EE01537U1 - Wheel with adjustable angle - Google Patents

Abstract

Wheel with changeable angle of inclination is provided for transformation of a wheel to overcome different impediments that cannot be done with common wheels. The wheel is cut into segments along the axle of the wheel. A hub is fastened to the first end of the axle by bearings and an electromotor is fastened to the second end of the axle. Bearings permit free pivoting around the axle of the wheel. The shaft of the drive is inside the wheel axle for transferring the rotation from the electromotor to the hub of the wheel. Hollow axles are placed to the hub for fastening the wheel segments. The wheel segments may rotate freely on the hollow axles because they are placed by means of bearings. Servodrives are placed into the body of the hub by means of drive shaft, wherein the servodrives are united with wheel segments. The servodrive guarantees that segments turn from O-degree-angle to 90-degree-angle by means of the driveshaft.

Description

 Technical field

The invention belongs to the field of transport vehicles, more specifically, the invention relates to a wheel for a high-passenger transport vehicle.

State of the art

A solution is known (EPt 502843, Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH, published 02.02.2005), in which the transport vehicle has a platform with a chassis, at least four wheels, two belt-chain drives, a motor for the wheels and belts and a generator. The wheels are attached to the chassis of the body by means of rotating levers. Adjusting each wheel with the levers moves the platform horizontally over rough surfaces and slopes. The disadvantage of this solution is that the wheels rotate only on a horizontal surface with an angle of inclination of no more than 45°, which is not sufficient for overcoming complex obstacles on the road.

There is also a known solution (CN206049224, Ningbo Inst Mat Tech & Eng Cas, published on 29.03.2017), which has a multi-directional movement platform that can move in a straight line, sideways, on inclined surfaces, make turns on the spot, and whose movement is easy to control. The multi-directional movement platform includes a platform body and a pair of wheels mounted on the bottom of the platform. The pair of wheels includes at least two steering wheels, each steering wheel includes a degree of freedom of rotational movement and a degree of freedom of driving movement. In one embodiment, each steering wheel includes one motor, and the degree of freedom of rotational movement of the steering wheel is controlled by the first motor, and each driving wheel includes a second motor, and the degree of freedom of the driving wheel is controlled by the second motor. The disadvantage of this solution is its complex structure, which on inaccessible roads immediately fills with mud and stops working.

A solution called "Mobile Platform" (US2011100733, National Taiwan University, published 05.05.2011) is known, which includes a housing, hybrid wheels and actuating mechanisms. The actuating mechanisms are arranged between the respective hybrid wheels and the housing and ensure the rotational movement and translational movement of the hybrid wheels, whereby the rotational movement and translational movement are actuated independently. The rotational movement degree of freedom allows the hybrid wheels to rotate relative to the drive axle, while the translational movement degree of freedom allows

hybrid wheels move relative to the drive axle, with the direction of rotation perpendicular to the direction of travel. The disadvantage of this solution is its complex design, where the inclination angle of the wheels of the wheelset can only be changed together, which reduces the ability of the vehicle to travel on inaccessible (difficult to pass) roads.

A wheel of a planetary transport vehicle (so-called planetary rover) is known (RU2419554C2, Gultjaev, A.M, published 27.05.2011), which has a wheel hub with lateral openings in which movable axles are placed, in which hollow spheres are placed. The movable axles are attached to the hollow spheres from the side. The technical result is an expansion of the scope of use of the wheel. The disadvantage of this solution is that in the solution aimed at increasing the permeability on weak bearing surfaces, the nature of the mechanism for rotating the hollow spheres on the axles relative to the wheel hub is not disclosed. It can be assumed that this mechanism increases the mass of the wheel and the advantage of the solution decreases, since when implementing the solution, the pressure on the soil increases due to the increase in the mass of the wheel.

The essence of the invention

The aim of the invention is to produce a wheel with a new design, i.e. a wheel with a variable inclination angle, the design of which allows the transformation of the wheel to overcome obstacles that are insurmountable for a conventional wheel.

