Folding Unit for Foldable Vehicle with Sliding Wheelbase
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional folding vehicles face challenges in minimizing space occupation due to an inflexible wheelbase, incomplete roof and rear folding, and increased overall height during folding, making it difficult to park in narrow spaces.
Innovation Solution
A folding unit for a foldable vehicle featuring a floor system with overlapping or sliding front and rear floors, a dome-shaped rear cabin, and a linear motor-driven operating rod that allows the wheelbase to contract, the roof and windshield to fold inward, and the cabin to rotate, reducing vertical and horizontal dimensions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the wheelbase is fixed in traditional folding vehicles, then the structure is simple, but the vehicle cannot minimize space occupation when parking
Solution Approach 1:
The wheelbase is made dynamically adjustable through a folding mechanism that allows the rear floor to slide relative to the front floor. The operating rod connects the rear cabin part to the floor part, enabling controlled movement between extended (driving) and contracted (parking) positions, thus adapting the vehicle dimensions to parking space requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The floor is divided into separable front and rear floor sections that can move independently. The rear floor can slide forward to overlap with the front floor, effectively shortening the wheelbase. This segmentation allows the vehicle to reduce its horizontal footprint while maintaining structural integrity during operation
2Length of moving object
If the roof and rear are folded in traditional vehicles, then the length is reduced, but the overall height increases and protrudes upwards
Solution Approach 1:
The rear cabin part is designed to rotate forward and nest within the space formed by the folded windshield and roof structure. The dome-shaped cabin folds inward rather than outward, allowing it to be contained within the vehicle's existing footprint. This nesting approach minimizes both length and height during folding, eliminating the protrusion problem of traditional designs
3Ease of operation
If the rear cabin part is hinge-coupled with the floor part, then the folding motion is simplified, but the cabin cannot maintain stable position during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The operating rod acts as a mechanical feedback mechanism that senses the position and motion of the rear cabin part. As the cabin rotates during folding, the operating rod transmits this motion to the floor part, automatically adjusting the folding trajectory and maintaining proper alignment. This feedback ensures smooth folding operation while keeping the cabin stable in its operational position
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 efficient space minimization during parking and optimal unfolding to form a complete vehicle body, facilitating parking in narrow spaces and reducing the overall height, thus allowing for stable and efficient folding and unfolding processes.
Implementation Method 1
A folding driver includes a linear motor rotating while being hinge-coupled with the floor part and an operating rod extended or contracted from the linear motor
Data Source
AI summary
A folding unit for a foldable vehicle comprises a floor part configured including a front floor provided with a front wheel and a rear floor provided with a rear wheel. The front floor and the rear floor overlap each other or extend by being slid to each other to extend or contract a wheelbase of the vehicle. A rear cabin part is disposed at a rear side of the vehicle to form a dome shaped cabin and has a lower end hinge-coupled with the floor part to rotate in a front and rear direction of the vehicle. A folding driver includes a linear motor rotating while being hinge-coupled with the floor part. An operating rod is extended or contracted from the linear motor and has an end hinge-coupled with a lower end of the rear cabin part.