GB2607127A

GB2607127A - A system and method of adapting a wheeled vehicle when one or more wheels are lost or damaged

Info

Publication number: GB2607127A
Application number: GB2115889.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Barwick Stephen; Robert Walter Humphreys Owen
Original assignee: Prodrive Advanced Technologies Ltd
Current assignee: Prodrive Advanced Technologies Ltd
Priority date: 2021-05-28
Filing date: 2021-11-04
Publication date: 2022-11-30
Anticipated expiration: 2041-11-04
Also published as: GB2607129A; GB2607125B; GB2607126B; GB2607127B; GB2607125A; GB2607129B; GB2607126A; GB2607128A; GB2607128B; GB2607124B; GB2607124A

Abstract

A wheeled vehicle is provided with a plurality of wheel assemblies 182, 184, 186, 188, each attached to a wheel of the vehicle, so that each wheel can be retracted and have its height adjusted. If a wheel is damaged or lost, its wheel assembly can be raised and retracted to prevent further damage, while the remaining wheels are retracted or extended to a position so that the centroid 200 of the wheels is moved towards the vehicle’s centre of gravity 210. A shear linkage may allow detachment of a damaged wheel assembly. The vehicle is particularly suitable for use in hostile situations such as in combat or in adverse environmental situations. A corresponding control system is also provided.

Description

A System and Method of adapting a wheeled vehicle when one or more wheels are lost or damaged

Background

The present invention relates to a system and method of adapting a wheeled vehicle when one or more wheels are lost or damaged so as to maintain the ability of the vehicle to continue operation.

Wheeled vehicles, such as wheeled land vehicles are used in a variety of situations and, particularly in hostile in combat situations, but also in adverse environmental conditions situation may arise where a wheel or wheel assembly is no longer functional but it is not practical to stop the vehicle for repair or in some cases even to exit the vehicle so as to carry out remedial actions.

Various approaches are possible in the situation mentioned above, for example, pneumatic tyres may be re-inflated, particularly if used with a puncture sealing composition and is of course simply possible in some situations to simply continue using the vehicle but with reduced manoeuvrability.

There is therefore a need to provide a system and method for adapting a wheeled vehicle when one or more wheels are lost or damaged.

Description

The present invention in its various aspects is as set out in the appended claims.

The present invention provides a wheeled vehicle comprising four wheel assemblies mounted upon control arms, wherein, in plan view, the wheels are positioned at the corners of a quadrilateral within which the centre of gravity of the vehicle resides; characterised in that, upon loss of one of the wheel assemblies, such that the wheel assemblies then define positions at the corners of a triangle in plan view, at least one of the remaining control arms are movable in the plane of the triangle by means of an actuator so as to bring the centre of gravity of the vehicle nearer to the centroid of the triangle.

Preferably are movable in the plane of the triangle so as to bring the centre of gravity of the vehicle nearer to the centroid of the triangle.

More preferably all 3 of the remaining control arms are movable in the plane of the triangle so as to bring the centre of gravity of the vehicle nearer to the centroid of the triangle.

A given wheel assembly may comprise a single tyre or multiple tyres in parallel but in all instances comprises a single hub.

The vehicle may consist of four of said wheel assemblies. The vehicle may comprise four-, six-or eight-wheel assemblies the wheel assemblies being laterally paired on either side of a central line of the vehicle. When more than four-wheel assemblies are present the wheel assemblies defined by the invention may be any of the total number of wheel assemblies provided that an equal number of wheel assemblies is present on either side of the vehicle for the purposes of defining the quadrilateral.

The quadrilateral defined by the wheel assemblies may be a rectangle, typically the rectangle being elongate corresponding to the elongate axis of the vehicle.

One or more of the wheel assemblies may comprise a powered hub were in the hub is rotatable by means of a motor located within the hub. The motor may be an electric motor.

In the present invention the wheel assembly is attached to the chassis of the vehicle by at least a control arm. A plurality of control arms may be used, such as in conjunction with a spring, dampener or other means to provide a direct transmission of force from the wheels to the chassis, such as when going over bumps. A stay, in the form of an actuator, preferably a spring actuator, may be used to stabilise the control arm from fore-aft movement and a tie rod may be used to help maintain the wheel assembly in alignment with the chassis in any given inboard/outboard position of the control arm. A track rod may also be present so as to steer the we are assembly relative to the chassis.

In all cases the inboard ends of the control arm(s) and stay, optional tie bar and optional track rod may be attached to the chassis by means of shear linkage. A shear linkage is a linkage designed as an intentional point of least strength in a system such that on a given force being exerted the linkage breaks so as to release that connection. These the shear linkage is configured to break when the wheel has sustained a large impact, wherein the wheel is subjected to a force above a predetermined threshold, or may be broken on request by a user' s command. When broken on request by user's command this may be in the form of an explosive bolt so as to weaken an otherwise strong linkage to form an in-situ shear linkage. In summary, one or more of the attachments of the wheel assembly and/or the control arm and other attachment means to the rest of the vehicle include a shear linkage as a point of detachment under given conditions. The shear linkage may be a shear pin.

When a shear linkage is broken, a (damaged) wheel or the entire wheel assembly and associated connections (as listed in the previous paragraph) may become separated from the rest of the vehicle, this ensures the damaged portion of the suspension does not hinder the rest of the vehicle's movement by being caught on the ground or obstacles. And ensures the damaged portion of the suspension cannot cause further damages to the vehicle, for example by having pieces of the damaged suspension coming loose and impacting the rest of the vehicle or getting caught under the wheels.

System The present invention may be used in conjunction with a vehicle system for control of the aforementioned mechanical components. This is preferable as an emergency situation, such as occasion by the bus or wheel assembly a human operator may not optimise use of the invention. The system is preferably in the form of a computer system, such as a microcontroller or other processor. The control system is preferably configured to actuate an actuator to move a control arm of the vehicle. The actuator may be a powered wheel hub of the wheel assembly, a brake of the wheel assembly or a stay in the form of an extendable or contractable actuator (as described in more detail below). One or more of these actuators may be used, as described below. The system preferably comprising inputs to determine that a wheel assembly has been lost, this may be in the form of a manual user input but is preferably determined or at least alerted to a user by a breaking communication to a wheel assembly. The system preferably determining the positions of the remaining wheel assemblies and optionally provides these on a display. The system may calculate a required wheel assembly movement to bring the centre of gravity nearer the centroid of the triangle and preferably commands the actuation of the calculated wheel assembly movement so as to meet the condition of that the wheel assemblies when as defining positions at the corners of a triangle in plan view, at least one of the remaining control arms is movable in the plane of the triangle by means of an actuator so as to bring the centre of gravity of the vehicle nearer to the centroid of the triangle. This is a complex calculation in the calculation preferably includes an order of movement of the wheel assemblies. The order movement preferably requires movement of the wheel assembly closest to the wheel assembly that is been lost as this is the most critical for stabilising the vehicle. The system preferably calculates a required wheel assembly movement to maximise the area of the triangle, it inherently increases the stability of the vehicle. The control system preferably determines a direction of movement of the vehicle for execution during commanding the actuation of the calculated wheel assembly movement so as to move the vehicle in the direction of the missing corner of the quadrilateral and commands that movement. In particular an acceleration of the vehicle towards the position of the missing wheel acts to lift the be supported portion of the vehicle. Alternatively, this system may accelerate the vehicle away from the position of the missing wheel so as to avoid running over the missing wheel and to encounter any further cause of damage. In particular, the system preferably comprises a wired linkage to the wheel hub which if determined as still being in connection when a wheel assembly is damaged such that the system commands movement away from the wheel assembly and actuation of any shear linkage to release the damaged wheel.

