Steering module arrangement for a vehicle

Abstract

A steering module device for a vehicle can include a driving unit configured to provide a driving force to a wheel of the vehicle, a suspension unit connected to the driving unit and configured to absorb an impact transmitted from a road surface, and a steering unit connected to the suspension unit, rotatably installed below a frame module coupled to a vehicle body, and configured to adjust a steering angle of the wheel. According to the steering module device for a vehicle, the number and arrangement of first and second platforms can be adjusted, thereby improving the degree of freedom of design, and various types of PBV vehicles can be mass-produced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Exemplary embodiments of this disclosure relate to a steering module device for a vehicle, and more specifically, to a steering module device for a vehicle that integrates drive, braking, steering, and suspension systems. Background Technology

[0002] Generally, electric vehicles refer to environmentally friendly vehicles that do not emit waste. Electric vehicles include: a high-voltage battery configured to provide energy for driving; and a drive motor configured to generate rotational force from the power output of the high-voltage battery, which drives the vehicle and transmits the rotational force to the wheels via a drive shaft.

[0003] Recently, the elimination of intermediate power transmission units such as reducers or differential gears has led to a reduction in vehicle weight. Furthermore, in-wheel electric vehicles, which include motors installed within the wheels to directly transmit power to them, have attracted considerable attention, given their advantages in reducing energy loss during power transmission. In addition, a wheel integrating braking, steering, suspension, and drive systems is also under active development.

[0004] The related technology disclosed herein has been disclosed in Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2019-0041855, published on April 23, 2019, entitled "Steering System of In-Wheel MotorVehicle". Summary of the Invention

[0005] Various embodiments relate to a steering module device for a vehicle, which allows for free adjustment of the number and arrangement of wheels according to the vehicle's intended use.

[0006] Furthermore, various embodiments relate to a steering module device for a vehicle that allows for independent control of wheel operation.

[0007] In one embodiment, a steering module device for a vehicle may include: a drive unit configured to provide driving force to the wheels of the vehicle; a suspension unit connected to the drive unit and configured to absorb shocks transmitted from the road surface; and a steering unit connected to the suspension unit, rotatably mounted below a frame module coupled to the vehicle body, and configured to adjust the steering angle of the wheels.

[0008] The steering unit may include: a steering body configured to face the bottom surface of the frame module and support the suspension unit; and a steering drive unit mounted in the steering body and configured to rotatably support the steering body relative to the frame module.

[0009] The steering drive unit may include: a power generation module configured to receive electrical power and generate rotational force; a rotation module spaced apart from the power generation module and configured to rotate around the frame module in response to the rotational force generated by the power generation module; and a power transmission module disposed between the power generation module and the rotation module and configured to transmit the rotational force generated by the power module to the rotation module.

[0010] As the rotating module rotates around the frame module, the power generation module can rotate around the rotating module.

[0011] The central axis of the power generation module can be set to be parallel to the central axis of the rotation module.

[0012] The rotation module may include: a mounting unit fixed to the bottom surface of the frame module; an input shaft that rotates by receiving rotational force from the power transmission module; an output shaft rotatably supported by the mounting unit and configured to rotate the steering body about the mounting unit as the input shaft rotates; and a reducer module disposed between the input shaft and the output shaft.

[0013] The central axis of the rotating module can be set on the same plane as the center plane of the wheel.

[0014] The reducer module is a strain wave gear.

[0015] The steering drive unit may further include a measurement module, which is fixed to the mounting unit and configured to measure the rotation angle of the rotation module.

[0016] The rotation module further includes: a rotation module body mounted to be rotatable relative to the mounting unit and rotating together with the output shaft; and a steering guide extending from the rotation module body and configured to rotate the inner diameter portion of the measuring module as the rotation module body rotates.

[0017] The power transmission module can move between the power generation module and the rotation module via tracks.

[0018] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the steering module device can adjust the number and arrangement of the first and second platforms according to the type and purpose of the vehicle, thereby increasing design freedom and enabling mass production of various types of purpose-built vehicles (PBVs).

[0019] In addition, the control module can independently adjust the operation of each wheel, enabling the vehicle to drive stably according to driving conditions and ensuring a wide range of steering angles. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic front view illustrating the configuration of a vehicle including a steering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] Figure 2 This is a perspective view schematically illustrating the configuration of a vehicle including a steering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] Figure 3 This is a perspective view schematically illustrating the main platform configuration according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] Figure 4 and Figure 5 This is an unfolded view schematically illustrating the configuration of the main fasteners according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] Figure 6 This is a perspective view schematically illustrating the configuration of a first steering module platform and a second steering module platform according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0025] Figure 7 and Figure 8 This is an unfolded view schematically illustrating the configuration of the first and second steering module fasteners according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0026] Figure 9 This is a perspective view schematically illustrating the configuration of a steering module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] Figure 10 It shows when from and Figure 9 Perspective views of the configuration of the steering module according to embodiments of the present disclosure, viewed from different angles.

[0028] Figure 11 This is a schematic front view illustrating the configuration of a steering module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] Figure 12 This is a side view schematically illustrating the configuration of a steering module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] Figure 13 This is an exploded perspective view schematically illustrating the configuration of a steering module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] Figure 14 This is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating the configuration of a steering drive unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] Figure 15 , Figure 16A and Figure 16BThis is an operational schematic diagram illustrating the operation process of the steering module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] Figure 17 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of a vehicle including a steering module device for a vehicle according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of a first steering module platform and a second steering module platform according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] Figure 19 and Figure 20 This is an unfolded view schematically illustrating the configuration of a first steering module extension fastener and a second steering module extension fastener according to another embodiment of this disclosure.

[0036] Figure 21 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of a vehicle including a steering module device for a vehicle according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] Figure 22 This is a structural block diagram used to describe the function of a steering module device for a vehicle according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0038] Figure 23 This is a schematic diagram 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.

[0039] Figure 24 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the first to fourth target angles in a front-wheel steering mode of a first application (individual steering architecture) of a steering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0040] Figure 25 and Figure 26 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the first to fourth target angles in a four-wheel in-phase steering mode in a first application (individual steering architecture) of a steering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0041] Figure 27 and Figure 28 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the first to fourth target angles in a four-wheel counter-steering mode in a first application (individual steering architecture) of a steering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0042] Figure 29 This is a flowchart describing an operation method of a steering module device for a vehicle based on a first application (separate steering architecture) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0043] Figures 30 to 33 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the positional relationship between a ramp and a vehicle in a second application (by a braking mechanism with separate steering) of a steering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0044] Figures 34 to 36 This is a schematic diagram illustrating wheel alignment based on steering angle in a second application (braking mechanism via individual steering) of a steering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0045] Figure 37 This is a flowchart describing an operation method of a steering module device for a vehicle based on a second application (a braking mechanism with separate steering) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0046] Figure 38 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a method for determining variable gain in a third application (attitude control mechanism for improving straight-line driving performance) of a steering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0047] Figure 39 This is a flowchart describing an operation method of a steering module device for a vehicle based on a third application (an attitude control mechanism for improving straight-line driving performance) according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0048] Figure 40 This is a flowchart describing an operation method of a steering module device for a vehicle based on a fourth application (a slip-eliminating attitude control mechanism) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0049] Figure 41 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the process of calculating distance information and center target curvature in a fifth application (target trajectory generation and following control mechanism) of a steering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0050] Figure 42 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the process of calculating the target curvature of the left wheel and the target curvature of the right wheel in a fifth application (target trajectory generation and following control mechanism) of a steering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0051] Figure 43 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the process of calculating a target steering angle in a fifth application (target trajectory generation and following control mechanism) of a steering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0052] Figure 44 This is a structural block diagram illustrating a method for independently controlling wheel steering in a fifth application (target trajectory generation and following control mechanism) of a steering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0053] Figure 45 This is a flowchart describing an operation method of a steering module device for a vehicle based on a fifth application (target trajectory generation and following control mechanism) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0054] The following describes, with reference to various exemplary embodiments and the accompanying drawings, a vehicle including a steering module device for a vehicle and a method of operating the steering module device according to the present disclosure.

[0055] It should be noted that, for ease of description and clarity, the drawings are not to exact scale and may exaggerate line thickness or component dimensions. Furthermore, the terminology used herein is defined with consideration of the functionality of this disclosure and may be modified according to the habits or intentions of the user or operator. Therefore, the definition of terminology should be based on the overall disclosure described herein.

[0056] Throughout this specification, when an element is referred to as "connected to" or "coupled to" another element, it may mean that the elements are "directly connected or coupled" to each other, or that the elements are "indirectly connected or coupled" to each other, with another element inserted between them. In this specification, when an element "includes or has" a component, unless otherwise stated, it may indicate that the element does not exclude another component, but may further "include or have" another component.

[0057] In this specification, similar reference numerals can represent the same components. Although similar or analogous reference numerals are not mentioned or described in a particular drawing, they can be described with reference to other drawings. Furthermore, although components are not indicated by reference numerals in a particular drawing, said components can be described with reference to other drawings. Additionally, the number, shape, and size of sub-components included in the drawings of this application, as well as the relative differences between sizes, are provided for ease of description and do not limit the embodiments; rather, various values ​​can be used.

[0058] I. Vehicle structure including a steering module for the vehicle

[0059] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of a vehicle including a steering 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 steering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0060] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 A vehicle that includes a steering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a steering module device 1, an upper body 2, and a door component 3.

[0061] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a steering module device 1 for a vehicle includes a frame module 100 and a steering module 200.

[0062] The chassis module 100 is installed at the bottom of the vehicle body and supports the steering module 200, battery 400 and inverter 500.

[0063] refer to Figure 2 According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the chassis module 100 includes a main platform 1100, a first steering module platform 1200A, and a second steering module platform 1200B.

[0064] The main platform 1100 is mounted at the bottom of the vehicle body, and the battery 400 is installed therein. The battery 400 supplies power to the steering module 200 (described below). The main platform 1100 may be made of a high-rigidity material (e.g., metal) to adequately withstand the loads exerted by the battery 400. The height of the battery 400 is less than that of the main platform 1100.

[0065] Figure 3 This is a perspective view schematically illustrating the configuration of the main platform 1100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0066] refer to Figure 3 According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the main platform 1100 includes a motherboard 1110, a main wheel cover 1120, and a main fastener 1130.

[0067] The motherboard 1110 forms the appearance of the central portion of the main platform 1100 and supports the entire main wheel arch 1120 (described below). According to embodiments of this disclosure, the motherboard 1110 can be formed in a flat plate shape and disposed parallel to the ground. The battery 400 is located on the upper surface of the motherboard 1110, and if necessary, the inverter 500 can be located on the upper surface of the motherboard 1110. The area of ​​the motherboard 1110 can be varied in design depending on the size of the vehicle body, the size of the battery 400, etc.

[0068] The main wheel cover 1120 extends from the main board 1110 and provides a space for accommodating the steering module 200. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the main wheel cover 1120 may have a cylindrical shape extending vertically upward from the upper surface of the main board 1110. More specifically, the main wheel cover 1120 is disposed at each corner of the main board 1110 and has an open outer surface. For example, the main wheel cover 1120 may have a shape such as... Figure 3 The approximate L-shaped cross-section is shown, and it can extend from the top surface of the corresponding corner of the main board 1110. Therefore, the main wheel cover 1120 can have an internal space to accommodate the steering module 200.

[0069] The upper portion of the main wheel cover 1120 has a flat plate shape that is parallel to the main board 1110. Therefore, the upper portion of the main wheel cover 1120 can have a space in which the main fastener 1130, which will be described below, can be formed.

[0070] The main wheel cover 1120 can be configured as multiple main wheel covers. Multiple main wheel covers 1120 can be set at various corners of the main board 1110.

[0071] The main fastener 1130 is formed in the main board 1110 and the main wheel cover 1120 and is fastened to the second platform 1200, which will be described below.

[0072] Figure 4 and Figure 5 This is an unfolded view schematically illustrating the configuration of the main fastener according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0073] refer to Figures 3 to 5 According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the main fastener 1130 includes an upper main fastener 1131 and a lower main fastener 1132.

[0074] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the upper main fastener 1131 may have a recessed shape formed from the outer surface of the main wheel cover 1120. The upper main fastener 1131 extends vertically downward from the upper surface of the main wheel cover 1120. The upper main fastener 1131 may have a stepped cross-section to hook and connect to the first steering module upper fastener 1231A and the second steering module upper fastener 1231B, which will be described below. The upper main fastener 1131 is disposed at one end of the main wheel cover 1120, facing the first steering module platform 1200A or the second steering module platform 1200B, which will be described below. The upper main fastener 1131 may be configured as a plurality of upper main fasteners disposed at respective main wheel covers 1120.

[0075] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the lower main fastener 1132 may have a recessed groove shape formed from the outer surface of the motherboard 1110. The lower main fastener 1132 may have a stepped cross-section to hook and connect to the first steering module lower fastener 1232A and the second steering module lower fastener 1232B, which will be described below.

[0076] 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 bottom surface of the motherboard 1110. Therefore, when the upper main fastener 1131 and the lower main fastener 1132 are fastened to the first steering module fastener 1230A and the second steering module fastener 1230B, which will be described below, the upper main fastener 1131 and the lower main fastener 1132 prevent the first and second steering module fasteners 1230A and 1230B from separating in either direction.

[0077] The lower main fastener 1132 is configured as a pair of lower main fasteners, which are located at both ends of the main board 1110 such that they face the first and second steering module platforms 1200A and 1200B described below, respectively.

