Vehicle having drive and steering wheels carried by legs hinged to the vehicle structure, each leg including a system for driving and orienting the respective wheel

Abstract

A vehicle has steering and drive wheels (R) supported by outriggers (2) articulated to a structure (1) of the vehicle, each steering and drive wheel including a propulsion and orientation system for the respective wheel. Each outrigger (2) is rotatably mounted on a main support (6) about a lateral axis (T). A spring element (22) and a damper member (16) are operably located between the main support (6) and the structure (3) of the outrigger (2). The main support (6) is then rotatably mounted on a base structure (9) connected to the structure (1) of the vehicle about the lateral axis (T). An actuator device (36) is operably located between the main support (6) and the base support (9) to adjust the position of the main support (6) about the lateral axis (T), and thus adjust the height of the vehicle above the ground. For a given height adjustment of the vehicle, as the vehicle moves, the structure (3) of the outrigger pivots about the lateral axis (T) against the action of the spring element (22) and the damper member (16). The outrigger structure (2) carries the electric motor (M) for driving the wheel. The hub bearing support (27) carrying the wheel hub (R) is rotatably mounted on an auxiliary camber adjustment support (19) about the wheel steering axis (28). This auxiliary camber adjustment support is then supported on another auxiliary caster adjustment support in a manner oriented about the camber adjustment axis. This other auxiliary caster adjustment support is supported by the outrigger (2) in a manner oriented about the caster adjustment axis. The steering and camber adjustment of the wheel are controlled by corresponding actuator devices (30, 36). The caster adjustment is automatically controlled as the position of the outrigger changes about the lateral axis (T).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a vehicle comprising a vehicle structure and a plurality of wheels supported by respective outriggers articulated to the vehicle structure.

[0002] One or more of the articulated outriggers include outrigger structures that carry electric motors for driving corresponding wheels, and mechanical transmission devices operably located between the shaft of the electric motor and the hub of the wheel.

[0003] The outrigger structure is pivotally mounted on the main support member about a transverse axis relative to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0004] The spring element and damper component are operably positioned between the main support and the leg structure.

[0005] The main support member is rotatably mounted on the base support member about the transverse axis, and the base support member is connected to the vehicle structure.

[0006] The actuator device is operably located between the main support member and the base support member to adjust the position of the main support member relative to the base structure about the transverse axis. Rotation of the main support member is transmitted to the leg structure via the spring element and / or the damper member located between the main support member and the leg structure.

[0007] In this way, the actuator device actuates the position of the outrigger relative to the vehicle, and thus adjusts the vehicle's height above the ground. For a given adjustment of the vehicle height, during vehicle travel, the outrigger structure pivots relative to the main support about the lateral axis against the action of the spring element and the damper member. Background Technology

[0008] Vehicles with the aforementioned features have been described and illustrated by the same applicant in WO 2018 172953A1. The embodiments shown in that document relate to a vehicle particularly suitable for impermeable terrain, such as for civil protection operations. However, some of the principles behind such a vehicle can be used to produce any type of vehicle, including small electric or high-end electric vehicles, as well as off-road vehicles.

[0009] However, in some of these applications, particularly in the case of electric vehicles, further improvements are needed to the basic principles proposed by the applicant in order to further enhance their advantages.

[0010] Purpose of the invention

[0011] Therefore, the purpose of this invention is to improve upon previously proposed solutions.

[0012] Another object of the present invention is to produce a hinged leg assembly specifically for vehicles of the above type, which has a series of additional and advantageous features compared to previously proposed solutions.

[0013] Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel articulated leg configuration that incorporates an electric motor for driving a wheel, which allows for simple and efficient control of the steering of the wheel carried by the articulated leg, as well as the "camber angle", "caster angle" and "toe angle" of the wheel carried by the articulated leg.

[0014] Another object of the present invention is to provide a spring element and a damper component to counteract the swaying motion of the articulated outriggers during vehicle operation, which are manufactured to have a simple construction and reduced volume.

[0015] Another object of the present invention is to provide an articulated outrigger assembly of the type described above, wherein the articulated outrigger can be adjusted and oscillated about a vertical axis relative to the vehicle structure to obtain a change in the vehicle's wheelbase.

