Wheel corner module with double-ball-pin lower control arm suspension and automobile

Abstract

The invention discloses a wheel corner module with a double-ball-pin lower control arm suspension, which comprises a wheel assembly integrated with a hub motor; the suspension system comprises an upper control arm, a front lower control arm and a rear lower control arm; the steering system comprises a main pin steering module, a universal joint and a steering knuckle; the steering knuckle is fixed to the center of the outer side of the hub motor, one end of the upper control arm is connected with the main pin steering module, and an output shaft of the main pin steering module is connected with the end, located above the center of the outer side of the hub motor, of the steering knuckle through a universal joint. One end of the front lower control arm and one end of the rear lower control arm are connected with the end, located below the center of the outer side of the hub motor, of the steering knuckle through ball pins, and the connecting positions of the front lower control arm and the rear lower control arm and the steering knuckle are located on the front side and the rear side of the longitudinal center plane of the hub motor. The kingpin steering module can drive the steering knuckle to rotate through the universal joint so as to achieve steering of the wheel assembly. The invention further discloses an automobile adopting the wheel corner module.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vehicle technology, specifically to a wheel corner module with a double ball-pin lower control arm suspension and an automobile. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of new energy vehicle technology, especially the application of electric drive systems, the design of new energy vehicles is gradually moving towards higher integration, intelligence, and automation. In this process, "corner module" technology, which integrates four systems—drive, braking, steering, and suspension—has emerged, becoming a key development direction for drive-by-wire chassis. Corner module technology not only boasts high integration and functional consolidation but also enables independent four-wheel drive, steering, and suspension control, significantly improving vehicle handling, stability, and agility. Therefore, corner module technology has gradually become a key focus in the future development of intelligent electric vehicle chassis systems.

[0003] However, despite the significant advantages of corner module technology, several problems remain to be solved in its application. One of the most prominent issues is the space conflict between the electric drive system and the suspension system. In the corner module design of new energy vehicles, larger in-wheel motors are typically used to improve vehicle power performance. While larger motors provide stronger power output, they significantly reduce the space inside the wheel rim, preventing the ball joint of the lower control arm from effectively extending into the rim and increasing the kingpin offset. This not only affects vehicle stability and comfort but also negatively impacts safety.

[0004] To reduce kingpin offset, a common approach is to shrink the size of the in-wheel motor. However, reducing the size of the in-wheel motor directly affects the motor's power and driving performance, thus reducing the overall vehicle's dynamics. Therefore, how to reduce the kingpin offset while maintaining a high-performance motor, thereby ensuring overall vehicle dynamics and improving stability, comfort, and safety, has become a key technical challenge that corner module technology urgently needs to overcome. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is: how to provide a wheel corner module that reduces the kingpin offset while meeting the requirements of high-performance motors, so as to ensure a balance between the vehicle's power, stability, comfort and safety.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A wheel corner module with a double ball-pin lower control arm suspension includes: The wheel assembly integrates a hub motor; The suspension system includes an upper control arm, a front lower control arm, and a rear lower control arm; The steering system includes the kingpin steering module, universal joint, and steering knuckle; The steering knuckle is fixed to the outer center of the hub motor. One end of the upper control arm is connected to the frame, and the other end is connected to the kingpin steering module. The output shaft of the kingpin steering module is connected to the end of the steering knuckle located above the outer center of the hub motor via a universal joint. One end of the front lower control arm and the rear lower control arm are each connected to the frame, and the other end is connected to the end of the steering knuckle located below the outer center of the hub motor via ball joints. The connection positions of the front lower control arm and the rear lower control arm to the steering knuckle are located on the front and rear sides of the longitudinal center plane of the hub motor, respectively. The kingpin steering module can drive the steering knuckle to rotate through the universal joint, thereby realizing the steering of the wheel assembly.

[0007] As an optimization, the upper control arm is H-shaped, and one end of the upper control arm is hinged to the vehicle frame through bushings and bolts. The kingpin steering module is located between the two support arms at the other end of the upper control arm and is hinged to the two support arms through bushings and bolts respectively. The rotation axes of the upper control arm are parallel to those of the vehicle frame and the kingpin steering module respectively.

[0008] As an optimization, both the front lower control arm and the rear lower control arm are hinged to the frame via bushings and bolts.

[0009] As an optimization, the suspension system also includes a damping assembly, the upper end of which is connected to the frame, and the lower end of which is hinged to the front lower control arm via bushings and bolts.

[0010] As an optimization, the universal joint is a ball cage type universal joint.

