JPS63149263A - Wheel steering device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To aim at simplifying the structure of the vehicle body side, by arranging a drive section for turning wheels in accordance with a steering signal, on the wheel supporting member side so that the wheels are steered by a reaction from the vehicle body side due to the drive power of the drive section. CONSTITUTION:A motor 21 as a drive section is arranged on an arm 28 extending above a knuckle 7 as a wheel supporting member. This motor 21 is constituted such that an output shaft 24 is projected in the lower section of a housing 22 through the intermediary of a speed reduction mechanism 23, and is coupled with a bar 25 having T-like shape in a plan view. This T-like bar 25 has both longitudinal ends 27 coupled with links 31 having the same length, serving as power receiving sections, through the intermediary of support shafts 28. Meanwhile, a tie rod 33 as a vehicle body side member is laid between the arm section 8 of the knuckle 7 and is pivotally supported to the knuckle 7 through a support shaft 35. The outer ends of the above-mentioned links 31 are pivotally attached to the front and rear parts on the side near to the outer end of the tie rod 33 through the intermediary of support shafts 36.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] (Industrial application field) The present invention relates to a wheel steering device for a vehicle.

(Prior art) In vehicles, wheels are steered in response to steering signals, and conventionally, a drive unit such as a motor installed on the vehicle body and left and right wheel support members were connected by a power transmission unit. . JP-A-59-184062 discloses a vehicle in which a power switching section is interposed in the power transmission section so that one wheel on the left and the right and the other wheel can be steered in opposite directions.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In this way, conventionally, a drive unit that steers the wheels in response to a steering signal was installed in the vehicle body, so a connection mechanism between this drive unit and the left and right wheel support members was also required. As a result, the vehicle body structure was complicated.

Furthermore, even if a power switching unit is provided as disclosed in the above-mentioned prior art publication, the left and right wheels can only be steered by simply switching them to the same direction or opposite directions, and it is not possible to steer the left and right wheels purely independently. It was impossible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a wheel steering device for a vehicle that has a simplified structure on the vehicle body side and also allows each wheel to be steered independently.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a wheel support member (7) rotatably supporting the wheel (3) and rotatably attached to the vehicle body (B). A drive unit (21) that steers the wheels (3) according to a steering signal is installed on the side, and the driving force of the drive unit (21) is received and the reaction force is used to steer the wheels via the drive unit (21). It is characterized in that a power receiving part (31) for steering the support member (7) is provided on the vehicle body (B) side.

(Function) When the drive unit (21) installed on the wheel support member (7) side operates, the driving force is transferred to the power receiver (21) installed on the vehicle body (B) side.
31), and the reaction force causes the drive unit (21)
The wheel support member (7) is steered together with the wheel support member (7).

Since the drive unit (21) is installed on the wheel support member (7) side, it is only necessary to provide the vehicle body (B) with a power receiving unit (31) to receive the driving force and generate a reaction force. Therefore, the structure on the vehicle body side can be simplified, and each wheel can be independently steered.

(Example) Examples will be described below based on the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a wheel steering device showing an example of the present invention, and (1) is a steering handle.

(3) is the wheel, (5) is the hub, (7) is the knuckle that forms the wheel support member, (11) is the upper arm, (13) is the lower arm, (15) is the hydraulic damper, and (17) is the radius rod. . Tire (4) as shown in Figure 2
The hub (5) to which the wheel (3) to which the wheel is attached is bolted is provided integrally with the axle (8), and the axle (8) is attached to the knuckle (
7), and a drive shaft (19) is further connected to the axle (6) via a constant velocity joint (18). Also, the knuckle (7) is located at the upper and lower ends of the upper arm (11).
) and lower arm (13), respectively.
) and (14), and the lower end of the hydraulic damper (15) is connected to the lower arm (13) via the drive shaft (14).
9) are connected via a bifurcated portion (16) through which a radius rod (17) is connected. As shown in FIG. 5, the upper arm (11) and the lower arm (13) are pivotally connected to the vehicle body (B) at their inner ends so as to be able to swing vertically, and the upper end of the hydraulic damper (15) and the radius rod (17) ) is also tied to the vehicle body. Although the wheels (3) are illustrated as driving wheels, they may also be rolling wheels.

In the above, a motor (21) serving as a drive section is installed on the arm section (8) extending above the knuckle (7). The motor (21) has an output shaft (24) protruding through a reduction mechanism (23) at the bottom of its housing (22).

