms.

[0067] I. The structure of a vehicle including a cornering module device for the vehicle.

[0068] Figure 1 This is a schematic front view illustrating the configuration of a vehicle including a cornering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 This is a perspective view schematically illustrating the configuration of a vehicle including a cornering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0069] refer to Figure 1 and 2 The vehicle, including the cornering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, includes a cornering module device 1 for a vehicle, a top cap 2, and a door component 3.

[0070] The cornering module device 1 for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a frame module 100 and a cornering module 200.

[0071] The frame module 100 is installed on the underside of the vehicle body and typically supports the corner module 200, battery 400, and inverter 500.

[0072] refer to Figure 2 According to this embodiment, the frame module 100 includes a main platform 1100, a first corner module platform 1200A, and a second corner module platform 1200B.

[0073] The main platform 1100 is mounted on the underside of the vehicle body. A battery 400, used to supply power to the cornering module 200 (described later), is mounted within the main platform 1100. The main platform 1100 may be made of a highly rigid material, such as metal, so that the main platform can adequately withstand the weight exerted from the battery 400. The battery 400 is configured to have a lower height than the main platform 1100.

[0074] Figure 3 This is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of the main platform 1100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0075] refer to Figure 3 According to this embodiment, the main platform 1100 includes a main board 1110, a main wheel cover 1120, and a main fastening part 1130.

[0076] The mainboard 1110 forms the central portion of the main platform 1100 and typically supports the main wheel arch 1120, which will be described later. According to this disclosure, the mainboard 1110 can be formed as a flat plate arranged parallel to the ground. The battery 400 is located on top of the mainboard 1110, and if necessary, the inverter 500 can be located on it. The design of the mainboard 1110's area can be modified according to the vehicle body size, the size of the battery 400, etc.

[0077] The main wheel cover 1120 extends from the main board 1110 and provides space to accommodate the corner module 200. According to this embodiment, the main wheel cover 1120 can be formed as a column extending vertically upward from the top of the main board 1110. More specifically, the main wheel cover 1120 is arranged on the corner side of the main board 1110 and is formed to have an open outer surface. For example, as... Figure 3 As shown, the main wheel cover 1120 can extend to the top of the corner of the main board 1110, and its cross-sectional shape is approximately Shape. Therefore, the main wheel cover 1120 can provide space to accommodate the corner module 200.

[0078] The top of the main wheel cover 1120 is formed in the form of a flat plate arranged parallel to the main plate 1110. Therefore, the main wheel cover 1120 can provide a space in which the main fastening part 1130, which will be described later, can be formed on the top of the main wheel cover 1120.

[0079] Multiple main wheel covers 1120 can be configured. Multiple main wheel covers 1120 can be arranged on multiple corner sides of the main board 1110 respectively.

[0080] The main fastening part 1130 is disposed in the main board 1110 and the main wheel cover 1120, and is fixed to the first corner module platform 1200A and the second corner module platform 1200B described later.

[0081] Figure 4 and5 This is an enlarged view schematically showing the configuration of the main fastener according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0082] refer to Figures 3 to 5 According to this embodiment, the main fastening part 1130 includes an upper main fastening part 1131 and a lower main fastening part 1132.

[0083] According to this embodiment, the upper main fastening portion 1131 can be formed in the form of a concavely recessed groove and is formed from the outer surface of the main wheel cover 1120. The upper main fastening portion 1131 extends vertically downward from the top of the main wheel cover 1120. The upper main fastening portion 1131 can have a stepped cross-section, such that the upper main fastening portion 1131 locks and connects with the first corner module upper fastening portion 1231A and the second corner module upper fastening portion 1231B, which will be described later. The upper main fastening portion 1131 is provided at the end of the main wheel cover 1120, the end of which is configured to face the first corner module platform 1200A and the second corner module platform 1200B, which will be described later. Multiple upper main fastening portions 1131 can be provided, and each can be individually provided in the main wheel cover 1120.

[0084] According to this embodiment, the lower main fastening portion 1132 can be formed in the form of a concavely recessed groove and is formed from the outer surface of the main board 1110. The lower main fastening portion 1132 can have a stepped cross-section, such that the lower main fastening portion 1132 is locked and connected with the first corner module lower fastening portion 1232A and the second corner module lower fastening portion 1232B, which will be described later.

[0085] The lower main fastener 1132 extends in the opposite direction to the upper main fastener 1131. More specifically, the lower main fastener 1132 extends vertically upward from the lower side of the motherboard 1110. Therefore, when the upper main fastener 1131 and the lower main fastener 1132 are fastened to the first corner module fastener 1230A and the second corner module fastener 1230B, which will be described later, the upper main fastener 1131 and the lower main fastener 1132 can prevent the first corner module fastener 1230A and the second corner module fastener 1230B from deviating in either direction.

[0086] The lower main fastening parts 1132 are arranged in pairs and are located at the end of the main board 1110, the end of which is configured to face the first corner module platform 1200A and the second corner module platform 1200B, which will be described later.

[0087] The first corner module platform 1200A and the second corner module platform 1200B are detachably connected to both sides of the main platform 1100. The first corner module platform 1200A and the second corner module platform 1200B have corner modules 200, described later, respectively connected to and supporting their lower sides. The corner modules 200 and the inverter 500 are installed inside each of the first corner module platform 1200A and the second corner module platform 1200B. The inverter 500 converts the DC power supplied from the battery 400 to AC power and transmits the AC power to the corner module 200. The inverter 500 is configured to have a height lower than that of the first corner module platform 1200A and the second corner module platform 1200B. The first corner module platform 1200A and the second corner module platform 1200B can be made of highly rigid materials, such as metal, so that the first corner module platform 1200A and the second corner module platform 1200B can fully withstand the weight applied from the corner module 200 and the battery 400.

[0088] Figure 6 This is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of the first corner module platform and the second corner module platform according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0089] refer to Figure 6 According to this embodiment, the first corner module platform 1200A includes a first corner module plate 1210A, a first corner module wheel cover 1220A, and a first corner module fastening part 1230A.

[0090] The first corner module plate 1210A forms the appearance of the central portion of the first corner module platform 1200A and typically supports the first corner module wheel cover 1220A, which will be described later. According to this embodiment, the first corner module plate 1210A can be formed as a flat plate arranged parallel to the ground. The inverter 500 is located on top of the first corner module plate 1210A, and if necessary, the battery 400 can be located thereon. The area design of the first corner module plate 1210A can vary depending on the size of the main board 1110, the size of the inverter 500, etc.

[0091] The first corner module wheel cover 1220A extends from the first corner module plate 1210A and provides space for accommodating the corner module 200. According to this embodiment, the first corner module wheel cover 1220A can be formed as a plate extending upward from the top of the main plate 1110. The first corner module wheel covers 1220A can be provided in pairs and can be respectively arranged at the ends of the first corner module plate 1210A along the width direction of the first corner module plate 1210A.

[0092] The first corner module wheel cover 1220A is equipped with a first mounting plate 1221A that supports the corner module 200. The first mounting plate 1221A can be formed as a flat plate extending from the top of the first corner module wheel cover 1220A along the width direction of the first corner module plate 1210A. The first mounting plate 1221A is arranged parallel to the first corner module plate 1210A. The lower side of the first mounting plate 1221A is detachably connected to the corner module 200 by bolts or the like.

[0093] In this case, the first corner module wheel cover 1220A can extend along its width direction to the outside of the first corner module plate 1210A, such as Figure 6 As shown, the cross-sectional shape is approximately Shape. Therefore, the first corner module wheel cover 1220A can provide space to accommodate the corner module 200.

[0094] The first corner module fastening part 1230A is disposed in the first corner module plate 1210A and the first corner module wheel cover 1220A, and is fastened to the main fastening part 1130 disposed on one side of the main platform 1100. When the main platform 1100 and the first corner module platform 1200A are assembled, the first corner module fastening part 1230A is positioned at the position of the main fastening part 1130 disposed on the side facing the main platform 1100. When the first corner module platform 1200A contacts the main platform 1100 in a direction parallel to the length direction of the vehicle, the first corner module fastening part 1230A is locked and connected to the main fastening part 1130 disposed on one side of the main platform 1100. Therefore, the main fastening part 1130 and the first corner module fastening part 1230A can improve the assembly performance of the main platform 1100 and the first corner module platform 1200A.

[0095] Figure 7 and 8 This is an enlarged view schematically showing the configuration of the first corner module fastening part and the second corner module fastening part according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0096] refer to Figures 6 to 8 According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the first corner module fastening part 1230A includes an upper corner module fastening part 1231A and a lower corner module fastening part 1232A.

[0097] According to this embodiment, the upper fastening portion 1231A of the first corner module can be formed as a protrusion extending from the outer surface of the first corner module wheel cover 1220A. More specifically, the upper fastening portion 1231A of the first corner module extends laterally from the end of the front or rear portion of the first mounting plate 1221A (more specifically, such an end is configured to face the main platform 1100 on one side). When the first corner module platform 1200A contacts the main platform 1100 in a direction parallel to the vehicle length direction, the upper fastening portion 1231A of the first corner module is inserted into the upper main fastening portion 1131 provided on one side of the main platform 1100. In this case, the upper fastening portion 1231A of the first corner module can have a shape with its end bent into a hook shape, so that the upper fastening portion 1231A of the first corner module locks and connects with the upper main fastening portion 1131 provided on one side of the main platform 1100. Multiple fastening parts 1231A on the upper part of the first corner module can be provided, and they can be respectively provided in the wheel cover 1220A of the first corner module.

[0098] According to this embodiment, the lower corner module fastening portion 1232A can be formed as a protrusion extending from the outer surface of the first corner module plate 1210A. More specifically, the lower corner module fastening portion 1232A extends laterally from either the front or rear end of the first corner module plate 1210A (more specifically, the end facing the main platform 1100 on one side). When the first corner module platform 1200A contacts the main platform 1100 in a direction parallel to the vehicle length direction, the lower corner module fastening portion 1232A is inserted into the lower main fastening portion 1132 provided on one side of the main platform 1100.

[0099] The lower fastening part 1232A of the first corner module can have a hook-shaped end, allowing it to lock and connect with the lower main fastening part 1132. In this case, the end of the lower fastening part 1232A of the first corner module is bent in the opposite direction to the end of the upper fastening part 1231A of the first corner module. For example, the end of the upper fastening part 1231A of the first corner module can be bent downwards, and the end of the lower fastening part 1232A of the first corner module can be bent upwards. Therefore, when the upper fastening part 1231A and the lower fastening part 1232A of the first corner module are fastened to the main fastening part 1130, they can prevent the upper main fastening part 1131 and the lower main fastening part 1132 from deviating in any direction.

[0100] The second corner module platform 1200B includes a second corner module plate 1210B, a second corner module wheel cover 1220B, and a second corner module fastening part 1230B.

[0101] The detailed shapes of the second corner module plate 1210B and the second corner module wheel cover 1220B can be formed to have the same form as the first corner module plate 1210A and the first corner module wheel cover 1220A described above.

[0102] The second corner module fastening part 1230B is disposed within the second corner module plate 1210B and the second corner module wheel cover 1220B, and is fastened to the main fastening part 1130 disposed on the other side of the main platform 1100. When the main platform 1100 and the second corner module platform 1200B are assembled, the second corner module fastening part 1230B is positioned such that it faces the main fastening part 1130 disposed on the other side of the main platform 1100. When the second corner module platform 1200B contacts the main platform 1100 in a direction parallel to the vehicle length direction, the second corner module fastening part 1230B is locked and connected to the main fastening part 1130 disposed on the other side of the main platform 1100.

[0103] According to this embodiment, the second corner module fastening part 1230B includes an upper corner module fastening part 1231B and a lower corner module fastening part 1232B.

[0104] According to this embodiment, the upper fastening portion 1231B of the second corner module can be formed as a protrusion extending from the outer surface of the second corner module wheel cover 1220B. More specifically, the upper fastening portion 1231B of the second corner module extends laterally from the end of the front or rear portion of the second mounting plate 1221B (more specifically, such an end is configured to face the main platform 1100 on its other side). When the second corner module platform 1200B contacts the main platform 1100 in a direction parallel to the vehicle length direction, the upper fastening portion 1231B of the second corner module is inserted into the upper main fastening portion 1131 provided on one side of the main platform 1100. In this case, the upper fastening portion 1231B of the second corner module can have a shape with its end bent into a hook shape, so that the upper fastening portion 1231B of the second corner module locks and connects with the upper main fastening portion 1131 provided on one side of the main platform 1100. Multiple fastening parts 1231B can be provided on the upper part of the second corner module, and they can be respectively provided in the wheel cover 1220B of the second corner module.

[0105] According to this embodiment, the lower corner module fastening portion 1232B can be formed as a protrusion extending from the outer surface of the second corner module plate 1210B. More specifically, the lower corner module fastening portion 1232B extends laterally from either the front or rear end of the second corner module plate 1210B (more specifically, the end facing the main platform 1100 on its other side). When the second corner module platform 1200B contacts the main platform 1100 in a direction parallel to the vehicle length direction, the lower corner module fastening portion 1232B is inserted into the lower main fastening portion 1132 provided on the other side of the main platform 1100.

[0106] The lower fastening portion 1232B of the second corner module can have an end bent into a hook shape, so that the lower fastening portion 1232B of the second corner module is locked and connected to the lower main fastening portion 1132. In this case, the end of the lower fastening portion 1232B of the second corner module is bent in the opposite direction to the end of the upper fastening portion 1231B of the second corner module. For example, the end of the upper fastening portion 1231B of the second corner module can be bent downward, and the end of the lower fastening portion 1232B of the second corner module can be bent upward. Therefore, when the upper fastening portion 1231B and the lower fastening portion 1232B of the second corner module are fastened to the main fastening portion 1130, the upper fastening portion 1231B and the lower fastening portion 1232B of the second corner module can prevent the upper main fastening portion 1131 and the lower main fastening portion 1132 from deviating in either direction.

