Wheel module for a vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a wheel module for a vehicle, in particular for an autonomous transport vehicle, comprising a housing part (12), a running wheel (20) which is mounted in a pivotable manner about a pivot axis (S) relative to the housing part (12) and in a rotatable manner about a running axis (L), extending at a right angle to the pivot axis (S), relative to the housing part (12), a first electric motor (31), a second electric motor (32) and a superimposition transmission, wherein the running wheel (20) can be driven by means of the electric motors (31, 32) and the superimposition transmission about the running axis (L) and about the pivot axis (S). The superimposition transmission comprises a planetary transmission which has a sun gear (42), which is mounted to rotate about a centre axis (A), at least one first planetary gear (43) which meshes with the sun gear (42) and which is mounted to rotate about a planet carrier (46), and a hollow gear (48) which is mounted to rotate about the centre axis (A) and which meshes with the first planetary gear (43). The superimposition transmission comprises an angular transmission, which has an input gear (52) and an output gear (54) which mesh with one another. The first electric motor (31) drives the sun gear (42), the second electric motor (32) drives the hollow gear (48), the first planetary gear (43) is conjointly coupled to the input wheel (52) and the running wheel (20) is conjointly coupled to the output wheel (54).

Description

[0001] Wheel module for a vehicle

[0002] Description:

[0003] The invention relates to a wheel module for a vehicle, in particular for an autonomous transport vehicle, which comprises a housing part, a running wheel which is pivotable about a pivot axis relative to the housing part and rotatable about a running axis running at right angles to the pivot axis relative to the housing part.

[0004] In technical facilities, such as production plants, transport vehicles, especially autonomous transport vehicles, are used to transport objects such as small parts or boxes. These transport vehicles transport components from logistics areas, such as a materials warehouse, to workstations where the components are processed.

[0005] A chassis for a mobile transport vehicle is known from document DE 102022 000 624 A1. The chassis comprises wheel modules, each with a wheel, a superposition gear, and two electric motors. The wheel can be rotated about a rotational axis and pivoted about a swivel axis. The electric motors and the superposition gear drive drive the wheel about the swivel axis and the rotational axis.

[0006] DE 102018 126 700 A1 discloses a wheel drive module comprising a wheel, a superposition gear, and two electric motors. The electric motors are designed to jointly drive the wheel around a wheel axis by means of the superposition gear and to steer it around a steering axis orthogonal to the wheel axis.

[0007] DE 601 03 191 T2 discloses a vehicle capable of traveling in any direction and a method for controlling the same. The vehicle has a drive wheel that can pivot about a pivot axis and rotate about a running axis.

[0008] DE 102021 110 085 A1 discloses a drive system for an automated guided vehicle. The drive system comprises a steering unit, a drive unit, and a wheel suspension that can rotate about a vertical axis.

[0009] ISI \ EIDOPAT 14.02.2024 DE 102016 007445 A1 discloses a drive module with an integrated steering function for a motor vehicle. The drive module has two actuators for accelerating, decelerating, and influencing a steering angle.

[0010] The invention is based on the object of developing a wheel module for a vehicle, in particular for an autonomous transport vehicle.

[0011] The object is achieved by a wheel module for a vehicle having the features specified in claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and further developments are the subject of the subclaims.

[0012] A wheel module according to the invention for a vehicle, in particular for an autonomous transport vehicle, comprises a housing part, a running wheel which is pivotable about a pivot axis relative to the housing part and rotatable about a running axis running perpendicular to the pivot axis relative to the housing part, a first electric motor, a second electric motor, and a superposition gear. The running wheel can be driven about the running axis and about the pivot axis by means of the electric motors and the superposition gear. The superposition gear comprises a planetary gear which has a sun gear which is rotatably mounted about a central axis, at least one first planet gear which meshes with the sun gear and which is rotatably mounted on a web, and a ring gear which is rotatably mounted about the central axis and which meshes with the first planet gear.The superposition gear comprises an angular gear with a meshing drive gear and an output gear. The first electric motor drives the sun gear, and the second electric motor drives the ring gear. The first planetary gear is rotationally fixed to the drive gear, and the impeller is rotationally fixed to the output gear.

