Drive axle having failure diagnosis system

Abstract

The present invention introduces a drive axle having a failure diagnosis system in which dangerous situations during travel are prevented in advance by sensing travel factors, such as vibration, temperature, and pressure, generated in an axle housing assembly due to travel conditions such as speed and load, and determining the presence or absence of abnormalities, thus providing enhanced travel stability and reliability.

Description

Drive axle equipped with a fault diagnosis system

[0001] The present invention relates to a drive axle equipped with a fault diagnosis system that secures driving stability and reliability by preemptively determining abnormal situations, including failure of power transmission, damage to parts, noise, and vehicle wheel separation, that occur in the drive axle.

[0002] In general, the power transmission device of an automobile is a device that transmits the power generated from the engine or motor to the driving wheels, thereby transmitting the power generated from the engine or motor to the wheels.

[0003] The power transmission device for transmitting power is the drive axle, which is composed of a shaft and an inboard joint assembly assembled into an axle housing assembly comprising wheel bearings and an outboard joint. Thus, the drive axle not only transmits power from the engine or motor to the wheels, but also functions to support the disc and wheel-side loads by being fixed to the carrier.

[0004] Depending on driving conditions such as environmental conditions and driving load, these drive axles may not be able to transmit the power generated from the drive axle, or various dangerous situations may occur, such as component damage, noise or joint generation, or wheel separation.

[0005] However, when it comes to dangerous situations while driving, the driver can judge them in advance using his driving sense or recognize and deal with dangerous situations through maintenance. However, if he continues to drive without recognizing this, a driving accident may occur.

[0006] The matters described as background technology above are only intended to enhance understanding of the background of the present invention, and should not be taken as an admission that they correspond to prior art already known to those skilled in the art.

[0007] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a drive axle equipped with a fault diagnosis system that senses driving factors such as vibration, temperature, and pressure generated according to driving conditions such as speed and load in an axle housing assembly to determine whether there is an abnormality.

[0008] A drive axle equipped with a fault diagnosis system according to the present invention for achieving the above purpose includes: an axle housing to which a drive shaft is coupled; a wheel bearing coupled to an outer surface of the axle housing; and a sensing controller mounted on an outer ring of the wheel bearing, sensing a driving factor generated from the axle housing or the wheel bearing during driving of a mobility vehicle, and communicating with the vehicle to determine whether there is an abnormality based on the driving state of the vehicle and the sensed driving factor.

[0009] The outer ring of the wheel bearing is provided with an installation part having an internal space, and a sensing controller is provided inside the installation part.

[0010] The sensing controller is characterized by comprising a substrate portion having a connecting portion electrically connected to a vehicle, a sensor portion mounted on the substrate portion for sensing driving factors, and a control portion for collecting each piece of information and determining whether there is an abnormality.

[0011] The sensor part is characterized by being installed at the exact center of the substrate part.

[0012] The sensing controller is characterized by being provided with a heat blocking member that blocks heat generated in the surrounding area, including the wheel bearing.

[0013] The heat-blocking member is characterized by being designed to surround part or the entire outer periphery of the sensor unit.

[0014] The connecting portion is characterized by being integrally formed with the substrate portion and penetrating the installation portion and being exposed to the outside of the installation portion.

[0015] The substrate portion is characterized by being separated into a first substrate and a second substrate that are electrically connected to each other, and the first substrate and the second substrate are arranged in parallel in the installation portion.

[0016] The ratio of the total height distance of the substrate to the distance between the first substrate and the second substrate is characterized by the following equation.

[0017] 0.1 ≤ Z2 / Z ≤ 0.4

[0018] Z2: The distance between the first substrate and the second substrate

[0019] Z: Total height of the substrate

[0020] The substrate part is characterized in that a substrate having a connecting portion among the first substrate and the second substrate is fixed to the installation part by a plurality of fastening points.

[0021] The sensing controller is characterized in that the sensor part is installed in a direction toward the wheel bearing from the installation part, and the sensor part is spaced apart from the installation part at a certain distance.

[0022] The ratio of the distance between the center axis of the drive shaft and the inside of the installation part to the total height of the base part is characterized by the following equation.

[0023] 0.2 ≤ Z / H ≤ 0.5

[0024] Z: Total height of the substrate

[0025] H: Distance between the center axis of the drive shaft and the inside of the installation part

[0026] The ratio of the total height of the substrate to the distance from the portion adjacent to the wheel bearing side of the substrate to the connecting portion is characterized by the following equation.

