A power-keeping tri-copter unmanned device power transmission device and propeller combination module and multi-rotor unmanned device
By combining the power transmission device and propulsion module of the power-holding amphibious unmanned vehicle, the problems of low integration and slow power switching speed of the unmanned vehicle in cross-media operation are solved, realizing efficient switching and energy efficiency improvement of the three modes of water, land and air.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- NANJING GENERAL HOSPITAL NANJING MILLITARY COMMAND P L A
- Filing Date
- 2026-03-05
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-05
AI Technical Summary
Existing unmanned vehicle power systems have low integration and slow power switching speed when operating across different media, making it difficult to meet the power requirements of land, water and air modes. Furthermore, it is difficult to balance maneuverability and energy efficiency under heavy load and long endurance conditions.
The power transmission and propulsion combination module of the power-holding amphibious unmanned vehicle is adopted, including a first motor, a second motor, a power coupling device, a three-speed automatic mechanical transmission with skip-gear capability, and a propulsion assembly. The rotor and wheels are arranged coaxially and rotate independently through a nested clutch and bevel gear mechanism. Combined with dual-motor drive and multi-gear adjustment, the integration and redundancy are improved.
It enables uninterrupted attitude switching of unmanned vehicles across three media: water, land, and air, improving the integration and reliability of the mechanical structure, extending endurance, and enhancing energy economy and operational reliability.
Smart Images

Figure CN122144204A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention belongs to the field of unmanned vehicles and power devices, and relates to a power transmission device and propulsion combination module for a power-sustaining amphibious unmanned vehicle and a multi-rotor unmanned vehicle. Background Technology
[0002] In recent years, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been widely used in surveying, transportation, and rescue, and there is a trend towards amphibious and triphibious deployments. Triamphibious applications place higher demands on UAV design, particularly its propulsion system. The power and propulsion systems of UAVs not only need to provide sufficient driving force for movement on water, land, and in the air, but also need to be highly reliable and economical. Current research has proposed several propulsion system solutions for amphibious or triphibious UAVs.
[0003] Most amphibious unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) use the same power system configuration as multi-rotor UAVs, employing a direct motor-driven rotor system with power supplied by onboard batteries. Adding floats or additional motor-driven wheels to the underside of the fuselage enables the UAV to switch between air and water / land modes. The disadvantage of this approach is that the combined module's power comes from batteries, and limitations in battery capacity and weight result in relatively poor endurance.
[0004] Currently, there are only two types of power systems for purely fuel-powered unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs): single-rotor single-engine systems and dual-rotor / fixed-wing dual-engine systems. The single-rotor single-engine system has a configuration similar to a helicopter, with the mechanical energy for rotor rotation provided by an internal combustion engine. This modular approach cannot meet the multi-amplitude requirements of UAVs because a single internal combustion engine cannot mechanically connect and simultaneously output power to multiple terminal thrusters, posing challenges to spatial arrangement and independent control of multiple thrusters. Generally, an additional propulsion mechanism is required to meet the UAV's mobility needs on water and land. The dual-rotor / fixed-wing dual-engine system directly drives the rotor with an internal combustion engine, or provides thrust directly from the internal combustion engine while the fixed wing provides lift. This type of system also requires an additional drive unit to meet the UAV's mobility needs in other media.
[0005] Some unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) employ a hybrid power system, where an internal combustion engine drives a generator, which in turn powers an electric motor to extend endurance and enable independent control of rotor speed. However, current UAV solutions fail to address the low integration of aerial / land / water propulsion systems and the challenges of attitude switching.
[0006] In summary, the existing unmanned vehicle propulsion system technologies mentioned above share the following common problems: First, the spatial arrangement of each thruster is dispersed, each mechanism is independent of each other, the integration is low, and the power switching speed is slow when operating across media, making it prone to power interruption; second, most propulsion systems are limited to single-media missions and cannot meet the different power requirements of land, water and air modes; third, under heavy load and long endurance conditions, existing propulsion systems and thrusters cannot simultaneously achieve both maneuverability and energy efficiency. Summary of the Invention
[0007] Purpose of the invention: The purpose of this invention is to provide a power transmission device and propulsion combination module for a power-sustaining amphibious unmanned vehicle and a multi-rotor unmanned vehicle.
[0008] Technical solution: The present invention provides a power transmission device and thruster combination module for a power-holding amphibious unmanned vehicle, comprising a first motor, a second motor, a power coupling device, a three-speed automatic mechanical transmission with skip-gear capability, and a thruster assembly; The power coupling device is used to selectively or coupled the power output from the first motor and the second motor to the skip-gear three-speed automatic mechanical transmission, and the skip-gear three-speed automatic mechanical transmission is used to adjust the speed and torque and output them to the propeller assembly. The propulsion assembly includes an attitude switching motor, a propulsion housing, a nested clutch, a nested bevel gear mechanism, a rotor, and a wheel rim. The rotor and wheel rim are located outside the propulsion housing and are arranged coaxially through a nested shaft structure. The nested clutch controls the rotor or wheel rim to rotate independently around the coaxial center through the nested bevel gear mechanism. The attitude switching motor drives the propulsion housing to rotate, thereby adjusting the angle and position of the rotor and wheel rim.
[0009] Furthermore, the power coupling device includes a first motor output end gear, a second motor output end gear, and a power coupling gear. The first motor output end gear is connected to the output end of the first motor, the second motor output end gear is connected to the output end of the second motor, and the power coupling gear is used to couple the power of the second motor output end gear and the first motor output end gear.
[0010] Furthermore, it also includes a combined module power generation mode input terminal for connecting the mechanical power source. A motor input clutch is provided between the input terminal of the first motor and the combined module power generation mode input terminal. A motor output clutch is provided between the output terminal of the first motor and the first motor output gear. The driving end of the motor input clutch is connected to the combined module power generation mode input terminal, and the driven end is connected to the first motor through the first motor input shaft. The driving end of the motor output clutch is connected to the first motor through the first motor output shaft, and the driven end is connected to the first motor output gear through the motor output clutch output shaft. The driving and driven ends of the motor input clutch and the motor output clutch can be engaged or disengaged, so that the power transmission is engaged or interrupted.
