Wheel end module system

Abstract

This invention belongs to the field of automotive chassis technology, and more particularly to a wheel-side module system. Conventional vehicles suffer from problems such as transmission efficiency loss, low freedom of chassis layout, and lack of stability in single-wheel control. Therefore, this invention adopts a configuration that includes a mounting suspension with separate lower rear and front control arms, a distributed steering gear, and a three-stage wheel-side bracket. By advancing the hard point below the virtual kingpin and optimizing the vertical force bearing structure of the shock absorber, the invention achieves integration of each chassis system. As a result, the layout space is optimized while ensuring kingpin characteristics, improving the vehicle's handling performance and steering control accuracy, as well as increasing the layout freedom and modular applicability in the development of new models, and improving the convenience of after-sales service.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of automobile chassis, and particularly relates to a wheel side module system.

Background Art

[0002] With the continuous development of the automobile industry, the application of smart drive and wire-driven chassis in vehicles has gradually expanded, and stricter requirements have been put forward for the control precision and operation efficiency of vehicle execution units. Conventional vehicles adopt a configuration in which a central motor drives wheels via a drive shaft, and a single steering gear controls wheels on both sides of a single axle, and the problem of transmission efficiency loss caused by this configuration has not been effectively solved. In addition, freight vehicles require more flexible steering performance, but vehicles provided with a single steering gear on a single axle cannot effectively improve the maneuverability of the vehicle due to the linked steering of two wheels.

[0003] Furthermore, in the development process of new conventional automobile models, components of each chassis system are distributed in various parts of the vehicle, which makes the overall layout work of the vehicle complex and difficult under the condition that the degree of freedom of layout is limited. In addition, the configuration of the chassis layout cannot be fully generalized in the development of new vehicle models, which reduces the relevance of vehicle model expansion. Since the components of each chassis system are distributed in various parts of the vehicle, maintenance in after-sales service is also accompanied by difficulties.

[0004] In order to realize control of a single wheel, conventional vehicles adopt a configuration in which wheels are steered by a ball screw motor or a motor mounted on the upper part of a kingpin. In the configuration adopting a ball screw motor, the stroke of the ball screw is designed to be extremely small in order to reduce the motion envelope of the ball screw motor and avoid motion interference, which expands the range of toe-in change during the up-and-down movement of wheels, causes abnormal wear of wheels, and adversely affects the driving stability of the vehicle during high-speed turning.

[0005] In a configuration where the motor is mounted on top of the kingpin, the motor is fixed to the upper suspension arm, resulting in an excessively large motion envelope on the wheel side during vertical wheel movement. This causes the longitudinal beams of the frame / body to become higher, affecting the layout space above the suspension. At the same time, the design of the wheel housing requires more space, detracting from the overall aesthetics of the vehicle. [Overview of the Initiative]

[0006] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the object of the present invention is to provide a wheel-side module system.

[0007] The technical solution employed by the present invention is as follows: a wheel-side module system comprising a hub motor 1 and a steering knuckle 2 connected to the hub motor 1, further comprising the following:

[0008] A mounted suspension having a lower rear control arm 6 connected to the frame and positioned at the lower end of the shock absorber 8. The upper control arm 3, positioned at the upper end of the shock absorber 8, and the lower rear control arm 6 form a double wishbone structure with a height difference. The detachable lower rear control arm 6 and lower front control arm 7 are connected to one side of the steering knuckle 2, the virtual kingpin lower hardpoints of the lower rear control arm 6 and lower front control arm 7 are advanced to the opposite side of the steering knuckle 2, and the hub motor 1 is connected to the position of the virtual kingpin lower hardpoint.

[0009] A distributed steering gear 5 has an outer ball-pin end of a tie rod for connection to a steering knuckle 2 controlled by a hub motor 1. The tie rod is connected to an inner ball-pin seat of the tie rod, which is connected to one end of a rack 9. The steering gear that drives one wheel on one side is driven by a steering drive motor connected to the steering gear, which is connected to a motor controller to receive control signals. The housing 54 of the steering gear is also provided with a mounting end for connection to a wheel-side bracket 4.

