A wheel end corner module with large cornering and virtual kingpin

Abstract

The application is suitable for the technical field of automobile chassis, and provides a wheel-side angle module with a large turning angle and a virtual kingpin, which comprises a wheel, a drive and brake system assembly, an upper control arm assembly, a front lower control arm assembly, a rear lower control arm assembly, a first connecting rod, a second connecting rod assembly, a steering system and a suspension actuator; a virtual intersection point generated by the connecting line of the front lower control arm assembly and the rear lower control arm assembly is used as a lower hard point of the virtual kingpin, and the connecting line of the virtual intersection point and an outer point of the upper control arm assembly is an axis of the virtual kingpin. The virtual kingpin design can significantly reduce the kingpin offset of a distributed electric drive vehicle with a wheel hub motor as a power source, thereby avoiding the influence of interference torque on the wheel and improving the driving stability of the vehicle.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application belongs to the technical field of automobile chassis, and particularly relates to a wheel-side corner module with a large turning angle and a virtual kingpin. BACKGROUND

[0002] A distributed electric drive vehicle running unit with a wheel hub motor as a power source and independently integrated with a steering system, a braking system and a suspension system on the wheel side is referred to as a corner module. The current corner module is usually characterized by "drive-braking system integrated into the wheel, steering-suspension system integrated into the wheel side". The above configuration causes the space in the wheel rim to be occupied by the wheel hub motor, and the outer point of the control arm under the suspension cannot be deep into the interior of the wheel rim, resulting in an increase in the lateral offset of the kingpin. The increase in the lateral offset of the kingpin will amplify the unbalanced moment generated due to the difference in the adhesion conditions of the wheels on both sides and the drive-braking force and the disturbance moment generated by the road surface excitation. The increase in the non-sprung mass makes the inertia greater during bumping and steering, and the moment transmitted to the steering system through the kingpin offset is more obvious. Therefore, the corner module configuration design faces the challenges of handling stability and high-speed driving stability.

[0003] Currently, there are mainly four schemes for reducing the lateral offset of the kingpin of the corner module: (1) using a high-throw type steering knuckle; (2) using an axial flux wheel hub motor with a low radial size matched with a large diameter wheel rim; (3) using a corner module overall steering configuration, and the kingpin steering gear is independent of the suspension system and located above the wheel; (4) using a virtual kingpin suspension configuration.

[0004] In the above schemes, the configuration based on the virtual kingpin suspension has good development potential in terms of space occupation, vehicle adaptation, handling stability and the like. However, based on the configuration of the virtual kingpin suspension and the tie rod type steering, the maximum turning angle is small due to the interference of the steering tie rod, and it is difficult to exert the performance advantages of the corner module in canceling the mechanical constraints between the wheels and improving the vehicle mobility and the like. SUMMARY

[0005] The purpose of the embodiment of the present application is to provide a wheel-side corner module with a large turning angle and a virtual kingpin, aiming at solving the problems raised in the background.

[0006] The embodiment of the present application is implemented as follows: a wheel-side corner module with a large turning angle and a virtual kingpin, comprising a wheel, a drive-braking system assembly, an upper control arm assembly, a front lower control arm assembly, a rear lower control arm assembly, a first connecting rod, a second connecting rod assembly, a steering system and a suspension actuator.

[0007] The connecting line of the front lower control arm assembly and the rear lower control arm assembly forms a virtual intersection point, the virtual intersection point serves as a lower hard point of the virtual kingpin, and the connecting line of the virtual intersection point and the outer point of the upper control arm assembly constitutes an axis of the virtual kingpin.

[0008] The turning system comprises a steering knuckle and a steering actuator; one side of the steering knuckle is connected with a drive braking system assembly, the top of the steering knuckle is hingedly connected with an upper control arm assembly, and the bottom of the steering knuckle is hingedly connected with a front lower control arm assembly and a rear lower control arm assembly; the output end of the steering actuator is hingedly connected with a first connecting rod;

[0009] One end of the first connecting rod is hingedly connected with the rear lower control arm assembly, and the other end of the first connecting rod is hingedly connected with one end of a second connecting rod assembly; the other end of the second connecting rod assembly is hingedly connected with the steering knuckle;

[0010] The hingedly connected points of the first connecting rod and the rear lower control arm assembly, the hingedly connected points of the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod assembly, the hingedly connected points of the second connecting rod assembly and the steering knuckle, and the lower hard point of a virtual kingpin form a parallelogram mechanism;

[0011] The steering actuator drives the steering knuckle to rotate around the axis of the virtual kingpin by driving the first connecting rod to drive the parallelogram mechanism to move.