[0011] Furthermore, the first and second motors can be used as generators to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy, or as electric motors to output mechanical energy.
[0012] Furthermore, the nested bevel gear mechanism includes a nested clutch solid output shaft, a nested clutch hollow output shaft, a hollow shaft driving bevel gear, a solid shaft driving bevel gear, a solid shaft driven bevel gear, a hollow shaft driven bevel gear, a hollow wheel rim connecting shaft, and a rotor connecting shaft. The nested clutch has two driven ends, an inner and an outer one, which form a nested structure. The outer driven end is connected to the hollow shaft driving bevel gear through the nested clutch hollow output shaft. The hollow shaft driving bevel gear meshes with the hollow shaft driven bevel gear, and the hollow shaft driven bevel gear is connected to the wheel rim through the hollow wheel rim connecting shaft. The inner driven end is connected to the solid shaft driving bevel gear through the nested clutch solid output shaft. The solid shaft driving bevel gear meshes with the solid shaft driven bevel gear, and the solid shaft driven bevel gear is connected to the rotor through the rotor connecting shaft.
[0013] Furthermore, the output end of the attitude switching motor is connected to an attitude switching drive gear, and an external gear ring of the propeller housing is provided on the propeller housing. The attitude switching drive gear meshes with the external gear ring of the propeller housing. When the attitude switching motor drives the attitude switching drive gear to rotate, the attitude switching drive gear will drive the external gear ring of the propeller housing and the propeller housing to rotate.
[0014] Furthermore, the output shaft of the skip-gear three-speed automatic mechanical transmission is directly connected to the driving end of the nested clutch.
[0015] Furthermore, the output shaft of the skip-gear three-speed automatic mechanical transmission is connected to the driving end of the nested clutch of the thruster via an extended transmission mechanism. The extended transmission mechanism includes a first bevel gear transmission mechanism, a first extended transmission shaft, a constant velocity universal joint, a second extended transmission shaft, and a second bevel gear transmission mechanism. The first bevel gear transmission mechanism is composed of a first transmission bevel gear and a second transmission bevel gear, and the second bevel gear transmission mechanism is composed of a third transmission bevel gear and a fourth transmission bevel gear. The output shaft of the skip-gear three-speed automatic mechanical transmission is sequentially connected to the first bevel gear transmission mechanism, the first extended transmission shaft, the constant velocity universal joint, the second extended transmission shaft, and the second bevel gear transmission mechanism. The second bevel gear transmission mechanism is connected to the driving end of the nested clutch via the thruster input shaft.
[0016] Furthermore, the skip-gear three-speed automatic mechanical transmission has three gears, each of which is driven by two-stage gears, enabling switching between first and third gears; the skip-gear three-speed automatic mechanical transmission is equipped with a power coupling device output shaft, a solid intermediate shaft of the transmission, a hollow intermediate shaft of the transmission, and a transmission output shaft; the hollow intermediate shaft of the transmission is coaxial with the solid intermediate shaft of the transmission and is loosely fitted on the solid intermediate shaft of the transmission, and the axes of the power coupling device output shaft and the transmission output shaft are collinear; The output shaft of the power coupling device is loosely fitted with a second-gear first-stage drive gear and first and third-gear first-stage drive gears. Correspondingly, the output shaft of the power coupling device is equipped with a second-gear first-stage drive gear clutch and a first and third-gear first-stage drive gear clutch. The driving end of the second-gear first-stage drive gear clutch is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the power coupling device, and the driven end is fixedly connected to the second-gear first-stage drive gear. The driving end of the first and third-gear first-stage drive gear clutch is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the power coupling device, and the driven end is fixedly connected to the first and third-gear first-stage drive gears. A second-gear first-stage driven gear meshing with the second-gear first-stage drive gear is fixedly connected to the solid intermediate shaft of the transmission. First and third-gear first-stage driven gears meshing with the first and third-gear first-stage drive gears are fixedly connected to the hollow intermediate shaft of the transmission. The transmission includes a first-gear second-stage drive gear and a third-gear second-stage drive gear. A first- and third-gear shift synchronizer is mounted on the hollow intermediate shaft of the transmission, while a second- and third-gear shift synchronizer is mounted on the solid intermediate shaft of the transmission. The first-gear second-stage drive gear is controlled to participate in power transmission via the first- and third-gear shift synchronizer, and the third-gear second-stage drive gear is controlled to participate in power transmission via either the first- and third-gear shift synchronizer or the second- and third-gear shift synchronizer. The second-gear second-stage drive gear on the solid intermediate shaft of the transmission is controlled to participate in power transmission via the second- and third-gear shift synchronizer. A first- and second-stage driven gear, a third- and second-stage driven gear, and a second- and second-stage driven gear are fixedly connected to the output shaft of the transmission and mesh with the first- and second-stage drive gears, the third- and second-stage drive gears, and the second- and second-stage drive gear, respectively.
[0017] Another object of the present invention is to provide a multi-rotor unmanned vehicle employing the above-mentioned power-holding amphibious unmanned vehicle power transmission device and propeller combination module, including multiple such power-holding amphibious unmanned vehicle power transmission device and propeller combination modules, an internal combustion engine and a transfer gear mechanism, wherein the transfer gear mechanism is composed of multiple gears, and the internal combustion engine distributes the output power to each of the power-holding amphibious unmanned vehicle power transmission device and propeller combination modules through the transfer gear mechanism.
[0018] Beneficial effects: (1) The combined module adopts an innovative "wheel-propeller-wing" integrated structure. The rotor also acts as a propeller to push air in ship mode. It is coaxially arranged with the wheel through a nested shaft structure. The rotation of the rotor and wheel is controlled by a nested clutch to improve the integration of the mechanical structure and save layout space. The combined module drives the propeller housing to tilt through an external motor and gear ring structure, realizing uninterrupted attitude switching of the unmanned vehicle's water / land / air travel power, and can adjust the direction of the lift generated by the rotor. (2) The combined module adopts a dual-motor dual-axis input structure to distribute the shaft load and improve the load-bearing capacity of the unmanned vehicle's power system. In addition, the dual-motor drive can improve the redundancy of the module. Once one motor is damaged, the other motor can still generate power, ensuring that the module still has driving capability. The multi-gear and multi-drive modes of the module can improve energy consumption economy through gear adjustment and improve the reliability of operation to avoid failure when the working mode is single. Attached Figure Description
[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of Embodiment 2 of the present invention.