[0010] Wheel-side brackets 4 connected to the distributed steering gear 5, shock absorber 8, and the lower rear control arm 6 and lower front control arm 7 of the mounting suspension, respectively.

[0011] In the above configuration, the wheel side bracket 4 comprises an upper connecting portion 41, a middle connecting portion 42, and a lower connecting portion 43. The bottom of the upper connecting portion 41 extends horizontally and then bends vertically downward to form a stepped structure that avoids the wheel housing. The lower bent portion extends continuously downward via an inclined support structure 424 to form the middle connecting portion 42, the left side of which is first recessed inward and then extends outward. The bottom of the middle connecting portion 42 is connected to the lower connecting portion 43, which is formed by the horizontal extension.

[0012] In the above configuration, the upper connection portion 41 is formed by integrating the upper shock absorber mounting flange 413 and the upper control arm boss 415. A circular hole 412 is designed in the center of the upper shock absorber mounting flange 413 to avoid the locking structure of the upper end of the piston rod of the shock absorber 8, and this circular hole 412 is connected to the circular upper support of the shock absorber 8. Furthermore, mounting through holes are provided around the circular hole 412 to accommodate mounting bolts for fixing the upper support of the shock absorber 8.

[0013] The upper control arm boss 415 is provided with a screw hole 4-2 for attaching the upper control arm 3. The upper control arm boss 415 is provided with a thickened end 416 to improve the mounting strength at the mounting position of the upper control arm 3. Furthermore, each of the two upper control arm bosses 415 is provided with a reinforcing rib 418 that extends from the thickened end 416 to the surface of the lower connection portion 43 to increase the vertical rigidity of the upper control arm boss 415 and the shock absorber mounting flange 413.

[0014] In the above configuration, the thickened ends 416 of the two upper control arm bosses 415 are connected by reinforcing ribs to improve rigidity in the front-rear direction.

[0015] In the above configuration, weight-reducing grooves 417 are symmetrically provided in the upper connecting portion 41. Cross-shaped reinforcing ribs are provided inside the weight-reducing grooves 417, and a central hole 414 is further provided between the two weight-reducing grooves 417.

[0016] In the above configuration, the central connection portion 42 is symmetrically provided with two upper frame mounting bosses 421, as well as a lower front control arm bracket 4210 and a lower rear control arm bracket 4211 for connecting to the lower control arm. The inclined support structure 424 of the central connection portion 42 is provided with a left weight reduction groove 425 and a right weight reduction groove 426, and a clearance groove 427 for avoiding the tie rod is provided between the left weight reduction groove 425 and the right weight reduction groove 426.

[0017] The aforementioned central connection portion 42 is further provided with a groove 428 to avoid the lower front control arm 7. A longitudinal reinforcing rib 429 is provided at the joint of the two upper frame mounting bosses 421 to transmit stress at the frame mounting position. Furthermore, a longitudinal reinforcing rib 4212 is connected between the lower front control arm bracket 4210 and the lower rear control arm bracket 4211 to transmit stress at the mounting positions of the two lower control arms.

[0018] In the above configuration, cross-shaped reinforcing ribs are provided inside the left weight reduction groove 425 and the right weight reduction groove 426.

[0019] In the above configuration, the lower connection portion 43 is provided with a steering gear mounting boss 431 and a lower frame mounting boss 432 having a difference in height. Furthermore, the lower connection portion 43 includes a lower frame mounting boss 432 with a through hole for connecting to the lower vertical beam of the frame, and a cylindrical groove 433 for avoiding the steering gear. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This wheel-side module system includes a mounting suspension with a separate lower rear control arm 6 and a lower front control arm 7, and optimizes layout space by shortening the lengths of the upper and lower control arms while ensuring optimal kingpin characteristics. The lower end of the shock absorber 8 is positioned on the lower rear control arm 6, making the vertical force load on the shock absorber 8 more rational. The wheel-side bracket 4 enables the integration of various chassis systems, allowing for the integration and commercialization of chassis systems, simplifying the layout design of vehicle development with greater freedom, improving the applicability of the wheel-side module in the development of new vehicle models, and expanding the range of vehicle models. The distributed steering system employs independent steering gears for single-wheel control, enabling control of each single wheel by the vehicle controller and ensuring accurate Ackermann angle relationships between the inner and outer wheels. This not only improves the maneuverability of the vehicle but also enhances the control accuracy of the steering system and improves the driving accuracy of the vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0021] To more clearly illustrate embodiments of the present invention or technical solutions of the prior art, the following is a brief introduction of the drawings necessary for describing the embodiments. Clearly, the drawings in the following description represent only some embodiments of the present invention, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these without any creative effort. [Figure 1] Structural schematic diagram of a wheel-side module system according to one embodiment of the present invention [Figure 2] Schematic diagram of the structure of a wheel side bracket according to one embodiment of the present invention [Figure 3] Schematic diagram of the rear structure of a wheel side bracket according to one embodiment of the present invention [Figure 4] Schematic diagram of the position of the kingpin-lower hardpoint according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] Schematic diagram of the structure of a distributed steering gear according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Description of Symbols]

