Gooseneck steering knuckle assembly and vehicle having same

Abstract

This invention provides a gooseneck steering knuckle assembly and a vehicle having the same. The gooseneck steering knuckle assembly includes a steering knuckle body, which comprises a main body and a gooseneck. A first mounting hole is provided on the gooseneck for the motor and controller of an electromechanical brake to pass through, thereby connecting the gooseneck steering knuckle assembly to the electromechanical brake. By using the technical solution of this invention, and by providing a first mounting hole in the gooseneck for assembling the electromechanical brake, compared to arranging the brake on the side of the bearing, the brake's motion envelope is smaller, resulting in a more compact suspension arrangement. The saved space can be used to increase the wheel steering angle and the size of the electromechanical brake motor, thereby improving braking capability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vehicle design and manufacturing technology, and more specifically, to a gooseneck steering knuckle assembly and a vehicle having the same. Background Technology

[0002] The suspension wheel hubs currently popular on the market that use coaxial electromechanical brakes have a large axial dimension. Therefore, whether they are placed on the front or rear of the vehicle, as long as they are placed on the steering wheel, they will generate a large motion envelope, which can easily lead to interference with parts such as the drive shaft, stabilizer bar, stabilizer bar connecting rod, and sliding column.

[0003] There is currently no effective solution to the problem of difficult arrangement caused by the large motion envelope of the coaxial electromechanical brake. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The main objective of this invention is to provide a gooseneck steering knuckle assembly and a vehicle having it, so as to solve the problem of difficult arrangement caused by the large motion envelope of the coaxial electromechanical brake in the prior art.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, according to one aspect of the present invention, a gooseneck steering knuckle assembly is provided, the gooseneck steering knuckle assembly comprising: a steering knuckle body, the steering knuckle body including a main body portion and a gooseneck portion, the gooseneck portion having a first mounting hole for the motor and controller of an electromechanical brake to pass through, so as to connect the gooseneck steering knuckle assembly to the electromechanical brake.

[0006] Furthermore, the kingpin axis of the gooseneck steering knuckle assembly passes through the electromechanical brake.

[0007] Furthermore, a brake support is provided on the main body. The brake support is located near the first mounting hole, and the electromechanical brake is fixedly connected to the steering knuckle body through the brake support.

[0008] Furthermore, the brake support includes a support frame disposed on both sides of the first mounting hole. The support frame is provided with a support hole arranged axially along the gooseneck steering knuckle assembly. The axial center line of the two support holes is on a first plane. The axial center line of the motor shaft of the electromechanical brake is on a second plane. The second plane is parallel to the first plane and is arranged at an angle to the horizontal plane.

[0009] Furthermore, the second plane has an angle α with the horizontal plane, where |α|≤15°.

[0010] Furthermore, the goose neck has a goose neck surface facing the electromechanical brake, and the electromechanical brake has a controller surface facing the goose neck, with the goose neck surface and the controller surface being disposed opposite each other.

[0011] Furthermore, a dust baffle mounting part is provided on the main body, and the gooseneck steering knuckle assembly is connected to the dust baffle through the dust baffle mounting part. The opening of the dust baffle is set facing the horizontal plane where the support frame is located.

[0012] Furthermore, the goose neck is provided with multiple reinforcing rib structures, at least some of which are provided along the edge of the first assembly hole.

[0013] Furthermore, the main body has bearing holes for the bearing to pass through, and multiple mounting holes are also provided along the circumference of the bearing holes, through which the bearing is fixedly connected to the steering knuckle body.

[0014] According to another aspect of the invention, a vehicle is provided having a gooseneck steering knuckle assembly, which is the gooseneck steering knuckle assembly described above.

[0015] By applying the technical solution of this invention, the electromechanical brake is assembled by opening a first assembly hole in the gooseneck. Compared with arranging the brake on the side of the bearing, the motion envelope of the brake is smaller, making the suspension arrangement more compact. The space saved can be used to increase the wheel turning angle and increase the size of the electromechanical brake motor, thereby improving the braking capacity. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention. In the drawings:

[0017] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a first embodiment of the gooseneck steering knuckle assembly according to the present invention is shown;

[0018] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a second embodiment of the gooseneck steering knuckle assembly according to the present invention is shown;

[0019] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of the electromechanical brake according to the present invention is shown;

[0020] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a third embodiment of the gooseneck steering knuckle assembly according to the present invention is shown;

[0021] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a fourth embodiment of the gooseneck steering knuckle assembly according to the present invention is shown;

[0022] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a fifth embodiment of the gooseneck steering knuckle assembly according to the present invention is shown;

[0023] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of a sixth embodiment of the gooseneck steering knuckle assembly according to the present invention is shown.

