Natural active vehicle suspension assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11945272-B1
Application number	US-202217940304-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 8, 2022
Priority date	Sep 8, 2022
Publication date	Apr 2, 2024
Grant date	Apr 2, 2024

Abstract

A vehicle suspension system may include a vehicle chassis, a centerless wheel which may include a wheel rim and a tire, and a natural active suspension assembly which may operably couple the centerless wheel to the vehicle chassis via the wheel rim. The natural active suspension assembly may support the vehicle chassis at a substantially constant distance away from a ground plane by generating reactive torque to counteract displacement of the centerless wheel normal to the ground plane by moving a support location between the natural active suspension assembly and the wheel rim.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. A vehicle suspension system comprising:
a vehicle chassis;
a centerless wheel comprising a wheel rim and a tire; and
a natural active suspension assembly operably coupling the centerless wheel to the vehicle chassis via the wheel rim,
wherein the natural active suspension assembly supports the vehicle chassis at a substantially constant distance away from a ground plane by generating reactive torque to counteract displacement of the centerless wheel normal to the ground plane by moving a support location between the natural active suspension assembly and the wheel rim.

2. The vehicle suspension system of claim 1 , wherein the natural active suspension assembly is operably coupled to the centerless wheel to define a range of motion between the natural active suspension assembly and the wheel rim from a relative maximum position above a nominal support location to a relative minimum position below the nominal support location.

3. The vehicle suspension system of claim 2 , wherein the natural active suspension assembly generates reactive torque to move the natural active suspension assembly towards the relative maximum position responsive to the centerless wheel being displaced downward relative to the ground plane.

4. The vehicle suspension system of claim 2 , wherein the natural active suspension assembly generates reactive torque to move the natural active suspension assembly towards the relative minimum position responsive to the centerless wheel being displaced upward relative to the ground plane.

5. The vehicle suspension system of claim 2 , wherein the nominal support location is disposed at a point on the wheel rim that is a distance substantially equal to a radius of the centerless wheel above the ground plane.

6. The vehicle suspension system of claim 2 , wherein the relative maximum position is disposed about 45 degrees counterclockwise from the nominal support location on the centerless wheel.

7. The vehicle suspension system of claim 2 , wherein the relative minimum position is disposed about 45 degrees clockwise from the nominal support location on the centerless wheel.

8. The vehicle suspension system of claim 2 , wherein the natural active suspension assembly comprises:
a motor disposed inside the centerless wheel;
a suspension arm operably coupling the motor to the vehicle chassis; and
a wheel rim engagement assembly operably coupling the motor to the wheel rim.

9. The vehicle suspension system of claim 8 , wherein the suspension arm comprises a spring to bias the motor of the natural active suspension assembly towards the nominal support location on the wheel rim.

10. The vehicle suspension system of claim 8 , wherein the wheel rim engagement assembly comprises bearings to variably operably couple the motor to the wheel rim.

11. A natural active suspension assembly for a vehicle, the natural active suspension assembly comprising:
a motor disposed inside a centerless wheel;
a suspension arm operably coupling the motor to a vehicle chassis; and
a wheel rim engagement assembly operably coupling the motor to a wheel rim of the centerless wheel,
wherein the natural active suspension assembly supports the vehicle chassis at a substantially constant distance away from a ground plane by generating reactive torque to counteract displacement of the centerless wheel normal to the ground plane by moving a support location between the natural active suspension assembly and the wheel rim.

12. The natural active suspension assembly of claim 11 , wherein the natural active suspension assembly is operably coupled to the centerless wheel to define a range of motion between the natural active suspension assembly and the wheel rim from a relative maximum position above a nominal support location to a relative minimum position below the nominal support location.

13. The natural active suspension assembly of claim 12 , wherein the natural active suspension assembly generates reactive torque to move the natural active suspension assembly towards the relative maximum position responsive to the centerless wheel being displaced downward relative to the ground plane.

14. The natural active suspension assembly of claim 12 , wherein the natural active suspension assembly generates reactive torque to move the natural active suspension assembly towards the relative minimum position responsive to the centerless wheel being displaced upward relative to the ground plane.

15. The natural active suspension assembly of claim 12 , wherein the nominal support location is disposed at a point on the wheel rim that is a distance substantially equal to a radius of the centerless wheel above the ground plane.

16. The natural active suspension assembly of claim 12 , wherein the relative maximum position is disposed about 45 degrees counterclockwise from the nominal support location on the centerless wheel.

17. The natural active suspension assembly of claim 12 , wherein the relative minimum position is disposed about 45 degrees clockwise from the nominal support location on the centerless wheel.

18. The natural active suspension system of claim 12 , wherein the suspension arm comprises a spring to bias the motor of the natural active suspension assembly towards the nominal support location on the wheel rim.

19. The natural active suspension assembly of claim 11 , wherein the wheel rim engagement assembly comprises bearings to variably operably couple the motor to the wheel rim.

20. The natural active suspension assembly of claim 11 , wherein the motor has two armatures.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Elie Larry Dean

Classifications

• B60G99/00 Primary

  Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• B60K7/0007

  the motor being electric · CPC title

• B60G17/016 Primary

  characterised by their responsiveness, when the vehicle is travelling, to specific motion, a specific condition, or driver input {(B60G17/017 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60B21/00 Primary

  Rims (non-metallic B60B5/00; of high resiliency B60B9/00; capable of carrying more than one tyre B60B11/04; multiple rims on a single wheel body B60B11/06; of multi-part type B60B25/00; metal tyres B60C) · CPC title

• B60G2204/30

  In-wheel mountings · CPC title