[0107] The cornering module 200 is supported by the frame module 100 and connected to the wheels of the vehicle 300, typically performing operations such as driving, braking, steering, or suspension. Multiple cornering modules 200 can be configured and can be individually connected to each wheel 300. Each of the multiple cornering modules 200 can independently perform operations such as driving, braking, steering, or suspension on each wheel 300. A detailed implementation of the cornering module 200 will be described later.

[0108] The top hat 2 is installed on top of the vehicle cornering module 1. The top hat 2 provides space for passengers to board.

[0109] refer to Figure 1 and 2According to this embodiment, the top cap 2 can be formed in the form of a box, with an empty interior and an open bottom. Various items and devices suitable for passenger use, such as seats, control panels, and tables, can be installed inside the top cap 2. The bottom opening of the top cap 2 faces the top of the frame module 100 (i.e., the top of the main platform 1100), the top of the first corner module platform 1200A, and the top of the second corner module platform 1200B. The bottom of the top cap 2 can be bolted to the top of the main wheel cover 1120, the first corner module wheel cover 1220A, and the second corner module wheel cover 1220B, and can be detachably fixed to the frame module 100. The area and length of the top cap 2 can be designed differently depending on the area and length of the frame module 100.

[0110] The door component 3 is installed in the top cap 2 in a way that allows it to be opened and closed, so that passengers can enter the top cap 2 when it is opened.

[0111] According to this embodiment, the door component 3 includes a first door 3a and a second door 3b.

[0112] The first door 3a is installed on one side of the top cap 2 in a manner that allows it to be opened and closed, and is positioned on top of the main platform 1100. (Reference) Figure 1 and 2 According to this embodiment, the first door 3a is mounted on one side of the top cap 2 in the width direction of the top cap 2 in an openable and closable manner. The first door 3a can be mounted on the top cap 2 in an openable and closable manner using various methods (e.g., opening and closing methods and sliding methods). The first door 3a can be provided in pairs and can be mounted on both sides of the top cap 2 in an openable and closable manner in the width direction of the top cap 2, respectively. The two ends of the first door 3a are arranged between a pair of main wheel covers 1120, which are spaced apart from each other in the length direction of the main board 1110. The bottom of the first door 3a is arranged to face the top of the battery 400 disposed on the top of the main board 1110. Since the battery 400 is formed to have a height lower than the main platform 1100, the bottom of the first door 3a can be arranged close to the ground, thereby allowing passengers to board the vehicle smoothly.

[0113] The second door 3b is mounted on the other side of the top cap 2 in an openable and closable manner, and is disposed on the top of at least one of the first corner module platform 1200A and the second corner module platform 1200B. Hereinafter, an example of the second door 3b being disposed on the top of both the first corner module platform 1200A and the second corner module platform 1200B will be described, but the second door 3b is not limited to this example. The second door 3b may also be disposed on the top of either the first corner module platform 1200A or the second corner module platform 1200B.

[0114] refer to Figure 1 and 2 According to this embodiment, the second doors 3b are arranged in pairs and mounted on the sides of the top cap 2 in a forward and backward direction in an open and closed manner. Therefore, the second doors 3b can be arranged in a direction perpendicular to the first doors 3a. The second doors 3b can be installed in the top cap 2 in an open and closed manner using various methods (e.g., opening and closing methods and sliding methods). The two ends of each of the pairs of second doors 3b are arranged between a pair of first corner module wheel covers 1220A and second corner module wheel covers 1220B. The bottom of each of the pairs of second doors 3b is arranged to face the top of the inverter 500 disposed on the top of each of the first corner module plates 1210A and second corner module plates 1210B. Since the inverter 500 is formed to have a height lower than the first corner module platform 1200A and second corner module platform 1200B, the bottom of the second doors 3b can be set close to the ground, thereby allowing passengers to board the vehicle smoothly.

[0115] The configuration of the corner module 200 according to the first embodiment of this disclosure is described below.

[0116] Figure 9 This is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of the corner module according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 10 This illustrates a corner module according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure that differs from... Figure 9 A perspective view of the configuration from the perspective of the configuration. Figure 11 This is a schematic front view showing the configuration of the corner module according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 12 This is a side view schematically showing the configuration of the corner module according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 13 This is an exploded perspective view schematically showing the configuration of the corner module according to the first embodiment of this disclosure.

[0117] refer to Figures 9 to 13 According to the first embodiment of this disclosure, the cornering module 200 includes a drive unit 2100, a braking unit 2200, a suspension unit 2300, and a steering unit 2400.

[0118] The drive unit 2100 rotates the wheel 300 by providing driving force to the wheel 300.

[0119] The drive unit 2100 according to this embodiment includes an in-wheel motor 2110 and a steering knuckle 2120.

[0120] An in-wheel motor 2110 is installed inside the wheel 300 and generates drive power. According to this embodiment, the in-wheel motor 2110 can be configured to include: a stator fixed inside the wheel 300 and forming a magnetic field by receiving power from a battery 400; and a rotor rotatably mounted inside the wheel 300 and rotating the wheel 300 through electromagnetic interaction with the stator. The central axes of the stator and rotor can be arranged on the same line as the central axis of the wheel 300, and can be arranged concentrically from the inside of the wheel 300 in a stacked manner.

[0121] The steering knuckle 2120 is connected to the in-wheel motor 2110 and provides a mechanical connection to the drive unit 2100 between the braking unit 2200 and the suspension unit 2300, which will be described later. According to this embodiment, the steering knuckle 2120 can be connected and supported by the stator of the in-wheel motor 2110 via bolting or similar means. The steering knuckle 2120 rotatably supports the rotor of the in-wheel motor 2110 via a medium such as wheel bearings. The steering knuckle 2120 can be manufactured by molding a metallic material using methods such as casting to ensure sufficient rigidity. The detailed shape of the steering knuckle 2120 is not limited to... Figure 13 The shape shown. The design of the steering knuckle 2120 can be changed to various shapes to support the in-wheel motor 2110.

[0122] The braking unit 2200 applies or releases braking power by being interrupted by the rotation of the wheel 300.

[0123] The braking unit 2200 according to this embodiment includes a brake disc 2210 and a brake caliper 2220.

[0124] The brake disc 2210 is connected to the wheel 300 or the in-wheel motor 2110 and rotates while being rotated in conjunction with the wheel 300. According to this embodiment, the brake disc 2210 is formed in a disc shape and is mounted inside the wheel 300. The brake disc 2210 is configured to have its central axis aligned with the central axis of the wheel 300. The brake disc 2210 can be integrated with the rotor of the wheel 300 or the in-wheel motor 2110 via bolts or the like. Therefore, when the wheel 300 rotates, the brake disc 2210 can rotate together with the wheel 300 using its central axis as a shaft. The diameter of the brake disc 2210 can be modified according to the diameter of the wheel 300, the size of the in-wheel motor 2110, etc.

[0125] When the vehicle brakes, the brake caliper 2220 applies braking force by pressurizing the brake disc 2210. According to this embodiment, the brake caliper 2220 may be configured to include: brake pads facing the brake disc 2210; a caliper housing connected to the steering knuckle 2120 and movably supporting the brake pads; and a piston movably mounted in the caliper housing in a forward and backward manner, and pressurizing or releasing the brake pads towards the brake disc 2210 in its direction of movement.

[0126] The suspension unit 2300 is connected to the drive unit 2100 and absorbs the impact transmitted from the road surface when the vehicle is in motion.

[0127] The suspension unit 2300 according to this embodiment includes a suspension arm 2310 and a shock absorber module 2320.

[0128] The suspension arm 2310 is positioned between the drive unit 2100 and the steering unit 2400, which will be described later, and supports the wheel 300. More specifically, when the vehicle is driven by its own stiffness, the suspension arm 2310 absorbs the weight applied from the wheel 300, while connecting the wheel 300 to the vehicle body and playing a role in adjusting the movement of the wheel 300.

[0129] The suspension arm 2310 according to this embodiment may include a first arm 2311 and a second arm 2312.

[0130] One end of the first arm 2311 and the second arm 2312 are rotatably connected to the steering body 2410 of the steering unit 2400, and the other end is rotatably connected to the steering knuckle 2120 of the drive unit 2100. In this case, the first arm 2311 and the second arm 2312 can be rotatably connected to the steering body 2410 and the steering knuckle 2120 through a bushing, ball joint, pin, or other medium. The first arm 2311 and the second arm 2312 are spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction and are arranged to face each other. The first arm 2311 and the second arm 2312 can be formed with a double fork shape. Therefore, the first arm 2311 and the second arm 2312 can set a negative camber angle for the wheel 300 to improve the vehicle's cornering performance and can be configured to reduce the vehicle's height by setting a low-floor configuration. The first arm 2311 and the second arm 2312 can be arranged at an angle to form a predetermined angle. Therefore, the length and center of the side view swing arm (SVSA) corresponding to the vehicle type, driving conditions, etc. can be set by the relative angle formed by the first arm 2311 and the second arm 2312.

[0131] The shock absorber module 2320 is configured to be telescopic in its length direction and to absorb shocks or vibrations transmitted from the road surface to the vehicle body through the wheel 300. The shock absorber module 2320 according to this embodiment includes a cylinder 2321, a rod 2322, and an elastic body 2323.

[0132] The cylinder 2321 extends in both the upward and downward directions and is filled with liquid. The bottom of the cylinder 2321 can penetrate the first arm 2311, and the cylinder 2321 can be rotatably connected to the top of the second arm 2312.

[0133] Rod 2322 extends along the length of cylinder 2321. The lower side of rod 2322 is inserted into the upper end of cylinder 2321, and rod 2322 is installed in a manner that allows it to slide along the length of cylinder 2321. The upper side of rod 2322 is connected to steering body 2410 by bolts or the like. Rod 2322 is interlocked by the pressure of fluid injected into cylinder 2321, allowing it to slide along the length of cylinder 2321.

[0134] An elastic body 2323 is arranged around the outer surfaces of the cylinder 2321 and the rod 2322. The length of the elastic body 2323 is changed by interlocking with the sliding movement of the rod 2322. According to this embodiment, the elastic body 2323 can be formed in the form of a helical spring capable of stretching and contracting along its length. The two ends of the elastic body 2323 can be connected and supported by a lower sheet fixed to the cylinder 2321 and an upper sheet fixed to the rod 2322. When the rod 2322 moves slidably, the elastic body 2323 can be compressed or extended, accumulating elastic restoring force, and the accumulated elastic restoring force can counteract the impact exerted from the road surface.

[0135] The steering unit 2400 is connected to the suspension unit 2300 and is rotatably mounted on the underside of the frame module 100. The steering unit 2400 rotates clockwise or counterclockwise using the frame module 100 as an axis, adjusting the steering angle of the wheels 300. The steering unit 2400 is mounted on the underside of the frame module 100 and prevents parts of the steering module 200 from protruding upwards from the frame module 100. Therefore, space or shape issues in body mounting design, packaging, and vehicle design can be resolved.

[0136] The steering unit 2400 according to this embodiment includes a steering body 2410 and a steering drive unit 2420.

[0137] The steering body 2410 is positioned facing the bottom of the frame module 100 and supports the suspension unit 2300. According to this embodiment, the steering body 2410 has a length direction extending in a direction parallel to the vehicle height direction and is arranged between the frame module 100 and the suspension unit 2300. The area of ​​the top of the steering body 2410 is formed to be larger than the area of ​​its bottom. Therefore, the steering body 2410 is formed to have approximately... Cross-sectional shape. The bottom of the steering body 2410 is connected to one end of the first arm 2311 and the second arm 2312 via bushings, ball joints, pins, etc., and rotatably supports the first arm 2311 and the second arm 2312. The lower side of the top of the steering body 2410 is connected to the top of the rod 2322 via bolts, etc., and supports the shock absorber module 2320.

[0138] A receiving portion 2411 for accommodating the steering drive unit 2420, described later, is provided in the steering body 2410. According to this embodiment, the receiving portion 2411 can be formed in the form of a recessed groove that extends concavely downwards from the upper side of the top of the steering body 2410. The detailed cross-sectional shape of the receiving portion 2411 can be varied depending on the shape of the steering drive unit 2420.

[0139] The steering drive unit 2420 is mounted in the steering body 2410 and rotatably supports the steering body 2410 relative to the frame module 100. The steering drive unit 2420 rotates using the frame module 100 as an axis when the vehicle is turning, and rotates the steering body 2410 clockwise or counterclockwise. Therefore, the steering angle of the wheels 300 connected to the steering body 2410 via the suspension unit 2300 can be adjusted.

[0140] The steering drive unit 2420 according to this embodiment includes a power generation module 2421, a rotation module 2422, and a power transmission module 2423.

[0141] Figure 14 This is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the configuration of the steering drive unit according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0142] refer to Figure 14 The steering drive unit 2420 according to this embodiment includes a power generation module 2421, a rotation module 2422 and a power transmission module 2423.

[0143] The power generation module 2421 generates rotational power by receiving a power source. The power generation module 2421 according to the first embodiment of this disclosure can be exemplified as various types of electric motors that convert externally applied power into rotational power and output the rotational power via a drive shaft 2421a. The power generation module 2421 can be connected to a battery 400 installed in the frame module 100 and can be powered by the battery 400.

