Coupling kingpin steering and steering trapezium wheel-side speed reduction driving integrated assembly

Abstract

The invention relates to a wheel side speed reduction driving integrated assembly coupling kingpin steering and steering trapezoid, and relates to the technical field of automobile wheel side driving suspension assembly angle modules. A wheel-side speed reduction driving integrated assembly coupling kingpin steering and a steering trapezoid comprises a driving motor, a wheel-side speed reducer and a steering knuckle, the upper end and the lower end of the steering knuckle are rotationally connected with an upper control arm and a lower control arm respectively, and the upper end of the steering knuckle is connected with a kingpin steering mechanism. The upper control arm is connected to the kingpin steering mechanism, the kingpin steering mechanism drives the steering knuckle to rotate around the axis of a kingpin, a vertical connecting rod is connected to the upper portion of the lower control arm, the upper end of the vertical connecting rod extends in the longitudinal direction of a vehicle to form a proportional connecting rod, and a spring shock absorber is hinged to the end of the proportional connecting rod. And the middle part of the proportional connecting rod is connected with the vehicle body. The large-angle steering device has the advantages that space layout optimization is achieved, motion interference among all components is avoided, and the large-angle steering effect can be achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of automotive wheel-side drive suspension assembly angle module technology, and in particular to an integrated wheel-side deceleration drive assembly that couples kingpin steering and steering trapezoid. Background Technology

[0002] The chassis architecture of electric vehicles is undergoing profound changes. Traditional centralized drive or in-wheel motor solutions have inherent limitations: the former relies on complex mechanisms such as drive shafts and differentials, resulting in energy loss and encroachment on vehicle space; the latter, while placing the drive unit closer to the wheels, significantly increases unsprung mass, reducing handling and ride comfort. Both face the problem of rigid layout caused by the independent design of the drive, steering, braking, and suspension systems, making it difficult to achieve rapid torque vectoring control.

[0003] To address these challenges, the highly integrated "new wheel-side corner module" technology has emerged. Its core objective is to integrate key chassis functions into compact modules near the wheels. Each wheel's corner module function is independently controllable, providing unprecedented flexibility for the vehicle's control strategy. The corner modules can serve as standardized "plug-and-play" units, greatly simplifying the vehicle manufacturing process, reducing development costs, and quickly adapting to vehicles of different body types and specifications. This naturally aligns with the development trend of steer-by-wire and brake-by-wire, eliminating traditional mechanical connections, reducing weight, and improving space utilization and flexibility.

[0004] However, when pursuing the large-angle kingpin steering necessary to achieve advanced functions such as vehicle turning on the spot, lateral movement, and parking in tight spaces, the wheel-side corner modules under the four-wheel independent drive wheel-side architecture face severe challenges in the structural layout and spatial arrangement of various systems. As the steering angle increases, spatial conflicts and motion interference easily occur between components such as the drive unit, steering system, and suspension system, resulting in a limited steering angle and difficulty in achieving omnidirectional movement of the vehicle. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the spatial layout conflicts and motion interference issues present in existing wheel-side architectures when achieving large-angle steering, this application provides an integrated wheel-side deceleration drive assembly that couples the kingpin steering and the steering trapezoid.

[0006] The technical solution provided in this application for an integrated wheel-side reduction drive assembly that couples kingpin steering with a steering trapezoid is as follows: An integrated wheel-side reduction drive assembly coupling kingpin steering and a steering trapezoid includes a drive motor, a wheel-side reducer, and a steering knuckle. A tie rod is connected to the steering knuckle. An upper control arm and a lower control arm are rotatably connected to the upper and lower ends of the steering knuckle, respectively. The drive motor and the wheel-side reducer are fixedly connected to the steering knuckle. A kingpin steering mechanism is connected to the upper end of the steering knuckle, and the upper control arm is connected to the kingpin steering mechanism. The kingpin steering mechanism drives the steering knuckle to rotate relative to the upper control arm around the kingpin axis. A vertical connecting rod is connected above the lower control arm, and the lower end of the vertical connecting rod is hinged to the lower control arm. A proportional connecting rod extends longitudinally along the vehicle from the upper end of the vertical connecting rod. One end of the proportional connecting rod is hinged to the vertical connecting rod, and the other end of the proportional connecting rod is hinged to a spring shock absorber. The middle part of the proportional connecting rod is connected to the vehicle body, and the lower end of the spring shock absorber is connected to the vehicle body.