[0012] Further technical solutions, the upper control arm assembly comprises an upper control arm body, a first bushing and a first spherical pair;

[0013] A first mounting seat for mounting the first spherical pair is arranged in the middle of the upper control arm body, and the first spherical pair is hingedly connected with an eighth mounting seat at the top of the steering knuckle as an upper point of the virtual kingpin;

[0014] Symmetrically arranged second mounting seats are arranged at both ends of the upper control arm body, and the first bushing is assembled in the second mounting seat.

[0015] Further technical solutions, the front lower control arm assembly comprises a front lower control arm body, a second bushing and a second spherical pair;

[0016] One end of the front lower control arm body is hingedly connected with a vehicle body or a vehicle frame through the second bushing, and the other end of the front lower control arm body is hingedly connected with the fifth assembly hole at the bottom of the steering knuckle through the second spherical pair.

[0017] Further technical solutions, the rear lower control arm assembly comprises a rear lower control arm body, a third bushing, a fourth bushing and a third spherical pair;

[0018] One end of the rear lower control arm body is connected with a vehicle body or a vehicle frame through the fourth bushing, and the other end of the rear lower control arm body is hingedly connected with the fourth assembly hole at the bottom of the steering knuckle through the third spherical pair;

[0019] A horizontally oriented fifth mounting seat is arranged on the side of the rear lower control arm body close to the third spherical pair, and the third bushing is mounted in the fifth mounting seat;

[0020] The upper part of the rear lower control arm body near the third spherical pair side is provided with a fourth mounting seat vertically oriented, and the seventh mounting seat at one end of the first connecting rod is hinged with the fourth mounting seat.

[0021] Further technical solutions, the first connecting rod is provided with a first assembly hole and a second assembly hole.

[0022] The first assembly hole is hinged with the output end of the steering actuator.

[0023] The second assembly hole is hinged with the fifth spherical pair at one end of the second connecting rod assembly.

[0024] Further technical solutions, the second connecting rod assembly includes a second connecting rod body, a fourth spherical pair is arranged at one end of the second connecting rod body and is hinged with the ninth mounting seat on the steering knuckle, and a fifth spherical pair is arranged at the other end and is hinged with the first connecting rod.

[0025] Further technical solutions, the bottom end of the suspension actuator is hinged with the third bushing of the rear lower control arm assembly through a first ear, and the top end is connected with the vehicle body or frame through a tenth mounting seat.

[0026] Further technical solutions, the suspension actuator is a combination of an elastic element and a damping element.

[0027] The elastic element is a coil spring, an air spring, an electro-hydraulic actuator or an electromagnetic actuator.

[0028] The damping element is a hydraulic damper, a linear motor, or a combination of a rotary motor and a transmission mechanism.

[0029] Further technical solutions, the steering actuator is an actuator capable of outputting linear motion, which is a rack and pinion type steering gear, an electric cylinder or a hydraulic cylinder.

[0030] Further technical solutions, the drive braking system assembly includes a wheel hub motor, a brake disc and a brake caliper; the brake caliper is mounted on the third assembly hole of the steering knuckle.

[0031] The wheel corner module with large turning angle and virtual kingpin provided by the embodiment of the application has the following beneficial effects:

[0032] (1) The wheel corner module adopts a virtual kingpin configuration, that is, the lower control arm is split into a front lower control arm and a rear lower control arm. This design can effectively reduce the kingpin lateral offset and improve the handling stability of the distributed electric drive vehicle. At the same time, the setting of the kingpin positioning parameters enables the vehicle wheel to have an automatic straightening capability, and the steering actuator only works when steering is needed. During vehicle driving, the steering actuator does not need to keep the vehicle wheel centered at all times, thereby avoiding overheating of the steering actuator.

[0033] (2) The steering transmission mechanism is fused with the suspension linkage, effectively avoiding the interference between the wheel and the steering cross rod, and enabling the wheel rotation angle range based on the virtual kingpin configuration to be expanded from ±30° to +60°-50°.

[0034] (3) The novel steering transmission mechanism is convenient to arrange integrally with the steering actuator, and can be driven by the existing wheel-side independent pinion rack type steering gear or electric / hydraulic cylinder.

