JP2012016980A - Wheel apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enhance practicality of a wheel apparatus that mounts an electromagnetic motor in each wheel and drives the wheel by the electromagnetic motor.SOLUTION: The wheel apparatus includes: the wheel 40; a holding member 52 which rotatably holds the wheel; the electromagnetic motor 88 in which a stator 94 is fixed on the holding member and which drives the wheel by a rotation of rotator 92; and a braking device 80 which brakes the wheel by allowing a friction material 82 to slidingly contact with a brake rotor 50. One of part slidingly contacting with at least the friction material of the brake rotor and the whole of the electromagnetic motor is positioned inside a space surrounded by a rim 44 and a disc 46 of the wheel, and the other is positioned outside the space. This configuration allows even small diameter wheel to mount the electromagnetic motor and the braking device, and to separately locate the electromagnetic motor and the braking device which have the potential to produce heat with travelling.

Description

  The present invention relates to a wheel device in which an electromagnetic motor is mounted for each wheel, and the wheel is driven by a force generated by the electromagnetic motor.

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a wheel and a drive device that drives a wheel with an electromagnetic motor are provided. The stator of the electromagnetic motor is fixed to a wheel holding member that rotatably holds the wheel, and the wheel is driven by the rotation of the rotor of the electromagnetic motor. Development of a wheel device with a structure is underway. The wheel device described in the following patent document is an example of such a wheel device.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-90696 JP 2002-337554 A

  In the wheel device having the structure as described above, an electromagnetic motor is mounted for each wheel. Also, a brake device is usually mounted on the wheel. That is, in the wheel device having the above-described structure, it is necessary to mount the electromagnetic motor and the brake device on one wheel. However, since the electromagnetic motor for driving the wheel is relatively large, the installation space for the electromagnetic motor is relatively large. In addition, the brake device generates a braking force by sliding contact between a brake rotating body that rotates with the wheel, that is, a disk rotor, a brake drum, and the friction material, and the brake rotating body is large in the radial direction. A mechanism for pressing the friction material against the brake rotating body is also required. For this reason, the mounting space for the brake device is also relatively large. For this reason, it is considered that the practicality of the wheel device that drives the wheel by the force generated by the electromagnetic motor is improved by devising the mounting position of the electromagnetic motor and the brake device on the wheel.

  Furthermore, the electromagnetic motor of the drive source tends to generate heat with driving, and the brake device tends to generate heat with braking. For this reason, the practicality of the wheel device that drives the wheel by the force generated by the electromagnetic motor is improved by devising the mounting position of the electromagnetic motor and the brake device that tend to generate heat when the vehicle is running. I think that. This invention is made | formed in view of such a situation, and makes it a subject to provide a highly practical wheel apparatus.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, the wheel device of the present invention has a space in which at least one of the part of the brake rotating body that is in sliding contact with the friction material and the whole of the electromagnetic motor is surrounded by the rim part and the disk part constituting the wheel. It is configured to be located inside and the other located outside the space.

  The brake rotator is usually large in the radial direction, and many of the brake rotators are in sliding contact with the friction material in a portion near the outer periphery of the brake rotator. For this reason, the occupied space of the part which is in sliding contact with the friction material of the brake rotating body becomes relatively large. Therefore, according to the wheel device of the present invention, it is possible to attach the electromagnetic motor and the brake device to one wheel with a relatively large margin, and it is possible to provide a highly practical wheel device. Of the brake device that generates heat during braking, the portion of the brake rotating body that comes into sliding contact with the friction material tends to generate heat. Therefore, according to the wheel device of the present invention, it becomes possible to dispose the electromagnetic motor and the portion that is in sliding contact with the friction material of the brake rotating body that tends to generate heat, especially when the vehicle is running, A highly practical wheel device can be provided.

Aspects of the Invention

  In the following, some aspects of the invention that can be claimed in the present application (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “claimable invention”) will be exemplified and described. As with the claims, each aspect is divided into sections, each section is numbered, and is described in a form that cites the numbers of other sections as necessary. This is merely for the purpose of facilitating the understanding of the claimable inventions, and is not intended to limit the combinations of the constituent elements constituting those inventions to those described in the following sections. In other words, the claimable invention should be construed in consideration of the description accompanying each section, the description of the embodiments, etc., and as long as the interpretation is followed, another aspect is added to the form of each section. In addition, an aspect in which constituent elements are deleted from the aspect of each item can be an aspect of the claimable invention.