[0016] Another objective of this invention is to develop the proposed solution to allow dynamic control of the vehicle while driving, thereby ensuring adequate road-keeping, high passenger comfort, and the possibility of dynamically adjusting the vehicle's ground clearance based on a predictive survey of the road surface profile ahead of the vehicle while driving.

[0017] Another object of the present invention is to provide a motor vehicle that can be configured as a modular structure, wherein each articulated leg constitutes a module that simultaneously performs traction and suspension functions, and dynamically controls the torque applied to each wheel, the attitude applied to each wheel, and the vehicle's height above the ground.

[0018] Another objective is to allow more usable space for passenger compartments and baggage compartments and / or shock-absorbing structures to improve passenger safety.

[0019] Another objective is to provide a vehicle that offers great flexibility and is suitable for use on paved roads and off-road terrain of any type.

[0020] Finally, the purpose of this invention is to allow each wheel to always remain perpendicular to the ground, thereby reducing tire wear. Summary of the Invention

[0021] To achieve one or more of the above objectives, the present invention relates to a vehicle having the features disclosed at the beginning of this specification, and further having the following features:

[0022] - The outrigger structure includes a support housing, in which the aforementioned motor is disposed, and the support housing includes:

[0023] - The first end portion is rotatably supported by a main support member about the aforementioned transverse axis, and

[0024] -The second end portion of the wheel support unit, and

[0025] -The wheel support unit includes:

[0026] - A wheel hub bearing support rotatably mounted around the steering axis, which rotates on an auxiliary support for camber adjustment, which is in turn supported by a second end portion of the outrigger structure in a manner oriented about the camber adjustment axis, and

[0027] - An outward tilt adjustment actuator device that is directly or indirectly supported by the second end portion of the outrigger structure.

[0028] According to an additional feature, the camber adjustment support is mounted such that it can be oriented about the camber adjustment axis on an auxiliary kingpin caster adjustment support, which is supported by the second end portion of the outrigger structure in a manner oriented about the kingpin caster adjustment axis. The auxiliary kingpin caster adjustment support carries the aforementioned camber adjustment actuator device and is connected to a kingpin caster control device configured to automatically adjust the position of the auxiliary kingpin caster adjustment support when the position of the outrigger structure changes about the aforementioned lateral hinge axis.

[0029] In a preferred embodiment, each of the aforementioned actuator devices for adjusting the vehicle's height above the ground, controlling wheel steering, and adjusting camber is an electrically operated actuator device, and the vehicle includes an electronic controller configured and programmed to control the actuator devices based on signals from one or more sensors.

[0030] On the other hand, the caster angle control device can be passive. In a first embodiment, it includes a gear transmission operably connecting a sector gear carried by a base support to a sector gear carried by the aforementioned auxiliary caster angle adjustment support. In a second solution, the caster angle control device is a pantograph system operably located between the main support and the auxiliary caster angle adjustment support. In both solutions, when the outrigger structure pivots about its hinge axis, the aforementioned caster angle control device rotates the auxiliary caster angle adjustment support relative to the outrigger structure, thereby keeping the wheel's steering axis parallel to itself. In a variation, the pantograph system can have a variable configuration by means of an electric actuator.

[0031] According to an additional feature of the invention, the electric motor is arranged such that its axis is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the outrigger structure, and has a shaft connected to the wheel hub by means of a transmission device comprising:

[0032] - A first rotatable shaft, driven by an electric motor and rotatably mounted inside the outrigger structure about an axis arranged in the longitudinal direction of the outrigger structure.

[0033] - A pair of bevel gears that rotatably connect the first shaft to a second shaft protruding from the second end portion of the support leg structure, and

[0034] - Connect the second axle to at least one homokinetic joint of the wheel hub.

[0035] In a preferred embodiment, the aforementioned damper component is a rotary damper whose axis coincides with the aforementioned transverse hinge axis, is located on one side of the outrigger structure, and is operably positioned between the outrigger structure and the main support member.