[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the land driving mode in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the water navigation mode in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
[0023] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the flight mode in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
[0024] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the aerial flight mode of the unmanned vehicle chassis with four combined modules in Embodiment 3 of the present invention.
[0025] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the water navigation mode of the unmanned vehicle chassis with four combined modules in Embodiment 3 of the present invention.
[0026] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the land driving mode of the unmanned vehicle chassis with four combined modules in Embodiment 3 of the present invention.
[0027] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the thruster tilting to adjust the lift direction in Embodiment 3 of the present invention.
[0028] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the combined module power generation mode input terminal of the present invention connected to an internal combustion engine.
[0029] Figure 11 The present invention describes the power flow path of the skip-gear three-speed automatic mechanical transmission when operating in first gear.
[0030] Figure 12 This invention describes the power flow path of the skip-gear three-speed automatic mechanical transmission when operating in second gear.
[0031] Figure 13 This invention describes the power flow path of the skip-gear three-speed automatic mechanical transmission when operating in third gear. Detailed Implementation
[0032] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0033] Example 1
[0034] like Figure 1 As shown, the power transmission and propeller assembly module of the power-holding amphibious unmanned vehicle in this embodiment mainly consists of a first motor 4, a second motor 5, a power coupling device 13, a three-speed automatic mechanical transmission 14 with skip-gear capability, and a propeller assembly. The propeller assembly includes a propeller input shaft 39, an attitude switching motor 40, an attitude switching drive gear 41, an external gear ring 42 of the propeller housing, a nested clutch 43, a solid output shaft 44 of the nested clutch, a hollow output shaft 45 of the nested clutch, a hollow shaft drive bevel gear 46, a solid shaft drive bevel gear 47, a solid shaft driven bevel gear 48, a propeller housing 49, a hollow shaft driven bevel gear 50, a hollow wheel rim connecting shaft 51, a rotor connecting shaft 52, a rotor 53, and a wheel rim 54. The power from the first motor 4 and the second motor 5 can be coupled and output to the three-speed automatic mechanical transmission 14 with skip-gear capability via the power coupling device 13. The three-speed automatic mechanical transmission 14 with skip-gear capability adjusts the speed and torque before outputting it to the propeller assembly. The attitude switching motor 40 does not provide power to propel the unmanned vehicle forward; it is only used to tilt the entire thruster to help the unmanned vehicle complete attitude switching or to adjust the direction of the lift generated by the thruster.
[0035] Specifically, the combined module power generation mode input terminal 1 is the power input terminal of the power transmission device and thruster combined module of the power transmission device and thruster of the amphibious unmanned vehicle with uninterrupted power and power maintenance type involved in the present invention, which can establish a mechanical connection with other power sources. The input terminal 1 of the combined module's power generation mode is fixedly connected to the driving end of the motor input terminal clutch 2. The driven end of the motor input terminal clutch 2 is connected to the first motor 4 via the first motor input shaft 3. The first motor 4 and the second motor 5 can be used as generators to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy, or as motors to output mechanical energy. The output terminal of the first motor 4 is the first motor output shaft 6, and the first motor output shaft 6 is fixedly connected to the driving end of the motor output terminal clutch 7. The driven end of the motor output terminal clutch 7 is connected to the first motor output terminal gear 9 via the motor output terminal clutch output shaft 8. When necessary, the driving and driven ends of the motor input terminal clutch 2 and the motor output terminal clutch 7 can be separated, interrupting power transmission.
[0036] The function of the power coupling device 13 is to couple the power of the first motor 4 and the second motor 5 to enhance power output when both operate in motor mode simultaneously. The power coupling device 13 includes a second motor output gear 12 connected to the output end of the second motor 5, a first motor output gear 9 connected to the driven end of the motor output clutch 7, and a power coupling gear 10 that couples the power of the second motor output gear 12 and the first motor output gear 9. The first motor output gear 9 is connected to the driven end of the motor output clutch 7 via the first motor output clutch output shaft 8, and the second motor output gear 12 is connected to the second motor 5 via the second motor output shaft 11.
[0037] The power of the power coupling device 13 is output to the three-speed automatic mechanical transmission 14, which can skip gears, through the output shaft 24 of the power coupling device.