  In each of the following items, item (1) corresponds to item 1, and the technical feature described in item (2) is added to item 1 and item 2 or item 1 or item 2. The technical feature described in (3) and (4) is added to 2 in claim 3, and the technical feature described in (5) is added in claim 3 in claim 4. A technical feature according to (6) is added to any one of claims 1 to 4 in claim 5, and any one of claims 1 to 5 in (10). The technical features described in the section are added to the sixth aspect.

(1) a wheel having a rim portion and a disc portion continuous with the rim portion;
A wheel holding member for rotatably holding the wheel;
A driving device having a rotary electromagnetic motor including a stator and a rotor, the stator of the electromagnetic motor being fixed to the wheel holding member, and driving the wheel by the rotation of the rotor When,
A brake rotating body that rotates together with the wheel; and a brake device that generates a braking force by sliding the friction material against the brake rotating body, the friction member being supported by the wheel holding member. A wheel device,
One of at least a portion of the brake rotating body that is in sliding contact with the friction material and the entire electromagnetic motor is located inside a space surrounded by the rim portion and the disk portion, and the other is outside the space. Wheel device located.

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, development of a wheel device that attaches an electromagnetic motor to each wheel and drives the wheel by the force generated by the electromagnetic motor has been promoted. Also, a brake device is usually mounted on the wheel. That is, in such a wheel device, it is necessary to mount the electromagnetic motor and the brake device on one wheel. However, depending on the rim diameter of the wheel, it may be difficult to mount the electromagnetic motor and the brake device. In addition, it is not desirable to dispose the electromagnetic motor and the brake device, which tend to generate heat when the vehicle is running, at close positions. For this reason, in the wheel device described in this section, at least one of the portion of the brake rotating body that is in sliding contact with the friction material and the entire electromagnetic motor is disposed in the space inside the wheel, and the other is disposed in the space. It is arranged outside.

  The brake rotator is usually large in the radial direction, and many of the brake rotators are in sliding contact with the friction material in a portion near the outer periphery of the brake rotator. For this reason, the occupied space of the part which is in sliding contact with the friction material of the brake rotating body becomes relatively large. Further, a mechanism for pressing the friction material against the brake rotating body is disposed in the vicinity of the portion of the brake rotating body that is in sliding contact with the friction material. In other words, many portions of the space occupied by the brake device are located in a portion in sliding contact with the friction material of the brake rotating body and in the vicinity of the portion. Therefore, according to the wheel device described in this section, it is possible to mount the electromagnetic motor and the brake device even with a wheel having a small rim diameter. Further, the brake device generates heat with braking, and in particular, the portion of the brake rotating body that comes into sliding contact with the friction material tends to generate heat. Therefore, according to the wheel device described in this section, it is possible to dispose the portion of the brake rotating body, which tends to generate heat, in sliding contact with the friction material and the electromagnetic motor at a distance from each other when the vehicle is traveling. Become.

  The term “space surrounded by the rim and disk” described in this section means the space inside the so-called wheel. In other words, when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the wheel. It means a space that does not protrude from the wheel. Furthermore, in other words, it means a space surrounded by a virtual plane including the end on the wheel opening side in the width direction of the wheel, the rim portion, and the disc portion. That is, in the wheel device described in this section, at least one of the part of the brake rotating body that is in sliding contact with the friction material and the whole of the electromagnetic motor is located inside a space surrounded by the virtual plane and the wheel, The other is only required to be located on the side opposite to the virtual flat disk portion.

  Since the “electromagnetic motor” described in this section is for driving a wheel, the shaft for driving the wheel is used even when the electromagnetic motor is located outside the space inside the wheel. Necessarily enter the space inside the wheel. Even if such a shaft is directly connected to the rotor, it is not treated as a component of the “electromagnetic motor” described in this section. That is, in the wheel device described in this section, it is only necessary that the stator and the rotor constituting the electromagnetic motor are completely located in the space inside the wheel or outside the space.