[0078] First and second steering module platforms 1200A and 1200B are detachably connected to opposite sides of the main platform 1100. A steering module 200, described below, is connected to the bottom of the first and second steering module platforms 1200A and 1200B, thereby supporting the steering module 200. Each of the first and second steering module platforms 1200A and 1200B has a steering module 200 and an inverter 500 mounted therein, the inverter 500 converting direct current (DC) power supplied from the battery 400 to alternating current (AC) power and delivering the AC power to the steering module 200. The height of the inverter 500 is less than that of the first steering module platform 1210A. The first and second steering module platforms 1200A and 1200B may be made of a high-rigidity material (e.g., metal) to adequately withstand the loads applied from the steering module 200 and the battery 400.

[0079] Figure 6 This is a perspective view schematically illustrating the configuration of a first steering module platform and a second steering module platform according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0080] refer to Figure 6 According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first steering module platform 1200A includes a first steering module plate 1210A, a first steering module wheel cover 1220A, and a first steering module fastener 1230A.

[0081] The first steering module plate 1210A forms the appearance of the central portion of the first steering module platform 1200A and supports the entire first steering module wheel cover 1220A, which will be described below. According to embodiments of this disclosure, the first steering module plate 1210A may be formed in a flat plate shape and disposed parallel to the ground. If necessary, the inverter 500 may be located on the top surface of the first steering module plate 1210A, and the battery 400 may be located on the top surface of the first steering module plate 1210A. The area of ​​the first steering module plate 1210A can vary in design depending on the dimensions of the main board 1110 and the inverter 500.

[0082] The first steering module wheel cover 1220A extends from the first steering module plate 1210A and provides space for accommodating the steering module 200. According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the first steering module wheel cover 1220A may have a flat plate shape extending upward from the upper surface of the main plate 1110. The first steering module wheel cover 1220A may be configured as a pair of first steering module wheel covers, respectively disposed at the lateral ends of the first steering module plate 1210A.

[0083] The first steering module wheel cover 1220A has a first mounting plate 1221A for supporting the steering module 200. The first mounting plate 1221A may have a flat plate shape extending from the upper end of the first steering module wheel cover 1220A along the width direction of the first steering module plate 1210A. The first mounting plate 1221A is arranged parallel to the first steering module plate 1210A. The bottom surface of the first mounting plate 1221A is detachably connected to the steering module 200 by bolts or the like.

[0084] In this case, the first steering module wheel cover 1220A may have the following characteristics: Figure 6 The cross-section shown is approximately L-shaped and can extend along the width direction to the outside of the first steering module plate 1210A. Therefore, the first steering module wheel cover 1220A can have an internal space to accommodate the steering module 200.

[0085] The first steering module fastener 1230A is formed on the first steering module plate 1210A and the first steering module wheel cover 1220A, and is fastened to the main fastener 1130 located on one side of the main platform 1100. When assembling the main platform 1100 and the first steering module platform 1200A, the first steering module fastener 1230A is positioned facing the main fastener 1130, which is located on one side of the main platform 1100. When the first steering module platform 1200A contacts the main platform 1100 in a direction parallel to the vehicle's longitudinal direction, the first steering module fastener 1230A is hooked and connected to the main fastener 1130 located on one side of the main platform 1100. Therefore, the main fastener 1130 and the first steering module fastener 1230A can improve the assembly performance between the main platform 1100 and the first steering module platform 1200A.

[0086] Figure 7 and Figure 8 This is an unfolded view schematically illustrating the configuration of the first and second steering module fasteners according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0087] refer to Figures 6 to 8 According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first steering module fastener 1230A includes an upper fastener 1231A and a lower fastener 1232A for the first steering module.

[0088] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the first steering module upper fastener 1231A may have a protruding shape that protrudes from the outer surface of the first steering module wheel cover 1220A. More specifically, the first steering module upper fastener 1231A extends horizontally from the front or rear end of the first mounting plate 1221A, or more specifically, from the end facing the main platform 1100. When the first steering module platform 1200A contacts the main platform 1100 in a direction parallel to the vehicle's longitudinal direction, the first steering module upper fastener 1231A is inserted into the upper main fastener 1131 provided on one side of the main platform 1100. In this case, one end of the first steering module upper fastener 1231A may be bent into a hook shape, and thus may hook and connect to the upper main fastener 1131 provided on one side of the main platform 1100. The first steering module upper fastener 1231A may be configured as a plurality of first steering module upper fasteners, which are provided at their respective first steering module wheel covers 1220A.

[0089] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the first steering module lower fastener 1232A may have a protruding shape that protrudes from the outer surface of the first steering module plate 1210A. More specifically, the first steering module lower fastener 1232A extends horizontally from either the front end or the rear end of the first steering module plate 1210A, or more specifically, from the end facing the main platform 1100. When the first steering module platform 1200A contacts the main platform 1100 in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the first steering module lower fastener 1232A is inserted into the lower main fastener 1132 provided on one side of the main platform 1100.

[0090] One end of the lower fastener 1232A of the first steering module can be bent into a hook shape, thus hooking and connecting to the lower main fastener 1132. In this case, one end of the lower fastener 1232A of the first steering module is bent in the opposite direction to the end of the upper fastener 1231A of the first steering module. For example, the end of the upper fastener 1231A of the first steering module can be bent downwards, and the end of the lower fastener 1232A of the first steering module can be bent upwards. Therefore, when the upper fastener 1231A and the lower fastener 1232A of the first steering module are fastened to the main fastener 1130, the upper fastener 1231A and the lower fastener 1232A of the first steering module prevent the upper main fastener 1131 and the lower main fastener 1132 from separating in either direction.

[0091] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the second steering module platform 1200B includes a second steering module plate 1210B, a second steering module wheel cover 1220B, and a second steering module fastener 1230B.

[0092] The second steering module plate 1210B and the second steering module wheel cover 1220B may have the same shape as the first steering module plate 1210A and the second steering module wheel cover 1220A described above.

[0093] The second steering module fastener 1230B is formed on the second steering module plate 1210B and the second steering module wheel cover 1220B, and is fastened to the main fastener 1130 provided on the other side of the main platform 1100. When assembling the main platform 1100 and the second steering module platform 1200B, the second steering module fastener 1230B is positioned facing the main fastener 1130, which is located on the other side of the main platform 1100. When the second steering module platform 1200B contacts the main platform 1100 in a direction parallel to the vehicle's longitudinal direction, the second steering module fastener 1230B is hooked and connected to the main fastener 1130 provided on the other side of the main platform 1100.

[0094] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the second steering module fastener 1230B includes an upper steering module fastener 1231B and a lower steering module fastener 1232B.

[0095] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the second steering module upper fastener 1231B may have a protruding shape that protrudes from the outer surface of the second steering module wheel cover 1220B. More specifically, the second steering module upper fastener 1231B extends horizontally from the front or rear end of the second mounting plate 1221B, or more specifically, from the end facing the main platform 1100. When the second steering module platform 1200B contacts the main platform 1100 in a direction parallel to the vehicle's longitudinal direction, the second steering module upper fastener 1231B is inserted into the upper main fastener 1131 provided on one side of the main platform 1100. In this case, one end of the second steering module upper fastener 1231B may be bent into a hook shape, and thus may hook and connect to the upper main fastener 1131 provided on one side of the main platform 1100. The second steering module upper fastener 1231B may be configured as a plurality of first steering module upper fasteners, which are provided at their respective second steering module wheel covers 1220B.

[0096] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the second steering module lower fastener 1232B may have a protruding shape that protrudes from the outer surface of the second steering module plate 1210B. More specifically, the second steering module lower fastener 1232B extends horizontally from either end of the front or rear end of the second steering module plate 1210B, or more specifically, from the end facing the main platform 1100. When the second steering module platform 1200B contacts the main platform 1100 in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the second steering module lower fastener 1232B is inserted into the lower main fastener 1132 provided on the other side of the main platform 1100.

[0097] One end of the lower fastener 1232B of the second steering module can be bent into a hook shape, thus hooking and connecting to the lower main fastener 1132. In this case, the end of the lower fastener 1232B of the second steering module is bent in the opposite direction to the end of the upper fastener 1231B of the second steering module. For example, the end of the upper fastener 1231B of the second steering module can be bent downwards, and the end of the lower fastener 1232B of the second steering module can be bent upwards. Therefore, when the upper fastener 1231B and the lower fastener 1232B of the second steering module are fastened to the main fastener 1130, the upper fastener 1231B and the lower fastener 1232B of the second steering module prevent the upper main fastener 1131 and the lower main fastener 1132 from separating in either direction.

[0098] The steering module 200 is supported by the frame module 100 and connected to the vehicle's wheels 300, and is used to perform overall operations such as driving, braking, steering, and stopping. Multiple steering modules 200 can be configured, each connected to its respective wheel 300. Each of the multiple steering modules 200 can independently perform driving, braking, steering, or stopping operations on its corresponding wheel 300.

[0099] Figure 9 This is a perspective view schematically illustrating a steering module configuration according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 10 It shows when from and Figure 9 Perspective views of the configuration of the steering module according to embodiments of this disclosure, viewed from different angles. Figure 11 This is a schematic front view illustrating the configuration of a steering module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 12 This is a side view schematically illustrating the configuration of a steering module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 13 This is an exploded perspective view schematically illustrating the configuration of a steering module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0100] refer to Figures 9 to 13According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the steering module 200 includes a drive unit 2100, a braking unit 2200, a suspension unit 2300, and a steering unit 2400.

[0101] The drive unit 2100 rotates the wheel 300 by providing driving force to the wheel 300.

[0102] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the drive unit 2110 includes an in-wheel motor 2110 and a steering knuckle 2120.

[0103] An in-wheel motor 2110 is installed within the wheel 300 to generate driving force. According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the in-wheel motor 2110 may include a stator and a rotor. The stator is fixed inside the wheel 300 and forms a magnetic field using power from a battery 400. The rotor is rotatably mounted inside the wheel 300 and rotates the wheel 300 through electromagnetic interaction with the stator. The stator and rotor are arranged such that their central axes are collinear with the central axis of the wheel 300, and the stator and rotor are concentrically stacked within the wheel 300.

[0104] The steering knuckle 2120 is connected to the in-wheel motor 2110 and provides a mechanical connection between it and the drive unit 2100, braking unit 2200, and suspension unit 2300, as will be described below. According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the steering knuckle 2120 can be connected to and supported by the stator of the in-wheel motor 2110 via bolts or the like. The steering knuckle 2120 can rotatably support the rotor of the in-wheel motor 2110 via wheel bearings or the like. The steering knuckle 2120 can be manufactured using a metallic material through a casting process to ensure sufficient rigidity. The shape of the steering knuckle 2120 is not limited to... Figure 13 The shape shown can be modified in design as long as the steering knuckle 2120 can support the in-wheel motor 2110.

[0105] The braking unit 2200 applies or eliminates braking force by interfering with the rotation of the wheel 300.

[0106] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the braking unit 2200 includes a brake disc 2210 and a brake caliper 2220.

[0107] Brake disc 2210 is connected to wheel 300 or in-wheel motor 2110 and rotates as wheel 300 rotates. According to an embodiment of this disclosure, brake disc 2210 is formed in a disc shape and mounted inside wheel 300. Brake disc 2210 is positioned such that its central axis is collinear with the central axis of wheel 300. Brake disc 2210 can be connected to the rotor of wheel 300 or in-wheel motor 2110 via bolts or the like. Therefore, when wheel 300 rotates, brake disc 2210 can rotate together with wheel 300 about its central axis. The diameter of brake disc 2210 can be varied in design depending on the diameter of wheel 300 and the size of in-wheel motor 2110.

[0108] During vehicle braking operation, the brake caliper 2220 applies braking force by pressing against the brake disc 2210. The brake caliper 2220 according to an embodiment of this disclosure may include brake pads, a caliper housing, and a piston. The brake pads may be positioned facing the brake disc 2210. The caliper housing may be coupled to a steering knuckle 2120 and movably support the brake pads. The piston may be mounted in the caliper housing to move forward and backward, pressing the brake pads against or separating them from the brake disc 2210 depending on the direction of movement.

[0109] The suspension unit 2300 is connected to the drive unit 2100 and is used to absorb the impact transmitted from the road surface when the vehicle is in motion.

[0110] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the suspension unit 2300 includes a suspension arm 2310 and a shock absorber module 2320.

[0111] Suspension arm 2310 is mounted between drive unit 2100 and steering unit 2400, as described below, for supporting wheel 300. More specifically, suspension arm 2310 connects wheel 300 to vehicle body and simultaneously absorbs loads applied from wheel 300 during vehicle operation and adjusts wheel 300 movement through the stiffness of suspension arm 2310.

[0112] The suspension arm 2310 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a first arm 2311 and a second arm 2312.

[0113] One end of each of the first arm 2311 and the second arm 2312 is 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 via bushings, ball joints, pins, etc. The first arm 2311 and the second arm 2312 are spaced apart from each other in a top-to-bottom direction so that they face each other. The first arm 2311 and the second arm 2312 can have a double-wishbone shape. Therefore, the first arm 2311 and the second arm 2312 can establish a negative camber angle setting for the wheel 300, thereby improving the steering performance of the vehicle and establishing a low-floor setting that can reduce the vehicle height. The first arm 2311 and the second arm 2312 can be tilted to form a predetermined angle between them. Therefore, the length and center of the side view swing arm (SVSA) corresponding to the vehicle type and driving conditions can be set by the relative angle between the first and second arms 2311 and 2312.

[0114] The shock absorber module 2320 is extendable in the longitudinal direction and is used to absorb shocks or vibrations transmitted from the road surface to the vehicle body through the wheel 300. According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the shock absorber module 2320 includes a cylinder 2321, a connecting rod 2322, and an elastomer 2323.

[0115] Cylinder 2321 extends from top to bottom and is filled with liquid. The lower end of cylinder 2321 can be rotatably connected to the top surface of second arm 2312 via first arm 2311.

