Electric Truck Drive Unit Layout for 180° Double-Tire Steering
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Electric trucks face challenges in achieving a steering angle of 0° to 180° while maintaining desired suspension performance due to their high vehicle weight and the need for a speed reduction mechanism, which limits their steering performance.
Innovation Solution
A drive device with integrated drive units, suspension parts, and steering gear parts above the final gear for each double-tire, allowing for a steering angle of 0° to 180°, and utilizing an air suspension system with a coil spring and low friction members to enhance suspension and steering performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a large suspension device and rigid axle are employed to support the high vehicle weight, then suspension performance is improved, but steering angle is limited and cannot reach 0° to 180°
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the suspension device and steering gear into a single integrated unit. The steering gear is positioned within the suspension device structure, allowing the suspension system to simultaneously support vehicle weight and enable large steering angles. This integration resolves the contradiction by making the suspension device serve dual functions rather than requiring separate systems that would conflict with each other.
2Power
If a speed reduction mechanism is provided to increase torque for the electric truck, then torque is improved, but the size of the drive device increases, making it difficult to achieve large steering angles
Solution Approach 1:
The speed reduction mechanism is integrated within the suspension device structure rather than being a separate component. The gears and reduction mechanism are housed inside the suspension assembly, utilizing the same spatial envelope. This allows the drive device to provide high torque through speed reduction while maintaining a compact overall size that accommodates large steering angles.
3Ease of manufacture
If the suspension part and steering gear part are not integrated, then each component can be optimized independently, but the steering performance is limited by the suspension part size and cannot achieve 0° to 180° steering angle
Solution Approach 1:
The suspension part and steering gear part are integrated into a single unified structure. The steering gear is positioned within the suspension device, with components such as the rack and pinion arranged to utilize the available space within the suspension assembly. This integration enables the steering system to achieve 0° to 180° steering angles while the suspension simultaneously performs its weight-supporting function, resolving the limitation of separate component optimization.
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
The solution enables electric trucks to achieve a steering angle of 0° to 180°, reducing the turning radius and improving suspension and steering performance, while maintaining weight balance and reducing friction, thus enhancing mobility and parking capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
suspension parts integrally integrated with above the final gear in the drive unit housing of each of the drive units
Implementation Method 2
utilizing an air suspension system with a coil spring and low friction members to enhance suspension and steering performance
Data Source
AI summary
A drive device for an electric truck provided with double-tires, the drive device including drive units provided to each of the double-tires on left and right sides of the electric truck, each of the drive units including a drive unit housing integrally accommodating a motor that generates drive power, a reducer that reduces a rotation speed of the motor, and a final gear that is connected to the reducer and transfers the drive power of the motor to a drive shaft of the double-tire. The drive device further including suspension parts one integrally integrated with above the final gear in the drive unit housing of each of the drive units and steering gear parts one integrally integrated with above each of the suspension parts and being configured to be steerable the double-tire.