Steering systems for vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11299200-B1
Application number	US-202117501673-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Oct 14, 2021
Priority date	Nov 3, 2020
Publication date	Apr 12, 2022
Grant date	Apr 12, 2022

Abstract

A steering system for a wheel of a vehicle includes a pivot member having multiple pivot-node locations. The pivot member is connectable at a first pivot-node location to a sub-frame of the wheel. A steering rod is actuatable to rotate the wheel about a steering axis and is mechanically coupled with the pivot member to be co-pivotable with the pivot member. A suspension-connector rod has a first end that is connected to the pivot member at a second pivot-node location, and has a second end that is connectable to a suspension arm linking the wheel of the vehicle to the sub-frame. When the steering system is installed in a vehicle, a lateral force acting upon the wheel is transmitted via the steering rod to the pivot member so as to rotate the pivot member, and the rotation is effective to transmit a substantially-vertical force vector to the sub-frame.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A steering system for a wheel of a vehicle, the steering system comprising:
a. a pivot member having multiple pivot-node locations, the pivot member connectable at a first pivot-node location to a sub-frame of the wheel;
b. a steering rod, actuatable to rotate the wheel about a steering axis, the steering rod mechanically coupled with the pivot member to be co-pivotable therewith; and
c. a suspension-connector rod connected at a first end thereof to the pivot member at a second pivot-node location, the suspension-connector rod connectable at a second end thereof to a suspension arm linking the wheel of the vehicle to the sub-frame,
wherein a lateral force acting upon the wheel is transmitted via the steering rod to the pivot member so as to rotate the pivot member, the rotation being effective to transmit a substantially-vertical force vector to the sub-frame,
wherein at least one condition selected from the group consisting of a first condition, a second condition, a third condition, a fourth condition, a fifth condition, and a sixth condition is true, and wherein:
I. according to the first condition, the lateral force is an inwardly-directed loan on the steering rod, and the substantially-vertical force vector is a downward force vector;
II. according to the second condition, the lateral force is an outwardly-directed load on the steering rod, and the substantially-vertical force vector is an upward force vector;
III. according to the third condition, when:
(A) the steering system is installed in the vehicle,
(B) the vehicle is in motion in a curve and
(C) the wheel is a wheel facing inside the curve,

the substantially-vertical force vector is a downward force vector;
IV. according to the fourth condition, when:
(A) the steering system is installed in the vehicle,
(B) the vehicle is in motion in a curve and
(C) the wheel is a wheel facing outside the curve,

the substantially-vertical force vector is an upward force vector;
V. according to the fifth condition, the rotation is additionally effective to transmit an at-least-partly vertical force vector to the suspension-connector rod, a vertical component of the at-least-partly vertical force vector being in a direction opposite to that of a vertical component of the substantially-vertical force vector; and
VI. according to the sixth condition, the steering system comprises an actuator connected to the steering rod and configured to cause the steering rod to move inwardly and outwardly, and an actuator-coupling connecting the actuator and the pivot member.

2. The steering system of claim 1 , wherein at least the first condition is true.

3. The steering system of claim 1 , wherein at least the second condition is true.

4. The steering system of claim 1 , wherein at least the third condition is true.

5. The steering system of claim 1 , wherein at least the fourth condition is true.

6. The steering system of claim 1 , wherein at least the fifth condition is true.

7. The searing system of claim 6 , wherein the at least-partly-vertical force vector and the substantially-vertical force vector combine to mitigate body roll of the vehicle.

8. The steering system of claim 1 , wherein at least the sixth condition is true.

9. The steering system of claim 8 , wherein the actuator-coupling includes a bearing arrangement to allow the steering system to swivel relative to the pivot member such that a distal end of the steering rod can move to describe a generalized cone.

10. The steering system of claim 1 , wherein the wheel of the vehicle is one of two opposing, independently-suspended wheels.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein at least the first and fifth conditions are true.

12. A wheel assembly for an axle-less, independently-suspended wheel, the wheel assembly comprising:
a. a sub-frame configured to be mounted to a reference frame of a vehicle;
b. a wheel interface; and
c. a steering system comprising:
i. a pivot member having multiple pivot-node locations and connected at a first pivot-node location to the sub-frame;
ii. a suspension-connector rod connected at a first and thereof to the pivot member at a second pivot-node location, and at a second end thereof to a suspension arm linking the wheel interface to the sub-frame, and
iii. a steering assembly comprising (1) a steering rod connected distally to the wheel interface and proximally actuatable to rotate the wheel about a steering axis, and (2) a actuator for causing the steering rod to move inwardly and outwardly, the actuator mechanically coupled to the pivot member such that the steering assembly is co-pivotable with the pivot member about the first and second pivot-node locations,
wherein the pivot member is arranged to transfer a lateral force from a roadway surface to multiple at-least-partly vertical force vectors that combine to mitigate body roll of the vehicle.

13. The wheel assembly of claim 12 , wherein the mechanical coupling of the actuator includes a bearing arrangement to allow the steering assembly to swivel relative to the pivot member such that a distal and of the steering rod can move to describe a generalized cone.

14. The wheel assembly of claim 12 , additionally comprising a drivetrain assembly comprising a drivetrain motor mounted to the sub-frame, and a rotatable drivetrain shaft extending from the drivetrain motor towards the wheel interface to connect thereto.

15. A vehicle comprising: a pair of opposing wheel assemblies according to claim 12 , a corresponding pair of opposing wheels, and the reference frame.

16. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein for each one of the two wheel assemblies, a lateral force acting upon the wheel is transmitted via the steering rod to the pivot member so as to rotate the pivot member, the rotation being effective to transmit a substantially-vertical force vector to the reference frame.

17. The vehicle of claim 16 , wherein, for the two opposing wheel assemblies, the respective substantially-vertical force vectors transmitted to the reference frame are in opposing directions.

18. The vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the rotation is additionally effective to transmit an at-least-partly vertical force vector to the respective suspension-connector rod, a vertical component of the respective at-least-partly vertical force vector being in a direction opposite to that of a vertical component of the respective substantially-vertical force vector.

19. The vehicle of claim 18 , wherein the respective at least-partly-vertical force vectors and the respective substantially-vertical force vectors combine to mitigate body roll of the vehicle.

20. An axle-less vehicle comprising a passive anti-roll system, the passive anti-roll system comprising, for each wheel of a pair of opposing independently-suspended wheels:
a pivot member arranged to transfer a lateral force from a roadway surface to multiple at-least-partly vertical force vectors that combine to mitigate body roll of the vehicle, and
a steering assembly comprising (i) a steering rod connected distally to a wheel interface and proximally actuatable to rotate the wheel about a steering axis, and (ii) and actuator for causing the steering rod to move inwardly and outwardly, the actuator mechanically coupled to the pivot member such that the steering assembly is co-pivotable with the pivot member about first and second pivot-node locations of the pivot member.

Assignees

• Ree Automotive Ltd

Inventors

• Starik Eran
• Avigur Eylon

Classifications

• B60G2204/15

  Mounting of subframes · CPC title

• B60G2204/148

  on the unsprung part of the vehicle, e.g. wheel knuckle or rigid axle · CPC title

• B60G2204/143

  on the vehicle body or chassis · CPC title

• B60G2200/464

  Caster angle · CPC title

• B60G2200/462

  Toe-in/out · CPC title