[0144] The power generation module 2421 can be located on one side of the receiving portion 2411 and can be detachably fixed to the steering body 2410 by means of bolts or the like. The drive shaft 2421a of the power generation module 2421 is arranged on the same axis as the central axis A of the power generation module 2421. The central axis A of the power generation module 2421 can be arranged parallel to the central axis B of the rotating module 2422, which will be described later. However, the power generation module 2421 is not limited to this example. The power generation module 2421 can be arranged perpendicular to the central axis B of the rotating module 2422, depending on the detailed structure of the power transmission module 2423, which will be described later.

[0145] The rotation module 2422 rotates about the frame module 100 as an axis by interlocking with the rotational power generated by the power generation module 2421. When the rotation module 2422 rotates using the frame module 100 as an axis, it adjusts the steering angle of the wheel 300 by performing track movements on the power generation module 2421 surrounding the rotation module 2422. This detailed operation of the power generation module 2421 will be described later.

[0146] The rotating module 2422 is located on the other side of the receiving portion 2411 and is arranged spaced apart from the power generation module 2421. The rotating module 2422 can be detachably fixed to the steering body 2410 via bolts or the like. The rotating module 2422 is connected to the power generation module 2421 via the power transmission module 2423, which will be described later. The rotating module 2422 can be installed in the steering body 2410 in a state where the rotating module 2422 is integrated with the power generation module 2421 and the power transmission module 2423 and housed in the same housing, such as... Figure 14 As shown, the rotation module 2422 can be installed separately from the power generation module 2421 and the power transmission module 2423 in the steering body 2410.

[0147] The central axis B of the rotation module 2422 can be arranged on the same plane as the central surface of the wheel 300. In this case, the central surface of the wheel 300 can be exemplified as a plane that is perpendicular to the central axis of the wheel 300 and symmetrically divides the wheel 300 in the width direction of the vehicle. Therefore, the rotation center axis of the rotation module 2422 can coincide with the actual steering axis of the wheel 300, thereby enabling the wheel 300 to steer stably.

[0148] The rotation module 2422 according to this embodiment includes a mounting part 2422a, a rotation module body 2422b, an input shaft 2422c, an output shaft 2422d, a deceleration module 2422e, and a steering guide 2422f.

[0149] The mounting portion 2422a forms the upper appearance of the rotating module 2422 and is fixed to the lower side of the frame module 100. According to this embodiment, the mounting portion 2422a can be formed as a plate having a shape parallel to the frame module 100 (more specifically, the first mounting plate 1221A or the second mounting plate 1221B). The top of the mounting portion 2422a is detachably connected to the bottom of the first mounting plate 1221A or the second mounting plate 1221B by bolts or the like. The mounting portion 2422a is fixed to the bottom of the frame module 100 and typically supports the corner module 200 relative to the frame module 100.

[0150] The rotating module body 2422b forms the lower exterior of the rotating module 2422 and is rotatably mounted relative to the mounting portion 2422a. According to this embodiment, the rotating module body 2422b is formed as a hollow cylinder and is mounted on the lower side of the mounting portion 2422a. The top of the rotating module body 2422b is rotatably connected to the bottom of the mounting portion 2422a via a bearing or similar medium. The bottom of the rotating module body 2422b is located on the other side of the receiving portion 2411 and is supported by the receiving portion 2411. The rotating module body 2422b can be assembled when integrated with the power generation module 2421 and the power transmission module 2423, and the rotating module body 2422b can be fixed to the steering body 2410. The rotating module body 2422b can be directly assembled and fixed to the steering body 2410.

[0151] The input shaft 2422c is rotatably mounted within the rotating module body 2422b and rotates by rotational power supplied from the power transmission module 2423. According to this embodiment, the input shaft 2422c can be formed as a shaft with its central axis arranged on the same axis as the central axis B of the rotating module 2422. The bottom of the input shaft 2422c extends downward from the rotating module body 2422b and connects to the power transmission module 2423.

[0152] The output shaft 2422d is rotatably supported by the mounting portion 2422a. The output shaft 2422d rotates via a rotational interlock with the input shaft 2422c, and the steering body 2410 is rotated using the mounting portion 2422a as an axis. According to this embodiment, the output shaft 2422d can be formed as a shaft with its central axis arranged on the same axis as the central axis B of the rotation module 2422. The bottom of the output shaft 2422d is rotatably connected to the top of the input shaft 2422c via a bearing medium. Using the mounting portion 2422a as an axis, the top of the output shaft 2422d is rotatably inserted into the bottom of the mounting portion 2422a. The output shaft 2422d is connected to the reduction module 2422e, which will be described later, and rotates by the rotational power provided by the reduction module 2422e when the input shaft 2422c rotates.

[0153] A reduction module 2422e is disposed between the input shaft 2422c and the output shaft 2422d, and transmits the rotational power of the input shaft 2422c to the output shaft 2422d. More specifically, the reduction module 2422e amplifies the magnitude of the rotational power delivered to the output shaft 2422d by reducing the rotational speed of the input shaft 2422c at a set reduction ratio, and rotates the output shaft 2422d by the output rotational power. The reduction module 2422e according to this embodiment can be exemplified as a strain wave gear, including a wave generator, a flex spline, or a circular spline.

[0154] Steering guide 2422f extends from the rotating module body 2422b and connects to the measuring module 2424, which will be described later. According to this embodiment, steering guide 2422f can be formed in the shape of a hollow disc, with one end of its inner circumference curved upwards, and steering guide 2422f can be disposed between the rotating module body 2422b and the output shaft 2422d. Steering guide 2422f has an outer circumferential surface fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the rotating module body 2422b, and when the rotating module body 2422b rotates, steering guide 2422f rotates together with the rotating module body 2422b using its central axis as an axis. One end of the inner circumference of steering guide 2422f is connected to the inner diameter portion 2424a of the measuring module 2424, which will be described later. Steering guide 2422f rotates the inner diameter portion 2424a by rotational interlocking with the rotating module body 2422b.

[0155] A power transmission module 2423 is disposed between the power generation module 2421 and the rotation module 2422, and transmits the rotational power generated by the power generation module 2421 to the rotation module 2422. According to this embodiment, the power transmission module 2423 can be formed as a belt or chain forming a closed curve. The two ends of the power transmission module 2423 are respectively connected to the end of the drive shaft 2421a of the power generation module 2421 and the end of the input shaft 2422c of the rotation module 2422. In this case, twisting of the power transmission module 2423 can be prevented because the central axis A of the power generation module 2421 is arranged parallel to the central axis B of the rotation module 2422. When the drive shaft 2421a rotates, the power transmission module 2423 moves in a track-like manner and delivers rotational power to the input shaft 2422c. However, the power transmission module 2423 is not limited to this structure. The design of the power transmission module 2423 can be varied in various types of power transmission devices that can transmit the rotational power generated by the power generation module 2421 to the rotation module 2422, such as a worm or worm wheel.

[0156] The measuring module 2424 measures the rotation angle of the rotating module 2422 based on the steering of the wheel 300. According to this embodiment, the measuring module 2424 is arranged within the rotating module body 2422b and fixed to the bottom of the mounting portion 2422a. An inner diameter portion 2424a, capable of rotating using the central axis of the measuring module 2424 as an axis, is provided in the inner circumferential surface of the measuring module 2424. The inner diameter portion 2424a is connected to the steering guide 2422f and rotates with the steering guide 2422f when the output shaft 2422d rotates. When the vehicle is turning, the measuring module 2424 measures the rotation angle of the rotating module 2422 by measuring the angle by which the inner diameter portion 2424a has rotated based on the initial position of the output shaft 2422d. The detailed form of the measuring module 2424 is not limited to any one type, and examples include various types of steering angle sensors capable of detecting the rotation angle of the output shaft 2422d. The measurement module 2424 transmits data about the rotation angle of the measured rotation module 2422 to the control unit, such as the vehicle's ECU, i.e., the control unit 20 described later, so that the control unit can perform rolling control, rotation control, etc. of the vehicle.

[0157] The operation process of the corner module 200 according to the first embodiment of this disclosure will be described in detail below.

[0158] Figure 15 , Figure 16A and Figure 16B This is an operation diagram that schematically illustrates the operation process of the corner module according to the first embodiment of this disclosure.

[0159] When the vehicle needs to rotate while driving, the drive shaft 2421a rotates through the power generation module 2421 and generates rotational power.

[0160] The power transmission module 2423 moves in a track-like manner by rotating the drive shaft 2421a and transmits the rotational power of the power generation module 2421 to the rotation module 2422.

[0161] The rotational power supplied to the rotation module 2422 is sequentially delivered to the output shaft 2422d via the input shaft 2422c and the reduction module 2422e.

[0162] More specifically, the elliptical cam of the wave generator in the deceleration module 2422e is rotated by the rotational power of the input shaft 2422c.

[0163] Subsequently, the flexible wheel rotates while undergoing elastic deformation. As a result, the positions of the gear teeth on the outer circumferential surface of the flexible wheel, which mesh with the gear teeth on the inner circumferential surface of the rigid wheel, move sequentially.

[0164] When the elliptical cam rotates once, the flexure moves in the opposite direction to the rotation direction of the elliptical cam due to the difference between the number of teeth on the outer circumferential surface of the flexure and the number of teeth on the inner circumferential surface of the flexure.

[0165] Therefore, the output shaft 2422d connected to the flex wheel rotates at a lower speed than the input shaft 2422c in the opposite direction of rotation.

[0166] The output shaft 2422d rotates by using the mounting part 2422a fixed to the first mounting plate 1221A or the second mounting plate 1221B, or more specifically, the central axis B of the rotating module 2422 as an axis.

[0167] When the output shaft 2422d is rotated using the central axis B of the rotating module 2422 as the axis, the rotating module body 2422b, which is integrated with the output shaft 2422d and the steering body 2410, also rotates using the central axis B of the rotating module 2422 as the axis.

[0168] Therefore, the power generation module 2421, which is spaced apart from the central axis B of the rotating module 2422 at predetermined intervals, moves around the central axis B of the rotating module 2422.

[0169] When the steering body 2410 rotates, the rotational power generated is transmitted to the wheel 300 through the suspension unit 2300 and the drive unit 2100 in sequence.

[0170] Since the central axis B of the rotating module 2422 is arranged in the same plane as the central surface of the wheel 300, the wheel 300 is rotated by transmitting rotational power using the central axis B of the rotating module 2422 as an axis. The wheel 300 adjusts its steering angle and rotates and drives the vehicle.

[0171] The following describes a configuration of a vehicle including a cornering module device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0172] In this process, for ease of description, redundant descriptions of vehicles including the cornering module device according to the above embodiments of this disclosure are omitted.

[0173] Figure 17 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of a vehicle including a cornering module device for a vehicle according to another embodiment of this disclosure.

[0174] refer to Figure 17 According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the frame module 100 includes a plurality of first corner module platforms 1200A and a plurality of second corner module platforms 1200B.

[0175] Multiple first corner module platforms 1200A and multiple second corner module platforms 1200B extend from one side and the other side of the main platform 1100 along the length of the vehicle body.

[0176] More specifically, adjacent first corner module platforms 1200A are connected in series from one side of the main platform 1100 along the length of the vehicle body. Adjacent second corner module platforms 1200B are connected in series from the other side of the main platform 1100 along the length of the vehicle body. In this case, the number of multiple first corner module platforms 1200A and multiple second corner module platforms 1200B can be the same or different. Therefore, according to another embodiment of this disclosure, the number of corner modules 200 installed in the frame module 100 can be freely extended to both sides of the main platform 1100 based on the purpose of the vehicle.

[0177] Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of a first corner module platform and a second corner module platform according to another embodiment of this disclosure.

[0178] refer to Figure 18 According to this embodiment, the first corner module platform 1200A and the second corner module platform 1200B further include a first corner module extension fastening part 1240A and a second corner module extension fastening part 1240B, respectively.

[0179] The first corner module extension fastening part 1240A includes a first corner module plate 1210A and a first corner module wheel cover 1220A. The first corner module extension fastening part 1240A is disposed on the opposite side of the first corner module fastening part 1230A in the first corner module platform 1200A. That is, the first corner module fastening part 1230A and the first corner module extension fastening part 1240A are arranged at both ends of the first corner module platform 1200A.

[0180] A first corner module extension fastening part 1240A disposed in any one of the first corner module platforms 1200A is detachably connected to a first corner module fastening part 1230A disposed in an adjacent first corner module platform 1200A. More specifically, when adjacent first corner module platforms 1200A are in contact with each other in a direction parallel to the length direction of the vehicle, the first corner module extension fastening part 1240A and the first corner module fastening part 1230A are locked and connected. Therefore, multiple first corner module platforms 1200A extended in series can be sequentially connected in the length direction of the vehicle.

[0181] Figure 19 and Figure 20 This is an enlarged view schematically showing the configuration of the first corner module extension fastener and the second corner module extension fastener according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0182] refer to Figure 19 and 20 According to this embodiment, the first corner module extension fastening part 1240A includes an upper extension fastening part 1241A and a lower extension fastening part 1242A of the first corner module.

[0183] According to this embodiment, the first corner module extension fastening portion 1241A can be formed in the form of a recessed groove, which is formed by the outer surface of the first corner module wheel cover 1220A, more specifically, the first mounting plate 1221A. The first corner module extension fastening portion 1241A extends vertically downward from the top of the first corner module wheel cover 1220A. The first corner module extension fastening portion 1241A is disposed at the other end of the front or rear portion of the first corner module wheel cover 1220A, that is, on the side opposite to the first corner module fastening portion 1231A. The first corner module extension fastening portion 1241A can have a stepped cross-section, such that the first corner module extension fastening portion 1241A is locked and connected to the first corner module fastening portion 1231A disposed in the adjacent first corner module platform 1200A. Multiple extension fastening parts 1241A can be provided on the first corner module, and each can be individually provided in the wheel cover 1220A of the first corner module.