  The “drive device” described in this section may include a speed reducer that decelerates the rotation of the electromagnetic motor, or may be configured only from the electromagnetic motor. In other words, the structure may be such that the rotation of the electromagnetic motor is transmitted to the wheel via the speed reducer to drive the wheel, and the rotation axis of the electromagnetic motor and the rotation axis of the wheel are arranged coaxially, The structure may be such that the wheel is driven by directly transmitting the rotation of the motor to the wheel. Further, the “brake device” described in this section may be a disc brake device or a drum brake device. That is, the “brake rotator” described in this section may be a brake drum or a disc rotor.

  (2) The wheel device according to (1), wherein the electromagnetic motor and the brake rotating body are positioned with the wheel holding member interposed therebetween.

  In the wheel device described in this section, a wheel holding member is disposed between the electromagnetic motor and the brake rotating body. Therefore, according to the wheel device described in this section, it is possible to take measures against heat generation of the electromagnetic motor and the disk rotor by interposing another member between the electromagnetic motor and the brake rotating body. .

  (3) In the item (1) or (2), the wheel holding member is attached to a suspension arm that is arranged so as to extend in the front-rear direction of the vehicle and is held swingably on the vehicle body at one end. The wheel device described.

  The wheel holding member is normally supported so as to be swingable with respect to the vehicle body by an arm constituting the suspension device. However, if one of the brake rotator and the electromagnetic motor is located outside the space inside the wheel, there is a possibility that the arm and the arm constituting the suspension device interfere with each other. In particular, when one of the brake rotating body and one of the electromagnetic motors is located on the end surface of the wheel holding member on the vehicle inner side, the arm arranged to extend in the vehicle width direction supports the wheel holding member. It is difficult. In the wheel device described in this section, the wheel holding member is supported by an arm such as a trailing arm or a leading arm that is disposed so as to extend in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. Therefore, according to the wheel device described in this section, it is possible to appropriately suspend the wheel device in which one of the brake rotating body and the electromagnetic motor is positioned outside the space inside the wheel.

  (4) The wheel device according to (3), wherein the electromagnetic motor and the brake rotating body are positioned with the wheel holding member and the suspension arm interposed therebetween.

  According to the wheel device described in this section, it is possible to further take measures against heat generation of the electromagnetic motor and the disk rotor by interposing another member between the electromagnetic motor and the brake rotating body. ing.

  (5) The wheel device according to (3) or (4), wherein the suspension arm constitutes a torsion beam suspension device.

  In the wheel device described in this section, the structure of the suspension device that suspends the wheel device is specifically limited. In the wheel device described in this section, it is possible to dispose the torsion beam from the position in the vehicle width direction of the wheel holding member, and one of the brake rotating body and the electromagnetic motor is disposed in the space inside the wheel. It becomes easy to be located outside. Therefore, the mode described in this section is a mode suitable for a wheel device in which one of the brake rotating body and the electromagnetic motor is located outside the space inside the wheel.

(6) The wheel device includes a shaft that is coaxially disposed with the rotation axis of the wheel and is fixedly connected to the disk portion of the wheel at one end portion;
The shaft penetrates the wheel holding member;
The wheel device according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein one of the rotor and the brake rotor of the electromagnetic motor is fixedly connected to the other end of the shaft.

  According to the wheel device described in this section, with a relatively simple structure, the electromagnetic motor and the brake rotating body are positioned with the wheel holding member interposed therebetween, and the electromagnetic motor rotor and the brake rotating body are combined with the wheel. It can be rotated. The “shaft” described in this section may be anything that rotates the rotor of the electromagnetic motor and the wheel integrally, or rotates the brake rotor and the wheel integrally, and is a drive for driving the wheel. It may be a shaft, that is, an axle shaft, and may transmit the rotation of the wheel to the brake rotating body.

  (7) The wheel device according to (6), wherein the rotor of the electromagnetic motor is fixedly connected to the other end of the shaft.

  (8) The wheel device according to (6), wherein the brake rotating body is fixedly connected to the other end of the shaft.

  In the wheel device described in the above two terms, the arrangement positions of the electromagnetic motor and the brake rotating body are specifically limited. Incidentally, in the wheel device of the former term, at least the portion of the brake rotating body that is in sliding contact with the friction material is located in the space inside the wheel, and the entire electromagnetic motor is located outside the space. In the wheel device, the entire electromagnetic motor is located in a space inside the wheel, and at least a portion of the brake rotating body that is in sliding contact with the friction material is located outside the space.