[0027] 0.5 ≤ Z1 / Z ≤ 0.9

[0028] Z1: Distance from the part adjacent to the wheel bearing side of the substrate to the connecting part

[0029] Z: Total height of the substrate

[0030] A drive axle equipped with a fault diagnosis system having a structure as described above senses driving factors such as vibration, temperature, and pressure generated according to driving conditions such as speed and load in the axle housing assembly to determine whether there is an abnormality, thereby preventing dangerous situations during driving in advance and thus improving driving stability and reliability.

[0031] FIG. 1 is a drawing showing a drive axle equipped with a fault diagnosis system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] FIG. 2 is a drawing showing a sensing controller in a drive axle equipped with the fault diagnosis system illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0033] FIG. 3 is a drawing showing one side of a substrate portion of a sensing controller according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] FIG. 4 is a drawing showing the other side of the substrate portion of a sensing controller according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 5 is a drawing showing an example of application of a heat blocking member to the sensor unit of the present invention.

[0036] FIG. 6 is a drawing showing a substrate portion of a sensing controller according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 7 is a drawing for explaining the fastening point of the sensing controller according to the present invention.

[0038] FIG. 8 is a drawing for explaining a numerical limitation range in a drive axle equipped with a fault diagnosis system according to the present invention.

[0039] Hereinafter, embodiments disclosed in this specification will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Regardless of the drawing numbers, identical or similar components are given the same reference numbers and redundant descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0040] The suffixes "module" and "part" used for components in the following description are given or used interchangeably only for the convenience of writing specifications, and do not have distinct meanings or roles in themselves.

[0041] In describing the embodiments disclosed in this specification, detailed descriptions of related known technologies will be omitted if it is determined that such detailed descriptions may obscure the gist of the embodiments disclosed in this specification. In addition, the attached drawings are provided solely to facilitate understanding of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, and the technical concepts disclosed in this specification are not limited by the attached drawings, and should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, and substitutes included within the spirit and technical scope of the present invention.

[0042] Terms that include ordinal numbers, such as first, second, etc., may be used to describe various components, but the components are not limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one component from another.

[0043] When a component is referred to as being "connected" or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that it may be directly connected or connected to that other component, but that there may be other components intervening. Conversely, when a component is referred to as being "directly connected" or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that there are no other components intervening.

[0044] Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0045] In this specification, terms such as “include” or “have” are intended to specify the presence of a feature, number, step, operation, component, part or combination thereof described in the specification, but should be understood not to exclude in advance the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts or combinations thereof.

[0046] The controller may include a communication device that communicates with other controllers or sensors to control the function in charge, a memory that stores operating system or logic commands and input / output information, and one or more processors that perform judgments, calculations, decisions, etc. necessary for controlling the function in charge.

[0047] Hereinafter, a drive axle equipped with a fault diagnosis system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings.

[0048]

[0049] A drive axle equipped with a fault diagnosis system according to the present invention includes an axle housing (100) to which a drive shaft (10) is coupled; a wheel bearing (200) coupled to an outer surface of the axle housing (100); and a sensing controller (300) mounted on an outer ring (210) of the wheel bearing, sensing a driving factor generated from the axle housing (100) or the wheel bearing (200) during driving of a mobility vehicle, and communicating with the vehicle to determine whether there is an abnormality based on the driving state of the vehicle and the sensed driving factor.

[0050] The drive shaft (10) is rotated by receiving engine driving power or motor driving power, and is provided so that the driving power is transmitted to the wheels.

[0051] The axle housing (100) is connected to the drive shaft (10) through a joint bearing (20) coupled to the end of the drive shaft (10), and the joint bearing (20) may be composed of an inner race (21) and a plurality of joint balls (22) provided on the inner race (21).

[0052] The axle housing (100) is provided with a joint bearing (20) on the inside, and the inner surface serves as an outer race constituting the joint bearing (20). In addition, the axle housing (100) is configured to also serve as a wheel hub for coupling the wheel and the knuckle.

[0053] A wheel bearing (200) is provided on the outer surface of the axle housing (100). The hub bearing is composed of an inner ring (220), an outer ring (210), and bearing balls (230) provided between the inner ring (220) and the outer ring (210). The outer ring (210) is coupled to a knuckle or carrier, and the axle housing (100) is coupled to a disk.

[0054] In particular, in the present invention, a sensing controller (300) is provided on the outer ring (210) of the wheel bearing (200). The sensing controller (300) is configured to sense one or more factors such as temperature, vibration, and pressure, and collects information according to driving factors generated through each component including the knuckle, carrier, and wheel bearing.

[0055] Through this, the sensing controller (300) can predict whether each component is abnormal and its lifespan based on information on the driving conditions collected through communication with the vehicle and various driving factors collected.