[0035] (4) The wheel-side corner module has compact structure and small vertical and longitudinal space occupation, and is convenient for the arrangement of the upper installation and the battery box. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0036] Figure 1 A structure schematic view of a wheel-side corner module with large rotation angle and virtual kingpin provided for an embodiment of the present application;

[0037] Figure 2 Another side view structure schematic view of a wheel-side corner module with large rotation angle and virtual kingpin provided for an embodiment of the present application;

[0038] Figure 3 A structure schematic view of an upper control arm assembly in a wheel-side corner module with large rotation angle and virtual kingpin provided for an embodiment of the present application;

[0039] Figure 4 A structure schematic view of a front lower control arm assembly in a wheel-side corner module with large rotation angle and virtual kingpin provided for an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] Figure 5 A structure schematic view of a rear lower control arm assembly in a wheel-side corner module with large rotation angle and virtual kingpin provided for an embodiment of the present application;

[0041] Figure 6 A structure schematic view of a first connecting rod in a wheel-side corner module with large rotation angle and virtual kingpin provided for an embodiment of the present application;

[0042] Figure 7 A structure schematic view of a second connecting rod assembly in a wheel-side corner module with large rotation angle and virtual kingpin provided for an embodiment of the present application;

[0043] Figure 8 A structure schematic view of a steering knuckle in a wheel-side corner module with large rotation angle and virtual kingpin provided for an embodiment of the present application;

[0044] Figure 9 A structure schematic view of a steering system and suspension actuator cooperation in a wheel-side corner module with large rotation angle and virtual kingpin provided for an embodiment of the present application.

[0045] In the attached diagram: 1-Wheel; 2-Drive and braking system assembly; 21-Wheel hub motor; 22-Brake disc; 23-Brake caliper;

[0046] 3-Upper control arm assembly; 31-Upper control arm body; 311-First mounting base; 312-Second mounting base; 32-First bushing; 33-First spherical joint; 4-Front lower control arm assembly; 41-Front lower control arm body; 411-Third mounting base; 42-Second bushing; 43-Second spherical joint; 5-Rear lower control arm assembly; 51-Rear lower control arm body; 511-Fourth mounting base; 512-Fifth mounting base; 513-Sixth mounting base; 52-Third bushing; 53-Fourth bushing; 54-Third spherical joint Surface joint; 6-First link; 61-Seventh mounting seat; 62-First mounting hole; 63-Second mounting hole; 7-Second link assembly; 71-Second link body; 72-Fourth spherical joint; 73-Fifth spherical joint; 8-Steering system; 81-Steering knuckle; 811-Eighth mounting seat; 812-Third mounting hole; 813-Ninth mounting seat; 814-Fourth mounting hole; 815-Fifth mounting hole; 82-Steering actuator; 9-Suspension actuator; 91-Tenth mounting seat; 92-First lug; A-Axis. Detailed Implementation

[0047] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention.

[0048] The specific implementation of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0049] like Figures 1-9 As shown, a wheel corner module with a large steering angle and a virtual kingpin is provided in an embodiment of the present invention, including a wheel 1, a drive and braking system assembly 2, an upper control arm assembly 3, a front lower control arm assembly 4, a rear lower control arm assembly 5, a first link 6, a second link assembly 7, a steering system 8, and a suspension actuator 9.

[0050] A virtual intersection point is created by connecting the front lower control arm assembly 4 and the rear lower control arm assembly 5, serving as the lower hard point of the virtual kingpin. The line connecting this virtual intersection point and the outer point of the upper control arm assembly 3 forms the axis A of the virtual kingpin. This virtual kingpin design significantly reduces the kingpin offset in distributed electric drive vehicles powered by hub motors, thereby mitigating the impact of disturbance torques on the wheels and improving vehicle stability.

[0051] The drive and braking system assembly 2 includes a hub motor 21, a brake disc 22 and a brake caliper 23, wherein the hub motor 21 is mounted on the hub of the wheel 1;

[0052] The upper control arm assembly 3 comprises an upper control arm body 31, a first bushing 32 and a first spherical pair 33; the middle part of the upper control arm body 31 is provided with a first mounting seat 311, the first spherical pair 33 is assembled in the first mounting seat 311, plays a role of a multi-directional rotary connecting component and serves as an upper point of a virtual kingpin. The two ends of the upper control arm body 31 are symmetrically provided with two second mounting seats 312, and the first bushing 32 is assembled in the second mounting seat 312. The first bushing 32 contains an elastic body (such as rubber) therein, and can be elastically deformed under the action of an external force to improve the smoothness of the vehicle. In addition, the first bushing 32 can be tightly attached to the second mounting seat 312, and no relative movement in the axial direction occurs between the two.

[0053] The front lower control arm assembly 4 comprises a front lower control arm body 41, a second bushing 42 and a second spherical pair 43; one end of the front lower control arm body 41 is provided with a third mounting seat 411, and the second bushing 42 is mounted in the third mounting seat 411. The front lower control arm body 41 is hinged to the vehicle body or frame through the second bushing 42. The other end of the front lower control arm body 41 is provided with the second spherical pair 43.