[0038] The function of the skip-gear three-speed automatic mechanical transmission 14 is to adjust the output speed and torque of the device according to the usage scenario, working condition, and load of the unmanned vehicle (UAV) to meet the different power requirements of the UAV in different postures, and to ensure that the first motor 4 and the second motor 5 operate in the high-efficiency range. The skip-gear three-speed automatic mechanical transmission 14 has three gears, i.e., three transmission ratios, and each gear is driven by two stages of gears. The configuration of the skip-gear three-speed automatic mechanical transmission 14 enables it to skip gears, allowing for direct and rapid switching between first and third gears, improving the efficiency of gear shifting and UAV mode switching. For first gear, the first stage gear consists of the first and third gear first-stage driving gear 27 and the first and third gear first-stage driven gear 17; the second stage gear consists of the first gear second-stage driving gear 19 and the first gear second-stage driven gear 29. For second gear, the first stage gear consists of the second gear first-stage driving gear 25 and the second gear first-stage driven gear 15; the second stage gear consists of the second gear second-stage driving gear 23 and the second gear second-stage driven gear 31. For third gear, the first stage gear consists of the first and third gear first-stage driving gear 27 and the first and third gear first-stage driven gear 17; the second stage gear consists of the third gear second-stage driving gear 21 and the third gear second-stage driven gear 30. The skip-gear three-speed automatic mechanical transmission 14 has four shafts inside: the power coupling device output shaft 24, the transmission solid intermediate shaft 16, the transmission hollow intermediate shaft 18, and the transmission output shaft 32. The hollow intermediate shaft 18 of the transmission is coaxial with the solid intermediate shaft 16 of the transmission. The output shaft 24 of the power coupling device and the output shaft 32 of the transmission are collinear. The hollow intermediate shaft 18 is loosely fitted onto the solid intermediate shaft 16. The second-gear first-stage drive gear 25 and the first and third-gear first-stage drive gears 27 are loosely fitted onto the output shaft 24 of the power coupling device. The function of the second-gear first-stage drive gear clutch 26 and the first and third-gear first-stage drive gear clutches 28 is to connect or disconnect the second-gear first-stage drive gears 25 and the first and third-gear first-stage drive gears 27 from the output shaft 24 of the power coupling device, thereby changing the power transmission path inside the skip-gear three-speed automatic mechanical transmission 14. The driving end of the second-gear first-stage drive gear clutch 26 is fixedly connected to the output shaft 24 of the power coupling device, and the driven end is fixedly connected to the second-gear first-stage drive gear 25. The driving end of the first and third-gear first-stage drive gear clutches 28 is fixedly connected to the output shaft 24 of the power coupling device, and the driven end is fixedly connected to the first and third-gear first-stage drive gears 27. The second-gear first-stage driven gear 15 is fixedly connected to the solid intermediate shaft 16 of the transmission and rotates together with the solid intermediate shaft 16. The first and third-gear first-stage driven gears 17 are fixedly connected to the hollow intermediate shaft 18 of the transmission and rotate together with the hollow intermediate shaft 18. The first-gear second-stage driving gear 19 and the third-gear second-stage driving gear 21 are both loosely fitted on the hollow intermediate shaft 18 of the transmission. The first-gear second-stage driving gear 19 is controlled by the first and third gear shift synchronizer 20 to participate in power transmission. The first-gear second-stage driving gear 19 will only rotate when the engaging sleeve of the first and third gear shift synchronizer 20 moves and engages with the first-gear second-stage driving gear 19.The third-gear second-stage drive gear 21 is controlled by the first- and third-gear switching synchronizers 20 and 22 to participate in power transmission. The third-gear second-stage drive gear 21 will only rotate when its engaging sleeves move and engage with it. The first- and third-gear switching synchronizers 20 are mounted on the hollow intermediate shaft 18 of the transmission, and the second- and third-gear switching synchronizers 22 are mounted on the solid intermediate shaft 16 of the transmission. The second-gear second-stage drive gear 23 is controlled by the second- and third-gear switching synchronizers 22 to participate in power transmission. The second-gear second-stage drive gear 23 will only rotate when its engaging sleeve moves and engages with it. The first-gear second-stage driven gear 29, the third-gear second-stage driven gear 30, and the second-gear second-stage driven gear 31 are fixed to the transmission output shaft 32 and rotate together with it.
[0039] A three-speed automatic mechanical transmission 14 with skip-gear mode adjusts the speed and torque, and outputs the output to the propulsion assembly via the transmission output shaft 32. The propulsion assembly enables the unmanned vehicle to switch between various attitudes, including high-altitude flight, land travel, and water navigation. Specifically, the propulsion assembly includes an attitude switching motor 40, an attitude switching drive gear 41, an external gear ring 42 of the propulsion housing, a propulsion housing 49, a nested clutch 43, a nested bevel gear mechanism, a wheel rim 54, and a rotor 53. Among these, the components that provide the driving force required for the unmanned vehicle's movement are mainly the rotor 53 and the wheel rim 54. The nested clutch 43 can control the rotor 53 or the wheel rim 54 to rotate independently around a coaxial axis via the nested bevel gear mechanism.
[0040] The attitude switching motor 40 is fixed to the unmanned vehicle chassis, and its output end is connected to the attitude switching drive gear 41. The external gear ring 42 of the thruster housing is fixedly connected to the thruster housing 49. The attitude switching drive gear 41 meshes with the external gear ring 42 of the thruster housing. Therefore, when the attitude switching motor 40 drives the attitude switching drive gear 41 to rotate, the attitude switching drive gear 41 will drive the external gear ring 42 of the thruster housing and the thruster housing 49 to rotate, thereby causing the nested clutch 43, the nested bevel gear mechanism, the rotor 53 and the wheel rim 54 to tilt. The main purpose is to adjust the angle and position of the rotor 53 and the wheel rim 54.
[0041] The nested structure of rotor 53 and wheel rim 54 is designed as follows: the nested bevel gear mechanism includes a nested clutch solid output shaft 44, a nested clutch hollow output shaft 45, a hollow shaft driving bevel gear 46, a solid shaft driving bevel gear 47, a solid shaft driven bevel gear 48, a hollow shaft driven bevel gear 50, a hollow wheel rim connecting shaft 51, and a rotor connecting shaft 52. The nested clutch 43 has two driven ends, inner and outer, forming a nested structure. The outer driven end is connected to the hollow shaft driving bevel gear 46 via the nested clutch hollow output shaft 45, and the hollow shaft driving bevel gear 46 meshes with the hollow shaft driven bevel gear 50. The inner driven end is connected to the solid shaft driving bevel gear 47 via the nested clutch solid output shaft 44, and the solid shaft driving bevel gear 47 meshes with the solid shaft driven bevel gear 48. The hollow shaft driven bevel gear 50 is connected to the wheel rim 54 via the hollow wheel rim connecting shaft 51, and the solid shaft driven bevel gear 48 is connected to the rotor 53 via the rotor connecting shaft 52. That is, the power to the wheel rim 54 comes from the outer driven end of the nested clutch 43, and the power to the rotor 53 comes from the inner driven end of the nested clutch 43. When the outer driven end of the nested clutch 43 is engaged with the driving end, the wheel rim 54 rotates while the rotor 53 does not rotate; when the inner driven end of the nested clutch 43 is engaged with the driving end, the rotor 53 rotates while the wheel rim 54 does not rotate.