[0036] Similarly, in the preferred embodiment, the aforementioned spring member is a torsion bar arranged about an axis parallel to and spaced apart from the aforementioned transverse hinge axis. One end of the torsion bar is anchored to a base support, and the opposite end supports a crank that is connected to an additional crank via a hinged link. The additional crank can rotate together with the outrigger structure about the aforementioned transverse hinge axis.

[0037] In another embodiment, it is conceivable that the aforementioned base support is then hinged to the vehicle structure in a manner rotatable about a vertical axis, and an actuator device is associated thereto to adjust the position of the base support, and thus adjust the position of the entire outrigger about the aforementioned vertical axis, thereby adjusting the wheelbase of the vehicle.

[0038] According to WO 2018 172953A1, a vehicle according to the invention may include one or more sensors configured to detect the contour of the ground in front of the vehicle while the vehicle is in motion, and the vehicle may be equipped with an electronic control unit configured to receive output signals from the sensors and control actuator devices based on the output signals, the actuator devices controlling the position of articulated legs about a corresponding articulation axis.

[0039] In this way, the vehicle can "predict" the structure of the ground it is moving on and automatically adjust its height above the ground based on the detected structure. The control system can also take other parameters, such as vehicle speed, into account when performing this control operation.

[0040] Due to the above features, the articulated leg unit that forms the subject of this invention can achieve a series of important advantages.

[0041] First, the articulated outrigger assembly itself combines wheel traction and suspension functions, which greatly simplifies the vehicle structure.

[0042] Furthermore, the articulated outrigger unit that forms the subject of this invention allows for dynamic electronic control of wheel attitude (camber, caster, and toe adjustments) in an extremely simple and precise manner.

[0043] Another advantage of the articulated outrigger assembly according to the invention is that all traction and suspension components are integrated into an assembly with a relatively small footprint, which provides ample flexibility in designing the vehicle's structure and, in particular, leaves more available space for the passenger compartment and luggage compartment and / or shock-absorbing structures to benefit passenger safety.

[0044] The vehicle according to the invention also has great flexibility in use, as it is suitable for both on-road and off-road driving on any type of terrain. Electronic controls can be configured to always keep the wheels perpendicular to the ground, thereby reducing tire wear.

[0045] Due to the above features, the present invention allows for advantageous application in various types and kinds of vehicles, which also provides important advantages from the perspective of production rationalization.

[0046] It should be noted that in this specification and the appended claims, the term "wheel" is used to refer to the case of a simple wheel, the case of a wheel assembly supported by the same articulated leg, and the case of any other type of ground engagement component, such as a track. Attached Figure Description

[0047] Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are provided merely as non-limiting examples, wherein:

[0048] - Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the articulated leg unit according to the present invention.

[0049] - Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A perspective view of the unit, with some parts removed to show the wheel propulsion system.

[0050] - Figure 2A yes Figure 1 A partial sectional perspective view of the unit.

[0051] - Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Another perspective view of the unit, with some parts removed to show the internal structure of the unit adjacent to its hinge axis.

[0052] - Figure 4yes Figure 1 An additional perspective view of the unit, with some parts removed.

[0053] - Figure 5 It shows Figure 3 The same perspective view, with some additional parts removed.

[0054] - Figure 6 yes Figure 5 Another perspective view of the visible structure,

[0055] - Figure 7 yes Figure 1 A partial sectional perspective view of the unit.

[0056] - Figure 8 It is formed Figure 1 An enlarged perspective view of a portion of the hub bearing assembly.

[0057] - Figure 9 This is another perspective view of the wheel hub bearing assembly.

[0058] - Figure 10 This is a perspective view of the entire articulated leg unit based on the first solution, with many parts removed to show the kingpin tilt control device.

[0059] - Figure 11 This is in the case of the second embodiment of the kingpin caster angle control device. Figure 1 Additional perspective view of the cell,

[0060] - Figure 12 It shows Figure 11 A variant of .

[0061] - Figure 13 , Figure 14 These are two additional perspective views involving a variant, in which the base support of the articulated outrigger is pivotally mounted about a vertical axis onto a support rigidly connected to the vehicle structure.