The system is preferably pre-programmed with a location of the centre of gravity of the vehicle for use in the calculations. The system preferably includes an attitude sensor so as to determine the attitude (i.e., tilt) of the vehicle and uses this in determining the likelihood that a wheel assembly has been lost or damaged. The system preferably includes an accelerometer so as to determine if an explosive event is likely occurred such as to cause a wheel assembly to be lost or damaged and uses this to initiate calculation and any subsequent commands to adapt the suspension of the vehicle as previously described.

In a preferred feature of the system the system may be configured to steer the wheel lateral to the lost wheel assembly towards the lost wheel assembly and the remaining wheel assemblies steered so as to push at an angle not perpendicular to the axle of the lateral wheel assembly so as to effectively skid the lateral wheel assembly sideways and thus provide a turning moment to lift the portion of the vehicle proximate to the lost wheel and thus stabilise the vehicle further during forward movement in the direction of the end of the vehicle in which the wheel was lost.

In a further preferred feature of the system the system may be configured to accelerate the vehicle towards the direction of the lost wheel if the vehicle dips, such as detected by the attitude sensor, in that direction so as to pull up the vehicle from tipping over.

Figures The present invention is illustrated by the following schematic figures 1 to 9 in which like numerals are used for like features: Figure 1 shows a plan view of a chassis of a four wheeled vehicle with four-wheel assemblies mounted upon control arms attached to the chassis, subsequent views illustrate the loss of a wheel assembly and a first and second adjustment of the wheel assemblies to move them to new positions for greater vehicle stability; Figure 2 shows the plan views of figure 1 upon which are superimposed a quadrilateral and triangles the corners of which are coincident with the contact points of the wheel assemblies on the ground, along with a diamond showing the centre of mass in the horizontal plane of the vehicle and further with a cross in a circle during the centroid of the triangles.

Figure 3 shows a plan view of a chassis of a four wheeled vehicle with four-wheel assemblies mounted upon control arms attached to the chassis, subsequent views illustrate the loss of a wheel assembly and a third and fourth adjustment of the wheel assemblies to move them to new positions for greater vehicle stability; Figure 4 shows the plan views of figure 1 upon which are superimposed a quadrilateral and triangles the corners of which are coincident with the contact points of the wheel assemblies on the ground, along with a diamond showing the centre of mass in the horizontal plane of the vehicle and further with a cross in a circle during the centroid of the triangles; Figure 5 shows a wheel assembly mounted upon control arms in conjunction with an actuator showing movement of the control arm rearward suitable for carrying out the present invention; Figure 6 shows a wheel assembly mounted upon control arms in conjunction with an actuator showing movement of the control arm forward suitable for carrying out the present invention; Figure 7 shows a wheel assembly mounted upon control arms in the context of an exemplary suspension system suitable for carrying out the present invention; Figure 8 shows a wheel assembly mounted upon control arms of the exemplary suspension system of figure 7 wherein the suspension system raises or lowers the chassis (not shown) of a vehicle so as to raise or lower the centre of gravity of the vehicle for use in conjunction with other features of the present invention; and Figure 9 shows detail of a suspension system suitable for providing height adjustments to a wheel assembly with a control arm, along with the aforementioned features of the present invention.

Figures 10-13 shows the parts necessary to create a suspension module, as detailed below, these parts include: a wheel hub, knuckle, raft, pintle, control arms, actuators, track rod, tie rod and steering means On this case a relay link and pair of relay arms).

Figure 14 show the alternative parts needed to form the preferred embodiment of the suspension module, in particular the find show: preferred design for control arms, and a dampener unit and supporting stays which replaces the vertical actuator.

Figure 15 shows an example supporting frame, which may be used to mount the suspension modules to a vehicle.

Figure 16: shows how the supporting frame of figure 15 is mounted onto a vehicle.

Figure 17 shows an example of a shear bolt, which includes a weak point, that can be used to shear the connection between the vehicle and either the support frame or suspension module.

Features of the present invention in the diagrams: 10,20-a pair of control arms, comprising an upper control arm 20, and lower control arm 10, wherein the arms comprise a inboard end 11,21, rotatably coupled to the chassis of the vehicle 160, and an outboard end 12,22 rotatably coupled, directly or indirectly, to the knuckle 80, on the inboard side of a wheel hub 70, wherein these control arms form a parallelogram, with the vehicle and wheel hub 70, which can be manipulated by rotating the control arms 10,20 vertically and horizontally to either raise or lower the vehicles profile/a single wheel or have the wheels retract and extend, respectively.30-a dampener 30 with a first end 31 coupled to a supporting frame or the chassis of the vehicle 160, and a second end 32 coupled to one of the control arms 10,2040,50,-a first stay 40 and a pair of second stays 50 that form the dampener's support frame. Wherein the first stay has a first end 41 coupled to the first end 31 of the dampener 30, and a second end rotatably coupled to one of the ends of the control arms 10,20. The second stay 50 comprising a first end 41 coupled to either the first end 31 of the dampener 30, or the first end 41 of the first stay 40, and a second end 52 rotatably coupled to one end of one of the control arms 10,20.60-a pintle 60 used to couple one end of a control arm 10,20 to the same end of the other control arm, and is configured to allow the control arms 10,20 to rotate both vertically and horizontally relative to the wheel hub 70. The pintle 60 comprising two end portions 61,62 connected by a ridged member, wherein the ridged member can rotate the control arms 10,20 around the member's longitudinal axis, while the end portions 61,62 are coupled to a respective control arm end 11,12,21,22, and are configured to rotate the control arms around a axis perpendicular to the member's longitudinal axis.70-a wheel hub 70 to be coupled to a wheel 71, and on the inboard side be coupled to a knuckle 80, to attach to the rest of the suspension system. Wherein the wheel hub 70 can include an electrical or hydraulic motor for driving the wheel 71.80-a knuckle 80 coupled to the inboard side of the wheel hub 70, allowing the other components to couple to the wheel hub 70. May also include a steering arm 81 that can be push or pulled by a steering mechanism to steer the wheel 71.90-a raft that can be used to couple the pintle 60 to the knuckle 80 while allowing the pintle 60 and knuckle 80 to rotate independently. The raft 90 comprising two hollow cylinders, with one rotatably couple to the pintle 60 and the other rotatably coupled to the knuckle 80. It is preferable that these cylinders be non-parallel to better isolate the rotations of the pintle 60 and knuckle 80. The raft 90 may also include a support arm that can be rotatably coupled to a ridged tie rod 110, to provide the suspension with additional structural support and to stop the raft 90 from rotating.