The presented wheel is cut along the wheel axis into segments, with the distance between the segments being greater than the diameter of the wheel axis. A wheel hub is attached to one end of the wheel axis using bearings, and an electric motor is attached to the other end of the wheel axis. A drive shaft is arranged inside the wheel axis, which is intended to transmit rotation from the electric motor to the wheel hub. Hollow axles are arranged radially on the wheel hub to attach the segments, and the wheel segments are arranged on the hollow axles using bearings. Servo drives are arranged in the wheel hub housing using the shaft, The angle of inclination of the wheel is variable from 0 degrees to 90 degrees relative to the ground. A commutator is intended to supply power to the servo drives. The wheel segments are rotatable in different planes, which allows the transformation of the wheel to overcome obstacles that are insurmountable for a conventional wheel.

List of drawings

Figure 1A shows a front view of the wheel;

Figure 1B shows a side view of the wheel;

Figure 1C shows a top view of the wheel;

Figure 2 shows a cross-section of a wheel hub;

Figure 3 shows a wheel with an axis in the plane of the wheel;

Figure 4 shows a position of the wheel in which the wheel axis and the wheel plane are perpendicular to each other.

Example of carrying out the invention

The presented wheel with a variable inclination angle includes a wheel axle 1, a wheel hub 2, cut wheel segments 3, an electric motor 4, bearings 5 for the wheel hub 2, a seal 6 for the inner bearing 5, a drive shaft 7, hollow axles 8, bearings 9 for the hollow axles 8, a commutator 10, a commutator seal ring 11, a shaft 12 inside the housing of the wheel hub 2, servo drives 13, contact rings 14 for transmitting voltage to the commutator 10.

The presented wheel is cut along the wheel axis 1 into two segments 3. A wheel hub 2 is attached to one end of the wheel axis 1, and an electric motor 4 is attached to the other end of the wheel axis 1. The wheel hub 2 is placed on the wheel axis 1 by means of bearings 5. The inner bearing 5 of the wheel hub 2 has a seal 6. Inside the wheel axis 1 is a drive shaft 7. Hollow axles 8 are radially placed on the wheel hub 2. The wheel segments 3 are placed on the hollow axles 8 by means of bearings 9. Servo drives 13 are placed in the housing of the wheel hub 2 by means of a shaft 12. The servo drives receive power from a commutator 10, which has a sealing ring 11.

The invention is based on a conventional wheel that has been cut into two segments 3. As a result of cutting into segments, a distance d1 is created between the two segments 3, which is larger than the diameter d2 of the wheel axle 1. A wheel hub 2 is attached to the wheel axle 1, the bearings 5 of which allow the wheel hub 2 to rotate freely around the wheel axle 1. A seal 6 protects the bearing 5 from dust and moisture. The drive shaft 7 inside the wheel axle 1 transmits the rotation of the electric motor 4 to the wheel hub 2. Radially arranged hollow axles 8 are intended for attaching the wheel segments 3. The wheel segments 3 rotate freely on the shaft 12 using bearings 9 or bushings. Two servo drives 13 are connected to the wheel segments 3 using the shaft 12.

The wheel is cut into segments 3. A hollow axle 8, attached to the wheel hub 2, passes through the cut between the segments when the segments are rotated by servo drives 13.

While the hollow axle 8 passes through the section between the segments 3 of the wheel (in the position when the hollow axle 8 is in the plane of the wheel), the wheel is on the ground with its entire lateral surface sideways. At this moment, the wheel's contact surface with the ground is maximum. Continuing to rotate in the same direction using the servo drives 13, the wheel again changes its angle of inclination relative to the ground from 0 degrees to 90 degrees and at 90 degrees the wheel is in the normal wheel rolling position or continues to move sideways (e.g. to pass an obstacle that is insurmountable for it).

The wheel can start moving longitudinally at any time at any angle of inclination by rotating the longitudinal shaft.

