EP3110646A1

EP3110646A1 - Vehicle axle

Info

Publication number: EP3110646A1
Application number: EP15709127.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Richard Schalber
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-02-26
Filing date: 2015-02-26
Publication date: 2017-01-04
Also published as: DE102014102541A1; WO2015128430A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle axle, in which two electrical drive units together with two cross-members form an axle support to which control arms are articulated.

Description

vehicle axle

description

The invention relates to a vehicle axle according to the preamble of claim 1.

Such vehicle axles are particularly well suited for motor vehicles which have an electric motor drive in addition to or as an alternative to an internal combustion engine.

DE 10 201 1 001 318 A1 discloses a concept for an electric vehicle, in which the wheels of an axle are each assigned an electric drive unit. The suspension is via a double wishbone arrangement that carry a wheel of each wheel. Such independent suspension is provided in an identical manner on all four wheels, so that a modular system is provided.

Instead of comparatively complex independent wheel suspensions, it is also possible to use conventional axles with an axle carrier or subframe on which the wheel suspension, for example a double wishbone arrangement, is then articulated.

In WO 2012/000665 A2 a drive system for electric vehicles is described, in which all four wheels a drive unit is assigned, which is designed as a motor during driving and recuperation, for example when braking or downhill as a generator for charging the power supply of the vehicle. The drive module further has a gear that is arranged coaxially with the motor / generator, so that a very compact unit is created. The gearbox, the engine and the generator are housed in a common housing. In this known solution, each wheel is driven directly by the associated drive unit, so that the chassis must be designed from the outset with regard to this construction - retrofitting existing vehicles with such a modern drive concept is not possible or only with great effort. These drive units described in WO 2012/000665 A2 enable optimal traction control and recuperation without being more mechatronic

Driving safety and assistance systems, such as ASR, TCS or ESP needed. As explained in this document, can be controlled wheel-individually in real time via a high-speed motion control system, the effective wheel torque and the wheel speed and the movement and position of the drive unit. This novel control system also allows in a very simple way a torque balance between the two drive wheels. The special properties of this

Drive unit are thus in the situation-precise control of traction by real-time intervention in the movement of the drive wheels, in a compact design by the integrated transmission, which is preferably designed as a planetary gear, in an extremely high system efficiency, especially in the recovery of

To see kinetic energy (recuperation) and good scalability.

In contrast, the invention has for its object to provide a simply constructed vehicle axle, which can be integrated in a simple manner in existing vehicle concepts or in newly developed vehicle concepts.

This object is achieved by a vehicle axle with the features of claim 1.

Advantageous developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

The vehicle axle according to the invention has handlebars, which are mounted on the one hand articulated on an axle carrier and on the other hand on a wheel carrier. Each wheel of the vehicle axle is assigned its own drive. According to the invention, the axle carrier has two traverses extending approximately in the axial direction, which are connected to the two drive units respectively assigned to a wheel to form a main frame. That is, the two drive units assume a supporting function, since they form a part of the axle carrier, on which the wishbones are arranged. Such an axle is characterized by an extremely compact design, and this simple structure can be integrated into existing vehicle concepts even without major modifications.

The inventive concept can be used particularly advantageously as a retrofit solution in light commercial vehicles, wherein in addition to the conventionally driven by an internal combustion engine wheels, an electrical axis is added so that a conversion to a parallel hybrid drive with low resources is possible.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the drive unit is designed with a single housing for the engine, generator and transmission, wherein the

Trusses are bolted to this housing.

The rigidity of the axle carrier can be further increased if each drive unit is associated with a longitudinal member which is connected both to the drive units and to the cross members and to which at least one link is articulated.

On this longitudinal member or the trusses and axle bearings can be arranged, via which the wheel axle can be fastened to a chassis of the vehicle.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the guidance of each wheel via a double wishbone design takes place.

However, the invention is by no means so classical, essentially

limited triangular wishbone designs, but in principle all wheel guides are feasible.

The term "wishbone" thus allows all Radführungselemente

subsume.

In a variant of the invention, at least one shock absorber is supported on each longitudinal member. In a particularly compact embodiment, the two drive units are at a distance from each other, wherein in the region between the two approximately coaxially arranged to one another drive units cooler of the electric drive can be provided.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the vehicle axle is designed with a transverse leaf spring extending between two wishbones.