[0116] Connecting rod 2322 extends along the longitudinal direction of cylinder 2321. The bottom of connecting rod 2322 is inserted into the upper end of cylinder 2321, allowing connecting rod 2322 to slide in the longitudinal direction of cylinder 2321. The top of connecting rod 2322 is connected to steering body 2410 by bolts or the like. Connecting rod 2322 slides along the longitudinal direction of cylinder 2321 according to the pressure of the fluid filling cylinder 2321.

[0117] An elastomer 2323 is configured to cover the outer surfaces of the cylinder 2321 and the connecting rod 2322, and the length of the elastomer 2323 varies with the sliding movement of the connecting rod 2322. According to embodiments of this disclosure, the elastomer 2323 may have a helical spring shape and thus be able to stretch in the longitudinal direction. The two ends of the elastomer 2323 may be respectively connected to a lower plate 2324 fixed to the cylinder 2321 and an upper plate 2325 fixed to the connecting rod 2322, and may be supported by the lower plate 2324 and the upper plate 2325. When the connecting rod 2322 slides, the elastomer 2323 may compress and extend to accumulate elastic restoring force, and the accumulated elastic restoring force may be used to counteract impacts applied from the road surface.

[0118] The steering unit 2400 is connected to the suspension unit 2300 and is rotatably mounted on the bottom of the frame module 100. When the steering unit 2400 rotates clockwise or counterclockwise around the frame module 100, it adjusts the steering angle of the wheels 300. The steering unit 2400 can be mounted on the bottom of the frame module 100, preventing a portion of the steering module 200's structure from protruding upwards from the frame module 100. This addresses space and shape considerations during body mounting design and packaging, as well as vehicle design.

[0119] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the steering unit 2400 includes a steering body 2410 and a steering drive unit 2420.

[0120] The steering body 2410 is positioned facing the bottom surface of the frame module 100 and supports the suspension unit 2300. According to this embodiment, the steering body 2410 has a length extending in a direction parallel to the vehicle height direction and is disposed between the frame module 100 and the suspension unit 2300. The upper portion of the steering body 2410 has a larger area than the lower portion. Therefore, the steering body 2410 has an approximately L-shaped cross-section. The lower end of the steering body 2410 is connected to one end of the first and second arms 2311 and 2312 via bushings, ball joints, pins, etc., and rotatably supports the first and second arms 2311 and 2312. The bottom surface of the upper portion of the steering body 2410 is connected to the upper portion of the connecting rod 2322 via bolts, etc., and supports the shock absorber module 2320.

[0121] The steering body 2410 has a housing portion 2411, in which the steering drive unit 2420, described below, is located. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the housing portion 2411 may have a recessed shape formed from the top surface of the upper end portion of the steering body 2410. Depending on the shape of the steering drive unit 2420, the cross-sectional shape of the housing portion 2411 can be modified in design.

[0122] A steering drive unit 2420 is mounted in the steering body 2410 and is used to rotatably support the steering body 2410 relative to the frame module 100. During vehicle steering, the steering drive unit 2420 rotates about the frame module 100 and rotates the steering body 2410 clockwise or counterclockwise. Therefore, the steering drive unit 2420 can adjust the steering angle of the wheels 300 connected to the steering body 2410 via the suspension unit 2300.

[0123] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the steering drive unit 2420 includes a power generation module 2421, a rotation module 2422, and a power transmission module 2423.

[0124] Figure 14This is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating the configuration of a steering drive unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0125] refer to Figure 14 According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the steering drive unit 2420 includes a power generation module 2421, a rotation module 2422, and a power transmission module 2423.

[0126] The power generation module 2421 is used to receive electrical power and generate rotational force. According to embodiments of this disclosure, the power generation module 2421 can be various types of electric motors that convert externally applied power into rotational force and output rotational force via a drive shaft 2421a. The power generation module 2421 can be connected to a battery 400 mounted in the frame module 100 and receive electrical power from the battery 400.

[0127] The power generation module 2421 can be mounted on one side of the housing portion 2411 and detachably fixed to the steering body 2410 by bolts or the like. The drive shaft 2421a of the power generation module 2421 is coaxial with the central axis A of the power generation module 2421. The central axis A of the power generation module 2421 can be parallel to the central axis B of the rotating module 2422, as will be described below. However, the power generation module 2421 is not limited to this structure and can also be arranged perpendicular to the central axis B of the rotating module 2422, depending on the specific structure of the power delivery module 2423 described below.

[0128] The rotation module 2422 and the power generation module 2421 together generate rotational force to rotate around the frame module 100. When the rotation module 2422 rotates around the frame module 100, the power generation module 2421 revolves around the rotation module 2422, enabling adjustment of the steering angle of the wheel 300. The operation of the power generation module 2421 will be described in detail below.

[0129] The rotating module 2422 is located on the other side of the housing portion 2411 and is spaced apart from the power generation module 2421. The rotating module 2422 can be detachably fixed to the steering body 2410 by bolts or the like. The rotating module 2422 is connected to the power generation module 2421 via a power transmission module 2423, which will be described below. When the rotating module 2422 is encapsulated in the same housing or the like as the power generation module 2421 and the power transmission module 2423, as... Figure 14 As shown, the rotation module 2422 can be installed in the steering body 2410. Alternatively, 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.

[0130] The central axis B of the rotation module 2422 can be set on the same plane as the central plane of the wheel 300. The central plane of the wheel 300 can be exemplified as a plane that symmetrically divides the wheel 300 in the width direction of the vehicle between planes through which the central axis of the wheel 300 is perpendicular. Therefore, the rotation central axis of the rotation module 2422 can be matched with the steering axis of the wheel 300, thereby enabling stable steering of the wheel 300.

[0131] The rotation module 2422 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a mounting unit 2422a, a rotation module body 2422b, an input shaft 2422c, an output shaft 2422d, a reducer module 2422e, and a steering guide 2422f.

[0132] Mounting unit 2422a forms the upper surface of rotating module 2422 and is fixed to the bottom of frame module 100. According to embodiments of this disclosure, mounting unit 2422a may have a flat plate shape parallel to frame module 100, or more specifically, parallel to the first mounting plate 1221A or the second mounting plate 1221B. The top surface of mounting unit 2422a is detachably connected to the bottom surface of the first or second mounting plate 1221A or 1221B by bolts or the like. Mounting unit 2422a is fixed to the bottom of frame module 100 and supports the entire steering module 200 relative to frame module 100.

[0133] The rotating module body 2422b forms the lower exterior of the rotating module 2422 and is mounted to rotate relative to the mounting unit 2422a. According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the rotating module body 2422b has a hollow cylindrical shape and is mounted below the mounting unit 2422a. The upper end of the rotating module body 2422b is rotatably connected to the lower end of the mounting unit 2422a via bearings or the like. The lower end of the rotating module body 2422b is located on the other side of the housing portion 2411 and is supported by the housing portion 2411. The rotating module body 2422b can be assembled into a housing in which the power generation module 2421 and the power transmission module 2423 are encapsulated together with the rotating module body 2422b, or directly assembled and fixed to the steering body 2410.

[0134] The input shaft 2422c is rotatably mounted in the rotation module body 2422b and rotates by a rotational force received from the power transmission module 2423. According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the input shaft 2422c may have a shaft shape, with its central axis coaxial with the central axis B of the rotation module 2422. The lower end of the input shaft 2422c extends from the bottom of the rotation module body 2422b, and the input shaft 2422c is connected to the power transmission module 2423.

[0135] The output shaft 2422d is rotatably supported by the mounting unit 2422a. The output shaft 2422d rotates together with the input shaft 2422c and about the mounting unit 2422a and the rotatable steering body 410. According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the output shaft 2422d may have a shaft shape, with its central axis coaxial with the central axis B of the rotation module 2422. The lower end of the output shaft 2422d is connected to the upper end of the input shaft 2422c via a bearing for rotation relative to the input shaft 2422c. The upper end of the output shaft 2422d is inserted into the bottom surface of the mounting unit 2422a for rotation about the mounting unit 2422a. The output shaft 2422d is connected to the reducer module 2422e described below and rotates by the rotational force received from the reducer module 2422e when the input shaft 2422c rotates.

[0136] A reducer module 2422e is disposed between an input shaft 2422c and an output shaft 2422d, and transmits the rotational force of the input shaft 2422c to the output shaft 2422d. More specifically, the reducer module 2422e amplifies the magnitude of the rotational force transmitted to the output shaft 2422d by reducing the rotational speed of the input shaft 2422c with a preset reduction gear ratio, and uses the output rotational force to rotate the output shaft 2422d. The reducer module 2422e according to embodiments of this disclosure can be exemplified as a strain wave gear device, which includes a wave generator, a flexible spline, and a circular spline.

[0137] A steering guide 2422f extends from the rotary module body 2422b and connects to a measuring module 2424, which will be described below. According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the steering guide 2422f may have a hollow disk shape, with its inner circumferential end portion curved upwards, and may be disposed between the rotary module body 2422b and the output shaft 2422d. The outer circumferential surface of the steering guide 2422f is fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the rotary module body 2422b such that when the rotary module body 2422b rotates, the steering guide 2422f rotates about a central axis along the rotary module body 2422b. The steering guide 2422f has an inner circumferential end portion that engages with the inner diameter portion 2424a of the measuring module 2424, which will be described below. The inner diameter portion 2424a of the steering guide 2422f rotates as the rotary module body 2422b rotates.

[0138] A power transmission module 2423 is disposed between the power generation module 2421 and the rotation module 2422, and transmits the rotational force generated by the power generation module 2421 to the rotation module 2422. According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the power transmission module 2423 may have a belt or chain shape forming an annular curve. The two sides 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, since the central axis A of the power generation module 2421 is parallel to the central axis B of the rotation module 2422, twisting of the power transmission module 2423 can be prevented. When the drive shaft 2421a rotates, the power transmission module 2423 moves in a track-like manner and transmits the rotational force to the input shaft 2422c. However, the power transmission module 2423 is not limited to this structure and can be implemented as various types of power transmission units, such as a worm gear, which can transmit the rotational force generated by the power generation module 2421 to the rotation module 2422.

[0139] When wheel 300 turns, measurement module 2424 measures the rotation angle of rotation module 2422. According to an embodiment of this disclosure, measurement module 2424 is disposed in rotation module body 2422b and fixed to the bottom of mounting unit 2422a. Measurement module 2424 has an inner diameter portion 2424a formed on the inner circumferential surface of measurement module 2424 and is rotatable about the central axis of measurement module 2424. Inner diameter portion 2424a is connected to steering guide 2422f and rotates together with steering guide 2422f when output shaft 2422d rotates. When the vehicle turns, measurement module 2424 measures the rotation angle of rotation module 2422 by detecting the angle of rotation of inner diameter portion 2424a from the initial position of output shaft 2422d. The detailed shape of measurement module 2424 is not limited to any particular shape, and various types of steering angle sensors capable of sensing the rotation angle of output shaft 2422d can be exemplified. The measurement module 2424 transmits the measured rotation angle data of the rotation module 2422 to the control unit (i.e., the control unit 20 described below), such as the vehicle's electronic control unit (ECU), so that the control unit performs rolling control or steering control on the vehicle.

[0140] The operation of the steering module 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail below.

[0141] Figure 15 , Figure 16A and Figure 16B This is an operational schematic diagram illustrating the operation process of the steering module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0142] When the vehicle needs to turn while driving, the drive shaft 2421a rotates through the operation of the power generation module 2421 and generates rotational force.

[0143] The power transmission module 2423 moves in a track manner by rotating the drive shaft 2421a and transmits the rotational force of the power generation module 2421 to the rotation module 2422.

[0144] The rotational force transmitted to the rotation module 2422 passes sequentially through the input shaft 2422c and the reducer module 2422e, and is then transmitted to the output shaft 2422d.

[0145] More specifically, the elliptical cam of the wave generator of the reducer module 2422e rotates by receiving rotational force from the input shaft 2422c.

[0146] Then, as the flexible spline elastically deforms and rotates, the position of the outer peripheral gear of the flexible spline (which partially meshes with the inner peripheral gear of the circular spline) changes sequentially.

[0147] When the elliptical cam rotates once, the flexible spline moves in the opposite direction to the rotation direction of the elliptical cam by using the difference between the number of teeth in the outer circumferential gear and the number of teeth in the inner circumferential gear.

[0148] Therefore, the output shaft 2422d connected to the flexible spline rotates at an angular velocity in the opposite direction to the rotation of the input shaft 2422c, and this angular velocity decreases to a speed lower than the angular velocity of the input shaft 2422c.

[0149] The output shaft 2422d rotates about the mounting unit 2422a fixed on the first mounting plate 1221A or the second mounting plate 1221B, or more specifically, about the central axis B of the rotating module 2422.

[0150] When the output shaft 2422d rotates around the central axis B of the rotating module 2422, the steering body 2410 connected to the output shaft 2422d and the rotating module body 2422b also rotate around the central axis B of the rotating module 2422.

[0151] Therefore, the power generation module 2421, which is spaced at a predetermined distance from the central axis B of the rotation module 2422, rotates around the central axis B of the rotation module 2422.

[0152] The rotational force generated by the rotation of the steering body 2410 is transmitted sequentially through the suspension unit 2300 and the drive unit 2100, and then to the wheel 300.

[0153] Since the central axis B of the rotating module 2422 and the central plane of the wheel 300 are set on the same plane, the wheel 300 rotates around the central axis B of the rotating module 2422 by receiving the rotational force, and adjusts the steering angle to steer the vehicle.

[0154] The upper body 2 is mounted on top of the steering module device 1 for the vehicle and forms a passenger space therein.

