Centreless Wheel with Drive for Adjustable Ride Height
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Solution Overview
Problem
Centerless wheels for vehicles have not fully leveraged their potential to enhance vehicle performance beyond replicating traditional wheel designs, particularly in terms of adjustable ride height and damping.
Innovation Solution
A centerless wheel design featuring an annular rotor with radial teeth for torque transmission, an annular member with a housing for a drive mechanism, and an actuator to move the member relative to the connection assembly, allowing adjustable ride height and potentially active damping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional wheel designs are replicated in centerless wheels, then basic wheel functionality is achieved, but vehicle performance enhancement is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The centerless wheel integrates multiple functions into a single device: it provides basic wheel functionality for vehicle support and motion, while simultaneously enabling adjustable ride height through the actuator mechanism and potential active damping through the housing actuation system. This multi-functionality allows the wheel to enhance overall vehicle performance beyond what traditional single-function wheels could achieve.
2Adaptability or versatility
If an actuator is added to move the member relative to the connection assembly, then adjustable ride height is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel design transitions from a static structure to a dynamic system where the actuator enables continuous adjustment of the member's position relative to the connection assembly. This dynamic capability allows the ride height to be adjusted in real-time based on vehicle conditions, providing adaptability that static traditional wheels cannot achieve.
3Reliability
If the actuator is configured to provide active damping, then secondary ride quality is improved, but use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The active damping system utilizes feedback from the vehicle's motion and suspension dynamics to control the actuator's damping actions. By monitoring ride quality parameters and adjusting damping forces in real-time based on this feedback, the system optimizes energy usage while maintaining improved secondary ride quality, avoiding unnecessary energy consumption during steady-state conditions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables adjustable ride height and improved secondary ride quality through active damping, applicable to various vehicles including road-going motor vehicles and wheelchairs, with potential for energy recovery and enhanced mobility.
Implementation Method 1
a pinion mounted thereon in engagement with said annular gear to transmit torque to the rotor
Implementation Method 2
an actuator configured to act upon the housing to move the member and the rotor relative to the connection assembly
Implementation Method 3
the actuator can be configured to provide a degree of (potentially active) damping to improve secondary ride
Data Source
AI summary
A centreless wheel for a vehicle is suitable for use in a road-going vehicle, a wheelchair, a trolley, etc. and includes a rotor that is annular around an axis, the rotor having an inner surface forming a plurality of radial teeth to form an annular gear. The rotor is mounted in a member which is annular around the axis, the member having a housing for a drive mechanism with a driveshaft and a pinion mounted thereon in engagement with the annular gear to transmit torque to the rotor. A connection assembly connects the member to the vehicle. An actuator is configured to act upon the housing to move the member and the rotor relative to the connection assembly.