The vehicle axle can be designed as a steerable axle, for example as a front axle or else as a non-steerable axle, for example as a rear axle.

In one embodiment of the invention, each cross member has a central part, from which extend two obliquely employed truss arms. In this case, the drive units and the longitudinal members are substantially accommodated between two respectively adjacent truss arms of the two trusses.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to schematic drawings. Show it:

Figure 1 is a greatly simplified schematic representation of two embodiments of a vehicle axle according to the invention;

Figure 2 is another, more detailed embodiment of a

inventive vehicle axle in a view from above and

Figure 3 is a view of the vehicle axle of Figure 2 viewed from the vehicle rear side.

In Figure 1, the basic structure of a rear axle of an electrically driven vehicle, such as a light utility vehicle is explained. In principle, however, this wheel axle concept can also be realized with a steerable axle. The solution shown can, as explained above, in a light commercial vehicle be retrofitted, the front axle is for example driven conventionally via an internal combustion engine. The two shown in Figure 1

Embodiments of a vehicle axle 1 differ in principle only by the structure of the suspension - will be discussed in more detail below.

A basic concept common to all exemplary embodiments is that each of the wheels (not shown) of the wheel axle 1 is assigned its own drive. In the specific embodiment, the drive via drive units 2, 4, the basic structure is explained in the above-mentioned WO 2012/000665 A2. These

Drive units 2, 4 each have a housing 6, 8, in which an electric motor, a generator and a transmission, preferably a planetary gear are arranged coaxially to each other.

The control of the drive units 2, 4 via the high-speed motion control system explained above, on the example, the torque and the speed of each wheel can be controlled individually. These two drive units 2, 4 are designed as load-bearing elements of a wheel carrier (subframe) 10 forming a main frame, on each of which a wheel suspension 12, 14 is articulated. These each have a wheel carrier 16, 18, on which the respective wheel is mounted. Sectionally visible in Figure 1 are wheel hubs 20, 22 and brake discs 24, 26 of the brake system of the vehicle. The drive of the respective wheel hub 20, 22 via drive shafts 28, 30 of the two drive units 2, 4th

The wheel suspensions 12, 14 each have two wishbones designed as a wishbone 32, 34 and 36, 38, on the one hand on wishbone bearing 40a, 40b, 40c, 40d (control arm 34, 38) and 41 a, 41 b, 41 c, 41st D (wishbone 32,36) on the axle 10 and on the other hand via guide joints 42 a, b (wishbone 32, 36, the guide joints of the lower arm 34, 38 are not visible) are articulated on the wheel 16, 18.

In the lower region of the wheel carriers 16, 18, a shock absorber 44 or 46 is articulated in each case, the piston rod of which then engages on a corresponding damper joint 48, 49 of the upper link 32 or 36 located at the top in FIG. The wishbone bearings 40, 41 are each formed on bearing brackets 50, 52, 54, 56. These brackets are connected via two screw 58a, 58b both with the housing 6, 8 of the associated drive unit 2, 4 and with two trusses 60, 62. These trusses extend approximately parallel to the respective axes of the drive units 2, 4 in the transverse direction of the vehicle and form a closed one with the drive units 2, 4 and the consoles 50, 52, 54, 56 attached thereto

Achsträgerrahmen. In the illustrated embodiment, the two

Drive units 2, 4 so arranged standing on the plane, which is spanned by the two parallel trusses 60, 62. The brackets 50, 52, 54, 56 extend beyond the two drive units 2, 4 in the vertical axis of the vehicle and have on their top in Figure 1, of the two trusses 60, 62 remote end portion flange surfaces 64, 66, 68, 70 at which axle bearings (not shown) for attachment to the chassis of the vehicle can be fastened.

In the illustration according to FIG. 1, a transverse leaf spring 72 extending to the observer, which bulges upward, extends, for example, on the lower transverse link 34, 38 or on the wheel carrier 16, 18, so that a semi-rigid axis is formed.

The suspension and traction characteristics of this axle design far exceed those of a torsion beam axle.

