Distributed electric drive multi-wheel unmanned vehicle chassis system and multi-mode turning method thereof

Abstract

The application discloses a distributed electric drive multi-wheel unmanned vehicle chassis system and a multi-mode turning method thereof, and is used for solving the problems of large turning radius, limited turning mode, lack of safety interlocking and fault degradation in a limited space scene. The chassis system comprises a chassis body, a suspension wheel set and a control system. Each suspension wheel set is provided with a wheel edge electric drive module, the wheel edge electric drive module comprises a motor and a speed reducer, and the output end of the speed reducer is in transmission connection with a wheel shaft of a wheel. The control system comprises a control unit, a drive controller and an interlocking execution unit. The control unit outputs a control instruction to the drive controller, so that the left and right wheel edge electric drive modules output opposite direction torque instructions and / or differential torque instructions, so as to execute a spot turning mode and / or a radius turning mode. When the interlocking condition is not met, the interlocking execution unit is used for limiting the entry of the spot turning mode, and mode degradation switching is performed when the electric drive module fails, so as to improve the maneuverability and operation safety in the limited space.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of unmanned equipment chassis technology, specifically to a distributed electric multi-wheeled unmanned vehicle chassis system for confined spaces and its multi-mode turning method, which is particularly suitable for unmanned vehicle movement and turning operations in confined space scenarios such as underground pipe corridors, tunnels, factory passages and equipment rooms. Background Technology

[0002] As the basic motion platform for unmanned equipment, the unmanned vehicle chassis undertakes functions such as load-bearing, movement, steering, and power output. With the increasing application of unmanned equipment in scenarios such as inspection, transportation, and emergency rescue, the unmanned vehicle chassis needs to simultaneously meet requirements such as mobility in confined spaces, adaptability to complex terrain, and operational safety.

[0003] Existing multi-wheeled unmanned vehicle chassis typically improve load-bearing capacity and traction performance by increasing the number of wheel sets. However, increasing the number of wheel sets can lead to a larger turning radius. In confined environments such as underground utility tunnels, tunnels, and factory passageways, vehicles often struggle to make U-turns using conventional steering, requiring repeated forward and backward movements or even manual intervention, which impacts operational efficiency and safety. Furthermore, confined space operations place higher demands on chassis safety control. For example, maneuvers such as U-turns on the spot can easily lead to slippage or rollover risks under conditions of low traction or instability. Existing solutions, lacking interlocking constraints and fault degradation strategies, struggle to balance mobility and safety.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a multi-wheeled unmanned vehicle chassis system and its multi-mode turning method that has distributed electric drive cooperative control capabilities, can achieve multi-mode turning in confined spaces, and has an interlocking safety strategy. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by this invention is to overcome the problems of large turning radius, limited turning methods, and increased operational risks caused by lack of safety interlocks and fault degradation in existing multi-wheeled unmanned vehicle chassis in confined space scenarios, and to provide a distributed electric drive multi-wheeled unmanned vehicle chassis system for confined spaces and its multi-mode turning method.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: a distributed electric-driven multi-wheeled unmanned vehicle chassis system, comprising a chassis body and at least four sets of suspension wheel sets disposed below the chassis body, characterized in that: each set of suspension wheel sets includes a wheel, a suspension mechanism, and a wheel set mounting seat, the wheel set mounting seat being fixed to the chassis body; each set of suspension wheel sets is correspondingly provided with a wheel-side electric drive module, the wheel-side electric drive module including a motor and a reducer, the output end of the reducer being drively connected to the wheel axle of the corresponding wheel; a control system is disposed within the chassis body, wherein the control system includes a control unit and a drive controller, the drive controller... The device is electrically connected to each wheel-side electric drive module; the control system also includes an interlocking execution unit, which is a brake / parking actuator and / or a drive enable cut-off device; the control unit outputs control commands to the drive controller according to a preset U-turn mode, causing the drive controller to output torque commands and / or differential torque commands in opposite directions to the wheel-side electric drive modules located on the left and right sides of the chassis body, respectively, to execute the stationary U-turn mode and / or radius U-turn mode; when the interlocking conditions are met, the control unit allows entry into the stationary U-turn mode; when the interlocking conditions are not met, the control unit controls the interlocking execution unit to restrict the stationary U-turn mode.

[0007] Furthermore, the control system includes a wheel speed sensor, an attitude sensor, and a steering angle sensor. The wheel speed sensor is used to acquire the wheel speed signal, the attitude sensor is used to acquire the roll angle and / or pitch angle of the chassis body, and the steering angle sensor is used to acquire the steering angle. All of the above signals are sent to the control unit.