100-a track rod 100 a ridged member with one end 101 rotatably coupled to a steering mechanism, with the other end 102 rotatably coupled to the knuckle 80 or steering arm 81, the rotatable ends allow the track rod 100 to rotate with the control arms 10,20.

110-a tie rod 110, with one end 111 rotatably coupled to the chassis of the vehicle 160, with the other end 112 rotatably coupled to the knuckle 80, raft 90 or support arm 91, the rotatable ends allow the track rod 100 to rotate with the control arms 10,20.

120-a first actuator, with one end 121 coupled to one of the chassis of the vehicle 160, and the other end 122 coupled to at least one of the control arms 10,20, preferably between the ends of the arms to reduce the force required, with the first actuator 120 positioned to control the vertical rotations of the control arms 10,20. In some embodiments the first actuator 120 comprises a spring actuator to provide more compliance to the suspension. In the preferred embodiment the first actuator 120 is replaces with a spring actuator within the dampener 30.

The first actuator 120 is controlled by a hydraulic, pneumatic or electrical system onboard the vehicle. 130-a second actuator, with one end 131 coupled to one of the chassis of the vehicle 160, and the other end 132 coupled to at least one of the control arms 10,20, preferably between the ends of the arms to reduce the force required, with the first actuator 130 positioned to control the horizontal rotations of the control arms 10,20. In some embodiments the second actuator 130 comprises a spring actuator to provide more compliance to the suspension. The second actuator 130 is controlled by a hydraulic, pneumatic or electrical system onboard the vehicle.

140-relay arms 140 coupled to the chassis of the vehicle 160 used as the steering mechanism in the preferred embodiment, that is coupled to the track rod 100 and can rotate to steer the wheel hub 70.

150-a relay link 150 used to couple the relay arms 140 and track rods 100 of adjacent suspension assemblies together for improved steering.

160-chassis of the vehicle the suspension assemblies are coupled to.

-a construction figure in the form a rectangle (as a specific instance of a quadrilateral) the corners of which are defined by the centres of the axles of the wheel assemblies or alternatively by the points of contact of the wheels upon the ground.

180, 182, 184, 186, 188-a construction figure in the form of triangles 180 the corners 182,184,186,188 of which are defined by the centres of the axles of the wheel assemblies, alternatively by the point of contact the wheels upon the ground, in a situation where one wheel assembly has been removed from the chassis assembly, or is at least non-functional as a wheel assembly for supporting the vehicle.

190-fore-aft centreline of the vehicle 190 200 -the centroid of the relevant triangular construction figure. This is the centre of mass of the triangular figure.

210-a construction figure notionally denoting the position in the horizontal plane of the centre of mass/centre of gravity of the vehicle.

220-complete pair of wheel assemblies as they would be mounted to a vehicle.

230-Mountable support frame used to mount the suspension modules to the body/chassis of a vehicle.

Summary of Parts

In this application, the detail description defines several embodiments for an adjustable suspension module suitable for a wheeled vehicle. Below is a list detailing the common parts and components used to form these different embodiments: Wheel hub 70: a wheel hub comprising at least an outboard side configured to be coupled to a wheel 71, and an inboard side configured to be coupled to the rest of the suspension module by means of a knuckle 80, as described below. The wheel hub 70 containing the means to rotate the wheel 71 around the wheel's rotational axis in the desired direction of travel. The means of rotation may be driven by an external motor, either contained within the vehicle or within the suspension module, these external motors may be in the form of a centralized motor connected to all the vehicles wheel hubs, or a plurality of motors, wherein each of the plurality of motors drives an individual wheel, a pair of wheels or a select group of wheels. However, it is preferable for the wheel hub 70 to be driven by an internal motor contained within the wheel hub itself. For the use of an internal motor would allow a greater level of control over each individual suspension module, allowing each wheel to be driven at different speeds, possible also in different directions, to improve the vehicles stability when traversing difficult surfaces, and to allow the suspension module to more easily correct the vehicles steering by means of changing the speed of individual wheels. Further the use of smaller internal motors will help reduce the vehicle's overall weight and more evenly distribute the vehicle's weight between the plurality of wheels attached to the vehicle, this can also help to improve the vehicles steering. Note that regardless of the position of the motor, the wheel hub 70 may utilize an electric, pneumatic or hydraulic motor for drive the wheel, of these options the electric motor would be the most preferable, as it will require fewer parts for easier maintenance, and does not require a fluid reservoir that would increase the weight of the vehicle.

Knuckle 80: the knuckle comprises a plate that is couples to the inboard side of the wheel hub, usually by being bolted to the inboard side of the wheel hub 70. The knuckle further comprises a steering arm 81 that extends from the inboard side of the knuckle 80. Wherein the knuckle 80 can be used to steer the wheel hub 70, and in turn the wheel 71, by turning the knuckle via pushing or pulling said steering arm 81. It is noted that the end of this steering arm, that is connected to the knuckle 80, is preferable off centre, as this will mean the force applied to the knuckle via the steering arm will similarly be off centre, which may help to increase the amount of rotational being transferred to the knuckle, thereby reducing the amount of force needed to steer the wheel. Further, the inboard side of the knuckle may include a port for receiving a pintle 60, or other component, to couple the knuckle to the rest of the suspension module. In the envisioned embodiments, said port in in the form of a hole/slot within the inboard surface of the knuckle, with a ring attached to the top and bottom of said slot, wherein the component can be placed within the slot and a rigid member, such as a rotatable shaft or bolt, can be passed through the ring and the component within the slot to couple the knuckle and component together. It is noted that the member used to couple the knuckle and component should be rotatable, so that the knuckle and said component can rotate independently, so that the movements of the component does not affect the knuckle, and therefore does not affect the steering/facing of the wheel hub 70, likewise the knuckle 80 and wheel hub 70 rotations would not affect the position and/or rotation of the coupled component. In the depicted embodiment the component coupled to the knuckle 80 is the pintle 60, in the depicted examples the pintle comprises two removable end portions 61,62 connected by a shaft, to couple to the pintle 60 to the knuckle 80 one end portion is removed, so that the shaft of the pintle can be passed through the rings, the removed end portion is the replaced to couple the pintle 60 to the knuckle 80.