[0024] The above figures include the following reference numerals:

[0025] 1. Steering knuckle assembly; 2. Electromechanical brake; 3. Brake disc; 4. Dust shield disc; 5. Bearing; 6. Bolt; 7. Bolt; 8. Bolt;

[0026] 12. Tie rod steel sleeve; 13. No. 1 boom steel sleeve; 14. No. 2 boom steel sleeve;

[0027] 11. Steering knuckle body; 111. First mounting hole; 113. Brake support; 114. Bearing hole; 115. Mounting hole; 116. Upper control arm mounting point; 117. Gooseneck surface; 118. First reinforcing rib; 119. Second reinforcing rib;

[0028] 21. Motor and controller; 211. Controller face; 22. Guide pin; 23. Power supply and signal harness. Detailed Implementation

[0029] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other. The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0030] It should be noted that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments according to this application. As used herein, the singular form is intended to include the plural form as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, it should be understood that when the terms "comprising" and / or "including" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, devices, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0031] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such terms can be used interchangeably where appropriate so that the embodiments of this application described herein can be implemented, for example, in orders other than those illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.

[0032] Exemplary embodiments according to this application will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these exemplary embodiments may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. It should be understood that these embodiments are provided so that the disclosure of this application is thorough and complete, and that the concept of these exemplary embodiments is fully conveyed to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, for clarity, the thickness of layers and regions may be exaggerated, and the same reference numerals are used to denote the same devices, and therefore their description will be omitted.

[0033] To facilitate the explanation of the technical effects of the technical solution in this application, the structure of the current suspension wheel and brake is described as follows:

[0034] Currently, the most popular suspension wheel hubs on the market are divided into two categories based on the arrangement of the brakes: front-mounted brakes (brakes positioned in the forward direction) and rear-mounted brakes (brakes positioned in the reverse direction). Because the brakes are far from the kingpin, they generate a large motion envelope when turning. This can be understood as follows: given a distance R between the brake and the kingpin, and a wheel turning angle β, the trajectory of the brake's rotation is R*β. Adding the volume of the brake itself creates a spatial motion envelope. Because of the distance R, this motion envelope is quite large.

[0035] Suspension wheel hubs can be categorized as follows based on the type of brakes they are matched with:

[0036] 1. Wheel rims with pneumatic brakes: Their advantages include strong braking capacity and ease of connection, making them widely used in commercial vehicles. Their disadvantages include high noise levels, long braking response time, reduced braking capacity when overheated, and the need for air compressors, air tanks, brake valves, etc., resulting in a complex, heavy, large-scale, and expensive structure.

[0037] 2. Wheel rims with hydraulic brakes: These are the most common type of wheel rim on the market. Their advantages include low noise, small brake size, compact structure, easy installation, and regenerative braking for rapid braking feedback. However, their disadvantages include slow brake fade over extended periods.

[0038] 3. Wheel rims with electromechanical brakes: Compared to wheel rims with pneumatic or hydraulic brakes, they can achieve independent control of all four wheels, with fast response, multiple functions, fewer parts and modular design, and are energy-saving and environmentally friendly.

[0039] Electromechanical brakes are further divided into two categories:

[0040] ① Parallel shaft electromechanical brake: The actuator of most electronic parking brakes on the market is a parallel shaft drive. The transmission method is belt drive or transition gear drive. These two transmission methods are inefficient and inaccurate in positioning. In particular, belt drive cannot bear large output torque and cannot meet the braking force required by braking systems or vehicle models. In addition, parallel shaft drive will limit the cylinder diameter range of brake calipers and cannot meet the needs of brake calipers with larger cylinder diameters.

[0041] ② Coaxial electromechanical brake: This avoids the problems of low transmission efficiency and low torque of parallel-axis electromechanical brakes. However, its disadvantage lies in the large axial dimension caused by the coaxial arrangement of the motor brake, making its placement difficult. Due to the large axial dimension of the coaxial electromechanical brake, whether it is placed on the front or rear of the vehicle, it will generate a large motion envelope on the steering wheel, which can easily lead to interference with the drive shaft, stabilizer bar, stabilizer bar connecting rod, slide rod, and other parts.

