Transmission type upper ball pin, king pin steering device, angle module and vehicle

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to the technical field of vehicles, and particularly relates to a transmission type upper ball pin, a king pin steering device, an angle module and a vehicle. The steering device comprises a steering knuckle, a steering driving assembly, an elastic support assembly, a king pin lower support seat and a lower control arm. The steering driving assembly comprises a steering driving component and a connecting rod. An output end of the steering driving component is connected with a first mounting seat of the steering knuckle. A top of the elastic support assembly is used for being connected with a vehicle frame. A first connecting part is connected with the connecting rod. One end of the king pin lower support seat is connected with a second mounting seat of the steering knuckle. One end of the lower control arm and a second connecting part are both connected with a third mounting part. The present disclosure has the advantages that the shock support, the lower control arm are directly connected with the king pin lower support seat, the steering driving component participates in suspension guiding and bearing, the shock support, the lower control arm, the steering driving component and the connecting rod form a composite guiding and bearing mechanism, and there is no need to set a traditional independent upper control arm and a corresponding intermediate guiding connecting rod.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of vehicle technology, and more particularly to a transmission-type upper ball joint, a kingpin steering device, an angle module, and a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] Distributed electric drive vehicles and drive-by-wire chassis vehicles typically integrate drive, braking, steering, and suspension guidance functions into the wheel-side area. This area must simultaneously accommodate the wheel-end drive and braking assembly, shock absorber spring assembly, steering actuators, and guide supports, and its spatial envelope is jointly constrained by the wheel, rim, body side panels, and subframe.

[0003] Traditional double wishbone or double lateral arm suspensions facilitate control of wheel camber, kingpin offset, and kingpin inclination, but their upper control arm typically occupies a large amount of lateral space in the vehicle, which is detrimental to the arrangement of wheel-end drive and braking assemblies and steering actuators. While traditional MacPherson strut suspensions have the advantages of simple structure and small space occupation, their steering knuckle is usually limited by both the shock absorber strut and the lower control arm. During vertical wheel movement, the camber change is strongly coupled with the lower control arm's swing angle, resulting in limited optimization margin for the kingpin inclination and tire wear radius. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Based on this, the present disclosure aims to provide a transmission-type upper ball joint, kingpin steering device, corner module and vehicle to at least solve the following problems: the upper control arm in the existing wheel-side driving unit occupies a large amount of lateral space in the vehicle; the traditional MacPherson suspension has insufficient control capability for camber angle changes; the kingpin offset and kingpin inclination angle are difficult to optimize comprehensively, and are difficult to adjust with changes in working conditions after the wheel-side module is determined.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution disclosed herein is a transmission-type upper ball pin, comprising a ball pin shaft, an upper ball shell, a lower ball shell, a thrust washer, and a friction-reducing liner; the lower ball shell is connected to the bottom opening of the upper ball shell; the ball pin shaft includes an integrally formed ball pin connecting portion, a spherical portion, and a first tooth portion; the spherical portion is located between the ball pin connecting portion and the first tooth portion, the ball pin connecting portion is located at one end of the ball pin shaft, and the first tooth portion is located at the other end of the ball pin shaft; the ball pin shaft passes through the upper ball shell and the lower ball shell, and the first tooth portion extends out of the upper ball shell. The ball pin connection extends out of the outer shell of the lower ball shell; the first tooth is used to mesh with the external steering transmission component to output steering torque, and the ball pin connection is used to connect with the external mounting component; the anti-friction liner is embedded in the inner cavity of the upper ball shell, and the spherical part of the ball pin shaft is rotatably fitted in the anti-friction liner, so that the ball pin shaft and the upper ball shell form a universal fit; the thrust washer is axially fixed between the upper and lower ball shells to bear the axial thrust; the transmission type upper ball pin simultaneously undertakes three functions: upper positioning of the kingpin, universal support, and steering torque output.

[0006] Furthermore, the ball pin connection part of the ball pin shaft is a tapered part or a threaded part.

[0007] Furthermore, the friction-reducing gasket is composed of two semi-circular gaskets joined together.

[0008] Furthermore, the outer diameter of the first tooth of the ball pin is larger than the working hole diameter of the anti-friction liner. The two semi-annular liners are respectively inserted into the upper ball shell around the first tooth and fit with the spherical part.

[0009] Furthermore, the first tooth is an arc-tooth cylindrical gear, a drum-tooth cylindrical gear, or a tooth-direction modified cylindrical gear.

[0010] Furthermore, it also includes a cage, which is disposed between the upper spherical shell and the spherical part, and the spherical part, the anti-friction liner and the cage form a universal fit.

[0011] Furthermore, it also includes a lower dustproof ring, an upper dustproof ring, a lower oil ring, and an upper oil ring; the upper dustproof ring and the upper oil ring are disposed inside the upper spherical shell to form an upper sealing and lubrication structure; the lower dustproof ring and the lower oil ring are disposed inside the lower spherical shell to form a lower sealing and lubrication structure.