Pintle 60: the pintle comprises two end portions 61,62 connected by a shaft or member. Wherein each end portion 61,62 comprises a pair of pegs, positioned on opposite sides of the end portions 61,62, wherein the longitudinal axis of the pegs is perpendicular the longitudinal axis of the shaft. It is preferable that these pegs be round, or have the ability to rotate around their longitudinal axis, as said pegs will be coupled to the end of a respective control arm 10,20, wherein said control arms 10,20 need to be able to rotate around the longitudinal axis of the pegs, either by having the pegs rotate with the arms, or using round pegs that allow the control arms 10,20 to rotate freely. Further, the shaft of the pintle is configured to be rotated around its longitudinal axis, the axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pegs, which in turn rotates the end portions 61,62 in the same direction. As mentioned, the end portions 61,62 will be coupled to the end of a control arm, therefore the rotation of the shaft can also rotate the control arms 10,20 around the shaft's longitudinal axis. By configuring the pintle 60 in such a manner the pintle can rotate the coupled control arms 10,20 in two perpendicular directions, thereby giving the control arms 10,20 two rotational degrees of freedom, allowing the control arms 10,20 to both adjust the ride height of the vehicle, and retract/extend, or both, depending on which axis is rotated. It is noted that the pintle 60 can be coupled to either the inboard or outboard ends 11,12,21,22 of the control arms 10,20, and may be positioned vertically or horizontally, defined by the direction of the shaft's longitudinal axis. However, it is preferable to have the pintle 60 coupled to the outboard ends of the control arms 12,22, in this configuration the pintle 60 can be coupled to the knuckle 80 as described above, removing the need for additional components to attach the control arms 10,20 to the knuckle 80 and to support the inboard pintle, the removal of such components can allow the modules to be more compact, especially when the wheels are retracted, reducing the amount of space each module needs to occupy, therefore freeing up more space within the vehicle for the occupants/cargo, and help to reduce the weight of the individual modules. It is also noted that the additional components, in particular the one to support the inboard pintle, may restrict the movements of the control arms, and by extension the movements of the module.

Raft 90: in the preferred embodiment, the modules include a raft 90 configured to couple the knuckle 80 to the pintle 60. To achieve this the raft comprises a pair of hollow shafts, that is a shaft, typically cylindrical, with a hole, or channel, that through the shaft's longitudinal axis, coupled together along their length. To couple the raft to the pintle 60 the shaft of the pintle is passed through the channel of one of the raft's shafts. To couple the remaining shaft to the knuckle 80, the second shaft is inserted into the slot on the inboard side of the knuckle 80, then a member, such as a bolt, is passed through the rings of the knuckle and the channel of the second shaft. It is noted that the shape of the raft's shafts is configured so that the knuckle 80 and pintle 60 can freely rotate around the longitudinal axis of the raft's shafts, without moving or rotating the raft 90 itself, thereby allowing the knuckle 80 and pintle 60 to rotate independently. This further reduces the risk of the movements of the knuckle 80 affecting the pintle 60, and vice versa, thereby preventing the pintle 60 from affecting the steering of the wheel hub 70, and preventing the knuckle 80 from rotating the control arms 10,20. This affect may be further improved by having the shafts of the raft be non-parallel, thereby ensuring that the rotational axis of the two shafts is similarly non-parallel thereby heling to prevent the rotation of one shaft affecting the other. The raft 90 may further configure a support arm 91, this support arm 91 will extend from the surface of the raft, usually from the point where the two shafts are connected, this support arm 91 can then be coupled to a frame, rod, or other supporting feature that can help prevent the raft 90 rotating when either the knuckle 80 or pintle 60 rotates. This further reduces the risk of the knuckle 80 and pintle 60 affecting the other as they rotate. The inclusion of the raft 90 help to improve the safety of each module as the knuckle controls the wheels tracking and steering, therefore if the pintle 60 causes the knuckle 80 to rotate, it may cause a loss of control of the vehicle, similarly the knuckle 80 rotations causing the pintle 60 to rotate, it may result in the control arms 10,20 moving which can cause a loss of control, as the wheel of one module retract or changes height out of order with the other modules, which could affect the vehicles grip or steering. Therefore, the inclusion of the raft 90 reduces the risk of such loss of control, when the module actuates.

Lower control arm 10 and upper control arm 20: the disclosed modules are designed to have a pair of parallel control arms 10,20, in most of the depicted embodiments the control arms 10,20 are positioned vertically, that is with one arm above the other, though it should be noted that the arms can be positioned horizontally, meaning the arms are positioned side-byside. Regardless of the arrangement, the control arms 10,20 have a similar structure, with an inboard end 11,21 and outboard end 12,22 connected by a rigid arm. The structure of the control arm ends 11,12,21,22 depends on which component that end of the arm would be coupled to, as one end of each control arm 10,20 will be configured to be coupled to the pintle 60, while the other end is coupled to the body of the vehicle 160, or the knuckle 80 depending on whether the pintle is on the inboard or outboard end of the control arms.

Please note that in the case of the invention the term body, or chassis, of the vehicle refers to the structural frame of the vehicle, also in some embodiments components that couple to the chassis of the vehicle may be coupled to a support frame 230, which in turn is coupled directly to the chassis of the vehicle, typically by being bolted to the chassis. The end of the control arm that couples to the pintle 60 comprises a pair of rings, or ports, each of which receives one of the pegs, from one of the pintle end portions 61,62. The other end of the control arm, that is configured to couple to the vehicle or knuckle 80, comprises a member, or plug, that extends perpendicular to the length of the control arm, said plug may be inserted into a socket coupled to either the knuckle 80, the body of the vehicle 160, or a support frame 230 attached to the vehicle's chassis, these plugs are then secured in place by a nut, cap, or similar component that attaches to the end of the plug after it is inserted into the socket. Note that in some embodiments these plugs may be able to pivot slightly, via a ball and socket type connection between the control arm and the plug, this pivoting can reduce the risk of the plug breaking when the control arms rotate, by allowing the plug to adjust when the control arms 10,20 move. In most of the depicted examples the control arms 10,20 are identical, and though only a few example shapes for the arms are shown, any elongated design with the inboard and outboard ends 11,12,21,22 as described above would be suitable. In the preferred embodiment the control arms 10,20 are not identical, and include additional features to allow the control arms 10,20 to be directly coupled to the pair of actuators 120, 130, used to rotate said control arms 10,20. In particular the preferred embodiment of the lower control arm features a pair of ports 14, both near the centre of the control arm 10, with one on the upper surface of the control arm and one on the lower surface, wherein one end of each actuator will be coupled to a respective port 14 on the lower control arm 10. Note that these ports 14 could be positioned on either control arm 10,20, and may be anywhere along the length of the control arm, put would preferably closer to the centre of the control arm as this reduces the amount of force needed to move the control arm 10,20 when compared to the port 14 being at the ends of the control arm 11,12,21,22. In the preferred embodiment the upper control arm divides into two arms, or branches, that are connected at the ends of the control arm. These separate branches form a central hole, or aperture, in the arm, wide enough to allow the actuator that controls vertical rotations to pass through the upper control arm 20, so that it may couple to the port 14 in the lower control arm 10. Note that in the preferred embodiment, the vertical actuator is part of a dampener unit 30, therefore it is the entire dampener unit 30 that passes through the aperture of the upper control arm 20. This allows the mass of the module to be centralized, into the centre of the control arms 10,20, allowing each module to be more compact when the vehicle is lowered, and/or the wheels are retracted, it also distribute the weight of the module, in particular the dampener unit 30, more evenly, reducing the risk of damage to the control arms 10,20, especially when the vehicle has an impact which may push or jolt the suspension module, in particular pushing the dampener unit into the control arms, as when the dampeners or actuators are couples to the ends of a control arm this force, from the impact, may be sufficient to bend or even break the end of the control arm, which would then hinder the functions of the suspension module.