The housing (21) is bolted and fixed inside the arm part (8). A T-shaped bar (25) in plan view is connected to the output shaft (24) as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. That is, the outer end (26) extending forward from the center of the T-shaped bar (25) is fitted with serrations to the output shaft (24) and fixed with bolts, and both front and rear ends of the T-shaped bar (25) are fixed. (27), (27) has a support shaft (28), (2B)
Links (31) and (31) of the same length that form the power receiving section via
) respectively.

On the other hand, a tie rod (33) serving as a vehicle body side member is installed between the arm portion (8) of the knuckle (7) and the vehicle body (B). As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the tie rod (33) is made of a steel plate and has a cavity (34) through which the damper (15) passes, and this tie rod (33) is placed below the motor (21). The arm portion (8) is pivotally attached to the knuckle (7) via a support shaft (35) below the arm portion (8). This support shaft (35) is arranged to coincide with the steering axis (K) obtained by connecting the ball joints (12) and (14), and the tie rod (33) is connected to the vehicle body (B) as shown in FIG. The inner end thereof is pivoted so that it can swing vertically and move horizontally.

Links (
31) and (31) in parallel, and attach their outer ends to the support shaft (3B
).

(3B), and when the wheel (3) is in the neutral steering state, the support shaft (
2B), (28), (3B), and (311+) are initially set to be located at the four corners of the rectangle. Note that the tie rod (33) is swingable at the intermediate portion by the pivot shafts (39), (39).

The wheel steering device configured as described above is schematically shown in the fifth section.
It becomes as shown in Fig. and Fig. 6.

Next, its function will be explained.

First, when the output shaft (24) is driven by the motor (21) and tries to start rotating, for example clockwise in FIG. Since this T-shaped bar (25) is restrained from rotating by parallel links (31), (31) pivoted to both front and rear ends (27), (27), the reaction force causes rotation around the output shaft (24). The housing (22) of the motor (21) begins to rotate relatively counterclockwise. As a result, the knuckle (7) integrated with the motor (21) is aligned with the steering axis (K) as shown in the imaginary line.
At the same time, the T-shaped bar (25) integrated with the output shaft (24) on the fixed side runs parallel to the tie rod (33) via the parallel links (31), (31). Will have to move. Therefore, the relative rotation angle between the housing (22) of the motor (21) and the output shaft (24) is obtained as the steering angle (β) of the wheel (3).

Furthermore, since each wheel is equipped with a motor, it is also possible to steer each wheel independently.

Such a wheel steering device, for example, as shown in FIG.
(3) Rudder angle status (βL), (βR) and vehicle speed status (Ma)
is input into the CPU (41), and an optimal steering signal is output to the steering drive control circuit (42) to drive the motor (21).

(21) is configured to control the operation of (21).

By the way, the above configuration can be applied to both the front and rear wheels, and the wheel suspension system is not limited to the example.
It is also possible to configure a gear mechanism on the motor output shaft and the vehicle body side to function in the same way, and it is also possible to use a hydraulic drive unit in place of the motor.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the present invention, the drive unit that steers the wheels in response to a steering signal is installed on the wheel support member side, and the wheels are rotated by the reaction force from the vehicle body due to the drive force. Since the vehicle is steered, it is only necessary to provide a power receiving section or the like on the vehicle body side, which simplifies the structure of the vehicle body, and also enables independent steering of each wheel.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a wheel steering device showing an example of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cutaway rear view of a suspension device including a part of the steering device, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are diagrams of the steering device. A rear view and a plan view showing the main parts, and FIGS. 5 and 6 are a schematic rear view and the same plan view of the steering device. In the drawings, (3) is a wheel, (7) is a knuckle that forms a wheel support member, (21) is a motor that forms a drive unit, and (24)
is an output shaft, (25) is a T-bar, (31) is a parallel link forming a power receiving section, (33) is a tie rod, (B) is a vehicle body, and (K) is a steering axis.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] In a vehicle equipped with a drive unit that steers wheels in response to a steering signal, the drive unit is installed on the side of a wheel support member that rotatably supports the wheels and is attached to the vehicle body so that the wheels can be steered. On the other hand, a vehicle is provided with a power receiving part on the vehicle body side for receiving the driving force of the driving part and using the reaction force to steer the wheel support member via the driving part. Wheel steering device.