[0012] Furthermore, the lower spherical shell and the upper spherical shell are connected by threads.

[0013] A kingpin steering device includes: a steering knuckle, the steering knuckle being provided with a first mounting seat and a second mounting seat, the first mounting seat and the second mounting seat defining a kingpin axis;

[0014] As described above, the upper ball joint of the transmission type has a ball joint connecting part connected to the first mounting seat; the steering drive assembly has its output end meshing with the first tooth of the upper ball joint to drive the steering knuckle to turn around the kingpin axis; the elastic support assembly includes a first connecting part and a second connecting part; the top of the elastic support assembly is used to connect to the frame, and the first connecting part is connected to the steering drive assembly; the lower kingpin support seat has one end connected to the second mounting seat; a third mounting part is provided on the lower kingpin support seat; the lower control arm has one end and the second connecting part connected to the third mounting part, and the other end of the lower control arm is used to connect to the subframe.

[0015] Furthermore, the elastic support assembly includes a shock absorber bracket and a shock absorber spring assembly. One end of the shock absorber spring assembly is connected to the shock absorber bracket, and the other end is used to connect to the vehicle frame. A first connecting part and a second connecting part are disposed on the shock absorber bracket, and the extending direction of the first connecting part intersects the extending direction of the second connecting part.

[0016] Furthermore, the shock absorber bracket includes a bracket body, the bracket body is provided with a through first connecting hole, one end of the shock absorber spring assembly is connected to the first connecting hole; a first connecting part is connected to the bracket body, and an accommodating space is formed between the first connecting part and the bracket body, and the steering drive assembly is at least partially accommodated in the accommodating space.

[0017] Furthermore, the second connecting part extends downward from the first connecting part, and the second connecting part is provided with a fourth connecting hole for connecting with the third mounting part.

[0018] Furthermore, the first connecting portion is provided along the width direction of the vehicle and extends toward the steering knuckle side.

[0019] Furthermore, the first connecting portion is provided with a second connecting hole and a third connecting hole at intervals; the second connecting hole and the third connecting hole are used to connect with the steering drive assembly.

[0020] Furthermore, the second and third connecting holes are spaced apart along the vertical direction of the vehicle.

[0021] Furthermore, the steering drive assembly includes a steering drive component and a connector, wherein a second connecting hole is connected to one end of the connector, the other end of the connector is connected to the drive component, and a third connecting hole is connected to the steering drive component.

[0022] Furthermore, the steering drive assembly includes a steering motor and a reducer. The output end of the reducer is connected to the first mounting base via a transmission upper ball pin. The output end of the reducer includes a second tooth that meshes with the first tooth. The steering drive assembly drives the steering knuckle to steer via the second tooth and the first tooth.

[0023] Furthermore, the axis of the reducer is parallel to the axis of the ball pin on the transmission.

[0024] Furthermore, the steering drive assembly also includes a housing, which has a receiving portion in which the second tooth is received; the housing also has a third connecting portion and a fourth connecting portion, which are spaced apart along the vertical direction of the vehicle; the third connecting portion is connected to the second connecting hole through one end of a connector, and the fourth connecting portion is connected to the third connecting hole.

[0025] Furthermore, the third mounting part includes two connecting ears spaced apart, and the lower control arm and the second connecting part are connected to the two connecting ears.

[0026] An angle module includes a wheel assembly and a kingpin steering device as described above, wherein the kingpin steering device is connected to the wheel assembly to drive the wheel assembly to steer.

[0027] A vehicle comprising the corner module as described above.

[0028] Compared with the prior art, this disclosure can achieve the following beneficial effects:

[0029] This disclosure connects the second mounting part of the shock absorber bracket and the lower control arm directly to the lower kingpin support, and involves the steering drive assembly in suspension guidance and load bearing. This creates a composite guiding and load bearing mechanism composed of the shock absorber bracket, lower control arm, steering drive assembly, and connecting rod, eliminating the need for a traditional independent upper control arm and corresponding intermediate guide rod. This reduces the number of independent links and articulated joints in the suspension system, lowers the number of connection chain stages, and allows wheel loads to be transferred to the vehicle body or subframe through fewer structural layers. This simplifies the suspension force transmission path and helps reduce structural complexity, assembly error accumulation, and space requirements. Attached Figure Description

[0030] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this disclosure, are used to provide a further understanding of this disclosure. The illustrative embodiments of this disclosure and their descriptions are used to explain this disclosure and do not constitute an undue limitation of this disclosure. In the drawings:

