Split Wheel Carrier for Active Rear Steering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wheel suspensions for actively steerable rear wheels in two-track vehicles are limited by installation space, allowing only small maximum wheel lock angles, typically up to 5°, which restricts the possible turning circle and driving stability.
Innovation Solution
A wheel suspension design with a split wheel carrier, where the first part accommodates the wheel and the second part is connected to the vehicle body, allowing relative movement via an actuator device to achieve larger wheel lock angles of up to 10° without increasing installation space, by articulating the toe link on either the first or second wheel carrier part and using coupling devices to guide the wheel carrier parts in opposite directions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If a conventional one-piece wheel carrier is used, then the structure is simple and installation space is minimized, but the maximum wheel steering angle is limited to small values (up to 5°)
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel carrier is divided into two separate parts: a first wheel carrier part that is actively steerable and a second wheel carrier part that remains relatively fixed. This segmentation allows the first part to rotate through larger angles while the second part maintains structural connection to the vehicle body, thereby increasing the maximum wheel steering angle from 5° to up to 10° without proportionally increasing overall complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The connection between the first and second wheel carrier parts is made movable rather than fixed, allowing dynamic adjustment of the wheel steering angle. The actuator device enables the first wheel carrier part to rotate relative to the second part, providing variable steering angles from 0° to 10° based on driving conditions, thus transforming a static structure into a dynamic one
2Length of moving object
If the maximum wheel steering angle is increased to reduce turning circle, then the turning circle is reduced, but the installation space requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing wheel steering angle by expanding the wheel carrier structure in planar dimensions (which would increase installation space), the solution moves the rotation mechanism to a different dimensional approach by allowing the first wheel carrier part to rotate relative to the second part in a folded configuration. This enables larger steering angles (up to 10°) while maintaining compact installation space comparable to conventional systems
3Length of moving object
If a split wheel carrier design is implemented to achieve larger steering angles, then the wheel steering angle increases to up to 10°, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel carrier is divided into two separate parts: a first wheel carrier part that is actively steerable and a second wheel carrier part that remains relatively fixed. This segmentation allows the first part to rotate through larger angles while the second part maintains structural connection to the vehicle body, thereby increasing the maximum wheel steering angle from 5° to up to 10° without proportionally increasing overall complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The actuator device serves multiple functions: it actively steers the wheel in both toe-in and toe-out directions, controls the relative position of the two wheel carrier parts, and enables the system to adapt to various driving conditions. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by providing comprehensive steering control capabilities
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a wheel suspension for an at least slightly actively steerable rear wheel of a two-track vehicle, an axle, and a vehicle, wherein the wheel suspension comprises a wheel carrier for receiving a wheel, a toe link, and at least one further link for connecting the wheel carrier to the vehicle structure, and an actuator arrangement having at least one actuator for actively steering the wheel in a first active steering direction, preferably in toe-in, and in a second active steering direction, in particular in toe-out, wherein the wheel carrier is formed in at least two parts and comprises a first wheel carrier part and a second wheel carrier part, wherein the first wheel carrier part is designed to receive the wheel and the second wheel carrier part can be attached via at least one of the further links to the vehicle structure, in particular in a non-actively steerable manner, and wherein the first wheel carrier part and the second wheel carrier part in a functional state of use of the wheel suspension in a vehicle are movable relative to one another by means of the actuator arrangement, in such a way that an active, at least slight steering movement of the wheel can be effected.