  (9) The wheel device according to any one of (1) to (8), wherein the brake device is a disc brake device, and the brake rotating body is a disc rotor.

  In the wheel device described in this section, the structure of the brake device is specifically limited. The disk rotor can reduce the occupied space in the vehicle width direction as compared with the brake drum. For this reason, the aspect described in this section is an aspect suitable for a wheel device in which a part of the brake rotator is located outside the space inside the wheel.

  (10) The wheel device according to any one of (1) to (9), wherein a rim diameter of the wheel is 12 inches or less.

  In the wheel device described in this section, the wheel has a relatively small diameter. Therefore, according to the wheel device described in this section, the effect of positioning one of the brake rotating body and one of the electromagnetic motors outside the space inside the wheel is sufficiently utilized.

It is a schematic side view of the vehicle carrying the wheel apparatus which is an Example of claimable invention. It is a schematic plan view of the vehicle shown in FIG. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows the wheel apparatus which is an Example of the claimable invention mounted in the vehicle shown in FIG. It is a schematic diagram which shows the wheel apparatus shown in FIG. 3 in the viewpoint from a vehicle center part. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows the wheel apparatus of a modification. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows the wheel apparatus of another modification.

  Hereinafter, embodiments and modifications of the claimable invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition to the embodiments described below, the present invention can be claimed in various aspects including various modifications and improvements based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art, including the aspects described in the above [Aspect of the Invention] section. Can be implemented.

  1 and 2 show a vehicle on which the wheel device 10 of the embodiment is mounted. This vehicle is a vehicle with rhombus wheels, and is expected as a next generation commuter. The vehicle includes a vehicle body 20, a front wheel 22 provided at a front portion of the vehicle body 20, and a left wheel 24 </ b> L and a right wheel constituting a wheel device 10 provided respectively at the left and right portions of the vehicle body 20 behind the front wheel 22. 24R and a rear wheel 26 provided behind the left wheel 24L and the right wheel 24R. As can be seen from FIG. 2 showing a plan view of the vehicle, the front wheel 22 and the rear wheel 26 are arranged in the center in the vehicle width direction, and the left wheel 24L and the right wheel 24R are arranged symmetrically. .

  In this vehicle, the front wheel 22 and the rear wheel 26 are steered wheels, and the left wheel 24L and the right wheel 24R are not steered wheels. In addition, although the left wheel 24L and the right wheel 24R are driving wheels (wheels that are rotationally driven to drive the vehicle), the front wheels 22 and the rear wheels 26 are not driving wheels. Similarly, although the left wheel 24L and the right wheel 24R are used as braking wheels (wheels whose rotation is braked to brake the vehicle), the front wheels 22 and the rear wheels 26 are not used as braking wheels. In the following description, when it is not necessary to distinguish between the left wheel 24L and the right wheel 24R, they are collectively referred to as the drive wheel 24, and the same applies to the components related to the left wheel 24L and the right wheel 24R.

  This vehicle is provided with three operation members as operation members for the driver to operate the vehicle. One of them is a steering wheel 30 that is a steering operation member for causing the vehicle to perform a turning operation, the other is an accelerator pedal 32 that is an accelerator operation member for accelerating the vehicle, and the other is an operation of the vehicle. It is the brake pedal 34 which is a brake operation member for decelerating.

  The wheel device 10 according to the present embodiment is constituted by the drive wheels 24 and is not related to the front wheels 22 and the rear wheels 26. Therefore, the description of the front wheels 22 and the rear wheels 26 is omitted, and the drive wheels 24 are described. To do. As shown in FIG. 3, the drive wheel 24 includes a wheel 40 and a tire 42 attached to the outer periphery of the wheel 40, and the wheel 40 includes a rim portion 44 and a disc continuous from the rim portion 44. Part 46. A through hole is formed at the center of the disk portion 46, and an axle hub 48 is fitted into the through hole. The axle hub 48 is bolted to the disc portion 46 together with the disc rotor 50 described in detail later, and the axle hub 48 and the disc rotor 50 rotate together with the wheel 40. The outer diameter of the rim portion 44 of the wheel 40, that is, the rim diameter is 12 inches, and the drive wheels 24 are relatively small-diameter wheels.