[0042] To address the layout difficulties caused by the large motion envelope of the aforementioned coaxial electromechanical brake, combined with Figures 1 to 7 As shown, according to a specific embodiment of this application, a gooseneck steering knuckle assembly is provided.

[0043] The gooseneck steering knuckle assembly 1 includes a steering knuckle body 11, which includes a main body and a gooseneck. A first mounting hole 111 is provided on the gooseneck. The first mounting hole 111 is used for the motor and controller 21 of the electromechanical brake 2 to pass through, so that the gooseneck steering knuckle assembly 1 can be connected to the electromechanical brake 2.

[0044] By applying the technical solution of this embodiment, the electromechanical brake 2 is assembled by opening the first assembly hole 111 in the gooseneck. Compared with arranging the brake on the side of the bearing, the motion envelope of the brake is smaller, making the suspension arrangement more compact. The saved arrangement space can be used to increase the wheel turning angle and increase the size of the motor of the electromechanical brake 2, which can improve the braking capacity.

[0045] Furthermore, the kingpin axis of the gooseneck steering knuckle assembly 1 passes through the electromechanical brake 2. Compared to arranging the electromechanical brake 2 on the side of the bearing 5, this arrangement allows for a smaller motion envelope of the electromechanical brake 2 when the brake rotates around the kingpin during steering (the distance R between the electromechanical brake 2 and the kingpin is close to 0), making the suspension arrangement more compact and allowing for compatibility with more advanced strut technology solutions, such as active dampers and dual-valve continuous damping dampers, which require a large amount of movement space.

[0046] Specifically, a brake support portion 113 is also provided on the main body. The brake support portion 113 is located near the first mounting hole 111, and the electromechanical brake 2 is fixedly connected to the steering knuckle body 11 through the brake support portion 113. The provision of the brake support portion 113 allows the electromechanical brake 2 to be fixed to the steering knuckle body 11.

[0047] The brake support 113 includes support frames disposed on both sides of the first mounting hole 111. The support frames have support holes axially aligned with the gooseneck steering knuckle assembly. The axial center lines of the two support holes lie on a first plane, and the axial center line of the motor shaft of the electromechanical brake 2 lies on a second plane. The second plane is parallel to the first plane and is angled to the horizontal plane. In this embodiment, by adjusting the angle between the second plane and the horizontal plane, the brake is kept as perpendicular to the kingpin as possible, while simultaneously avoiding space constraints on the sliding column, resulting in a more rational structural design.

[0048] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, plane c is the horizontal plane, plane b is the second plane, d is the axial center line of the motor shaft of the electromechanical brake 2, d is on plane b, and e and f are the axial center lines of the two support holes, which are also the axial center lines of the guide pin 22 that will be inserted later.

[0049] Preferably, the second plane has an angle α with the horizontal plane, where |α| ≤ 15°. It should be understood that the angle α between the second plane and the horizontal plane should be adjusted according to the actual vehicle model, steering knuckle structure, and the motor size specifications of the electromechanical brake 2, so that the gooseneck steering knuckle assembly 1 can obtain a better structural setting and a more reasonable arrangement of the space.

[0050] Furthermore, the goose neck has a goose neck surface 117 facing the electromechanical brake 2, and the electromechanical brake 2 has a controller surface 211 facing the goose neck, with the goose neck surface 117 and the controller surface 211 being disposed opposite to each other.

[0051] In this embodiment, the gooseneck surface 117 and the controller surface 211 are arranged opposite to each other, and the distance between the gooseneck surface 117 and the controller surface 211 is minimized so that the gooseneck surface 117 and the controller surface 211 are brought closer together, thereby reducing the arrangement space of the electromechanical brake 2, and also reducing the bending angle of the gooseneck, improving the steering knuckle mode and strength.

[0052] Furthermore, a dust baffle mounting part is provided on the main body, and the gooseneck steering knuckle assembly 1 is connected to the dust baffle 4 through the dust baffle mounting part. The opening of the dust baffle 4 is set facing the horizontal plane where the support frame is located.

[0053] In this embodiment, the opening of the dust baffle 4 is oriented toward the brake support 113, which can make full use of the arrangement space, further reduce the space occupied by the structural assembly, and achieve compact assembly.