[0013] The impeller of the wheel module according to the invention can be driven by means of the electric motors and the superposition gear about the impeller axis as well as about the pivot axis. In particular, a pivoting movement of the impeller about the pivot axis of more than 360° is possible. Drive about the pivot axis depends on the speeds of the sun gear and the ring gear about the central axis relative to the housing part. With a suitable selection of the speeds, the alignment of the impeller about the pivot axis remains constant. When driving the impeller about the impeller axis, the power of the two electric motors is added together. Both electric motors therefore contribute to driving the impeller about the impeller axis.

[0014] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the central axis is aligned with the pivot axis.

[0015] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the first electric motor and the second electric motor are arranged in a fixed position on the housing part.

[0016] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the first electric motor is designed as a synchronous motor. According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the second electric motor is designed as a synchronous motor. Synchronous motors allow for simple speed control. This allows the speed of the impeller around the impeller axis as well as the pivoting angle of the impeller around the pivoting axis to be easily adjusted.

[0017] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the wheel module comprises a holding element which is pivotable about the pivot axis relative to the housing part and in which the impeller is rotatably mounted about the impeller axis.

[0018] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the holding element is coupled to the web in a rotationally fixed manner.

[0019] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the web is mounted so as to be rotatable about the central axis.

[0020] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the first planetary gear and the drive gear are rotatable about a coupling axis which runs parallel and offset to the central axis.

[0021] According to an advantageous development of the invention, the superposition gear has a second planetary gear which meshes with the sun gear and with the ring gear, and which is rotatably mounted on the web, and which is arranged opposite the first planetary gear with respect to the central axis.

[0022] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the superposition gear comprises a further angular gear, which has a further drive gear and a further output gear that mesh with each other. The second planetary gear is rotationally coupled to the further drive gear, and the impeller is rotationally fixedly coupled to the further output gear. The impeller is preferably arranged between the output gear and the further output gear.

[0023] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the second planetary gear and the further drive gear are rotatable about a further coupling axis which runs parallel and offset to the central axis.

[0024] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the running axis and the pivot axis intersect.

[0025] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the running axis and the pivot axis are spaced apart from one another.

[0026] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, a center plane of the impeller and the pivot axis intersect. The center plane of the impeller extends perpendicular to the impeller axis. A center of gravity of the impeller lies in the center plane. The impeller is thus positioned centrally with respect to the pivot axis.

[0027] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, a center plane of the impeller and the pivot axis are spaced apart from each other. The center plane of the impeller extends perpendicular to the impeller axis. The center of gravity of the impeller lies in the center plane. The impeller is thus arranged off-center, i.e., laterally offset in the direction of the impeller axis, relative to the pivot axis.

[0028] The invention is not limited to the combination of features in the claims. Further possible combinations of claims and / or individual claim features and / or features of the description and / or the figures will become apparent to those skilled in the art, particularly from the task and / or the problem posed by comparison with the prior art. The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to figures. The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments shown in the figures. The figures represent the subject matter of the invention only schematically. It shows:

[0029] Figure 1 : a schematic representation of a wheel module for a vehicle.

[0030] Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a wheel module for a vehicle. The wheel module comprises a housing part 12, a retaining element 14, and a running wheel 20. The housing part can be attached to a frame of the vehicle. During normal operation of the vehicle, the running wheel 20 rolls over a floor.

[0031] The holding element 14 is pivotally mounted about a pivot axis S relative to the housing part 12. The impeller 20 is rotatably mounted in the holding element 14 about a running axis L. Thus, the impeller 20 is also pivotable about the pivot axis S relative to the housing part 12. The pivot axis S runs perpendicular to the running axis L. The impeller 20 is rotatable about the running axis L relative to the housing part 12 and relative to the holding element 14.

[0032] The impeller 20 is rotationally symmetrical to the impeller axis L.