Track rod 100 and tie rod 110: both the track rod 100 and tie rod 110 comprise two end portions 101,102,111,112 connected by a rigid rod. It should be noted that each end potion of the track and fie rod comprises the same perpendicular member or plug connector, as described for the end of the control arms 10,20. Note that just like the control arms the plugs, the plug connecters of the rods can be secured with a nut or cap, and may be coupled to the rod via a ball and socket style connection to allow some pivoting of the plug, to prevent additional stress of the connection when the module is actuated, and therefore prevents the rod's connections from breaking. Also note that as depicted in the figures the plugs at the end of the track and fie rod may be positioned to point in the same direction, as shown for the track rod 100, or in opposite directions, as shown in the tie rod 110, depending on the modules specific design. Regardless of the direction of the plugs both rods function in the same manner. The track rod 100 is used to steer the knuckle 80, to achieve this the outboard end 101 of the track rod 100 is couple to the knuckle 80, or the knuckle's steering arm 81 if present, via the plug, with the inboard end 102 of the rod being coupled to a steering means that can push and pull the track rod 100, which in turn pushes and pulls the knuckle 80 allowing the module to be steered, there are different types of steering means available, such as a steering rack, but in the preferable embodiment the steering mean is in the form of a relay arm 140, which may also include a relay link 150 as described below. The tie rod 110 is used to provide stability to the module, with the inboard end 112 of the tie rod 110 being attached to the body of the vehicle 160, vehicle chassis, or support frame 230, while the outboard end 111 would be attached to the knuckle 80, or the raft 90, specifically to the support arm 91, if present. Like with the track rod 100 and control arm 10,20, the tie rod 110 would connect to the vehicle and the knuckle 80, or the raft 90, via the plugs attached to the respective end portion. The purpose of the fie rod 110 is to add extra stability to the module and to help support the weight of the modules various components. Additionally, the benefit of using the plug connections as described above, is that such connections will allow the track rod 100 and tie rod 110 to rotate around the plugs elongated axis, this will allow the rods to rotate with the control arms 10,20, and therefore remain parallel to the control arms 10,20 regardless of their position. By keeping the rods parallel to the control arms 10,20, the system reduces the risk of the rods breaking under additional stress when the control arms 10,20 rotate, and ensures that the rods do not obstruct the control arm's movements.

Relay arms 140 and relay link 150: as mentioned above the preferred steering means for the suspension module is a relay arm 140. Wherein the relay arm comprises a socket that connects to the body of the vehicle, the chassis of the vehicle, or a support frame 230 mounted to the vehicle, and an arm that extends from the side of the socket. Wherein the arm can rotate around the elongated axis of the socket in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction. In some embodiments, the inboard end 102 of the track rod 100 would be coupled to the arm of the relay arm 140, wherein the rotations of the relay arm 140 pushes and pulls the track rod 100, in order to steer the wheel 71 coupled to the suspension module. In other embodiments, the relay arms 140 of adjacent modules may be connected via a relay link 150. The relay link 150 comprises an elongated plate, wherein the ends of the plate are coupled to a respective track rod 100, each of the track rods 100 being connected to a respective suspension module, in a pair of adjacent suspension modules 220. Wherein the adjacent relay arms 140 are coupled to the centre of the plate, via a pair of members, such as bolts or plugs, wherein the relay arms 140 can rotate to push or pull the relay link 150, which in turn pushes or pulls the connected track rods 100. The use of a relay link 150 would be preferable, as this may reduce the amount of force each relay arm 140 needs to supply to steer the wheels 71 attached to the suspension modules, additionally, the relay link may allow a single relay arm 140 to steer the pair of suspension modules 220 should one of the relay arms fail. It is also noted that the relay arms 140 are more compact than the other steering means, such as the steering rack, and therefore would allow the suspension module to become more compact when they retract, that is to say the modules will occupy a smaller volume when retracted.

First and Second Actuators 120,130: in the disclosed modules it is essential that the control arms 10,20 are able to rotate both vertically and horizontally, allowing the suspension modules to adjust the vehicle's ride height and retract the attached wheel respectively. To achieve these different rotation directions, the suspension module requires a pair of actuators 120,130, one controlling the vertical rotations of the control arms 10,20, and the other actuator controlling the horizontal rotations. Each actuator 120,130 comprises a spring actuator, so that each actuator can provide dampening to the suspension module regardless of the actuator position. Each actuator comprises a pair of end portions 121,122,131,132 connected by the spring actuator, each end portion comprising a connector suitable for coupling the end of the actuator to a component of the suspension module, specifically one of the control arms 10,20, and to the body of the vehicle 160, vehicle chassis or supporting frame 230 mounted to the body of the vehicle 160. Typically, the end portions of the actuators comprise a round, or disc-shaped connector, which includes a hole or aperture in the centre of the connector, these end portions are secured to other components by passing a member, such as a bolt or plug through the aperture in the centre of the connector, and through a similar hole or aperture in the component that the actuator is being secured to, the members are then secured by attaching a nut or cap to the ends of the members. The first actuator 120, which control the vertical rotation, has a first end portion 121 that is coupled to the body of the vehicle 160 above the suspension module, with a second end portion 122 couple to at least one of the control arms 10,20 as described above, preferably at a point between the end portions 11,12,21,22 of the control arms 10,20. The second actuator 130 which controls the horizontal rotations of the control arms 10,20, will be positioned horizontally, with an outboard end 131 coupled to one of the control arms 10,20, and an inboard end 132 coupled to the body of the vehicle 160, vehicle chassis or supporting frame 230 mounted to the body of the vehicle 160. Each actuator 120,130 can rotate the control arms 10,20 in a respective direction vertically or horizontally by expanding and contracting. It is noted that the rounded end portions are preferable as they will allow the actuators to rotate around the securing member, this prevents the connections being put under additional stress when the control arms rotate. Note that in the preferred embodiment, the first actuator 120, that controls vertical rotations, is replaces with an air-spring actuator contained within the dampener of a dampener unit 30, as described below. In all embodiments it is noted that the end portions 121,122,131,132 of the actuators 120,130 may be put under additional stress when the movement of the control arms forces the actuator 1320,130 to rotate in a direction that is perpendicular to the elongated axis of the member used to secure the end portions, this additional stress could potentially break the end portion, or the connection between the end portion and the other components. Therefore to reduce this stress, the end portions of the actuators connected to the body of the vehicle 160, may be mounted to a rotating joint, this may be in the form of a ball and socket connector, or a rounded bracket 231 that can rotate in the direction perpendicular to the elongated axis of the securing member, this will allow the actuator end portion to rotate with the same degree of freedom as the control arms 10,20, and therefore should not be put under additional stress as the control arms rotate.