[0054] The rear lower control arm assembly 5 comprises a rear lower control arm body 51, a third bushing 52, a fourth bushing 53 and a third spherical pair 54; one end of the rear lower control arm body 51 is provided with a sixth mounting seat 513, and the fourth bushing 53 is mounted in the sixth mounting seat 513. The rear lower control arm body 51 is connected to the vehicle body or frame through the fourth bushing 53. The other end of the rear lower control arm body 51 is provided with the third spherical pair 54. The side of the rear lower control arm body 51 close to the third spherical pair 54 is provided with a horizontally-oriented fifth mounting seat 512, and the third bushing 52 is mounted in the fifth mounting seat 512. The upper part of the side of the rear lower control arm body 51 close to the third spherical pair 54 is further provided with a vertically-oriented fourth mounting seat 511.

[0055] One end of the first connecting rod 6 is provided with a seventh mounting seat 61, and the seventh mounting seat 61 is hinged to the fourth mounting seat 511 of the rear lower control arm assembly 5 to form a rotary pair. The other end of the first connecting rod 6 is provided with a second assembly hole 63. The side of the first connecting rod 6 close to the seventh mounting seat 61 is further provided with a first assembly hole 62.

[0056] The second connecting rod assembly 7 comprises a second connecting rod body 71. One end of the second connecting rod body 71 is provided with a fourth spherical pair 72. The other end of the second connecting rod body 71 is provided with a fifth spherical pair 73, and the fifth spherical pair 73 is hinged to the second assembly hole 63.

[0057] The steering system 8 comprises a steering knuckle 81 and a steering actuator 82; one side of the steering knuckle 81 is connected with the drive braking system assembly 2; the top of the steering knuckle 81 is provided with an eighth mounting seat 811, and the eighth mounting seat 811 is hinged with the first spherical pair 33; the bottom of the steering knuckle 81 is provided with a fourth assembly hole 814 and a fifth assembly hole 815, the fourth assembly hole 814 is hinged with the third spherical pair 54, and the fifth assembly hole 815 is hinged with the second spherical pair 43; the middle and lower part of the steering knuckle 81 is provided with a third assembly hole 812 and a ninth mounting seat 813, and the third assembly hole 812 and the ninth mounting seat 813 are distributed on both sides of the steering knuckle 81, the third assembly hole 812 is used for mounting the brake caliper 23, and the ninth mounting seat 813 is hinged with the fourth spherical pair 72; the output end of the steering actuator 82 is hinged with the first assembly hole 62. The steering actuator 82 is a wheel-side distributed independent steering drive device, can independently steer each wheel, realizes crabbing, in-place steering, front and rear shafts steering in the same direction and front and rear shafts steering in opposite directions, and thus improves the maneuverability of the vehicle.

[0058] The bottom end of the suspension actuator 9 is hinged with the third bushing 52 through a first lug 92, and the top end of the suspension actuator 9 is connected with the vehicle body or frame through a tenth mounting seat 91.

[0059] In the embodiment of the application, the steering actuator 82 does not directly drive the steering knuckle 81, but drives the steering knuckle 81 to rotate around the axis A of the virtual kingpin through the transmission mechanism formed by the front lower control arm assembly 4, the rear lower control arm assembly 5, the first connecting rod 6 and the second connecting rod assembly 7. The hard points determined by the seventh mounting seat 61, the second assembly hole 63 and the fourth spherical pair 72, and the virtual intersection point generated by the connecting line of the front lower control arm assembly 4 and the rear lower control arm assembly 5, the above-mentioned four hard points and the connecting rods adjacent thereto form a parallelogram mechanism. The steering actuator 82 drives the steering knuckle 81 to rotate by pulling the first assembly hole 62 on the first connecting rod 6, so as to realize that a larger wheel rotation angle is generated through a smaller linear displacement.

[0060] As a preferred embodiment of the application, the suspension actuator 9 can be a combination of an elastic element and a damping element. Specifically, the elastic element can be a coil spring, an air spring, an electro-hydraulic actuator, an electromagnetic actuator, etc.; the damping element can be a hydraulic damper, a linear motor, a combination of a rotary motor and a transmission mechanism, etc.; and the specific form can adopt a single-cylinder type or a double-cylinder type. In this application, the specific structural form of the suspension actuator will not be described.

[0061] As a preferred embodiment of the application, the steering actuator 82 can adopt a rack and pinion type, an electric cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder and other actuation mechanisms capable of outputting linear motion or approximate linear motion. In this application, the specific structural form of the steering actuator will not be described.

