A wheel end module system

Abstract

The application relates to a wheel module system in the technical field of automobile chassis, which comprises disconnected lower rear control arms and lower front control arms for installing suspensions; under the premise of guaranteeing optimal kingpin characteristics, the length of the upper and lower control arms is reduced, and the layout space is optimized; the lower end of a shock absorber is arranged at the lower rear control arm, so that the vertical stress of the shock absorber is more reasonable; the wheel support realizes the integration of various systems of the chassis, so that the chassis system is integrated and productized, the layout design of vehicle development is more simplified, the degree of freedom is higher, the wheel module is more suitable for new vehicle model development, and the vehicle model development spectrum is more open; a distributed steering system adopts independent steering gears for controlling single wheels, realizes the control of a vehicle controller on single wheels, accurately guarantees the Ackerman angle relationship of the inside and outside steering wheels, improves the vehicle controllability, improves the control precision of the steering system, and improves the operation precision of the vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of automobile chassis, and in particular relates to a wheel side module system. Background Art

[0002] With the continuous development of the automotive industry, the application of intelligent driving and drive-by-wire chassis in vehicles has gradually increased, and the requirements for the control accuracy and operating efficiency of vehicle actuators have become more stringent. Traditional vehicles use a central motor to drive the wheels through a drive shaft, and a single steering gear to control the wheels on both sides of a single axle. However, the transmission efficiency loss caused by this solution has not been effectively solved. In addition, freight vehicles require more flexible vehicle steering, but vehicles with a single axle and a single steering gear cannot effectively improve vehicle maneuverability due to the coordinated steering of the two wheels.

[0003] Furthermore, during the lengthy development process of new models, traditional automobiles face difficulties in designing and arranging chassis components, as they are distributed throughout the vehicle. This creates a complex and challenging layout, with limited flexibility. Furthermore, chassis layout solutions cannot be fully universalized during new model development, resulting in poor model family relevance. The widespread distribution of chassis components also creates significant challenges for after-sales repairs.

[0004] In order to achieve control of a single wheel, traditional vehicles use a screw motor or a motor installed at the top point of the kingpin to drive the wheel steering. The screw motor solution is designed to have a very small screw stroke to ensure a smaller motion envelope and interference-free motion. As a result, the range of toe change during wheel hop becomes larger, resulting in abnormal wheel wear and detrimental to the vehicle's driving stability when turning at high speed.

[0005] The motor is installed on the upper control arm, which causes the wheel side movement envelope to be too large when the wheel jumps up and down. This makes the frame / body longitudinal beam higher, affects the layout space above the suspension, and requires more space for the wheel arch design, affecting the overall aesthetics of the vehicle. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of the deficiencies in the prior art, the present invention aims to provide a wheel-side module system.

[0007] The technical solution adopted by the invention is: a wheel-side module system, including a hub motor and a steering knuckle connected to the hub motor. The technical key points are:

[0008] The suspension is installed, comprising a lower rear control arm disposed at the lower end of the shock absorber for connection to the vehicle frame, an upper control arm located at the upper end of the shock absorber and the lower rear control arm forming a double wishbone structure with a height difference; the disconnected lower rear control arm and the lower front control arm are connected to one side of the steering knuckle, the virtual kingpin lower hard point of the lower rear control arm and the lower front control arm are advanced to the other side of the steering knuckle, and the wheel hub motor is connected at the location of the virtual kingpin lower hard point;

[0009] A distributed steering gear has an outer ball pin end of a steering tie rod for connection to a steering knuckle controlled by a wheel hub motor; the steering tie rod is connected to an inner ball pin seat of the steering tie rod connected to one end of the rack; the steering gear that drives a single wheel on one side is driven by a steering drive motor connected to the steering tie rod, the steering drive motor is connected to a motor controller to receive control signals, and the steering gear housing has a mounting end for connection to a wheel side bracket;

[0010] The wheel side brackets are respectively connected to the distributed steering gear, shock absorber, and the lower rear control arm and lower front control arm of the suspension.

[0011] In the above scheme, the wheel side bracket includes an upper connecting part, a middle connecting part and a lower connecting part. The bottom of the upper connecting part extends horizontally and then bends vertically downward to form a stepped structure for avoiding the wheel cover. The lower bent part continues to extend downward through the oblique support structure to form the middle connecting part, wherein the left side of the oblique support structure is first concave inward and then stretches outward, and the bottom of the middle connecting part is connected to the lower connecting part formed by extending horizontally.