[0007] By adopting the above technical solution, a kingpin steering mechanism is set at the upper control arm to directly drive the steering knuckle to rotate around the kingpin axis. The kingpin steering mechanism can drive the steering knuckle to achieve large-angle rotation. The drive motor and wheel-side reducer rotate synchronously with the steering knuckle around the kingpin axis as a whole. This integrated motion method not only saves space but also allows its trajectory to be accurately predicted and controlled, thus enabling precise design of avoidance space. By arranging the spring shock absorber longitudinally in the vehicle through vertical and proportional links, the lateral space of the vehicle is saved, providing sufficient avoidance space for the drive motor, wheel-side reducer, and steering knuckle to perform large-angle steering, and preventing motion interference between components when the steering knuckle rotates at large angles.

[0008] Preferably, the proportional link extends in a direction away from the drive motor.

[0009] Preferably, the vertical link bends away from the steering knuckle to create clearance space for the drive motor to rotate.

[0010] Preferably, the arrangement plane of the vertical connecting rod, the proportional connecting rod, and the spring shock absorber is parallel to the wheel plane.

[0011] Preferably, the vertical connecting rod and the lower control arm are connected by a single-degree-of-freedom hinge joint with a rotation axis parallel to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0012] Preferably, the kingpin steering mechanism includes a fixed housing fixed to the steering knuckle, and a steering assembly housed within the fixed housing and connected to the steering knuckle, the steering assembly being used to drive the steering knuckle to rotate, and the upper control arm being fixed to the fixed housing.

[0013] Preferably, a drive component is laterally fixed to the outer edge of the fixed housing for driving the steering assembly to rotate.

[0014] Preferably, the steering assembly employs a two-stage worm gear drive.

[0015] Preferably, the drive motor is integrated with one side housing of the wheel-side reducer, and the other side housing of the wheel-side reducer is integrated with the steering knuckle.

[0016] Preferably, the steering knuckle and the lower control arm are connected by a connector, the two ends of which are fixed to the steering knuckle, and the lower control arm is connected to the connector by a ball joint.

[0017] In summary, this application includes at least one of the following beneficial technical effects: The space layout is optimized to avoid motion interference between components and enable large-angle steering. The spring shock absorber is arranged longitudinally in the vehicle through vertical and proportional links, providing the necessary space for the steering knuckle to turn at large angles, enabling 90° steering and supporting omnidirectional vehicle movement. With a compact and highly integrated structure, the drive motor, wheel-side reducer and steering knuckle are integrated into one unit. The kingpin steering mechanism is coupled to the steering trapezoid. The three major functions of drive, steering and suspension are highly integrated into the wheel corner module, realizing standardization and plug-and-play, and simplifying the assembly of the whole vehicle.

[0018] Enhanced handling and high agility are achieved through the use of vertical and proportional links to maintain optimal parameters such as wheel camber angle, thus improving handling limits. The lever principle of the proportional links optimizes the suspension's damping performance and improves ride comfort. Wheel corner modules allow for independent control of each wheel, further enhancing handling flexibility. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the wheel-side deceleration drive integrated assembly that couples the kingpin steering and the steering trapezoid in the embodiments of this application.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the wheel-side deceleration drive integrated assembly that couples the kingpin steering and the steering trapezoid in the embodiments of this application.

[0021] Figure 3 This is another three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the wheel-side deceleration drive integrated assembly that couples the kingpin steering and the steering trapezoid in the embodiments of this application.

[0022] Figure 4 This is an exploded view of the wheel-side reduction drive integrated assembly that couples the kingpin steering and the steering trapezoid in the embodiments of this application.