[0184] According to this embodiment, the lower extension fastening portion 1242A of the first corner module can be formed in the form of a groove that is concavely recessed and formed from the outer surface of the first corner module plate 1210A.

[0185] The lower extension fastening portion 1242A of the first corner module extends in the opposite direction to the upper extension fastening portion 1241A of the first corner module. More specifically, the lower extension fastening portion 1242A of the first corner module extends vertically upward from the bottom of the first corner module plate 1210A. Therefore, when the upper extension fastening portion 1241A and the lower extension fastening portion 1242A of the first corner module are fastened to the first corner module fastening portion 1230A, the upper extension fastening portion 1241A and the lower extension fastening portion 1242A of the first corner module can prevent the first corner module fastening portion 1230A from deviating from either direction.

[0186] The lower extension fastening part 1242A of the first corner module is disposed at the other end of the front or rear part of the first corner module plate 1210A, that is, on the side opposite to the lower extension fastening part 1232A of the first corner module. The lower extension fastening part 1242A of the first corner module may have a stepped cross-section, so that the lower extension fastening part 1242A of the first corner module is locked and connected to the lower extension fastening part 1232A of the first corner module disposed in the adjacent first corner module platform 1200A.

[0187] The second corner module extension fastening part 1240B is disposed in the second corner module plate 1210B and the second corner module wheel cover 1220B. The second corner module extension fastening part 1240B is disposed on the opposite side of the second corner module fastening part 1230B in the second corner module platform 1200B. That is, the second corner module fastening part 1230B and the second corner module extension fastening part 1240B are respectively disposed at both ends of the second corner module platform 1200B.

[0188] The second corner module extension fastener 1240B, located in any one of the second corner module platforms 1200B, is detachably connected to the second corner module fastener 1230B located in the adjacent second corner module platform 1200B. More specifically, when adjacent second corner module platforms 1200B are in contact with each other in a direction parallel to the vehicle's length direction, the second corner module extension fastener 1240B and the second corner module fastener 1230B are locked and connected. Therefore, multiple second corner module platforms 1200Bs extended in series can be sequentially connected along the vehicle's length direction.

[0189] According to this embodiment, the second corner module extension fastening part 1240B includes an upper extension fastening part 1241B of the second corner module and a lower extension fastening part 1242B of the second corner module.

[0190] According to this embodiment, the extended fastening portion 1241B on the second corner module can be formed in the form of a recess, which is recessed and formed by the outer surface of the second corner module wheel cover 1220B, more specifically, the second mounting plate 1221B. The extended fastening portion 1241B on the second corner module extends vertically downward from the top of the second corner module wheel cover 1220B. The extended fastening portion 1241B on the second corner module is disposed at the other end of the front or rear portion of the second corner module wheel cover 1220B, that is, on the opposite side of the fastening portion 1231B on the second corner module. The extended fastening portion 1241B on the second corner module can have a stepped cross-section, such that the extended fastening portion 1241B on the second corner module can be locked and connected to the fastening portion 1231B on the second corner module disposed on the adjacent second corner module platform 1200B. Multiple extension fastening parts 1241B on the second corner module can be provided, and each part can be individually provided in the wheel cover 1220B of the second corner module.

[0191] According to this embodiment, the lower extension fastening portion 1242B of the second corner module can be formed in the form of a groove, which is recessed and formed from the outer surface of the second corner module plate 1210B.

[0192] The lower extension fastening portion 1242B of the second corner module extends in the opposite direction to the upper extension fastening portion 1241B of the second corner module. More specifically, the lower extension fastening portion 1242B of the second corner module extends vertically upward from the bottom of the second corner module plate 1210B. Therefore, when the upper extension fastening portion 1241B and the lower extension fastening portion 1242B of the second corner module are fastened to the second corner module fastening portion 1230B, the upper extension fastening portion 1241B and the lower extension fastening portion 1242B of the second corner module can prevent the second corner module fastening portion 1230B from deviating in any direction.

[0193] The second corner module lower extension fastening part 1242B is disposed at the other end of the front or rear portion of the second corner module plate 1210B, that is, on the opposite side of the second corner module lower fastening part 1232B. The second corner module lower extension fastening part 1242B may have a stepped cross-section, so that the second corner module lower extension fastening part 1242B can be locked and connected with the second corner module lower fastening part 1232B disposed on the adjacent second corner module platform 1200B.

[0194] According to this embodiment, the second door 3b is provided in pairs. A pair of second doors 32b are mounted on the sides of the top cap 2 in a forward and rearward direction, in an open and closed manner. Among the plurality of first corner module platforms 1200A and second corner module platforms 1200B, a pair of second doors 3b can be respectively arranged on the first corner module platform 1200A and the second corner module platform 1200B, with the first corner module platform 1200A and the second corner module platform 1200B arranged on their outermost sides along the length of the vehicle body.

[0195] The following describes in detail a configuration of a vehicle including a cornering module device for a vehicle according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0196] In this process, for ease of description, redundant descriptions of vehicles that include a cornering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of this disclosure or another embodiment are omitted.

[0197] Figure 21 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of a vehicle including a cornering module device for a vehicle according to yet another embodiment of this disclosure.

[0198] refer to Figure 21 The vehicle, including a cornering module device for a vehicle according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, includes a main platform assembly 1000, a first cornering module platform 1200A, and a second cornering module platform 1200B.

[0199] The main platform component 1000 includes an intermediate module platform 1300 and a main platform arranged between at least two main platforms 1100.

[0200] Adjacent main platforms 1100 are arranged to be spaced apart from each other at a given interval along the vehicle's length. In this configuration, the first corner module platform 1200A is detachably coupled to one side of one of the multiple main platforms 1100. Figure 21 The outermost side of the main platform 1100 (on the left side) is located on one side. Figure 21 (Left side). The second corner module platform 1200A is detachably connected to the other side of the multiple main platforms 1100 ( Figure 21 The other side of the main platform 1100 arranged on the outermost side of the right side) Figure 21 (Right side). Therefore, the frame module 100 according to another embodiment of this disclosure can also be applied to vehicles with relatively long bodies, such as trams, buses or trailers, because the weight of the battery 400 can be distributed through multiple main platforms 1100.

[0201] The intermediate module platform 1300 includes a third corner module platform 1200C arranged between adjacent main platforms 1100 and supports the corner module 200.

[0202] One or more third corner module platforms 1200C can be provided between adjacent main platforms 1100. If multiple third corner module platforms 1200C are provided, they can be connected in series along the length of the vehicle body. The outermost third corner module platform 1200C arranged among the multiple third corner module platforms 1200C is detachably connected to an end that belongs to the end of the adjacent main platform 1100, and the first corner module platform 1200A and the second corner module platform 1200B are not connected to this end.

[0203] The third corner module platform 1200C has a bottom that connects to and supports the corner module 200, which is described later. The corner module 200 and the inverter 500 are installed inside the third corner module platform 1200C. The inverter 500 is used to convert the DC power supplied from the battery 400 into AC power and deliver the AC power to the corner module 200.

[0204] The third corner module platform 1200C according to this embodiment includes a third corner module plate, a third corner module wheel cover, and a third corner module fastening part.

[0205] The detailed shapes of the third corner module plate, the third corner module wheel cover, the third corner module fastening part, and the third corner module extension fastening part can be compared with... Figure 10 The first corner module plate 1210A, the first corner module wheel cover 1220A, the first corner module fastening part 1230A and the first corner module extension fastening part 1240A shown have the same shape.

[0206] For the smooth connection of the main platform 1100, among the multiple third corner module platforms 1200C provided between adjacent main platforms 1100, the third corner module extension fastening part provided in the third corner module platform 1200C provided at any end can be formed in the form of a hook extending from the third corner module plate and the third corner module wheel cover.

[0207] According to this embodiment, the top of the mounting portion 2422a provided in the plurality of corner modules 200 can be detachably connected to the bottom of the first mounting plate 1221A, the second mounting plate 1221B or the third mounting plate by means of bolts or other means, depending on the position.

[0208] According to this embodiment, the bottom of the opening of the top cap 2 is configured to face the top of the frame module 100, that is, the top of the main platform assembly 1000, the top of the first corner module platform 1200A, and the top of the second corner module platform 1200B. The bottom of the top cap 2 can be bolted to the top of the main wheel cover 1120, the top of the first corner module wheel cover 1220A, the top of the second corner module wheel cover 1220B, and the top of the third corner module wheel cover, and the top cap 2 can be detachably fixed to the frame module 100.

[0209] According to this embodiment, multiple first gates 3a can be provided. The first gates 3a can be spaced apart from each other at a given interval in the length direction of the top cap 2, and can be respectively arranged on the main platform 1100 provided in the main platform assembly 1000.

[0210] II. Application of cornering module devices in automobiles

[0211] Figure 22 This is a block diagram illustrating the function of a cornering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. (Reference) Figure 22 The cornering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes an acquisition module 10, a controller 20, and an output section 30.

[0212] Module 10 is used to acquire the overall information required by controller 20 to implement the first to fifth applications described later, including, for example... Figure 22 The diagram shows a steering wheel angle acquisition section 11, a lever ratio acquisition section 12, a brake start operation acquisition section 13, a wheel speed acquisition section 14, and a vehicle information acquisition section 15. The steering wheel angle acquisition section 11 and the lever ratio acquisition section 12 are related to the first application. The brake start operation acquisition section 13 is related to the second application. The wheel speed acquisition section 14 is related to the third and fourth applications. The vehicle information acquisition section 15 is related to the fifth application.

[0213] The steering wheel angle acquisition unit 11 can acquire the steering wheel angle. The steering wheel angle can correspond to the steering angle formed by the driver turning the steering wheel or by a steering angle command from the ADAS system. Therefore, the steering wheel angle acquisition unit 11 can be implemented as a separate input module for acquiring the steering angle command output by the steering angle sensor or the ADAS system installed on the vehicle.

[0214] The lever ratio acquisition section 12 can obtain the lever ratio. In the first application described later, the lever ratio is defined as a parameter indicating whether the front and rear wheels of the bicycle model are in the same or opposite phases, and the steering angle ratio between the front and rear wheels. This parameter is vehicle-specific and its value can be from -1 to 1. The sign of the lever ratio indicates whether the front and rear wheels of the bicycle model are in the same or opposite phases (e.g., a positive sign indicates in-phase, and a negative sign indicates out-of-phase). The magnitude of the lever ratio indicates the steering angle ratio between the front and rear wheels of the bicycle model (e.g., when the lever ratio is 0.5, the front wheel steering angle: rear wheel steering angle = 2:1). The lever ratio can be configured to change according to the driver's operation. For this purpose, the lever ratio acquisition section 12 can be implemented as a lever structure located inside the vehicle. Figure 23 (Example) or a touchscreen structure located in the vehicle's dashboard. Therefore, the lever ratio can be changed by the driver's joystick operation or by the driver's touch operation on the touchscreen.

[0215] The brake start operation acquisition unit 13 can acquire the vehicle's brake start operation from the driver. In the second application described later, braking can correspond to the concept of braking operations when the vehicle is traveling on a slope S (e.g., sudden braking) and braking operations when the vehicle is parked or stopped on the slope S (e.g., parking brake). However, as described later, in the second application, if the braking operation is performed when the vehicle is traveling on the slope S, the operation of this embodiment can be applied for the vehicle's posture stability while the vehicle is moving within a preset low-speed range, because braking is performed by independently controlling the steering of each of the four wheels of the vehicle. The brake start operation acquisition unit 13 can be implemented as a switch separately installed in the vehicle, and the driver's operation on the switch can be acquired as a brake start operation.

[0216] The wheel speed acquisition unit 14 can acquire the wheel speeds of the four wheels of the vehicle. The wheel speed acquisition unit 14 can be implemented as a motor sensor to sense the rotational speed of the in-wheel motor installed on each wheel. The wheel speed acquisition unit 14 can acquire the wheel speeds of the left front wheel, right front wheel, left rear wheel, and right rear wheel separately.

[0217] The vehicle information acquisition unit 15 can acquire vehicle driving state information and driving environment information. Driving state information may include vehicle speed and vehicle heading angle. Driving environment information may include surrounding image information of the vehicle (e.g., a forward image). To obtain such driving state information and driving environment information, the vehicle information acquisition unit 15 can use various sensors mounted on the vehicle (e.g., vehicle sensors, gyroscope sensors, and camera sensors). In the fifth application described later, the vehicle driving state information and driving environment information obtained by the vehicle information acquisition unit 15 can be used in the calculation of information regarding the distance to the target point, the target curvature, and the target steering angle.

[0218] The controller 20 is a main agent that independently controls the drive and steering of the four wheels of the vehicle by controlling the individual drive torque of each wheel. It can be implemented as an electronic control unit (ECU), a central processing unit (CPU), a processor, or a system-on-chip (SoC). The controller 20 can control multiple hardware or software components connected to it by driving an operating system or application, and can perform various data processing and operations. The controller 20 can be configured to execute at least one instruction stored in memory and store the data (i.e., the result of the execution) in memory.

[0219] The output section 30 can correspond to displays, speakers, etc. installed in a specific location within a vehicle cluster or vehicle.

[0220] The following describes the first to fifth applications of the cornering module device for vehicles and their detailed operation methods, mainly based on the operation of the controller 20.