[0062] - Figure 15 This is a perspective view of an embodiment of the frame of an electric vehicle with four steering and drive wheels, each steering and drive wheel being supported by an articulated support leg unit according to the invention.

[0063] - Figure 16 , Figure 17 These are two exploded perspective views of a structural variation of the articulated outrigger according to the invention, wherein the outrigger is composed of modules that can be assembled in two different ways as shown in these figures to form the right or left outrigger of the vehicle using the same components respectively. Detailed Implementation

[0064] First refer to Figure 15 Reference numeral 1 generally indicates the frame of an electric motor vehicle with four steering and drive wheels. Each of the four wheels R is supported by an articulated outrigger unit 2 according to the invention, the articulated outrigger unit comprising an outrigger structure 3 hingedly mounted on the chassis 1 of the vehicle about a transverse axis T.

[0065] Figure 1-14 A preferred embodiment relating to each articulated leg unit 2.

[0066] In the example shown, the outrigger structure 3 includes a metal housing 4, also in the form of a hollow metal housing, connected to a first end portion 5, which is pivotally mounted on the main support 6 about a hinge axis T. At the opposite end, the housing 4 defines a second end portion 7 that carries a wheel hub bearing assembly 8.

[0067] The first end portion 5 of the outrigger structure is pivotally mounted around the main support 6, which is in turn rotatably mounted on the base support 9 about the transverse axis T, and the base support is rigidly connected to the vehicle structure.

[0068] Reference Figure 2 The propulsion system of the wheels carried by the outrigger 2 is arranged in the shell 4, which forms part of the outrigger structure 3.

[0069] According to a preferred embodiment, the propulsion system includes a motor M, the main body of which is rigidly mounted within a housing 5, with its axis oriented longitudinally in the support leg 2. The motor M's shaft is connected to a first shaft 10, which drives a second shaft 12 via a pair of bevel gears 11. The second shaft extends from the end portion 7 of the support leg 2 and is connected via a first constant velocity universal joint 14. Figure 2A The wheel hub 13 is connected to the wheel, and in the example shown, it is further connected to the wheel hub by means of a spherical universal joint 15. (See reference...) Figure 3-5 The end portion 5 of the outrigger structure is rotatably supported on two opposite sides by main supports 6 about a transverse axis T. On one side of the end portion 5 of the outrigger, there is a rotational damper 16 of any known type, which is operably positioned between the main supports 6 and the outrigger structure 3.

[0070] Please refer to the following for details. Figure 3 , Figure 5 An actuator device, integrally indicated by reference numeral 17, is inserted between a base support 9 rigidly connected to the vehicle structure and a main support 6 on which the outrigger 2 is rotatably mounted. In the example shown, the actuator device 17 includes an electric motor 18, which is driven by a gear transmission (its housing is in...). Figure 4 (Represented by 19) Control screw 20, which is engaged in nut 21, and the nut is hinged to main support 6.

[0071] Due to the above arrangement, actuation of actuator device 17 allows the position of main support 6 to be adjusted relative to base support 9 about hinge axis T. The rotation about lateral axis T applied to main support 6 by actuator device 17 is transmitted to end portion 5 of outrigger structure 2 by rotary damper 16 (in this case, the rotary damper simply functions as a transmission element), causing the entire outrigger to change its position relative to the vehicle about hinge axis T. Therefore, simultaneous adjustment of actuator devices 17 associated with different outriggers 2 of the vehicle allows the vehicle's height above the ground to be adjusted.

[0072] At the same time, in order to adjust the height of the vehicle above the ground, when the vehicle is in motion, the outrigger 2 can overcome the damping effect of the damper 16 and the spring element 22. Figure 6 The spring element acts relative to the main support 6, pivoting about the hinge axis T. In the example shown, the spring element includes a torsion bar, one end of which ( Figure 6 The left end of the support leg 2 is anchored to the support 6, and the opposite end carries the crank 23, which is connected to the additional crank 25 by means of the connecting rod 24. The additional crank can rotate about axis T together with the structure 3 of the support leg 2. Figure 6 ).