[0155] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 According to embodiments of this disclosure, the upper body 2 can have a hollow box shape with an open bottom. Various products and devices suitable for passenger use can be installed within the upper body 2. Examples of products and devices may include seats, control panels, tables, etc. The upper body 2 is configured such that its open bottom faces the top side of the frame module 100, i.e., the top side of the main platform 1100, the first steering module platform 1200A, and the second steering module platform 1200B. The lower end of the upper body 2 can be screwed to the top surface of the main wheel arch 1120, the first steering module wheel arch 1220A, and the second steering module wheel arch 1220B, allowing the upper body 2 to be detachably fixed to the frame module 100. The area and length of the upper body 2 can be varied in design depending on the area and length of the frame module 100.

[0156] The door component 3 is mounted on the upper body 2 for opening and closing. When the door component 3 is open, passengers are allowed to enter the upper body 2 through the door component 3.

[0157] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the door component 3 includes a first door 3a and a second door 3b.

[0158] The first door 3a is mounted on one side of the upper body 2 for opening / closing and is located on top of the main platform 1100. (Reference) Figure 1 and Figure 2 According to an embodiment of this disclosure, a first door 3a is mounted on the side of the upper body 2 along the width direction of the upper body 2 for opening / closing. The first door 3a can be mounted on the upper body 2 for opening / closing in various ways, such as a hinged door and a sliding door. The first door 3a can be configured as a pair of first doors, respectively mounted on both sides of the upper body 2 along the width direction for opening / closing. The two ends of the first door 3a are positioned between a pair of main wheel covers 1120, which are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the main board 1110. The lower end of the first door 3a faces the top surface of the battery 400 located on the top surface of the main board 1110. Since the height of the battery 400 is less than the height of the main platform 1100, the lower end of the first door 3a can be positioned close to the ground, thereby guiding passengers smoothly into the vehicle.

[0159] The second door 3b is mounted on the other side of the upper body 2 for opening / closing and is positioned on top of at least one of the first and second steering module platforms 1200A and 1200B. The following description will use the case where the second door 3b is positioned on top of both the first and second steering module platforms 1200A and 1200B as an example. However, the second door 3b is not limited to this structure and may also be positioned on top of either the first or second steering module platforms 1200A and 1200B.

[0160] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the second door 3b is configured as a pair of second doors, which are mounted on the side of the upper body 2 in the longitudinal direction for opening / closing. Therefore, the second door 3b can be arranged in a direction perpendicular to the first door 3a. The second door 3b can be mounted on the upper body 2 for opening / closing in various ways, such as a hinged door and a sliding door. The two ends of the pair of second doors 3b are respectively disposed between a pair of first steering module wheel covers 1220A and a pair of second steering module wheel covers 1220B. The lower ends of the pair of second doors 3b are respectively positioned facing the top surface of the inverter 500 located on the top surfaces of the first and second steering module platforms 1210A and 1210B. Since the height of the inverter 500 is less than the height of the first and second steering module platforms 1200A and 1200B, the lower ends of the second doors 3b can be positioned close to the ground, which facilitates smooth passenger entry into the vehicle.

[0161] The following describes a vehicle configuration including a steering module device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0162] For ease of description, descriptions that overlap with vehicles including steering module devices according to embodiments of the present disclosure will be omitted herein.

[0163] Figure 17 This is a schematic front view of a vehicle configuration including a steering module device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0164] refer to Figure 17 According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the chassis module 100 includes a plurality of first steering module platforms 1200A and a plurality of second steering module platforms 1200B.

[0165] Multiple first steering module platforms 1200A and multiple second steering module platforms 1200B extend from one side and the other side of the main platform 1100 along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, respectively.

[0166] More specifically, adjacent first steering module platforms 1200A are connected in series with each other from one side of the main platform 1100 along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, and adjacent second steering module platforms 1200B are connected in series with each other from the other side of the main platform 1100 along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. In this case, the number of first steering module platforms 1200A and second steering module platforms 1200B can be equal or different. Therefore, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the frame module 100 can freely increase the number of steering modules 200 installed on both sides of the main platform 1100 according to the purpose of the vehicle.

[0167] Figure 18 This is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of a first steering module platform and a second steering module platform according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0168] refer to Figure 18 According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the first steering module platform 1200A and the second steering module platform 1200B further include a first steering module extension fastener 1240A and a second steering module extension fastener 1240B, respectively.

[0169] The first steering module extension fastener 1240A is formed in the first steering module plate 1210A and the first steering module wheel cover 1220A. The first steering module extension fastener 1240A is disposed on the opposite side of the first steering module fastener 1230A in the first steering module platform 1200A. That is, the first steering module fastener 1230A and the first steering module extension fastener 1240A are respectively disposed at both ends of the first steering module platform 1200A.

[0170] A first steering module extension fastener 1240A formed in any one of the first steering module platforms 1200A is detachably connected to a first steering module fastener 1230A formed on an adjacent first steering module platform 1200A. More specifically, since adjacent first steering module platforms 1200A are in contact with each other in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the first steering module extension fastener 1240A hooks onto and connects to the first steering module fastener 1230A. Therefore, a plurality of first steering module platforms 1200A extending in series can be sequentially connected to each other in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0171] Figure 19 and Figure 20 This is an unfolded view schematically illustrating the configuration of the first steering module extension fastener and the second steering module extension fastener according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0172] refer to Figures 19 to 20According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first steering module extension fastener 1240A includes an upper steering module extension fastener 1241A and a lower steering module extension fastener 1242A.

[0173] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the first steering module extension fastener 1241A may have a recessed shape formed from the outer surface of the first steering module wheel cover 1220A, or more specifically from the outer surface of the first mounting plate 1221A. The first steering module extension fastener 1241A extends vertically downward from the top surface of the first steering module wheel cover 1220A. The first steering module extension fastener 1241A is disposed at the other end of the front and rear ends of the first steering module wheel cover 1220A, i.e., on the opposite side of the first steering module fastener 1231A. The first steering module extension fastener 1241A may have a stepped cross-section to hook and connect to the first steering module fastener 1231A formed on an adjacent first steering module platform 1200A. The first steering module extension fastener 1241A may be configured as a plurality of first steering module extension fasteners formed in respective first steering module wheel covers 1220A.

[0174] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the lower extension fastener 1242A of the first steering module may have a groove shape formed by recessing from the outer surface of the first steering module plate 1210A.

[0175] The lower extension fastener 1242A of the first steering module extends in the opposite direction to the upper extension fastener 1241A of the first steering module. More specifically, the lower extension fastener 1242A of the first steering module extends vertically upward from the bottom surface of the first steering module plate 1210A. Therefore, when fastened to the first steering module fastener 1230A, the upper extension fastener 1241A and the lower extension fastener 1242A of the first steering module can prevent the first steering module fastener 1230A from separating in either direction.

[0176] The first steering module lower extension fastener 1242A is disposed at the other end of the front and rear ends of the first steering module plate 1210A, that is, on the opposite side of the first steering module lower fastener 1232A. The first steering module lower extension fastener 1242A may have a stepped cross-section so as to hook and connect to the first steering module lower fastener 1232A formed on the adjacent first steering module platform 1200A.

[0177] The second steering module extension fastener 1240B is formed in the second steering module plate 1210B and the second steering module wheel cover 1220B. The second steering module extension fastener 1240B is disposed on the opposite side of the second steering module fastener 1230B in the second steering module platform 1200B. That is, the second steering module fastener 1230B and the second steering module extension fastener 1240B are respectively disposed at both ends of the second steering module platform 1200B.

[0178] A second steering module extension fastener 1240B formed in any one of the second steering module platforms 1200B is detachably connected to a second steering module fastener 1230B formed on an adjacent second steering module platform 1200B. More specifically, since adjacent second steering module platforms 1200B are in contact with each other in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the second steering module extension fastener 1240B hooks onto and connects to the second steering module fastener 1230B. Thus, a plurality of tandemly extending second steering module platforms 1200B can be sequentially connected to each other in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0179] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the second steering module extension fastener 1240B includes an upper steering module extension fastener 1241B and a lower steering module extension fastener 1242B.

[0180] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the second steering module extension fastener 1241B may have a recessed shape formed from the outer surface of the second steering module wheel cover 1220B, or more specifically from the second mounting plate 1221B. The second steering module extension fastener 1241B extends vertically downward from the top surface of the second steering module wheel cover 1220B. The second steering module extension fastener 1241B is disposed at the other end of the front and rear ends of the second steering module wheel cover 1220B, i.e., on the opposite side of the second steering module fastener 1231B. The second steering module extension fastener 1241B may have a stepped cross-section to hook and connect to the second steering module fastener 1231B formed on the adjacent second steering module platform 1200B. The second steering module extension fastener 1241B may be configured as a plurality of second steering module extension fasteners formed in respective second steering module wheel covers 1220Bs.

[0181] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the second steering module lower extension fastener 1242B may have a groove shape formed by recesses from the outer surface of the second steering module plate 1210B.

[0182] The lower extension fastener 1242B of the second steering module extends in the opposite direction to the upper extension fastener 1241B of the second steering module. More specifically, the lower extension fastener 1242B of the second steering module extends vertically upward from the bottom surface of the second steering module plate 1210B. Therefore, when fastened to the second steering module fastener 1230B, the upper extension fastener 1241B and the lower extension fastener 1242B of the second steering module can prevent the second steering module fastener 1230B from separating in either direction.

[0183] The second steering module lower extension fastener 1242B is disposed at the other end of the front and rear ends of the second steering module plate 1210B, that is, on the opposite side of the second steering module lower fastener 1232B. The second steering module lower extension fastener 1242B may have a stepped cross-section so as to hook and connect to the second steering module lower fastener 1232B formed on the adjacent second steering module platform 1200B.

[0184] According to another embodiment of this disclosure, the second door 3b is configured as a pair of second doors, which are mounted on the side of the upper body 2 in the longitudinal direction for opening / closing. The pair of second doors 3b may be disposed on top of the first steering module platform 1200A and the second steering module platform 1200B. Among the plurality of first steering module platforms 1200A and the plurality of second steering module platforms 1200B, the first steering module platform 1200A and the second steering module platform 1200B are disposed at the outermost position in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body.

[0185] The following describes a vehicle configuration including a steering module device for a vehicle, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0186] For ease of description, descriptions overlapping with vehicles that include steering module devices for vehicles according to embodiments of this disclosure or another embodiment will be omitted herein.

[0187] Figure 21 This is a schematic front view illustrating the configuration of a vehicle including a steering module device for the vehicle according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0188] refer to Figure 21 According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a vehicle including a steering module device includes a main platform assembly 1000, a first steering module platform 1200A, and a second steering module platform 1200B.

[0189] The main platform component 1000 includes two or more main platforms 1100 and intermediate module platforms 1300 disposed between the main platforms.

[0190] Adjacent main platforms 1100 are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. In this case, the first steering module platform 1200A is detachably connected to one of the multiple main platforms 1100 located on one side. Figure 21 The outermost position of the main platform 1100 (on the left side) Figure 21 (on the left side), and the second steering module platform 1200B is detachably connected to multiple main platforms 1100 located on the other side ( Figure 21 The outermost position of the main platform 1100 (right side) on the other side ( Figure 21 (Right side of the image). Therefore, the frame module 100 according to another embodiment of this disclosure can distribute the weight of the battery 400 through multiple main platforms 1100, and thus can also be applied to vehicles with relatively long bodies, such as trams, buses or trailers.

[0191] The intermediate module platform 1300 includes a third steering module platform 1200C, which is located between the adjacent main platform 1100 and supports the steering module 200.

[0192] The third steering module platform 1200C can be configured as one or more third steering module platforms between adjacent main platforms 1100. When multiple third steering module platforms 1200C are configured, they can be connected in series in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. The outermost third steering module platform 1200C among the multiple third steering module platforms 1200C is detachably connected to the end of the adjacent main platform 1100, and is not connected to the first steering module platform 1200A or the second steering module platform 1200B.

[0193] The third steering module platform 1200C is connected to and supports the steering module 200 at its bottom, as will be described below. The third steering module platform 1200C has the steering module 200 and an inverter 500 installed therein, which is used to convert the DC power supplied from the battery 400 into AC power and transmit the AC power to the steering module 200.

[0194] The third steering module platform 1200C according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a third steering module plate, a third steering module wheel cover, and a third steering module fastener.

[0195] like Figure 10 As shown, the shapes of the third steering module plate, the third steering module wheel cover, the third steering module fastener, and the third steering module extension fastener can be the same as the shapes of the first steering module plate 1210A, the first steering module wheel cover 1220A, the first steering module fastener 1230A, and the first steering module extension fastener 1240A.

[0196] In a plurality of third steering module platforms 1200Cs arranged between adjacent main platforms 1100 to smoothly connect the main platforms 1100, a third steering module extension fastener formed on a third steering module platform 1200C at either end may have a hook shape extending from the third steering module plate and the third steering module wheel cover.

[0197] According to another embodiment of this disclosure, depending on the position of the support mounting unit, the top surface of the mounting unit 2422a disposed on the plurality of steering modules 200 can be detachably connected to the bottom surface of the first mounting plate 1221A, the second mounting plate 1221B or the third mounting plate respectively by means of screws or the like.

[0198] According to another embodiment of this disclosure, the upper body 2 is configured such that its open bottom faces the top surface of the frame module 100, namely the top surface of the main platform assembly 1000, the first steering module platform 1200A, and the second steering module platform 1200B. The lower end of the upper body 2 can be screwed to the top surface of the main wheel cover 1120, the first steering module wheel cover 1220A, the second steering module wheel cover 1220B, and the third steering module wheel cover, and is detachably fixed to the frame module 100.

[0199] According to another embodiment of this disclosure, the first door 3a may be configured as a plurality of first doors, which are spaced apart from each other at a predetermined distance in the longitudinal direction of the upper body 2 and are respectively disposed on the top of each main platform 1100 provided in the main platform assembly 1000.

