Integrated two-wheel drive module and method of joining integrated two-wheel drive module and cabin

An integrated two-wheel drive module, the module comprising:

• a module body having two side portions, wherein a battery and a controller are disposed in the module body, wherein each of the side portions of the module body extends upward to define a space, and wherein an upper end of each of the side portions extends to one side to define a shoulder portion;
• a pair of wheels mounted on two side surfaces of the module body, respectively, in the space defined by each side portion of the module body extending upward, wherein wheel frames are disposed in each of the wheels, respectively, and wherein each of the wheels is rotatable with respect to the wheel frame disposed therein;
• in-wheel motors mounted in each of the wheel frames, respectively, the in-wheel motors being configured to rotate the wheels by receiving power from the battery under control of the controller;
• joining brackets disposed on a first surface of each of the wheel frames, respectively;
• a steering device mounted in the module body and connected to each of the wheel frames through respective ball joints;
• suspensions mounted between the shoulder portions of the module body and the joining brackets disposed on each of the wheel frames, respectively, wherein the suspensions are configured to absorb an impact of a road surface that is transmitted from the wheels such that the impact is not transmitted to the module body, and wherein the steering device is configured to receive the power from the battery under the control of the controller and rotate the wheel frames in a horizontal direction with respect to connection points between the suspensions and the joining brackets;
• a plurality of joining protrusions disposed on an upper, front, or rear surface of the module body;
• and
• a connector coupled to a selected joining protrusion among the plurality of joining protrusions, wherein the connector is configured to engage with a joining portion disposed on a cabin.

A method of joining an integrated two-wheel drive module and a cabin, the method comprising:

• preparing the integrated two-wheel drive module comprising a module body, a battery and a controller disposed in the module body, a plurality of joining protrusions disposed on an upper, front, or rear surface of the module body, a connector coupled to a selected joining protrusion among the plurality of joining protrusions, a pair of wheels mounted on two side surfaces of the module body and being rotatable with respect to wheel frames disposed in each of the wheels, in-wheel motors mounted in the wheel frames and rotating the wheels by receiving power from the battery under control of the controller, steering devices mounted in the module body and connected to the wheel frames through ball joints, and suspensions mounted between the module body and the wheel frames, and the cabin having a joining portion which is engageable to the connector;
• moving, by the controller, the integrated two-wheel drive module toward the cabin;
• detecting, by the controller, a position of the joining portion of the cabin and a position of the connector joined to the integrated two-wheel drive module;
• adjusting, by the controller, a position and a height of the integrated two-wheel drive module based on the positions of the joining portion and the connector;
• and
• coupling, by the controller, the connector with the joining portion by moving the integrated two-wheel drive module.