[0073] Now refer to Figure 2A and Figure 9 The wheel hub 13 is rotatably mounted within a hub bearing support 27 via a bearing 26. This support is rotatably mounted about a steering axis 28 to allow control of wheel steering and adjustment of the wheel's toe-in angle.

[0074] The hub bearing support 27 is rotatably mounted on the auxiliary camber adjustment support 29 about the steering wheel axis 28. The auxiliary camber adjustment support 29 is structurally supported by an actuator device 30 for actuating the steering rotation of the support 27 about the axis 28 (or for adjusting the toe angle).

[0075] In the example shown in the diagram ( Figure 9 The actuator device 30 includes an electric motor 31 that drives a worm gear 33 that meshes with a helical wheel 34 via a pair of gears 32. The helical wheel is rotatably connected to the support member 27.

[0076] The auxiliary camber adjustment support is then pivotally mounted above the additional auxiliary kingpin caster adjustment support 35 around the camber adjustment axis.

[0077] refer to Figure 2A An auxiliary support 35 for adjusting the caster angle is rotatably supported around axis A of the second shaft 12, which protrudes from the outrigger structure and is connected to the wheel hub via universal joints 14 and 15. Figure 2AAs can be seen, the auxiliary support 35 used to adjust the kingpin caster angle carries an actuator device 36 for adjusting the position of the auxiliary support 29 to adjust the camber angle. For example, in Figure 8 As can be seen, the auxiliary support 29 for adjusting the camber angle is guided by an arched prismatic guide on the main body of the auxiliary support 35, thereby allowing it to be oriented around the camber angle adjustment axis, which is substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the outrigger. (Refer to again...) Figure 2A , Figure 8 The actuator device 36 includes an electric motor 37, which drives a screw 38 via a gear transmission. Still referring to... Figure 8 The actuator assembly 36 is hinged to the structure of the support 35 about axis 39 and has a distal end of a screw 38 hinged to the auxiliary support 29. Therefore, for a given position of the auxiliary support 35, actuation of the actuator assembly 36 allows adjustment of the position of the auxiliary support 29 about the camber adjustment axis, thereby changing the camber angle defined by the steering axis 28.

[0078] As can be clearly seen from the above description, the adjustment position of the wheel hub bearing support 27 around the steering axis 28 is controlled by the actuator device 30, while the adjustment of the camber angle determined by the position of the auxiliary support 29 is controlled by the actuator device 36.

[0079] In the example shown herein, the adjustment of the kingpin caster angle is instead passively achieved by associating a passive control device with an auxiliary support 35 for adjusting the kingpin caster angle. In the first solution ( Figure 10 The device includes a gear transmission mechanism, which includes a shaft 39. Figure 10 The shaft is rotatably mounted on a motor M ( Figure 2 , Figure 2A Within the hollow structure of the driven shaft 10. (Refer to...) Figure 10 One end of shaft 39 carries a sector bevel gear 40, which meshes with a sector bevel gear 41 carried by a base support 9, the base support being rigidly connected to the vehicle structure. The opposite end of shaft 39 carries a sector bevel gear 42, which meshes with a sector bevel gear 43 carried by an auxiliary support 35 for adjusting the kingpin caster angle.

[0080] When the outrigger structure 2 pivots relative to the vehicle structure about axis T, the sector of bevel gear 40 (which is arranged outside the lateral hinge axis T) rolls on the sector of bevel gear 41, and is held fixed by applying rotation of shaft 39 about its axis. The rotation of shaft 39 is transmitted from sector bevel gear 42 to auxiliary kingpin caster adjustment support 35. The aforementioned gear transmission is configured such that when the position of the outrigger 2 changes about the hinge axis T, the auxiliary support 35 rotates in such a manner to keep the steering axis 28 parallel to itself.

