Low Gravity All-Surface Vehicle Wheel Motor Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ground and amphibious vehicles face limitations in cornering at high speeds and climbing large objects due to a high center of gravity, and single-wheel designs are prone to spinning issues during acceleration.
Innovation Solution
The design relocates the majority of the vehicle's weight, including engines and electronics, inside and below the wheels, using multiple wheels with axles in a configuration that allows independent pivoting, maintaining a low center of gravity and preventing high-centering, enabling rapid acceleration and high-speed cornering while allowing the vehicle to climb large objects and traverse water.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the center of gravity is positioned high above the wheels to accommodate engine and component space, then the vehicle structure is simplified and easier to manufacture, but the vehicle becomes unstable during cornering and prone to flipping over
Solution Approach 1:
The patent relocates the center of gravity from a high position above the wheels to a low position near the ground, fundamentally changing the vertical dimension of weight distribution. This dimensional shift in mass placement resolves the contradiction by achieving both structural simplicity and cornering stability through the low center of gravity design
2Stability of the object's composition
If the center of gravity is lowered close to the ground to improve cornering stability, then the vehicle can corner at high speeds, but the vehicle cannot climb over objects of even the smallest size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the vehicle into segmented functional units: multiple independent wheel assemblies that can be positioned at different locations. This segmentation allows the vehicle to maintain a low center of gravity for cornering stability while the distributed wheel configuration enables climbing capability over obstacles
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses multiple wheels positioned at different horizontal locations rather than a single low center of gravity point, adding horizontal dimensionality to the weight distribution strategy. This resolves the contradiction by achieving both cornering stability and obstacle climbing through spatial distribution of wheels
3Device complexity
If a single large wheel is used to achieve high clearance and low center of gravity, then the vehicle structure is simplified, but the motorized portion spins off-axis during acceleration preventing operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the single wheel into multiple wheels (at least two), distributing the propulsion function across multiple independent wheel assemblies. This segmentation prevents the motorized portion from spinning off-axis during acceleration while maintaining structural simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple wheel assemblies into a unified vehicle platform, where each wheel functions as an independent propulsion unit. This merging of multiple functional wheels resolves the reliability issue during acceleration while preserving the simplicity of the overall vehicle structure
4Reliability
If multiple wheels are used to prevent motor spinning off-axis, then acceleration reliability is improved, but the vehicle complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the propulsion system into multiple independent wheel assemblies, each capable of independent rotation and propulsion. This segmentation improves acceleration reliability while the modular nature of the segments keeps the overall system manageable in complexity
Solution Approach 2:
Each wheel assembly functions as a self-contained propulsion unit with its own motor and drive mechanism. This self-service capability of each wheel module improves reliability during acceleration while avoiding the need for complex inter-wheel mechanical linkages, thereby controlling overall system complexity
Data Source
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AI summary
Vehicles are disclosed which have a lower center of gravity than existing all-terrain, amphibious, and unmanned ground vehicles due to the location of propulsion units and other vehicle components inside the wheels of the vehicle. The vehicles can climb over large obstacles yet are also able to corner at high speeds. The vehicles can be configured for direct manual operation or operation by remote control, and can also be configured for a wide variety of missions.