Hub unit with steering function, steering system, and vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11731693-B2
Application number	US-202017032467-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 25, 2020
Priority date	Mar 27, 2018
Publication date	Aug 22, 2023
Grant date	Aug 22, 2023

Abstract

Provided are a steering function-equipped hub unit that has a simple structure, high rigidity and a reduced size, a steering system, as well as a vehicle including the steering function-equipped hub unit. The steering function-equipped hub unit includes: a hub unit main body including a hub bearing supporting a wheel; a unit support member provided to a knuckle of a suspension device and rotatably supporting the hub unit main body about a turning axis extending in a vertical direction; and a steering actuator configured to rotationally drive the hub unit main body about the turning axis. The hub unit main body is supported by the unit support member through a preloaded rolling bearing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A steering function-equipped hub unit for a steer-by-wire system in which a steering input section and a wheel are mechanically disconnected from each other, the steer-by-wire system being configured to steer the wheel, the steering function-equipped hub unit comprising:
a hub unit main body including a hub bearing rotatably supporting the wheel and attachment shaft parts each having a trunnion shaft shape, the attachment shaft parts protruding upwardly and downwardly from an outer periphery of the hub bearing;
a unit support member provided to a chassis frame component of a suspension device and rotatably supporting the hub unit main body about a turning axis extending in a vertical direction through the attachment shaft parts; and
a steering actuator configured to rotationally drive the hub unit main body about the turning axis,
wherein
the upper and lower attachment shaft parts of the hub unit main body are supported by the unit support member through preloaded rolling bearings,
the attachment shaft parts are arranged on an outer diametric side with respect to an outer race of the hub bearing,
each of the attachment shaft parts is formed with an internal thread portion extending in a radial direction of the wheel, and
a bolt screwed into the internal thread portion applies a pressing force to an end face of an inner race of a corresponding one of the preloaded rolling bearings through a pressing member interposed between the bolt and the end face of the inner race to preload the corresponding one of the preloaded rolling bearings.

2. A steering system comprising:
the steering function-equipped hub unit as claimed in claim 1 ; and
a control device configured to control a turning actuator of the steering function-equipped hub unit, wherein
the control device includes a control section configured to output a current command signal in response to a given steering angle command signal and an actuator drive control section configured to output a driving current in response to the current command signal inputted from the control section to drive and control the turning actuator.

3. A vehicle comprising left and right front wheels each including the steering function-equipped hub unit as claimed in claim 1 .

4. A vehicle comprising left and right rear wheels each including the steering function-equipped hub unit as claimed in claim 1 .

5. A vehicle comprising left and right front wheels and left and right rear wheels each including the steering function-equipped hub unit as claimed in claim 1 .

6. The steering function-equipped hub unit as claimed in claim 1 , comprising: a reaction force sensor configured to detect a reaction force from a tire; and
a reaction force actuator for generating a steering reaction force in relation to an electrical signal obtained by the reaction force sensor.

Assignees

• Ntn Toyo Bearing Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ooba Hirokazu
• Utsunomiya Satoshi
• Ishihara Norio
• Ohata Yusuke

Classifications

• B62D6/002 Primary

  computing target steering angles for front or rear wheels (B62D7/159 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B62D5/0418

  Electric motor acting on road wheel carriers · CPC title

• B60B35/003 Primary

  Steerable axles · CPC title

• B62D7/18

  Steering knuckles; King pins · CPC title

• B60B35/14

  composite or split, e.g. half- axles; Couplings between axle parts or sections · CPC title