[0031] Figure 1 This is a structural schematic diagram of a corner module provided according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0032] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the kingpin steering device provided according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0033] Figure 3 This is a structural schematic diagram of a steering knuckle provided according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0034] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a steering drive assembly provided according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0035] Figure 5 This is a structural schematic diagram of the shock-absorbing bracket provided according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0036] Figure 6 This is a structural schematic diagram of the main pin lower support provided according to an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0037] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the transmission type upper ball pin provided according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] The reference numerals in the accompanying drawings include: 100, corner module; 10, wheel assembly; 20, kingpin steering device; 21, steering knuckle; 211, steering knuckle body; 212, first mounting base; 2121, first hinge hole; 213, second mounting base; 2131, second hinge hole; 214, first fixing part; 215, second fixing part; 216, third fixing part; 217, fourth fixing part; 218, caliper mounting hole; 22, steering drive assembly; 221, steering drive component; 2211, steering motor; 2212, reducer; 2213, housing; 2214, third connecting part; 2215, fourth connecting part; 2216, mounting hole; 222, connector; 23, lower control arm; 24, spring. 241. Vibration damping bracket; 2411. Bracket body; 2412. First connecting part; 2413. Second connecting part; 2414. First connecting hole; 2415. Second connecting hole; 2416. Third connecting hole; 2417. Fourth connecting hole; 242. Vibration damping spring assembly; 25. Lower support seat of kingpin; 251. Seventh connecting hole; 252. Connecting ear; 26. Transmission type upper ball pin; 2601. Ball pin shaft; 2602. Upper ball shell; 2603. Lower ball shell; 2604. Thrust washer; 2605. Lower dustproof ring; 2606. Cage; 2607. Lower oil ring; 2608. Upper oil ring; 2609. Upper dustproof ring; 2610. Anti-friction liner; 27. Lower ball pin. Detailed Implementation

[0039] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this disclosure clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not constitute a limitation thereof.

[0040] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this disclosure can be combined with each other.

[0041] In the description of this disclosure, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are used only for the convenience of describing this disclosure 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, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this disclosure. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this disclosure, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0042] In the description of this disclosure, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linkage" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art will be able to understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this disclosure based on the specific circumstances.

[0043] This disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0044] like Figures 1 to 7 As shown, an angle module 100 is provided. The angle module 100 includes a wheel assembly 10 and a kingpin steering device 20, which is connected to the wheel assembly 10 and is used to drive the wheel assembly 10 to steer, thereby enabling the vehicle to steer.

[0045] The kingpin steering system 20 includes: a steering knuckle 21, a steering drive assembly 22, a lower control arm 23, a flexible support assembly 24, and a kingpin lower support seat 25.

[0046] The steering knuckle 21 is fixedly connected to the wheel assembly 10, and the output end of the steering drive assembly 22 is connected to the upper part of the steering knuckle 21 via a transmission upper ball joint 26. One end of the kingpin lower support 25 is connected to the steering knuckle 21, one end of the lower control arm 23 and the elastic support assembly 24 are connected to the kingpin lower support 25, and the other end of the lower control arm 23 is used to connect to the vehicle frame. The top of the elastic support assembly 24 is connected to the vehicle frame.

[0047] The wheel assembly 10 includes a wheel, a hub motor, and a brake. The hub motor is built into the rim of the wheel, and the steering knuckle 21 is fixedly connected to the hub motor. The brake includes a brake disc and a caliper. The brake disc is fixedly connected to the hub motor, and the caliper is fixedly mounted on the steering knuckle 21 to achieve the wheel braking function.

[0048] like Figure 3 As shown, the steering knuckle 21 includes a steering knuckle body 211. A hub bearing hole is provided at the center of the steering knuckle body 211 for accommodating and positioning the hub bearing. Multiple fastening holes are evenly distributed circumferentially around the hub bearing hole, and fasteners pass through these fastening holes to lock and fix the hub bearing onto the steering knuckle body 211.

[0049] A first mounting base 212 and a second mounting base 213 are sequentially arranged from top to bottom along the vertical direction on the steering knuckle body 211. In this embodiment, the first mounting base 212 and the second mounting base 213 can be integrally formed on the steering knuckle body 211.

[0050] In this embodiment, the side of the steering knuckle body 211 facing the wheel is the inner side, and the side facing away from the wheel is the outer side.

[0051] The first mounting base 212 extends outward from the top of the steering knuckle body 211. The first mounting base 212 is provided with a through first hinge hole 2121 for connecting to the output end of the steering drive assembly 22 via the transmission upper ball pin 26.

[0052] The second mounting base 213 extends outward from the bottom of the steering knuckle body 211. The second mounting base 213 is provided with a through second hinge hole 2131 for connecting to the steering drive assembly 22 via the lower ball pin 27.

[0053] The line connecting the center of the first hinge hole 2121 and the center of the second hinge hole 2131 forms the main pin axis, that is, the line connecting the center of the upper ball pin 26 and the center of the lower ball pin 27 of the transmission type forms the main pin axis.

[0054] The steering knuckle body 211 is further provided with a first fixing part 214, a second fixing part 215, a third fixing part 216, and a fourth fixing part 217. The first fixing part 214, the second fixing part 215, the third fixing part 216, and the fourth fixing part 217 are arranged circumferentially around the steering knuckle body 211. The third fixing part 216 is located below the second mounting base 213. The first fixing part 214 and the second fixing part 215 extend in opposite directions circumferentially around the steering knuckle body 211. The fourth fixing part 217 extends from the top of the steering knuckle 21 towards the wheel assembly 10.

