Active Wheel Carrier with Independent Camber and Toe Adjustment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing active wheel carrier systems are unable to independently adjust camber and toe angles, leading to constrained adjustability and handling performance, and often require significant redesign or space inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
An active wheel carrier system with a CV joint, hub carrier races, and independent camber-angle and toe-angle drives using worm screws and gears, allowing for independent adjustment of camber and toe angles without back-drive.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If two cylinders are connected and jointly controlled via rotation to simultaneously adjust camber and toe angles, then both angles can be altered at the same time, but the system cannot independently adjust camber angle or toe angle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the wheel carrier system into separate functional modules: a camber adjustment mechanism with its own actuator and a toe adjustment mechanism with its own actuator. This segmentation allows independent control of camber and toe angles while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The wheel carrier is designed as a multi-functional device that can independently perform camber adjustment, toe adjustment, and their combined operations. The universal design allows the system to adapt to various vehicle platforms and handling requirements without requiring separate mechanisms for each function.
2Adaptability or versatility
If previous active wheel carriers are designed to manage both camber and toe angles, then handling performance can be improved, but space inefficiencies occur inhibiting integration into certain vehicle platforms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a nested arrangement where the camber adjustment mechanism and toe adjustment mechanism are integrated within each other's space. The actators and mechanical components are positioned to utilize available space efficiently, with one mechanism partially contained within or adjacent to the other, reducing the overall volume required.
Solution Approach 2:
The design utilizes three-dimensional spatial arrangement to accommodate both adjustment mechanisms. By orienting the camber and toe adjustment axes perpendicular to each other and utilizing vertical and horizontal spaces differently, the system achieves compact integration that fits within limited wheel well spaces of various vehicle platforms.
3Reliability
If worm drives are used for camber and toe angle adjustment, then the system can hold desired angular positions without back-drive, but persistent actuator input is avoided once desired position is reached
Solution Approach 1:
The worm drive mechanisms provide self-locking capability that allows the system to hold its position automatically without continuous actuator power. Once the actuator moves the wheel carrier to the desired camber or toe angle, the worm gear's inherent friction prevents back-driving, enabling the mechanism to maintain position using its own structural properties rather than requiring persistent external energy input.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances vehicle handling performance by enabling independent adjustment of camber and toe angles, improving space efficiency and integration into various vehicle platforms.
Implementation Method 1
the camber-angle drive may be a camber-angle worm drive that includes a camber-angle worm screw that is threadingly engaged with a camber-angle worm gear that is coupled to the control swivel
Data Source
AI summary
An active wheel carrier system and method are provided. The active wheel carrier system includes, in one example, a constant velocity (CV) joint, a wheel hub coupled to the CV joint and including a set of hub bearings, a hub carrier inner race coupled to the set of bearings, a hub carrier outer race, multiple roller elements interposed between the hub carrier inner race and the hub carrier outer race, a control swivel coupled to the hub carrier inner race, a camber-angle drive configured to independently rotate the hub carrier inner race about a first axis, and a toe-angle drive configured to independently rotate the hub carrier inner race about a second axis that is distinct from the first axis.