[0012] In the above solution, the upper connecting portion integrates the upper shock absorber mounting flange and the upper control arm boss. The center of the upper shock absorber mounting flange, which is used to connect to the circular upper support of the shock absorber, is designed with a circular hole for accommodating the locking structure at the upper end of the shock absorber piston rod. Mounting through holes are also provided around the circular hole for use with mounting bolts used to fix the upper support of the shock absorber.

[0013] A threaded hole for installing the upper control arm is provided on the upper control arm boss. The upper control arm boss has a thickened end for improving the installation strength of the upper control arm installation point. The two upper control arm bosses are respectively provided with reinforcing ribs starting from the thickened end and extending to the surface of the lower connecting part for increasing the vertical stiffness of the upper control arm mounting boss and the shock absorber mounting flange.

[0014] In the above solution, the thickened ends of the two upper control arm bosses are connected by reinforcing ribs for increasing longitudinal rigidity.

[0015] In the above solution, weight-reducing grooves are symmetrically provided on the upper connecting portion, cross-shaped reinforcing ribs are provided inside the weight-reducing grooves, and a center hole is provided between the two weight-reducing grooves.

[0016] In the above solution, two frame mounting bosses are symmetrically provided on the middle connecting portion, as well as a lower front control bracket and a lower rear control arm bracket for connecting to the lower control arm; a left weight reduction groove and a right weight reduction groove are provided on the oblique support structure of the middle connecting portion, and an avoidance groove for avoiding the steering rod is provided between the left and right weight reduction grooves;

[0017] It also includes a groove for avoiding the front lower control arm; a longitudinal reinforcement rib for transferring stress at the frame mounting point is provided at the connection between the two frame mounting bosses, and a longitudinal reinforcement rib for transferring stress at the two lower control arm mounting points is connected between the lower front control arm bracket and the lower rear control arm bracket.

[0018] In the above solution, cross-shaped reinforcing ribs are provided in the left and right weight-reducing grooves.

[0019] In the above solution, the lower connecting portion is provided with a steering gear mounting boss and a frame lower mounting boss with a height difference, and also includes a frame lower mounting boss with a through hole for connecting with the frame lower longitudinal beam and a cylindrical groove for avoiding the steering gear.

[0020] The beneficial effects of the present invention are: the wheel-side module system includes a mounting suspension for a disconnected lower rear control arm and a lower front control arm, which reduces the length of the upper and lower control arms and optimizes the layout space while ensuring the optimal kingpin characteristics; the lower end of the shock absorber is arranged at the lower rear control arm, so that the vertical force of the shock absorber 8 is more reasonable; the wheel-side bracket realizes the integration of various chassis systems, making the chassis system integrated and productized, and the layout design of vehicle development is simpler and more free. The wheel-side module is more applicable to the development of new models, and the model development spectrum is more open; the distributed steering system adopts an independent steering gear to control a single wheel, realizes the control of a single wheel by the vehicle controller, and accurately guarantees the Ackerman angle relationship between the inner and outer steering wheels, which not only improves the vehicle handling, but also improves the control accuracy of the steering system and improves the vehicle operation accuracy. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the wheel-side module system structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the wheel side bracket structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of the back structure of the wheel side bracket according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the position of the hard point under the kingpin according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a distributed diverter according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] The serial numbers in the figure are as follows: 1 wheel hub motor, 2 steering knuckle, 3 upper control arm, 3 shock absorber upper support, 4, 4-1 through hole, 4-2 threaded hole, 4-4 threaded hole, 4 wheel side bracket, 41 upper connection part, 411 support surface, 412 round hole, 413 flange, 414 center hole, 415 boss, 416 thickened end, 417 weight reduction groove, 418 reinforcement rib, 419 connection reinforcement rib, 4110 longitudinal reinforcement rib, 42 middle connection part, 421 upper mounting boss, 422 weight reduction groove, 423 weight reduction groove, 424 oblique support structure, 42 5 Left weight reduction groove, 426 Right weight reduction groove, 427 Avoidance groove, 428 Groove, 429 Longitudinal reinforcement rib, 4210 Lower front control arm bracket, 4211 Lower rear control arm bracket, 4212 Longitudinal reinforcement rib, 43 Lower connecting part, 431 Steering gear mounting boss, 432 Frame lower mounting boss, 433 Cylindrical groove, 5 Distributed steering gear, 51 Rack limit block, 52 Dust cover, 53 Limiting surface, 54 Housing, 55 Limiting groove, 56 Pin seat, 6 Lower rear control arm, 7 Lower front control arm, 8 Shock absorber, 9 Rack, 10 Single-sided steering rod. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and easy to understand, the following Figure 1-5 The present invention is further described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0029] The wheel module system used in this embodiment includes a hub motor 1, a steering knuckle 2 connected to the hub motor, a mounting suspension, a distributed steering gear 5 and a wheel bracket 4. The specific structure is as follows:

[0030] The suspension utilizes a double wishbone design, comprising an upper control arm 3 and a disconnected lower control arm. The lower rear control arm 6 and lower front control arm 7 are connected to one side of the steering knuckle. The virtual kingpin lower hardpoint of the lower rear control arm 6 and lower front control arm 7 is positioned forward on the other side of the steering knuckle. This design, while ensuring optimal kingpin characteristics, increases the height difference between the upper and lower control arms. The disconnected lower control arm design achieves a forward virtual kingpin lower hardpoint, reducing the length of the upper and lower control arms and optimizing layout space. Similarly, this embodiment connects the wheel hub motor 1 at position A, where the virtual kingpin lower hardpoint is located. The lower end of the shock absorber 8 is located on the lower rear control arm 6, which acts as a load-bearing arm, ensuring a more balanced vertical load distribution. The double wishbone suspension also offers excellent handling and more efficient decoupling of wheel motion. Combined with a split steering gear, it is suitable for high-speed, heavy-load, and other harsh operating conditions, making it suitable for a wide range of vehicle types.

[0031] The distributed steering gear 5 of this embodiment comprises multiple independent steering gears for controlling a single wheel. Within the housing of each independent steering gear is a rack that moves axially along the independent steering gear. The housing 54 of the independent steering gear is fixedly connected to a dust cover 52 via a hoop. A pin holder 56 is located on one side of the dust cover 52, connecting to the inner ball pin end of a single-sided steering tie rod 9. The outer ball pin end of the single-sided steering tie rod 9 is connected to a steering knuckle 2, which is controlled by the wheel hub motor 1 and also connected to the wheel. The movement of the rack 8 drives the pin holder 56, which then stops in a stop slot 55 located at one end of the independent steering gear housing 54, thus limiting the travel of the single-sided steering tie rod 9. On the other side of the dust cover 52, a rack stop block 51 replaces the existing second steering tie rod. The rack stop block 51 is threadedly connected to the rack 8 and moves with it. When the rack stop block 51 contacts a stop surface 53 of the housing 54 of the independent steering gear, the other end of the rack 8 is limited. Because there is no steering rod on the side of the rack limit block 51, there is no need to adopt a tapered closing design of the steering rod dust cover on the steering rod side. Only the axial movement of the dust cover needs to be considered. Therefore, the diameter of the rack limit block 51 of this embodiment is consistent with the diameter of the housing 54 and the dust cover 52 of the independent steering gear, so two dust covers of equal width can be used without the need for a tapered closing design. The structure is simple and the cost is lower. At the same time, it is not easy for the rubber to be damaged due to long-term twisting, resulting in oil leakage.

[0032] In this embodiment, each wheel is controlled by an independent steering gear, forming a distributed system, which enables the vehicle controller to control a single wheel and accurately ensure the Ackerman angle relationship between the inner and outer steering wheels, thereby improving the vehicle's handling and the control accuracy of the steering system, thereby improving the vehicle's operating accuracy. In addition, different driving modes of the vehicle can be achieved by controlling a single wheel, such as diagonal driving and turning on the spot, further improving the vehicle's maneuverability. The overall structure of the distributed steering gear adopts a rack and pinion type, which has a mature structure and stable performance. Compared with the traditional dual-axis steering gear, it reduces the single-sided steering tie rod, and the housing and rack can be shortened by half. At the same time, the motor and controller are integrated at the input gear shaft (in this embodiment, the independent steering gear is driven by the steering drive motor connected to it, and the steering drive motor is connected to the motor controller to receive the control signal). The overall structure is simple and compact, which is convenient for the integrated arrangement of the wheel-side modules.

[0033] The steering gear housing of this embodiment has a mounting end for connecting to the wheel side bracket 4.