[0055] The first fixing part 214, the second fixing part 215, the third fixing part 216 and the fourth fixing part 217 are all used for fixed assembly with the hub motor to realize the integrated connection between the steering knuckle 21 and the hub motor.

[0056] The steering knuckle body 211 is also provided with multiple caliper mounting holes 218 (two in this embodiment) for mounting brake calipers.

[0057] It should be noted that the specific positions of the first fixing part 214, the second fixing part 215, the third fixing part 216, the fourth fixing part 217 and the caliper mounting hole 218 can be adaptively adjusted according to the actual assembly requirements of the wheel hub motor and the brake caliper, as long as the corresponding installation requirements can be met.

[0058] The first mounting base 212 and the second mounting base 213 are integrally formed on the steering knuckle body 211, which improves the positional accuracy and structural rigidity of the mounting points of the transmission upper ball pin 26 and lower ball pin 27, and is conducive to the consistent control of the kingpin parameters.

[0059] like Figure 4 As shown, the steering drive assembly 22 includes a steering drive component 221 and a connector 222. One end of the connector 222 is connected to the steering drive component 221, and the other end is connected to the elastic support assembly 24.

[0060] Specifically, the steering drive assembly 221 includes a steering motor 2211, a reducer 2212, and a housing 2213. The output end of the reducer 2212 is provided with a second tooth. The second tooth meshes with the first tooth of the transmission upper ball pin 26.

[0061] It should be noted that the steering motor 2211 and the reducer 2212 can adopt an integrated structure, that is, both are housed in the same housing 2213; or they can adopt a separate structure, that is, the steering motor 2211 and the reducer 2212 are respectively set in their own independent housings, in which case the housing 2213 and the two are set independently of each other.

[0062] The housing 2213 is provided with a first receiving portion, and a mounting hole 2216 communicating with the first receiving portion is provided on the side of the housing 2213 near the steering knuckle 21. The second tooth and the first tooth are received in the first receiving portion, and the ball pin connecting portion of the transmission upper ball pin 26 cooperates with the mounting hole 2216.

[0063] The housing 2213 is also provided with a third connecting portion 2214 and a fourth connecting portion 2215. The third connecting portion 2214 and the fourth connecting portion 2215 are arranged at intervals along the vertical direction of the vehicle, that is, the third connecting portion 2214 and the fourth connecting portion 2215 are staggered in the side view direction of the vehicle, so that the vertical force and lateral force generated when the steering drive assembly 221 is working are transmitted to the elastic support assembly 24 through the third connecting portion 2214 and the fourth connecting portion 2215 respectively, thereby dispersing the load and avoiding stress concentration.

[0064] In this embodiment, the third connecting portion 2214 is higher than the fourth connecting portion 2215; in other embodiments, the third connecting portion 2214 is lower than the fourth connecting portion 2215.

[0065] The third connecting part 2214 is provided with a fifth connecting hole, and the fourth connecting part 2215 is provided with a sixth connecting hole. The fifth connecting hole is connected to the elastic support assembly 24 through the connector 222, and the sixth connecting hole is connected to the elastic support assembly 24 by a fastener. The connector 222 is connected between the third connecting part 2214 and the elastic support assembly 24 and is used to withstand the torque generated during the operation of the steering drive assembly 221.

[0066] In this embodiment, the axis of the reducer 2212 is arranged parallel to the axis of the transmission upper ball pin 26, which makes the meshing between the second tooth of the reducer 2212 and the first tooth of the transmission upper ball pin 26 smoother. The radial force in the gear transmission process is effectively offset, reducing gear wear and noise, and improving the efficiency and service life of steering torque transmission.

[0067] The steering motor 2211 can be a permanent magnet synchronous motor, a switched reluctance motor, or a brushless DC motor; the reducer 2212 can be a planetary gear reducer, a harmonic reducer, or a fixed-axis gear reducer.

[0068] The third connecting portion 2214 and the fourth connecting portion 2215 on the housing 2213 are spaced apart (misaligned) along the vertical direction of the vehicle. This allows the vertical and lateral forces generated by the steering drive assembly 221 during operation to be transmitted to the elastic support assembly 24 through the two connecting portions, achieving load distribution and preventing stress concentration at a single connection point. The fifth connecting hole is connected to the elastic support assembly 24 via a connector 222, and the sixth connecting hole is directly connected. The connector 222 is used to withstand the torque generated during the operation of the steering drive assembly 221, further improving torsional resistance. This connection structure forms a stable force relationship, improves the connection stiffness between the steering drive assembly 221 and the elastic support assembly 24, and is beneficial to improving steering response accuracy.

[0069] The elastic support assembly 24 includes a shock absorber bracket 241 and a shock absorber spring assembly 242. One end of the shock absorber spring assembly 242 is connected to the shock absorber bracket 241, and the other end (the top of the shock absorber spring assembly 242) is used to connect to the vehicle frame.