[0008] Furthermore, the interlock conditions include at least two of the following: vehicle speed is less than a vehicle speed threshold, roll angle and / or pitch angle is less than an attitude threshold, and steering angle is within a preset angle range.

[0009] Furthermore, in the stationary U-turn mode, the drive controller controls the wheel-side electric drive modules on both the left and right sides to output torque commands in opposite directions.

[0010] Furthermore, in the radius turn mode, the drive controller controls the wheel-side electric drive module corresponding to the inner wheel to output a torque command and / or speed command that is less than that of the wheel-side electric drive module corresponding to the outer wheel.

[0011] Furthermore, the drive enable cut-off device includes a contactor or relay disposed in the power supply circuit of the wheel-side electric drive module. When the interlocking condition is not met, the control unit controls the contactor or relay to disconnect to restrict the stationary U-turn mode.

[0012] Furthermore, when the control unit detects a fault in any wheel-side electric drive module, it restricts entry into the stationary U-turn mode and switches to the radius U-turn mode.

[0013] Furthermore, a communication bus is provided within the chassis body, and the control unit sends the control commands to the drive controller through the communication bus.

[0014] This invention also provides a multi-mode U-turn method for an unmanned vehicle chassis system, wherein the unmanned vehicle chassis system is the aforementioned distributed electric drive multi-wheel unmanned vehicle chassis system. The multi-mode U-turn method includes the following steps: acquiring wheel speed signals, attitude signals, and / or steering angle signals; determining whether interlocking conditions are met based on the signals; allowing entry into the stationary U-turn mode and outputting torque commands in opposite directions on the left and right sides when the interlocking conditions are met; restricting entry into the stationary U-turn mode and outputting differential torque commands to execute the radius U-turn mode when the interlocking conditions are not met or a fault is detected in the wheel-side electric drive module.

[0015] This invention discloses a distributed electric drive multi-wheeled unmanned vehicle chassis system and its multi-mode turning method. It achieves multi-mode turning through distributed electric drive cooperative control and introduces interlocking conditions and fault degradation strategies to improve maneuverability and operational safety in confined spaces. Specifically: (1) Multi-mode turn: The control unit sends torque / differential commands to the drive controller to perform at least one of the following: turn on the spot and turn around by radius, thereby reducing the difficulty of turning around in a confined space; (2) Interlock safety: The entry of the U-turn mode is constrained by the interlock conditions of vehicle speed, attitude and / or steering angle, and the braking / parking or drive enable is cut off by the interlock execution unit to reduce the risk of skidding and rollover; (3) Fault degradation: When a fault is detected in the electric drive module, the system is restricted from turning around in place and switched to turning around at a radius to improve the reliability and availability of the system. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The following description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, further illustrates a distributed electric multi-wheeled unmanned vehicle chassis system for confined spaces according to the present invention: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall chassis structure of this distributed electric drive multi-wheeled unmanned vehicle chassis system; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the bottom wheel arrangement of the chassis system of this distributed electric multi-wheeled unmanned vehicle; Figure 3 This is a system block diagram of the distributed electric drive and interlock control of the distributed electric drive multi-wheeled unmanned vehicle chassis system.

[0017] In the picture: 1- Chassis main body; 2-Suspension wheel set; 21-Wheel-side electric drive module; 22-Wheel; 23-Suspension mechanism; 24-Wheel set mounting bracket; 3-Control system; 31-Wheel speed sensor, 32-Angle sensor, 33-Attitude sensor, 34-Control unit, 35-Communication bus, 36-Drive controller, 37-Interlock execution unit. Detailed Implementation

[0018] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0019] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "left", "right", "front", "rear", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0020] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described below with specific embodiments, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.

[0021] Example 1: As Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, this embodiment provides a distributed electric multi-wheeled unmanned vehicle chassis system for confined spaces, including a chassis body 1 and at least four sets of suspension wheel sets 2 disposed below the chassis body 1. The chassis body 1 is used to support components such as batteries, controllers, and work loads to form a support platform for the unmanned vehicle.

[0022] Each set of suspension wheel assembly 2 includes a wheel 22, a suspension mechanism 23 and a wheel assembly mounting base 24. The suspension mechanism 23 is used to absorb ground impact and improve wheel-ground contact stability, thereby adapting to complex road surfaces in confined spaces. The wheel assembly mounting base 24 is fixed to the chassis body 1 and is used to install the suspension wheel assembly 2 on the chassis body 1, which facilitates modular assembly and maintenance of the wheel assembly.