[0011] As an optimization, the end of the steering knuckle located below the center of the outer side of the hub motor is bent in the direction opposite to the hub motor to form a control arm mounting part. The control arm mounting part is located at the front side of the longitudinal center plane of the hub motor and has a front mounting hole in the vertical direction. The control arm mounting part is located at the rear side of the longitudinal center plane of the hub motor and has a rear mounting hole in the vertical direction. The front lower control arm is mounted at the front mounting hole through the ball pin, and the rear lower control arm is mounted at the rear mounting hole through the ball pin.

[0012] As an optimization, the ball pin corresponding to the front lower control arm is installed in the front mounting hole through the lower end of the front mounting hole, and the ball pin corresponding to the rear lower control arm is installed in the rear mounting hole through the upper end of the rear mounting hole. The height of the ball head center point of the ball pin corresponding to the front lower control arm in the vertical direction is lower than the ball head center point of the ball pin corresponding to the rear lower control arm.

[0013] As an optimization, the distance between the front mounting hole and the longitudinal center plane of the hub motor is greater than or equal to the distance between the rear mounting hole and the longitudinal center plane of the hub motor.

[0014] As an optimization, the rear lower control arm is generally arched upwards.

[0015] The present invention also discloses an automobile including a wheel corner module with a double ball-pin lower control arm suspension as described above.

[0016] In this invention, the kingpin degree of freedom is released through the function of the ball-cage universal joint, making the kingpin inclination angle adjustable. The center of the ball-cage universal joint is the upper end point of the kingpin axis (A1); the center point of the ball head of the ball pin located in front of the longitudinal center plane of the hub motor is the first reference point (B1); the center of the connection between the front lower control arm and the frame is the second reference point (B2); the center point of the ball head of the ball pin located behind the longitudinal center plane of the hub motor is the third reference point (B3); and the center of the connection between the rear lower control arm and the frame is the fourth reference point (B4). The kingpin axis upper end point (A1), the first reference point... A third reference plane (P3) is created from the first reference point (B1) and the second reference point (B2). A fourth reference plane (P4) is created through the upper end point (A1) of the kingpin axis, the third reference point (B3), and the fourth reference point (B4). The intersection of the third reference plane (P3) and the fourth reference plane (P4) is the kingpin axis (K). The kingpin axis (K) is located further out of the vehicle relative to the first reference point (B1) and the third reference point (B3), which reduces the kingpin offset. At the same time, the kingpin axis (K) will change with the steering of the vehicle and the up and down movement of the suspension, making the kingpin inclination angle adjustable.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages: (1) Compared with conventional double wishbone corner modules, the structure of ball cage universal joint and double ball pin lower control arm can significantly reduce the kingpin offset distance, and even make the kingpin offset distance negative. This innovative design effectively improves the vehicle's handling stability, enhances the overall driving safety and comfort, and the ball cage universal joint also releases the kingpin's degree of freedom, making the kingpin inclination angle adjustable. This not only enhances the vehicle's handling under different driving conditions, but also improves steering flexibility, which greatly improves the vehicle's handling and stability under complex road conditions. (2) By arranging the double ball pins on the outside of the rim, without occupying the internal space of the rim, the radial dimension of the hub motor can be effectively increased. This can not only improve the power and torque of the motor, thereby improving the power performance of the whole vehicle, but also reduce the axial dimension to a certain extent, thereby reducing the difficulty of arranging the corner module, optimizing the chassis space layout, and providing the vehicle with stronger power and better space utilization efficiency. (3) The front lower control arm and the rear lower control arm are installed in a spatially staggered manner, and the rear control arm has an arched shape. This design effectively avoids interference problems when turning at large angles, especially when turning at 90° and when the suspension bounces, so that the vehicle can maintain better stability and handling under high-speed driving and complex driving conditions.

[0018] Attached image description Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a front view of the present invention; Figure 3 for Figure 1 Enlarged detail image of point E in the middle; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the steering knuckle in this invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the front lower control arm in this invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the rear lower control arm in this invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the kingpin axis in this invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the steering of the wheel assembly when it is 90° around the kingpin axis in this invention; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the steering of the wheel assembly when it is 40° around the kingpin axis in this invention.

