Switchable Drive Axle Assembly for Heavy Industrial Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Heavy industrial vehicles lack versatility in terms of speed, fuel consumption, torque, and fatigue strength when used both on-road and off-road, as current solutions are not optimized for mixed routes, leading to inefficiencies and increased maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
A drive axle assembly equipped with reduction gears that can be switched between two operating conditions, allowing for varying torque and speed adjustments based on the operating conditions, enabling optimal performance in both on-road and off-road environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If heavy vehicles are equipped with two or more drive axle assemblies for off-road use, then traction performance is improved, but fuel consumption increases and vehicle efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the drive axle assembly configuration changeable during operation. The system can dynamically switch between single drive axle mode (for on-road efficiency) and dual drive axle mode (for off-road traction), allowing the vehicle to adapt its configuration to current operating conditions rather than being fixed in one state.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention implements universality by designing a vehicle platform that can perform multiple functions through a single configurable drive axle system. The same vehicle can efficiently handle both on-road transportation (prioritizing fuel economy) and off-road operations (prioritizing traction), eliminating the need for separate specialized vehicles.
2Force
If heavy vehicles are equipped with two or more drive axle assemblies for off-road use, then traction performance is improved, but vehicle tare weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically configures the drive axle assembly, allowing the vehicle to use a lighter single-drive-axle configuration for on-road travel and only activate the additional drive axle capability when off-road traction is required, thus reducing the effective operating weight for most conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
A single vehicle platform with configurable drive axle assembly serves both on-road and off-road functions, eliminating the need for separate heavy-duty off-road vehicles and lighter on-road vehicles, thereby optimizing the weight-ttraction tradeoff across different operating scenarios.
3Use of energy by moving object
If heavy vehicles use single drive axle assembly for on-road use, then fuel consumption is reduced, but traction performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between operational modes: single drive axle configuration for on-road fuel-efficient travel, and dual drive axle configuration when off-road traction demands arise, allowing optimal performance for each condition.
Solution Approach 2:
The configurable drive axle assembly enables a single vehicle to universally handle both on-road transportation (where fuel efficiency is priority) and off-road operations (where traction is priority), adapting its configuration to match the operational requirements.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a system for aiding the control of a drive axle assembly of a heavy industrial vehicle; the drive axle assembly comprising a reduction gear (20, 20') by means of which the rotation of an axle shaft (10', 10") is driven; the reduction gear is suitable to allow a first reduction condition and a second reduction condition, different from the first one, of the angular speed of the axle shaft (10',10"); the method comprising a step for the calculation of an opportunity of switching between said first and second operating condition in order to improve the vehicle operating conditions.