  The axle hub 48 is rotatably held at the boss portion 54 of the axle carrier 52, and the axle carrier 52 functions as a wheel holding member that rotatably holds the wheel 40 via the axle hub 48. The axle carrier 52 includes a boss portion 54 located in the internal space of the wheel 40 and a main body portion 56 that continuously extends from the boss portion 54 and protrudes toward the inside (right side in FIG. 3) of the vehicle. The axle carrier 52 is arranged so as to protrude from the internal space of the wheel 40 toward the inside of the vehicle. Incidentally, the inner space of the wheel 40 is a space surrounded by the opening side of the wheel 40 in the width direction of the wheel 40, that is, the virtual plane 57 including the end on the inner side of the vehicle, the rim portion 44, and the disk portion 46. It is. The axle carrier 52 is fixed to a trading arm 58 as a suspension arm that constitutes a suspension device in the main body portion 56, and can swing with respect to the vehicle body. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the trading arm 58 is disposed so as to extend in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and is rotatably held by the vehicle body 20 at one end portion on the front side of the vehicle. The axle carrier 52 swings with respect to the vehicle body around the front end of the trading arm 58.

  A lower end portion of a hydraulic shock absorber 60 is attached to the rear end portion of the trading arm 58, and the upper end portion of the shock absorber 60 is supported by the vehicle body 20. The shock absorber 60 has a lower tube 62 and an upper tube 64, and can be expanded and contracted by being capable of relative movement. A lower retainer 66 is fixed to the lower tube 62, and an upper retainer 68 is fixed to the upper tube 64. A suspension spring 70 is sandwiched between the lower retainer 66 and the upper retainer 68. With such a structure, the axle carrier 52, that is, the drive wheel 24 can be elastically rocked, and a damping force is generated with respect to the rocking.

  The trading arm 58 of the left wheel 24L and the trading arm 58 of the right wheel 24R are connected by a torsion beam 72 disposed so as to extend in the vehicle width direction. The left wheel 24L and the right wheel 24R are a torsion beam suspension device, and In other words, it is suspended by a coupled beam suspension device. The torsion beam 72 is not twisted when the left and right drive wheels 24 operate in the same manner in the vertical direction, that is, when operated in phase, and one of the left and right drive wheels 24 operates upward and the other is When operating in the direction, that is, when the left and right drive wheels 24 operate in opposite phases, the structure is twisted, and the roll of the vehicle body can be suitably suppressed.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3, a disc brake device (hereinafter sometimes abbreviated as “brake device”) 80 for braking the rotation of the wheel 40 is provided in the internal space of the wheel 40 constituting the drive wheel 24. ing. The brake device 80 generates a braking force by sliding contact between a disc rotor 50 as a brake rotating body fixed to the disc portion 46 of the wheel 40 and rotating together with the wheel 40, and a pair of brake pads 82 as friction materials. The caliper device 84 that holds the pair of brake pads 82 and the disc rotor 50 are configured. The caliper device 84 is fixed to the end surface of the main body portion 56 of the axle carrier 52 located in the inner space of the wheel 40, and a pair of brake pads 82 is a portion close to the outer periphery of each of both side surfaces of the disc rotor 50 (hereinafter referred to as “a”) , And may be referred to as “sliding contact surface”), and may be held close to and away from the sliding contact surface. The caliper device 84 is configured to press the pair of brake pads 82 against the disc rotor 50 in accordance with the operation of the brake pedal 34, and the pair of brake pads 82 are slidably contacted with the sliding surface of the disc brake 50. Braking force is generated.

  The axle hub 48 is fixedly fitted with an axle shaft 86 disposed coaxially with the rotation axis of the wheel 40, and the axle shaft 86 extends toward the inside of the vehicle. A through hole penetrating in the vehicle width direction is formed at the center of the main body portion 56 of the axle carrier 52, and the axle shaft 86 as a shaft passes through the boss portion 54 and the main body portion 56 of the axle carrier 52. Yes. As described above, the main body portion 56 of the axle carrier 52 protrudes from the inner space of the wheel 40 toward the inside of the vehicle, and an end portion of the axle shaft 86 that extends from the axle carrier 52 toward the inside of the vehicle is formed. The wheel 40 is located outside the internal space. At the end extending from the axle carrier 52, the axle shaft 86 is driven by a rotary electromagnetic motor 88.

