Vehicle and steering module thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle and a steering module thereof, the steering module comprises a steering driving mechanism, a speed reducing mechanism and a transmission mechanism, at least one of the steering driving mechanism and the speed reducing mechanism is suitable for being mounted on a vehicle body, the transmission mechanism comprises a first connecting piece and a second connecting piece, and the first connecting piece and the second connecting piece are rotatably connected; the second connecting piece is suitable for being connected with a steering knuckle connected with a steering wheel, and the power output end of the steering driving mechanism is in transmission connection with the first connecting piece to drive the first connecting piece to rotate. By using the steering module, the unsprung mass of the vehicle can be reduced, the grounding performance of the steering wheel and the controllability of the vehicle can be improved, the stability of the steering module is improved, and therefore the comfort and the controllability of the vehicle can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of vehicle steering technology, and more specifically, to a vehicle and its steering module. Background Technology

[0002] With the advancement of vehicle technology, users have increasingly higher requirements for vehicle comfort and handling. When a vehicle is in motion, the stability of the steering module is a crucial factor affecting vehicle comfort and handling. Therefore, improving the stability of the vehicle's steering module is an important research direction in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a vehicle and its steering module to at least partially solve the technical problems existing in the related art.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, according to a first aspect of this disclosure, a steering module is provided, including a steering drive mechanism, a reduction mechanism, and a transmission mechanism;

[0005] At least one of the steering drive mechanism and the deceleration mechanism is adapted to be mounted on the vehicle body;

[0006] The transmission mechanism includes a first connector and a second connector, which are rotatably connected. The second connector is adapted to be connected to a steering knuckle. The power output end of the steering drive mechanism is connected to the first connector to drive the first connector to rotate.

[0007] Optionally, at least one of the steering drive mechanism and the deceleration mechanism is adapted to be mounted on the subframe of the vehicle body.

[0008] Optionally, the reduction mechanism is a worm gear reducer.

[0009] Optionally, the reduction mechanism is a two-stage worm gear reducer, wherein the two-stage worm gear reducer includes a first-stage worm, a first-stage worm wheel, a second-stage worm, and a second-stage worm wheel;

[0010] The first-stage worm is connected to the steering drive mechanism to rotate under the action of the steering drive mechanism. The first-stage worm meshes with the first-stage worm wheel. The first-stage worm wheel is coaxially connected to the second-stage worm. The second-stage worm meshes with the second-stage worm wheel. The second-stage worm wheel is connected to the first connecting member.

[0011] Optionally, the steering drive mechanism includes a motor, the motor shaft of which is connected to the first-stage worm gear.

[0012] Optionally, the motor shaft is coaxially connected to the first-stage worm gear, and the output shaft of the second-stage worm gear is arranged vertically and extends downward.

[0013] Optionally, the first connecting member is a crank, the second connecting member is a connecting rod, the first end of the first connecting member is connected to the power output end of the reduction mechanism, the second end of the first connecting member is rotatably connected to the first end of the second connecting member, and the second end of the second connecting member is adapted to be rotatably connected to the steering knuckle.

[0014] Optionally, when the steering wheel connected to the steering knuckle is in the first steering position, the included angle between the first connecting member and the second connecting member is the first included angle, and the included angle between the second connecting member and the steering knuckle is the second included angle;

[0015] The length of the first connector is a first length, and the length of the second connector is a second length;

[0016] The ratio of the first included angle to the second included angle is set to a first preset ratio, and the ratio of the first length to the second length is set to a second preset ratio, so that the steering wheel can be located at the first steering position and the second steering position under the drive of the second connecting member;

[0017] In the first steering position, the steering wheel forms a 45° angle with the longitudinal center plane of the vehicle, and the rear side of the steering wheel is closer to the longitudinal center plane of the vehicle than the front side.

[0018] In the second steering position, the steering wheel forms a 90° angle with the longitudinal center plane of the vehicle, and the rear side of the steering wheel is further away from the longitudinal center plane of the vehicle than the front side.

[0019] Optionally, the range of the first preset ratio is 1 to 1.5, and the range of the second preset ratio is 1 to 2.

[0020] Optionally, the steering module further includes a steering knuckle adapted to be connected to the steering wheel, and the second connecting member is rotatably connected to the steering wheel.