[0221] 1. First application: Independent steering architecture

[0222] In the first application, the controller 20 can calculate the first to fourth target angles of the left front wheel, right front wheel, left rear wheel and right rear wheel respectively based on the steering wheel angle obtained by the steering wheel angle acquisition part 11 and the leverage ratio obtained by the leverage ratio acquisition part 12, and can independently control the steering of each of the four wheels of the vehicle based on the calculated first to fourth target angles.

[0223] As a general example Figure 23 The process by which controller 20 calculates the angles of the first through fourth targets is illustrated. (Reference) Figure 23(Process ①) First, the controller 20 can receive the steering wheel angle obtained by the steering wheel angle acquisition section 11 and the lever ratio obtained by the lever ratio acquisition section 12. (Process ②) Next, the controller 20 can calculate the front wheel yaw angle of the bicycle model from the steering wheel angle. In this case, the controller 20 can calculate the front wheel yaw angle by multiplying the steering wheel angle by a preset steering sensitivity. The steering sensitivity can correspond to the total gear ratio (TGR) of the steering gear ratio variable device (which is applied to the vehicle). (Process ③) When calculating the front wheel yaw angle, the controller 20 can calculate the rear wheel yaw angle of the bicycle model based on the front wheel yaw angle and the lever ratio obtained by the lever ratio acquisition section 12. (Process ④) Next, the controller 20 can expand the bicycle model into a four-wheeled vehicle model and calculate the first to fourth target angles of the left front wheel, right front wheel, left rear wheel, and right rear wheel of the vehicle.

[0224] In the above process, process ④ corresponds to the direct process of calculating the first to fourth target angles, and can be executed in different ways based on the leverage ratio value obtained by the leverage ratio acquisition section 12. Specifically, in this embodiment, based on the leverage ratio value, the steering control mode of the controller 20 for four-wheel steering can be divided into a front-wheel steering mode, a four-wheel in-phase steering mode, and a four-wheel out-of-phase steering mode. The controller 20 can calculate the first to fourth target angles in different ways based on the leverage ratio value and each steering control mode determined based on the leverage ratio value. The process of calculating the first to fourth target angles based on the leverage ratio value and the steering control mode is described in detail below.

[0225] First, when the leverage ratio is 0, the front-wheel steering mode corresponds to the steering control mode. That is, since the leverage ratio is 0, rear-wheel steering control is not performed, and only normal front-wheel steering control is performed. In this case, the controller 20 can calculate the first and second target angles by applying the Ackerman geometry model to the front wheel heading angle, and can calculate the third and fourth target angles as neutral angles (i.e., 0°) indicating the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, since the leverage ratio is 0. Figure 24 This example illustrates how, when the current wheel heading angle is 45°, the first and second target angles are calculated to given values ​​based on the rotation center using the Ackerman geometry model.

[0226] Next, when the leverage ratio is greater than 0 and equal to or less than 1, the four-wheel in-phase steering mode corresponds to the steering control mode. That is, since the leverage ratio is positive, the front and rear wheels are controlled independently when the leverage ratio is in phase. In the four-wheel in-phase steering mode, the first to fourth target angles are calculated in different ways when the leverage ratio is greater than 0 and less than 1 and when the leverage ratio is 1.

[0227] When the leverage ratio is greater than 0 and less than 1, the controller 20 can calculate the first and second target angles by applying the Ackerman geometry model to the front wheel heading angle. Furthermore, the controller 20 can calculate the rear wheel heading angle of the bicycle model by applying (or multiplying) the leverage ratio to the front wheel heading angle, and can calculate the third and fourth target angles by applying the Ackerman geometry model to the calculated rear wheel heading angle. Figure 25 This example illustrates how, when the leverage ratio is 0.5, i.e., the current wheel heading angle is 45°, the first to fourth target angles are calculated based on the rotation center using the Ackerman geometry model, with given values.

[0228] When the leverage ratio is 1, the controller 20 can calculate the first to fourth target angles as the front wheel heading angles. That is, when the leverage ratio is 1, it means that according to the Ackerman geometry model, the center of rotation does not exist, the front and rear wheels are in phase, and the steering angles are formed identically. The controller 20 can calculate the first to fourth target angles as the front wheel heading angles. Figure 26 This example illustrates how the first to fourth target angles are calculated as the front wheel heading angles when the leverage ratio is 1, i.e., the front wheel heading angle is 45°.

[0229] When the leverage ratio is greater than -1 and less than 0, the four-wheel counter-steering mode corresponds to the steering control mode. That is, because the leverage ratio is negative, the front and rear wheels are independently controlled in a state of counter-steering. In the four-wheel counter-steering mode, according to the Ackerman geometry model, the center of rotation always exists. Therefore, the controller 20 can calculate the first and second target angles by applying the Ackerman geometry model to the front wheel yaw angle, and can calculate the third and fourth target angles by applying the Ackerman geometry model to the rear wheel yaw angle of the bicycle model, which is calculated by applying the leverage ratio to the front wheel yaw angle. Figure 27 This example illustrates how, when the leverage ratio is -0.8, i.e., the current wheel heading angle is 45°, the first to fourth target angles are calculated to predetermined values ​​based on the rotation center according to the Ackerman geometry model. Figure 28 This example illustrates how, when the leverage ratio is -1, i.e., the current wheel heading angle is 45°, the first to fourth target angles are calculated to predetermined values ​​based on the rotation center according to the Ackerman geometry model.

[0230] Table 1 below illustrates the method for calculating the first to fourth target angles based on the leverage ratio and steering control mode.

[0231] [Table 1]

[0232]

[0233] As described above, the leverage ratio can be configured to change and set according to the driver's operation. Therefore, if a sudden change in the steering control mode occurs due to a change in the leverage ratio during vehicle operation, a decrease in vehicle stability may occur, such as tire slippage leading to vehicle rollover. To prevent such problems, in this embodiment, when a change in the steering control mode occurs due to a change in the leverage ratio, the controller 20 can control the rate of change of the steering angle of the four wheels at a preset control speed, and perform the steering control mode transition within a preset excess time. The control speed can be preset in the controller 20 based on the designer's experimental results, ensuring that the control speed is sufficiently low within the range that ensures vehicle stability without causing a sudden transition in the steering control mode. The excess time can also be preset in the controller 20 to a value corresponding to the control speed. As a detailed example, if the driver changes the lever ratio to -0.5 while the vehicle is in four-wheel in-phase steering mode, causing a transition to four-wheel out-of-phase steering mode, the controller 20 changes the current steering angle of the rear wheels to the target angle (i.e., the third and fourth target angles in the four-wheel out-of-phase steering mode). However, the controller 20 can slowly change the steering angle of the rear wheels to the third and fourth target angles according to the control speed to ensure the driving stability of the vehicle.

[0234] Figure 29 This is a flowchart describing an operation method in a first application of a cornering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. (Reference) Figure 29 The operation method of the vehicle cornering module device according to this embodiment is described. Detailed descriptions of parts that are redundant with the above content are omitted, and the timing configuration is mainly described.

[0235] First, the steering wheel angle acquisition unit 11 obtains the steering wheel angle (S10a). The lever ratio acquisition unit 12 obtains the lever ratio indicating whether the front and rear wheels of the bicycle model are in phase or out of phase, as well as the steering angle ratio between the front and rear wheels, which is defined for the vehicle (S20a). The value of the lever ratio is from -1 to 1. The sign of the lever ratio indicates whether the front and rear wheels of the bicycle model are in phase or out of phase. The magnitude of the lever ratio indicates the steering angle ratio between the front and rear wheels of the bicycle model.

[0236] Next, the controller 20 calculates the front wheel yaw angle of the bicycle model based on the steering wheel angle obtained in step S10a, and calculates the rear wheel yaw angle of the bicycle model based on the calculated front wheel yaw angle and lever ratio obtained in step S20a (S30a). In step S30a, the controller 20 calculates the front wheel yaw angle by multiplying the steering wheel angle by a preset steering sensitivity.

[0237] Next, controller 20 expands the bicycle model into a four-wheeled vehicle model and calculates the first to fourth target angles (S40a) for the left front wheel, right front wheel, left rear wheel, and right rear wheel, respectively. The method for calculating the first to fourth target angles in step S40a is determined differently based on the leverage ratio obtained in step S20a. Specifically, the first to fourth target angles are based on the leverage ratio value, and are calculated in a different manner for each steering control mode determined based on the leverage ratio value. The steering control modes include a front-wheel steering mode corresponding to a leverage ratio of 0, a four-wheel in-phase steering mode corresponding to a leverage ratio greater than 0 and equal to or less than 1, and a four-wheel out-of-phase steering mode corresponding to a leverage ratio greater than -1 and less than 0.

[0238] When the vehicle's steering control mode is front-wheel steering mode, in step S40a, the controller 20 calculates the first and second target angles by applying the Ackerman geometry model to the front wheel heading angle, and calculates the third and fourth target angles as neutral angles indicating the vehicle's longitudinal direction.

[0239] When the vehicle's steering control mode is a four-wheel in-phase steering mode or a four-wheel out-of-phase steering mode with a leverage ratio greater than 0 and less than 1, in step S40a, the controller 20(i) calculates the first and second target angles by applying the Ackerman geometry model to the front wheel heading angle, and (ii) calculates the rear wheel steering angle of the bicycle model by applying the leverage ratio to the front wheel steering angle, and calculates the third and fourth target angles by applying the Ackerman geometry model to the calculated rear wheel steering angle.

[0240] When the vehicle's steering control mode is a four-wheel in-phase steering mode with a lever ratio of 1, in step S40a, the controller 20 calculates the first to fourth target angles as the front wheel heading angles.

[0241] When calculating the first to fourth target angles in step S40a, the controller 20 independently controls the steering of each of the four wheels of the vehicle based on the first to fourth target angles (S50a). If the change in steering control mode is caused by a change in leverage ratio, then in step S50a, the controller 20 performs the change in steering control mode within a preset additional time by controlling the rate of change of the steering angle of the four wheels at a preset control speed.

[0242] According to the first application, compared to existing front-wheel steering or rear-wheel steering (RWS) methods, this method offers advantages in scalability and freedom because independent control is applied to the steering of each of the four wheels. Since the transition between steering control modes is continuous, independent control of the four wheels can be safely maintained even in driving conditions other than when the vehicle is stopped.

[0243] 2. Second application: Braking mechanism via individual steering

[0244] In the second application, when the brake start operation is obtained through the brake start operation acquisition part 13, the controller 20 can perform vehicle braking by independently controlling the steering of the four wheels of the vehicle.

[0245] In a structure where the four wheels are independently controlled, the brake of each steering module can be removed according to the design method, and a method of braking via in-wheel motors can be applied. In this case, since the in-wheel motors cannot be controlled when the vehicle power is off, new braking logic is required because braking control is impossible. This embodiment proposes a method for performing vehicle braking by controlling the aligned state of the four wheels of the vehicle through independent control of the steering of each of the four wheels, while taking into account the design scalability of the device that independently drives the four wheels and the need for corresponding braking logic. The method is described in detail below. To aid in understanding the embodiment, an example of braking operation (i.e., parking brake) for maintaining a stopped or halted state on a slope S is described.

[0246] In this embodiment, when the brake start operation acquisition unit 13 acquires the brake start operation while the vehicle is placed on the slope S, the controller 20 can perform vehicle braking by independently controlling the steering of the four wheels of the vehicle based on the angle (acute angle) between the inclined direction of the slope S and the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (defined as the steering angle in this embodiment). Figure 30 An example of placing a vehicle on a ramp S is shown. Figures 31 to 33 This explains when from Figure 30 The direction "A" in the diagram represents the vehicle's position when viewing the vehicle and the slope S. Figure 31 The direction angle is 0°. Figure 32 The direction angle is 40°. Figure 33 (Direction angle is 80°).

[0247] In this case, controller 20 can align the four wheels of the vehicle according to different rules relative to the down wheels (DW) located on the lower side of ramp S and the up wheels (UW) located on the upper side of ramp S. Figure 31 The example describes a state where the direction angle is 0°. Depending on the slope S's inclination direction, a relatively large load is applied to the lower wheel (DW) located on the lower side of slope S, and a relatively small load is applied to the upper wheel (UW) located on the upper side of slope S. Therefore, by aligning the lower wheel (DW) with the relatively large load to restrict the vehicle's movement in the slope S's inclination direction, and aligning the upper wheel (UW) with the relatively small load to restrict the vehicle's movement in the direction perpendicular to the slope direction, it is possible to effectively prevent the vehicle from moving from slope S in both its longitudinal and lateral directions, thus maintaining the vehicle in a stopped or halted state.

[0248] Therefore, if the steering control rules for the lower wheel (DW) and upper wheel (UW) are indicated as the first rule and the second rule, respectively, the first rule can be predefined in the controller 20 as a rule that restricts the vehicle from moving in the tilt direction of the slope S. Furthermore, the second rule can be predefined in the controller 20 as a rule that restricts the vehicle from moving in a direction perpendicular to the slope direction of the slope S on the inclined plane of the slope.

[0249] Refer to the example shown with an orientation angle of 0° Figure 34 The process of aligning the lower wheel (DW) and upper wheel (UW) according to the first and second rules is described in detail. When the direction angle is 0°, the lower wheel (DW) is defined as the two wheels arranged on the lower side of the slope S out of the four wheels. The upper wheel (UW) is defined as the remaining two wheels arranged on the upper side of the slope S out of the four wheels (the lower wheel (DW) and upper wheel (UW) are defined differently depending on the direction angle, which will be described in detail later).