[0042] Specifically, the uninterrupted power-maintaining amphibious unmanned vehicle power transmission device and thruster combination module involved in this invention, when on land, drives the attitude switching motor 40 to drive the attitude switching drive gear 41, thereby causing the outer gear ring 42 of the thruster housing and the thruster housing 49 to tilt, so that the wheel rim 54 of the thruster part contacts the ground. The outer driven end of the nested clutch 43 engages with the driving end, causing the hollow output shaft 45 of the nested clutch, the hollow shaft drive bevel gear 46 to drive the hollow shaft driven bevel gear 50, the hollow wheel rim connecting shaft 51, and the wheel rim 54 to rotate. At this time, the state of the device is as shown in the attached figure. Figure 3 As shown, the wheel rim 54 can tilt to the two positions shown in the diagram as needed, generating friction between the outer circumference of the wheel rim 54 and the ground, at which point the unmanned vehicle enters land driving mode. When on water, the attitude switching motor 40 drives the thruster housing 49 to tilt, making the rotor 53 of the thruster section perpendicular to the water surface. The inner driven end of the nested clutch 43 engages with the driving end, causing the solid output shaft 44 of the nested clutch and the solid shaft driving bevel gear 47 to drive the solid shaft driven bevel gear 48, the rotor connecting shaft 52, and the rotor 53 to rotate. At this time, the device is in the following state: Figure 4As shown, rotor 53 can tilt to the two positions shown in the figure as needed. The movement of the blades of rotor 53 generates airflow, providing forward air thrust for the unmanned vehicle. When the unmanned vehicle is ready for takeoff, attitude switching motor 40 drives thruster housing 49 to tilt, so that rotor 53 of the thruster assembly is in a horizontal position. The inner driven end of nested clutch 43 engages with the driving end, causing the solid output shaft 44 of nested clutch and the solid shaft driving bevel gear 47 to drive the solid shaft driven bevel gear 48, rotor connecting shaft 52, and rotor 53 to rotate. At this time, the state of the device is as shown. Figure 5 As shown, the blade motion of rotor 53 generates a downward airflow perpendicular to the ground, providing the lift required for the unmanned vehicle to fly. When rotor 53 rotates, the rim 54 acts as a duct on the periphery, enhancing the lift provided by rotor 53.
[0043] In this embodiment, an extended transmission mechanism is also included between the transmission output shaft 32 and the nested clutch 43. This mechanism is suitable for cases where the rotor 53 and wheel rim 54 have large diameters. The extended transmission mechanism prevents motion interference between adjacent modules. Specifically, the extended transmission mechanism includes several extended transmission shafts, a bevel gear transmission mechanism, and a constant velocity universal joint 38. The end of the transmission output shaft 32 is connected to a first bevel gear transmission mechanism composed of a first transmission bevel gear 35 and a second transmission bevel gear 36. The second transmission bevel gear 36 then transmits power through a first extended transmission shaft 37, a constant velocity universal joint 38, and a second extended transmission shaft 33 to a second bevel gear transmission mechanism composed of a third transmission bevel gear 34 and a fourth transmission bevel gear 55. The fourth transmission bevel gear 55 is fixedly connected to the thruster input shaft 39 of the thruster assembly. The first extended transmission shaft 37 and the second extended transmission shaft 33 increase the arrangement space of the thruster section, preventing the distance between the thruster sections of two adjacent modules from being too small, which could affect the performance of the unmanned vehicle or even cause motion interference.
[0044] Example 2
[0045] like Figure 2 As shown, the structural scheme of this embodiment is suitable for cases where the diameters of the rotor 53 and the wheel rim 54 are small. In this case, when combining modules, the propeller assemblies of two adjacent modules are less likely to interfere with each other during tilting. Therefore, in this embodiment, the transmission output shaft 32 is directly connected to the driving end of the nested clutch 43. The difference from Embodiment 1 is that in Embodiment 1, the driving end of the nested clutch 43 receives power transmitted from the propeller input shaft 39, while in Embodiment 2, the driving end of the nested clutch 43 receives power transmitted from the transmission output shaft 32.
[0046] Example 3
[0047] like Figure 6-8As shown, employing a modular design concept, the unmanned vehicle (UAV) can be configured with different numbers of combined modules on its chassis to form a multi-rotor UAV, depending on performance and overall layout requirements. In one specific embodiment, four combined modules are arranged on the UAV chassis. An internal combustion engine 56, positioned at the center of the chassis, provides power input to the electric motor and, when necessary, enables the combined modules involved in this invention to operate in a series hybrid power mode, extending the UAV's endurance. A distribution gear mechanism 57, composed of four gears, distributes the power output from the internal combustion engine 56 to the four combined modules involved in this invention. This arrangement in this embodiment allows the amphibious UAV to switch between quadcopter drone, four-wheeled vehicle, and four-propeller jet ship configurations.
[0048] This invention allows for switching between various attitudes, including high-altitude flight, land travel, and water navigation, by adjusting the angle and position of the rotor 53 and the rim 54, and controlling their rotation. Specifically, Figure 6 The image shows the propulsion sections of all four modules involved in this invention in the amphibious unmanned vehicle tilted to a horizontal position relative to the ground, at which point the unmanned vehicle takes on the form of a quadcopter drone. When all rotors 53 rotate at a specified speed under the signal of the control system, the unmanned vehicle can effectively perform flight missions under the action of lift. Figure 7 The image shows a triphibious unmanned vehicle (UAV) in which the propeller sections of all four modules involved in this invention are tilted perpendicular to the water surface, giving the UAV a four-propeller ship configuration. All rotors 53 are positioned on the water surface, and when they rotate at a specified speed under the control system's signal, the UAV can... Figure 7 It advances in front of the water under the action of the thrust shown. Figure 8 The demonstration shows the propeller sections of all four combined modules involved in this invention in a triphibious unmanned vehicle tilted to contact the road surface, at which point the unmanned vehicle has a four-wheeled vehicle configuration. All wheel rims 54 are perpendicular to and in contact with the road surface, acting as wheels. When they all rotate at a specified speed under the signal of the control system, the unmanned vehicle can move forward on the road surface.
[0049] This invention can provide torque for attitude adjustment in aerial flight mode, differential steering in land driving mode, and steering in water navigation mode for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped with this combined module by controlling the rotational speed differences of the rotating elements in the various module thrusters; specifically, when the UAV... Figure 6 When the drone is in flight, by adjusting the rotational speed of the rotor 53 in each modular assembly, the lift force at the four corners of the drone varies, thus subjecting the drone's fuselage to pitch and yaw moments that alter its in-flight attitude. For example... Figure 9As shown, by driving the attitude switching motor 40 to drive the attitude switching drive gear 41, the outer gear ring 42 of the thruster housing, and the thruster housing 49 in the air, the angle θ between the rotor 53 in the thruster and the horizontal plane can be changed. This allows the unmanned vehicle to obtain the lift component required for forward flight while keeping the fuselage angle horizontal, reducing the air resistance on the fuselage and further increasing the range.
