Hub-Coupled Powertrain Test Stand With Hollow-Shaft Load Sensing

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle test stands for powertrains require a large accommodation area and an elaborate, expensive mechanical supporting structure, especially when testing a powertrain already built into a motor vehicle.

Innovation Solution

A compact test stand design featuring a loading motor with a hollow shaft connected directly to the vehicle hub, a load sensor, and a positioning module, allowing the motor vehicle to be supported by its chassis during testing, thus eliminating the need for a bulky frame and enabling realistic simulation of driving conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a traditional mechanical supporting structure is used to support the motor vehicle during testing, then the vehicle can be properly positioned and supported, but the accommodation area required and the cost of the supporting structure increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevehicle support stabilityVSAvoidaccommodation area

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the vehicle support function from the traditional mechanical frame structure and transfers it to the vehicle's own chassis. The loading motor is connected directly to the wheel hub, allowing the chassis to support the vehicle weight during testing, thereby eliminating the need for elaborate external supporting structures and reducing accommodation area requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The vehicle's chassis serves itself by supporting the vehicle during the testing process. Instead of requiring external support structures, the chassis naturally bears the vehicle weight, and the loading motor applies test loads directly to the wheels through the hub connection, enabling self-supported testing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If a traditional mechanical supporting structure is used to support the motor vehicle during testing, then the vehicle can be properly positioned and supported, but the cost of the supporting structure increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevehicle support stabilityVSAvoidsupporting structure cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the vehicle support function from the traditional mechanical frame structure and transfers it to the vehicle's own chassis. The loading motor is connected directly to the wheel hub, allowing the chassis to support the vehicle weight during testing, thereby eliminating the need for elaborate external supporting structures and reducing accommodation area requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The vehicle's chassis serves itself by supporting the vehicle during the testing process. Instead of requiring external support structures, the chassis naturally bears the vehicle weight, and the loading motor applies test loads directly to the wheels through the hub connection, enabling self-supported testing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Area of stationary object

If the loading motor is connected directly to the hub, then space requirements are reduced and the design is simplified, but the load sensor must be integrated into a compact configuration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetest stand footprintVSAvoidload sensor integration

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The load sensor is nested within the hollow shaft structure of the loading motor. The hollow shaft provides a built-in pathway for the load sensor to measure forces between the motor and hub, eliminating the need for external sensor mounting structures and reducing overall test stand footprint while maintaining measurement capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

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 design reduces space requirements, eliminates the need for expensive supporting structures, and allows for realistic testing of chassis properties without interfering with the vehicle's normal operation, providing a cost-effective and efficient testing solution.

Implementation Method 1

the load sensor is designed to determine a load transmitted from the motor shaft to the hub

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectForce sensing: Force

Data Source

PatentUS12467827B2Test stand for the powertrain of a motor vehicle

Publication Date: 2025.11.11 ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG

AI summary

A test stand for a powertrain of a motor vehicle includes at least one loading motor with a motor housing and a motor shaft, at least one load sensor, and at least one positioning module. The motor shaft is configured to be drivingly connected to a hub of the motor vehicle and the load sensor is configured to detect a load transmitted from the motor shaft to the hub. An axial side of the motor housing facing toward the hub is connected rotationally fixed to the at least one positioning module. The motor shaft can be hollow, where a shaft inserted through the hollow shaft can be connected rotationally fixed directly or indirectly to the hub. The load sensor is on an axial side of the motor housing facing away from the hub, and the hollow shaft can be drivingly connected to the shaft by way of the load sensor.