[0250] As a standard for aligning the lower wheel (DW) and upper wheel (UW), this embodiment employs a reference point, defined as a point located at a predetermined distance from the vehicle's center of gravity (GC) in a direction opposite to the slope direction. If a circle centered at the reference point and passing through the vehicle's GC is defined as the parking circle, then this reference point can be named the center of the parking circle (CPC). The wheels can be aligned based on the reference point CPC, and the vehicle can converge to a stable state relative to the slope S. The predetermined distance can be expressed as N*WB. In this case, WB is the distance between the front and rear axles, and N corresponds to a value set based on the vehicle's gradient (e.g., the controller 20 can set the value of N such that N has a higher value when the gradient increases). Figures 34 to 36 In the case of N=1.5), the algorithm for the reference point CPC can be preset in the controller 20.

[0251] If the reference point CPC is defined as described above, then the first rule can be defined as the rule for aligning the lower wheel DW such that the straight line connecting the reference point CPC and the center point of the lower wheel DW is perpendicular to the major axis of the lower wheel DW. The second rule can be defined as the rule for aligning the upper wheel UW such that the straight line connecting the reference point CPC and the center point of the upper wheel UW is placed on the same line as the major axis of the upper wheel UW.

[0252] Therefore, as Figure 34 As shown, the controller 20 can align the lower wheel DW so that the straight line connecting the reference point CPC and the center point of the lower wheel DW according to the first rule is perpendicular to the major axis of the lower wheel DW, and the controller 20 can align the upper wheel UW so that the straight line connecting the reference point CPC and the center point of the upper wheel UW and the major axis of the upper wheel UW are placed on the same line according to the second rule.

[0253] The following scenario has been described: the lower wheel DW corresponds to the two wheels arranged on the lower side of the ramp S, and the upper wheel UW corresponds to the remaining two wheels arranged on the upper side of the ramp S. However, as described above, in this embodiment, the lower wheel DW and the upper wheel UW can be defined differently depending on the direction angle. As described above, the first to third regions have been defined.

[0254] - First region: The region where the orientation angle is equal to or greater than 0° and less than the first reference angle.

[0255] -Second region: The region where the orientation angle is equal to or greater than the first reference angle and less than the second reference angle.

[0256] -Third region: The region where the orientation angle is equal to or greater than the second reference angle or equal to or less than 90°.

[0257] The first and second reference angles can be preset in the controller 20 according to vehicle specifications and the designer's experimental results. For example, the first reference angle can be set to 20° and the second reference angle can be set to 70°.

[0258] Therefore, if the steering angle exists in the first or third region, the lower wheel (DW) can be defined as the two wheels located below the ramp S out of the four wheels, and the upper wheel (UW) can be defined as the remaining two wheels located above the ramp S out of the four wheels. Furthermore, if the steering angle exists in the second region, the lower wheel (DW) can be defined as the three wheels located below the ramp S out of the four wheels, and the upper wheel (UW) can be defined as the remaining wheel located above the ramp S. (Reference) Figure 34The case where the direction angle exists in the first region is described. Correspondingly, the cases where the direction angle exists in the second and third regions are described.

[0259] Figure 32 and 35 An example is shown where the orientation angle is 40° and the situation exists in the second region. The controller 20 can align the lower wheels (DW) so that the straight line connecting the reference point CPC and the center point of the lower wheels (DW) (i.e., the three lower wheels DW) is perpendicular to the major axis of the lower wheels DW, according to the first rule. Furthermore, the controller 20 can align the upper wheels (UW) so that the straight line connecting the reference point CPC and the center point of the upper wheels (UW) (i.e., the remaining upper wheel UW) is placed on the same line as the major axis of the upper wheels UW, according to the second rule.

[0260] Figure 33 and 36 An example is shown where the orientation angle is 80° and the situation exists in the third region. The controller 20 can align the lower wheels (DW) so that the straight line connecting the reference point (CPC) and the center points of the lower wheels (DW) (i.e., both lower wheels DW) is perpendicular to the major axis of the lower wheels DW, according to a first rule. Furthermore, the controller 20 can align the upper wheels (UW) so that the straight line connecting the reference point (CPC) and the center points of the upper wheels (UW) (i.e., the remaining two upper wheels UW) is placed on the same line, according to a second rule.

[0261] By controlling the steering and braking of each wheel through alignment, the vehicle can be prevented from moving longitudinally and laterally on a slope S, and can be effectively kept stopped.

[0262] Figure 37 This is a flowchart describing an operation method in a second application of the cornering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. (Reference) Figure 37 The operation method of the vehicle cornering module device according to this embodiment is described. Detailed descriptions of parts that are redundant with the above content are omitted, and the timing configuration is mainly described.

[0263] First, the controller 20 determines whether the driver's brake start operation on the vehicle has been obtained through the brake start operation acquisition unit 13 (S10b).

[0264] Next, when the vehicle is placed on ramp S and braking is initiated, the controller 20 performs vehicle braking by independently controlling the steering of the four wheels of the vehicle based on the steering angle, which is defined as the angle between the tilt direction of ramp S and the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (S20b).

[0265] In step S20b, the controller 20 aligns the four wheels of the vehicle with respect to the lower wheel DW located on the lower side of the ramp S and the upper wheel UW located on the upper side of the ramp S, according to the first and second rules. In this case, the lower wheel DW and the upper wheel UW can be defined based on the steering angle. Specifically, when the steering angle exists in the first or third region, the lower wheel DW can be defined as the two wheels located on the lower side of the ramp S, and the upper wheel UW can be defined as the remaining two wheels located on the upper side of the ramp S. Furthermore, when the steering angle exists in the second region, the lower wheel DW can be defined as the three wheels located on the lower side of the ramp S, and the upper wheel UW can be defined as the remaining wheel located on the upper side of the ramp S.

[0266] The first rule mentioned above restricts the vehicle's movement in the direction of the slope. Furthermore, the second rule restricts the vehicle's movement in a direction perpendicular to the slope direction on the inclined plane of the slope S. Both the first and second rules can be predefined in the controller 20. Specifically, if a point at a predetermined distance from the vehicle's center of gravity (GC) in the direction opposite to the slope direction is defined as the reference point CPC, then the first rule is defined as the rule for aligning the lower wheel DW so that the straight line connecting the reference point CPC and the center point of the lower wheel DW is perpendicular to the major axis of the lower wheel DW. The second rule is defined as the rule for aligning the upper wheel UW so that the straight line connecting the reference point CPC and the center point of the upper wheel UW is aligned with the major axis of the upper wheel UW. Therefore, in step S20, controller 20 aligns the lower wheel DW so that the straight line connecting the reference point CPC and the center point of the lower wheel DW according to the first rule is perpendicular to the major axis of the lower wheel DW, and controller 20 aligns the upper wheel UW so that the straight line connecting the reference point CPC and the center point of the upper wheel UW and the major axis of the upper wheel UW are placed on the same line according to the second rule.

[0267] According to the second application, vehicle braking can be safely performed regardless of whether the vehicle power is on or off, because the vehicle braking is performed by controlling the alignment of the four wheels by independently controlling the steering of the four wheels.

[0268] 3. Third application: Attitude control mechanism to improve straight-line driving performance

[0269] In the case of existing vehicles with internal combustion engine structures, drive power is transmitted via engine-drive shaft-differential-axial shaft. Conversely, in the case of the four-wheel independent drive method under this embodiment, speed differences may occur between the four wheels because each wheel is driven independently and there is no axial shaft. This speed difference between the four wheels becomes a hazard, potentially causing the vehicle to spin or roll over when traveling straight forward. Therefore, the third application proposes a method to improve the straight-line driving performance of the vehicle through driving control aspects rather than mechanical or additional steering control aspects.

[0270] To this end, the controller 20 can detect abnormal wheels that cause deterioration in the straight-line driving performance of the vehicle based on the four wheel speeds obtained by the wheel speed acquisition section 14, calculate compensation parameters based on the detected abnormal wheel speeds to compensate for deviations between wheel speeds, determine a target driving torque for driving the abnormal wheel based on the calculated compensation parameters, and control the driving of the abnormal wheel based on the determined target driving torque. The configuration of this embodiment is described in detail below for each operation of the controller 20.

[0271] First, regarding the method for detecting abnormal wheels, the controller 20 can detect abnormal wheels by calculating a first average of the speeds of the four wheels and determining whether the error between the calculated first average and each of the four wheel speeds is equal to or greater than a preset threshold. If the wheel speeds of the left front wheel, right front wheel, left rear wheel, and right rear wheel are V... fl V fr V rl and V rr Then the first average value V avg It can be represented as (V) fl +V fr +V rl +V rr ) / 4. The method for detecting abnormal wheels can be expressed as the conditional expression "V avg -V i≥ Threshold, i = fl, fr, rl, rr". For example, if a wheel satisfying the conditional expression corresponds to the left front wheel (fl), the abnormal wheel might be designated as the left front wheel. If multiple wheels satisfy the conditional expression, the abnormal wheel can be designated as the wheel with the lowest wheel speed among the multiple wheels. Therefore, an abnormal wheel is designated as the wheel that reduces the straight-line driving performance of the vehicle when it is traveling in a straight line because its wheel speed is lower than that of other wheels by a predetermined value or more. In the conditional expression, the threshold can be defined as another value based on a first average value. For example, when the first average value is higher, defining a higher threshold value allows for the identification of abnormal wheels based on a more enhanced standard of vehicle stability in high-speed regions.

[0272] When the controller 20 detects an abnormal wheel, it can calculate compensation parameters based on the detected abnormal wheel's wheel speed to compensate for the deviation between wheel speeds. Compensating for the deviation between wheel speeds means reducing the deviation between the abnormal wheel and another wheel's wheel speed by increasing and compensating for the abnormal wheel's drive torque (i.e., by increasing the abnormal wheel's wheel speed).

[0273] In this scenario, controller 20 can calculate a second average of the wheel speeds of the three wheels excluding the abnormal wheel, and can use the difference between the calculated second average and the wheel speed of the abnormal wheel, along with a variable gain based on the second average, as a factor to calculate compensation parameters. In the example where the abnormal wheel is detected as the left front wheel, the second average V... target It can be represented as (V) fr +V rl +V rr The compensation parameter can be expressed as α*V / 3. target *(V target -V fl In the equation for the compensation parameters, the second term V target The third term, V, is used to consider the target wheel speed as the object being tracked during the calculation of compensation parameters. target -V fl This term is used to account for the deviation between the wheel speed of the abnormal wheel and the target wheel speed during the calculation of compensation parameters. The first term, α, is a variable gain, used as a scaling factor to scale the size of the compensation parameters.

[0274] like Figure 38 As shown, the variable gain can be determined when the second average value (V) target ) is placed in a predefined low-to-medium speed region (e.g., with a predefined threshold speed (V) th In regions with speeds of 5 or less, the value that decreases as the second average value increases, when the second average value (V) targetPlaced in a predefined high-speed region (e.g., with a speed greater than a predefined threshold speed (V)). th When the region is defined as a fixed value, it can be determined as a predefined value. That is, due to the second average value V as the target wheel speed... target The value is high, therefore the compensation parameter used to compensate for abnormal wheel drive torque is calculated to be low. In this case, it is suitable to ensure the driving stability of the vehicle without suddenly changing the current driving control state of the vehicle. If the second average value V target If the speed exceeds the threshold, then calculating the compensation parameters to a lower limit (i.e., a fixed value) is suitable for maintaining vehicle stability. Therefore, the controller 20 can calculate the compensation parameters such that they have the following characteristics: Figure 38 The figures show different values ​​based on the second average.

[0275] When the controller 20 calculates the compensation parameters, it can determine the target drive torque for driving the abnormal wheel based on the calculated compensation parameters. In this case, the controller 20 can determine the target drive torque (i.e., target drive torque = current drive torque * compensation parameter) by applying the current drive torque (i.e., existing drive torque) used to drive the abnormal wheel to the compensation parameters. Thereafter, the controller 20 can control the driving of the abnormal wheel based on the target drive torque determined as described above. Since the drive torque used to drive the abnormal wheel is compensated compared to conventional techniques, the straight-line driving performance of the vehicle can be improved.

[0276] When the abnormal wheel is controlled based on the target drive torque, the controller 20 can recalculate the first average speed of the four wheels. When the error between the recalculated first average speed and the wheel speed of the abnormal wheel is equal to or greater than a threshold, the controller 20 can output an alarm through the output section 13. That is, the controller 20 can determine whether the vehicle's straight-line driving performance has improved by determining whether the error between the recalculated first average speed and the wheel speed of the abnormal wheel is less than a threshold, and the controller 20 can calculate the target drive torque through the above process. Even if the abnormal wheel drive is controlled, if it is determined that the error between the recalculated first average speed and the wheel speed of the abnormal wheel is equal to or greater than a threshold, this situation indicates the presence of a dangerous factor (e.g., vehicle rotation or rollover) because the deviation between the wheel speeds of the four wheels is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. Therefore, the controller 20 can output an alarm through the output section 13 so that the driver can identify the corresponding situation.

[0277] Figure 39 This is a flowchart describing an operation method in a third application of the cornering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. (Reference) Figure 39This section describes the operation method of the cornering module device for a vehicle according to this embodiment. Detailed descriptions of parts redundant with the above are omitted; the section primarily describes its timing configuration.

[0278] First, the controller 20 acquires the speeds of the four wheels of the vehicle through the wheel speed acquisition section 14 (S10c).