[0070] The shock absorber bracket 241 includes a bracket body 2411, a first connecting part 2412, and a second connecting part 2413. The bracket body 2411 is provided with a through first connecting hole 2414, and one end of the shock absorber spring assembly 242 is connected to the first connecting hole 2414.

[0071] The first connecting portion 2412 is connected to the bracket body 2411, and a receiving space is formed between the first connecting portion 2412 and the bracket body 2411, in which the steering drive assembly 221 is at least partially received. The first connecting portion 2412 is arranged along the width direction of the vehicle and extends toward the steering knuckle 21.

[0072] The first connecting portion 2412 includes a first and second lateral arms disposed opposite to each other, and a connecting arm connecting the first and second lateral arms, such that the projection of the first connecting portion 2412 is C-shaped or U-shaped, and the opening of the first connecting portion 2412 is disposed towards the steering knuckle 21, while the connecting arm is disposed away from the steering knuckle 21. The first and second lateral arms are disposed along the width direction of the vehicle, and are spaced apart along the vertical direction of the vehicle. In this embodiment, the second lateral arm is higher than the first lateral arm in the vertical direction.

[0073] The first control arm has a second connecting hole 2415 at one end facing the steering knuckle 21, and a third connecting hole 2416 at the other end facing the steering knuckle 21. A connector 222 is located between the shock absorber bracket 241 and the steering drive assembly 221. The second control arm is hinged to the steering drive assembly 221 via the third connecting hole 2416 and the sixth connecting hole. One end of the connector 222 is hinged to the second connecting hole 2415, and the other end is hinged to the fifth connecting hole, thus connecting the first control arm to the steering drive assembly 221 via the connector 222.

[0074] When the shock absorber spring assembly 242 is displaced, the connector 222 does not restrict the degree of freedom of the steering drive assembly 221, and resists the torsional torque generated by the steering drive assembly 221 during driving or braking conditions.

[0075] The second connecting part 2413 can extend downward from the first cross arm, and the extending direction of the first connecting part 2412 intersects the extending direction of the second connecting part 2413. The second connecting part 2413 is provided with a fourth connecting hole 2417. A bolt passes through the fourth connecting hole 2417, and one end of the lower control arm 23 is connected to the lower support seat 25 of the main pin, so that the lower control arm 23, the shock absorber bracket 241 and the lower support seat 25 of the main pin are connected.

[0076] The geometric relationship between the line connecting the fifth and sixth connecting holes on the steering drive assembly 221, the mounting point on the inner side of the lower control arm 23, and the tire contact point can be used to analyze the braking anti-pitch performance. This geometric relationship can serve as the basis for optional hard point design when matching the vehicle platform.

[0077] The first connecting portion 2412 of the shock absorber bracket 241 is C-shaped or U-shaped in the top view direction, with its opening facing the steering knuckle 21. The steering drive assembly 221 is at least partially accommodated in the opening, thereby achieving a compact arrangement.

[0078] The first and second lateral arms extend along the width of the vehicle and are arranged vertically at intervals. They are connected to the fifth and sixth connecting holes of the steering drive assembly 221 via the second connecting hole 2415 and the third connecting hole 2416, respectively. The fifth connecting hole is connected to the second connecting hole 2415 via a connector 222. This creates two connection points at different heights, effectively raising the vehicle's pitch center, reducing the pitch moment, and decreasing the vehicle's pitch angle.

[0079] The geometric relationship between the fifth and sixth connecting holes on the steering drive assembly 221, the mounting point of the lower control arm 23, and the tire contact point can be used to analyze braking anti-pitch performance. This geometric relationship can serve as the basis for optional hard point design when matching the vehicle platform, providing theoretical support for braking pitch suppression of different models.

[0080] The lower kingpin support 25 has a seventh connecting hole 251 at one end near the steering knuckle 21. The lower ball pin 27 passes through the seventh connecting hole 251 and the second hinge hole 2131, hinged to the lower kingpin support 25 and the second mounting seat 213. The bottom of the lower kingpin support 25 has a third mounting part, which includes two connecting ears 252. The lower control arm 23 and the second connecting part 2413 are fixedly connected to the two connecting ears 252.

[0081] like Figure 7 As shown, the transmission type upper ball pin 26 includes a ball pin shaft 2601, an upper ball shell 2602, a lower ball shell 2603, a thrust washer 2604, a lower dustproof ring 2605, a cage 2606, a lower oil ring 2607, an upper oil ring 2608, an upper dustproof ring 2609, and a friction-reducing liner 2610.

[0082] The lower spherical shell 2603 is connected to the bottom opening of the upper spherical shell 2602. The ball pin 2601 includes an integrally formed first toothed portion, a spherical portion, and a ball pin connecting portion (in this embodiment, the ball pin connecting portion is a tapered portion and a threaded portion for engaging with the first hinge hole 2121 of the first mounting base 212). The spherical portion is located between the ball pin connecting portion and the first toothed portion, the ball pin connecting portion is disposed at one end of the ball pin 2601, and the first toothed portion is disposed at the other end of the ball pin 2601; the ball pin 2601 passes through the upper spherical shell 2602 and the lower spherical shell 2603, and the first toothed portion extends out of the upper spherical shell 2602, and the ball pin connecting portion extends out of the lower spherical shell 2603.