[0023] Figure 5 This is another exploded view of the wheel-side reduction drive integrated assembly that couples the kingpin steering and the steering trapezoid in the embodiments of this application.

[0024] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the steering knuckle of the wheel-side reduction drive integrated assembly that couples the kingpin steering and the steering trapezoid in the embodiments of this application.

[0025] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Steering knuckle; 2. Drive unit; 3. Upper control arm; 4. Lower control arm; 5. Kingpin steering mechanism; 6. Suspension mechanism; 61. Spring damper; 62. Linkage assembly; 21. Drive motor; 22. Wheel-side reducer; 621. Vertical link; 622. Proportional link; 7. Clearance space; 51. Fixed housing; 52. Steering assembly; 53. Drive component; 8. Tie rod; 9. Connecting component. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figure 1-6 This application will be described in further detail.

[0027] This application discloses an integrated wheel-side reduction drive assembly that couples a kingpin steering system with a steering trapezoidal shape. (Refer to...) Figure 1-3 The integrated wheel-side deceleration drive assembly coupling kingpin steering and a steering trapezoid includes a steering knuckle 1, a drive unit 2, an upper control arm 3, a lower control arm 4, a kingpin steering mechanism 5, and a suspension mechanism 6. The drive unit 2 is connected to the steering knuckle 1 to drive the wheel rotation. The upper control arm 3 and lower control arm 4 are respectively mounted opposite each other at the upper and lower ends of the steering knuckle 1 to form a double wishbone suspension structure. The inner sides of the upper control arm 3 and lower control arm 4 are connected to the vehicle body through bushings. The upper control arm 3 is connected to the kingpin steering mechanism 5, which is connected to the steering knuckle 1 to drive the steering knuckle 1 to rotate relative to the upper control arm 3 around the kingpin axis. The lower control arm 4 is connected to the suspension mechanism 6 to transmit the wheel and steering knuckle 1 movement to the suspension mechanism 6. The suspension mechanism 6 includes a spring damper 61 and a linkage assembly 62. The linkage assembly 62 is connected to the lower control arm 4. One end of the spring damper 61 is connected to the linkage assembly 62, and the other end of the spring damper 61 is connected to the vehicle body to transfer the load of the wheel to the vehicle body.

[0028] Reference Figure 2-6The drive unit 2 includes a drive motor 21 and a wheel-side reducer 22. The drive motor 21 and the wheel-side reducer 22 are fixedly connected to the steering knuckle 1. One side housing of the wheel-side reducer 22 is fixedly connected to the drive motor 21, and the other side housing of the wheel-side reducer 22 is fixed to the steering knuckle 1. The output shaft of the drive motor 21 is connected to the input shaft of the wheel-side reducer 22, and the output end of the wheel-side reducer 22 is connected to the wheel. The power from the drive motor 21 is amplified by the wheel-side reducer 22 and directly drives the wheel to rotate. The wheel-side reducer 22 adopts a two-stage gear reduction structure, but other multi-stage gear reduction structures with two or more stages can also be used. Specifically, the drive motor 21 and one side housing of the wheel-side reducer 22 are integrated into an inseparable single part through integrated machining, and the other side housing of the wheel-side reducer 22 is integrated into the steering knuckle 1 through casting or welding. The drive motor 21, wheel-side reducer 22, and steering knuckle 1 are constructed as a single rigid frame, which significantly improves the system's ability to resist impact loads from the wheels and the reaction force of the driving torque. By sharing the wall thickness, the installation gap between the components is reduced, making the structure of the entire wheel-side drive module more compact and providing more space for the arrangement of the suspension mechanism 6 and the steering assembly 52.