[0279] Next, the controller 20 detects abnormal wheels that cause deterioration in the vehicle's straight-line driving performance based on the four wheel speeds obtained in step S10c (S20c). In step S20c, the controller 20 calculates a first average of the four wheel speeds and detects abnormal wheels by determining whether the error between the calculated first average and each of the four wheel speeds is equal to or greater than a preset threshold.

[0280] Next, the controller 20 calculates compensation parameters (S30c) to compensate for the deviation between the four wheel speeds based on the wheel speed of the abnormal wheel detected in step S20c. In step S30c, the controller 20 calculates a second average value of the wheel speeds of the three wheels other than the abnormal wheel, and uses the difference between the calculated second average value and the wheel speed of the abnormal wheel, along with a variable gain based on the second average value and the second average value as factors, to calculate the compensation parameters. The variable gain is determined to be a value that decreases as the second average value increases when the second average value is in a predefined low-to-medium speed range, and is determined to be a predefined fixed value when the second average value is in a predefined high-speed range.

[0281] Next, the controller 20 determines the target drive torque for driving the abnormal wheel based on the compensation parameters calculated in step S30c (S40c). Specifically, the controller 20 determines the target drive torque by applying the compensation parameters to the current drive torque used to drive the abnormal wheel.

[0282] Next, the controller 20 controls the drive of the abnormal wheel based on the target drive torque determined in step S40c (S50c), and controls the other wheels other than the abnormal wheel based on the existing drive torque.

[0283] Next, controller 20 recalculates the first average of the four wheel speeds and compares the error between the recalculated first average and the wheel speed of the abnormal wheel with a threshold (S60c). When controller 20 determines that the error between the recalculated first average and the wheel speed of the abnormal wheel is equal to or greater than the threshold in step S60c, controller 20 outputs an alarm through output section 13 (S70c).

[0284] According to the third application, the straight-line driving performance of a vehicle can be improved by compensating for deviations in wheel speeds by controlling only the drive torque of the four wheels, without the need for additional instruments for additional steering control of the vehicle.

[0285] 4. Fourth application: Posture control mechanism to solve slippage.

[0286] In existing front-wheel-drive vehicles, the increase in vehicle battery consumption is limited because vehicle attitude control is performed through electronic control systems such as anti-lock braking system (ABS), electronic stability program (ESP), and electronic controlled suspension (ECS). In this embodiment, compared to conventional attitude control of the vehicle system, vehicle attitude control can be performed by controlling the drive and steering of each wheel, because the drive of each wheel is independently controlled by applying a four-wheel independent drive method. The following description, based on the operation of controller 20, details the configuration for performing attitude control of the vehicle in a manner that controls the drive and steering of each wheel.

[0287] In the fourth application, the controller 20 can determine whether a predefined slip condition has been met based on the wheel speed of each wheel obtained by the wheel speed acquisition section 14, and the controller 20 can perform posture control on the vehicle by drive torque control for controlling the drive torque of each wheel when it is determined that the slip condition has been met.

[0288] A slip condition refers to a situation where wheels slip, corresponding to the conditions used to determine whether attitude control of the vehicle's driving stability is required. In this case, the controller 20 can calculate the slip rate of each wheel based on the wheel speed of each wheel (as mentioned earlier, the slip rate of each wheel can be calculated as the ratio of "the difference between the vehicle speed and the speed of each wheel" to "the vehicle speed"). It can determine the maximum slip rate with the highest value among the calculated wheel slip rates, and when the determined maximum slip rate is equal to or greater than a preset threshold, it can be determined that the slip condition has been met.

[0289] If it is determined that the slippage condition has been met, the controller 20 can perform attitude control on the vehicle through the aforementioned drive torque control. In this case, the controller 20 can control the drive of each wheel based on a target drive torque that is lower than the current drive torque of each wheel (the target drive torque can be determined as a value lower than the minimum of the current drive torque values ​​of the four wheels currently applied to the drive wheels). That is, the controller 20 can perform control to reduce the wheel drive torque to resolve the current wheel slippage state, and the controller 20 can control the drive of each wheel based on the same target drive torque. In this case, in order to resolve the corresponding slippage state, it is necessary to reduce the drive torque of each wheel to a lower value because the maximum slippage rate is large. Therefore, the target drive torque can be determined to have a lower value because the maximum slippage rate has a higher value. For example, the target drive torque and the maximum slippage rate can be defined as having a negative linear relationship in the controller 20.

[0290] After the controller 20 performs drive torque control, the controller 20 can determine whether the slip condition has been resolved by the drive torque control by re-evaluating whether the slip condition has been met. If it is determined that the slip condition has been met (i.e., if the slip condition has not been resolved), the controller 20 can then perform attitude control on the vehicle by subsequently performing steering control for controlling the steering of each wheel.

[0291] When controller 20 performs steering control, it can do so by displacing the steering angle of the two wheels on opposite sides of the wheel with the maximum slip rate in the lateral direction by a target steering angle. For example, if the wheel with the maximum slip rate corresponds to the right front wheel, controller 20 can perform steering control by displacing the steering angle of the left front wheel and the left rear wheel by a target steering angle. In the example above, the steering control of the left front wheel and the left rear wheel is to resolve the slippage of the right front wheel by deriving the braking effect of the vehicle, and the corresponding steering direction can be either left or right. In this case, to resolve the corresponding slippage, it is necessary to form a larger steering angle on the two wheels on opposite sides of the wheel in the lateral direction when the maximum slip rate increases. Therefore, the target steering angle can be determined to have a higher value because the maximum slip rate has a higher value. For example, the target steering angle and the maximum slip rate can be defined as a positive linear relationship in controller 20. To prevent vehicle behavior from becoming unstable due to sudden steering control of the two wheels on opposite sides in the lateral direction, based on the designer's experimental results, the control time until the steering angle of the two wheels on opposite sides in the lateral direction reaches the target steering angle can be set as a sufficient setting time, and the control time can be set in the controller 20.

[0292] Figure 40 This is a flowchart describing an operation method in a fourth application of the cornering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. (Reference) Figure 40 This section describes the operation method of the cornering module device for a vehicle according to this embodiment. Detailed descriptions of parts redundant with the above are omitted; the section primarily describes its timing configuration.

[0293] First, the controller 20 acquires the wheel speed of each of the four wheels of the vehicle through the wheel speed acquisition section 14 (S10d).

[0294] Next, the controller 20 determines whether the predefined slip condition has been met based on the wheel speed of each wheel obtained in step S10d (S20d). In step S20d, the controller 20 calculates the slip rate of each wheel based on the wheel speed of each wheel, determines the maximum slip rate with the highest value among the four calculated wheel slip rates, and determines that the slip condition has been met when the determined maximum slip rate is equal to or greater than a preset threshold.

[0295] If it is determined in step S20d that the slippage condition has been met, then the controller 20 performs attitude control on the vehicle by drive torque control for controlling the drive torque of each wheel (S30d). In step S30d, the controller 20 controls the drive of each wheel based on a target drive torque that has a lower value compared to the current drive torque of each wheel. In this case, the target drive torque can be determined to have a lower value because the maximum slippage rate has a higher value.

[0296] After step S30d, the controller 20 re-determines whether the slippage condition has been met (S40d).

[0297] If it is determined in step S40d that the slippage condition has been met, then the controller 20 performs attitude control on the vehicle by steering control for controlling the steering of each wheel (S50d). In step S50d, the controller 20 displaces the steering of the two wheels on opposite sides of the wheel with the maximum slippage rate in the lateral direction by a target steering angle. In this case, the target steering angle can be determined to have a higher value because the maximum slippage rate has a higher value.

[0298] Steps S40d and S50d can be repeated within a predefined number of repetitions until it is determined in step S40d that the slip condition is not met (i.e., until the slip condition is resolved).

[0299] According to the fourth application, reliance on conventional vehicle posture control systems can be eliminated, and vehicle posture control can be achieved by using only methods that control the drive and steering of each wheel. Therefore, there is an effect of increasing available battery capacity by reducing the battery consumption required for vehicle posture control.

[0300] 5. Fifth application: Target trajectory generation and tracking control mechanism

[0301] In the case of a four-wheel independent drive system, the steering of each wheel needs to be controlled independently because the four wheels are not mechanically connected. Specifically, to ensure vehicle stability during rotation driving, a quantitative control mechanism is required for steering control of each wheel. Therefore, the fifth application proposes a method to independently control the steering of each of the four wheels of a vehicle by differentially calculating the target steering angle for each wheel, if the vehicle using the four-wheel independent drive system is rotating and driving at an intersection with a predetermined curvature (specifically, when no wheel slippage occurs, this corresponds to the vehicle rotating at a low speed below a set speed).

[0302] In the fifth application, the controller 20 can calculate the distance to the target point (i.e., the target to which the vehicle is moving) based on the driving state information and driving environment information obtained by the vehicle information acquisition section 15. It can then calculate the target curvature (defined as the curvature from the target trajectory to the target point) based on the calculated distance information. Furthermore, it can calculate the target steering angle for each of the four wheels of the vehicle based on the calculated target curvature, and independently control the steering of each of the four wheels based on the target steering angle. The configuration of this embodiment is described in detail below for each operation of the controller 20.

[0303] First, regarding the method for calculating the distance to the target point, the controller 20 can use the vehicle's speed and the distance between the vehicle and the center of the carriageway calculated from surrounding image information. Figure 41 Information about the distance to the target point is calculated from the offset distance (④) and the radius of curvature of the lane in the middle of the lane (this offset distance and the radius of curvature of the lane can be calculated by analyzing the surrounding image information, including the driving lane and the carriageway). Information about the distance can include the distance from the vehicle's current position ( Figure 41 From point C to the target point ( Figure 41 The straight-line distance, longitudinal distance, and lateral distance in A) of the equation.

[0304] Specifically, controller 20 can calculate the straight-line distance to the target point by applying the vehicle's speed to a predefined distance calculation algorithm. In this case, a distance calculation algorithm can be predefined in controller 20 to calculate a larger straight-line distance when the vehicle speed increases. For example, the distance calculation algorithm can be defined as L = A * V. x The linear expression form of +B (L is the straight-line distance, V) x It refers to the vehicle speed; A and B are constant values ​​designed based on the designer's experimental results.

[0305] When the controller 20 calculates the straight-line distance to the target point, it can use the offset distance, the vehicle's heading angle, the lane's radius of curvature, and the straight-line distance to the target point to calculate the longitudinal and lateral distances to the target point. (Reference) Figure 41 Equation 1 can be derived from this.

[0306] Equation 1

[0307]

[0308] Equation 2 below is obtained by arranging Equation 1 relative to x and y.

[0309] Equation 2

[0310]

[0311]

[0312] In equations 1 and 2, L, x, and y represent the straight-line distance, longitudinal distance, and lateral distance to the target point, respectively. R is the radius of curvature of the lane. ρ k ε is the curvature of the lane (1 / R). ε is the offset distance.

[0313] When the controller 20 calculates the distance information to the target point as described above, the controller 20 can calculate the target curvature based on the calculated distance information. This target curvature is defined as the target trajectory curvature to the target point. In this embodiment, the target curvature can be divided into: center target curvature, which is defined as the curvature of the target trajectory based on the vehicle center (i.e., the moving target trajectory at the vehicle center). Figure 41 and 42 ①); Left target curvature, which is defined as the curvature based on the target trajectory of the vehicle's left wheel (i.e., the moving target trajectory of the vehicle's left wheel). Figure 42 (②); and the right target curvature, which is defined as the curvature based on the target trajectory of the vehicle's right wheel (i.e., the moving target trajectory of the vehicle's right wheel, Figure 42(③). After the controller 20 prioritizes calculating the curvature of the center target, the controller 20 can extend the curvature of the center target to the curvature of the left target and the curvature of the right target by using the vehicle's wheel trajectory information.

[0314] refer to Figure 41 and 42 The curvature of the central target can be calculated according to Equation 3 below.

[0315] Equation 3

[0316]

[0317]

[0318] In equation 3, R c ρ is the radius of curvature of the moving target trajectory at the center of the vehicle, φ is the heading angle of the vehicle, α is the angle formed by the vehicle and the target point, L is the straight-line distance to the target point, and ρ is the radius of curvature of the moving target trajectory at the center of the vehicle. c The central target curvature (1 / R) c ).

[0319] After calculating the center target curvature, controller 20 can use the vehicle's wheel trajectory information to calculate the left and right target curvatures based on the center target curvature. Refer to the example illustrating the vehicle turning left and driving. Figure 42 The curvature of the left target and the curvature of the right target can be calculated according to equations 4 and 5 below.

[0320] Equation 4

[0321] R L =R C -w L

[0322]

[0323] Equation 5

[0324] R R =R C +w R

[0325]

[0326] In equation 4, R L R is the radius of curvature of the target trajectory of the vehicle's left wheel. C w is the radius of curvature of the trajectory of the moving target at the center of the vehicle. L It is half the value of the vehicle wheel trajectory (w / 2, where w is the wheel trajectory), ρ L It is the curvature of the left target. In Equation 5, R RR is the radius of curvature of the target trajectory of the vehicle's right wheel. C w is the radius of curvature of the trajectory of the moving target at the center of the vehicle. R It is half the value of the vehicle wheel trajectory (w / 2, where w is the wheel trajectory), ρ R It is the curvature of the right target.

[0327] Figure 42 Equations 4 and 5 describe the vehicle's left-turning travel as an example. In the case of the vehicle turning right, since the rotation of the inner wheel and the rotation of the outer wheel are in opposite directions, the left and right target curvatures are calculated according to Equation 6 below.

[0328] Equation 6

[0329]

[0330]

[0331] When the controller 20 calculates the left target curvature and the right target curvature as described above, the controller 20 can calculate the target steering angle of each of the four wheels of the vehicle based on each calculated target curvature.