[0054] Preferably, the goose neck is provided with multiple reinforcing ribs, at least some of which are arranged along the edge of the first assembly hole 111. The reinforcing ribs can effectively improve the structural strength of the goose neck.

[0055] In one exemplary embodiment of this application, the reinforcing rib structure includes a first reinforcing rib 118 and a second reinforcing rib 119 respectively disposed on both sides of the first mounting hole 111. The orientation of the first reinforcing rib 118 and the second reinforcing rib 119 avoids the guide pin 22 of the electromechanical brake 2, which facilitates the disassembly of the guide pin 22 for replacement of the brake pads.

[0056] Furthermore, a bearing hole 114 is provided on the main body for the bearing 5 to pass through. Multiple mounting holes 115 are also provided along the circumference of the bearing hole 114, and the bearing 5 is fixedly connected to the steering knuckle body 11 through the mounting holes 115.

[0057] In this embodiment, the bearing hole 114 for mounting the bearing 5 is provided on the main body, and the first assembly hole 111 for mounting the electromechanical brake 2 is provided on the gooseneck. The mounting position of the electromechanical brake 2 makes full use of the space of the gooseneck, reduces the arrangement space of the steering knuckle, makes the structure more compact, and also provides more arrangement space for the components of the main body, which is beneficial to the structural design.

[0058] According to another specific embodiment of this application, a double wishbone suspension system is also provided. The double wishbone suspension system vehicle has a gooseneck steering knuckle assembly, which is the gooseneck steering knuckle assembly in the above embodiment.

[0059] According to another specific embodiment of this application, a vehicle is also provided, the vehicle having a gooseneck steering knuckle assembly, the gooseneck steering knuckle assembly being the gooseneck steering knuckle assembly in the above embodiment.

[0060] This application also provides a preferred embodiment of a suspension wheel hub and gooseneck steering knuckle assembly. In this embodiment, the suspension wheel hub mainly includes a steering knuckle assembly 1, an electromechanical brake 2, a brake disc 3, a dust disc 4, and a bearing 5. The steering knuckle assembly 1 consists of a steering knuckle body 11, a tie rod sleeve 12, a first arm sleeve 13, and a second arm sleeve 14. The tie rod sleeve 12, the first arm sleeve 13, and the second arm sleeve 14 are pressed into pre-drilled holes in the steering knuckle body 11 by an interference fit.

[0061] The steering knuckle assembly 1 and the electromechanical brake 2 are assembled by two bolts 6. The steering knuckle assembly 1 and the bearing 5 are assembled by four bolts 7. The brake disc 3 and the bearing 5 are assembled by one bolt 8. The dust disc 4 can be clamped by the steering knuckle assembly 1 and the bearing 5, or it can be assembled with the steering knuckle assembly 1 by bolts.

[0062] The gooseneck of the steering knuckle body 11 has a first mounting hole 111 for mounting the motor and controller 21 of the electromechanical brake 2. The first mounting hole 111 is similar in shape to the controller surface 211 of the gooseneck. The gooseneck also has an upper control arm mounting point 116. The main body has a brake support part 113, a bearing hole 114, and a mounting hole 115. The bearing hole 114 is for the bearing 5 to pass through, and the mounting hole 115 is for mounting bolts 7. The power and signal harness 23 of the electromechanical brake 2 runs from the outside of the steering knuckle. The gooseneck of the steering knuckle body 11 has a first reinforcing rib 118 and a second reinforcing rib 119. The direction of the first reinforcing rib 118 and the second reinforcing rib 119 avoids the guide pin 22 of the electromechanical brake 2, which facilitates the removal of the guide pin 22 for replacing the brake pads.

[0063] The specific structural arrangement in this embodiment is as follows:

[0064] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the kingpin axis a of the steering knuckle passes through the electromechanical brake 2, which is positioned above the bearing 5. The plane b of the electromechanical brake 2 (i.e., the aforementioned second plane) forms an angle α with the ground surface c (i.e., the aforementioned horizontal plane), where |α| ≤ 15°. The advantage of this arrangement is that when the wheel steers, the wheel edge rotates around the kingpin axis a. Because the kingpin axis a passes through the electromechanical brake 2, compared to placing the electromechanical brake 2 on the side of the bearing 5, the motion envelope of the electromechanical brake 2 is smaller (the distance R between the electromechanical brake 2 and the kingpin is close to 0), making the suspension arrangement more compact. The saved space can be used to increase the wheel steering angle and to increase the size of the motor of the electromechanical brake 2, thereby improving braking capacity.