[0029] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 The linkage assembly 62 includes a vertical link 621 and a proportional link 622. The lower end of the vertical link 621 is hinged to the lower control arm 4, and the upper end of the vertical link 621 is hinged to one end of the proportional link 622. The proportional link 622 is arranged longitudinally along the vehicle. The middle part of the proportional link 622 is connected to the vehicle body via a pivot to form a lever system. The other end of the proportional link 622 is hinged to the upper end of the spring shock absorber 61, and the lower end of the spring shock absorber 61 is connected to the vehicle body. When the wheel encounters a bump in the road, the lower control arm 4 swings with the wheel, causing the vertical link 621 to swing. The vertical link 621 pushes the upper end of the proportional link 622, causing the proportional link 622 to rotate around its central pivot. According to the lever principle, the upper end of the proportional link 622 amplifies or reduces the stroke of its other end according to a preset lever ratio to efficiently compress or stretch the spring shock absorber 61, achieving better shock absorption and cushioning effects.

[0030] The proportional link 622 extends from its hinge point with the vertical link 621 in a direction away from the drive motor 21, such that the proportional link 622 and the spring damper 61 are arranged in the opposite direction to the drive motor 21. The drive unit 2 and the link assembly 62 are distributed in two different areas along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, which can effectively prevent the drive motor 21 from interfering with the vehicle in space. In addition, the support point of the spring damper 61 is far away from the drive motor 21, which helps to balance the force on the entire wheel assembly.

[0031] Furthermore, the vertical link 621 bends away from the steering knuckle 1, causing its main body to protrude away from the steering knuckle 1, thus creating a clearance space 7 between the vertical link 621 and the drive motor 21. During large-angle steering, the steering knuckle 1 rotates together with the drive motor 21 around the kingpin axis. By designing the vertical link 621 in a curved shape, potential collisions between the vertical link 621 and the rotating housing of the drive motor 21 are prevented, providing sufficient clearance for the drive motor 21's rotation during steering. Even in full steering, the clearance space 7 ensures a safe clearance between the drive motor 21 and the vertical link 621, avoiding hard collisions and ensuring smooth and safe steering. Preferably, the hinge point between the vertical link 621 and the lower control arm 4 is closer to the steering knuckle 1, resulting in a larger travel of the spring compression spring of the spring damper 61 when the wheel vibrates, leading to better shock absorption.

[0032] In a preferred embodiment, the vertical link 621, the proportional link 622, and the spring damper 61 are arranged in a plane parallel to the wheel plane. This arrangement ensures that the entire path of force transmission from the lower control arm 4 to the vertical link 621, and then through the proportional link 622 to the spring damper 61 is coplanar. This direct and efficient force transmission path improves the stiffness and efficiency of the entire suspension system and reduces wear and noise at the connection points. Simultaneously, the suspension mechanism 6 is positioned in the longitudinal space of the vehicle, reducing the lateral space occupied by the wheel assembly and fully utilizing the inner space of the wheel. This allows for the integration of drive, steering, and suspension functions within a compact wheel space.

[0033] The hinge between the vertical link 621 and the lower control arm 4 is a single-degree-of-freedom hinge joint. Specifically, the rotation axis of this hinge joint is set to be parallel to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The vertical link 621 can only swing in a vertical plane parallel to the transverse direction of the vehicle, thereby precisely driving the proportional link 622 to control the compression and rebound of the spring damper 61. This ensures that the entire system operates strictly within a preset plane of motion, making it more efficient and reliable.

[0034] The upper end of the steering knuckle 1 is connected to the output end of the kingpin steering mechanism 5 via a spherical bearing or ball joint. The housing of the kingpin steering mechanism 5 is fixedly connected to the end of the upper control arm 3. The kingpin steering mechanism 5 can be an electric steering actuator. The vehicle's control system commands the kingpin steering mechanism 5 to move, and the output shaft of the kingpin steering mechanism 5 rotates, causing the entire steering knuckle 1 to rotate around the kingpin axis.

[0035] Reference Figure 4The kingpin steering mechanism 5 includes a fixed housing 51, a steering assembly 52, and a drive component 53. The lower part of the fixed housing 51 is fixedly mounted to the upper end of the steering knuckle 1 by bolts or a flange, and the end of the upper control arm 3 is hinged to the outside of the fixed housing 51. The drive component 53 is fixed to the fixed housing 51 and is used to drive the steering assembly 52 to rotate. The steering assembly 52 is housed and installed in the internal cavity of the fixed housing 51. The output end of the steering assembly 52 is connected to the steering knuckle 1. When the steering assembly 52 is driven, its output torque is directly transmitted to the steering knuckle 1, forcing the steering knuckle 1 to rotate around the kingpin axis. By mounting the upper control arm 3 to the fixed housing 51, the guiding function of the suspension and the driving function of the steering are structurally separated yet integrated, optimizing the arrangement of the wheel-side space.

