Manned lunar rover wheel

Abstract

According to the technical scheme, the manned lunar rover wheel comprises a hub, a wheel face and a plurality of elastic pieces, the elastic pieces are evenly arranged in the circumferential direction and connected between the hub and the wheel face, the outer wheel face of the wheel face inwards forms a concave ring, and the concave ring is arranged on the outer wheel face of the wheel face. Lunar soil is gathered and compacted in the concave rings in the rolling process of the wheels, so that the linear driving stability of the wheels is enhanced. The design of the hub of the wheel mainly aims at light weight, the hub with five central screw holes is used, and the weight is reduced through a topological optimization method. The elastic component is positioned between the hub and the wheel surface screen and is a main source of wheel elasticity, so that a vehicle runs stably and comfortably; the wheel surface screen wraps the elastic component, so that broken stones can be prevented from entering the tire; and meanwhile, the middle of the wheel surface is concave, so that lunar soil is gathered and compacted towards the center in the running process of the wheel, and the generated flying dust is smaller. The compacted lunar soil can also reduce the settling volume of the wheels, and meanwhile, the linear driving stability of the wheels is enhanced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of lunar rovers, in particular to a wheel for a manned lunar rover. Background Art

[0002] When a manned lunar rover is moving, it needs to overcome problems such as rough lunar surfaces and dust. At the same time, the wheels of a manned lunar rover also need to adapt to various complex factors such as extreme temperature differences, vacuum environment, microgravity, and dust on the lunar surface.

[0003] Currently, metal elastic wheels are the main research direction for the wheels of manned lunar rovers. Since metal materials themselves do not have the elasticity of rubber, it is crucial for metal elastic wheels to achieve the buffer and shock absorption function through structural design. In addition, the design of the wheel shape will also affect other performance characteristics. For example, the diameter and width of the wheel will affect its traction and steering performance, and the concavity and convexity of the wheel surface will affect the subsidence amount and dust generation degree when driving on the lunar surface.

[0004] The main structures of existing metal elastic wheels for lunar rovers include hubs, elastic limiters, elastic components, wheel surface screens, and wheel surface attachments. The existing solutions have complex structures, and it is difficult to balance problems such as dust adhering to the wheels, gravel entering the tires, and wheel stability. Summary of the Utility Model

[0005] The technical problem solved by the utility model is that it is difficult to balance problems such as dust adhering to the existing lunar rover wheels, gravel entering the tires, and wheel stability.

[0006] To solve the above technical problems, the technical solution of the utility model provides a wheel for a manned lunar rover, wherein the wheel includes a hub, a wheel surface, and a plurality of elastic members. The plurality of elastic members are circumferentially and uniformly arranged and connected between the hub and the wheel surface. An inward concave circle is formed on the outer wheel surface of the wheel surface. During the rolling process of the wheel, lunar soil is gathered and compacted in the concave circle to enhance the straight-line driving stability of the wheel.

[0007] Optionally, the hub includes:

[0008] A pair of steel rings;

[0009] An inner ring, connected between the pair of steel rings;

[0010] A plurality of spokes, connected to the inner surface of the steel ring and extending towards the center of the steel ring; and

[0011] A bushing, connected to the plurality of spokes and concentrically arranged with the steel ring.

[0012] Optionally, a plurality of through first connection holes are evenly formed in the circumferential direction of the steel ring.

[0013] Optionally, mounting holes are provided at the joints of each of the spokes and the hub sleeve.

[0014] Optionally, the plurality of spokes are arranged in a centrosymmetric manner around the center of the steel ring.

[0015] Optionally, the spoke is provided with a first hollow structure at a predetermined position.

[0016] Optionally, the inner ring is provided with a second hollow structure at a predetermined position.

[0017] Optionally, the wheel surface is a screen-type wheel surface, and mounting rings are respectively provided on both sides of the wheel surface. Second connection holes having the same number as the first connection holes are provided in the circumferential direction of the mounting ring.

[0018] Optionally, the elastic member has a clip-type structure and includes:

[0019] A wheel surface connection end, which has a C-shaped structure and is provided with a second through hole corresponding to the position of the second connection hole during installation;

[0020] A pair of clip pieces, which are respectively formed at both ends of the wheel surface connection end of the C-shaped structure and extend outward. First through holes corresponding to the positions of the first connection holes during installation are provided at the extended ends.

[0021] In the initial state of the pair of clip pieces, they are in an arc-shaped eight-character structure that is close to each other near the wheel surface connection end and gradually away from each other away from the wheel surface connection end. The two extended ends are parallel to each other and the distance between them is less than the thickness of the steel ring.

[0022] Optionally, there is an arc transition between the connection surface of the concave ring and the wheel surface.