The wheel segments 3 can rotate synchronously with the help of the hollow axle 8 not only in one plane, but also in different planes, because each segment has its own servo drive 13 and is used to find optimal support points for the wheel on the ground.

The wheel segments 3 have the ability to rotate freely on hollow axles because they are mounted using bearings 9.

The servo drive 13, using the shaft 12, ensures the rotation of the segment 3 up to an angle of 90 degrees.

The servo drive 13 is powered from the on-board network of the vehicle equipped with the wheel of the presented design, using a 2- or 3-contact switch 10, which ensures the supply of current for the rotation of the servo drives in the forward and reverse directions. The switch 10 is protected from dust and moisture by sealing rings 11.

The presented wheel rolls on flat ground like a regular wheel, but when obstacles appear on the road, the wheel changes its angle of inclination relative to the rolling plane from 90 degrees to 0 degrees.

During normal movement, the electric motor 4, which is attached to the wheel axle 1, transfers rotation to the wheel hub 2, which is mounted on bearings 5, via the drive shaft 7, and the wheel starts moving on flat ground. If obstacles appear or for some other reason (e.g. towing), it is possible to transform the wheel.

Voltage is supplied to the commutator 10 via the contact rings 14, which is connected to the servo drives 13 by wire.

The servo drives 13 rotate up to an angle of 90 degrees, and using the shaft 12, the servo drives 13 rotate the segments 3 from an angle of 0 degrees to an angle of 90 degrees, respectively.

Thus, the wheel changes the fulcrum and the support surface. The maximum support surface is the entire lateral surface of the wheel (when the wheel is on its side on the ground).

In this position of the wheel, the electric motor 4 rotates the drive shaft 7 and the wheel begins to "step" over obstacles, overcoming them.

After overcoming the obstacle, acting in the reverse order, the wheel is returned to its original position and can continue rolling as usual.

List of symbols

1 - wheel axle

2 - wheel hub

3 - wheel segment

4 - electric motor

5 - wheel hub bearings

6 - inner bearing 5 seal

7 - drive shaft

8 - hollow axis for attaching segments

9 - segment bearings

10 - commutator

11 - commutator seal ring

12 - segment rotation shaft

13 - servo drive

14 - slip rings

Claims (7)

1. A wheel with a variable inclination angle, comprising a wheel hub, an electric motor, shafts, and drives, characterized in that - the wheel comprises a wheel axle (1); - the wheel is cut into segments (3), with the distance (d1) between the segments (3) being greater than the diameter (d2) of the wheel axle (1); - a wheel hub (2) is attached to one end of the wheel axle (1) by means of bearings (5) and an electric motor (4) is attached to the other end of the wheel axle (1); - a drive shaft (7) is arranged inside the wheel axle (1); - hollow axles (8) are arranged radially on the wheel hub (2); - wheel segments (3) are arranged on the hollow axles (8) by means of bearings (9); - servo drives (13) are arranged in the housing of the wheel hub (2) by means of a shaft (12); - the wheel has a commutator (10) and commutator contact rings (14). 2. A wheel with a variable inclination angle according to claim 1, characterized in that the inclination angle of the wheel relative to the ground is variable from 0 degrees to 90 degrees. 3. A wheel with a variable inclination angle according to claim 1, characterized in that the drive shaft (7) is intended to transmit rotation from the electric motor (4) to the wheel hub (2). 4. A wheel with a variable inclination angle according to claim 1, characterized in that radially arranged hollow axles (8) are provided for fastening the wheel segments (3). 5. A wheel with a variable inclination angle according to claim 1, characterized in that the servo drives (13) are connected to the wheel segments (3) by means of a shaft (12). 6. A wheel with a variable inclination angle according to claim 1, characterized in that the commutator (10) is intended to power the servo drives (13) via contact rings (14). 7. A wheel with a variable inclination angle according to claim 1, characterized in that the segments (3) of the wheel are rotatable in different planes.