[0022] 1: hub motor, 2: steering knuckle, 3: upper control arm, 3: shock absorber upper support, 4: wheel side bracket, 4-1: through hole, 4-2: screw hole, 4-4: screw hole, 41: upper connection part, 411: support surface, 412: circular hole, 413: flange, 414: central hole, 415: boss, 416: thickened end, 417: weight reduction groove, 418: reinforcing rib, 419: connecting reinforcing rib, 4110: longitudinal reinforcing rib, 42: middle connection part, 421: frame upper mounting boss, 422: weight reduction groove, 423: weight reduction groove, 424: inclined support structure, 425: left weight reduction groove, 426: right weight reduction groove, 427: avoidance groove, 428: groove, 429: longitudinal reinforcing rib, 4210: lower front control arm bracket, 4211: lower rear control arm bracket, 4212: longitudinal reinforcing rib, 43: lower connection part, 431: steering gear mounting boss, 432: frame lower mounting boss, 433: cylindrical groove, 5: distributed steering gear, 51: rack limit block, 52: dust cover, 53: limit surface, 54: housing, 55: limit groove, 56: pin seat, 6: lower rear control arm, 7: lower front control arm, 8: shock absorber, 9: rack, 10: single-side tie rod [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0023] In order to make the objects, features and advantages of the above invention clearer and easier to understand, the present invention will be described in further detail below based on specific embodiments with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. The wheel side module system adopted in the present embodiment includes a hub motor 1, a steering knuckle 2 connected to the hub motor 1, a mounting suspension, a distributed steering gear 5 and a wheel side bracket 4, the specific structure of which is as follows.

[0024] The aforementioned suspension system employs a double wishbone design and includes an upper control arm 3 and a detachable lower control arm. The lower rear control arm 6 and the lower front control arm 7 are connected to one side of the steering knuckle 2, and the virtual kingpin hardpoints of the lower rear control arm 6 and the lower front control arm 7 are advanced to the opposite side of the steering knuckle 2. While ensuring optimal kingpin characteristics, this structure increases the height difference between the upper control arm 3 and the lower control arm, and by designing a detachable lower control arm to realize a forward-positioned virtual kingpin hardpoint, the lengths of the upper and lower control arms are shortened and the layout space is optimized. In this embodiment, the hub motor 1 is also connected to position A of the virtual kingpin hardpoint. The lower end of the shock absorber 8 is positioned on the lower rear control arm 6, which functions as a bearing arm, making the vertical force load on the shock absorber 8 more rational. At the same time, this double wishbone suspension offers superior handling, more efficient decoupling of wheel motion, and, when combined with a split steering gear, can be applied to harsh operating conditions such as high speeds and heavy loads, and is compatible with various vehicle types.

[0025] The distributed steering gear 5 according to this embodiment includes a plurality of independent steering gears for controlling individual wheels. A rack 9 is provided within the housing 54 of the independent steering gear, which moves axially along the independent steering gear, and the housing 54 of the independent steering gear is fixedly connected to a dust cover 52 via a hoop. On one side of the interior of the dust cover 52, a pin seat 56 is provided for connection to the inner ball pin end of a tie rod 10, and the outer ball pin end of the tie rod 10 is connected to a steering knuckle 2 which is controlled by a hub motor 1 and connected to a wheel. The movement of the rack 9 drives the pin seat 56 to move, and the pin seat 56 stops moving when it moves into a limit groove 55 at one end of the housing 54 of the independent steering gear, thereby achieving a stroke limit for the tie rod 10.

