Floating Shaft Axle Support Absorbs Wobble
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional axle support structures fail to prevent shaft wobble from being transmitted to the drive source output shaft, leading to misalignment and reduced durability and acoustic vibration performance due to wear in hub bearings.
Innovation Solution
An axle support structure featuring a floating shaft with degree of freedom in directions other than rotation, linking the drive source output shaft and axle, absorbs misalignment and wobble through serrated connections, preventing transmission of shaft wobble to the drive source output shaft.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional axle support structure with direct linkage between drive source output shaft and axle is used, then the structure is simple, but shaft wobble is transmitted to the drive source output shaft causing misalignment and reduced durability
Solution Approach 1:
A floating shaft is introduced as an intermediary component between the drive source output shaft and the axle. This floating shaft includes a first linking part connected to the drive source output shaft and a second linking part connected to the axle, allowing it to absorb misalignment and prevent shaft wobble transmission while maintaining structural simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The floating shaft is designed with degrees of freedom in directions other than rotation, enabling it to dynamically adjust its position to accommodate misalignment between the drive source output shaft and the axle, thereby absorbing wobble and improving reliability
2Reliability
If the axle and drive source output shaft are directly linked, then the power transmission path is short, but misalignment causes the drive source output shaft to whirl and acoustic vibration performance to deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The floating shaft serves as a mediator in the power transmission path, absorbing misalignment and preventing the drive source output shaft from whirling, thereby maintaining acoustic vibration performance without significantly complicating the power transmission structure
3Reliability
If a rigid linkage is used between drive source output shaft and axle, then the power transmission is efficient, but shaft wobble and misalignment are transmitted causing durability to decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The floating shaft is designed with degrees of freedom that allow it to dynamically adjust to misalignment between the drive source output shaft and the axle, absorbing wobble while maintaining efficient power transmission and improving misalignment tolerance
Data Source
AI summary
An axle support structure includes a drive source output shaft, an axle, a vehicle body-side member, a vehicle wheel bearing and a floating shaft. The drive source output shaft is configured to be rotated by a drive source. The axle is disposed coaxially with the drive source output shaft to rotate integrally with a vehicle wheel. The vehicle wheel bearing is coupled to the axle for rotatably supporting the axle on a vehicle body-side member. The floating shaft has a first linking part linked with the drive source output shaft with a degree of freedom in a non-rotational direction, and a second linking part linked with the axle with a degree of freedom in a non-rotational direction, such that power is transmitted from the drive source output shaft to the axle. The vehicle wheel bearing is disposed axially between the first and second linking parts.