[0036] Reference Figure 5 Furthermore, the drive component 53 is arranged laterally along the vehicle. The drive component 53 converts the rotation about the vehicle's lateral axis into rotation about the kingpin axis through a transmission mechanism, thereby driving the steering knuckle 1. This lateral horizontal layout reduces the space occupied by the kingpin steering mechanism 5 in the vertical and longitudinal directions of the vehicle. To achieve power transmission after the drive component 53 is arranged laterally, a two-stage worm gear transmission mechanism can be used inside the steering assembly 52.

[0037] During operation, the kingpin steering mechanism 5 controls the steering knuckle 1 to rotate with a large degree of freedom. Simultaneously, the steering knuckle 1 can also be controlled to rotate within a certain degree of freedom via steering mechanisms such as a trapezoidal steering mechanism. In this case, the tie rod 8 of the steering mechanism is connected to the steering knuckle 1, and the steering mechanism controls the steering knuckle 1 to rotate with a smaller degree of freedom by driving the tie rod 8. During normal vehicle operation, the trapezoidal steering mechanism plays a dominant role. However, when faced with scenarios requiring large-angle steering, such as turning on the spot, lateral movement, or parking in narrow spaces, the kingpin steering mechanism 5 takes over.

[0038] To ensure the proper functioning of the trapezoidal steering mechanism, at least one stage of the two-stage worm gear pair is designed as a reversible, non-self-locking worm gear pair. When the drive unit 53 is de-energized, the steering force of the other wheel pushes and pulls the steering knuckle 1 on this side via the tie rod 8. Due to the non-self-locking design of the worm gear, this force can reverse and drive the entire transmission chain, causing the worm gear to idle. This process allows the steering knuckle 1 to rotate freely when driven by the tie rod 8, thus ensuring the normal operation of the trapezoidal steering function. In another embodiment, when the trapezoidal steering drives the wheels to steer, the vehicle's electronic control unit can control the drive unit 53 to rotate synchronously, thereby avoiding worm gear self-locking.

[0039] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 5The steering knuckle 1 and the lower control arm 4 are connected by a connector 9. Both ends of the connector 9 are fixed to the steering knuckle 1 with bolts, and a pin hole is provided in the middle of the connector 9. The outer end of the lower control arm 4 is connected to the middle of the connector 9 by a ball head pin. The design of the connector 9 can effectively enhance the rigidity of the steering knuckle 1, and also facilitate the maintenance and adjustment of the lower control arm 4 and the suspension components.

[0040] The implementation principle of the wheel-side reduction drive integrated assembly of coupling kingpin steering and steering trapezoidal in this application embodiment is as follows: the drive motor 21, wheel-side reducer 22 and steering knuckle 1 are integrated into a high-rigidity wheel-side drive unit 2, and the kingpin steering mechanism 5 is independently connected to the upper end of the steering knuckle 1. Through the transversely arranged drive component 53 and the internal non-self-locking two-stage worm gear, the steering knuckle 1 drives the entire wheel to rotate around the kingpin axis. The steering knuckle 1 forms a steering trapezoid with the opposite wheel through the tie rod 8 and realizes the trapezoidal steering function at the same time. A vertical link 621 with a single degree of freedom is hinged above the lower control arm 4. The vertical link 621 bends away from the steering knuckle 1 to provide clearance space 7 for the drive motor 21. The upper end of the vertical link 621 is hinged to one end of a proportional link 622, which is arranged longitudinally along the vehicle. The upper end of the vertical link 621 pushes one end of the proportional link 622, causing the proportional link 622 to rotate about its pivot point connected to the vehicle body. This amplifies or reduces the stroke of its other end according to a preset lever ratio to efficiently compress or extend the spring damper 61. The link assembly 62 and the spring damper 61 are arranged in a vertical plane parallel to the wheel, achieving optimization of the vehicle's lateral space.