[0026] On the other side of the dust cover 52, a rack limit block 51 is provided, which replaces the conventional second tie rod. The rack limit block 51 is screwed to the rack 9 and moves with the rack 9, and the rack limit block 51 contacts the limit surface 53 of the independent steering gear housing 54, thereby setting the limit at the other end of the rack 9. Since there is no tie rod on the rack limit block 51 side, the conical tapering design of the tie rod dust cover on the side where the tie rod is provided is unnecessary, and only the axial movement of the dust cover needs to be considered. Therefore, the diameter of the rack limit block 51 in this embodiment matches the diameter of the independent steering gear housing 54 and the dust cover 52, and a uniform-width dust cover without a conical tapering design can be used, resulting in a simple structure, low cost, and reduced risk of damage to rubber parts and oil leakage due to long-term twisting.

[0027] In this embodiment, each wheel is controlled by an independent steering gear to form a distributed structure, enabling control of each individual wheel by the vehicle controller and ensuring accurate Ackermann angle relationships between the inner and outer wheels. This not only improves the vehicle's maneuverability but also enhances the control accuracy of the steering system, thereby improving the vehicle's driving precision. Furthermore, individual wheel control enables different vehicle drive modes such as diagonal driving and on-the-spot turning, further improving the vehicle's mobility. The overall structure of this distributed steering gear employs a rack and pinion type, a mature structure with stable performance. Compared to conventional double-axle steering gears, one steering tie rod can be eliminated, and the size of the housing and rack can be halved. Moreover, the motor and controller are integrated on the input gear shaft (in this embodiment, the independent steering gear is driven by a steering drive motor connected to the steering gear, and the steering drive motor is connected to a motor controller to receive control signals), resulting in a simple and compact overall structure that is advantageous for the integrated layout of wheel-side modules.

[0028] The steering gear housing 54 according to this embodiment is provided with a mounting end for connecting to the wheel side bracket 4.

[0029] The wheel side bracket 4 is connected to the distributed steering gear 5, shock absorber 8, and lower rear control arm 6 and lower front control arm 7, respectively, and the chassis system is integrated via the aluminum alloy wheel side bracket 4. Its specific structure is as follows: It includes an upper connection section 41, a middle connection section 42, and a lower connection section 43. The bottom of the upper connection section 41 extends outward and then bends vertically downward to form a stepped structure that avoids the wheel housing. The bottom of the lower bend extends continuously downward via an inclined support structure 424 to form the middle connection section 42, which effectively expands the lateral layout space of the wheel side bracket 4. The left side of the inclined support structure 424 first recesses inward and then extends outward, and the bottom of the middle connection section 42 is connected to the lower connection section 43, which is formed by a horizontal extension.

[0030] A support surface 411 is provided on the upper connection portion 41, and this support surface 411 is connected to the shock absorber 8. Weight reduction grooves 417 are provided on both sides of the support surface 411, and cross-shaped reinforcing ribs are provided inside the weight reduction grooves 417 to strengthen local support strength and improve the strength of the upper connection portion 41. A central hole 414 is provided in the center of the two weight reduction grooves 417.

[0031] A flange 413 for connecting to the shock absorber 8 is provided perpendicular to the support surface 411. A circular hole 412 is provided in the center of the flange 413 to avoid the locking structure of the upper end of the piston rod of the shock absorber 8. The upper connection portion 41 is connected to the circular upper support of the shock absorber 8 via the flange 413 and mounting bolts that fit through the through hole in the flange 413. Bosses 415 for connecting to the upper control arm 3 are provided on both sides of the top of the support surface 411. The bosses 415 are provided with threaded holes, and wire thread inserts are embedded in the threaded holes to prevent damage to the threaded holes due to repeated assembly and disassembly of the aluminum alloy material.