[0200] II. Application of steering module devices in vehicles

[0201] Figure 22 This is a configuration block diagram illustrating the function of a steering module device for a vehicle according to embodiments of the present disclosure. (Refer to...) Figure 22 According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the steering module device for a vehicle includes a data acquisition module 10, a control unit 20, and an output unit 30.

[0202] The acquisition module 10 serves as a module for acquiring all the information required by the control unit 20 to implement the first through fifth applications described below. For example... Figure 22 As shown, the acquisition module 10 includes a steering wheel angle acquisition unit 11, a lever ratio acquisition unit 12, a brake start operation acquisition unit 13, a wheel speed acquisition unit 14, and a vehicle information acquisition unit 15. The steering wheel angle acquisition unit 11 and the lever ratio acquisition unit 12 relate to a first application, the brake start operation acquisition unit 13 relates to a second application, the wheel speed acquisition unit 14 relates to a third and fourth application, and the vehicle information acquisition unit 15 relates to a fifth application.

[0203] The steering wheel angle acquisition unit 11 can acquire the steering wheel angle, which can correspond to the steering angle formed when the driver operates the steering wheel, or to the steering angle command of the Advanced Driving Assistance System (ADAS). Therefore, the steering wheel angle acquisition unit 11 can be implemented as a steering angle sensor installed in the vehicle or as a separate input module configured to acquire steering angle commands output from the ADAS.

[0204] The lever ratio acquisition unit 12 can acquire lever ratio values. In the first application described below, the lever ratio can be defined as a parameter representing whether the front and rear wheels of a bicycle model defined for the vehicle are in phase or out of phase, and the ratio of the steering angles between the front and rear wheels, and can have a value 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. For example, a positive value indicates that the front and rear wheels of the bicycle model are in phase, and a negative value indicates that the front and rear wheels of the bicycle model are out of phase. The magnitude of the lever ratio represents the ratio of the steering angles of the front and rear wheels of the bicycle model. For example, when the lever ratio is 0.5, it means that the ratio of the steering angle of the front wheel to the steering angle of the rear wheel is 2:1. The lever ratio can be changed by the driver's operation. For such operation, the lever ratio acquisition unit 12 can be implemented as follows: Figure 23 The image shows a lever structure provided inside the vehicle, or a touchscreen structure located on the vehicle's dashboard. Therefore, the driver can change the lever ratio value via a joystick or touchscreen operation.

[0205] The brake start operation acquisition unit 13 can acquire the vehicle's brake start operation from the driver. In the second application described below, braking may correspond to a concept that includes braking operations when the vehicle is moving on a slope S (e.g., emergency braking) and braking operations for maintaining the vehicle's parking or stopping state on the slope S (e.g., parking brake). However, as described below, in the second application, the braking operation is performed by independently controlling the steering of the four wheels of the vehicle. Therefore, when braking is performed while the vehicle is moving on a slope S, the operation according to this embodiment can be applied if the vehicle is moving in a preset low-speed area to maintain vehicle posture stability. The brake start operation acquisition unit 13 can be implemented as a switch provided separately in the vehicle, and the driver's operation on the switch is acquired as the aforementioned brake start operation.

[0206] The wheel speed acquisition unit 14 can acquire the wheel speeds of each of the four wheels of the vehicle. The wheel speed acquisition unit 14 can be implemented as a motor sensor, which is configured to sense the rotational speed of the in-wheel motor installed on each wheel, and the wheel speeds of the left front wheel, right front wheel, left rear wheel and right rear wheel can be obtained through the wheel speed acquisition unit 14.

[0207] The vehicle information acquisition unit 15 acquires the vehicle's driving status information and driving environment information. The driving status information may include the vehicle's speed and heading angle, while the driving environment information may include surrounding image information (e.g., forward-facing image). To acquire the driving status information and driving environment information, the vehicle information acquisition unit 15 can use various sensors installed in the vehicle (e.g., vehicle sensors, gyroscope sensors, camera sensors, etc.). The driving status information and driving environment information acquired by the vehicle information acquisition unit 15 can be used to calculate the distance information to the target point, the target curvature, and the target steering angle, as described in the fifth application below.

[0208] Control unit 20 is the main component that independently controls the drive and steering of all four wheels by applying individual drive torque to each wheel. Control unit 20 is implemented as an electronic control unit (ECU), central processing unit (CPU), processor, or system-on-chip (SoC). It can drive an operating system or application to control multiple hardware or software components connected to control unit 20 and can perform various data processing operations. Control unit 20 can be configured to execute one or more commands stored in memory and store the execution results in memory.

[0209] The output unit 30 corresponds to a display or speaker installed in the instrument cluster of the vehicle or in a specific location inside the vehicle.

[0210] Based on the above, focusing on the operation of the control unit 20, the first to fifth applications of the steering module device for the vehicle and the detailed operation method of the steering module device will be described.

[0211] 1. First application: Standalone redirection architecture

[0212] In the first application, based on the steering wheel angle collected by the steering wheel angle acquisition unit 11 and the lever ratio collected by the lever ratio acquisition unit 12, the control unit 20 can 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 respectively, and then use the calculated first to fourth target angles to independently control the steering of the four wheels of the vehicle.

[0213] Figure 23 This section briefly describes the process by which the control unit 20 calculates the angles of the first through fourth targets. (Reference) Figure 23In process ①, the control unit 20 can receive the steering wheel angle acquired by the steering wheel angle acquisition unit 11 and the lever ratio acquired by the lever ratio acquisition unit 12. In process ②, the control unit 20 can calculate the front wheel azimuth angle of the bicycle model using the steering wheel angle. In this case, the control unit 20 can calculate the front wheel azimuth angle by multiplying the steering wheel angle by a preset steering sensitivity, and the steering sensitivity can, for example, correspond to the TGR (Total Gear Ratio) of the steering gear ratio change device applied to the vehicle. In process ③, when calculating the front wheel azimuth angle, the control unit 20 can calculate the rear wheel azimuth angle of the bicycle model based on the front wheel azimuth angle and the lever ratio acquired by the lever ratio acquisition unit 12. In process ④, the control unit 20 extends the bicycle model to a 4WD vehicle model and calculates the first to fourth target angles of the left front wheel, right front wheel, left front wheel, and right rear wheel of the vehicle, respectively.

[0214] In the above process, corresponding to the process of directly calculating the first to fourth target angles (④), different methods can be used based on the lever ratio acquired by the lever ratio acquisition unit 12. Specifically, the steering control modes of the control unit 20 for four-wheel steering can be divided into front-wheel steering mode, four-wheel in-phase steering mode, and four-wheel out-of-phase steering mode. The control unit 20 calculates the lever ratio and the first to fourth target angles determined by the lever ratio using different methods for each steering control mode. The process of calculating the first to fourth target angles based on the lever ratio and the steering control mode will be described in detail below.

[0215] 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 general front-wheel steering control is performed. In this case, the control unit 20 calculates the first and second target angles by applying the Ackerman geometry model to the front wheel azimuth angle, and calculates the third and fourth target angles as neutral angles (i.e., 0°) because the leverage ratio is 0, which indicates the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Figure 24 An example is shown where, when the current wheel azimuth angle is 45°, the first and second target angles are calculated to predetermined values ​​based on the rotation center of the Ackerman geometry model.

[0216] Next, when the leverage ratio is greater than 0 and less than 1, the four-wheel in-phase steering mode corresponds to the steering control mode. That is, since the leverage ratio is positive, when the front and rear wheels are in phase, the front and rear wheels are controlled independently. In the four-wheel in-phase steering mode, when the leverage ratio is "greater than 0 and less than 1" and "1" respectively, the first to fourth target angles are calculated using different methods.

[0217] When the leverage ratio is greater than 0 and less than 1, the control unit 20 can calculate the first and second target angles by applying the Ackerman geometry model to the front wheel azimuth angle. Then, the control unit 20 calculates the rear wheel azimuth angle of the bicycle model by applying the leverage ratio value to the front wheel azimuth angle or by multiplying the front wheel azimuth angle by the leverage ratio value, and calculates the third and fourth target angles by applying the Ackerman geometry model to the calculated rear wheel azimuth angle. Figure 25 This example illustrates how, when the current wheel azimuth angle is 45° and the lever ratio is 0.5, the first to fourth target angles are calculated to predetermined values ​​based on the rotation center of the Ackerman geometry model.

[0218] When the leverage ratio is 1, the control unit 20 can calculate the first to fourth target values ​​as the front wheel azimuth angles. That is, when the leverage ratio is 1, it indicates that the rotation center based on the Ackerman geometry model does not exist, but when the front and rear wheels are in phase, the steering angles are the same. Therefore, the control unit 20 can calculate the first to fourth target angles as the front wheel azimuth angles. Figure 26 This example shows how to calculate the first to fourth target angles as the front wheel azimuth angles when the current wheel azimuth angle is 45° and the leverage ratio is 1.

[0219] Next, when the leverage ratio is -1 or greater 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 controlled independently when they are out of phase. In the four-wheel counter-steering mode, the rotation center based on the Ackerman geometry model always exists. Therefore, the control unit 20 can calculate the first and second target angles by applying the Ackerman geometry model to the front wheel azimuth angle, and calculate the third and fourth target angles by applying the Ackerman geometry model to the rear wheel azimuth angle of the bicycle model, which is calculated by applying the leverage ratio to the front wheel azimuth angle. Figure 27 This example illustrates how, when the current wheel azimuth angle is 45° and the lever ratio is -0.8, the first to fourth target values ​​are calculated as predetermined values ​​based on the rotation center using an Ackerman geometry model; and Figure 28 This example illustrates how, when the current wheel azimuth angle is 45° and the lever ratio is -1, the first to fourth target values ​​are calculated as predetermined values ​​based on the rotation center of the Ackerman geometry model.

[0220] Table 1 below shows the method for calculating the first to fourth target angles based on the leverage ratio and steering control mode.

[0221] [Table 1]

[0222]

[0223] As mentioned above, the leverage ratio can be changed by the driver's operation. Therefore, when the vehicle is in motion, the vehicle's driving stability may decrease if the steering control mode is suddenly switched due to a change in the leverage ratio. For example, tire slippage or vehicle rollover may occur. To prevent the above problems, when the steering control mode switch is caused by a change in the leverage ratio, the control unit 20 can control the rate of change of the steering angle of the four wheels to a preset control speed, thereby performing the steering control mode switch during a predetermined switch time. According to the designer's experimental results, the control speed in the control unit 20 can be preset to a sufficiently low value within a range that does not cause a sudden switch in the steering control mode and ensures the driving stability of the vehicle, and the aforementioned switch time can also be preset to a value corresponding to the control speed in the control unit 20. For example, when the driver changes the leverage ratio to -0.5 to switch the steering control mode to a four-wheel counter-steering mode, even though the vehicle is driving in a four-wheel in-phase steering mode, the control unit 20 can still change the current rear wheel steering angle to the target angle (i.e., the third and fourth target angles in the four-wheel counter-steering mode). In this situation, the control unit 20 can slowly change the rear wheel steering angle to the third and fourth target angles according to the control speed to ensure the driving stability of the vehicle.

[0224] Figure 29 This is a flowchart describing an operation method of a steering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, based on a first application. (Reference) Figure 29 The following section will describe a method of operating a steering module device for a vehicle according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Detailed descriptions of content overlapping with the foregoing will be omitted herein, and the following description will focus on time-series configurations.

[0225] First, in step S10a, the steering wheel angle acquisition unit 11 acquires the steering wheel angle, and in step S20a, the lever ratio acquisition unit 12 acquires the lever ratio value indicating the steering angle ratio, as well as information about whether the front and rear wheels of the bicycle model defined for the vehicle are in phase or out of phase. The value of the lever ratio is -1:1, the sign of the lever ratio value indicates whether the front and rear wheels of the bicycle model are in phase or out of phase, and the magnitude of the lever ratio value indicates the steering angle ratio between the front and rear wheels of the bicycle model.

[0226] Then, the control unit 20 calculates the front wheel azimuth angle of the bicycle model based on the steering wheel angle obtained in step S10a, and calculates the rear wheel azimuth angle of the bicycle model based on the calculated front wheel azimuth angle and the lever ratio collected in step S20a. In step S30a, the control unit 20 calculates the front wheel azimuth angle by multiplying the steering wheel angle by a preset steering sensitivity.

[0227] Then, the control unit 20 extends the bicycle model to a 4WD vehicle model and calculates the first to fourth target angles for the left front wheel, right front wheel, left rear wheel, and right rear wheel of the vehicle in step S40a. Based on the lever ratio value acquired in step S20a, the calculation methods for the first to fourth target angles in step S40a are determined differently. Specifically, the first to fourth target values ​​are calculated using different methods for the lever ratio and the steering control mode determined by the lever ratio. The steering control modes include a front-wheel steering mode corresponding to a lever ratio of 0, a four-wheel in-phase steering mode corresponding to a lever ratio greater than 0 and less than 1, and a four-wheel out-of-phase steering mode corresponding to a lever ratio of -1 or greater and less than 0.

[0228] When the vehicle's steering control mode is front-wheel steering mode, in step S40a, the control unit 20 calculates the first and second target values ​​by applying the Ackerman geometry model to the front wheel azimuth angle, and calculates the third and fourth target values ​​as neutral angles indicating the vehicle's longitudinal direction.

[0229] When the vehicle's steering control mode is a four-wheel in-phase steering mode or a four-wheel out-of-phase steering mode, and the lever ratio is greater than 0 and less than 1, in step S40a, the control unit 20 (i) calculates the first and second target angles by applying the Ackerman geometry model to the front wheel azimuth angle, (ii) calculates the rear wheel azimuth angle of the bicycle model by applying the lever ratio to the front wheel azimuth angle, and (iii) calculates the third and fourth target angles by applying the Ackerman geometry model to the calculated rear wheel azimuth angle.