[0023] The beneficial effects of the technical solution of the present invention are as follows:

[0024] The hub design of the wheel of the present invention is mainly aimed at lightweight. A hub with 5 central screw holes is used, and weight reduction is carried out by means of topology optimization. The elastic member is located between the hub and the wheel surface screen and is the main source of the elasticity of the wheel, making the vehicle run smoothly and comfortably; the wheel surface screen is wrapped outside the elastic member to prevent gravel from entering the tire; at the same time, the middle of the wheel surface is concave, which will cause the lunar soil to gather towards the center and be compacted during the driving process of the wheel, thereby generating less dust. The compacted lunar soil will also reduce the settlement amount of the wheel and enhance the straight-line driving stability of the wheel. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of the lunar rover wheel in the embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2This is a schematic structural view of the wheel hub in the embodiment of the present utility model;

[0027] Figure 3 This is a schematic structural view of the wheel surface in the embodiment of the present utility model;

[0028] Figure 4 This is a schematic structural view of the elastic member in the embodiment of the present utility model.

[0029] In the drawings: 1, wheel hub; 2, wheel surface; 3, elastic member; 11, steel ring; 12, inner ring; 13, spoke; 14, bushing; 15, first hollow structure; 16, second hollow structure; 21, mounting ring; 22, screen-type wheel surface; 23, concave ring; 31, wheel surface connection end; 32, clip; 111, first connection hole; 141, mounting hole; 211, second connection hole; 311, second through hole; 321, first through hole. Detailed implementation manners

[0030] The present utility model will be further described below in conjunction with the drawings and specific embodiments, but it shall not be construed as a limitation to the present utility model.

[0031] In the description of the present utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", etc. indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings. It is only for the convenience of describing the present utility model and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and thus should not be construed as a limitation to the present utility model.

[0032] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, the features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of such features. In the description of the present utility model, "a plurality" means two or more, unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0033] In the present utility model, unless otherwise clearly defined and limited, the terms "mount", "connect", "connection", "fixation", etc. shall be understood in a broad sense. For example, it may be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it may be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it may be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it may be the communication inside two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present utility model can be understood according to specific situations.

[0034] In the present utility model, unless otherwise clearly defined and limited, the first feature being "above" or "below" the second feature may include the direct contact between the first and second features, or may also include the situation where the first and second features are not in direct contact but are in contact through additional features therebetween. Moreover, the first feature being "above", "over" and "on the top of" the second feature includes that the first feature is directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or merely indicates that the horizontal height of the first feature is higher than that of the second feature. The first feature being "below", "beneath" and "under the bottom of" the second feature includes that the first feature is directly below and obliquely below the second feature, or merely indicates that the horizontal height of the first feature is less than that of the second feature.

[0035] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 4 as shown, which shows the wheel of a manned lunar rover of an embodiment. Among them, the wheel includes a hub 1, a tread 2 and a plurality of elastic members 3. The plurality of elastic members 3 are circumferentially arranged uniformly and are connected between the hub 1 and the tread 2. A concave ring 23 is formed inward on the outer tread surface of the tread 2. During the rolling process of the wheel, lunar soil is gathered and compacted in the concave ring 23 to enhance the straight-line driving stability of the wheel.

[0036] In this embodiment, as Figure 2 shown, the hub 1 includes a pair of steel rings 11; an inner ring 12, which is connected between the pair of steel rings 11; a plurality of spokes 13, which are connected to the inner surface of the steel rings 11 and extend towards the center of the steel rings 11; and a bushing 14, which is connected to the plurality of spokes 13 and is concentrically arranged with the steel rings 11.

[0037] In this embodiment, a plurality of through first connection holes 111 are uniformly opened in the circumferential direction of the steel rings 11.

[0038] In this embodiment, mounting holes 141 are opened at the junction of each spoke 13 and the bushing 14.

[0039] In this embodiment, the plurality of spokes 13 are arranged in a centrosymmetric manner around the center of the steel rings 11.

[0040] In this embodiment, the spokes 13 are provided with a first hollow structure 15 at a predetermined position.

[0041] In this embodiment, the inner ring 13 is provided with a second hollow structure 16 at a predetermined position.

[0042] In this embodiment, as Figure 4 shown, the tread 2 is a screen-type tread 22. An installation ring 21 is provided on each side of the tread 2. Second connection holes 211 having the same number as the first connection holes 111 are opened in the circumferential direction of the installation ring 21 (as Figure 1 shown).

[0043] In this embodiment, as Figure 3As shown in the figure, the elastic member 3 has a clip-type structure and includes a wheel surface connection end 31, which has a C-shaped structure and is provided with a second through hole 311 corresponding to the position of the second connection hole 211 during installation; a pair of clip pieces 32 are respectively formed at both ends of the C-shaped wheel surface connection end 31 and extend outward, and the extended ends are provided with first through holes 321 corresponding to the position of the first connection hole 111 during installation; the initial state of the pair of clip pieces 32 is an arc-shaped eight-character structure that is close to each other near the wheel surface connection end 31 and gradually away from each other away from the wheel surface connection end 31, and the distance between the two extended ends is parallel to each other and less than the thickness of the steel ring 11.