[0021] Optionally, the steering module further includes a suspension, which includes an upper control arm and a lower control arm;

[0022] The upper control arm is adapted to be rotatably connected between the steering knuckle and the vehicle body;

[0023] The lower control arm is adapted to be rotatably connected between the steering knuckle and the vehicle body.

[0024] Optionally, at least one of the upper swing arm and the lower swing arm includes a front swing arm and a rear swing arm;

[0025] The first end of the front swing arm and the first end of the rear swing arm are both adapted to be rotatably connected to the vehicle body, and the first ends of the front swing arm and the rear swing arm are adapted to be spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0026] The second end of the front control arm and the second end of the rear control arm are rotatably connected to the steering knuckle, and the second ends of the front control arm and the rear control arm are adapted to be spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0027] Optionally, the front swing arm is provided with a first curved portion that bends toward the rear swing arm; and / or,

[0028] The rear swing arm is provided with a second curved portion that bends toward the front swing arm.

[0029] Optionally, the front swing arm and the rear swing arm are spaced apart in the vertical direction.

[0030] Optionally, the suspension further includes a damping mechanism, the upper end of which is adapted to be connected to the vehicle body, and the lower end of which is connected to the front control arm or the rear control arm.

[0031] Optionally, in the vertical direction, the steering drive mechanism and the deceleration mechanism are located between the upper control arm and the lower control arm.

[0032] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a vehicle is provided, including a vehicle body, steering wheels, and the aforementioned steering module;

[0033] The steering wheel is connected to the second connector via the steering knuckle of the steering module.

[0034] Compared to related technologies where both the steering drive mechanism and the deceleration mechanism are mounted on the control arm, this disclosure allows for the reduction of the mass of components mounted on the control arm by adapting at least one of the steering drive mechanism and the deceleration mechanism to be mounted on the vehicle body. This reduces the unsprung mass of the vehicle, improves the ground contact performance of the steering wheels and the handling of the vehicle, enhances the stability of the steering module, and ultimately improves the comfort and handling of the vehicle.

[0035] Furthermore, since the transmission mechanism includes a first connecting member and a second connecting member, which are rotatably connected, and the second connecting member can be connected to the steering knuckle connected to the steering wheel, and the power output end of the steering drive mechanism is connected to the first connecting member, the steering drive mechanism can drive the first connecting member to rotate, causing the second connecting member to pull or push the steering knuckle to rotate, thereby changing the steering angle of the steering wheel connected to the steering knuckle, allowing the vehicle to steer as the wheels rotate. Compared with a gear and rack mechanism, the transmission mechanism (i.e., the first connecting member and the second connecting member) provided in this disclosure is smaller in size, which is beneficial for a more compact arrangement of the steering module, and the second connecting member can drive the steering knuckle to rotate over a larger range, thereby allowing the steering wheel to have a larger steering angle range.

[0036] Other features and advantages of this disclosure will be described in detail in the following detailed description section. Attached Figure Description

[0037] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the present disclosure and form part of the specification. They are used together with the following detailed description to explain the present disclosure, but do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings:

[0038] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a steering module provided in one embodiment of the present disclosure, which also shows a suspension and a steering wheel;

[0039] Figure 2 This is a front view schematic diagram of a steering module, suspension and steering wheel in an assembled state according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0040] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a deceleration mechanism provided in one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0041] Figure 4 This is a top view schematic diagram of a steering module, suspension and steering wheel in an assembled state according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the steering wheel is in the second steering position;

[0042] Figure 5 This is a top view of a steering module, suspension and steering wheel in an assembled state according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the steering wheel is in a first steering position;

[0043] Figure 6 This is a top view of a vehicle provided in one embodiment of the present disclosure, showing the vehicle body and steering wheels, with the steering wheels in a diagonal driving mode position;

[0044] Figure 7This is a top view of a vehicle provided in one embodiment of the present disclosure, showing the vehicle body and steering wheels, with the steering wheels in a lateral driving mode position;

[0045] Figure 8 This is a top view of a vehicle provided in one embodiment of the present disclosure, showing the vehicle body and steering wheels, with the steering wheels in a stationary U-turn mode or a circular steering mode.