[0230] When the vehicle's steering control mode is four-wheel same-direction steering mode and the lever ratio is 1, in step S40a, the control unit 20 calculates the first to fourth target angles as the front wheel azimuth angles.

[0231] When the first to fourth target angles are calculated in step S40a, in step S50a, the control unit 20 independently controls the steering of the four wheels of the vehicle using the first to fourth target angles. If the change in steering control mode is caused by a change in the lever ratio, in step S50a, the control unit 20 can control the rate of change of the steering angle of the four wheels to a preset control rate, thereby performing the change in steering control mode during a preset transition time.

[0232] According to the first application, the steering of all four wheels of the vehicle can be controlled independently, which offers advantages in terms of scalability and flexibility compared to existing front-wheel steering or rear-wheel steering (RWS) methods. Furthermore, the switching of steering control modes can be continuous, enabling safe independent four-wheel control not only when the vehicle is stopped but also while the vehicle is in motion.

[0233] 2. Second application: Braking mechanism via individual steering

[0234] In the second application, when the brake start operation acquisition unit 13 acquires the brake start operation, the control unit 20 independently controls the steering of the four wheels of the vehicle, thereby braking the vehicle.

[0235] In a structure where the four wheels are independently controlled, the brakes of each steering module can be removed, and braking can be performed via in-wheel motors. However, in this case, braking control cannot be performed because the in-wheel motors cannot be controlled when the vehicle is powered off. Therefore, a new braking logic is required. Considering the design scalability of the four-wheel independent drive system and the needs of the braking logic, this embodiment proposes a method for braking the vehicle by controlling the alignment of the four wheels through independent steering control. This method will be described in detail below. To facilitate understanding of this embodiment, an example will be given of performing a braking operation (i.e., a parking brake) to maintain the vehicle in a stopped or halted state on a slope S.

[0236] In this embodiment, when the vehicle is on slope S and the braking start operation acquisition unit 13 acquires the braking start operation, the control unit 20 can independently control the steering of the four wheels of the vehicle to brake the vehicle based on the angle (acute angle) between the slope direction of slope S and the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. In this embodiment, this angle is defined as the steering angle. Figure 30 An example of a vehicle positioned on ramp S is shown, and Figures 31 to 33 This explains when from Figure 30 The direction “A” indicates the vehicle's posture when looking at the vehicle and the slope S. Figure 31 This shows the case where the orientation angle is 0°. Figure 32 This shows the case where the orientation angle is 40°. Figure 33 The case with an orientation angle of 80° is shown.

[0237] At this point, among the four wheels of the vehicle, the control unit 20 can align the four wheels by applying different rules to the lower wheel DW located at the lower position of the ramp S and the upper wheel UW located at the higher position of the ramp S. Figure 31In the example, the direction angle is 0°. A relatively large load is applied to the lower wheel (DW) located at a lower position on ramp S, relative to the slope direction of ramp S. Conversely, a relatively small load is applied to the upper wheel (UW) located at a higher position on ramp S, relative to the slope direction of ramp S. Therefore, when the lower wheel (DW) with the relatively large load is aligned in the direction that restricts the vehicle's movement along the slope direction of ramp S, and the upper wheel (UW) with the relatively small load is aligned in the direction that prohibits the vehicle's movement perpendicular to the slope direction, the vehicle's movement along both the vertical and horizontal directions on ramp S is effectively prevented, while simultaneously maintaining the vehicle in a stopped or stationary state.

[0238] Therefore, when the steering control rules for the lower wheel (DW) and the upper wheel (UW) are represented by the first rule and the second rule respectively, the first rule can be defined as a rule that restricts the vehicle's movement in the slope direction of the ramp S, and the second rule can be defined as a rule that restricts the vehicle's movement in a direction perpendicular to the slope direction on the ramp S. The first and second rules can be predefined in the control unit 20.

[0239] 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 will be described in detail. When the steering angle is 0°, the lower wheel (DW) is defined as the two wheels located at the lower position of the ramp S, and the upper wheel (UW) is defined as the other two wheels located at the higher position of the ramp S. The definitions of the lower wheel (DW) and upper wheel (UW) differ depending on the steering angle, which will be explained in detail below.

[0240] In this embodiment, a reference point is defined as a point at a preset distance from the vehicle's center of gravity GC in the direction opposite to the slope direction, used as a reference for aligning the lower wheel DW and the upper wheel UW. When the circle passing through the vehicle's center of gravity GC is defined as the parking circle based on the reference point, the reference point can be named the Center of Parking Circle (CPC), and the wheels can be aligned according to the CPC, allowing the vehicle to maintain a stable state relative to the slope S. The preset distance can be expressed as N*WB, where WB represents the distance between the front and rear axles, and N represents a value set according to the vehicle's tilt angle (e.g., as the tilt angle increases, the control unit 20 can set N to a larger value). Figures 34 to 36 In this context, N is 1.5. An algorithm for defining the reference point CPC can be preset in the control unit 20.

[0241] When the reference point CPC is defined as described above, the first rule can be defined as aligning the lower wheel DW such that the straight line connecting the center point of the reference point CPC and the center point of the lower wheel DW is perpendicular to the main axis of the lower wheel DW; and the second rule can be defined as aligning the upper wheel UW such that the main axis of the upper wheel UW and the straight line connecting the center point of the reference point CPC and the center point of the upper wheel UW are on the same line.

[0242] Therefore, as Figure 34 As shown, the control unit 20 can align the lower wheel DW according to a first rule, such that the straight line connecting the reference point CPC to the center point of the lower wheel DW is perpendicular to the main axis of the lower wheel DW. And it can align the upper wheel UW according to a second rule, such that the main axis of the upper wheel UW and the straight line connecting the reference point CPC to the center point of the upper wheel UW are on the same line.

[0243] In the example above, it has been described that of the four wheels, the lower wheel DW corresponds to the two wheels located at the lower position of the ramp S, and the upper wheel UW corresponds to the other two wheels located at the higher position of the ramp S. As mentioned above, in this embodiment, the lower wheel DW and the upper wheel UW can be defined differently according to the direction angle. Before describing this embodiment in more detail, the first to third regions are defined as follows.

[0244] - The first region is defined as the region in which the orientation angle is 0° or greater and less than the first reference angle.

[0245] - The second region is defined as the region in which the orientation angle is the first reference angle or greater and less than the second reference angle.

[0246] - The third region is defined as the area where the orientation angle ranges from the second reference angle to 90°.

[0247] Based on the vehicle specifications and the designer's experimental results, first and second reference angles can be preset in the control unit 20. For example, the first reference angle can be set to 20° and the second reference angle can be set to 70°.

[0248] Therefore, when the steering angle appears in the first or third region, the lower wheel DW can be defined as the two wheels located at the lower position of the ramp S, and the upper wheel UW can be defined as the other two wheels located at the higher position 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 at the lower position of the ramp S, and the upper wheel UW can be defined as the other wheel located at the higher position of the ramp S. (This is based on previous information.) Figure 34 The case where the direction angle exists in the first region has been described; therefore, the case where the direction angle exists in the second and third regions will be described.

[0249] Figure 32 and Figure 35 Examples of a 40° azimuth angle existing in the second region are illustrated. The control unit 20 can align the lower wheel DW using a first rule, such that the straight line connecting the reference point CPC to the center point of each lower wheel DW (i.e., the three lower wheel DWs) is perpendicular to the main axis of each lower wheel DW. Furthermore, the control unit 20 can align the upper wheel UW using a second rule, such that the main axis of the upper wheel UW and the straight line connecting the reference point CPC to the center point of the upper wheel UW (i.e., the other upper wheel UW) are on the same line.

[0250] Figure 33 and Figure 36 Examples of a direction angle of 80° existing in the third region are illustrated. The control unit 20 can align the lower wheel DW using a first rule, such that the straight line connecting the reference point CPC to the center point of each lower wheel DW (i.e., the two lower wheel DWs) is perpendicular to the main axis of each lower wheel DW. Furthermore, the control unit 20 can align the upper wheel UW using a second rule, such that the main axis of the upper wheel UW and the straight line connecting the reference point CPC to the center point of each upper wheel UW (i.e., the other two upper wheel UWs) lie on the same straight line.

[0251] The aforementioned braking process, which involves steering control and wheel alignment, can prevent the vehicle from moving vertically and horizontally on the slope S, and effectively maintain the vehicle in a stopped or halted state.

[0252] Figure 37 This is a flowchart describing an operation method in a second application of a steering module device for a vehicle according to embodiments of the present disclosure. (Reference) Figure 37 The following section will describe a method of operating a steering module device for a vehicle according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Detailed descriptions of content overlapping with the foregoing will be omitted herein, and the following description will focus on time-series configurations.

[0253] First, in step S10b, the control unit 20 determines whether the driver's braking and starting operation on the vehicle has been collected by the brake start operation acquisition unit 13.

[0254] Then, when the vehicle is on the slope S, during the braking initiation operation, in step S20b, the control unit 20 brakes the vehicle by independently controlling the steering of the four wheels of the vehicle according to the direction angle defined as the angle between the slope direction of the slope S and the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0255] In step S20b, the control unit 20 aligns the four wheels of the vehicle by applying the first rule and the second rule to the lower wheel (DW) located at the lower position of the ramp S and the upper wheel (UW) located at the higher position of the ramp S, respectively. At this time, the lower wheel (DW) and the upper wheel (UW) can be defined based on the steering angle. Therefore, when the steering angle exists in the first or third region, the lower wheel (DW) can be defined as the two wheels located at the lower position of the ramp S, and the upper wheel (UW) can be defined as the other two wheels located at the higher position 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 at the lower position of the ramp S, and the upper wheel (UW) can be defined as the other wheel located at the higher position of the ramp S.

[0256] The first rule can be defined as a rule restricting the vehicle's movement in the slope direction, and the second rule can be defined as a rule restricting the vehicle's movement in the slope direction S in a direction perpendicular to the slope direction. Both the first and second rules can be preset in the control unit 20. Specifically, when a point at a preset distance from the vehicle's center of gravity GC in the direction opposite to the slope direction is defined as the reference point CPC, the first rule is defined as a rule for aligning the lower wheel DW, such that the straight line connecting the reference point CPC to the center point of the lower wheel DW is perpendicular to the main axis of the lower wheel DW, and the second rule is defined as a rule for aligning the upper wheel UW, such that the main axis of the upper wheel UW and the straight line connecting the reference point CPC to the center point of the upper wheel UW are on the same line. Therefore, in step S20, the control unit 20 aligns the lower wheel DW using the first rule, such that the straight line connecting the reference point CPC to the center point of the lower wheel DW is perpendicular to the main axis of the lower wheel DW, and aligns the upper wheel UW using the second rule, such that the main axis of the upper wheel UW and the straight line connecting the reference point CPC and the center point of the upper wheel UW are on the same line.

[0257] According to the second application, the alignment of the four wheels can be controlled by independently controlling the steering of the four wheels, thereby safely braking the vehicle regardless of whether the vehicle is powered on or off.

[0258] 3. Third application: Attitude control mechanism to improve straight-line driving performance

[0259] In existing vehicles with internal combustion engine structures, driving force is transmitted via engine-drive shaft-differential-axleshaft. In this embodiment, assuming a four-wheel independent drive method, each wheel is not driven individually and independently by axleshafts. Therefore, speed differences may occur between the wheels. These speed differences are a risk factor that could cause the vehicle to spin or roll over when traveling straight. Therefore, this third application proposes a method to improve the straight-line driving performance of a vehicle by improving the driving control of the wheels, rather than by improving the vehicle's mechanical or additional steering control.

[0260] In this method, the control unit 20 can detect abnormal wheels that cause a decrease in the vehicle's straight-line driving performance based on the four wheel speeds collected by the wheel speed acquisition unit 14. It calculates compensation parameters to compensate for the deviation between the speeds of each wheel based on the detected abnormal wheel speeds, determines the target driving torque to drive the abnormal wheel based on the calculated compensation parameters, and then controls the driving of the abnormal wheel using the determined target driving torque. The operation method according to this embodiment will be described in detail below for each operation of the control unit 20.

[0261] First, to detect abnormal wheels, the control unit 20 can calculate a first average speed of the four wheels and determine whether the difference between the calculated first average speed and the speed of each wheel is equal to or greater than a preset threshold. When the wheel speeds of the vehicle's left front wheel, right front wheel, left rear wheel, and right rear wheel are respectively represented by V... fl V fr V rl and V rr When expressed, the first average value V avg It can be represented as (V) fl +V fr +V rl +V rr The abnormal wheel detection method can be expressed as the conditional expression "V" / 4. avg -V i The threshold is defined as follows: ≥ a threshold value, where i = fl, fr, rl, rr. For example, when a wheel satisfying the above conditional expression corresponds to the left front wheel fl, the left front wheel can be designated as an abnormal wheel. When multiple wheels satisfy this conditional expression, the wheel with the lowest wheel speed among the multiple wheels can be designated as an abnormal wheel. Therefore, when the vehicle is driving straight, a wheel whose wheel speed is lower than other wheels by a predetermined value or more, thus reducing the vehicle's straight-line driving performance, is designated as an abnormal wheel. In the conditional expression, the threshold can be defined as a value that depends on a first average value. For example, the threshold can be defined as a value that increases with the increase of the first average value. Therefore, in high-speed areas, abnormal wheels can be determined based on a more stringent standard for vehicle driving stability.

[0262] When an abnormal wheel is detected, the control unit 20 can calculate compensation parameters to compensate for the deviation between the speeds of each wheel based on the detected wheel speed of the abnormal wheel. The deviation compensation between the speeds of each wheel means that the wheel speed deviation between the abnormal wheel and other wheels is reduced by increasing the drive torque of the abnormal wheel or increasing the wheel speed of the abnormal wheel.