[0033] The wheel module further comprises a first electric motor 31, a second electric motor 32, and a superposition gear. By means of the electric motors 31, 32 and the superposition gear, the running wheel 20 can be driven about the running axis L and the pivot axis S. The superposition gear comprises a planetary gear and an angular gear.

[0034] The planetary gear set includes a sun gear 42, a first planet gear 43, a second planet gear 44, a carrier 46, and a ring gear 48. The sun gear 42 is mounted for rotation about a central axis A relative to the housing part 12. The central axis A is aligned with the pivot axis S.

[0035] The first planet gear 43 is rotatably mounted on the web 46 and meshes with the sun gear 42. The second planet gear 44 is also rotatably mounted on the web 46 and meshes with the sun gear 42. The second planet gear 44 is arranged opposite the first planet gear 43 with respect to the central axis A. The first planet gear 43 and the second planet gear 44 are therefore arranged on the web offset from one another by 180°. The web 46 is also rotatably mounted about the central axis A relative to the housing part 12. The ring gear 48 is also rotatably mounted about the central axis A relative to the housing part 12. The ring gear 48 meshes with the first planet gear 43 and with the second planet gear 44. The ring gear 48 surrounds the web 46 and the sun gear 42 coaxially.

[0036] The first electric motor 31 is fixedly mounted on the housing part 12. An output shaft of the first electric motor 31 is rotationally fixedly connected to a first pinion 33. The first pinion 33 meshes with a spur gear 34. The spur gear 34 is mounted for rotation about the central axis A relative to the housing part 12. The spur gear 34 is rotationally fixedly coupled to the sun gear 42. The first electric motor 31 thus drives the sun gear 42 about the central axis A relative to the housing part 12 via the first pinion 33 and the spur gear 34.

[0037] The second electric motor 32 is fixedly mounted on the housing part 12. An output shaft of the second electric motor 32 is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to a second pinion 35. The ring gear 48 additionally has external teeth. The second pinion 35 meshes with the external teeth of the ring gear 48. The second electric motor 32 thus drives the ring gear 48 about the central axis A relative to the housing part 12 via the second pinion 35 and the external teeth.

[0038] The bevel gear is designed, for example, as a bevel gear and has a drive gear 52 and an output gear 54. The drive gear 52 meshes with the output gear 54. The drive gear 52 is designed, for example, as a bevel gear. The output gear 54 is designed, for example, as a ring gear.

[0039] The drive gear 52 and the driven gear 54 are mounted in the holding element 14. The running gear 20 is rotationally fixedly coupled to the driven gear 54. The driven gear 54 is thus rotatable about the running axis L.

[0040] The first planetary gear 43 of the planetary gear is rotationally fixedly coupled to the drive gear 52 of the bevel gear. The first planetary gear 43 and the drive gear 52 are rotatable about a coupling axis K relative to the web 46 and relative to the holding element 14. The holding element 14 is rotationally fixedly coupled to the web 46. The coupling axis K runs parallel and offset to the central axis A. The coupling axis K thus also runs perpendicular to the running axis L. The first electric motor 31, as already mentioned, drives the sun gear 42. The sun gear 42 rotates about the central axis A relative to the housing part 12 at an internal speed.

[0041] The second electric motor 32, as already mentioned, drives the ring gear 48. The ring gear 48 rotates about the central axis A relative to the housing part 12 at an external speed.

[0042] The planetary gear set has a stationary ratio between the sun gear 42 and the ring gear 48. The stationary ratio corresponds to the number of teeth of the ring gear 48 divided by the number of teeth of the sun gear 42. The stationary ratio is therefore greater than one.

[0043] If the product of the external speed and the stationary gear ratio is equal to the internal speed, the orientation of the impeller 20 about the pivot axis S remains the same. If the product of the external speed and the stationary gear ratio is not equal to the internal speed, the orientation of the impeller 20 about the pivot axis S changes. The impeller 20 is therefore pivoted about the pivot axis S.