Dampener unit 30 and support frame 40,50: as previously mentioned in the preferred embodiment the vertical actuator is replaced with a dampener unit 30, said dampener unit 30 comprises a housing that contains an air-spring actuator which can use an external hydraulic or pneumatic system to extend and contract said actuator, and adjust the amount of dampening provided by the dampener unit 30 by changing the fluid level within the dampener. It is also noted that the housing of the dampener unit is configured to expand and contract with the air-spring actuator within the dampener unit. The dampener unit 30 further comprises a first end portion 32 and a second end portion 31 connected by the dampener and housing, wherein each of the end portions 31,32 comprises a connector, typically the same disc-shaped connectors as described above for the actuators 120,130. Wherein the dampener is positioned vertically, with the lower/second end portion 31 connected to one of the control arms 10,20 and the top/first end portion 32 connected to the body of the vehicle 160, vehicle chassis or supporting frame 230 mounted to the body of the vehicle 160, at a position that is displaced vertically, above the second end portion 31. Note that the first end portion 32 may include a buffer or protective layer, that cover the top of the dampener unit 30, to prevent the dampener being damaged during an impact, should it collide with the body of the vehicle 160. It is noted that the first/top end portion 32 of the dampener may be connected to a rotating connector, coupled to the body of the vehicle 160 or mounting frame as described above. However, in some embodiments the dampener unit 30 may free standing, that is to say that the dampener unit is not connect directly to the body of the vehicle 160, instead the first end portion 32, would be connected to a dampener support frame which is then connected to the control arms 10,20, as a result the dampener support frame and dampener unit 30 is free to rotate horizontally, when the control arms 10,20 rotate horizontally, and makes the suspension module easier to remove for repairs, or maintenance, by removing one of the connections that would need to be tested and removed, when disconnecting the module. The support frame 230 would comprise a main stay 40, which has a cap portion 42 that covers some or all of the top end of the dampener unit 30, and may act as a buffer between the dampener and the body of the vehicle 160.

Note that this cap portion will connect to the first/top end portion 32 of the dampener via the disc-like connector using a securing member as described above. The main stay 40 then has a support arm that extend from the cap portion 42 along the length of the dampener unit 30, wherein the end of the support arm couples to the end portion 11,12,21,22 of one of the control arms 10,20, the end of the support arm uses a ring connector, wherein a securing member, such as a bolt or peg, passes through the end of the support arm, and the end of the control arm it is connected to, sometimes this member may also pass through the end portion 61,62 of the pintle 60, this securing member can then be secured using a cap or nut connected to the ends of the member. In some embodiments the end of the control arm that couples to the main stay 40 may include an additional connector, usually in the form of a rotatable plug, like the one used to connect the control arm 10,20 to the body of the vehicle 160, which will connect to the ring connector at the end of the support arm of the main stay 40. Regardless of which connector is chosen, both options will allow the main stay 40 to rotate around the elongated axis of the connecting plug, or member, allowing the main stay 40 to rotate vertically around the connector, as the dampener unit 30 expands and contract, thereby reducing the stress on the main stay 40. The dampener support frame may also comprise one or more secondary stays 50, comprising two end portions 51,52 connected by a rigid member, these end portions comprising a ring connector, wherein the first end 52 of the secondary stay 50 is secured to either the top end 32 of the dampener, or the cap portion 42 of the main stay 40, by passing a bolt, screw or other member through the connector and either the end of the dampener or main stay 40, the other end of the secondary stay will then connect to the end of one of the control arms 10,20, in the same manner as the support arm of the main stay 40. It is noted that the main stay 40 and the secondary stays 50 may be connected to different control arms 10,20 to more evenly distribute the weight of the dampener unit 30 across both control arms 10,20, reducing the risk of damage from the dampener to the control arms during an impact, and the force created by the impact will be more evenly distributed.

Body of the vehicle 160: in the various illustrated examples of the invention a specific vehicle type has been depicted, though as noted in the application the claimed suspension module is suitable for an array of wheeled vehicles, which may be of a different size or shape to the one shown and may possess any number of wheels, each wheel requiring its own suspension module. Throughout the application the term 'body/chassis of the vehicle' refers to the physical structure of the wheel vehicle, in particular the solid frame or exterior of the vehicle, which the suspension module components can be safely secured to. This connection to the body of the vehicle may be formed directly between the module and the body of the vehicle, or the components may be secured to a support frame 230, wherein the frame can then be mounted to the underside of the vehicle's body/chassis, typically using bolts or other suitable means.

Mounted Support frame 230: in the various embodiments of the disclosed suspension module there are components which are configured to be coupled to the body of the vehicle, such as the inboard ends of the tie rod 110 and control arms 10,20, though these features can be mounted to the vehicle directly as described above, it may also be desirable to use a mounting frame to secure the suspension modules, as said frame can be easily adapted to different vehicle shapes/sizes, without the need to alter the suspension module itself. Through the depicted examples only show a wedge-shaped support frame, it is understood that the support frame may have a different shape, as necessary to fix onto the underside of the body of the vehicle 160. The inboard components of the suspension module would be secured to the frame using the plug connections described above being inserted into hold within the support frame, and then secured with a bolt or cap. Other components, such as the horizontal actuator 130, which uses a ring or disc-shaped connector, will be secured by passing a member, such as a bolt, through the connector and into a hole within the mounting frame 160, before the ends of the member are secured using a nut or cap. In some embodiments the frame may include additional components/connectors for affixing the components of the module to the support frame to allow more degrees of rotation, such as the rounded brackets 231 used to secure the inboard end of the horizontal actuator 130 to the support frame 230, that can rotate in the direction perpendicular to the elongated axis of the member securing actuator to the frame, as described earlier to allow the different connections between the frame and the module to rotate as the control arms rotate to reduce the stress on these connections and help ensure they do not break when the control arms 10,20 move. After which the frame may be mounted to the underside of the vehicle, typically using bolts that will pass through a plurality of holes in the support frame and into the underside of the vehicle's body or chassis.

Fused/shear bolts 240: in some embodiments the members, or bolts, used to secure the components of the suspension module to the support frame 230, or the body of the vehicle 160, may be design to break when subjected to sufficient force. This can be achieved by using members with a weak point 241, said weak point comprising inlets, or breaks in the members surface, wherein the member will break at the point with these inlets when a predetermined amount of force is applied, via an impact on the vehicle. Such members may be used to ensure that when a suspension module is impacted with a force that would be sufficient to damage either the wheel 71, wheel hub 70, or one or more of the control arms 10,20, track rod 100 or tie rod 110, the module will break away from the vehicle, to ensure that the damaged module does not hinder the performance of the vehicle, or fly apart and cause further damage to the vehicle.

Detailed Description

When considering the present invention, it is important to recall that the present invention is in the first instance to a vehicle comprising four wheel assemblies as such further wheel assemblies may be present such as to provide a six wheeled vehicle or eight wheeled vehicle and those further wheel assemblies may be fore, aft or interspersed with the wheel assemblies discussed. However, it will be appreciated that the underlying inventive concept, though more complex with additional wheels remains essentially the same and hence the invention is disclosed in respect of the simplest configuration of four wheel assemblies. In the present invention the vehicle may comprise four wheel assemblies and this is a situation where the stability of the vehicle is in general more critical upon the loss of a single wheel assembly. The present invention, as mentioned, extends to further wheel assemblies and in these situations the benefits of the present invention are particular present were more than one wheel assembly may be lost, situation not tenable with four wheel assemblies but still practical migrated and four wheel assemblies are present. Wheel assemblies are preferably present in pairs, the pairs are preferably present in either side of a central fore aft axis of the vehicle.

