Angled Motor Axis for Tracked Vehicle Traction Drive
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Solution Overview
Problem
Self-propelled work machines like bulldozers face inefficiencies due to the high inertia of electric motors used for traction drives, which results in poor acceleration efficiency and installation challenges with long, slim motor designs in narrow-track vehicles.
Innovation Solution
The electric motor axis of rotation is displaced and/or angled relative to the wheel axis of rotation, allowing for a non-coaxial installation and connection via a gear stage, enabling a compact, high-power, low-inertia motor arrangement that avoids collisions and maximizes installation space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the electric motor is designed with larger rotor volume to provide high power and torque, then the power and torque increase, but the moment of inertia increases leading to worse acceleration efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The motor axis of rotation is displaced and/or angled with respect to the wheel axis of rotation, transitioning from a conventional coaxial arrangement to a non-coaxial configuration. This dimensional change allows the motor to be positioned outside the traditional rotational plane, creating space for larger rotor volumes while maintaining low effective inertia through strategic placement and gear stage connection.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the electric motor is designed as long and slim with small diameter to reduce moment of inertia, then the acceleration efficiency improves, but the installation space requirements increase making it difficult to install in narrow-track vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
By displacing and angling the motor axis relative to the wheel axis, the invention utilizes three-dimensional space more effectively. The motor can extend in directions that do not conflict with the vehicle's narrow track width, allowing long, slim motor designs to be installed without occupying excessive lateral space.
Solution Approach 2:
The non-coaxial arrangement creates an asymmetric configuration where the motor is positioned offset from the wheel centerline. This asymmetry allows optimized motor dimensions (long and slim) to fit within the available installation envelope of narrow-track vehicles while maintaining the low-inertia design.
3Adaptability or versatility
If separate electric motors are used for single wheel drives in narrow-track vehicles, then each wheel can be independently driven, but the long slim motors collide with each other or lack sufficient installation space
Solution Approach 1:
The displaced and angled motor axis configuration allows each motor to be positioned in a unique spatial orientation relative to its respective wheel. This three-dimensional arrangement enables two separate motors to coexist in narrow-track vehicles without collision, as each motor occupies a distinct spatial niche achieved through non-coaxial positioning.
Data Source
AI summary
A self-propelled work machine, in particular a tracked vehicle, such as a bulldozer, having a traction drive comprising at least one electric motor for driving at least one chassis wheel, in particular a chain wheel or a sprocket. The motor axis of rotation of the electric motor is arranged displaced and/or angled with respect to the wheel axis of rotation of the chassis wheel to be driven by the electric motor.