[0050] When unmanned vehicles Figure 7 When the unmanned vehicle floats forward on the water in the posture shown, if there is a difference in rotation speed between the rotors 53 on both sides of the forward direction, the thrust on both sides of the unmanned vehicle will be different, which will generate a turning torque in the horizontal plane, enabling the unmanned vehicle to turn on the water.
[0051] When unmanned vehicles Figure 8 When the unmanned vehicle is traveling on the road in the posture shown, it can perform differential steering when there is a speed difference between the wheel rims 54 on both sides of the direction of travel.
[0052] The working principle of this invention will be explained below from three aspects: mode switching, gear switching, and unmanned vehicle attitude switching via combined modules. (1) Specific implementation method of mode switching: The present invention relates to a power transmission and propulsion combination module for a triphibious unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with uninterrupted power supply, which can operate in power generation mode, electric drive mode, or pure mechanical mode according to the needs of the triphibious UAV's operation. This effect is mainly achieved through the coordinated operation of the motor input clutch 2, the first motor 4, the motor output clutch 7, the second motor 5, and the power coupling device 13. The power generation mode, i.e., the hybrid power mode, can significantly improve the UAV's range. In the electric drive mode, both motors of each combination module operate in motor mode, simultaneously outputting speed and torque, improving the UAV's power performance. The pure mechanical mode is mainly for emergency use. When both generator motors are inoperable, the motors are used as purely mechanical connectors, and the combination module is directly driven by the central internal combustion engine, ensuring that the UAV still has the ability to output power.
[0053] like Figure 10 As shown, the combined module is used as an example when the input terminal 1 of the combined module is connected to an internal combustion engine in power generation mode. When the combined module involved in this invention operates in power generation mode, the driving and driven ends of the motor input clutch 2 are engaged, and the driving and driven ends of the motor output clutch 7 are disengaged. At this time, the first motor 4 is driven by the internal combustion engine and operates in generator mode, generating electrical energy for the combined module. The second motor 5 operates in electric motor mode, driving the motor output gear 12 to provide mechanical energy to the combined module. That is, the power coupling device 13 only receives power input from the second motor 5, and the motor output gear 9 passively rotates under the action of the power coupling gear 10.
[0054] When the combined module involved in this invention needs to operate in electric drive mode, the driving and driven ends of the motor input clutch 2 disengage, cutting off the power transmission between the internal combustion engine and the combined module's power generation mode input 1. The driving and driven ends of the motor output clutch 7 engage, and both the first motor 4 and the second motor 5 operate in electric motor mode, and are power-coupled through the power coupling device 13.
[0055] When the combined module involved in this invention needs to operate in a purely mechanical mode, the motor input clutch 2 and the motor output clutch 7 engage at their driving and driven ends, and the first motor 4 and the second motor 5 do not operate. The first motor 4 only serves a mechanical connection function. At this time, the combined module is driven only by the internal combustion engine.
[0056] The advantages of the three combined module operating modes (power generation mode / electric drive mode / pure mechanical mode) are as follows: Compared with the pure electric mode, which only consumes the electrical energy carried by the battery, the combined module in power generation mode is connected to the output end of the internal combustion engine, mainly consuming the chemical energy in the fuel, which can significantly improve the range of the unmanned vehicle; Compared with the power generation mode, in the pure electric mode, both the first motor 4 and the second motor 5 output power and are coupled with the power coupling device 13, which allows the combined module to output greater torque in a short time, improving the dynamics of the unmanned vehicle; When the first motor 4 and the second motor 5 cannot work effectively, the pure mechanical mode can still ensure that the unmanned vehicle works under the power drive of the internal combustion engine.
[0057] (2) Specific implementation method of gear switching: The skip-gear three-speed automatic mechanical transmission 14 is a gear shifting device for the combined module involved in this invention, which has three gears and the power transmission routes are as follows: Figures 11-13 As shown. The skip-gear three-speed automatic mechanical transmission 14, as a novel transmission solution, can not only be used in the combined module involved in this invention, but also in conjunction with other types of internal combustion engines / drive motors and other drive devices. The skip-gear three-speed automatic mechanical transmission 14 achieves the skip-gear function through two special structures: a single-stage gear dual clutch and a nested intermediate shaft, that is, it can directly and quickly switch between first and third gear.
[0058] Specifically, when the second-gear first-stage drive gear clutch 26 is disengaged from both the first-gear and third-gear first-stage drive gear clutches 28, or when the engagement sleeves of the first-gear and third-gear switching synchronizers 20 and the second-gear and third-gear switching synchronizers 22 are both in the middle position, the skip-gear three-speed automatic mechanical transmission 14 is in neutral, and there is no power output at the transmission output shaft 32.
[0059] like Figure 11As shown, when the first and third gear primary drive gear clutch 28 engages, and the engagement sleeve of the first and third gear switching synchronizer 20 moves to the left and engages with the engagement gear ring on the first gear secondary drive gear 19, the skip-gear three-speed automatic mechanical transmission 14 is in first gear. At this time, the power flow route inside the skip-gear three-speed automatic mechanical transmission 14 is as follows: power coupling device output shaft 24 - first gear, third gear primary drive gear clutch 28 - first gear, third gear primary drive gear 27 - first gear, third gear primary driven gear 17 - transmission hollow intermediate shaft 18 - first gear secondary drive gear 19 - first gear, third gear switching synchronizer 20 - first gear secondary driven gear 29 - transmission output shaft 32.
[0060] like Figure 12 As shown, when the skip-gear three-speed automatic mechanical transmission 14 needs to shift from first gear to second gear, the engaging sleeve of the second-to-third gear switching synchronizer 22 moves to the right and engages with the engaging gear ring on the second-gear secondary drive gear 23. The engaging sleeve of the first-to-third gear switching synchronizer 20 retracts to the middle position, the first-to-third gear primary drive gear clutch 28 disengages, and the second-gear primary drive gear clutch 26 engages. At this time, the skip-gear three-speed automatic mechanical transmission 14 is operating in second gear, and the power flow route is: power coupling device output shaft 24 - second-gear primary drive gear clutch 26 - second-gear primary drive gear 25 - second-gear primary driven gear 15 - transmission solid intermediate shaft 16 - second-to-third gear switching synchronizer 22 - second-gear secondary drive gear 23 - second-gear secondary driven gear 31 - transmission output shaft 32.
