# US 12,179,862 B2 · Vehicle corner modules and systems and methods for installation thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,179,862 B2 - Document ID: US12179862B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/563,941 - Filed: 2022-06-02 - Published: 2024-08-08 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2021-06-04 - Assignees: Ree Automotive Ltd - Applicants: Ree Automotive Ltd. - Inventors: Ahishay Sardes; Zohar Goldenstein; Amit Aknin; Eylon Avigur; Gal Zohar; Michael Oisgeld; Tomer Schindler; Ran Dekel; Tomer Segev; Eran Starik - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179862B2 ## CPC - B62D 63/025: {Modular vehicles (superstructures for busses having modular sections B62D31/025)} - B62D 65/04: Joining preassembled modular units composed of sub-units performing diverse functions, e.g. engine and bonnet (B62D65/06 - B62D65/16 take precedence) - B60R 16/0231: {Circuits relating to the driving or the functioning of the vehicle (monitoring tyres B60C23/00; indicating overspeed B60K31/00; for dash boards B60K37/00, B60Q3/10; for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52; brake control systems B60T; registering or indicating the working of vehicles G07C5/00; measuring distance G01C, e.g. combinations of speed and distance G01C23/00; engine indicators G01L; measuring speed or acceleration G01P)} - B60R 16/08: fluid - B62D 65/024: {Positioning of sub-units or components with respect to body shell or other sub-units or components} - B62D 65/12: the sub-units or components being suspensions, brakes or wheel units - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract Vehicle corner modules (VCMs) connectable to a VCM-connection interface of a reference-frame of a vehicle platform, for regulating motion of a vehicle. When a wheel is mounted on a wheel-hub assembly of the VCM, a vehicle-connection interface of the VCM is disposed within a cylindrical footprint of the wheel. At least one of the at least one subsystem of the VCM is accommodated between the wheel-hub assembly and the vehicle-connection interface. Vehicle platforms are connectable to the VCMs. The connection of the vehicle platform to the VCM may include connection of subsystems of the VCM to electronic or flow subsystems mounted on the vehicle platform by connection of two portions of a multi-interface connection-element. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle corner module (VCM) reversibly connectable to a reference-frame of a vehicle platform, for regulating motion of a vehicle, via a multi-interface connection element for connection of multiple electronic and/or flow vehicle subsystems of the vehicle to the VCM, the multi-interface connection-element having a vehicle-platform-portion mountable onto the reference frame of the vehicle, the VCM comprising: a sub-frame; a VCM-portion of the multi-interface connection-element, mounted onto the sub-frame and adapted for connection to the vehicle-platform-portion of the multi-interface connection-element; a motion actuator coupled to the VCM-portion of the multi-interface connection-element, the motion actuator adapted to actuate relative motion between the VCM-portion and the vehicle-platform-portion for connection therebetween; a wheel-hub assembly comprising a wheel-hub adapted for mounting of a wheel thereon; and at least one subsystem of the vehicle, mounted onto the sub-frame, the at least one subsystem being selected from the group of subsystems consisting of a drive subsystem, a steering subsystem, a suspension subsystem, and a braking subsystem. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The VCM of claim 1, wherein, when the sub-frame includes a vehicle-connection interface adapted for connection of the sub-frame to a VCM-connection interface forming part of the reference-frame. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The VCM of claim 2, wherein: the at least one subsystem comprises at least one of: a subsystem disposed between the wheel-hub assembly and the vehicle-connection interface; and a subsystem mounted onto a portion of the sub-frame adapted, when the sub-frame is connected to the reference-frame, to be disposed within the reference frame, between upper and lower surfaces of the reference frame. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The VCM of claim 2, wherein all of the subsystems in the plurality of subsystems are disposed between the wheel-hub assembly and the vehicle-connection interface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The VCM of claim 1, wherein each of the multiple electronic and/or flow subsystems is selected from the group consisting of a power supply of the vehicle, a control-circuit of the vehicle, a computerized controller of the vehicle, a network bus of the vehicle, a network interface of the vehicle, a coolant flow subsystem of the vehicle, an oil flow subsystem of the vehicle, and a brake-fluid flow subsystem of the vehicle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The VCM of claim 1, wherein each of the multiple electronic and/or flow subsystems comprises an electronic subsystem selected from the group consisting of a power supply of the vehicle, a control-circuit of the vehicle, a computerized controller of the vehicle, a network bus of the vehicle, and a network interface of the vehicle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The VCM of claim 1, wherein each of the multiple electronic and/or flow subsystems comprises a flow subsystem selected from the group consisting of a coolant flow subsystem of the vehicle, an oil flow subsystem of the vehicle, and a brake-fluid flow subsystem of the vehicle. ### Claim 8 A vehicle comprising: a vehicle platform including a reference frame; at least one vehicle corner module (VCM) connected to the reference-frame, the at least one VCM adapted for regulating