[0056] That is, the sensing controller (300) stores at least one reference value among a temperature value, a vibration reference value, and a pressure reference value for determining whether there is an abnormality according to the driving condition, and the driving condition information collected through communication with the vehicle and the sensed driving factors can be compared with the reference values ​​to determine whether there is an abnormality.

[0057] In addition, if the sensing controller (300) determines that an abnormality has occurred, it can inform the driver of the situation through a warning sound or alert. For example, the presence of an abnormality detected through the sensing controller (300) can be notified to the driver through the cluster.

[0058]

[0059] Specifically, regarding the above-described present invention, an outer ring (210) of a wheel bearing (200) is provided with an installation part (211) having an internal space, and a sensing controller (300) may be provided inside the installation part (211).

[0060] That is, the installation part (211) can be integrally formed with the outer ring (210) of the wheel bearing (200), and a carrier or knuckle can be connected. This installation part (211) has an internal space, and a sensing controller (300) is built into the internal space. In the case of the installation part (211), it can be configured to have a sealed structure so as to block the inflow of foreign substances or moisture into the internal space where the sensing controller (300) is provided.

[0061] Due to this, the installation part (211) can receive driving factors according to any one of vibration, temperature, and pressure generated from surrounding parts including the wheel bearing (200) and the carrier or knuckle, so that the sensing controller (300) inside the installation part (211) can sense each driving factor.

[0062]

[0063] Meanwhile, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the sensing controller (300) may be composed of a substrate (310) having a connecting portion (320) electrically connected to a vehicle, a sensor portion (330) mounted on the substrate (310) to sense driving factors, and a control portion (340) that collects each piece of information to determine whether there is an abnormality.

[0064] In this way, the sensing controller (300) is composed of a substrate portion (310) and a sensor portion (330). In addition to the sensor portion (330), the substrate portion (310) may further include a connecting portion (320) for electrical connection and a communication portion (350) for communication with a vehicle.

[0065] The sensor unit (330) may be configured to measure at least one of vibration, temperature, and pressure, and a plurality of sensor units (330) may be configured for each driving factor. In the present invention, the sensor unit (330) may be configured as an acceleration sensor for determining whether there is an abnormality due to vibration of surrounding components, including a wheel bearing (200), and various sensor units (330) may be integrated and configured on the substrate unit (310) according to other driving factors.

[0066] Through this, the control unit (340) collects various information including driving factors input through the sensor unit (330) and wheel speed and torque of the vehicle input through the connecting unit (320) and communication unit (350), and analyzes and judges each piece of collected information to determine whether there is an abnormality in the surrounding parts including the wheel bearing (200).

[0067]

[0068] Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 4, the sensor unit (330) can be installed at the exact center of the substrate unit (310).

[0069] In the present invention, the substrate portion (310) may be configured on one side for the connecting portion (320), the communication portion (350), and the control portion (340), and may be configured on the other side for the sensor portion (330).

[0070] Through this, the sensor unit (330) is positioned independently from the substrate unit (310), so that the influence of surrounding components is minimized and the driving factor to be sensed can be accurately measured.

[0071] In addition, since the sensor unit (330) is positioned at the exact center of the width and length directions of the substrate unit (310), measurement accuracy according to vibration can be secured.

[0072]

[0073] Meanwhile, the sensing controller (300) may be provided with a heat blocking member (340) that blocks heat generated in the surrounding area including the wheel bearing (200).

[0074] The heat-blocking member (360) can be applied to the sensing controller (300) in the form of paint, film, or pad.

[0075] By means of this heat blocking member (360), the sensing controller (300) can prevent the deterioration of sensing accuracy due to heat generated in the surroundings, including the wheel bearing (200).

[0076] Accordingly, the heat blocking member (360) can be applied to the sensor unit (330) with the highest heat sensitivity in the sensing controller (300).

[0077] That is, the heat blocking member (360) may be provided to surround a part or the entire outer periphery of the sensor unit (330). In this way, the heat blocking member (360) is configured to surround a part of the outer periphery of the sensor unit (330) as illustrated in FIG. 4, or to surround the entire outer periphery of the sensor unit (330) as illustrated in FIG. 5, thereby preventing damage to the sensor unit (330) due to heat generated in the peripheral portion including the bearing wheel, and preventing the sensing accuracy of the sensor unit (330) from deteriorating.

[0078] This heat blocking member (360) can be optimized in advance through experiments according to the performance of the sensor unit (330) and the surrounding temperature including the wheel bearing (200) and applied to the sensor unit (330).

[0079]

[0080] Meanwhile, the connecting portion (320) is integrally formed with the substrate portion (310) and can penetrate the installation portion (211) and be exposed to the outside of the installation portion (211).