[0083] The first tooth is used to mesh with an external steering transmission component (in this embodiment, the second tooth of the steering drive assembly 221) to output steering torque, and the ball pin connection is used to connect with an external mounting component (in this embodiment, the first mounting base 212).

[0084] The upper ball housing 2602 is installed in the mounting hole 2216 of the housing 2213, and the anti-friction liner 2610 is installed in the upper ball housing 2602. The spherical part of the ball pin 2601 forms a universal fit with the anti-friction liner 2610 and the cage 2606. The lower ball housing 2603 is threaded to the upper ball housing 2602 and presses against the thrust washer 2604 to improve the axial load capacity of the transmission upper ball pin 26.

[0085] The upper dust seal 2609 and upper oil ring 2608 are disposed within the upper ball housing 2602, forming an upper sealing and lubrication structure; the lower dust seal 2605 and lower oil ring 2607 are both disposed within the lower ball housing 2603, forming a lower sealing and lubrication structure. The dust seal prevents external mud and moisture from entering the ball joint, the oil ring ensures long-term lubrication of the ball joint, and the thrust washer 2604 improves axial load capacity. Overall, this extends the service life of the transmission-type upper ball pin 26 under harsh working conditions.

[0086] The first tooth of the ball pin 2601 extends into the first receiving portion of the housing 2213 and meshes with the second tooth of the reducer 2212.

[0087] In steering mode, the torque output by steering motor 2211 is transmitted to the first tooth of ball pin 2601 via reducer 2212. Ball pin 2601 drives steering knuckle 21 to rotate through its ball pin connection with steering knuckle 21.

[0088] The first tooth section uses a spiral toothed cylindrical gear, a drum-shaped toothed cylindrical gear, or a tooth-direction modified cylindrical gear, and the second tooth section uses a corresponding tooth profile. When the adjustment of the kingpin inclination angle causes a small angle change in the posture of the ball pin shaft 2601 (i.e., the offset of the line connecting the upper and lower ball centers causes a slight deflection of the axis of the ball pin shaft 2601), the above tooth profile can still maintain effective tooth surface contact, avoiding gear disengagement or uneven wear. This ensures that the gear transmission can still work normally after the angle is adjusted, which is the key technical feature that distinguishes this solution from the traditional fixed kingpin structure.

[0089] The anti-friction liner 2610 is composed of two semi-annular liner pieces joined together. When the outer diameter of the first tooth of the ball pin 2601 is larger than the working hole diameter of the anti-friction liner 2610 (i.e., the first tooth is larger than the inner hole of the liner and cannot be directly inserted from the end), the two semi-annular liner pieces can be first inserted into the upper ball shell 2602 by passing around the first tooth, and then they can be fitted with the spherical part. This structure ingeniously solves the problem that the ball pin 2601 of the integrated gear cannot be conventionally assembled because the outer diameter of the gear is larger than the neck of the ball pin 2601, making the three-in-one integrated solution manufacturable and assemblable.

[0090] Therefore, the ball pin shaft 2601 of the transmission upper ball pin 26 simultaneously integrates the first toothed part (gear part), the spherical part (universal hinge), and the ball pin connecting part (conical part and threaded part) that mates with the first hinge hole 2121 of the first mounting base 212. This integrates the three functions of upper pin positioning, universal support, and steering torque output into a single part, eliminating the need for a separate steering tie rod joint on the traditional steering knuckle 21. This significantly simplifies the steering system structure, reduces the number of parts, lowers the rotational inertia of the steering system, and improves the steering response speed.

[0091] This disclosure also relates to a vehicle including the corner module 100 as described above.

[0092] In summary, the kingpin steering device, corner module, and vehicle disclosed herein significantly free up lateral space in the wheel-side area by eliminating the upper control arm and adopting a lower control arm 23 and elastic support assembly 24. Specifically, the upper part of the steering knuckle 21 is connected to the output end of the steering drive assembly 22 via the first mounting base 212, and the lower part is connected to the lower control arm 23 and elastic support assembly 24 via the second mounting base 213 and the lower kingpin support seat 25. The entire solution eliminates the need for an upper control arm, completely freeing up the lateral space occupied by the upper control arm of a traditional double wishbone suspension. At the same time, the lower kingpin support seat 25 integrates the lower control arm 23, the second connecting part 2413 of the elastic support assembly 24, and the lower mounting point of the steering knuckle 21 into one place, reducing the number of independent supports and allowing the wheel-side area to simultaneously accommodate drive, braking, steering, and suspension guidance functions, which is particularly suitable for the space requirements of distributed electric drive vehicles and drive-by-wire chassis vehicles.

