In-corner modular electric wheel system integrating adjustable king pin and king pin-type steering unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12246569-B2
Application number	US-202418798262-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 8, 2024
Priority date	May 8, 2024
Publication date	Mar 11, 2025
Grant date	Mar 11, 2025

Abstract

An in-corner modular electric wheel system integrating adjustable king pin and king pin type steering unit includes a wheel assembly, a steering system, a king pin inclination adjusting system and a suspension system. The wheel assembly is configured to support a load of a vehicle, transmit a driving torque and determine a toe angle and a camber angle. The steering system is a king pin type steering system, and is configured for an omni-directional independent wheel steering. The king pin inclination adjusting system is sleeved on the king pin, and is configured to adjust an inclination of the king pin without changing the camber angle. The suspension system has an unequal-length double-wishbone suspension structure, and is provided with a coil spring and a shock absorber to mitigate road impacts and improve ride comfort.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An in-corner modular electric wheel system, comprising:
a wheel assembly;
a steering system;
a king pin inclination adjusting system; and
a suspension system;
wherein the wheel assembly is configured to support a load of a vehicle, transmit a driving torque and determine a toe angle and a camber angle; a drive motor and a braking system are provided inside the wheel assembly to control longitudinal acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle;
the steering system is a king pin steering system, and is configured to perform omni-directional wheel-independent steering; the steering system comprises a steering motor assembly, a king pin and a steering arm; the king pin is connected to the wheel assembly through a first pin shaft, and the steering arm is connected to the wheel assembly through a second pin shaft, so as to drive the wheel assembly to deflect to control a lateral movement of the vehicle;
the king pin inclination adjusting system is integrally sleeved on the king pin; the king pin inclination adjusting system is connected to the wheel assembly through a first connecting rod, and is connected to the suspension system through a second connecting rod; the king pin inclination adjusting system is coaxially provided with an actuator motor and a lead-screw; the lead-screw is provided with a lead-screw nut; the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod are mounted on the lead-screw nut; the actuator motor is configured to drive the lead-screw to rotate, so as to allow the lead-screw nut to move along an axial direction of the king pin to adjust an inclination of the king pin through the linkage without changing the camber angle, thereby enabling active change of a handling characteristic of the vehicle; and
the suspension system has an unequal-length double-wishbone suspension structure; the suspension system is connected to a bottom of the king pin through a ball pin, and is connected to an upper end of the king pin inclination adjusting system through a third pin shaft; the suspension system is provided with a first lug configured for mounting a steering motor base; the suspension system is further provided with a coil spring and a shock absorber.

2. The in-corner modular electric wheel system of claim 1 , wherein the wheel assembly comprises:
a hub;
a wheel shaft;
the drive motor;
the braking system; and
a wheel bracket;
wherein the hub comprises a wheel rim and a spoke; the wheel rim is configured to mount a tire; a center of the spoke is provided with a first through-hole to allow the wheel shaft to pass through; and a plurality of first threaded holes are circumferentially provided at the first through-hole to mount the drive motor;
a first end of the wheel shaft is provided with a first thread, and is connected to the hub through an end nut and a hub bearing; a middle of the wheel shaft is provided with a first spline and a first shaft shoulder; a second end of the wheel shaft is provided with a flange with a second threaded hole to mount the wheel bracket;
the drive motor is an external-rotor motor; a stator of the drive motor is splinedly mounted at the first spline; and a rotor of the drive motor is boltedly connected to the plurality of first threaded holes;
the braking system comprises a brake disc and a brake caliper; the brake disc is boltedly mounted at a housing of the rotor of the drive motor, and is configured to rotate with the hub; the brake caliper is configured to clamp an outer edge of the brake disc; there is a brake clearance between the brake caliper and the brake disc; the brake caliper is provided with a second lug for securing the brake caliper; and
the wheel bracket has a plate-shaped structure; a middle of the wheel bracket is boltedly mounted at the flange of the wheel shaft; there is an axial clearance between the brake disc and the wheel bracket; a top of the wheel bracket is provided with an upper support arm; a bottom of the wheel bracket is provided with a lower support arm; an upper portion of an inner side of the wheel bracket is provided with a third lug for mounting the steering arm; a middle portion of the inner side of the wheel bracket is provided with a fourth lug for mounting the first connecting rod; a lower portion of the inner side of the wheel bracket is provided with a fifth lug for mounting the king pin; and a front side of the wheel bracket is provided with a sixth lug for fixing the brake caliper.

3. The in-corner modular electric wheel system of claim 2 , wherein the steering system further comprises:
the steering motor base;
wherein the king pin has a cylindrical structure; the bottom of the king pin is provided with a third threaded hole to mount the ball pin of a steering knuckle of the suspension system; a middle of the king pin is provided with a seventh lug and a second shaft shoulder for mounting the actuator motor; and a top of the king pin is provided with a second spline;
a first end of the steering arm is provided with an eighth lug; a second end of the steering arm is provided with a ninth lug; the eighth lug is connected to the wheel bracket through the second pin shaft; the ninth lug is connected to the steering motor assembly through a fourth pin shaft; the eighth lug is separated from the ninth lug; a distance between the eighth lug and the ninth lug is variable; an outer side of the ninth lug is provided with a first guide rod; the first guide rod has a cylindrical structure; an inner side of the eighth lug is provided with a second through-hole; and the first guide rod is configured to be in slide fit with the second through-hole to make a length of the steering arm variable;
an output end of the steering motor assembly is connected to the second spline through a first spline slot; both sides of the output end of the steering motor assembly are each provided with the fourth pin shaft to be connected to the ninth lug; a top of the steering motor assembly is provided with a tenth lug; and
a first end of the steering motor base is provided with an eleventh lug; a second end of the steering motor base is provided with a twelfth lug; the eleventh lug is connected to the tenth lug through a fifth pin shaft; the twelfth lug is connected to the steering knuckle of the suspension system through a sixth pin shaft; the eleventh lug is separated from the twelfth lug; a distance between the eleventh lug and the twelfth lug is variable; an inner side of the eleventh lug is provided with a second guide rod; an outer side of the twelfth lug is provided with a third through-hole; and the second guide rod is configured to be in slide fit with the third through-hole to make a length of the steering motor base variable.

4. The in-corner modular electric wheel system of claim 3 , wherein the steering motor assembly comprises:
a steering motor; and
a steering deceleration mechanism;
wherein a stator of the steering motor is fixed to a housing of the steering motor; a rotor of the steering motor is connected to an input end of the steering deceleration mechanism; the steering deceleration mechanism is coaxially arranged with the steering motor, and is configured to increase an output torque of the steering motor; an output end of the steering deceleration mechanism is provided with the first spline slot to be connected to the second spline to amplify and transmit the output torque of the steering motor to the king pin, wherein the first spline slot is an internal spline slot; both sides of the housing of the steering motor are each provided with the fifth pin shaft to mount the steering arm; and a top of the housing of the steering motor is provided with the tenth lug to be connected to the steering motor base through the fifth pin shaft.

5. The in-corner modular electric wheel system of claim 3 , wherein the king

Assignees

• Univ Jilin

Inventors

• Wang Junnian
• Wang Yitong
• Zhou Zidong
• Wang Siqing

Classifications

• B60K7/0007 Primary

  the motor being electric · CPC title

• B60G2204/30

  In-wheel mountings · CPC title

• B62D5/0418

  Electric motor acting on road wheel carriers · CPC title

• B62D7/18

  Steering knuckles; King pins · CPC title

• B62D17/00 Primary

  Means on vehicles for adjusting camber, castor, or toe-in · CPC title