[0032] In this embodiment, the bosses 415, which are symmetrically provided on both sides in the thickness direction of the upper connection portion 41, are locally thickened to form thickened ends 416, which contact the upper control arm 3, thereby improving the mounting strength at the mounting position of the upper control arm 3. Reinforcing ribs 418 are further provided on the thickened ends 416 of the bosses, and these reinforcing ribs 418 extend from the surface of the thickened ends 416 of the bosses through the surface of the middle connection portion 42 to the surface of the lower connection portion 43, thereby increasing the vertical rigidity of the bosses 415 of the upper control arm 3 and the shock absorber mounting flange 413, and at the same time improving the overall rigidity of the wheel side bracket 4. The two thickened bosses are connected by a connecting reinforcing rib 419, which improves the longitudinal rigidity of the adjacent thickened bosses 415. The upper connection section 41 is further provided with front-to-rear reinforcing ribs 4110 to improve the front-to-rear rigidity of the upper connection section 41.

[0033] In this embodiment, the lower bent portion of the central connection portion 42 is provided with a frame upper mounting boss 421 for connection to the frame. The frame upper mounting boss 421 is provided on both sides of the lower bent portion, and each frame upper mounting boss 421 is provided with eight through holes for bolt fixing. A weight-reducing groove 423 is formed in the center of each frame upper mounting boss 421, and a weight-reducing groove 422 is further provided between the two frame upper mounting bosses 421. A cross-shaped reinforcing rib is provided inside the weight-reducing groove 422 to strengthen local support force. The central connection portion 42 is further provided with a lower front control arm bracket 4210 and a lower rear control arm bracket 4211 for connection to the lower control arm.

[0034] On both sides of the surface of the inclined support structure 424 are provided a left weight reduction groove 425 and a right weight reduction groove 426, each containing reinforcing ribs to enhance the support capacity. Between the left weight reduction groove 425 and the right weight reduction groove 426 is provided a clearance groove 427 to avoid the tie rod. This clearance groove 427 extends from the inclined support structure 424 to the lower connection portion 43, and its size is determined by the motion analysis of the tie rod.

[0035] The central connection section 42 is further provided with a groove 428 to avoid the lower front control arm 7. A longitudinal reinforcing rib 429 is provided at the joint of the two upper frame mounting bosses 421 to transmit stress at the frame mounting position, while simultaneously improving the longitudinal rigidity and overall strength of the central section. The lower front control arm bracket 4210 and the lower rear control arm bracket 4211 in this embodiment are designed according to the layout of the suspension design hardpoints. A longitudinal reinforcing rib 4212 is provided between the lower front control arm bracket 4210 and the lower rear control arm bracket 4211, and this reinforcing rib transmits stress at the mounting position of the two lower control arms while simultaneously improving the longitudinal rigidity and overall strength of the central section.

[0036] The lower connection section 43 is mainly formed by integrating the steering gear mounting boss 431 and the lower frame mounting boss 432. The position of the steering gear mounting boss 431 is designed in coordination with the structure of the distributed steering gear 5, and the steering gear mounting boss 431 is provided with a screw hole. Furthermore, a wire thread insert is embedded in the screw hole to prevent damage to the screw hole due to repeated assembly and disassembly of the aluminum alloy material. There is a difference in mounting height between the steering gear mounting boss 431 and the lower frame mounting boss 432 to avoid affecting the mounting of the lower control arm on the rear. A total of six lower frame mounting bosses 432 are provided, and these bosses are designed with through holes for attaching the lower frame longitudinal beams. At the same time, the lower connection section 43 is provided with a cylindrical groove 433 that is connected to the bottom of the avoidance groove 427 to avoid the steering gear.

[0037] The wheelside system of this embodiment adopts a conventional steering tie rod layout, resulting in a more compact space, more rational wheel movement, and applicability to different vehicle motion conditions. The steering gear drives a single wheel with a single tie rod, resulting in a stable and mature structure.