[0263] At this point, the control unit 20 can calculate a second average wheel speed of the three wheels other than the abnormal wheel, and calculate compensation parameters using the difference between the second average and the wheel speed of the abnormal wheel, as well as a variable gain based on the second average as a factor. In the example where the left front wheel is detected as the abnormal wheel, the second average V... 目标 It can be represented as (V) fr +V rl +V rr ) / 3, and the compensation parameter can be expressed as α*α*V 目标 *(V 目标 -V fl In the expression for the compensation parameter, the second term V 目标 The target wheel speed is used as the next objective, and in the calculation of compensation parameters, the third term V... 目标 -V fl This term is used to account for the deviation between the wheel speed of the abnormal wheel and the target wheel speed. The first term, α, represents the variable gain and is used as a conversion factor to scale the compensation parameter.

[0264] like Figure 38 As shown, when the second average value V 目标 Located in the predetermined low-to-medium speed range (e.g., the second average value V) 目标 Equal to or below the predetermined threshold speed V th When the region is defined as such, the variable gain can be determined as a value that decreases as the second average value increases. On the other hand, when the second average value V... 目标 Located in a predefined high-speed region (e.g., the second average value V) 目标 Speed ​​V exceeding the predetermined threshold th When within the region ( ), the variable gain can be determined to a predefined fixed value. That is, when the second average value V, which is the target wheel speed, is used... 目标 When the compensation parameter, used as the compensation value for abnormal wheel drive torque, is calculated to be a small value, the compensation parameter will not rapidly change the current drive control state of the vehicle and is suitable for ensuring the driving stability of the vehicle. If the second average value V... 目标 If the threshold is exceeded, the compensation parameter can be calculated to its minimum value (i.e., the aforementioned fixed value), which is suitable for maintaining vehicle driving stability. Therefore, if... Figure 38 As shown, the control unit 20 can calculate compensation parameters with different values ​​based on the second average value.

[0265] When the compensation parameters are calculated, the control unit 20 can determine the target drive torque for driving the abnormal wheel based on the calculated compensation parameters. In this case, the control unit 20 can determine the target drive torque by applying the compensation parameters to the current drive torque (i.e., the existing drive torque) driving the abnormal wheel (i.e., target drive torque = current drive torque * compensation parameters). Then, the control unit 20 can control the drive of the abnormal wheel using the target drive torque determined by the above method. Since the drive torque for driving the abnormal wheel is increased more than the existing drive torque, the straight-line driving performance of the vehicle can be improved.

[0266] When controlling the drive of the abnormal wheel with the target drive torque, the control unit 20 can recalculate the first average speed of all four wheels. When the difference between the recalculated first average speed and the wheel speed of the abnormal wheel is equal to or greater than a threshold, the control unit 20 can output an alarm through the output unit 30. That is, the control unit 20 can determine whether the straight-line driving performance of the vehicle has improved by determining whether the difference between the recalculated first average speed and the wheel speed of the abnormal wheel is less than a threshold. When the deviation between the recalculated first average speed and the wheel speed of the abnormal wheel is determined to be equal to or greater than the threshold, even though the control unit 20 calculates the target drive torque and controls the drive of the abnormal wheel through the above process, this indicates the presence of risk factors such as vehicle rotation or rollover, because the wheel speed deviation between the wheels is still equal to or greater than the threshold. Therefore, the control unit 20 can output an alarm through the output unit 30, enabling the driver to recognize the corresponding situation.

[0267] Figure 39 This is a flowchart describing an operation method of a steering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of this disclosure, based on a third application. (Reference) Figure 39 The following section will describe a method of operating a steering module device for a vehicle according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Detailed descriptions of content overlapping with the foregoing will be omitted herein, and the following description will focus on time-series configurations.

[0268] First, in step S10c, the control unit 20 collects the speeds of the four wheels of the vehicle through the wheel speed acquisition unit 14.

[0269] Then, in step S20c, the control unit 20 detects abnormal wheels that cause deterioration in the vehicle's straight-line driving performance based on the four wheel speeds acquired in step S10c. In step S20c, the control unit 20 can calculate a first average value of the four wheel speeds and determine whether the difference between the calculated first average value and each wheel speed is equal to or greater than a preset threshold in order to detect abnormal wheels.

[0270] Then, in step S30c, the control unit 20 calculates compensation parameters to compensate for the deviation between the speeds of the abnormal wheels detected in step S20c. In step S30c, the control unit 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, a variable gain based on the second average value, and the second average value as factors to calculate the compensation parameters. When the second average value is in a predetermined low-to-medium speed range, the variable gain is determined to be a value that decreases as the second average value increases, and when the second average value is in a predetermined high-speed range, the variable gain is determined to be a predefined fixed value.

[0271] Then, in step S40c, the control unit 20 determines the target driving torque for driving the abnormal wheel based on the compensation parameters calculated in step S30c. Specifically, the control unit 20 determines the target driving torque by applying the compensation parameters to the current driving torque driving the abnormal wheel.

[0272] Then, in step S50c, the control unit 20 controls the drive of the abnormal wheel using the target drive torque determined in step S40c. The other wheels, excluding the abnormal wheel, are controlled according to the existing drive torque.

[0273] In step S60c, the control unit 20 recalculates the first average value of the four wheel speeds and compares the difference between the recalculated first average value and the wheel speed of the abnormal wheel with a threshold. When it is determined in step S60c that the difference between the recalculated first average value and the wheel speed of the abnormal wheel is equal to or greater than the threshold, the control unit 20 outputs an alarm through the output unit 30 in step S70c.

[0274] According to the third application, deviations between wheel speeds can be compensated simply by controlling the driving torque of the wheels, without requiring mechanical or additional steering control of the vehicle, thereby improving the vehicle's straight-line driving performance.

[0275] 4. Fourth application: Attitude control mechanism for eliminating slippage

[0276] Existing front-wheel-drive vehicles have a limitation: increased battery consumption occurs 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 vehicle attitude control systems, vehicle attitude control can be performed by controlling the drive and steering of each wheel independently, since a four-wheel independent drive method is applied to independently control the drive of each wheel. The specific configuration for performing vehicle attitude control by controlling the drive and steering of each wheel will then be described, focusing on the operation of control unit 20.

[0277] In the fourth application, the control unit 20 determines whether a predefined slip condition is met based on the wheel speeds of each wheel collected by the wheel speed acquisition unit 14. When the slip condition is determined to be met, the control unit 20 can perform vehicle attitude control by controlling the drive torque of each wheel through a drive torque control process.

[0278] The slip condition indicates that a wheel has slipped and corresponds to the condition used to determine whether attitude control is required to maintain vehicle stability. In this case, the control unit 20 can calculate the slip ratio of each wheel based on its wheel speed, determine the maximum slip ratio that has the highest value among the calculated slip ratios for each wheel, and determine that the slip condition is met when the determined maximum slip ratio is equal to or greater than a preset threshold. As is well known, the slip ratio of each wheel can be calculated as the ratio of the difference between the vehicle speed and the wheel speed to the vehicle speed.

[0279] When the slip condition is determined to be met, the control unit 20 can perform vehicle attitude control through the aforementioned drive torque control. In this case, the control unit 20 can control the driving of the wheels through a target drive torque, which has a value lower than the current drive torque of each wheel. The target drive torque can be determined to be a value lower than the minimum of the current drive torques of each wheel currently used to drive the wheels. That is, the control unit 20 can perform control to reduce the drive torque of the wheels to eliminate the current slip of the wheels, and can control the driving of the wheels through the same target drive torque. At this time, as the maximum slip rate increases, it is necessary to reduce the drive torque of the wheels to a lower value to eliminate slip. Therefore, as the maximum slip rate increases, the target drive torque can be determined to be a smaller value. For example, the target drive torque and the maximum slip rate can be defined in the control unit 20 to have a negative linear relationship.

[0280] After executing drive torque control, control unit 20 can determine whether to eliminate slip through drive torque control by re-evaluating whether the slip condition is met. When it is determined that the slip condition remains met or the slip is not eliminated, control unit 20 can subsequently execute a steering control process for controlling wheel steering, thereby performing vehicle attitude control.

[0281] Control unit 20 performs steering control by steering two wheels to a target steering angle, where the two wheels are located on opposite sides of the wheel with the maximum slip ratio in the horizontal direction. For example, when the wheel with the maximum slip ratio corresponds to the right front wheel, control unit 20 can perform steering control by steering the left front wheel and left rear wheel to a target steering angle. In the example above, steering control can be applied to the left front wheel and left rear wheel to guide the vehicle's braking effect, thereby eliminating slippage of the right front wheel. Therefore, the steering direction can be either left or right. At this point, as the maximum slip ratio increases, the steering angle of the two wheels located on opposite sides in the horizontal direction needs to increase to eliminate slippage. Therefore, as the maximum slip ratio increases, the target steering angle can be determined to be a larger value. For example, the target steering angle and the maximum slip ratio can be defined in control unit 20 as having a positive linear relationship. To prevent unstable vehicle behavior that may occur due to rapid steering control of the two wheels on opposite sides in the horizontal direction, the control time required for the steering angle of the two wheels on opposite sides in the horizontal direction to reach the target steering angle can be selected as a sufficient time and set in control unit 20, based on the designer's experimental results.

[0282] Figure 40 This is a flowchart describing an operation method of a steering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, based on a fourth application. (Reference) Figure 40 The following section will describe a method of operating a steering module device for a vehicle according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Detailed descriptions of content overlapping with the foregoing will be omitted herein, and the following description will focus on time-series configurations.

[0283] First, in step S10d, the control unit 20 collects the wheel speeds of the four wheels through the wheel speed acquisition unit 14.

[0284] In step S20d, the control unit 20 determines whether the predefined slip condition is met based on the wheel speeds of each wheel collected in step S10d. In step S20d, the control unit 20 calculates the slip ratio of each wheel based on the wheel speed of each wheel, determines the maximum slip ratio with the highest value among the calculated slip ratios of each wheel, and determines that the slip condition is met when the determined maximum slip ratio is equal to or greater than a preset threshold.

[0285] In step S20d, when it is determined that the slip condition is met, in step S30d, the control unit 20 performs vehicle attitude control through a drive torque control process that controls the drive torque of each wheel. In step S30d, the control unit 20 can control the wheel drive by using a target drive torque whose value is lower than the current drive torque of each wheel. At this time, as the maximum slip ratio increases, the target drive torque can be determined to be a smaller value.

[0286] After step S30d, in step S40d, the control unit 20 re-determines whether the sliding condition is met.

[0287] When the slip condition is determined to be met in step S40d, in step S50d, the control unit 20 performs vehicle attitude control by controlling the steering of the wheels. In step S50d, the control unit 20 can steer the two wheels to a target steering angle, with the two wheels positioned on opposite sides of the wheel with the maximum slip ratio in the horizontal direction. At this time, as the maximum slip ratio increases, the target steering angle can be determined to be a larger value.

[0288] Steps S40d and S50d can be repeated within a predetermined number of repetitions until it is determined in step S40d that the sliding condition is not met or the sliding is eliminated.

[0289] According to the fourth application, reliance on existing vehicle attitude control systems can be eliminated, and vehicle attitude control can be performed solely by controlling wheel drive and steering. Therefore, the battery consumption required for vehicle attitude control can be reduced, thereby increasing available battery capacity.

[0290] 5. Fifth application: Target trajectory generation and following control mechanism

[0291] In a four-wheel independent drive system, because the wheels are not mechanically connected to each other, the wheels of the vehicle need to be controlled independently. Specifically, to ensure driving stability when the vehicle is cornering, a quantitative control mechanism for steering control is required on each wheel. Therefore, the fifth application proposes a method for independently controlling the steering of the four wheels when the vehicle using the four-wheel independent drive system is traveling along a curved road with a predetermined curvature, or more specifically, when the vehicle is traveling at a low speed below a preset speed along a curved road, and the wheels are not slipping, by calculating the target steering angle of each wheel differentially.

[0292] In the fifth application, the control unit 20 can calculate the distance to the target point that the vehicle will move to based on the driving state information and driving environment information collected by the vehicle information acquisition unit 15; based on the calculated distance information, it calculates the target curvature, which is defined as the curvature of the target trajectory leading to the target point; based on the calculated target curvature, it calculates the target steering angles of the four wheels respectively; and then independently controls the steering of the four wheels based on the calculated target steering angles. The configuration according to this embodiment will then be described in detail for each operation of the control unit 20.

[0293] First, the control unit 20 can use the vehicle's speed and the vehicle's offset distance from the center of the road (calculated based on surrounding image information) to... Figure 41 (④) and information on the distance to the target point calculated based on the road curvature radius at the road center. By analyzing lanes and roads included in the surrounding image information, the road offset distance and curvature radius can be calculated. Distance information can include distances from the vehicle's current position (…). Figure 41 From point C to the target point ( Figure 41 The straight-line distance, vertical distance, and horizontal distance in A) of the equation.

[0294] Specifically, the control unit 20 can calculate the straight-line distance to the target point by applying the vehicle's speed to a predefined distance calculation algorithm. The distance calculation algorithm is used to calculate straight-line distances with larger values ​​as the vehicle speed increases, and can be predefined in the control unit 20. For example, the distance calculation algorithm can be defined as a one-dimensional equation (L = A * Vx + B), where L represents the straight-line distance, Vx represents the vehicle speed, and A and B represent constant values ​​designed based on experimental results from the designer.

[0295] When calculating the straight-line distance to the target point, the control unit 20 can use the offset distance, the vehicle's azimuth angle, the road curvature radius, and the straight-line distance to the target point to calculate the vertical and horizontal distances to the target point. (Reference) Figure 41 Equation 1 can be derived from this.

[0296] [Equation 1]

[0297]

[0298] When we summarize Equation 1 based on x and y, we establish the following Equation 2.

