Rear Wheel Locking Assembly for Electric Work Vehicles

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electric work vehicles lack an efficient mechanism for simultaneously locking both rear wheels, which is essential for stationary operation and preventing unintended movement on slopes or during maintenance.

Innovation Solution

The electric work vehicle incorporates a locking assembly with a shaft actuated by both manual and controlled actuators, allowing for simultaneous locking of the gearing systems for both rear wheels, ensuring they cannot rotate independently.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a locking mechanism is added to prevent rear wheel rotation, then safety and stability are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesafetyVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines two separate locking mechanisms into a single integrated locking assembly that simultaneously locks both rear wheels. The locking assembly includes a first actuator connected to a first end of a shaft and a second actuator connected to a second end of the same shaft, where rotation of the shaft simultaneously engages both locking mechanisms. This merging approach maintains safety while reducing the number of independent components and simplifying the overall system architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Ease of operation

If independent locking of each rear wheel is implemented, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The locking assembly is designed as a multi-functional component that can perform multiple operations: it can lock both rear wheels simultaneously, lock individual wheels independently, and be actuated by either manual or automated inputs. The single shaft-based mechanism provides universal locking capability across different operational scenarios, improving ease of operation without requiring separate dedicated mechanisms for each wheel.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4570548A1Electric work vehicle
Publication Date: 2025.06.18 KUBOTA CORP
  • EP4570548A1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP4570548A1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP4570548A1 patent drawingFigure 1C

AI summary

An electric work vehicle includes a housing (12), a motor (18) to drive a wheel (4L), the motor (18) being supported by the housing (12), a gearing including a plurality of gears, a locking assembly (520) including a shaft (522), a first actuator connected to a first end of the shaft (522), the first actuator being structured to receive a manual operation from a user, and a second actuator connected to a second end of the shaft (522), the second actuator being controlled by a controller. The motor (522) is connected to the gearing to drive to the wheel. Each of the first actuator and the second actuator are structured to move the shaft to lock the gearing.