Foldable Off-Road EV Battery and Suspension
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing non-highway vehicles for recreational use, such as ATVs and UTVs, face challenges in portability due to their size and the need for trailers and hitch systems during transportation on public highways, which can be inconvenient and pose safety risks for inexperienced drivers.
Innovation Solution
The development of foldable off-road electric vehicles (EVs) with a chassis and a foldable battery module, allowing the vehicle to be compactly transported by folding the battery module and adjusting the suspension for a reduced footprint, enabling easier loading into a vehicle's interior.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If non-highway vehicles are designed for recreational use with adequate power and stability, then they achieve sufficient performance for off-road operation, but they become too large and heavy for convenient transportation on public highways
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle is divided into separable components: a chassis frame and a battery module. The battery module can be detached and folded, allowing the main chassis to be transported more compactly while maintaining full power capability when the battery is reattached at the destination.
Solution Approach 2:
The suspension system is designed with adjustable configurations that allow it to change between an extended state for off-road operation (providing stability and power) and a retracted state for transportation (reducing overall vehicle dimensions).
2Ease of operation
If non-highway vehicles are transported using traditional towing methods with trailers and hitches, then they can be moved on public highways, but the process becomes inconvenient and poses safety risks for inexperienced drivers
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the battery module from the chassis, the vehicle becomes easier to maneuver and transport. The compact chassis can be more easily loaded onto various transportation methods without requiring specialized towing equipment, reducing the complexity and safety risks associated with traditional trailer towing.
3Area of stationary object
If the suspension is extended downward to reduce track width for transport, then the vehicle footprint is minimized for easier loading, but the vehicle stability is reduced during off-road operation
Solution Approach 1:
The suspension system is designed to be dynamically adjustable, allowing it to transition between extended and retracted configurations. This enables the vehicle to optimize its footprint for transport while maintaining proper stability characteristics during off-road operation through controlled suspension extension.
Data Source
AI summary
A foldable non-highway electric vehicle (EV) for recreational use. The non-highway EV may include a chassis and a foldable battery module coupled to the chassis. The foldable battery module may fold to a position to allow portable transport of the non-highway EV. Suspension may control movement of the wheels relative to the chassis. The suspension may also be set in a plurality of different configurations, including a configuration where the suspension is set in a transport position. With the battery folded and the suspension set in the transport position, the footprint of the non-highway EV may be significantly reduced, to allow for convenient transportation of the non-highway EV.