[0081] Figure 11 It shows Figure 10 A variation of the solution, in which, instead of the aforementioned gear transmission, a pantograph system including a link 44 outside the housing 4 of the outrigger 2 is used as the kingpin caster control device 2. One end of the pantograph is hinged to a bracket 45 of the base support 9 at a position spaced apart from the lateral axis T, while the opposite end is hinged to a bracket 46, which is rigidly connected to an auxiliary support 35 for adjusting the kingpin caster angle. Again, in this case, changes in the position of the outrigger 2 about the lateral axis T cause the hinged link 44 to force the auxiliary support 35 to rotate around the base support 9. Figure 2A The visible axis A rotates. In the same case, the pantograph system can be configured to, for example, ensure that the steering axis 28 of the wheel remains parallel to itself when the position of the outrigger 2 changes about the articulation axis T. Figure 12 It shows Figure 11 Another variation, in which link 44 is an adjustable-length link that incorporates actuator device 45, which includes an electric motor and a transmission device for connecting the electric motor to the nut system.

[0082] Figure 13 , Figure 14 In another advanced embodiment, the base support 9 is not rigidly connected to the vehicle structure, but is rotatably mounted about a vertical axis V (referring to the mounting configuration on the vehicle) on a support 46 rigidly connected to the vehicle structure. In this embodiment, an actuator device 47 is provided, which includes an electric motor 48, which is driven by a gear transmission (in... Figure 13 A drive screw 50 (represented by box 49) engages within a nut 51, which is hinged to the base support structure 9. Actuation of the actuator device 47 commands the base support 9 to rotate about the vertical axis V, and the entire articulated outrigger 2, together with the base support 9, rotates about the vertical axis V. This simultaneous adjustment on the outriggers located on both sides of the vehicle allows for adjustment of the vehicle's track width, enabling the vehicle to adapt to, for example, rough terrain that might cause greater lateral instability.

[0083] In a preferred embodiment, the various elements constituting the unit according to the invention are associated with a surface-mounted mechanical deformation sensor (e.g., the FSS-SMT type sold by Honeywell) for continuous structural self-diagnosis on the system, which provides warnings in the event of external stress on the board.

[0084] Figure 16 , Figure 17 These are two exploded perspective views of a structural variation of the articulated outrigger according to the invention, wherein the outrigger is composed of modules AF, which are configured in such a way that they can be assembled in two different ways as shown in these figures to produce the right or left outrigger of the vehicle using the same components respectively. Specifically, module A represents the body of the outrigger containing the electric traction motor, module B represents a bevel gear unit for connecting the motor shaft to the wheel hub, module C represents a wheel hub bearing assembly including camber adjustment and steering / toe adjustment functions, module D represents a damper assembly for cushioning the pivoting of the outrigger, module E represents an assembly for adjusting the vehicle height, and module F represents a unit for adjusting the wheel track.

[0085] By Figure 16 , Figure 17 The two methods shown for assembling these identical components can yield either a right or left outrigger, or a front or rear outrigger. Thus, all articulated outriggers of the vehicle are derived from the same components, which simplifies component production and reduces the space and cost required to store the components.

[0086] Of course, without prejudice to the principles of the invention or without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims, the details of the structure and embodiments may vary considerably from those described and illustrated purely by way of example.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising a vehicle structure (1) and a plurality of wheels (R) carried by respective outriggers (2) articulated to the vehicle structure (1). in, One or more of the outriggers (2) include an outrigger structure (3) that carries an electric motor (M) for driving a corresponding wheel (R), and a mechanical transmission device (10, 11, 12) operatively located between the shaft (10) of the electric motor (M) and the hub (13) of the wheel (R). The outrigger structure (3) is pivotally mounted on the main support member (6) about a transverse axis (T), which is transverse relative to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The spring element (22) and the damper component (16) are operatively positioned between the main support (6) and the leg structure (3) of the leg (2). The main support member (6) is rotatably mounted on the base support member (9) about the transverse axis (T), and the base support member is connected to the vehicle structure (1). The actuator device (17) is operatively positioned between the main support member (6) and the base support member (9) to adjust the position of the main support member (6) relative to the base support member (9) about the transverse axis (T). The rotation of the main support member (6) is transmitted to the outrigger structure (3) of the outrigger (2) via the spring element (22) and / or via the damper member (16), the spring element and / or the damper member being positioned between the main support member (6) and the outrigger structure (3). In this way, the position of the actuation adjustment leg (2) of the actuator device (17) relative to the vehicle is adjusted, and thus the height of the vehicle above the ground is adjusted. For a given height adjustment of the vehicle, during vehicle travel, the leg structure (3) overcomes the action of the spring element (22) and the damper member (16) and pivots relative to the main support member (6) about the transverse axis (T). The vehicle is further characterized by: The outrigger structure (3) includes a support housing (4), the motor (M) is disposed within the support housing, and the support housing includes: The first end portion (5) is rotatably supported by the main support member (6) around the transverse axis (T), and The second end portion (7) of the wheel support unit (8) and The wheel support unit (8) includes: A hub bearing support (27), rotatably mounted about the wheel steering axis (28) on a camber adjustment support (29), which is in turn pivotally supported by the second end portion (7) of the outrigger structure (3) about the camber adjustment axis, and The camber adjustment actuator device (36) is directly or indirectly supported by the second end portion of the outrigger structure (3).