[0093] In traditional MacPherson strut suspensions, the steering knuckle is typically defined by both the damper strut and the lower control arm, resulting in a strong coupling between the camber angle change and the lower control arm's swing angle during vertical wheel movement. In this design, the steering knuckle 21 independently defines the kingpin axis through its own first mounting base 212 and second mounting base 213. The damper spring assembly 242 only performs load-bearing and buffering functions and no longer acts as a swing guide for the steering knuckle 21. Therefore, the range of variation in positioning parameters such as camber and toe angle is significantly reduced during vertical wheel movement, which improves the vehicle's handling stability and tire lifespan.

[0094] This design utilizes the lower kingpin support 25 as a key intermediate component, providing a physical basis for the flexible arrangement of suspension hardpoints. The lower part of the steering knuckle 21 is no longer directly connected to the lower control arm 23; instead, it is connected via the lower kingpin support 25 to the lower control arm 23 and the second connecting part 2413 of the elastic support assembly 24. This structure allows the spatial position of the lower kingpin point to be independently designed based on the geometry and installation angle of the lower kingpin support 25. Therefore, the positions of the hardpoint of the lower control arm 23, the mounting point of the lower kingpin support 25, and the second connecting part 2413 of the elastic support assembly 24 can be optimized separately, achieving a better balance between the kingpin inclination angle, kingpin caster angle, and tire wear radius (i.e., kingpin offset). Through a reasonable arrangement of hardpoints, the wheel center kingpin offset and the contact point kingpin offset can be effectively reduced, thereby improving the vehicle's directional and braking stability.

[0095] This disclosure utilizes a first connecting portion 2412 of the elastic support assembly 24, which is provided with a second connecting hole 2415 and a third connecting hole 2416 spaced apart along the vertical direction of the vehicle. These holes are connected to different parts of the steering drive assembly 22 via connectors 222. When the vehicle load changes, causing the shock absorber spring to compress or stretch, the first connecting portion 2412 displaces, forcibly causing the housing 2213 of the steering drive assembly 22 to pitch or roll at a slight angle through the two longitudinally spaced connecting points. Simultaneously, the output end of the steering drive assembly 22 is connected to the first mounting base 212 of the steering knuckle 21, i.e., the upper end of the kingpin axis, via a transmission upper ball joint 26. Changes in the angle of the steering drive assembly 221 directly change the angle of the kingpin axis, thereby dynamically changing the spatial vector of the kingpin axis, i.e., the kingpin inclination angle and the kingpin caster angle. Therefore, the vehicle remains in an optimal handling state under different loads, tire specifications, and road surface adhesion conditions.

[0096] Furthermore, the steering drive assembly 221 (including the steering motor 2211 and the reducer 2212) drives the steering knuckle 21 to steer via the engagement of the second tooth of the upper ball joint 26 with the first tooth, and the axis of the reducer 2212 is parallel to the axis of the upper ball joint 26. This parallel axis arrangement allows the steering driving force to be transmitted parallel to the kingpin axis, avoiding the additional steering resistance caused by vertical cross-drive, and ensuring the ease and efficiency of steering. At the same time, since the space restriction of the upper control arm is eliminated and the connection between the lower kingpin support 25 and the lower control arm 23 is flexible, the steering knuckle 21 can obtain a larger range of rotation, providing the hardware possibility for steering at ±90° or even larger angles.

[0097] Ultimately, the wheel-side module, which integrates driving, braking, steering, and suspension guidance functions, forms a compact and fully functional corner module assembly. It serves as the basic hardware platform for realizing drive-by-wire chassis and distributed drive, providing a reliable execution basis for precise motion control in intelligent driving. At the same time, it has good potential for platform-based applications and can be flexibly adapted to different vehicle models.

[0098] The specific embodiments described above do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations, and substitutions can be made according to design requirements and other factors. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this disclosure should be included within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A transmission-type upper ball pin, characterized in that, Includes ball pin, upper ball shell, lower ball shell, thrust washer, and anti-friction liner; The lower spherical shell is connected to the bottom opening of the upper spherical shell; The ball pin shaft includes an integrally formed ball pin connecting portion, a spherical portion, and a first toothed portion; the spherical portion is located between the ball pin connecting portion and the first toothed portion, the ball pin connecting portion is disposed at one end of the ball pin shaft, and the first toothed portion is disposed at the other end of the ball pin shaft; the ball pin shaft passes through the upper spherical shell and the lower spherical shell, and the first toothed portion extends out of the upper spherical shell, and the ball pin connecting portion extends out of the lower spherical shell; the first toothed portion is used to mesh with an external steering transmission component to output steering torque, and the ball pin connecting portion is used to connect with an external mounting component; The anti-friction liner is embedded in the inner cavity of the upper spherical shell, and the spherical part of the ball pin is rotatably fitted into the anti-friction liner, so that the ball pin and the upper spherical shell form a universal fit. The thrust pad is axially fixed between the upper spherical shell and the lower spherical shell to withstand axial thrust; The transmission-type upper ball pin simultaneously performs three functions: upper positioning of the kingpin, universal support, and steering torque output.

2. The transmission-type upper ball pin according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ball pin connection part of the ball pin shaft is a tapered part or a threaded part.