[0046] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0047] 100-Vehicle; 1-Steering module; 2-Steering knuckle; 3-Steering wheel; 10-Transmission mechanism; 11-First connecting member; 12-Second connecting member; 30-Steering drive mechanism; 31-Motor; 40-Reduction mechanism; 41-First stage worm; 42-First stage worm wheel; 43-Second stage worm; 44-Second stage worm wheel; 50-Suspension; 51-Upper control arm; 52-Lower control arm; 521-Front control arm; 5211-First bending part; 522-Rear control arm; 53-Shock damping mechanism; 60-Vehicle body. Detailed Implementation

[0048] The specific embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit this disclosure.

[0049] In this disclosure, unless otherwise stated, directional terms such as "up" and "down" are generally defined according to the orientation of the corresponding figures (see reference for details). Figure 2 (As shown), the symbols are for ease of description and simplification only, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or a specific orientational construction and operation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the disclosure. For example, "upper" and "lower" can refer to the upper and lower positions of a vehicle in normal use. "Inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours of the corresponding components. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used to distinguish one element from another and do not have sequential or importance implications.

[0050] In the description of this disclosure, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "set up," "connect," "link," and "install" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this disclosure according to the specific circumstances.

[0051] Research has found that in related technologies, the power steering motor and reduction mechanism in the vehicle's steering module are both fixed to the vehicle's control arm. Both the power steering motor and the reduction mechanism are unsprung mass, which has an adverse effect on the overall vehicle comfort and handling stability, thus affecting the stability of the vehicle's steering module.

[0052] In view of this, such as Figures 1 to 8 As shown, according to a first aspect of this disclosure, a steering module 1 is provided, including a steering drive mechanism 30, a reduction mechanism 40, and a transmission mechanism 10. At least one of the steering drive mechanism 30 and the reduction mechanism 40 is adapted to be mounted on a vehicle body 60. The transmission mechanism 10 includes a first connector 11 and a second connector 12, which are rotatably connected. The second connector 12 is adapted to be connected to a steering knuckle 2 connected to a steering wheel 3. The power output end of the steering drive mechanism 30 is drively connected to the first connector 11 to drive the first connector 11 to rotate.

[0053] Compared to related technologies where both the steering drive mechanism and the deceleration mechanism are mounted on the vehicle's control arm, in this disclosure, since at least one of the steering drive mechanism 30 and the deceleration mechanism 40 is adapted to be mounted on the vehicle body 60, the mass of the components mounted on the control arm can be reduced, thereby reducing the unsprung mass of the vehicle 100. This is beneficial for improving the ground contact performance of the steering wheel 3 and the handling of the vehicle 100, and for improving the stability of the steering module 1, thereby improving the comfort and handling of the vehicle 100.

[0054] Furthermore, since the transmission mechanism 10 includes a first connecting member 11 and a second connecting member 12, which are rotatably connected, and the second connecting member 12 can be connected to the steering knuckle 2 connected to the steering wheel 3, and the power output end of the steering drive mechanism 30 is connected to the first connecting member 11, the steering drive mechanism 30 can drive the first connecting member 11 to rotate, thereby causing the second connecting member 12 to pull or push the steering knuckle 2 to rotate, thus changing the turning angle of the steering wheel 3 connected to the steering knuckle 2, allowing the vehicle 100 to steer with the rotation of the wheels. Compared with a gear and rack mechanism, the transmission mechanism 10 (i.e., the first connecting member 11 and the second connecting member 12) provided in this disclosure is smaller in size, which is beneficial for a more compact arrangement of the steering module 1, and the second connecting member 12 can push the steering knuckle 2 to rotate over a larger range, thereby allowing the steering wheel 3 to have a larger turning angle range.

[0055] Here, the rotatable connection between the first connector 11 and the second connector 12 can be any suitable location, such as the end of the first connector 11 being rotatably connected to the end of the second connector 12 (e.g.) Figure 1(as shown), or the middle part of the first connector 11 is rotatably connected to the middle part of the second connector 12, but this disclosure does not limit this.

[0056] It is understood that, in addition to being applied to vehicle 100, steering module 1 can also be applied to any other device suitable for using the steering module 1 provided herein.

