Semi-Trailing Arm Suspension With Integrated Brake Mounting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional wheel suspensions for commercial vehicles are complex, space-intensive, and difficult to control due to coupled wheels and intricate braking systems, limiting vehicle behavior and requiring significant installation space.

Innovation Solution

A simplified wheel suspension design featuring a rocker arm with a directly attached braking device, eliminating the need for a separate wheel carrier and drive shaft, allowing for independent wheel control and reduced complexity, with a modular braking system and integrated vibration sensors for improved maintenance and energy efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional wheel suspensions use separate wheel carrier elements and intricate braking systems, then braking function is achieved, but device complexity and installation space requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebraking functionVSAvoidsuspension complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the wheel carrier element and braking device into a single integrated rocker arm assembly. The braking device is directly mounted on the rocker arm, eliminating the need for separate wheel carrier elements and reducing the number of connection points. This integration directly reduces device complexity while maintaining complete braking functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If conventional wheel suspensions use separate wheel carrier elements, then braking and drive functions are achieved, but installation space increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebraking and drive functionVSAvoidinstallation space
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The rocker arm serves as both the wheel carrier and the mounting structure for the braking device, eliminating the need for separate wheel carrier elements. This merging of functions reduces the overall installation space required in the wheel suspension system while maintaining complete braking and drive functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Power

If wheels are coupled by drive train via differential gear, then power distribution is achieved, but vehicle behavior control is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower distributionVSAvoidvehicle behavior control
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables independent control of left and right wheels by eliminating the mechanical coupling through differential gear. Each wheel can be actuated independently by its own motor, allowing for differentiated vehicle behavior control such as individual wheel braking, steer-by-wire functionality, and improved traction control, while power distribution is achieved through independent motor actuation rather than mechanical coupling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Reliability

If braking devices are connected to separate wheel carrier elements, then braking torque transmission is achieved, but maintenance accessibility decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebraking torque transmissionVSAvoidmaintenance accessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The braking device is directly integrated onto the rocker arm, which is a readily accessible component in the wheel suspension system. This integration eliminates the need to disassemble separate wheel carrier elements to access the braking device, significantly improving maintenance accessibility while maintaining complete braking torque transmission capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3849829B1Semi-trailing arm wheel suspension for a wheel driven by an electrical or pneumatic motor
Publication Date: 2023.10.11 ZIEHL ABEGG AUTOMOTIVE GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3849829B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2a
  • EP3849829B1 patent drawingFigure 2b
  • EP3849829B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a wheel suspension (1) for a wheel (23) of a vehicle, which wheel is driven by an electrical or pneumatic motor (2), particularly a rear wheel of a utility vehicle, comprising a swing arm (3) that is mounted on the vehicle in a first region (4) and, in a second region (8), is supported on said vehicle, and a first braking device (11) which is mounted in a third region (10) on the swing arm (3).