Pivoting Drive Wheel Assembly for Uneven Ground Stability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mobile transport systems struggle to navigate uneven ground areas effectively, often resulting in reduced stability and increased risk of mechanical failure.
Innovation Solution
A mobile transport system design featuring a vehicle frame, first and second support wheels, and drive wheels with a pivotable drive unit. The drive unit includes a swing frame pivotable about a swing axis, allowing for alignment adjustments and maintaining contact pressure on uneven surfaces without the need for springs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional mobile transport system with fixed wheel alignment is used, then the structure is simple, but the system cannot effectively navigate uneven ground areas, resulting in reduced stability and increased risk of mechanical failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the drive frame pivotable relative to the swing frame about a steering axis, and the swing arms pivotable about swing axes. This dynamic configuration allows the wheel alignment to automatically adjust in response to uneven ground conditions, maintaining stability and contact pressure without requiring a completely complex restructured system. The selective mobility of specific components achieves reliability improvement with controlled complexity increase.
2Reliability
If spring mechanisms are added to maintain contact pressure on uneven surfaces, then stability improves, but device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional spring-based mechanical compliance system with a rigid kinematic system. Instead of using springs to absorb ground irregularities, the invention uses a network of pivotable connections (steering axis, swing axes) that redirect forces and maintain wheel contact through geometric constraints. This substitution eliminates the need for spring mechanisms while achieving the same functional outcome of maintaining contact pressure on uneven surfaces.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the drive unit is made rigid to prevent yielding on uneven ground, then stability improves, but the ability to adapt to ground variations decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the drive unit into multiple independently pivotable components: the drive frame pivotable about a steering axis, and swing arms pivotable about swing axes. This segmentation allows each segment to maintain rigid structural integrity while the connections between segments provide the necessary adaptability. The modular segmented structure enables the system to be both stable (rigid segments) and adaptable (pivotable connections).
Data Source
AI summary
A mobile transport system includes a vehicle frame, first and second pairs of support wheels, first and second drive wheels, and a swing frame pivotable about an swing axis relative to the vehicle frame. The first support wheels are disposed on the vehicle frame, and the second support wheels are disposed on the swing frame. A drive unit including a drive frame is disposed on the swing frame. The first drive wheel is rotatably supported on a first swing arm pivotable about a first swing axis relative to the drive frame, and the second drive wheel is rotatably supported on a second swing arm pivotable about a second swing axis relative to the drive frame. The drive frame is pivotable about a steering axis relative to the swing frame.