[0019] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1. Wheel assembly; 11. Wheel hub motor; 2. Steering system; 21. Kingpin steering module; 22. Universal joint; 23. Steering knuckle; 231. Front mounting hole; 232. Rear mounting hole; 3. Suspension system; 31. Upper control arm; 32. Damping assembly; 33. Front lower control arm; 331. Front ball joint; 34. Rear lower control arm; 341. Rear ball joint; A1, upper end point of the kingpin axis; B1, first reference point; B2, second reference point; B3, third reference point; B4, fourth reference point; P1, First datum plane; P2, Second datum plane; P3, Third datum plane; P4, Fourth datum plane; K, Kingpin axis. Detailed Implementation

[0020] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. The components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely represents selected embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0021] like Figures 1 to 9 As shown in the attached diagram, in this embodiment, the vehicle's forward direction is taken as the front. Taking the right front wheel corner module of the vehicle as an example, turning left is positive and turning right is negative. A coordinate system XYZ axis is established, where the positive direction of the X axis represents the front of the vehicle, the negative direction of the X axis represents the rear of the vehicle, the positive direction of the Y axis represents the left, the negative direction of the Y axis represents the right, the positive direction of the Z axis represents the top, and the negative direction of the Z axis represents the bottom. The wheel corner module with double ball pin lower control arm suspension in this specific embodiment includes: Wheel assembly 1, which integrates hub motor 11; The suspension system 2 includes an upper control arm 31, a front lower control arm 33, and a rear lower control arm 34; The steering system 3 includes a kingpin steering module 21, a universal joint 22, and a steering knuckle 23. In this embodiment, the kingpin steering module 21 includes a brushless DC motor and a worm gear and planetary reducer connected in conjunction with it. Steering knuckle 23 is fixed to the outer center of hub motor 11. One end of upper control arm 31 is connected to the frame, and the other end is connected to kingpin steering module 21. The output shaft of kingpin steering module 21 is connected to the end of steering knuckle 23 above the outer center of hub motor 11 via universal joint 22. One end of front lower control arm 33 and rear lower control arm 34 are each connected to the frame, and the other end is connected to the end of steering knuckle 23 below the outer center of hub motor 11 via ball joints. The connection positions of front lower control arm 33 and rear lower control arm 34 to steering knuckle 23 are located on the front and rear sides of the longitudinal center plane of hub motor 11, respectively. Kingpin steering module 21 can drive steering knuckle 23 to rotate via universal joint 22, thereby realizing the steering of wheel assembly 1. The rotation range of the wheel around the kingpin is -40° to 90°, which enables the vehicle to have flexible steering modes such as crabbing, lateral translation, and stationary turning.

[0022] In this specific embodiment, the upper control arm 31 is generally H-shaped. One end of the upper control arm 31 is hinged to the vehicle frame through bushings and bolts. The kingpin steering module 21 is located between the two support arms at the other end of the upper control arm 31 and is hinged to the two support arms through bushings and bolts respectively. The rotation axes of the upper control arm 31 are parallel to those of the vehicle frame and the kingpin steering module 21 respectively.

[0023] In this specific embodiment, both the front lower control arm 33 and the rear lower control arm 34 are hinged to the vehicle frame via bushings and bolts.

[0024] In this specific embodiment, the suspension system 2 further includes a damping assembly 32. The upper end of the damping assembly 32 passes through the position between the two support arms located at one end of the upper control arm 31 and is used to connect to the vehicle frame. The lower end of the damping assembly 32 is hinged to the front lower control arm 33 by bushings and bolts. The front lower control arm 33 is parallel to the rotation axis between the vehicle frame and the damping assembly 32. The installation position of the damping assembly 32 and the front lower control arm 33 is located between the installation positions of the front lower control arm 33 and the vehicle frame and the steering knuckle 23, respectively.

[0025] In this specific embodiment, the universal joint 22 is a ball cage type universal joint.

[0026] In this specific embodiment, the steering knuckle 23 is bent at one end below the center of the outer side of the hub motor 11 to form a control arm mounting part. The control arm mounting part is located at the front side of the longitudinal center plane of the hub motor 11 and has a front mounting hole 231 in the vertical direction. The control arm mounting part is located at the rear side of the longitudinal center plane of the hub motor 11 and has a rear mounting hole 232 in the vertical direction. The front lower control arm 33 is mounted at the front mounting hole 231 through the front ball pin 331, and the rear lower control arm 34 is mounted at the rear mounting hole 232 through the rear ball pin 341.