[0061] like Figure 13 As shown, when the skip-gear three-speed automatic mechanical transmission 14 needs to shift from second to third gear, the engaging sleeve of the first-to-third gear shift synchronizer 20 moves to the right, engaging with the engaging gear ring on the third-gear second-stage drive gear 21. The engaging sleeve of the second-to-third gear shift synchronizer 22 retracts to the middle position, the second-gear first-stage drive gear clutch 26 disengages, and the first-to-third gear first-stage drive gear clutch 28 engages. At this time, the skip-gear three-speed automatic mechanical transmission 14 is operating in third gear. The power flow route is as follows: power coupling device output shaft 24 - first-to-third-gear first-stage drive gear clutch 28 - first-to-third-gear first-stage drive gear 27 - first-to-third-gear first-stage driven gear 17 - transmission hollow intermediate shaft 18 - first-to-third gear shift synchronizer 20 - third-gear second-stage drive gear 21 - third-gear second-stage driven gear 30 - transmission output shaft 32.
[0062] When the three-speed automatic mechanical transmission 14 with skip-gear needs to directly switch between first and third gear, it is only necessary to move the engagement sleeve of the first and third gear switching synchronizer 20.
[0063] (3) Specific implementation method of unmanned vehicle attitude switching by the combined module: When the unmanned vehicle is flying in the air, the state of the combined module involved in this invention is as follows: Figure 5As shown. Airborne flight typically requires high-speed rotation of the rotor 53, therefore the skip-gear three-speed automatic mechanical transmission 14 operates in third gear. At this time, the driven end and driving end of the nested clutch 43 engage, driving the nested clutch solid output shaft 44, solid shaft driving bevel gear 47, solid shaft driven bevel gear 48, rotor connecting shaft 52, and rotor 53 to rotate. When the combined module switches from an airborne flight attitude to a land-based driving attitude, the attitude switching motor 40 drives the attitude switching drive gear 41, causing the propeller housing outer gear ring 42 to rotate, which in turn causes the propeller housing 49 to tilt, bringing the wheel rim 54 into contact with the ground. The first and third gear switching synchronizer 20 engagement sleeve moves to the left, engaging with the engagement gear ring on the first gear second-stage drive gear 19, and the skip-gear three-speed automatic mechanical transmission 14 engages in first gear. The inner driven end of the nested clutch 43 separates from the driving end, while the outer driven end engages with the driving end, driving the hollow output shaft 45, hollow shaft driving bevel gear 46, hollow shaft driven bevel gear 50, hollow wheel rim connecting shaft 51, and wheel rim 54 to rotate. When this combined module switches from an aerial flight attitude to a waterborne navigation attitude, the attitude switching motor 40 drives the attitude switching driving gear 41, causing the outer gear ring 42 of the thruster housing to rotate, which in turn causes the thruster housing 49 to tilt, making the rotor 53 perpendicular to the water surface. The lift generated by the rotation of the rotor 53 changes from upward to parallel to the water surface, propelling the unmanned vehicle forward on the water.
[0064] The attitude switching processes between the combined module involved in this invention and its air flight attitude, land driving attitude, and water navigation attitude are all similar to those described above.
Claims
1. A power transmission device and thruster combination module for a power-sustaining amphibious unmanned vehicle, characterized in that, Includes a first motor (4), a second motor (5), a power coupling device (13), a three-speed automatic mechanical transmission (14) with skip-gear capability, and a propulsion assembly; The power coupling device (13) is used to selectively or coupled the power output from the first motor (4) and the second motor (5) to the three-speed automatic mechanical transmission (14) with adjustable gears. The three-speed automatic mechanical transmission (14) with adjustable gears is used to output the speed and torque to the propeller assembly. The propulsion assembly includes an attitude switching motor (40), a propulsion housing (49), a nested clutch (43), a nested bevel gear mechanism, a rotor (53), and a wheel rim (54). The rotor (53) and wheel rim (54) are located outside the propulsion housing (49). The rotor (53) and wheel rim (54) are arranged coaxially through a nested shaft structure. The nested clutch (43) controls the rotor (53) or wheel rim (54) to rotate independently around the coaxial center through the nested bevel gear mechanism. The attitude switching motor (40) drives the propulsion housing (49) to rotate, thereby adjusting the angle and position of the rotor (53) and wheel rim (54).
2. The combined power transmission device and thruster module for a power-sustaining amphibious unmanned vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The power coupling device includes a first motor output end gear (9), a second motor output end gear (12), and a power coupling gear (10). The first motor output end gear (9) is connected to the output end of the first motor (4), and the second motor output end gear (12) is connected to the output end of the second motor (5). The power coupling gear (10) is used to couple the power of the second motor output end gear (12) and the first motor output end gear (9).
3. The combined power transmission device and thruster module for a power-sustaining amphibious unmanned vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that, It also includes a combined module power generation mode input terminal (1) for connecting a mechanical power source. A motor input clutch (2) is provided between the input terminal of the first motor (4) and the combined module power generation mode input terminal (1). A motor output clutch (7) is provided between the output terminal of the first motor (4) and the first motor output gear (9). The active end of the motor input clutch (2) is connected to the combined module power generation mode input terminal (1), and the driven end is connected to the first motor (4) through the first motor input shaft (3). The active end of the motor output clutch (7) is connected to the first motor (4) through the first motor output shaft (6), and the driven end is connected to the first motor output gear (9) through the motor output clutch output shaft (8). The active and driven ends of the motor input clutch (2) and the motor output clutch (7) can be engaged or disengaged to engage or disengage the power transmission.
4. The power transmission device and thruster combination module for a power-sustaining amphibious unmanned vehicle according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first motor (4) and the second motor (5) can be used as generators to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy, or as motors to output mechanical energy.