[0034] The wheel bracket 4 is connected to the distributed steering gear 5, shock absorber 8, lower rear control arm 6, and lower front control arm 6 respectively. The integration of the chassis system is achieved through the wheel bracket 4, which is made of aluminum alloy. Its specific structure is as follows: it includes an upper connecting part 41, a middle connecting part 42, and a lower connecting part 43. The bottom of the upper connecting part 41 extends outward and then bends vertically downward to form a stepped structure for avoiding the wheel cover. The bottom of the lower bent part continues to extend downward through the oblique support structure 424 to form the middle connecting part 42. The oblique support structure 424 can effectively increase the horizontal layout space of the wheel bracket 4. The left side of the oblique support structure 424 is first concave inward and then stretches outward. The bottom of the middle connecting part 42 is connected to the lower connecting part 43 extending horizontally.

[0035] The upper connecting portion 41 has a support surface 411 that is connected to the shock absorber 8. Weight-reducing grooves 417 are provided on either side of the support surface 411. Cross-shaped reinforcing ribs are provided within the weight-reducing grooves 417 to provide localized support and enhance the strength of the upper connecting portion 41. The centers of the two weight-reducing grooves 417 are defined by a central hole 414.

[0036] A flange 413 for connecting to the shock absorber 8 is provided perpendicular to the support surface 411. A circular hole 412 is located in the center of the flange 413, which accommodates the locking structure at the upper end of the shock absorber piston rod. The upper connecting portion 41 is connected to the shock absorber's circular upper support via the flange 413 and mounting bolts that cooperate with the through-holes in the flange 413. Bosses 415 for connecting to the upper control arm are located on both sides of the top of the support surface 413. These bosses 415 have threaded holes embedded with wire inserts to prevent damage to the aluminum alloy from repeated assembly and disassembly.

[0037] In this embodiment, the bosses 415 arranged symmetrically on both sides of the upper connecting portion 41 are partially thickened to form thickened ends 416. The thickened ends 416 contact the upper control arm 3, which can improve the installation strength of the upper control arm 3. The thickened ends 416 of the bosses are also provided with reinforcing ribs 418. The reinforcing ribs 418 extend from the surface of the thickened ends 416 of the bosses through the surface of the middle connecting portion 42 to the surface of the lower connecting portion 43. ， This serves to increase the vertical stiffness between the boss 415 of the upper control arm 3 and the shock absorber mounting flange, and also to improve the overall stiffness of the entire wheel bracket 4. The two thickened bosses are connected by a connecting rib 419, which serves to increase the longitudinal stiffness of adjacent thickened bosses 413. Longitudinal stiffening ribs 4110 are also provided on the upper connecting portion 41 to increase its longitudinal stiffness.

[0038] In this embodiment, the lower bend of the middle connecting portion 42 is provided with upper mounting bosses 421 for connecting to the vehicle frame. These upper mounting bosses 421 are located on either side of the lower bend and feature eight through-holes for securing bolts. A weight-reducing groove 423 is located at the center of each upper mounting boss 421. A weight-reducing groove 422 is located between the two upper mounting bosses 421. These grooves contain cross-shaped reinforcement ribs for localized support. The middle connecting portion 42 also features a lower front control bracket 4210 and a lower rear control arm bracket 4211 for connecting to the lower control arm.

[0039] Left and right weight-reducing grooves 425 and 426 are located on either side of the oblique support structure 424. Both grooves have reinforcing ribs to enhance their support. A clearance groove 427 for the steering rod is located between the two grooves. This groove extends from the oblique support structure 424 to the lower connecting portion 43, and its dimensions were determined through analysis of the steering rod's motion.

[0040] A groove 428 is also provided on the middle connecting portion 42 to provide clearance for the front lower control arm. A longitudinal reinforcement rib 429 is provided at the junction of the two upper mounting bosses 421 to transfer stress from the frame mounting point, thereby improving the central longitudinal stiffness and overall strength. The lower front control arm bracket 4210 and lower rear control arm bracket 4211 of this embodiment are designed based on the suspension design hardpoint layout. A longitudinal reinforcement rib 4212 is provided between the front lower control arm bracket 4210 and the rear lower control arm bracket 4211 to transfer stress from the two lower control arm mounting points, thereby improving the central longitudinal stiffness and overall strength.

[0041] The lower connecting portion 43 primarily integrates the steering gear mounting boss 431 and the lower frame mounting boss 432. The position of the steering gear mounting boss 431 is designed to match the distributed steering gear structure. The steering gear mounting boss 431 has a threaded hole, inlaid with a wire screw sleeve to prevent damage to the threaded hole caused by repeated disassembly and assembly of the aluminum alloy material. The steering gear mounting boss 431 and the lower frame mounting boss 432 have a mounting height difference to avoid affecting the installation of the rear lower control arm. There are a total of six lower frame mounting bosses 432, each with a through-hole designed to mount the lower longitudinal beam of the frame. A cylindrical groove 433, connected to the bottom of the avoidance groove 427 on the lower connecting portion 43, is used to avoid the steering gear.

