Inclined Steering Mechanism for Smooth Electric Mobility Spin Turns
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The electric mobility vehicle faces difficulty in achieving a smooth spin turn due to the configuration of its steering mechanism, making it challenging to cross the center axis of the front and rear wheels at an intermediate or center position.
Innovation Solution
A steering mechanism that steers the pair of front wheels by allowing a steering angle difference between the inner and outer wheels, with the inner wheel steering angle being within a range of 90° or greater, and incorporates a pitman arm, left and right rods, and a center shaft, which are arranged in an inclined manner to enhance steering angle difference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional steering mechanism with pitman arm and rods is used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the vehicle cannot achieve smooth spin turn and cannot cross the center axis of wheels at intermediate position
Solution Approach 1:
The steering mechanism employs dynamically adjustable rod inclination angles that change during steering operation. The rods are configured to vary their inclination relative to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, enabling the mechanism to adapt its geometry for different steering conditions including spin turns, thereby achieving smooth rotation without requiring a fundamentally complex alternative mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the steering linkage, specifically the inclination angles of the rods connecting the pitman arm to the knuckles. By optimizing these angles (with the inclination angle of each rod being 10° to 30° relative to the longitudinal direction), the mechanism achieves enhanced spin turn capability while maintaining structural simplicity
2Ease of operation
If the inner wheel steering angle is increased to 90° or greater for spin turn, then the steering angle difference is sufficiently large for smooth turn, but the rods must be arranged in inclined manner increasing manufacturing precision requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The invention specifies optimal parameter ranges for rod inclination angles (10° to 30° relative to the longitudinal direction) and height position differences (15 mm or more at straight-traveling position) that balance the need for large steering angle difference during spin turn with manufacturability. These parameter specifications ensure sufficient steering angle difference for smooth operation while maintaining reasonable manufacturing precision requirements
3Adaptability or versatility
If the rods are arranged in inclined manner with height position difference of 15 mm or more, then the steering angle difference is enhanced for smooth spin turn, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The inclined rod arrangement creates a dynamic geometric transformation during steering. The rods are positioned with initial height differences (15 mm or more at straight-traveling position) that translate into optimized steering angle differences as the mechanism operates, enabling smooth spin turn capability through dynamic geometric adaptation rather than static structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a vertical dimension (height position difference) to the traditional planar steering linkage. By positioning rod connection points at different heights (with vertical offset of 15 mm or more), the mechanism gains an additional degree of freedom in its motion geometry, enabling enhanced spin turn capability without adding lateral or longitudinal structural complexity
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A steering mechanism that steers a pair of front wheels (10) of an electric mobility vehicle, wherein the steering mechanism is capable of steering an inner wheel and an outer wheel such that a steering angle difference between an inner wheel steering angle and an outer wheel steering angle when the inner wheel steering angle is a second angle which is within a range of 90° or greater is at least five times the steering angle difference when the inner wheel steering angle is a first angle which is within a range of 40° to 45°, wherein the inner wheel steering angle is a steering angle of the inner wheel and the outer wheel steering angle is a steering angle of the outer wheel.