motion of the vehicle, the VCM comprising: a sub-frame; a wheel-hub assembly comprising a wheel-hub adapted for mounting of a wheel thereon; and at least one subsystem of the vehicle, mounted onto the sub-frame, the at least one subsystem being selected from the group of subsystems consisting of a drive subsystem, a steering subsystem, a suspension subsystem, and a braking subsystem multiple electronic and/or flow subsystems, each selected from the subsystem group consisting of a power supply, a control-circuit, a computerized controller, a network bus, a network interface, a coolant flow subsystem, an oil flow subsystem, and a brake fluid flow subsystem; a multi-interface connection-element including: a vehicle-platform-portion mounted onto the reference-frame and connected to the multiple electronic and/or flow subsystems; a VCM-portion mounted onto the sub-frame, and reversibly connected to the vehicle-platform-portion; and a motion actuator adapted to actuate relative motion between the VCM-portion and the vehicle-platform-portion of the multi-interface connection-element for connection therebetween, wherein each of the VCM-portion and the vehicle-platform-portion includes multiple connection interfaces for connection to the other of the VCM-portion and the vehicle-platform-portion, and wherein, connection of the VCM-portion to the vehicle-platform-portion of the multi-interface connection-element result in connection of the VCM to the multiple electronic and/or flow subsystems. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The vehicle of claim 8, wherein sub-frame includes a vehicle-connection interface, the reference-frame includes a VCM-connection interface, and the vehicle-connection interface is reversibly and mechanically connected to the VCM-connection interface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The vehicle of claim 8, wherein each of the multiple electronic and/or flow subsystems comprises an electronic subsystem selected from the group consisting of a power supply of the vehicle, a control-circuit of the vehicle, a computerized controller of the vehicle, a network bus of the vehicle, and a network interface of the vehicle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The vehicle of claim 8, wherein each of the multiple electronic and/or flow subsystems comprises a flow subsystem selected from the group consisting of a coolant flow subsystem of the vehicle, an oil flow subsystem of the vehicle, and a brake-fluid flow subsystem of the vehicle. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the motion actuator extends between a back portion of the VCM and a front portion of the VCM. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the motion actuator is adapted to actuate motion of the VCM-portion toward the vehicle-platform-portion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the motion actuator is adapted to actuate motion of the vehicle-platform-portion toward the VCM-portion. ### Claim 15 A multi-interface connection-element for connection of multiple electronic and/or flow vehicle subsystems of a vehicle to a Vehicle Corner Module (VCM) mounted onto a reference-frame of a vehicle platform of the vehicle, the VCM being adapted to regulate motion of the vehicle, the multi-interface connection-element comprising: a vehicle-platform-portion mountable onto the reference frame of the vehicle, the vehicle-platform-portion comprising multiple connection interfaces, each adapted to be associated with one of the multiple electronic and/or flow vehicle subsystems; a VCM-portion, mountable onto a sub-frame of the VCM, the VCM-portion comprising multiple corresponding connection interfaces adapted for connection to the multiple connection interfaces of the vehicle-platform-portion; and a motion actuator adapted to actuate relative motion between the VCM-portion and the vehicle-platform-portion of the multi-interface connection-element for connection therebetween, wherein connection of the connection interfaces of the vehicle-platform-portion to the multiple corresponding connection interfaces of the VCM-portion results in connection of the VCM to the multiple electronic and/or flow subsystems. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The multi-interface connection-element of claim 15, wherein connection of the connection interfaces of the vehicle-platform-portion to the multiple corresponding connection interfaces of the VCM-portion results in connection of at least one VCM-subsystem to at least one of the multiple electronic and/or flow subsystems. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The multi-interface connection-element of claim 15, wherein the motion actuator extends between a back portion of the VCM and a front portion of the VCM. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The multi-interface connection-element of claim 17, wherein the motion actuator is disposed at a different portion of the VCM than the VCM-portion, such that motion of the VCM-portion can be actuated even when the VCM-portion is inaccessible. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The multi-interface connection-element of claim 17, wherein the motion actuator comprises at least one of: a fastener connected to the VCM-portion by a connector cable, and wherein motion of the VCM-portion is actuated by operating the fastener to transfer movement actuation forces from the fastener to the VCM-portion; and a fastener connected to the VCM-portion by a fluid-flow conduit, and wherein motion of the VCM-portion is actuated by transmitting a fluid through the fluid-flow conduit from the fastener to the VCM-portion. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The multi-interface connection-element of claim 15, wherein the motion actuator includes an electrical motor, adapted to be remotely operated by a remote controller.