[0081] In this way, the sensing controller (300) can have an optimized package configuration by integrating the connecting portion (320) and the substrate portion (310), and the installation of the connecting portion (320) can be performed simultaneously by mounting the sensing controller (300) on the installation portion (211).

[0082] In addition, the connecting portion (320) can maintain a strong electrical connection state by forming an integral part with the substrate portion (310).

[0083]

[0084] Meanwhile, the substrate portion (310) is configured separately as a first substrate (311) and a second substrate (312) that are electrically connected to each other, and the first substrate (311) and the second substrate (312) can be arranged in parallel in the installation portion (211).

[0085] As illustrated in Fig. 6, the substrate portion (310) is configured separately as a first substrate (311) and a second substrate (312), and can be arranged to be spaced apart from the installation portion (211). The first substrate (311) and the second substrate (312) can be arranged to face each other vertically in the internal space of the installation portion (211), and in addition to the vertical arrangement, they can be arranged in a structure that can minimize the internal space of the installation portion (211).

[0086] In this way, the substrate portion (310) is configured separately as a first substrate (311) and a second substrate (312), and the size of the installation portion (211) can be reduced by being arranged in parallel.

[0087] In detail, the ratio of the total height distance of the substrate portion (310) to the distance between the first substrate (311) and the second substrate (312) may be as shown in the following equation.

[0088] 0.1 ≤ Z2 / Z ≤ 0.4

[0089] Z2: The distance between the first substrate and the second substrate

[0090] Z: Total height of the substrate

[0091] In this way, heat dissipation performance can be secured between the first substrate and the second substrate, and the internal space of the installation part can be reduced to achieve optimal placement.

[0092]

[0093] Meanwhile, the substrate (310) can be fixed to the installation portion (211) by a plurality of fastening points (A) among the first substrate (311) and the second substrate (312) having a connecting portion (320).

[0094] The sensing controller (300) is fixed by having a substrate (310) fastened to an installation portion (211), and either the first substrate (311) or the second substrate (312) can be fastened to the installation portion (211) through bolting.

[0095] In the present invention, a first substrate (311) may be provided with a connecting portion (320), a second substrate (312) may be provided with a sensor portion (330), a communication portion (350), and a control portion (340), and the first substrate (311) provided with the connecting portion (320) may be fixed to an installation portion (211).

[0096] Additionally, the first substrate (311) can be fixed to the installation part (211) with a plurality of fastening points (A), and the locations of the fastening points (A) can be determined according to the size of the first substrate (311).

[0097] For example, referring to FIG. 3, the first substrate (311) may be determined to have 5 to 6 fastening points (A) when 3 ≤ L / B, and may be determined to have 3 to 4 fastening points (A) when 3 ≥ L / B.

[0098] Here, L may be the length of the first substrate (311), and B may be the width of the first substrate (311).

[0099] Through this method, the substrate portion (310) can be firmly fastened and fixed in the internal space of the installation portion (211).

[0100]

[0101] Meanwhile, the sensing controller (300) is installed such that the sensor unit (330) faces the wheel bearing (200) from the installation unit (211), and the sensor unit (330) can be spaced apart from the installation unit (211) by a certain distance.

[0102] In this way, the sensor unit (330) is installed in the direction from the installation unit (211) toward the wheel bearing (200), making it easy to sense driving factors including vibration or temperature transmitted from the wheel bearing (200).

[0103] In addition, the sensor unit (330) may be installed in the direction of the installation unit (211) toward the wheel bearing (200), but may be installed at a certain distance from the installation unit (211). The distance between the sensor unit (330) and the installation unit (211) may be approximately 0.2 to 2 mm.

[0104] Here, when a heat blocking member (360) is configured in the sensor unit (330), the gap between the sensor unit (330) and the installation unit (211) can be set based on the heat blocking member (360).

[0105] Through this, even if the sensor unit (330) is installed in the internal space of the installation unit (211), the sensing accuracy of driving factors including vibration can be secured at an optimal position with minimal interference.

[0106]

[0107] Meanwhile, as shown in Fig. 8, the ratio of the distance between the center axis of the drive shaft (10) and the inside of the installation portion (211) to the total height of the substrate portion (310) may be as shown in the following equation.

[0108] 0.2 ≤ Z / H ≤ 0.5

[0109] Z: Total height of the substrate

[0110] H: Distance between the center axis of the drive shaft and the inside of the installation part

[0111] According to this method, the size of the installation portion (211) according to the substrate portion (310) can be determined, and the package configuration can be optimized through optimization of the size of the installation portion (211).