[0042] The wheel side system of this embodiment adopts the traditional steering tie rod layout, which has a more compact space and more reasonable wheel movement, and is suitable for different vehicle movement conditions. The steering gear adopts a single tie rod to drive a single-side wheel, and the structure is stable and mature.

[0043] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any modifications or substitutions that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A wheel module system, comprising a hub motor and a steering knuckle connected to the hub motor, characterized in that: Also includes: The suspension is installed, comprising a lower rear control arm disposed at the lower end of the shock absorber for connection to the vehicle frame, an upper control arm located at the upper end of the shock absorber and the lower rear control arm forming a double wishbone structure with a height difference; the disconnected lower rear control arm and the lower front control arm are connected to one side of the steering knuckle, the virtual kingpin lower hard point of the lower rear control arm and the lower front control arm are advanced to the other side of the steering knuckle, and the wheel hub motor is connected at the location of the virtual kingpin lower hard point; The distributed steering gear has an outer ball pin end of a steering tie rod connected to a steering knuckle controlled by a wheel hub motor; the steering tie rod is connected to an inner ball pin seat of the steering tie rod connected to one end of the rack; The steering gear that drives a single wheel on one side is driven by a steering drive motor connected thereto. The steering drive motor is connected to a motor controller to receive control signals. The steering gear housing has a mounting end for connecting to a wheel side bracket. Wheel side brackets, which are respectively connected to the distributed steering gear, shock absorber, and the lower rear control arm and lower front control arm of the suspension; The wheel side bracket includes an upper connecting part, a middle connecting part and a lower connecting part. The bottom of the upper connecting part extends horizontally and then bends vertically downward to form a stepped structure for avoiding the wheel cover. The lower bent part continues to extend downward through the oblique support structure to form the middle connecting part, wherein the left side of the oblique support structure is first concave inward and then stretches outward. The bottom of the middle connecting part is connected to the lower connecting part formed by extending horizontally.

2. The wheel side module system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper connecting portion integrates the upper shock absorber mounting flange and the upper control arm boss. The center of the upper shock absorber mounting flange, which is used to connect to the circular upper support of the shock absorber, is designed with a circular hole for accommodating the locking structure at the upper end of the shock absorber piston rod. There are also mounting through holes around the circular hole for use with the mounting bolts used to fix the upper support of the shock absorber. A threaded hole for installing the upper control arm is provided on the upper control arm boss. The upper control arm boss has a thickened end for improving the installation strength of the upper control arm installation point. The two upper control arm bosses are respectively provided with reinforcing ribs starting from the thickened end and extending to the surface of the lower connecting part, which are used to increase the vertical stiffness of the upper control arm mounting boss and the shock absorber mounting flange.

3. The wheel side module system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The thickened ends of the two upper control arm bosses are connected by reinforcing ribs that increase longitudinal rigidity.

4. The wheel side module system according to claim 2, characterized in that: Weight-reducing grooves are symmetrically arranged on the upper connecting portion, cross-shaped reinforcing ribs are arranged inside the weight-reducing grooves, and a center hole is also arranged between the two weight-reducing grooves.

5. The wheel side module system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The middle connection part is symmetrically provided with two frame mounting bosses, as well as a lower front control bracket and a lower rear control arm bracket for connecting to the lower control arm; the oblique support structure of the middle connection part is provided with a left weight reduction groove and a right weight reduction groove, and an avoidance groove for avoiding the steering rod is provided between the left and right weight reduction grooves; It also includes a groove for avoiding the front lower control arm; a longitudinal reinforcement rib for transferring stress at the frame mounting point is provided at the connection between the two frame mounting bosses, and a longitudinal reinforcement rib for transferring stress at the two lower control arm mounting points is connected between the lower front control arm bracket and the lower rear control arm bracket.

6. The wheel side module system according to claim 5, characterized in that: There are cross-shaped reinforcing ribs in the left and right weight-reducing grooves.

7. The wheel side module system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lower connecting part is provided with a steering gear mounting boss and a frame lower mounting boss with a height difference, and also includes a frame lower mounting boss with a through hole for connecting with the frame lower longitudinal beam and a cylindrical groove for avoiding the steering gear.

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