[0023] Each set of suspension wheel assembly 2 is equipped with a wheel-side electric drive module 21. The wheel-side electric drive module 21 includes a motor and a reducer. The torque output by the motor is amplified by the reducer and applied to the axle of the wheel 22, so that the wheel 22 obtains driving force. This wheel-side electric drive configuration is compact and flexible in arrangement, which is conducive to the realization of multi-wheel distributed drive and differential control.

[0024] like Figure 3As shown, a control system 3 is installed inside the chassis body 1. The control system 3 includes a control unit 34 and a drive controller 36. The control unit 34 is used for mode selection, interlock judgment and fault handling, and sends control commands to the drive controller 36. The drive controller 36 is electrically connected to the electric drive modules 21 at each wheel and is used to convert the control commands into torque commands and / or speed commands for the motors, thereby realizing multi-wheel coordinated drive.

[0025] The control system 3 also includes an interlocking actuator 37, which can be a brake / parking actuator or a drive enable cut-off device such as a contactor / relay installed in the power supply circuit of the wheel-side electric drive module 21. When the interlocking conditions are not met, the control unit 34 controls the interlocking actuator 37 to operate, thereby restricting entry into the stationary U-turn mode and reducing the risk of skidding or rollover.

[0026] The control system 3 includes a wheel speed sensor 31, an attitude sensor 33, and a steering angle sensor 32. The wheel speed sensor 31 is used to acquire the wheel speed signal of the wheel 22; the attitude sensor 33 is used to acquire the roll angle and / or pitch angle of the chassis body 1; the steering angle sensor 32 is used to acquire the steering angle; all of the above signals are sent to the control unit 34 so that the control unit 34 can form an interlock condition judgment based on the vehicle speed threshold, attitude threshold, and / or steering angle range.

[0027] In the stationary U-turn mode, the control unit 34 sends control commands to the drive controller 36, and the drive controller 36 controls the left and right wheel-side electric drive modules 21 to output torque commands in opposite directions, so that the chassis body 1 rotates around its own center or approximately the center to complete the U-turn.

[0028] In radius turn mode, the drive controller 36 controls the wheel-side electric drive module 21 corresponding to the inner wheel 22 to output a torque command and / or speed command that is less than that of the wheel-side electric drive module 21 corresponding to the outer wheel 22, so that the unmanned vehicle can complete the turn with a smaller turning radius.

[0029] When a fault is detected in any wheel-side electric drive module 21, the control unit 34 restricts entry into the stationary U-turn mode and switches to the radius U-turn mode to ensure that the chassis can still complete steering and exit within the confined space.

[0030] Example 2: This example provides a multi-mode turning method for an unmanned vehicle chassis system. The unmanned vehicle chassis system is the distributed electric drive multi-wheel unmanned vehicle chassis system described in Example 1. The multi-mode turning method includes the following steps: S1: Acquire wheel speed signal, attitude signal and / or steering angle signal; S2: Determine whether the interlocking condition is met based on the signal; S3: When the interlock condition is met, it allows entry into the stationary U-turn mode and outputs torque commands in opposite directions on the left and right sides; when the interlock condition is not met or a fault is detected in the wheel-side electric drive module 21, it restricts entry into the stationary U-turn mode and outputs differential torque commands to execute the radius U-turn mode.

[0031] Working principle: In actual use, before the unmanned vehicle enters a restricted space such as an underground utility tunnel, a tunnel or a factory passage, the control unit 34 determines whether the interlocking conditions are met based on the wheel speed signal obtained by the wheel speed sensor 31, the attitude signal obtained by the attitude sensor 33 and the steering angle signal obtained by the steering angle sensor 32.

[0032] When the interlock conditions are met and a U-turn is required, the control unit 34 sends a control command to the drive controller 36. The drive controller 36 controls the left and right wheel-side electric drive modules 21 to output torque commands in opposite directions, so that the chassis body 1 can complete the U-turn.

[0033] When the interlock conditions are not met, the control unit 34 controls the interlock execution unit 37 to perform braking / parking or drive enable cut-off to restrict entry into the stationary U-turn mode.

[0034] When a radius turn is required, the control unit 34 enters the radius turn mode and distributes different torque commands and / or speed commands to the inner and outer wheels 22 through the drive controller 36, so that the chassis can complete the turn along the arc.

[0035] When a fault is detected in any wheel-side electric drive module 21, the control unit 34 restricts entry into the stationary U-turn mode and switches to the radius U-turn mode to ensure that the chassis can still complete steering and exit within the confined space.