[0112]

[0113] Meanwhile, the ratio of the total height of the substrate portion (310) to the distance from the portion adjacent to the wheel bearing (200) side of the substrate portion (310) to the connecting portion (320) may be as shown in the following equation.

[0114] 0.5 ≤ Z1 / Z ≤ 0.9

[0115] Z1: Distance from the part adjacent to the wheel bearing side of the substrate to the connecting part

[0116] Z: Total height of the substrate

[0117] According to this method, the optimal arrangement of the substrate portion (310) in the internal space of the installation portion (211) can be determined, and the package configuration can be optimized through optimization of the size of the installation portion (211) according to the optimal arrangement of the substrate portion (310).

[0118]

[0119] A drive axle equipped with a fault diagnosis system having a structure as described above senses driving factors such as vibration, temperature, and pressure generated according to driving conditions such as speed and load in the axle housing (100) assembly to determine whether there is an abnormality, thereby preventing dangerous situations during driving in advance and thus improving driving stability and reliability.

[0120]

[0121] Although the present invention has been illustrated and described with respect to specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be variously improved and modified without departing from the technical spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.

[0122] The present invention relates to a drive axle equipped with a fault diagnosis system that secures driving stability and reliability by preemptively determining abnormal situations, including failure of power transmission, damage to parts, noise, and wheel separation from a vehicle, that occur in the drive axle.

Claims

1. Axle housing with drive shaft combined; Wheel bearings coupled to the outer surface of the axle housing; and A drive axle equipped with a fault diagnosis system, including a sensing controller mounted on the outer ring of a wheel bearing, sensing a driving factor generated from the axle housing or wheel bearing during driving of mobility, and communicating with the vehicle to determine whether there is an abnormality based on the driving state of the vehicle and the sensed driving factor.

2. In claim 1, A drive axle equipped with a fault diagnosis system, characterized in that the outer ring of the wheel bearing is provided with a mounting portion having an internal space, and a sensing controller is provided inside the mounting portion.

3. In claim 2, A drive axle equipped with a fault diagnosis system, characterized in that the sensing controller comprises a substrate section having a connecting section electrically connected to a vehicle, a sensor section mounted on the substrate section for sensing driving factors, and a control section for collecting each piece of information and determining whether there is an abnormality.

4. In claim 3, A drive axle equipped with a fault diagnosis system, characterized in that the sensor section is installed at the exact center of the substrate section.

5. In claim 3, A drive axle equipped with a fault diagnosis system, wherein the sensing controller is provided with a heat-blocking member that blocks heat generated in the surrounding area including the wheel bearing.

6. In claim 5, A drive axle equipped with a fault diagnosis system, characterized in that the heat insulating member is arranged to surround part or all of the outer periphery of the sensor section.

7. In claim 3, A drive axle equipped with a fault diagnosis system, characterized in that the connecting portion is formed integrally with the substrate portion and penetrates the installation portion and is exposed to the outside of the installation portion.

8. In claim 3, A drive axle equipped with a fault diagnosis system, wherein the substrate portion is configured separately as a first substrate and a second substrate that are electrically connected to each other, and the first substrate and the second substrate are arranged in parallel in the installation portion.

9. In claim 8, A drive axle equipped with a fault diagnosis system, wherein a ratio of the total height distance of the substrate to the distance between the first substrate and the second substrate is as shown in the following equation. 0.1 ≤ Z2 / Z ≤ 0.4 Z2: The distance between the first substrate and the second substrate. Z: Total height of the substrate 10. In claim 8, A drive axle equipped with a fault diagnosis system, wherein the substrate portion is characterized in that a substrate having a connecting portion among the first substrate and the second substrate is fixed to the installation portion with a plurality of fastening points.

11. In claim 3, A drive axle equipped with a fault diagnosis system, wherein the sensing controller is installed in a direction toward the wheel bearing from the installation portion, and the sensor portion is spaced apart from the installation portion at a certain distance.

12. In claim 3, A drive axle equipped with a fault diagnosis system, wherein the ratio of the distance between the center axis of the drive shaft and the inner side of the installation section to the total height of the substrate section is as shown in the following equation. 0.2 ≤ Z / H ≤ 0.5 Z: Total height of the substrate H: The distance between the center axis of the drive shaft and the inside of the installation part 13. In claim 3, A drive axle equipped with a fault diagnosis system, wherein a ratio of the total height of the substrate to the distance from the portion adjacent to the wheel bearing side of the substrate to the connecting portion is as shown in the following equation. 0.5 ≤ Z1 / Z ≤ 0.9 Z1: Distance from the part adjacent to the wheel bearing side of the substrate to the connecting part Z: Total height of the substrate

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