[0041] The above are all preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, all equivalent changes made in accordance with the structure, shape and principle of this application should be covered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. An integrated wheel-side reduction drive assembly coupling kingpin steering and a steering trapezoid, comprising a drive motor (21), a wheel-side reducer (22), and a steering knuckle (1), wherein a tie rod (8) is connected to the steering knuckle (1), and an upper control arm (3) and a lower control arm (4) are rotatably connected to the upper and lower ends of the steering knuckle (1), characterized in that: The drive motor (21) and the wheel-side reducer (22) are fixedly connected to the steering knuckle (1). The upper end of the steering knuckle (1) is connected to the kingpin steering mechanism (5). The upper control arm (3) is connected to the kingpin steering mechanism (5). The kingpin steering mechanism (5) drives the steering knuckle (1) to rotate relative to the upper control arm (3) around the kingpin axis. A vertical connecting rod (621) is connected above the lower control arm (4). The lower end of the rod (621) is hinged to the lower control arm (4). The upper end of the vertical link (621) extends longitudinally along the vehicle with a proportional link (622). One end of the proportional link (622) is hinged to the vertical link (621), and the other end of the proportional link (622) is hinged to a spring shock absorber (61). The middle part of the proportional link (622) is connected to the vehicle body, and the lower end of the spring shock absorber (61) is connected to the vehicle body.

2. The integrated wheel-side reduction drive assembly with coupled kingpin steering and steering trapezoidal shape as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The proportional link (622) extends away from the drive motor (21).

3. The integrated wheel-side reduction drive assembly with coupled kingpin steering and steering trapezoidal shape according to claim 2, characterized in that: The vertical link (621) bends away from the steering knuckle (1) to form a clearance space (7) for providing clearance for the rotation of the drive motor (21).

4. The integrated wheel-side reduction drive assembly with coupled kingpin steering and steering trapezoidal shape according to claim 3, characterized in that: The planes of the vertical link (621), the proportional link (622), and the spring damper (61) are parallel to the wheel plane.

5. The integrated wheel-side reduction drive assembly with coupled kingpin steering and steering trapezoidal shape according to claim 4, characterized in that: The vertical link (621) and the lower control arm (4) are connected by a single-degree-of-freedom hinge joint with a rotation axis parallel to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

6. The integrated wheel-side reduction drive assembly with coupled kingpin steering and steering trapezoidal according to claim 1, characterized in that: The kingpin steering mechanism (5) includes a fixed housing (51) fixed to the steering knuckle (1) and a steering assembly (52) housed in the fixed housing (51) and connected to the steering knuckle (1). The steering assembly (52) is used to drive the steering knuckle (1) to rotate. The upper control arm (3) is fixed on the fixed housing (51).

7. The integrated wheel-side reduction drive assembly with coupled kingpin steering and steering trapezoidal wheel according to claim 6, characterized in that: The fixed housing (51) is laterally fixed with a drive member (53) on the outer edge of the vehicle to drive the steering assembly (52) to rotate.

8. The integrated wheel-side reduction drive assembly with coupled kingpin steering and steering trapezoidal shape according to claim 7, characterized in that: The steering assembly (52) employs a two-stage worm gear drive.

9. The integrated wheel-side reduction drive assembly with coupled kingpin steering and steering trapezoidal according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drive motor (21) is integrated with one side housing of the wheel-side reducer (22), and the other side housing of the wheel-side reducer (22) is integrated with the steering knuckle (1).

10. The integrated wheel-side reduction drive assembly with coupled kingpin steering and steering trapezoidal according to claim 1, characterized in that: The steering knuckle (1) and the lower control arm (4) are connected by a connector (9), with both ends of the connector (9) fixed on the steering knuckle (1) and the lower control arm (4) connected to the connector (9) by a ball joint.

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