[0057] In this disclosure, the steering drive mechanism 30 and the reduction mechanism 40 can be connected to the subframe of the vehicle body 60, or to the frame of the vehicle body 60 or other structures of the vehicle body 60; this disclosure does not limit the connection in this regard. As one embodiment, at least one of the steering drive mechanism 30 and the reduction mechanism 40 can be mounted on the subframe of the vehicle body 60. For example, both the steering drive mechanism 30 and the reduction mechanism 40 can be mounted on the subframe of the vehicle body 60, or one of the steering drive mechanism 30 and the reduction mechanism 40 can be mounted on the subframe of the vehicle body 60, while the other can be mounted on other structures of the vehicle body 60.

[0058] This disclosure does not limit the type of the reduction mechanism 40. As one embodiment, the reduction mechanism 40 can be a worm gear reducer. The worm gear reducer has good self-locking performance, which can prevent the steering knuckle 2 and the steering wheel 3 from rotating on their own without the control of the steering drive mechanism 30.

[0059] As another embodiment of this disclosure, the reduction mechanism 40 may also be a gear reducer.

[0060] In this disclosure, the number of stages in the worm gear reducer can be set according to actual needs, and this disclosure does not limit this. As one implementation method, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the reduction mechanism 40 is a two-stage worm gear reducer. The two-stage worm gear reducer includes a first-stage worm 41, a first-stage worm wheel 42, a second-stage worm 43, and a second-stage worm wheel 44. The first-stage worm 41 is connected to the steering drive mechanism 30 so as to rotate under the action of the steering drive mechanism 30. The first-stage worm 41 meshes with the first-stage worm wheel 42. The first-stage worm wheel 42 is coaxially connected to the second-stage worm 43. The second-stage worm 43 meshes with the second-stage worm wheel 44. The second-stage worm wheel 44 is connected to the first connecting member 11.

[0061] The two-stage worm gear reducer has sufficient speed reduction and torque amplification capabilities to increase the torque transmitted from the steering drive mechanism 30 to the first connection to a sufficiently large level, thereby ensuring that the first connecting member 11 and the second connecting member 12 can drive the steering knuckle 2 and the steering wheel 3 to rotate. Furthermore, the two-stage worm gear reducer has a smaller size, allowing the steering module 1 to be arranged more compactly.

[0062] This disclosure allows the steering drive mechanism 30 to be any suitable drive mechanism, such as a motor, hydraulic drive mechanism, etc., and this disclosure does not limit it. As one embodiment, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the steering drive mechanism 30 may include a motor 31, and the shaft of the motor 31 may be connected to the first-stage worm gear 41, that is, the torque of the steering drive mechanism 30 can be input to the two-stage worm gear reducer through the shaft of the motor 31.

[0063] Optionally, such as Figure 3 As shown, the rotating shaft of the motor 31 is coaxially connected to the first-stage worm gear 41, and the output shaft of the second-stage worm wheel 44 is arranged vertically and extends downward, which facilitates the coaxial connection between the first connecting piece 11 and the output shaft of the second-stage worm wheel 44, and makes the arrangement of the motor 31 and the two-stage worm gear reducer relatively reasonable and compact.

[0064] Optionally, the shaft of motor 31 can be arranged horizontally, or it can be arranged at an angle to the horizontal. This disclosure does not limit the construction of either the first connector 11 or the second connector 12. As one embodiment, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the first connecting member 11 is a crank, the second connecting member 12 is a connecting rod, the first end of the first connecting member 11 is connected to the power output end of the reduction mechanism 40 (i.e., the output shaft of the second stage worm gear 44 mentioned above), the second end of the first connecting member 11 is rotatably connected to the first end of the second connecting member 12, and the second end of the second connecting member 12 is adapted to be rotatably connected to the steering knuckle 2.

[0065] In other embodiments of this disclosure, both the first connector 11 and the second connector 12 can be plate-shaped or sheet-shaped.

[0066] Optionally, the second end of the first connecting member 11 can be connected to the first end of the second connecting member 12 through a spherical joint, and the second end of the second connecting member 12 can be connected to the steering knuckle 2 through a spherical joint, so that the steering wheel 3 has better freedom in the vertical direction, which is beneficial to improving the vibration damping effect of the vibration damping mechanism 53 on the steering wheel 3.