  More specifically, a hollow cylindrical motor housing 90 is fixed to the end surface of the axle carrier 52 on the vehicle inner side, and the end of the axle shaft 86 extending from the axle carrier 52 is a bearing by the motor housing 90. Is held rotatably. A plurality of permanent magnets 92 as rotors of the electromagnetic motor 88 are fixedly disposed on the outer periphery of the axle shaft 86 located in the motor housing 90, and are rounded along the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the motor housing 90. A plurality of coils 94 as rotors are fixedly disposed on the circumference. The plurality of permanent magnets 92 and the coil 94 face each other, and they constitute a brushless DC motor. That is, the drive wheel 24 is rotationally driven by the electromagnetic motor 88 fixed to the axle carrier 52, and the electromagnetic motor 88 functions as a drive device in the wheel device 10. Although detailed description is omitted, the electromagnetic motor 88 also functions as a generator by the rotation of the drive wheel 24. By regenerating the current generated by the electromotive force by the electromagnetic motor 88, the drive device functions as a regenerative brake device.

  With the configuration as described above, the present wheel device 10 drives the driving wheel 24 and is fixed to the axle carrier 52 by the operation of the electromagnetic motor 88 fixed to the axle carrier 52 that rotatably holds the driving wheel 24. In addition, the drive wheel 24 is braked by operating the caliper device 84 of the brake device 80 so that the sliding contact surface of the disc rotor 50 and the brake pad 82 are slidably contacted. That is, an electromagnetic motor and a brake device are provided for each wheel, the wheel is driven by the electromagnetic motor, and the wheel is braked by the brake device. In a conventional wheel device in which an electromagnetic motor and a brake device are provided for each wheel, the electromagnetic motor and the brake device are usually disposed in the inner space of the wheel 40, and the electromagnetic motor and the brake device are provided for a small-diameter wheel. It was considered difficult to wear.

  As described above, the rim diameter of the wheel 40 constituting the wheel device 10 is 12 inches, which is a relatively small diameter. However, as can be seen from FIG. The electromagnetic motor 88 is disposed outside the inner space of the wheel 40, and the electromagnetic motor 88 and the brake device 80 are attached to the drive wheel 24 with a relatively large margin. Therefore, according to the present wheel device 10, the electromagnetic motor 88 and the brake device 80 can be mounted on the small-diameter wheel with a relatively large margin.

  Further, in a wheel device in which an electromagnetic motor and a brake device are provided for each wheel, the electromagnetic motor of the drive source tends to generate heat as the wheels are driven. The sliding surface of the rotor tends to generate heat. Thus, it is not desirable to dispose the electromagnetic motor and the disk rotor, which tend to generate heat when the vehicle is running, close to the inner space of the narrow wheel. In the wheel device 10, the disk rotor 50 is disposed in the internal space of the wheel 40, but the electromagnetic motor 88 is disposed outside the internal space. Further, an axle carrier 52 and a trailing arm 58 are disposed between the disk rotor 50 and the electromagnetic motor 88. Therefore, according to the present wheel device, the electromagnetic motor 88 and the disc rotor 50 that tend to generate heat when the vehicle is running are disposed at positions apart from each other, and another member is interposed between them. It is possible to take measures against heat generation of the electromagnetic motor 88 and the disk rotor 50.

  In the wheel device 10, the electromagnetic motor 88 is attached to the end surface of the axle carrier 52 on the vehicle inner side, and the outer diameter of the electromagnetic motor 88 is larger than the outer diameter of the axle carrier 52. For this reason, as can be seen from FIG. 4, the axle carrier 52 cannot be visually recognized by the electromagnetic motor 88 from the viewpoint inside the vehicle. That is, it is difficult to support the axle carrier 52 by the suspension arm that is arranged so as to extend in the vehicle width direction. In the present wheel device 10, the axle carrier 52 is supported by a trailing arm 58 disposed so as to extend in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and the trailing arm 58 constitutes a torsion beam suspension device. Therefore, according to this vehicle apparatus 10, it is not necessary to support the axle carrier 52 by the suspension arm disposed so as to extend in the vehicle width direction, and the driving wheel 24 can be suspended without difficulty. Yes.