[0036] This distributed electric drive multi-wheeled unmanned vehicle chassis system and its multi-mode turning method solve the problems of large turning radius, limited turning methods, and increased operational risks caused by the lack of safety interlocks and fault degradation in existing multi-wheeled unmanned vehicle chassis in confined space scenarios. It realizes multi-mode turning through distributed electric drive cooperative control and introduces interlock conditions and fault degradation strategies to improve mobility and operational safety in confined spaces.

[0037] The foregoing description illustrates the main features, basic principles, and advantages of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments or examples described above, and that the invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. Therefore, the above embodiments or examples should be considered exemplary and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description, and therefore all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims are intended to be included within the present invention. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

[0038] Furthermore, it should be understood that although this specification describes embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This narrative style is merely for clarity. Those skilled in the art should consider the specification as a whole, and the technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A distributed electric-driven multi-wheeled unmanned vehicle chassis system, comprising a chassis body (1) and at least four sets of suspension wheel sets (2) disposed below the chassis body (1), characterized in that: Each set of suspension wheel assembly (2) includes a wheel (22), a suspension mechanism (23), and a wheel assembly mounting seat (24), the wheel assembly mounting seat (24) being fixed to the chassis body (1); each set of suspension wheel assembly (2) is provided with a wheel-side electric drive module (21), the wheel-side electric drive module (21) including a motor and a reducer, the output end of the reducer being connected to the wheel axle of the corresponding wheel (22); wherein, a control system (3) is provided inside the chassis body (1): The control system (3) includes a control unit (34), a drive controller (36) and an interlocking execution unit (37). The drive controller (36) is electrically connected to each wheel-side electric drive module (21). The interlocking execution unit (37) is a brake / parking actuator and / or a drive enable cut-off device. The control unit (34) outputs control commands to the drive controller (36), causing the drive controller (36) to output torque commands and / or differential torque commands in opposite directions to the wheel-side electric drive modules (21) on the left and right sides of the chassis body (1), so as to execute the stationary turn mode and / or radius turn mode. When the interlock condition is met, the control unit (34) allows entry into the in-place U-turn mode; when the interlock condition is not met, the control unit (34) controls the interlock execution unit (37) to restrict the in-place U-turn mode.

2. The distributed electric drive multi-wheeled unmanned vehicle chassis system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control system (3) includes a wheel speed sensor (31), an attitude sensor (33), and a steering angle sensor (32), all of which send signals to the control unit (34).

3. The distributed electric drive multi-wheeled unmanned vehicle chassis system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The interlock conditions include at least two of the following: vehicle speed is less than a vehicle speed threshold, roll angle and / or pitch angle are less than an attitude threshold, and steering angle is within a preset angle range.

4. The distributed electric drive multi-wheeled unmanned vehicle chassis system according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the stationary U-turn mode, the drive controller (36) controls the wheel-side electric drive modules (21) on the left and right sides to output torque commands in opposite directions.

5. The distributed electric drive multi-wheeled unmanned vehicle chassis system according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the radius turn mode, the drive controller (36) controls the wheel-side electric drive module (21) corresponding to the inner wheel (22) to output a torque command and / or speed command that is less than that of the wheel-side electric drive module (21) corresponding to the outer wheel (22).

6. The distributed electric-driven multi-wheeled unmanned vehicle chassis system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drive enable cut-off device includes a contactor or relay installed in the power supply circuit of the wheel-side electric drive module (21). The control unit (34) controls the contactor or relay to disconnect when the interlocking condition is not met in order to limit the stationary turn-around mode.

7. The distributed electric drive multi-wheeled unmanned vehicle chassis system according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the control unit (34) detects a fault in any wheel-side electric drive module (21), it restricts entry into the stationary U-turn mode and switches to the radius U-turn mode.

8. The distributed electric drive multi-wheeled unmanned vehicle chassis system according to claim 1, characterized in that: A communication bus (35) is provided inside the chassis body (1), and the control unit (34) sends the control command to the drive controller (36) through the communication bus (35).

9. A multi-mode turning method for an unmanned vehicle chassis system, characterized in that: The unmanned vehicle chassis system is the distributed electric drive multi-wheel unmanned vehicle chassis system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, and the multi-mode turning method includes the following steps: S1: Acquire wheel speed signal, attitude signal and / or steering angle signal; S2: Determine whether the interlocking condition is met based on the signal; S3: When the interlock condition is met, it is allowed to enter the stationary turn mode and output torque commands in opposite directions on the left and right sides; when the interlock condition is not met or a fault is detected in the wheel-side electric drive module (21), it is restricted to enter the stationary turn mode and output differential torque commands to execute the radius turn mode.

Images