[0067] In order to enable the steering wheel 3 to rotate at a larger angle around the longitudinal vertical plane of the vehicle 100, as one implementation method, such as Figure 4As shown, when the steering wheel 3 connected to the steering knuckle 2 is in the first steering position, the included angle between the first connecting member 11 and the second connecting member 12 is the first included angle, the included angle between the second connecting member 12 and the steering knuckle 2 is the second included angle, the length of the first connecting member 11 is the first length, the length of the second connecting member 12 is the second length, the ratio of the first included angle to the second included angle is set to a first preset ratio, and the ratio of the first length to the second length is set to a second preset ratio, so that the steering wheel 3 can be in the first steering position and the second steering position under the drive of the second connecting member 12. In the first steering position, the steering wheel 3 forms a 45° angle with the longitudinal center plane of the vehicle 100 (refer to...). Figure 5 Furthermore, the rear side of the steering wheel 3 is closer to the longitudinal center plane of the vehicle 100 than the front side. In the second steering position, the steering wheel 3 forms a 90° angle with the longitudinal center plane of the vehicle 100, and the rear side of the steering wheel 3 is farther away from the longitudinal center plane of the vehicle 100 than the front side (refer to...). Figure 4 ).

[0068] In this disclosure, when the steering wheel 3 is in the first steering position, by reasonably designing the first included angle, the second included angle, the first length, and the second length, the first preset ratio and the second preset ratio are made to be appropriate values. This helps to avoid the first connecting member 11 and the second connecting member 12 from being collinear during the process of driving the steering knuckle 2 to rotate to the first steering position and the second steering position. This helps to prevent the steering wheel 3 from jumping or getting stuck during rotation, thereby improving the traffic capacity of the vehicle 100.

[0069] In this disclosure, it can be understood that the front side of the steering wheel 3 is the front side of the steering wheel 3 in the straightened state (i.e., the side closer to the front of the vehicle 100), and the rear side of the steering wheel 3 is the rear side of the steering wheel 3 in the straightened state (i.e., the side closer to the rear of the vehicle 100).

[0070] In this disclosure, multiple steering modules 1 can be installed on the vehicle, so that each wheel of the vehicle is equipped with a steering module 1, thereby making each wheel of the vehicle a steering wheel 3 with a large-angle steering capability, and thus enabling the vehicle to have multiple driving modes.

[0071] For example, the corresponding steering module 1 can control all the steering wheels 3 of the vehicle body 60 to rotate to a position forming a 45° angle with the longitudinal center plane of the vehicle 100. In this position, the rear side of the steering wheel 3 on the left side of the vehicle body 60 is farther away from the longitudinal center plane of the vehicle 100 than the front side, while the rear side of the steering wheel 3 on the right side of the vehicle body 60 is closer to the longitudinal center plane of the vehicle 100 than the front side, thereby enabling the vehicle 100 to travel diagonally (see reference). Figure 6 ).

[0072] For example, the corresponding steering module 1 can control all the steering wheels 3 of the vehicle body 60 to rotate to a position forming a 90° angle with the longitudinal center plane of the vehicle 100. Even if all the steering wheels 3 are in the second steering position, in this second steering position, the rear side of all the steering wheels 3 of the vehicle body 60 is farther away from the longitudinal center plane of the vehicle 100 than the front side, thereby enabling the vehicle 100 to travel laterally (see reference). Figure 7 ).

[0073] For example, the corresponding steering module 1 can control all the steering wheels 3 of the vehicle body 60 to rotate to a position forming a 45° angle with the longitudinal center plane of the vehicle 100. At this position, the rear side of the steering wheel 3 on the front side of the vehicle body 60 is farther away from the longitudinal center plane of the vehicle 100 than the front side, and the rear side of the steering wheel 3 on the rear side of the vehicle body 60 is closer to the longitudinal center plane of the vehicle 100 than the front side, thereby enabling the vehicle 100 to perform U-turns and circular turns (see reference). Figure 8 ).