[0038] The above are merely specific embodiments of the present invention, and the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any modification or substitution that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed by the present invention is included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention is the same as the scope of protection of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A wheelside module system comprising a hub motor and a steering knuckle connected to the hub motor, further comprising the following: A mounted suspension having a lower rear control arm connected to the frame and positioned at the lower end of the shock absorber, wherein the upper control arm positioned at the upper end of the shock absorber and the lower rear control arm form a double wishbone structure with a height difference; a mounted suspension having a separate lower rear control arm and a lower front control arm connected to one side of the steering knuckle, the virtual kingpin lower hardpoints of the lower rear control arm and the lower front control arm advanced to the opposite side of the steering knuckle, and a hub motor connected to the position of the virtual kingpin lower hardpoint; A distributed steering gear having an outer ball-pin end of a tie rod for connecting to a steering knuckle controlled by a hub motor, wherein the tie rod is connected to an inner ball-pin seat of the tie rod which is connected to one end of a rack; a steering gear for driving a single wheel on one side is driven by a steering drive motor connected to the steering gear, the steering drive motor is connected to a motor controller to receive control signals, and the housing of the steering gear is provided with a mounting end for connecting to a wheel-side bracket; Furthermore, the distributed steering gear, shock absorbers, and wheel-side brackets connected to the lower rear control arm and lower front control arm of the mounting suspension, respectively.

2. A wheel side module system according to claim 1, wherein the wheel side bracket comprises an upper connection portion, a middle connection portion, and a lower connection portion; the bottom of the upper connection portion extends horizontally and then bends vertically downward to form a stepped structure that avoids the wheel housing; the lower bend extends continuously downward via an inclined support structure to form a middle connection portion, the left side of the inclined support structure first recesses inward and then extends outward; and the bottom of the middle connection portion is connected to the lower connection portion formed by the horizontal extension.

3. A wheel-side module system according to claim 2, wherein the upper connection portion is formed by integrating an upper shock absorber mounting flange and an upper control arm boss; a circular hole is designed in the center of the upper shock absorber mounting flange to avoid the locking structure of the upper end of the shock absorber piston rod, the circular hole is connected to a circular upper support of the shock absorber, and mounting through holes are further provided around the circular hole to accommodate mounting bolts for fixing the upper support of the shock absorber; The upper control arm boss is provided with a screw hole for attaching the upper control arm, and the upper control arm boss is provided with a thickened end to improve the mounting strength at the mounting position of the upper control arm, and each of the two upper control arm bosses is provided with a reinforcing rib that extends from the thickened end to the surface of the lower connection part to increase the vertical rigidity of the upper control arm mounting boss and the shock absorber mounting flange.

4. The wheel side module system according to claim 3, characterized in that the thickened ends of the two upper control arm bosses are connected by reinforcing ribs to improve rigidity in the longitudinal direction.

5. A wheelside module system according to claim 3, characterized in that the upper connecting portion is provided with symmetrically arranged weight-reducing grooves, a cross-shaped reinforcing rib is provided inside the weight-reducing grooves, and a central hole is further provided between the two weight-reducing grooves.

6. A wheel-side module system according to claim 2, wherein the central connection portion is symmetrically provided with two upper frame mounting bosses, and a lower front control arm bracket and a lower rear control arm bracket for connecting to a lower control arm; the inclined support structure of the central connection portion is provided with a left weight reduction groove and a right weight reduction groove, and a clearance groove for avoiding a tie rod is provided between the left weight reduction groove and the right weight reduction groove; The aforementioned central connection portion is further provided with a groove to avoid the lower front control arm; the joint between the two upper frame mounting bosses is provided with a front-to-rear reinforcing rib to transmit stress at the frame mounting position; and a front-to-rear reinforcing rib is connected between the lower front control arm bracket and the lower rear control arm bracket to transmit stress at the mounting positions of the two lower control arms.

7. A wheelside module system according to claim 6, characterized in that cross-shaped reinforcing ribs are provided inside the left weight reduction groove and the right weight reduction groove.

8. The wheel side module system according to claim 2, wherein the lower connection portion is provided with a steering gear mounting boss and a lower frame mounting boss having a height difference, and the lower connection portion further comprises a lower frame mounting boss with a through hole for connecting to the lower vertical beam of the frame, and a cylindrical groove for avoiding the steering gear.

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