Modification 1

  In FIG. 5, the wheel apparatus 100 which deform | transformed the said wheel apparatus 10 is shown. Since the wheel device 100 of the modified example has substantially the same configuration as the wheel device 10 except for the electromagnetic motor 102 and the brake device 104, they will be mainly described, and the components having the same functions are denoted by the same reference numerals. The description will be omitted or simplified using.

  In the wheel device 10, the brake device 80 is disposed in the inner space of the wheel 40 and the electromagnetic motor 88 is disposed outside the inner space of the wheel 40. As shown in FIG. 5, the electromagnetic motor 102 is disposed in the internal space of the wheel 40, and the brake device 104 is disposed outside the internal space of the wheel 40. More specifically, the axle hub 108 is inserted coaxially with the rotation axis of the wheel 40 in a through hole formed in the central portion of the disk portion 46 of the wheel 40 of the wheel device 100 of the modified example. The axle hub 108 includes a cylindrical portion 110 that is inserted into the through hole of the disk portion 46, a flange portion 112 that extends from the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion 110 in the radial direction, and is bolted to the disk portion 46 of the wheel 40, and A magnet holding portion 114 extending from the outer edge of the flange portion 112 to the vehicle inner side in the vehicle width direction, and a plurality of permanent magnets as a rotor on one circumference along the inner peripheral surface of the magnet holding portion 114. A magnet 116 is fixedly disposed. The axle carrier 52 that rotatably holds the cylindrical portion 110 of the axle hub 108 has a short cylindrical coil holding portion 118 on the outer periphery of the boss portion 54 of the axle carrier 52. A plurality of coils 120 as stators are fixedly disposed on the outer periphery. The plurality of permanent magnets 116 and the coil 120 face each other, and the permanent magnet 116 and the coil 120 constitute an electromagnetic motor 102 as a driving device.

  A cylindrical member 124 having a flange 122 formed at one end is inserted into a through hole formed in the center of the main body 56 of the axle carrier 52, and the flange 122 is connected to the main body 56 of the axle carrier 52. The cylindrical member 124 is rotatably held by the main body 52 in a state in which the cylindrical member 124 protrudes from the vehicle inside. A disc rotor 126 as a brake rotating body is bolted to the flange portion 122 projecting from the main body portion 56 to the vehicle inner side, and a caliper device 84 is provided on the end surface of the main body portion 56 of the axle carrier 52 on the vehicle inner side. Bolts are fastened. The pair of brake pads 82 that the caliper device 84 has are opposed to the portions of the both sides of the disk rotor 126 that are close to the outer periphery (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “sliding contact surfaces”), and the operation of the caliper device 84 Accordingly, the sliding contact surface is approached and separated. The cylindrical member 124 and the cylindrical portion 110 of the axle hub 108 are coaxially arranged, and the axle shaft 86 is fixedly fitted to the cylindrical member 124 and the cylindrical portion 110 of the axle hub 108. The axle carrier 52 is fixed to the trailing arm 58, and the drive wheel 24 is suspended by the torsion beam type suspension device in the wheel device 100 of the modified example as well as the wheel device 10 described above.

  With the configuration as described above, the wheel device 100 of the modified example also drives the driving wheel 24 by the operation of the electromagnetic motor 102 provided on the axle carrier 52 that rotatably holds the driving wheel 24, and the brake device 104. The drive wheel 24 is braked by operating the caliper device 84. Further, the only difference between the wheel device 100 of the modified example and the wheel device 10 is that the arrangement position of the electromagnetic motor and the arrangement position of the brake device are reversed, and the wheel device 100 of the modified example. In this case, the same effect as that of the wheel device 10 can be obtained.

