Movable Powertrain Positioning for Drive Shaft Joint Angle Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle drivetrains experience increased fatigue and vibrations due to drive shaft joints operating at angles other than their optimum baseline angles, particularly when traversing uneven terrain, leading to reduced operational lifespan and noise.
Innovation Solution
A vertical position movement mechanism adjusts the powertrain's vertical position to control the angles of drive shaft joints, using actuators or hydraulic systems to maintain optimal alignment and accommodate changes in wheel positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the vehicle traverses uneven terrain, then the suspension system allows the wheels to move relative to the transmission, but the drive shaft joints operate at non-optimum angles causing increased fatigue and reduced lifespan
Solution Approach 1:
The powertrain is made vertically movable relative to the chassis through a movement mechanism, allowing the drive shaft angle to dynamically adjust as the suspension moves. This dynamic adjustment keeps the drive shaft joints operating at or near their optimum angles even when wheel positions change, reducing fatigue and extending component lifespan.
Solution Approach 2:
The vertical position of the powertrain is changed as a parameter to control the drive shaft joint angles. By varying the powertrain's vertical position, the system maintains optimal operating angles for the joints despite changes in wheel position due to suspension movement or terrain variations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the drive shaft joints are positioned at angles other than their optimum baseline angles, then the vehicle can accommodate terrain variations, but the joints experience increased fatigue and vibrations
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the powertrain vertical position in response to suspension movement, ensuring drive shaft joints remain at optimal angles. This prevents the generation of harmful vibrations and noise that occur when joints operate at non-optimum angles during terrain traversal.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from suspension position sensors to control the vertical position of the powertrain. This closed-loop control ensures that the drive shaft joints maintain their optimum baseline angles even as the vehicle encounters varying terrain, eliminating vibrations and noise.
3Reliability
If a vertical position movement mechanism is added to adjust powertrain position, then drive shaft joint angles can be optimized, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vertical movement mechanism serves multiple functions: it optimizes drive shaft joint angles, compensates for suspension movement, and maintains powertrain alignment. By consolidating these functions into a single mechanism, the added complexity is minimized while achieving multiple reliability improvements.
Solution Approach 2:
The movement mechanism is integrated with the existing powertrain and suspension systems, using their inherent movements and forces to achieve vertical position adjustment. This self-service approach reduces the need for additional complex control systems and actuators.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and vehicles including such system are provided. The systems include a vertical position movement mechanism configured to raise and lower a powertrain or a component thereof of the vehicle relative to a chassis of the vehicle, and a controller configured to, by one or more processors, modify a vertical position of the powertrain or the component thereof between a top and a bottom of the chassis with the vertical position movement mechanism to controllably adjust a first angle of a first joint at a first end of a drive shaft of the vehicle. The drive shaft functionally couples the powertrain and wheels of the vehicle to transfer rotational power from the powertrain to the wheels.