[0044] List of reference symbols

[0045] 12 Housing part

[0046] 14 Holding element

[0047] 20 wheel

[0048] 31 first electric motor

[0049] 32 second electric motor

[0050] 33 first pinion

[0051] 34 Spur gear

[0052] 35 second pinion

[0053] 42 Sun gear

[0054] 43 first planetary gear

[0055] 44 second planet gear

[0056] 46 Bridge

[0057] 48 ring gear

[0058] 52 drive wheel

[0059] 54 Output gear

[0060] A central axis

[0061] K Coupling axle

[0062] L Running axle

[0063] S swivel axis

Claims

Patent claims:

1. Wheel module for a vehicle, in particular for an autonomous transport vehicle, comprising a housing part (12), a running wheel (20) which is pivotable about a pivot axis (S) relative to the housing part (12) and rotatable about a running axis (L) running at right angles to the pivot axis (S) relative to the housing part (12), a first electric motor (31), a second electric motor (32) and a superposition gear, wherein the running wheel (20) is drivable about the running axis (L) and about the pivot axis (S) by means of the electric motors (31, 32) and the superposition gear, characterized in that the superposition gear comprises a planetary gear, which has a sun gear (42) which is rotatably mounted about a central axis (A), at least one first planet gear (43) which meshes with the sun gear (42) and which is rotatably mounted on a web (46), and a ring gear (48) which is rotatable about the central axis (A) is rotatably mounted,and which meshes with the first planetary gear (43), and that the superposition gear comprises an angular gear having a drive gear (52) and a driven gear (54) which mesh with each other, and that the first electric motor (31) drives the sun gear (42), and that the second electric motor (32) drives the ring gear (48), and that the first planetary gear (43) is rotationally fixedly coupled to the drive gear (52), and that the impeller (20) is rotationally fixedly coupled to the driven gear (54).

2. Wheel module according to claim 1, characterized in that the central axis (A) is aligned with the pivot axis (S).

3. Wheel module according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first electric motor (31) and the second electric motor (32) are arranged in a fixed position on the housing part (12).

4. Wheel module according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first electric motor (31) is designed as a synchronous motor, and / or that the second electric motor (32) is designed as a synchronous motor.

5. Wheel module according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wheel module comprises a holding element (14) which is pivotable about the pivot axis (S) relative to the housing part (12), and in which the running wheel (20) is rotatably mounted about the running axis (L).

6. Wheel module according to claim 5, characterized in that the holding element (14) is coupled to the web (46) in a rotationally fixed manner.

7. Wheel module according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the web (46) is rotatably mounted about the central axis (A).

8. Wheel module according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first planetary gear (43) and the drive gear (52) are rotatable about a coupling axis (K) which runs parallel and offset to the central axis (A).

9. Wheel module according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the superposition gear has a second planetary gear (44) which meshes with the sun gear (42) and with the ring gear (48), and which is rotatably mounted on the web (46), and which is arranged opposite the first planetary gear (43) with respect to the central axis (A).

10. Wheel module according to claim 9, characterized in that the superposition gear comprises a further angular gear which has a further drive gear (52) and a further output gear (54) which mesh with each other, and in that the second planetary gear (44) is coupled in a rotationally fixed manner to the further drive gear (52), and in that the impeller (20) is coupled in a rotationally fixed manner to the further output gear (54).

11. Wheel module according to claim 10, characterized in that the second planetary gear (44) and the further drive gear (52) are rotatable about a further coupling axis (K) which runs parallel and offset to the central axis (A).

12. Wheel module according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the running axis (L) and the pivot axis (S) intersect.

13. Wheel module according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the running axis (L) and the pivot axis (S) are spaced apart from one another.

14. Wheel module according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a center plane of the running wheel (20) and the pivot axis (S) intersect, wherein the center plane of the running wheel (20), in which a center of gravity of the running wheel (20) lies, extends at right angles to the running axis (L).

15. Wheel module according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that a center plane of the running wheel (20) and the pivot axis (S) extend at a distance from one another, wherein the center plane of the running wheel (20), in which a center of gravity of the running wheel (20) lies, extends at right angles to the running axis (L).

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