5. The power transmission device and thruster combination module for a power-sustaining amphibious unmanned vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The nested bevel gear mechanism includes a nested clutch solid output shaft (44), a nested clutch hollow output shaft (45), a hollow shaft driving bevel gear (46), a solid shaft driving bevel gear (47), a solid shaft driven bevel gear (48), a hollow shaft driven bevel gear (50), a hollow wheel rim connecting shaft (51), and a rotor connecting shaft (52). The nested clutch (43) has two driven ends, an inner and an outer one, which form a nested structure. The outer driven end is connected to the hollow shaft driving bevel gear via the nested clutch hollow output shaft (45). The hollow shaft driving bevel gear (46) is connected to the hollow shaft driven bevel gear (50), and the hollow shaft driven bevel gear (50) is connected to the wheel rim (54) through the hollow wheel rim connecting shaft (51); the inner driven end is connected to the solid shaft driving bevel gear (47) through the nested clutch solid output shaft (44), and the solid shaft driving bevel gear (47) is connected to the solid shaft driven bevel gear (48), and the solid shaft driven bevel gear (48) is connected to the rotor (53) through the rotor connecting shaft (52).
6. The combined power transmission device and thruster module for a power-sustaining amphibious unmanned vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The output end of the attitude switching motor (40) is connected to the attitude switching drive gear (41). The propeller housing (49) is provided with the propeller housing outer gear ring (42). The attitude switching drive gear (41) meshes with the propeller housing outer gear ring (42). When the attitude switching motor (40) drives the attitude switching drive gear (41) to rotate, the attitude switching drive gear (41) will drive the propeller housing outer gear ring (42) and the propeller housing (49) to rotate.
7. The combined power transmission device and thruster module for a power-sustaining amphibious unmanned vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The output shaft of the skip-gear three-speed automatic mechanical transmission (14) is directly connected to the driving end of the nested clutch (43).
8. The combined power transmission device and thruster module for a power-sustaining amphibious unmanned vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The output shaft of the skip-gear three-speed automatic mechanical transmission (14) is connected to the driving end of the nested clutch (43) of the thruster through an extended transmission mechanism. The extended transmission mechanism includes a first bevel gear transmission mechanism, a first extended transmission shaft (37), a constant velocity universal joint (38), a second extended transmission shaft (33), and a second bevel gear transmission mechanism. The first bevel gear transmission mechanism is composed of a first transmission bevel gear (35) and a second transmission bevel gear (36). The second bevel gear transmission mechanism is composed of a third transmission bevel gear (34) and a fourth transmission bevel gear (55). The output shaft of the skip-gear three-speed automatic mechanical transmission (14) is sequentially connected to the first bevel gear transmission mechanism, the first extended transmission shaft (37), the constant velocity universal joint (38), the second extended transmission shaft (33), and the second bevel gear transmission mechanism. The second bevel gear transmission mechanism is connected to the driving end of the nested clutch (43) through the thruster input shaft (39).
9. The combined power transmission device and thruster module for a power-sustaining amphibious unmanned vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The three-speed automatic mechanical transmission (14) with skip-gear has three gears, each of which is driven by two-stage gears, enabling switching between first and third gears; the three-speed automatic mechanical transmission (14) with skip-gear is provided with a power coupling device output shaft (24), a solid intermediate shaft of the transmission (16), a hollow intermediate shaft of the transmission (18), and a transmission output shaft (32); the hollow intermediate shaft of the transmission (18) is coaxial with the solid intermediate shaft of the transmission (16) and is loosely fitted on the solid intermediate shaft of the transmission (16); the axes of the power coupling device output shaft (24) and the transmission output shaft (32) are collinear; The output shaft (24) of the power coupling device is loosely fitted with a second-gear first-stage drive gear (25) and first and third-gear first-stage drive gears (27). Correspondingly, the output shaft of the power coupling device is provided with a second-gear first-stage drive gear clutch (26) and a first and third-gear first-stage drive gear clutch (28). The driving end of the second-gear first-stage drive gear clutch (26) is fixedly connected to the output shaft (24) of the power coupling device, and the driven end is fixedly connected to the second-gear first-stage drive gear (25). The first and third-gear first-stage drive gears are loosely fitted with... The driving end of the coupling (28) is fixedly connected to the output shaft (24) of the power coupling device, and the driven end is fixedly connected to the first and third gear first-stage driving gears (27); a second-stage first-stage driven gear (15) meshing with the second-stage first-stage driving gear (25) is fixedly connected to the solid intermediate shaft (16) of the transmission, and a first and third-stage first-stage driven gear (17) meshing with the first and third gear first-stage driving gears (27) is fixedly connected to the hollow intermediate shaft (18) of the transmission; a first-stage second-stage driven gear is loosely fitted on the hollow intermediate shaft (16). The transmission has a first-gear drive gear (19) and a third-gear second-gear drive gear (21). A first- and third-gear switching synchronizer (20) is installed on the hollow intermediate shaft (18) of the transmission, and a second- and third-gear switching synchronizer (22) is installed on the solid intermediate shaft (16) of the transmission. The first-gear second-gear drive gear (19) is controlled by the first- and third-gear switching synchronizer (20) to participate in power transmission. The third-gear second-gear drive gear (21) is controlled by the first- and third-gear switching synchronizer (20) or the second- and third-gear switching synchronizer (22) to participate in power transmission. The second-gear second-gear drive gear (23) on the solid intermediate shaft (16) of the transmission is controlled by the second- and third-gear switching synchronizer (22) to participate in power transmission. The output shaft (32) of the transmission is fixedly connected to a first-gear second-gear driven gear (29), a third-gear second-gear driven gear (30), and a second-gear second-gear driven gear (31), which mesh with the first-gear second-gear drive gear (19), the third-gear second-gear drive gear (21), and the second-gear second-gear drive gear (23), respectively.
10. A multi-rotor unmanned vehicle employing the power transmission device and propeller combination module of the power-sustaining amphibious unmanned vehicle according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, It includes multiple power transmission and propulsion combination modules of the power-holding amphibious unmanned vehicle, an internal combustion engine (56) and a transfer gear mechanism (57). The transfer gear mechanism (57) is composed of multiple gears. The internal combustion engine (56) distributes the output power to each of the power transmission and propulsion combination modules of the power-holding amphibious unmanned vehicle through the transfer gear mechanism (57).