[0074] In this disclosure, the first preset ratio and the second preset ratio can both be arbitrary values, as long as they enable the steering wheel 3 connected to the steering knuckle 2 to rotate to the first steering position and the second steering position. This disclosure does not limit this. As one embodiment, the range of the first preset ratio can be 1 to 1.5, and the range of the second preset ratio can be 1 to 2.

[0075] Optionally, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the steering module 1 may also include a steering knuckle 2, which can be connected to the steering wheel 3, and the second connecting member 12 is rotatably connected to the steering wheel 3.

[0076] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 4 as well as Figure 5 As shown, the steering module 1 may further include a suspension 50, which includes an upper control arm 51 and a lower control arm 52. The upper control arm 51 is rotatably connected between the steering knuckle 2 and the vehicle body 60, and the lower control arm 52 is rotatably connected between the steering knuckle 2 and the vehicle body 60. That is, the steering knuckle 2 can be connected to the vehicle body 60 through the upper control arm 51 and the lower control arm 52.

[0077] Optionally, the upper control arm 51 and the lower control arm 52 can be connected to the subframe of the vehicle body 60. Specifically, the upper control arm 51 and the lower control arm 52 can be connected to the subframe of the vehicle body 60 through bushings.

[0078] Optionally, such as Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 4 as well as Figure 5As shown, at least one of the upper control arm 51 and the lower control arm 52 includes a front control arm 521 and a rear control arm 522. The first end of the front control arm 521 and the first end of the rear control arm 522 are rotatably connected to the vehicle body 60. The first end of the front control arm 521 and the first end of the rear control arm 522 are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 100. The second end of the front control arm 521 and the second end of the rear control arm 522 are rotatably connected to the steering knuckle 2. The second end of the front control arm 521 and the second end of the rear control arm 522 are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 100.

[0079] Since the first end of the front control arm 521 and the first end of the rear control arm 522 are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 100, and the second end of the front control arm 521 and the second end of the rear control arm 522 are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 100, the connection between the steering knuckle 2 and the vehicle body 60 can be made more stable, which is conducive to the stability of the vehicle 100 during driving.

[0080] Optionally, the second end of the front swing arm 521 and the second end of the rear swing arm 522 can be connected to the steering knuckle 2 via a spherical joint. The upper swing arm 51 and the lower swing arm 52, which do not include the front swing arm 521 and the rear swing arm 522, are also connected to the steering knuckle 2 via a spherical joint, so that the steering wheel 3 has better freedom in the vertical direction, which is beneficial to improving the vibration damping effect of the vibration damping mechanism 53 on the steering wheel 3.

[0081] Furthermore, since the upper control arm 51 and the lower control arm 52 can form a three-ball joint suspension or a four-ball joint suspension with the steering knuckle 2, and the kingpin (i.e. the axis around which the steering knuckle 2 drives the steering wheel 3 to rotate) of the three-ball joint suspension and the four-ball joint suspension are virtual kingpins, the position of the connection between the second end of the front control arm 521 and the second end of the rear control arm 522 and the steering knuckle 2 can be reasonably designed so that the space swept by the steering wheel 3 during the steering process is smaller, which is conducive to further improving the passability of the vehicle 100.

[0082] Optionally, such as Figure 1 , Figure 4 as well as Figure 5 As shown, the front control arm 521 may be provided with a first curved portion 5211 that bends toward the rear control arm 522, and the first curved portion 5211 can accommodate the steering wheel 3. Since the first curved portion 5211 can accommodate the steering wheel 3, when the steering wheel 3 rotates at a large angle toward the side closer to the front control arm 521, the front control arm 521 will not obstruct the rotation of the steering wheel 3.

[0083] Optionally, the rear control arm 522 may be provided with a second curved portion that bends toward the front control arm 521, and the second curved portion can accommodate the steering wheel 3. Since the second curved portion can accommodate the steering wheel 3, when the steering wheel 3 rotates at a large angle toward the side closer to the rear control arm 522, the rear control arm 522 will not obstruct the rotation of the steering wheel 3.