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The camber adjustment support (29) is mounted such that it can be oriented about the camber adjustment axis on the auxiliary kingpin caster adjustment support (35), which is pivotally supported by the second end portion (7) of the leg structure in a manner oriented about the kingpin caster adjustment axis. The camber adjustment actuator device (36) is supported by the auxiliary kingpin caster adjustment support (35), and The auxiliary kingpin tilt angle adjustment support (35) is connected to the kingpin tilt angle control device, which is configured to automatically adjust the position of the auxiliary kingpin tilt angle adjustment support (35) when the position of the outrigger (2) changes around the transverse axis (T).

3. The vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The camber adjustment support (29) supports an actuator device (30) for controlling the rotation of the wheel hub bearing support (27) about the wheel steering axis (28).

4. The vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that, The kingpin backslope control device is a gear transmission device (39-43) that is operatively located between a sector gear (41) carried by a base support (9) and a sector gear (43) carried by an auxiliary kingpin backslope adjustment support (35).

5. The vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that, The kingpin backslope control device includes a pantograph system (44-46) operably located between a base support (9) and an auxiliary kingpin backslope adjustment support (35).

6. The vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The electric motor (M) is arranged with its axis parallel to the longitudinal direction of the outrigger (2) and has a shaft (10) connected to the wheel hub (13) by means of a transmission device, the transmission device comprising: The first shaft, driven by an electric motor (M) and rotatably mounted within the leg structure (3) about an axis arranged in the longitudinal direction of the leg structure (3); A pair of bevel gears (11) transmit the rotation of the first shaft to a second shaft protruding from the second end portion (7) of the support leg structure (3); and At least one constant velocity universal joint (14, 15) is provided to connect the second axle to the wheel hub (13).

7. The vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The damper component is a rotary damper whose axis coincides with the transverse axis (T), and is arranged on one side of the outrigger structure (3) and operatively located between the outrigger structure (3) and the main support (6).

8. The vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The spring element (22) is a torsion bar arranged around an axis parallel to and spaced apart from the transverse axis (T), one end of which is anchored to the base support (9) and the opposite end carries a crank (23), which is connected to an additional crank (25) by means of a hinged link (24), the additional crank rotating together with the support leg structure (3) of the support leg (2) around the transverse axis (T).

9. The vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base support (9) is then rotatably mounted on the vehicle structure about a vertical axis (V), and an actuator device is associated with the base support for adjusting the position of the base support (9), thereby adjusting the position of the entire outrigger (2) about the vertical axis (V) in order to adjust the wheel track of the vehicle.

10. The vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, Each actuator device is an electrically operated actuator device, and the vehicle includes an electronic controller configured and programmed to control the actuator devices based on signals from one or more sensors.

11. The vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vehicle includes one or more sensors adapted to detect the contours of the ground in front of the vehicle while the vehicle is in motion, and the vehicle is equipped with an electronic controller configured to receive output signals from the sensors and to control actuator devices based on the output signals to control the vehicle's height above the ground.

12. An articulated outrigger unit for a vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims.

13. The articulated leg unit according to claim 12, characterized in that, The articulated outrigger unit includes multiple modules (AFs) configured to be assembled in two different ways to produce either the right outrigger or the left outrigger of the vehicle.

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