3. The transmission-type upper ball pin according to claim 1, characterized in that, The friction-reducing gasket is composed of two semi-circular gaskets joined together.

4. The transmission-type upper ball pin according to claim 3, characterized in that, The outer diameter of the first tooth of the ball pin is larger than the working hole diameter of the anti-friction liner. The two semi-annular liners are respectively inserted into the upper ball shell around the first tooth and fit with the spherical part.

5. The transmission-type upper ball pin according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first tooth is an arc-tooth cylindrical gear, a drum-tooth cylindrical gear, or a tooth-direction modified cylindrical gear.

6. The transmission-type upper ball pin according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a retainer, which is disposed between the upper spherical shell and the spherical portion, and the spherical portion forms a universal fit with the anti-friction liner and the retainer.

7. The transmission-type upper ball pin according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a lower dustproof ring, an upper dustproof ring, a lower oil ring, and an upper oil ring; The upper dustproof ring and the upper oil ring are disposed inside the upper spherical shell to form an upper sealing and lubrication structure; The lower dustproof ring and lower oil ring are disposed inside the lower spherical shell to form a lower sealing and lubrication structure.

8. The transmission-type upper ball pin according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lower spherical shell and the upper spherical shell are connected by threads.

9. A kingpin steering device, characterized in that, include: The steering knuckle is provided with a first mounting seat and a second mounting seat, the first mounting seat and the second mounting seat defining the kingpin axis; The transmission upper ball pin as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the ball pin connecting portion of the transmission upper ball pin is connected to the first mounting base; A steering drive assembly, the output end of which engages with the first tooth of the upper ball pin of the transmission type to drive the steering knuckle to turn around the kingpin axis; An elastic support assembly includes a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion; the top of the elastic support assembly is used to connect to the vehicle frame, and the first connecting portion is connected to the steering drive assembly; A kingpin lower support seat, one end of which is connected to the second mounting seat; a third mounting part is provided on the kingpin lower support seat; The lower control arm has one end and the second connecting part connected to the third mounting part, and the other end of the lower control arm is used to connect to the subframe.

10. The kingpin steering device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The elastic support assembly includes a shock-absorbing bracket and a shock-absorbing spring assembly. One end of the shock-absorbing spring assembly is connected to the shock-absorbing bracket, and the other end is used to connect to the vehicle frame; The first connecting part and the second connecting part are disposed on the shock-absorbing bracket, and the extending direction of the first connecting part intersects the extending direction of the second connecting part.

11. The kingpin steering device according to claim 10, characterized in that, The shock-absorbing bracket includes a bracket body, the bracket body is provided with a through first connection hole, and one end of the shock-absorbing spring assembly is connected to the first connection hole. The first connecting part is connected to the bracket body, and a receiving space is formed between the first connecting part and the bracket body, and the steering drive assembly is at least partially received within the receiving space.

12. The kingpin steering device according to claim 11, characterized in that, The second connecting part extends downward from the first connecting part, and the second connecting part is provided with a fourth connecting hole for connecting with the third mounting part.

13. The kingpin steering device according to claim 11, characterized in that, The first connecting portion is provided along the width direction of the vehicle and extends toward the steering knuckle.

14. The kingpin steering device according to claim 13, characterized in that, The first connecting portion is provided with a second connecting hole and a third connecting hole at intervals; the second connecting hole and the third connecting hole are used to connect with the steering drive assembly.

15. The kingpin steering device according to claim 14, characterized in that, The second connecting hole and the third connecting hole are spaced apart along the vertical direction of the vehicle.

16. The kingpin steering device according to claim 14, characterized in that, The steering drive assembly includes a steering drive component and a connector, wherein a second connecting hole is connected to one end of the connector, the other end of the connector is connected to the drive component, and a third connecting hole is connected to the steering drive component.

17. The kingpin steering device according to claim 16, characterized in that, The steering drive assembly includes a steering motor and a reducer. The output end of the reducer is connected to the first mounting base via a transmission upper ball pin. The output end of the reducer includes a second tooth that meshes with the first tooth. The steering drive assembly drives the steering knuckle to steer via the second tooth and the first tooth.

18. The kingpin steering device according to claim 17, characterized in that, The axis of the reducer is parallel to the axis of the upper ball pin of the transmission.

19. The kingpin steering device according to claim 17, characterized in that, The steering drive assembly further includes a housing, the housing having a receiving portion, and the second tooth being received within the receiving portion; The housing is also provided with a third connecting part and a fourth connecting part, which are spaced apart along the vertical direction of the vehicle; The third connecting part is connected to the second connecting hole through one end of the connector, and the fourth connecting part is connected to the third connecting hole.

20. The kingpin steering device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The third mounting part includes two connecting ears spaced apart, and the lower control arm and the second connecting part are connected to the two connecting ears.

21. A corner module, characterized in that, It includes a wheel assembly and a kingpin steering device as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 20, wherein the kingpin steering device is connected to the wheel assembly to drive the wheel assembly to steer.

22. A vehicle, characterized in that, Includes the corner module as described in claim 21.

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