[0027] In this specific embodiment, the front ball pin 331 corresponding to the front lower control arm 33 is installed in the front mounting hole through the lower end of the front mounting hole, and the rear ball pin 341 corresponding to the rear lower control arm 34 is installed in the rear mounting hole through the upper end of the rear mounting hole. The vertical height of the center point of the ball head of the front ball pin 331 corresponding to the front lower control arm 33 is lower than the center point of the ball head of the rear ball pin 341 corresponding to the rear lower control arm 34. After the two ball pins are installed, the center point of the ball head of the corresponding front ball pin 331 is located below the first reference plane P1, and the center point of the ball head of the corresponding rear ball pin 341 is located above the second reference plane P2.

[0028] In this specific embodiment, the distance between the front mounting hole and the longitudinal center plane of the hub motor 11 is greater than or equal to the distance between the rear mounting hole and the longitudinal center plane of the hub motor 11.

[0029] In this specific embodiment, the rear lower control arm 34 is generally in an upward arched shape.

[0030] In this specific embodiment, the front lower control arm 33 and the rear lower control arm 34 are respectively connected to the vehicle frame by bushings and bolts.

[0031] An automobile includes a wheel corner module with a double ball-pin lower control arm suspension as described above.

[0032] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and not to limit the technical solutions. Those skilled in the art should understand that any modifications or equivalent substitutions to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention should be covered within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A wheel corner module with a double ball-pin lower control arm suspension, characterized in that: include: The wheel assembly integrates a hub motor; The suspension system includes an upper control arm, a front lower control arm, and a rear lower control arm; The steering system includes the kingpin steering module, universal joint, and steering knuckle; The steering knuckle is fixed to the outer center of the hub motor. One end of the upper control arm is connected to the frame, and the other end is connected to the kingpin steering module. The output shaft of the kingpin steering module is connected to the end of the steering knuckle located above the outer center of the hub motor via a universal joint. One end of the front lower control arm and the rear lower control arm are each connected to the frame, and the other end is connected to the end of the steering knuckle located below the outer center of the hub motor via ball joints. The connection positions of the front lower control arm and the rear lower control arm to the steering knuckle are located on the front and rear sides of the longitudinal center plane of the hub motor, respectively. The kingpin steering module can drive the steering knuckle to rotate through the universal joint, thereby realizing the steering of the wheel assembly.

2. The wheel corner module with double ball pin lower control arm suspension according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper control arm is H-shaped. One end of the upper control arm is hinged to the vehicle frame via bushings and bolts. The kingpin steering module is located between the two support arms at the other end of the upper control arm and is hinged to the two support arms via bushings and bolts. The rotation axes of the upper control arm are parallel to those of the vehicle frame and the kingpin steering module.

3. The wheel corner module with a double ball-pin lower control arm suspension according to claim 1, characterized in that: Both the front lower control arm and the rear lower control arm are hinged to the vehicle frame via bushings and bolts.

4. The wheel corner module with a double ball-pin lower control arm suspension according to claim 1, characterized in that: The suspension system also includes a damping assembly, the upper end of which is connected to the vehicle frame, and the lower end of which is hinged to the front lower control arm via bushings and bolts.

5. The wheel corner module with a double ball-pin lower control arm suspension according to claim 1, characterized in that: The universal joint is a ball-cage type universal joint.

6. The wheel corner module with a double ball-pin lower control arm suspension according to claim 1, characterized in that: The steering knuckle has a control arm mounting portion formed by bending one end below the center of the outer side of the hub motor in the direction opposite to the hub motor. The control arm mounting portion has a front mounting hole in the vertical direction at the front side of the longitudinal center plane of the hub motor, and a rear mounting hole in the vertical direction at the rear side of the longitudinal center plane of the hub motor. The front lower control arm is mounted at the front mounting hole through the ball pin, and the rear lower control arm is mounted at the rear mounting hole through the ball pin.

7. The wheel corner module with a double ball-pin lower control arm suspension according to claim 6, characterized in that: The ball pin corresponding to the front lower control arm is installed in the front mounting hole through the lower end of the front mounting hole, and the ball pin corresponding to the rear lower control arm is installed in the rear mounting hole through the upper end of the rear mounting hole. The height of the ball head center point of the ball pin corresponding to the front lower control arm in the vertical direction is lower than the ball head center point of the ball pin corresponding to the rear lower control arm.

8. The wheel corner module with a double ball-pin lower control arm suspension according to claim 6, characterized in that: The distance between the front mounting hole and the longitudinal center plane of the hub motor is greater than or equal to the distance between the rear mounting hole and the longitudinal center plane of the hub motor.

9. The wheel corner module with a double ball-pin lower control arm suspension according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rear lower control arm has an overall arched shape that curves upwards.

10. A car, characterized in that: Includes a wheel corner module with a double ball-pin lower control arm suspension as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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