Driving wheel and drive unit including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12377679-B2
Application number	US-202217720854-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 14, 2022
Priority date	Aug 4, 2021
Publication date	Aug 5, 2025
Grant date	Aug 5, 2025

Abstract

A driving wheel includes: a hub body disposed in a central region of the driving wheel; a plurality of spoke members inserted into the hub body and movable in a radial direction R of the driving wheel relative to the hub body; and link members each having one side coupled to one of the spoke members and the other side coupled to another spoke member disposed adjacent to the spoke member to which the one side of the link member is coupled. In particular, when the spoke members move in the radial direction R, the link members are rotatable about regions coupled to the spoke members.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A driving wheel comprising:
a hub body disposed in a central region of the driving wheel and having a plurality of first through-holes formed in a circumferential direction of the driving wheel;
a plurality of spoke members movable in a radial direction of the driving wheel relative to the hub body, disposed in the circumferential direction, and inserted into the plurality of first through-holes formed in the hub body; and
a plurality of link members disposed in the circumferential direction and each having one side coupled to one of the plurality of spoke members and other side coupled to another spoke member disposed adjacent to the spoke member to which the one side of the link member is coupled,
wherein when the plurality of spoke members move in the radial direction, the plurality of link members are rotatable about regions coupled to the plurality of spoke members,
wherein one side of each of two adjacent link members among the plurality of link members is coupled to one region of a spoke member disposed between the two adjacent link members,
wherein the plurality of spoke members each comprises:
a rod portion extending in the radial direction; and
protruding portions extending from one side of the rod portion in a width direction of the driving wheel,

wherein the plurality of link members has second through-holes, and the protruding portions are inserted into the second through-holes,
wherein the hub body comprises:
an extension portion extending from a central region of the hub body in the radial direction; and
coupling portions protruding from the extension portion in the width direction, and

wherein the link member has a third through-hole, and the coupling portion is inserted and coupled into the third through-hole.

2. The driving wheel of claim 1 , wherein when one of the plurality of spoke members moves in a first direction of the radial direction, a restriction relationship between the hub body, the plurality of spoke members, and the plurality of link members allows another adjacent spoke member, among the plurality of spoke members, to move in a second direction opposite to the first direction of the radial direction.

3. The driving wheel of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of spoke members are equal to each other, and the plurality of link members are equal to each other.

4. The driving wheel of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of spoke members is disposed at an equal interval in the circumferential direction.

5. The driving wheel of claim 1 , wherein the protruding portions comprise:
a first protruding portion extending from the rod portion in a first direction of the width direction; and
a second protruding portion extending from the rod portion in a second direction opposite to the first direction of the width direction, and
wherein the first protruding portion and the second protruding portion face away from each other with respect to the rod portion interposed therebetween.

6. The driving wheel of claim 5 , wherein the first protruding portion is inserted and coupled into the second through-hole of one of the two adjacent link members coupled to the spoke member, and the second protruding portion is inserted and coupled into the second through-hole of the other of the two adjacent link members coupled to the spoke member.

7. The driving wheel of claim 1 , wherein the second through-hole has a width defined in a width direction of the link member and corresponding to a cross-section of the protruding portion, and a width defined in a longitudinal direction of the link member and larger than a cross-section of the protruding portion.

8. The driving wheel of claim 7 , wherein the second through-holes are respectively disposed at two opposite ends in the longitudinal direction of the link member.

9. The driving wheel of claim 1 , wherein the third through-hole is formed in a central region in a longitudinal direction of the link member.

10. The driving wheel of claim 9 , wherein the third through-hole has a size and shape corresponding to an outer diameter of the coupling portion.

11. The driving wheel of claim 1 , wherein the hub body comprises:
an inner portion disposed in the central region of the hub body, having a cylindrical outer circumferential surface, and connected to one side of the extension portion; and
an outer portion disposed in a circumferential region of the hub body, having a cylindrical outer circumferential surface, and connected to other side of the extension portion.

12. The driving wheel of claim 11 , wherein the first through-hole comprises:
a plurality of first-1 through-holes formed along the cylindrical outer circumferential surface of the inner portion; and
a plurality of first-2 through-holes formed along the cylindrical outer circumferential surface of the outer portion, and
wherein the plurality of spoke members are inserted into the first-1 through-holes and the first-2 through-holes.

13. A drive unit comprising:
a driving wheel; and
a brake part configured to allow or restrict a motion of the driving wheel in a radial direction of the driving wheel,
wherein the driving wheel comprises:
a hub body disposed in a central region of the driving wheel and having a plurality of first through-holes formed in a circumferential direction of the driving wheel;
a plurality of spoke members movable in a radial direction of the driving wheel relative to the hub body, disposed in the circumferential direction, and inserted into the plurality of first through-holes formed in the hub body; and
a plurality of link members disposed in the circumferential direction and each having one side coupled to one of the plurality of spoke members and other side coupled to another spoke member, among the plurality of spoke members, disposed adjacent to the spoke member to which the one side of the link member is coupled,

wherein when the plurality of spoke members move in the radial direction, the plurality of link members are rotatable about regions coupled to the plurality of spoke members,
wherein the brake part comprises:
a brake body disposed inside or outside the hub body and configured to allow a spoke member, among the plurality of spoke members, to be inserted thereinto;
a lever member coupled to one side of the brake body and rotatable relative to the brake body;
a wire fixed to one side of the lever member; and
a tension generating motor coupled to other side of the wire and configured to adjust tension of the wire,

wherein the hub body comprises:
an extension portion extending from a central region of the hub body in the radial direction;
an inner portion disposed in the central region of the hub body, having a cylindrical outer circumferential surface, and connected to one side of the extension portion; and
an outer portion disposed in a circumferential region of the hub body, having a cylindrical outer circumferential surface, and connected to other side of the extension portion, and

wherein the inner portion has an inner wire hole penetrated by the wire, and the outer portion has an outer wire hole penetrated by the wire.

14. The drive unit of claim 13 , wherein the brake body is coupled to an outer surface of the outer portion.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Corp

Inventors

• An Jea Kyoo
• Ko Hun Keon
• Park Hyun Kyoo

Classifications

• B60B2200/20

  Furniture or medical appliances · CPC title

• B60B2900/313

  Resiliency · CPC title

• B60B2900/551

  Handling of obstacles or difficult terrains · CPC title

• B60B27/0015

  for driven wheels · CPC title

• A61G5/04

  motor-driven (A61G5/06 takes precedence; motor-operated rests A61G5/12; for vehicles with handlebars, equipped with three or more wheels B62K5/003, B62K5/023) · CPC title