[0044] In this embodiment, the connection surface between the concave ring 23 and the screen-type wheel surface 22 has an arc transition.

[0045] The characteristics and functions of the present invention are further understood through the following description.

[0046] The lunar rover wheel in this embodiment mainly omits the elastic limiter and the structure of the wheel surface attachment of the traditional wheel, which reduces the weight of the overall wheel and simplifies the structure.

[0047] During operation, the concave ring 23 at the center of the wheel surface 2 can gather and compact the lunar soil into the concave ring 23 when the lunar rover is driving. The lunar soil is easy to form during the compaction process and has a certain hardness and guiding function, which can well improve the stability of the lunar rover when driving in a straight line. At the same time, the compacted lunar soil will also reduce the settlement amount of the wheel. The screen-type wheel surface 22 can prevent gravel from entering the tire and play a role in protecting the overall wheel.

[0048] Therefore, the wheel in this embodiment focuses on the wheel of the manned lunar rover, adapts to the rugged terrain and lunar environment on the moon, and meets the requirements for the progress of the manned lunar rover. The key point is to propose a metal elastic wheel for a lunar rover, which can not only have the buffer and shock absorption functions like a traditional elastic wheel, adapt to rugged roads, but also simplify the structure, protect the elastic components, and reduce the impact of gravel and dust on the wheel.

[0049] In summary, the hub design of the wheel of the present invention mainly aims at lightweight, uses a hub with 5 central screw holes, and reduces weight through topological optimization. The elastic component is located between the hub and the wheel surface screen, which is the main source of the wheel's elasticity, making the vehicle drive smoothly and comfortably; the wheel surface screen is wrapped outside the elastic component, which can prevent gravel from entering the tire; at the same time, the middle of the wheel surface is concave, which will cause the lunar soil to gather and compact towards the center during the driving process of the wheel, resulting in less dust. The compacted lunar soil will also reduce the settlement amount of the wheel and enhance the straight-line driving stability of the wheel.

[0050] The above are only the preferred embodiments of the present utility model, and do not limit the implementation manners and protection scope of the present utility model. For those skilled in the art, it should be realized that all the solutions obtained by equivalent substitution and obvious changes made by using the specification and illustrated content of the present utility model should be included in the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A manned lunar rover wheel, characterized in that: The wheel includes a wheel hub, a wheel tread and multiple elastic parts. The multiple elastic parts are evenly arranged circumferentially and connected between the wheel hub and the wheel tread. A concave circle is formed inward on the outer wheel surface of the wheel tread. During rolling, the wheel gathers and compacts the lunar soil in the concave circle to enhance the straight-line driving stability of the wheel.

2. The manned lunar rover wheel according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wheel hub comprises: A pair of steel rings; An inner ring, connecting the pair of steel rings; a plurality of spokes connected to the inner surface of the steel ring and extending toward the center of the steel ring; and A shaft sleeve is connected to the plurality of spokes and is arranged concentrically with the steel ring.

3. The manned lunar rover wheel according to claim 2, characterized in that: A plurality of first connecting holes are evenly arranged in the circumferential direction of the steel ring.

4. The manned lunar rover wheel according to claim 3, characterized in that: A mounting hole is provided at the junction of each of the wheel spokes and the shaft sleeve.

5. The manned lunar rover wheel according to claim 4, characterized in that: The plurality of spokes are arranged in a centrally symmetrical manner around the center of the steel ring.

6. The manned lunar rover wheel according to claim 5, characterized in that: The spokes are provided with a first hollow structure at a predetermined position.

7. The manned lunar rover wheel according to claim 6, characterized in that: The inner ring is provided with a second hollow structure at a predetermined position.

8. The wheel of the manned lunar rover according to claim 7, characterized in that: The wheel surface is a screen-type wheel surface, and a mounting ring is provided on each side of the wheel surface. The mounting ring is provided with second connection holes in a circumferential direction, the number of which is the same as that of the first connection holes.

9. The wheel of the manned lunar rover according to claim 8, characterized in that: The elastic member is in a clip-type structure and comprises: The wheel surface connection end is in a C-shaped structure and is provided with a second through hole corresponding to the position of the second connection hole during installation; A pair of clips, respectively formed at both ends of the wheel surface connection end of the C-shaped structure and extending outward, with a first through hole corresponding to the position of the first connection hole during installation at the end of the extension; The initial state of a pair of the clips is an arc-shaped figure eight structure that approaches each other near the wheel surface connection end and gradually moves away from the wheel surface connection end. The two extended ends are parallel to each other and the distance between them is less than the thickness of the steel ring.

10. The manned lunar rover wheel according to claim 9, characterized in that: There is an arc transition between the connecting surface of the concave ring and the wheel surface.

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