Hub Carrier Mounting Structure for Axle Shaft Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle suspension systems, such as de Dion beam systems, face challenges with packaging and component assembly, particularly in axle shaft installation, leading to decreased space efficiency and increased weight.
Innovation Solution
A hub carrier mounting structure with a removably attached mounting flange, upper and lower cases coupled via attachment devices of varying vertical heights, forming a space-efficient package that simplifies axle shaft installation and reduces weight by allowing for a lower profile design without compromising strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If carrier sections are designed to accommodate axle shaft installation, then ease of assembly is improved, but space efficiency decreases and weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hub carrier mounting structure is divided into separate upper and lower case sections that can be assembled independently. This segmentation allows the aperture for axle shaft installation to be formed by the combination of cases rather than requiring a single large carrier section, thereby improving space efficiency while maintaining ease of assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment devices are positioned at varying vertical heights between the upper and lower cases, utilizing the vertical dimension to create the aperture space for axle shaft installation. This dimensional approach allows compact packaging while providing adequate clearance for assembly operations.
2Ease of operation
If carrier sections are designed to accommodate axle shaft installation, then ease of assembly is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
Dividing the hub carrier into separate upper and lower cases allows each component to be optimized for its specific function, reducing unnecessary material in each section. The aperture is formed by the assembly of cases rather than requiring a single heavy carrier section, thereby reducing unsprung weight while maintaining assembly ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The removable mounting flange and attachable cases provide dynamic assembly capabilities, allowing the hub carrier to be configured optimally for different assembly stages. This flexibility enables lightweight design without sacrificing the ability to accommodate axle shaft installation when needed.
3Volume of moving object
If a lower profile design is implemented, then space efficiency is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lower profile hub carrier is achieved by segmenting the structure into upper and lower cases that attach together. This segmentation allows each case to have a reduced individual profile while the combined assembly provides the necessary functionality, simplifying manufacturing of each component despite the complex overall configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting flange is integrally formed with one of the cases, creating a nested configuration where the flange is contained within the case structure. This nesting reduces the overall profile height while maintaining all necessary mounting functions, and simplifies manufacturing by reducing the number of separate components.
Data Source
AI summary
A suspension system in a vehicle is provided. The suspension system includes, in one example, a hub carrier mounting structure and a hub carrier designed to couple to a wheel hub. The hub carrier mounting structure includes a mounting flange removably attached to the hub carrier and an upper case and a lower case coupled to a support beam, the upper and lower cases are coupled via a first set of attachment devices and a second set of attachment devices that are positioned on opposing sides of the upper and lower cases, where the first and second sets of attachment devices have varying vertical heights.