[0299] [Equation 2]

[0300]

[0301]

[0302] In equations 1 and 2, L, x, and y represent the straight-line distance, vertical distance, and horizontal distance to the target point, respectively; R represents the radius of curvature of the road; and ρ... k Let ε represent the curvature of the road (1 / R) and let ε represent the offset distance.

[0303] As described above, when calculating the distance information to the target point, the control unit 20 can calculate the target curvature based on the calculated distance information, which is defined as the curvature of the target trajectory to the target point. In this embodiment, the target curvature can be classified as the center target curvature, which is defined as the curvature of the target trajectory based on the vehicle center (i.e., by...). Figure 41 and Figure 42 The target trajectory of the vehicle center shown in ①); the target curvature of the left wheel, which is defined as the target trajectory curvature based on the vehicle's left wheel (i.e., by...). Figure 42 (See ② in the diagram for the target trajectory of the vehicle's left wheel); and the target curvature of the right wheel, defined as the curvature based on the target trajectory of the vehicle's right wheel (i.e., as shown in Figure 2). Figure 42 (See ③ in the diagram, which shows the target trajectory of the vehicle's right wheel). The control unit 20 can first calculate the center target curvature, and then use the vehicle's wheelbase information to extend the center target curvature to the target curvatures of the left and right wheels.

[0304] refer to Figure 41 and Figure 42 The curvature of the central target can be calculated using the following equation 3.

[0305] [Equation 3]

[0306]

[0307]

[0308] In Equation 3, R c The radius of curvature represents the trajectory of the moving target at the center of the vehicle. Let α represent the vehicle's azimuth angle, α represent the angle between the vehicle and the target point, L represent the straight-line distance to the target point, and ρ represent the distance between the vehicle and the target point. c Represents the curvature of the central target (1 / R) c ).

[0309] When calculating the center target curvature, the control unit 20 can use the vehicle's wheelbase information to calculate the left-wheel target curvature and right-wheel target curvature from the center target curvature. (Reference) Figure 42 The example of a vehicle turning left shown can be calculated using the following equations 4 and 5, respectively.

[0310] [Equation 4]

[0311] R L =RC -w L

[0312]

[0313] [Equation 5]

[0314] R R =R C +w R

[0315]

[0316] In equation 4, R L R represents the radius of curvature of the trajectory of the moving target of the vehicle's left wheel. C The radius of curvature w represents the trajectory of the moving target at the center of the vehicle. L This represents half the vehicle's track width (w / 2, where w represents the track width), and ρ. L This represents the curvature of the revolver target. In Equation 5, R... R R represents the radius of curvature of the trajectory of the moving target of the vehicle's right wheel. C The radius of curvature w represents the trajectory of the moving target at the center of the vehicle. R This represents half the vehicle's track width (w / 2), and ρ R This indicates the curvature of the target on the right wheel.

[0317] pass Figure 42 Equations 4 and 5 describe the situation when the vehicle is turning left. When the vehicle is turning right, the target curvature of the left wheel and the target curvature of the right wheel are calculated using Equation 6 below, since the inner and outer wheels are set in opposite ways.

[0318] [Equation 6]

[0319]

[0320]

[0321] When calculating the target curvature of the left wheel and the target curvature of the right wheel, the control unit 20 can calculate the target steering angle of each of the four wheels based on the calculated target curvature.

[0322] Specifically, based on the calculated target curvature of the left wheel and the calculated target curvature of the right wheel, the target yaw rate of the left and right wheels can be expressed by the following equation 7.

[0323] [Equation 7]

[0324] YR des，L =p L V x

[0325] YR des，R =ρ R v x

[0326] In Equation 7, YR des,L ρ represents the target yaw rate of the revolver. L YR represents the target curvature of the revolver. des,R ρ represents the target yaw rate of the right wheel. R Let v represent the target curvature of the right wheel, and v x Indicates vehicle speed.

[0327] Figure 43 An example of a vehicle dynamics model with degrees of freedom is shown. For ease of description, Figure 43 Only the left front wheel and left rear wheel are shown. According to Figure 43 The vehicle dynamics model can be represented by the slip angle of each wheel using the following equation 8.

[0328] [Equation 8]

[0329]

[0330]

[0331]

[0332]

[0333] In equation 8, α fl ,α fr ,α rl and α rr Let β represent the slip angles of the left front wheel, right front wheel, left rear wheel, and right rear wheel, respectively. cg The slip angle v represents the center of the vehicle. x Indicates vehicle speed, l f The distance l represents the distance between the front wheel axle and the vehicle center cg. r YR represents the distance between the rear wheel axle and the vehicle center cg. des,L and YR des,R Let δ represent the target yaw rate of the left and right wheels, respectively, and δ fl δ fr δ rl and δ rr These represent the target steering angles of the left front wheel, right front wheel, left rear wheel, and right rear wheel, respectively. These are all calculation targets.

[0334] As described above, this embodiment assumes that the vehicle is turning at low speed and that none of the wheels slip. Therefore, in Equation 8, αfl α fr α rl α rr and β cg It can be approximated as 0, and the target steering angles of the left front wheel, right front wheel, left rear wheel, and right rear wheel can be calculated using the following equation 9.

[0335] [Equation 9]

[0336]

[0337]

[0338]

[0339]

[0340] The above describes the process of calculating the target steering angle when the front and rear wheels are in different phases. The target steering angle when the front and rear wheels are in the same phase can be calculated using the following process.

[0341] First, the vehicle dynamics model under the condition that the front and rear wheels are in phase can be represented by the following equation 10.

[0342] [Equation 10]

[0343]

[0344] in

[0345]

[0346]

[0347]

[0348]

[0349] In Equation 10, β and Ψ represent the slip angle and direction angle of the vehicle center, respectively, and the factors defining the matrix parameters are shown in Table 2 below.

[0350] [Table 2]

[0351] <![CDATA[V x ]]> vehicle speed m Vehicle quality l Yaw moment of inertia <![CDATA[l f ]]> Distance between the front wheel axle and the vehicle center CG <![CDATA[l r ]]> Distance between the rear wheel axle and the vehicle center CG <![CDATA[C f ]]> Front wheel steering coefficient <![CDATA[C r ]]> Rear wheel steering coefficient

[0352] Since Equation 10 assumes that the vehicle's slip angle is 0, the left side of Equation 10 and β become 0, thus deriving Equation 11.

[0353] [Equation 11]

[0354]

[0355] Under the condition that β = 0, δ is derived as shown in Equation 12 below. f and δ r The relationship between them.

[0356] [Equation 12]

[0357]

[0358] The target steering angles of the left front wheel and the right front wheel are calculated according to Equation 9 above, and 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 by the following Equation 13.

[0359] [Equation 13]

[0360]

[0361]

[0362]

[0363]

[0364] Therefore, based on the predefined vehicle dynamics model, the control unit 20 can calculate the target steering angle of the left front wheel using the distance between the front wheel axle and the vehicle center and the target curvature of the left wheel, calculate the target steering angle of the right front wheel using the distance between the front wheel axle and the vehicle center and the target curvature of the right wheel, calculate the target steering angle of the left rear wheel using the distance between the rear wheel axle and the vehicle center and the target curvature of the left wheel, and calculate the target steering angle of the right rear wheel using the distance between the rear wheel axle and the vehicle center and the target curvature of the right wheel.

[0365] When calculating the target steering angle for each wheel, the control unit 20 can independently control the steering of all four wheels based on the calculated target steering angle. In this case, such as... Figure 44 As shown, the control unit 20 can calculate the driving torque for driving the four wheels by using feedforward control (understeer gradient) and feedback control (PID control) of the target steering angle and current steering angle of the vehicle, and control the driving of the four wheels, thereby independently controlling the steering of the four wheels.

[0366] Figure 45 This is a flowchart describing an operation method of a steering module device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, based on a fifth application. (Reference) Figure 45The following section will describe a method of operating a steering module device for a vehicle according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Detailed descriptions of content overlapping with the foregoing will be omitted herein, and the following description will focus on time-series configurations.

[0367] First, in step S10e, the control unit 20 collects the vehicle's driving status information and driving environment information from the vehicle information acquisition unit 15. The driving status information may include the vehicle's speed and azimuth angle, and the driving environment information may include the vehicle's surrounding image information (e.g., forward image).

[0368] Then, in step S20e, the control unit 20 calculates the distance information to the target point to which the vehicle will move based on the vehicle's driving state information and driving environment information. In step S20e, the control unit 20 calculates the straight-line distance, vertical distance, and horizontal distance from the vehicle to the target point as distance information by using the vehicle's speed, the vehicle's offset distance from the center of the road (calculated based on surrounding image information), and the road curvature radius based on the center of the road.

[0369] Then, in step S30e, the control unit 20 calculates the target curvature based on the distance information calculated in step S20e. This target curvature is defined as the curvature of the target trajectory to the target point. The target curvature can be divided into the center target curvature, which is the curvature of the target trajectory based on the vehicle center (i.e., the moving target trajectory of the vehicle center); the left wheel target curvature, which is defined as the curvature of the target trajectory based on the vehicle's left wheel (i.e., the moving target trajectory of the vehicle's left wheel); and the right wheel target curvature, which is defined as the curvature of the target trajectory based on the vehicle's right wheel (i.e., the moving target trajectory of the vehicle's right wheel). Therefore, in step S30e, the control unit 20 calculates the center target curvature using the straight-line distance, vertical distance, and horizontal distance from the vehicle to the target point, and the vehicle's azimuth angle; then, using the vehicle's wheelbase information, it calculates the left wheel target curvature and the right wheel target curvature from the center target curvature.

[0370] Then, in step S40e, the control unit 20 calculates the target steering angles of the four wheels of the vehicle based on the target curvatures calculated in step S30e. In step S40e, according to a predefined vehicle dynamics model, the control unit 20 calculates the target steering angle of the left front wheel using the distance between the front wheel axle and the vehicle center and the target curvature of the left wheel; calculates the target steering angle of the right front wheel using the distance between the front wheel axle and the vehicle center and the target curvature of the right wheel; calculates the target steering angle of the left rear wheel using the distance between the rear wheel axle and the vehicle center and the target curvature of the left wheel; and calculates the target steering angle of the right rear wheel using the distance between the rear wheel axle and the vehicle center and the target curvature of the right wheel. In this case, the control unit 20 calculates the target steering angles of the corresponding four wheels when the slip angle of each wheel of the vehicle is 0.

[0371] Then, in step S50e, the control unit 20 independently controls the steering of the four wheels based on the target steering angle calculated in step S40e. In step S50e, the control unit 20 calculates the drive torque for driving the four wheels through feedforward control and feedback control of the target steering angle and the current steering angle of the vehicle, and controls the driving of the four wheels, thereby independently controlling the steering of the four wheels.

[0372] According to the fifth application, when a vehicle using a four-wheel independent driving method is traveling along a curved road, a quantitative control mechanism can be proposed. This mechanism calculates the target steering angle of each wheel by difference and independently controls the steering of the four wheels, thereby improving the vehicle's cornering performance and cornering stability.

[0373] The term "unit" as used in this specification can include units implemented in hardware, software, or firmware. For example, the term may be used interchangeably with terms such as logic, logic block, component, or circuit. A "unit" can be the smallest unit or part of a component configured to perform one or more functions. For example, according to an embodiment, a "unit" may be implemented as an ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit). Furthermore, the embodiments described in this specification may be implemented, for example, as methods or processes, devices, software programs, data streams, or signals. Although a feature is discussed only in a single context (e.g., only in a method), the discussed feature may be implemented in another type (e.g., apparatus or program). An apparatus may be implemented in suitable hardware, software, or firmware. A method may be implemented in a device such as a processor, which generally refers to a processing device including a computer, microprocessor, integrated circuit, or programmable logic device. A processor also includes communication devices such as computers, cellular phones, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), and other devices facilitating information communication between end users.

[0374] Although exemplary embodiments of this disclosure are disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications, additions, and substitutions may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure as defined in the technical solutions of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A steering module device for a vehicle, comprising: A drive unit configured to provide driving force to the wheels of a vehicle; A suspension unit, which is connected to the drive unit and configured to absorb shocks transmitted from the road surface; as well as A steering unit, which is connected to the suspension unit shown, is rotatably mounted below a frame module connected to the vehicle body and configured to adjust the steering angle of the wheels; The steering unit includes: A steering body, which is configured to face the bottom surface of the frame module and support the suspension unit; and a steering drive unit, which is mounted in the steering body and configured to rotatably support the steering body relative to the frame module; The steering drive unit includes: A power generation module configured to receive electrical power and generate rotational force; A rotating module, spaced apart from the power generation module and configured to rotate around the frame module in response to a rotational force generated by the power generation module; and A power transmission module is disposed between the power generation module and the rotation module and configured to transmit the rotational force generated by the power generation module to the rotation module. Furthermore, when the rotating module rotates around the frame module, the power generation module rotates around the rotating module; the central axis of the power generation module is parallel to the central axis of the rotating module. The rotating module includes: The mounting unit is fixed to the bottom surface of the frame module; The input shaft rotates by receiving rotational force from the power transmission module; An output shaft, rotatably supported by the mounting unit, and configured to rotate the steering body about the mounting unit as the input shaft rotates; and A speed reducer module is disposed between the input shaft and the output shaft; The steering drive unit further includes a measurement module, which is fixed to the mounting unit and configured to measure the rotation angle of the rotation module; The rotating module further includes: A rotating module body, mounted to be rotatable relative to the mounting unit and rotatable together with the output shaft; and a steering guide extending from the rotating module body and configured to rotate the inner diameter portion of the measuring module as the rotating module body rotates.

2. The steering module device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the central axis of the rotating module is disposed on the same plane as the central plane of the wheel.

3. The steering module device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the reducer module is a strain wave gear.

4. The steering module device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the power transmission module moves between the power generation module and the rotation module in a track manner.

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