In the wheel suspension 12 shown on the right in Figure 1, the two wishbones 32, 34 as in the broadest sense triangular profile body, for example, formed of cast metal or a carbon fiber composite material. In the variant of the suspension 14 shown on the left in Figure 1, the two wishbones 36, 38 formed of a tubular profile, which also again made of a metal alloy or a

Carbon fiber composite material or the like may exist. In the concrete solution, a support bracket 73 is attached to the upper wishbone 36, on which the damper joint 49 is formed. The bottom in Figure 1 wheel carrier 38 also has a support bracket 74 to which a tie rod 76 is articulated. The suspension shown on the right in Figure 1 also has a tie rod 78, the joint is formed on the lower wishbone 34. As can also be seen from the illustration according to FIG. 1, the wishbone bearings 40a, 40b, 40c, 40d are formed in the region between the end sections of the two crossbars 60, 62 and the corresponding receptacles of the housing 6, 8. In the specific embodiment, the axes of the wishbone bearing 40a, 40b, 40c, 40d are on the same line as the axes of the screw 58a, 58b (in Figure 1, only two screw are provided with reference numerals).

Reference to the figures 2 and 3, a further embodiment of a

illustrated vehicle axle according to the invention, in which the above-described

Basic concept with the executed as supporting elements drive units 2, 4 is also realized.

FIG. 2 shows the vehicle axle 1 in a representation from above, i. With

Viewing direction in the vehicle's vertical axis from above on rear wheels 80, 82. Figure 3 shows the vehicle axle 1 in a view from behind or from the front, i. Viewing direction in

Vehicle longitudinal axis. In these representations, the two wheel carrier 16, 18 and the brake system are not visible, but their basic structure corresponds to the previously

described embodiment.

In the variant shown in Figures 2 and 3, the wishbone 32a, 32b, 34a, 34b of the suspensions 12, 14 are similar to the embodiment shown in Figure 1 right .. The wishbone 32, 34 are on the as a closed frame structure trained axle carrier 10 is supported, which in turn is substantially formed by the two drive units 2, 4 and the associated trusses 60, 62, which are bolted to the housings 6, 8 of the drive units 2, 4. In the illustrated embodiment, this frame structure is additionally reinforced by two in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (vertically in Figure 2) arranged longitudinal beams 84, 86, which assume the function of the brackets 50, 52 in Figure 1 in principle. In contrast to this embodiment, however, these side rails 84, 86 are not attached to both sides of the respective drive unit 2, 4 but extend between the two trusses 60, 62 and thus form an additional

Longitudinal connection. In the illustration according to FIG. 3, one can see the truss-like lightweight structure of the traverse 60 - the other cross-member 62 is constructed identically. Accordingly, each has

Traverse 60, 62 a base 88, which extends approximately in the horizontal direction (view of Figure 3). From this central base 88 away extending two obliquely arranged cross arms 90, 92, which are employed in a V-shape to each other, wherein the distance increases towards the top (view of Figure 3). The height of the truss arms 90, 92 is selected such that they extend beyond the two drive units 2, 4 in the rear view (FIG. 3). From this view one also recognizes that the two drive units 2, 4 with the housings 6, 8 to say so between the lying behind each other

Traverse arms 90 (left in Figure 3) and 92 (right in Figure 3) immerse. The

Attachment of the drive units 2, 4 takes place approximately along the lower part of the base 88 in FIG. 3, wherein the screw connections 58a, 58b of the drive unit 4 are again indicated. The attachment of the other drive unit 2 takes place accordingly.

The lower wishbones 34 are likewise mounted in the region of the base 88 by means of the already described lower wishbone bearings 40a, 40b, 40c and 40d on the two crossbars 60, 62. The two upper wishbones 32 are by means of the upper

Wishbone bearings 41 a, 41 b, 41 c and 41 d mounted on the side rails 84, 86, wherein the upper wishbone bearing 41 a, 41 b and 41 c, 41 d each lie on an axis of the side members 84, 86. The two shock absorbers 44, 46 with the associated springs on the one hand engage the wheel carrier, not shown, and are mounted centrally with their piston rods (view according to FIG. 2) on the longitudinal supports 84 and 86, respectively. Each of the side members 84, 86 has two longitudinal beam arms 94, 96, which extend approximately V-shaped away from the side members 86 and 84 toward the adjacent traverse 60, 62 and with this and / or with the housing 6, 8 of the drive units 2, 4 are bolted.