[0062] The above description is only the preferred embodiment of the present application, and is not intended to limit the present application. Any modification, equivalent replacement and improvement made within the spirit and principle of the present application shall be included in the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A wheel corner module with a large turning angle and a virtual kingpin, characterized in that, Includes wheels, drive and braking system assembly, upper control arm assembly, front lower control arm assembly, rear lower control arm assembly, first link, second link assembly, steering system and suspension actuator; The line connecting the front lower control arm assembly and the rear lower control arm assembly forms a virtual intersection point. The virtual intersection point serves as the lower hard point of the virtual kingpin. The line connecting the virtual intersection point and the outer point of the upper control arm assembly forms the axis of the virtual kingpin. The steering system includes a steering knuckle and a steering actuator; one side of the steering knuckle is connected to the drive and braking system assembly, its top is hinged to the upper control arm assembly, and its bottom is hinged to both the front lower control arm assembly and the rear lower control arm assembly; the output end of the steering actuator is hinged to the first link. One end of the first link is hinged to the rear lower control arm assembly, and the other end is hinged to one end of the second link assembly; the other end of the second link assembly is hinged to the steering knuckle; The hinge point between the first link and the rear lower control arm assembly, the hinge point between the first link and the second link assembly, the hinge point between the second link assembly and the steering knuckle, and the lower hard point of the virtual kingpin form a parallelogram mechanism. The steering actuator drives the steering knuckle to rotate around the axis of the virtual kingpin by driving the first link to move the parallelogram mechanism.

2. The wheel corner module with a large turning angle and a virtual kingpin according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper control arm assembly includes an upper control arm body, a first bushing, and a first spherical joint; The upper control arm body is provided with a first mounting seat for installing a first spherical joint in the middle. The first spherical joint is hinged to the eighth mounting seat on the top of the steering knuckle, serving as the upper point of the virtual kingpin. The upper control arm body has second mounting seats symmetrically arranged at both ends, and the first bushing is fitted into the second mounting seats.

3. The wheel corner module with a large turning angle and a virtual kingpin according to claim 1, characterized in that, The front lower control arm assembly includes a front lower control arm body, a second bushing, and a second spherical pair; One end of the front lower control arm body is hinged to the vehicle body or frame via a second bushing, and the other end is hinged to the fifth mounting hole at the bottom of the steering knuckle via a second spherical joint.

4. The wheel corner module with a large turning angle and a virtual kingpin according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rear lower control arm assembly includes a rear lower control arm body, a third bushing, a fourth bushing, and a third spherical joint; One end of the rear lower control arm body is connected to the vehicle body or frame through the fourth bushing, and the third spherical joint at the other end is hinged to the fourth mounting hole at the bottom of the steering knuckle. A horizontally oriented fifth mounting seat is provided on the side of the rear lower control arm body near the third spherical pair, and the third bushing is installed in the fifth mounting seat; A vertically oriented fourth mounting seat is provided on the upper part of the rear lower control arm body near the third spherical sub-body, and a seventh mounting seat at one end of the first connecting rod is hinged to the fourth mounting seat.

5. The wheel corner module with a large turning angle and a virtual kingpin according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first connecting rod is provided with a first assembly hole and a second assembly hole; The first mounting hole is hinged to the output end of the steering actuator; The second mounting hole is hinged to the fifth spherical joint at one end of the second connecting rod assembly.

6. The wheel corner module with a large turning angle and a virtual kingpin according to claim 5, characterized in that, The second link assembly includes a second link body, one end of which is provided with a fourth spherical joint that is hinged to a ninth mounting seat on the steering knuckle, and the other end of which is provided with a fifth spherical joint that is hinged to a first link.

7. The wheel corner module with a large turning angle and a virtual kingpin according to claim 4, characterized in that, The bottom end of the suspension actuator is hinged to the third bushing of the rear lower control arm assembly via the first lug, and its top end is connected to the vehicle body or frame via the tenth mounting seat.

8. The wheel corner module with a large turning angle and a virtual kingpin according to claim 7, characterized in that, The suspension actuator is a combination of elastic and damping elements; The elastic element is a helical spring, an air spring, an electro-hydraulic actuator, or an electromagnetic actuator; The damping element is a hydraulic damper.

9. The wheel corner module with a large turning angle and a virtual kingpin according to claim 1, characterized in that, The steering actuator is an actuating mechanism capable of outputting linear motion, which is a rack and pinion steering gear, an electric cylinder, or a hydraulic cylinder.

10. The wheel corner module with a large turning angle and a virtual kingpin according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive and braking system assembly includes a hub motor, a brake disc, and a brake caliper; The brake caliper is mounted on the third mounting hole of the steering knuckle.

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