Modification 2

  FIG. 6 shows a wheel device 150 obtained by further modifying the wheel device 100 of the modified example. The wheel device 150 of the further modified example, that is, the second modified example has substantially the same configuration as that of the wheel device 100 of the modified example, except for the brake device 152. The description will be omitted or simplified using the same reference numerals.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the brake device 152 included in the wheel device 150 of the second modified example is a disc rotor 154 that is bolted to the rim portion 44 of the wheel 40 and extends toward the inside of the vehicle, and the main body of the axle carrier 52. The caliper device 156 is fixed to the portion 56. The disk rotor 154 has a short cylindrical support portion 158 having an outer diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the rim portion 44, and a circle extending from the vehicle inner end portion of the support portion 158 toward the rotation axis of the wheel 40. The annular rim portion 44 of the wheel 40 is formed at the end portion (the left end portion in the drawing) opposite to the end portion from which the annular portion 160 of the support portion 158 extends. Bolts are fastened to the vehicle inner end (left end in the figure). For this reason, the annular portion 160 of the disk rotor 154 is located outside the internal space of the wheel 40. A pair of brake pads 162 that the caliper device 156 has are formed in portions close to the inner periphery of each of both side surfaces of the annular portion 160 located outside the internal space (hereinafter, also referred to as “sliding contact surfaces”). The pair of brake pads 162 are moved closer to and away from the sliding contact surface in accordance with the operation of the caliper device 156. The axle carrier 52 is fixed to the trailing arm 58 at the end surface inside the vehicle, and the driving wheel 24 is suspended by the torsion beam suspension device in the wheel device 150 of the second modified example.

  In the wheel device 150 of the second modified example, the entire electromagnetic motor 102 is disposed in the internal space of the wheel 40, and a caliper device 156 that occupies most of the space for disposing the brake device 152 outside the internal space, and A part of the disk rotor 154, more specifically, an annular portion 160 of the disk rotor 154 is disposed. Therefore, also in the wheel device 150 of the second modified example, it is possible to attach the electromagnetic motor 102 and the brake device 152 to the small-diameter wheel with a relatively large margin. Further, as the wheels are braked, the brake device 152 tends to generate heat, and in particular, the sliding surface of the disk rotor 154 tends to generate heat. In the wheel device 150 of the second modified example, the electromagnetic motor 102 is disposed in the internal space of the wheel 40, but the sliding surface of the disk rotor 154 is disposed outside the internal space. Therefore, according to the wheel device 150 of the second modification, it is possible to take measures against heat generation of the electromagnetic motor 102 and the disk rotor 154.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10: Wheel apparatus 40: Wheel 44: Rim part 46: Disc part 50: Disc rotor (brake rotating body) 52: Axle carrier (wheel holding member) 58: Trading arm (suspension arm) (torsion beam type suspension apparatus) 72: Torsion beam (Torsion beam suspension device) 80: Disc brake device (brake device) 82: Brake pad (friction material) 86: Axle shaft (shaft) 88: Electromagnetic motor (drive device) 92: Permanent magnet (rotor) 94: Coil ( Stator) 100: Wheel device 102: Electromagnetic motor (drive device) 104: Disc brake device (brake device) 116: Permanent magnet (rotor) 118: Coil holding unit (wheel holding) Material) 120: coil (stator) 126: disc rotor (brake holding member) 150: wheel device 152: Disk brake device (brake device) 154: disc rotor (brake rotating body) 162: Brake pad (friction material)

Claims (6)

A wheel having a rim portion and a disc portion continuous with the rim portion;
A wheel holding member for rotatably holding the wheel;
A driving device having a rotary electromagnetic motor including a stator and a rotor, the stator of the electromagnetic motor being fixed to the wheel holding member, and driving the wheel by the rotation of the rotor When,
A brake rotating body that rotates together with the wheel; and a brake device that generates a braking force by sliding the friction material against the brake rotating body, the friction member being supported by the wheel holding member. A wheel device,
One of at least a portion of the brake rotating body that is in sliding contact with the friction material and the entire electromagnetic motor is located inside a space surrounded by the rim portion and the disk portion, and the other is outside the space. Wheel device located.   The wheel device according to claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic motor and the brake rotating body are positioned with the wheel holding member interposed therebetween. The wheel holding member is disposed so as to extend in the front-rear direction of the vehicle and is attached to a suspension arm that is swingably held by the vehicle body at one end.
The wheel device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the electromagnetic motor and the brake rotating body are positioned with the wheel holding member and the suspension arm interposed therebetween.   The wheel device according to claim 3, wherein the suspension arm constitutes a torsion beam suspension device. The wheel device includes a shaft that is coaxially disposed with the rotation axis of the wheel and is fixedly connected to the disk portion of the wheel at one end portion;
The shaft penetrates the wheel holding member;
The wheel device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein one of the rotor of the electromagnetic motor and the brake rotating body is fixedly connected to the other end of the shaft.   The wheel device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a rim diameter of the wheel is 12 inches or less.

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