Furthermore, axle bearings 100a, 100b, 100c and 100d, which are provided with rubber elements approximately in extension of the plane of the longitudinal members 84, 86, via which the vehicle axle 1 can be fastened to the chassis of the vehicle, are arranged on the outer side surfaces of the crossmember arms 90, 92. According to FIG. 3, the fastening plane spanned by these axle bearings 100 lies clearly above the drive units 2, 4. Also visible in FIGS. 2 and 3 is a stabilizer 102 which extends between the two upper transverse links 32a, 32b.

In the representation according to FIG. 2, the two tie rods 76, 78 can also be seen. Similar to the embodiment described above, the two lower transverse links 34a, 34b are connected to one another by the transverse leaf spring 72, which bulges out in the center upward. Their end portions are accordingly bolted to bearing eyes of the lower arm 34a, 34b.

The initially described drive units 2, 4 with a coaxial electric motor, generator and planetary gear are cooled, for example via an oil circuit. Since in the embodiment shown in Figures 2 and 3, the two

Drive units 2, 4 in the axial direction are spaced from each other, these oil cooler 104, 106 can be arranged in the space between the two drive units 2, 4 and the two trusses 60, 62, wherein the two oil cooler 104, 106 arranged with their heat exchange surfaces in the direction of travel should be. The cooling is supported by the recesses of the truss-like traverses 60, 62.

The variant of the vehicle axle illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 is significantly more solid than the exemplary embodiment described at the beginning, so that it is also suitable for heavier commercial vehicles.

In the described vehicle axle, the universal drive module is functionally integrated in the vehicle axle according to the invention. The axis module combines low complexity with consistent lightweight construction and good system properties with extremely easy installation.

Disclosed is a vehicle axle, in which two electric drive units

Together with two trusses form an axle, are hinged to the handlebars. LIST OF REFERENCES:

1 vehicle axle

2 drive unit

4 drive unit

6 housing

8 housing

10 axle carriers

12 suspension

14 suspension

16 wheel carriers

18 wheel carriers

20 wheel hub

22 wheel hub

24 brake disc

26 brake disc

28 drive shaft

30 drive shaft

32 wishbone

34 transverse link

36 wishbone

38 wishbone

40 lower wishbone bearings

41 upper wishbone bearing

42 guide joint

44 shock absorbers

46 shock absorbers

48 damper joint

49 damper joint

50 console

52 console

54 console console

Screw connection Traverse

traverse

Flange surface Flange surface Flange surface Flange surface Transverse leaf spring Support bracket Support bracket Track rod Tie rod Rear wheel

rear wheel

Side member side member base

Traverse arm Traverse arm Longitudinal beam Longitudinal beam Arm bearing

Stabilizer oil cooler

oil cooler

Claims

claims

1 . Vehicle axle with handlebars, on the one hand articulated to an axle (10) are arranged and on the other hand are articulated on a wheel, each wheel a drive unit (2, 4) is associated, characterized in that the

Achsträger (10) has two approximately in the axial direction or parallel to extending trusses (60, 62), which are connected to the two drive units (2, 4) to a main frame.

A vehicle axle according to claim 1, wherein each drive unit (2, 4) has a housing (6, 8) connected to the trusses (60, 62), in which an electric motor, a

Generator and a gearbox are included.

3. Vehicle axle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in the region of each drive unit (2, 4), a longitudinal member (84, 86) is provided, on which in each case at least one link is articulated.

4. Vehicle axle according to claim 3, wherein on the main frame axle bearings (100) are arranged.

5. Vehicle axle according to one of the preceding claims, wherein each wheel two overlying wishbones (32, 34, 36, 38) are associated, which are preferably formed approximately as a wishbone.

6. Vehicle axle according to one of the preceding claims, with a

Shock absorber (44, 46), which is supported on the main frame.

7. Vehicle axle according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the two drive units (2, 4) are arranged approximately coaxially and at a distance from each other, wherein in the region between the drive units (2, 4) cooler of the drive units are arranged.

8. Vehicle axle according to one of the preceding claims, with a

Transverse leaf spring (72) extending between two transverse links (34a, 34b).

9. Vehicle axle according to one of the preceding claims, wherein this is a steerable front axle or a rear axle.

10. Vehicle axle according to one of the preceding claims, wherein each cross member (60, 62) has a central part (88) and two transverse thereto arranged crossbar arms (90, 92), wherein the drive units (2, 4) and optionally the longitudinal members (84 , 86) extend substantially between adjacent truss arms of the trusses (60, 62).