[0084] To avoid interference between the front control arm 521 and the rear control arm 522, as one implementation method, such as Figure 2 As shown, the front control arm 521 and the rear control arm 522 can be spaced apart in the vertical direction. When the steering knuckle 2 rotates at a large angle, the front control arm 521 and the rear control arm 522 can be staggered vertically, thereby causing interference between the front control arm 521 and the rear control arm 522, which in turn allows the steering wheel 3 connected to the steering knuckle 2 to have a larger steering angle range.

[0085] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the suspension 50 may also include a damping mechanism 53. The upper end of the damping mechanism 53 may be connected to the vehicle body 60, and the lower end of the damping mechanism 53 may be connected to the front control arm 521 or the rear control arm 522. Since the up-and-down movement of the steering wheel 3 can cause the front control arm 521 and the rear control arm 522 to swing up and down, and the lower end of the damping mechanism 53 is connected to the front control arm 521 or the rear control arm 522, the damping mechanism 53 can dampen the steering wheel 3 by damping the front control arm 521 or the rear control arm 522, thereby keeping the steering wheel 3 in contact with the ground.

[0086] Optionally, the upper end of the damping mechanism 53 can be connected to the subframe of the vehicle body 60. Specifically, the upper end of the damping mechanism 53 can be connected to the subframe of the vehicle body 60 through a bushing, and the lower end of the damping mechanism 53 can be connected to the front swing arm 521 or the rear swing arm 522 through a bushing.

[0087] Optionally, such as Figure 2 As shown, in the vertical direction, the steering drive mechanism 30 and the deceleration mechanism 40 are located between the upper control arm 51 and the lower control arm 52. This arrangement, on the one hand, allows the overall space occupied by the suspension 50 and steering module 1 provided in this disclosure to be smaller, thereby making the suspension 50 and steering module 1 applicable to more vehicle types (such as small passenger cars) and allowing for a more compact layout of the vehicle 100. On the other hand, it ensures that the steering drive mechanism 30 and the deceleration mechanism 40 maintain sufficient clearance from the ground, reducing the impact of mud, water, and gravel from the ground on the steering drive mechanism 30 and the deceleration mechanism 40 during vehicle 100 operation.

[0088] With the above technical solution, since at least one of the steering drive mechanism 30 and the deceleration mechanism 40 can be installed on the vehicle body 60, the damping mechanism 53 does not need to bear the weight of the steering drive mechanism 30 and / or the deceleration mechanism 40, thereby reducing the weight borne by the damping mechanism 53, reducing the unsprung mass of the vehicle 100, which is beneficial to improving the sensitivity of the damping mechanism 53, improving the stability of the steering module 1 (including improving the ability of the steering wheel 3 to keep in contact with the ground), and thus improving the comfort and handling of the vehicle 100.

[0089] Furthermore, compared to installing the reduction mechanism inside the steering wheel, installing the reduction mechanism 40 on the vehicle body 60 allows the design of the steering wheel 3 to be free from consideration of whether the steering wheel 3 can accommodate the reduction mechanism 40, thus allowing for more options in the size of the steering wheel 3, such as designing the steering wheel 3 to be smaller.

[0090] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a vehicle 100 is provided, including a vehicle body 60, a steering wheel 3, and the aforementioned steering module 1, wherein the steering wheel 3 is connected to a second connecting member 12 via a steering knuckle 2 of the steering module 1.

[0091] The preferred embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this disclosure is not limited to the specific details of the above embodiments. Within the scope of the technical concept of this disclosure, various simple modifications can be made to the technical solutions of this disclosure, and these simple modifications all fall within the protection scope of this disclosure.

[0092] It should also be noted that the various specific technical features described in the above specific embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. In order to avoid unnecessary repetition, this disclosure will not describe the various possible combinations separately.

[0093] Furthermore, various different embodiments of this disclosure can be combined in any way, as long as they do not violate the spirit of this disclosure, they should also be regarded as the content disclosed in this disclosure.

Claims

1. A steering module, characterized in that, This includes the steering drive mechanism, the reduction mechanism, and the transmission mechanism; At least one of the steering drive mechanism and the deceleration mechanism is adapted to be mounted on the vehicle body; The transmission mechanism includes a first connector and a second connector, which are rotatably connected. The second connector is adapted to be connected to a steering knuckle. The power output end of the steering drive mechanism is connected to the first connector to drive the first connector to rotate.