Figure 1 shows a plan view of a chassis of a four wheeled vehicle with four wheel assemblies mounted upon control arms attached to the chassis, subsequent views illustrate the loss of a wheel assembly and a first and second adjustment of the wheel assemblies to move them to new positions for greater vehicle stability, with figure 3 showing third and fourth adjustment of the wheel assemblies. The chassis assembly is shown in a first undisturbed configuration A in which four wheel assemblies are conventionally placed around the chassis 160 so as to define, that points were the wheels would normally touch the ground (and a notional flat plane) the corners of a rectangle, the centre of this rectangle is marked by a diamond 210 which for the purposes of describing the functioning of the present invention is taken as the centre of mass (on the horizontal plane) of the vehicle.

Figures 2 and 4 show corresponding views to those in figures 1 and 3 and upon which various construction features are shown for the purposes of explaining the functioning and corresponding benefits of the present invention. In these figures a first diagram B, B' shows the loss of one of the four wheel assemblies of the vehicle, such a loss may, for example, occur due to explosive force, such as the vehicle running over a landmine. In this situation it will be inadvisable for a crewmember to exit the vehicle so as to investigate and hence there is a need to stabilise the vehicle so as to potentially continue movement of the vehicle. As can be seen the centre of gravity 210 of the vehicle lies on the hypotenuse of triangle 180 and hence the vehicle is inherently unstable and liable to fall toward the side upon which the missing wheel is present. As will be appreciated, loss of a wheel assembly moves the centre of gravity of the vehicle away from the lost wheel assembly for the vehicle, depending upon the mass of the wheel assembly and the position of high mass components the vehicle (such as an engine) compares the overall mass of the vehicle is likely to be still relatively unstable.

In this respect the vehicle of the present invention may be powered by means of motors in the individual wheel hubs (such as a pneumatic or hydraulic motor) of the wheel assemblies, this greatly exaggerates the change in centre of mass upon loss of an individual wheel assembly and therefore the present invention is considerably more effective then when a large single engine masses present, such as with an internal combustion engine. The present invention is preferably for an electrically powered vehicle as this enables a power source to be used which is distributable over a larger area of the vehicle than, a source of pneumatic or hydraulic power which would usually be a single centralised source. Hence, illustrations of the present invention provide a centre of mass (and centre of mass movement upon wheel loss) based upon a mass bias towards the wheel hubs housing relatively heavy electric motors and assuming an otherwise generally centralised battery mass. As will be appreciated the provision of powered wheel hubs also dispenses with the need for axles with their consequent weight and complexity.

Referring now to figures 2B, 2B' the loss of a wheel assembly bias is the centre of gravity 120 toward the wheel on the perpendicular corner but the centre of gravity remains remote from the centroid of the triangle 180, which represents the optimum position for the centre of gravity based upon the three wheel arrangement. The present invention provides the movement of one or more of the control arms so as to thereby move a/the wheel assemblies closer to the fore-aft centreline of the vehicle 190. In doing so the centroid 200 moves closer to the centre of gravity 210 of the vehicle and thus the vehicle becomes more stable. A wheel assembly may be moved towards figure 2C, 2D, 4F the centre of gravity 210 of the vehicle, figure 4E, as required in any given situation to optimise the stability of the vehicle. In any given situation the specific movement required will depend upon the actual centre of gravity the vehicle, the presence of any further wheel assemblies and the possibility of redistribution of weight within the vehicle. As will be appreciated movement of the wheel assemblies themselves also changes the centre of mass as well as moving the centroid of the (support) triangle. In a preferable configuration of the present invention the wheel assembly lateral to the missing wheel assembly is moved away from the centre of mass (figure 4E). In a more preferable configuration of the present invention a wheel on the same side as the missing wheel is moved towards the centre of mass (figure 4F), most preferably the aforementioned two actions are carried out simultaneously or sequentially.

In a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a control system for the vehicle. The control system enables the movement of the control arms to be controlled so as to enable optimisation. In particular in a preferred feature of the present invention the control system adapts the configuration of the suspension, such as in the manner shown in figures 2 and 4 during movement of the vehicle. This is particularly preferable as the force required to move a supported wheel attached to a suspension assembly is large when a vehicle is stationary but during movement that forces much reduced. Further that movement is preferably carried out in conjunction with the control system steering the vehicle so as to stabilise for the loss of wheel. For example, should a front right wheel be lost then automatic steering towards the front right will compensate for the vehicle tipping in that direction and whilst this occurs the appropriate front left suspension assembly with the associated wheel may move back with an inward so as to change the centre of gravity/mass as previously described. This has the substantial advantage that vehicle which may otherwise become disabled and immovable cannot leave any minimum enter into a "limp" mode where it has a degree of manoeuvrability and dimensional stability.

The movement of the wheel assemblies is achieved by use of a pair of actuators 120 130 with the first actuator 120 controlling vertical motion and the second actuator 130 controlling the horizontal motion of the assembly, the actuator 120 that controls the vertical movements of the assembly may be in the form of a dampener 30.

Figure 5 shows a wheel assembly mounted upon control arms 10,20 in conjunction with an actuator 130 showing movement of the control arms 10,20 rearward suitable for carrying out the present invention and Figure 6 shows a wheel assembly mounted upon control arms 10,20 in conjunction with an actuator 130 showing movement of the control arm forward suitable for carrying out the present invention. As will be appreciated the mechanisms are mirror images of one another and whether on any given vehicle the movement is actually forward or rearward (fore or aft) will depend upon the particular configuration of the vehicle. The two figures are therefore considered together.

A wheel assembly in conjunction with a control arm 20 is shown. The wheel assembly 20 comprises a wheel 71 with a wheel hub 70. The hub 70 is of conventional design, or at least function, with a rotatable part attachable to the wheel 71 and a stationary part attached to the control arm 20. The control arm 20 is attached to the chassis (not shown) at an inboard end 21 such that the control arm may translate vertically (such as mediated by a sprung suspension system and/or shock absorber) and also move fore and aft as mediated by actuator 130. The actuator 130 is similarly attached to the chassis at an inboard end 131as the track rod 100. The relative positions of the inboard ends of the track rod 100 and actuator 130 (i.e., features 101 and 131) are maintained in a fixed relation to one another upon the chassis and similarly at their outboard ends (102, 132) so as to form a parallelogram and thus maintain the orientation of wheel 17 constant in relation to the vehicle at any given position, including any given position of tie rod 110, if present and not shown in this diagram. Thus, in the left-hand drawing the extended actuator 130 having a first length maintains the wheel assembly outboard of the chassis and upon movement of the wheel assembly inboard can be secured in a second position to maintain the weed assembly inboard of the chassis. This movement may be achieved by any convenient means however preferred means of one or more of the following: A) applying a break to the wheel hub 70 (such as using a disc brake, not shown) and moving the whole vehicle such as to move the (stationary) wheel hub 70 relative to the vehicle. or B) powering the wheel hub 70 so as to rotate the wheel 71 on the hub 70 and thereby move the wheel 71 in the appropriate direction after releasing the actuator from the first position and securing this again in a second position and the movement is complete, and either A or B with: C) Using a hydraulic, pneumatic or electrical system so as to change the length of the actuator 130 so as to pull or push the wheel assembly inboard or outboard respectively or C in isolation. C is preferably used in the context of the system which commands the vehicle in a direction sympathetic to the required movement of the wheel assembly, Means A is the preferred mechanism when the wheel hub is not powered. Means B is the preferred mechanism when the wheel hub 70 is powered, and the actuator 130 is a passive actuator as it minimises the components required. Means C is the preferred means when the wheel hub 70 is steered as it can be coordinated with movement of the track rod 100. Means A and B are mutually exclusive. The most preferred means is B combined with C as this is independent of the direction of movement of the vehicle, since B may be used to accelerate the wheel beyond the overall forward motion of the vehicle and thus bring the wheel assembly forward even in the direction of travel of the vehicle.