[0065] The gooseneck of the steering knuckle assembly 1 has a first mounting hole 111. The motor and controller 21 of the electromechanical brake 2 pass through the first mounting hole 111 and are clearance-fitted with the steering knuckle. The advantage of this arrangement is that it allows the gooseneck surface 117 of the steering knuckle body 11 to be nearly flush with the controller surface 211 of the electromechanical brake 2, further reducing the axial arrangement space and the bend angle of the gooseneck (e.g., ...). Figure 7 (as shown), to improve the steering knuckle modes and strength.

[0066] For ease of description, spatial relative terms such as "above," "on top of," "on the upper surface of," "above," etc., are used herein to describe the spatial positional relationship of a device or feature as shown in the figures to other devices or features. It should be understood that spatial relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations in use or operation beyond the orientation of the device as described in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures were inverted, a device described as "above" or "on top of" other devices or structures would subsequently be positioned as "below" or "under" other devices or structures. Thus, the exemplary term "above" can include both "above" and "below." The device may also be positioned in other different ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatial relative descriptions used herein will be interpreted accordingly.

[0067] In addition to the above, it should be noted that the terms "one embodiment," "another embodiment," and "embodiment" used in this specification refer to specific features, structures, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment, which are included in at least one embodiment described in the general description of this application. The appearance of the same expression in multiple places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, when a specific feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with any embodiment, the intention is to suggest that implementing such a feature, structure, or characteristic in conjunction with other embodiments also falls within the scope of this invention.

[0068] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions in other embodiments.

[0069] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A gooseneck steering knuckle assembly, characterized by, The gooseneck steering knuckle assembly (1) includes: Steering knuckle body (11), the steering knuckle body (11) includes a main body and a gooseneck, the gooseneck is provided with a first mounting hole (111), the first mounting hole (111) is used for the motor and controller (21) of the electromechanical brake (2) to pass through, so that the gooseneck steering knuckle assembly (1) is connected to the electromechanical brake (2); The main body is also provided with a brake support part (113). The brake support part (113) includes a support frame disposed on both sides of the first mounting hole (111). The support frame is provided with a support hole disposed along the axial direction of the gooseneck steering knuckle assembly. The axial center lines of the two support holes are on a first plane. The axial center line of the motor shaft of the electromechanical brake (2) is on a second plane. The second plane is parallel to the first plane and is disposed at an angle to the horizontal plane.

2. The gooseneck knuckle assembly of claim 1, wherein, The kingpin axis of the gooseneck steering knuckle assembly (1) passes through the electromechanical brake (2).

3. The gooseneck knuckle assembly of claim 1, wherein, The brake support (113) is located near the first mounting hole (111), and the electromechanical brake (2) is fixedly connected to the steering knuckle body (11) through the brake support (113).

4. The gooseneck steering knuckle assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second plane has an angle α with the horizontal plane, where |α|≤15°.

5. The gooseneck knuckle assembly of claim 1, wherein, The goose neck has a goose neck surface (117) facing the electromechanical brake (2), and the electromechanical brake (2) has a controller surface (211) facing the goose neck. The goose neck surface (117) and the controller surface (211) are arranged opposite to each other.

6. The gooseneck knuckle assembly of claim 1, wherein, The main body is provided with a dust baffle mounting part, and the gooseneck steering knuckle assembly (1) is connected to the dust baffle (4) through the dust baffle mounting part. The opening of the dust baffle (4) is set towards the horizontal plane where the support frame is located.

7. The gooseneck knuckle assembly of claim 1, wherein, The goose neck is provided with a plurality of reinforcing ribs, at least a portion of which are provided along the edge of the first assembly hole (111).

8. The gooseneck knuckle assembly of claim 1, wherein, The main body is provided with a bearing hole (114) for the bearing (5) to pass through. Multiple mounting holes (115) are also provided along the circumference of the bearing hole (114). The bearing (5) is fixedly connected to the steering knuckle body (11) through the mounting holes (115).

9. A vehicle, characterized in that, The vehicle has a gooseneck steering knuckle assembly, which is the gooseneck steering knuckle assembly according to any one of claims 1-8.

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