2. The steering module according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least one of the steering drive mechanism and the deceleration mechanism is adapted to be mounted on the subframe of the vehicle body.

3. The steering module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The reduction mechanism is a worm gear reducer.

4. The steering module according to claim 3, characterized in that, The reduction mechanism is a two-stage worm gear reducer, which includes a first-stage worm, a first-stage worm wheel, a second-stage worm, and a second-stage worm wheel. The first-stage worm is connected to the steering drive mechanism to rotate under the action of the steering drive mechanism. The first-stage worm meshes with the first-stage worm wheel. The first-stage worm wheel is coaxially connected to the second-stage worm. The second-stage worm meshes with the second-stage worm wheel. The second-stage worm wheel is connected to the first connecting member.

5. The steering module according to claim 4, characterized in that, The steering drive mechanism includes a motor, and the motor shaft is connected to the first-stage worm gear.

6. The steering module according to claim 5, characterized in that, The motor's shaft is coaxially connected to the first-stage worm gear, and the output shaft of the second-stage worm gear is arranged vertically and extends downwards.

7. The steering module according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The first connecting member is a crank, the second connecting member is a connecting rod, the first end of the first connecting member is connected to the power output end of the reduction mechanism, the second end of the first connecting member is rotatably connected to the first end of the second connecting member, and the second end of the second connecting member is adapted to be rotatably connected to the steering knuckle.

8. The steering module according to claim 7, characterized in that, When the steering wheel connected to the steering knuckle is in the first steering position, the angle between the first connecting member and the second connecting member is the first angle, and the angle between the second connecting member and the steering knuckle is the second angle. The length of the first connector is a first length, and the length of the second connector is a second length; The ratio of the first included angle to the second included angle is set to a first preset ratio, and the ratio of the first length to the second length is set to a second preset ratio, so that the steering wheel can be located at the first steering position and the second steering position under the drive of the second connecting member; In the first steering position, the steering wheel forms a 45° angle with the longitudinal center plane of the vehicle, and the rear side of the steering wheel is closer to the longitudinal center plane of the vehicle than the front side. In the second steering position, the steering wheel forms a 90° angle with the longitudinal center plane of the vehicle, and the rear side of the steering wheel is further away from the longitudinal center plane of the vehicle than the front side.

9. The steering module according to claim 8, characterized in that, The first preset ratio ranges from 1 to 1.5, and the second preset ratio ranges from 1 to 2.

10. The steering module according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The steering module further includes a steering knuckle adapted to be connected to the steering wheel, and the second connecting member is rotatably connected to the steering wheel.

11. The steering module according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The steering module also includes a suspension, which includes an upper control arm and a lower control arm; The upper control arm is adapted to be rotatably connected between the steering knuckle and the vehicle body; The lower control arm is adapted to be rotatably connected between the steering knuckle and the vehicle body.

12. The steering module according to claim 11, characterized in that, At least one of the upper swing arm and the lower swing arm includes a front swing arm and a rear swing arm; The first end of the front swing arm and the first end of the rear swing arm are both adapted to be rotatably connected to the vehicle body, and the first ends of the front swing arm and the rear swing arm are adapted to be spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The second end of the front control arm and the second end of the rear control arm are rotatably connected to the steering knuckle, and the second ends of the front control arm and the rear control arm are adapted to be spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

13. The steering module according to claim 12, characterized in that, The front swing arm is provided with a first curved portion that bends toward the rear swing arm; and / or The rear swing arm is provided with a second curved portion that bends toward the front swing arm.

14. The steering module according to claim 12, characterized in that, The front swing arm and the rear swing arm are spaced apart in the vertical direction.

15. The steering module according to claim 12, characterized in that, The suspension also includes a damping mechanism, the upper end of which is adapted to be connected to the vehicle body, and the lower end of which is connected to the front control arm or the rear control arm.

16. The steering module according to any one of claims 12-15, characterized in that, In the vertical direction, the steering drive mechanism and the deceleration mechanism are located between the upper swing arm and the lower swing arm.

17. A vehicle, characterized in that, Includes a vehicle body, steering wheels, and a steering module according to any one of claims 1-16; The steering wheel is connected to the second connector via the steering knuckle of the steering module.

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