Figure 7 shows to wheel assemblies together with control arms 10,20 in the context of a suspension system.

Figure 8 shows a wheel assembly mounted upon control arms 10,20 of the exemplary suspension system of figure 7 wherein the suspension system raises or lowers the chassis (not shown) of a vehicle so as to raise or lower the centre of gravity of the vehicle for use in conjunction with other features of the present invention.

Figure 9 showing the mechanism used to raise a lower the wheel 71 of the wheel assembly, using the first actuator 120, which in the depicted embodiment has been replaced with the dampener 30. This can be used to raise a damaged wheel above the surface the vehicle is on so as to avoid further damage to said assembly.

Figure 10 to 14 shows the aforementioned parts of a suspension system suitable for providing steering of a wheel assembly with a control arm, along with the aforementioned features of the present invention.

Each of figures 5 to 14 provide features and are the same construction as present in co-pending applications filed on the same priority date of this application and which are hereby incorporated in their entirety regarding those features.

By utilising the disclosed system, the claimed invention provides a vehicle which can traverse a wide range of terrains, by adjusting the suspension to improve performance for the specific requirements of the terrain. But further, provides improved safety by using the same suspension adjustments, to compensate in situations where in a wheel of the vehicle is damaged or lost. In particular the disclosed system is able to determine, using onboard sensors, when a wheel 71, or a suspension module, has been damaged. In response the system may use the control arms 10,20, to raise the wheel off of the ground, and then retract the wheel towards the centre of the vehicle. In doing so the system prevents further damage to the wheel, and also ensures that the damage wheel does not hinder the vehicles performance. In some cases, the system may be designed to shear a damage module, this may be achieved by using shear bolts 240, with weak point 241 that shear automatically when put under a sufficient force, or stress, or the controller may be configured to manually shear the bolts when it is determined that a module is damaged. Either way the damaged model can be removed ensuring it does not hinder the vehicles performance further, and ensures that any loose parts of the damaged module do not break away and potentially damage other areas of the vehicle.

After this the system controller may use the control arms of the remaining modules, to adjust the vehicle's wheel base, to recentre the vehicle's centre of gravity. Do so improves the stability of the vehicle, and helps compensate for the lost or damaged wheel, thereby improving the steering and handling of the vehicle. It is also noted that by utilising sensors and a controller, the vehicle may be able to do all of these adjustments automatically, even when the vehicle is in motion. This can be preferable when a vehicle is traveling at high speeds, and/or traversing a dangerous environment wherein the user would not wish to stop or leave the vehicle.

Claims

Claims 1 2. 3 4.A wheeled vehicle comprising four wheel assemblies mounted upon control arms (10,20), wherein, in plan view, the wheels are positioned at the corners of a quadrilateral within which the centre of gravity (210) of the vehicle resides-characterised in that, upon loss of one of the wheel assemblies, such that the wheel assemblies then define positions at the corners of a triangle in plan view, at least one of the remaining control arms (10,20) are movable in the plane of the triangle by means of a pair of actuators (120,130) so as to bring the centre of gravity (210) of the vehicle nearer to the centroid of the triangle.
The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the at least two of the of the remaining control arms (10,20) are movable in the plane of the triangle so as to bring the centre of gravity (210) of the vehicle nearer to the centroid of the triangle.
The vehicle of claim 2 wherein all 3 of the remaining control arms (10,20) are movable in the plane of the triangle so as to bring the centre of gravity (210) of the vehicle nearer to the centroid of the triangle.
The vehicle of any of claims 1 to 3 wherein each of the movable control arms (10,20) when so moved is securable in said positions.
The vehicle of any of claims 1 to 4 wherein the movable wheel assembly is retained in said positions at said corners by means of at least one of the actuators (120,130) and/or a dampener (30), being securable with a first length for the quadrilateral and in a second length for the triangle.
The vehicle of any of claims 1 to 5 wherein the at least one wheel assembly further includes a powered wheel hub (70), which may act as one of the actuators (130), so that rotation of the wheel of the wheel assembly provides said movement of the at least one control arm (10,20).
The vehicle of any of claims 1 to 5 wherein the at least one wheel assembly comprises a break so as to immobilise rotation of the wheel hub (70), wherein the vehicle is configured to apply the brake and to move the rest of the vehicle relative to the wheel assembly so as to move the wheel assembly.
8 The vehicle of any of claims 1 to 7 in which the wheel assembly is attached to the vehicle chassis by both the control arms (10,20) and a tie rod (110) to together form a parallelogram linkage in conjunction with the wheel assembly and the vehicle chassis.
9 The vehicle of any one of claims 1 to 8 in which the wheel assembly is attached the vehicle chassis via a track rod (100) coupled to a steering means so as to enable the wheel assembly to rotate for steering the vehicle.
10. The vehicle of anyone of claims 1 to 10 in which one or more of the attachments of the wheel assembly and/or the control arms (10,20) and other attachment means to the rest of the vehicle include a shear linkage as a point of detachment under given conditions.
11 A control system configured to actuate each actuator (120,130) of the vehicle of claim 1, the system comprising inputs to determine that a wheel assembly has been lost, determining the positions of the remaining wheel assemblies, calculating wheel assembly movement to bring the centre of gravity 210 nearer the centroid of the triangle and commanding the actuation of the calculated wheel assembly movement.
12. The control system of claim 11 wherein the calculation determines movement that increases the area of the triangle.
13. The control system of claim 11 or claim 12 wherein the calculation determines a direction of movement of the vehicle for execution during commanding the actuation of the calculated wheel assembly movement so as to move the vehicle in the direction of the missing corner of the quadrilateral and commands that movement.
14. The control system of claim 11 or claim 12 wherein the calculation determines a direction of movement of the vehicle for execution during commanding the actuation of the calculated wheel assembly movement so as to move the vehicle away from the direction of the missing corner of the quadrilateral and commands that movement whilst actuating a shear linkage to release any remaining portions of the lost wheel assembly.