[0332] Specifically, based on the calculated left and right target curvatures, the target yaw rates of the left and right wheels can be represented by Equation 7.

[0333] Equation 7

[0334] YR des，L =ρ L v x

[0335] YR des，R =ρ R v x

[0336] In equation 7, Y Rdes,L It is the target yaw rate of the left wheel, ρ L It is the curvature of the left target, Y Rdes,R It is the target yaw rate of the right wheel, ρ R It is the right target curvature, v x It's the vehicle speed.

[0337] Figure 43 An example of a vehicle dynamics model with two degrees of freedom is shown (for convenience, Figure 43 Only the left front wheel and left rear wheel are shown in the image. According to... Figure 43 The vehicle dynamics model, the slip angle of each wheel can be represented by the following equation 8.

[0338] Equation 8

[0339]

[0340]

[0341]

[0342]

[0343] In equation 8, α fl α fr α rl and α rr These are the slip angles of the left front wheel, right front wheel, left rear wheel, and right rear wheel, respectively. β cg It is the slip angle at the center of the vehicle. x That's the vehicle speed. f It is the distance between the axle of the front wheels and the center of the vehicle (cg). r Y is the distance between the rear wheel axle and the vehicle's center (cg). Rdes,L and Y Rdes,R This refers to the target yaw rate of the left and right wheels. δ fl δ fr δ rl and δ rr These are the target steering angles of the left front wheel, the right front wheel, the left rear wheel, and the right rear wheel, respectively; they are the objects of calculation.

[0344] As described above, this embodiment assumes the vehicle is rotating at low speed and that none of the wheels slip. Therefore, in Equation 8, α fl α fr α rl α rr and β cg It can be approximated as 0. In addition, the target steering angles of the left front wheel, the right front wheel, the left rear wheel, and the right rear wheel can be calculated according to the following equation 9.

[0345] Equation 9

[0346]

[0347]

[0348]

[0349]

[0350] The above describes the process of calculating the target steering angles of the front and rear wheels in opposite phase conditions. The target steering angles of the front and rear wheels in the same phase condition can be calculated using the following process.

[0351] First, the vehicle dynamics model under the same phase state can be represented by the following equation 10.

[0352] Equation 10

[0353]

[0354] in

[0355]

[0356]

[0357]

[0358]

[0359] In Equation 10, β and ψ are the slip angle and heading angle of the vehicle center. See Table 2 below for each factor defining the matrix parameters.

[0360] Table 2

[0361] m Vehicle quality I Yaw moment of inertia <![CDATA[l f ]]> The distance between the axle of the front wheels and the center of gravity (CG) of the vehicle. <![CDATA[l r ]]> The distance between the rear wheel axle and the vehicle center (CG). <![CDATA[C f ]]> Front turning coefficient <![CDATA[C r ]]> Rear turning coefficient

[0362] Since we assume that the vehicle's slip angle is 0, we can derive Equation 11, because the left side of Equation 10 and β become 0.

[0363] Equation 11

[0364]

[0365] Under the condition β = 0, δ is derived. f and δ r The relationship between them is shown in Equation 12 below.

[0366] Equation 12

[0367]

[0368] The target steering angles of the left front wheel and the right front wheel are calculated according to Equation 9. The target steering angles of the left rear wheel and the right rear wheel are calculated according to Equation 12. Therefore, under the same phase condition, the target steering angles of the left front wheel, the right front wheel, the left rear wheel, and the right rear wheel can be calculated according to the following Equation 13.

[0369] Equation 13

[0370]

[0371]

[0372]

[0373]

[0374] Therefore, based on the predefined vehicle dynamics model, the controller 20 can use the distance between the axle of the front wheel and the center of the vehicle and the left target curvature to calculate the target steering angle of the left front wheel, the distance between the axle of the front wheel and the center of the vehicle and the right target curvature to calculate the target steering angle of the right front wheel, the distance between the axle of the rear wheel and the center of the vehicle and the left target curvature to calculate the target steering angle of the left rear wheel, and the distance between the axle of the rear wheel and the center of the vehicle and the right target curvature to calculate the target steering angle of the right rear wheel.

[0375] When controller 20 calculates the target steering angle for each wheel, controller 20 can independently control the steering of each of the four wheels based on each calculated target steering angle. In this case, such as Figure 44 As shown, the controller 20 can calculate the driving torque for driving the four wheels by using feedforward control (understeer gradient) and feedback control (PID control) for each target steering angle and current steering angle of the vehicle, and the controller 20 can independently control the steering of each of the four wheels in a manner that controls the driving of the four wheels.

[0376] Figure 45 This is a flowchart describing a fifth application of the cornering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. (Reference) Figure 45 This section describes the operation method of the cornering module device for a vehicle according to this embodiment. Detailed descriptions of parts redundant with the above are omitted; the section primarily describes its timing configuration.

[0377] First, the controller 20 acquires the vehicle's driving state information and driving environment information through the vehicle information acquisition section 15 (S10e). The driving state information may include vehicle speed and heading angle. The driving environment information may include surrounding image information of the vehicle (e.g., the image ahead).

[0378] Next, the controller 20 calculates the distance to the target point (i.e., the target to which the vehicle is moving) based on the vehicle's driving state information and driving environment information (S20e). In step S20e, the controller 20 calculates the straight-line distance, longitudinal distance, and lateral distance from the vehicle to the target point using the vehicle's speed, the offset distance of the vehicle from the center of the lane calculated based on surrounding image information, and the lane curvature radius based on the center of the lane, as the distance information to the target point.

[0379] Next, the controller 20 calculates the target curvature based on the distance information calculated in step S20e, which is defined as the curvature from the target trajectory to the target point (S30e). The target curvature can be divided into: center target curvature, which is defined as the curvature of the target trajectory based on the center of the vehicle; left target curvature, which is defined as the curvature of the target trajectory based on the left wheel of the vehicle; and right target curvature, which is defined as the curvature of the target trajectory based on the right wheel of the vehicle. Therefore, in step S30e, after the controller 20 calculates the center target curvature using the straight-line distance, longitudinal distance, and lateral distance from the vehicle to the target point, as well as the vehicle's heading angle, the controller 20 calculates the left target curvature and right target curvature based on the center target curvature by using the vehicle's wheel trajectory information.

[0380] Next, controller 20 calculates the target steering angle for each of the four wheels of the vehicle based on the target curvature calculated in step S30e (S40e). In step S40e, based on a predefined vehicle dynamics model, controller 20 calculates the target steering angle of the left front wheel based on the distance between the front wheel axle and the vehicle center and the left target curvature; calculates the target steering angle of the right front wheel based on the distance between the front wheel axle and the vehicle center and the right target curvature; calculates the target steering angle of the left rear wheel based on the distance between the rear wheel axle and the vehicle center and the left target curvature; and calculates the target steering angle of the right rear wheel based on the distance between the rear wheel axle and the vehicle center and the right target curvature. In this case, controller 20 calculates the target steering angle for each of the four wheels with a slip angle of 0 for each wheel of the vehicle.

[0381] Next, the controller 20 independently controls the steering of each of the four wheels based on each target steering angle calculated in step S40e (S50e). In step S50e, the controller 20 calculates the drive torque for driving each of the four wheels by feedforward and feedback control of each target steering angle and the current steering angle of the vehicle, and independently controls the steering of each of the four wheels in a manner that controls the drive of the four wheels.

[0382] Based on the fifth application, a quantitative control mechanism is proposed to independently control the steering of each of the four wheels during rotational driving of a vehicle employing a four-wheel independent drive method. This is achieved by differentially calculating the target steering angle of each wheel. Therefore, the rotational driving performance and stability of the vehicle can be improved.

[0383] The term "part" as used in this specification can include a unit implemented as hardware, software, or firmware, and is used interchangeably with terms such as logic, logic block, unit, or circuit. A "part" can be an integrated portion performing one or more functions, or the smallest unit of said part or a portion thereof. For example, according to an embodiment, a "part" can be implemented as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). Furthermore, the embodiments described in this specification can be implemented as methods or processes, apparatus, software programs, data streams, or signals. Although this disclosure is discussed only in the context of a single form of implementation (e.g., discussed only as a method), an implementation having the discussed features can also be implemented in another form (e.g., apparatus or program). The apparatus can be implemented as suitable hardware, software, or firmware. The method can be implemented in a device, such as a processor of a processing device, including computers, microprocessors, integrated circuits, or programmable logic devices. The processor includes communication devices such as computers, mobile phones, mobile phones / personal digital assistants ("PDAs"), and other devices facilitating information communication between end users.

[0384] This disclosure has been described above based on embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, but these embodiments are merely illustrative. Those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains will understand that various modifications and other equivalent embodiments can be made from these embodiments. Therefore, the true scope of protection of this disclosure should be determined by the technical spirit of the technical solution.

Claims

1. A cornering module device for a vehicle, comprising: A steering module includes: a drive unit configured to provide driving force to a wheel; a suspension unit coupled to the drive unit and configured to absorb impacts exerted from the road surface; and a steering unit coupled to the suspension unit and configured to adjust the steering angle of the wheel. The main platform is mounted under the vehicle body and configured to house the battery. One or more first corner module platforms, detachably connected to one side of the main platform and configured to connect the corner module thereto; and One or more second corner module platforms, detachably connected to the other side of the main platform, and configured to connect the corner module thereto; The main platform mentioned above includes: The motherboard is configured to house the battery. A main wheel cover, extending from the main board and configured to house the cornering module therein; and The main fastening part is disposed in the main board and the main wheel cover; The first corner module platform includes: The first corner module board contains the inverter; A first corner module wheel cover, extending from the first corner module plate and configured to accommodate the corner module therein, includes a first mounting plate supporting the corner module; and The first corner module fastening part is disposed in the first corner module plate and the first corner module wheel cover, and is detachably connected to the main fastening part.

2. The cornering module device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: The first corner module platform is configured as multiple platforms, and adjacent first corner module platforms are connected in series along the length direction of the vehicle body. The second corner module platform is configured as a plurality of them, and the second corner module platforms adjacent to each other are connected in series in the length direction of the vehicle body.

3. The cornering module device for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the number of the first cornering module platforms and the number of the second cornering module platforms are the same.

4. The cornering module device for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the number of the first cornering module platforms and the number of the second cornering module platforms are different from each other.

5. The cornering module device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the main wheel covers are provided in a plurality of configurations such that the main wheel covers are respectively disposed on the corner side of the main board.

6. The cornering module device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein when the main fastener and the first cornering module fastener are connected, the main platform and the first cornering module platform are in contact with each other.

7. The cornering module device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the first cornering module platform further includes a first cornering module extension fastening part, the first cornering module extension fastening part being disposed in the first cornering module plate and the first cornering module wheel cover, and arranged on the side opposite to the first cornering module fastening part.

8. The cornering module device for a vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the first cornering module platforms are configured as a plurality of such platforms, and a first cornering module extension fastener provided on any of the first cornering module platforms is detachably connected to a first cornering module fastener provided on a first cornering module platform adjacent to any of the first cornering module platforms.

9. The cornering module device for a vehicle according to claim 8, wherein when the first cornering module extension fastener and the first cornering module fastener are connected, adjacent first cornering module platforms are in contact with each other.

10. The cornering module device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the second cornering module platform comprises: The second corner module board contains the inverter; A second corner module wheel cover extends from the second corner module plate and is configured to house the corner module therein, and includes a second mounting plate that supports the corner module; as well as The second corner module fastening part is disposed in the second corner module plate and the second corner module wheel cover, and is detachably connected to the main fastening part.

11. The cornering module device for a vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the second cornering module platform further includes a second cornering module extension fastener, the second cornering module extension fastener being disposed in the second cornering module plate and the second cornering module wheel cover, and arranged on the side opposite to the second cornering module fastener.

12. A cornering module device for a vehicle, comprising: A steering module includes: a drive unit configured to provide driving force to a wheel; a suspension unit coupled to the drive unit and configured to absorb impacts exerted from the road surface; and a steering unit coupled to the suspension unit and configured to adjust the steering angle of the wheel. The main platform component includes: at least two main platforms mounted under the vehicle body and configured to mount the battery thereon; and an intermediate module platform disposed between the main platforms; One or more first corner module platforms, detachably connected to one side of the main platform assembly and configured to connect the corner module thereto; and One or more second corner module platforms, detachably connected to the other side of the main platform assembly, and configured to connect the corner module thereto; The main platform mentioned above includes: The motherboard is configured to house the battery. A main wheel cover, extending from the main board and configured to house the cornering module therein; and The main fastening part is disposed in the main board and the main wheel cover; The first corner module platform includes: The first corner module board contains the inverter; A first corner module wheel cover, extending from the first corner module plate and configured to accommodate the corner module therein, includes a first mounting plate supporting the corner module; and The first corner module fastening part is disposed in the first corner module plate and the first corner module wheel cover, and is detachably connected to the main fastening part.

13. The cornering module device for a vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the intermediate module platform includes one or more third cornering module platforms configured to connect the cornering module thereto.

14. A vehicle comprising: The corner module device according to any one of claims 1 to 13; A top cap, which is mounted on top of the corner module assembly and configured to provide access space therein; as well as A door component, which is installed in the top cap in a manner that allows it to be opened and closed.

15. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the door component includes a first door disposed on the main platform.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the height of the battery is lower than the height of the main platform.

17. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the door component further comprises a second door located on at least one of the first corner module platform or the second corner module platform.

18. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the height of the inverter is lower than the height of the first corner module platform and the second corner module platform.

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