US 6,267,188 B1 · Drive assembly for independently driving vehicle wheels

Abstract

A drive assembly for independently driving wheels of a vehicle is disclosed. The drive assembly includes a wheel set positioned at a left or right side of the vehicle. The wheel set includes inner and outer wheels and tires associated with the inner and outer wheels. A drive mechanism, such as an electric motor, rotatably drives the inner and outer wheels. The drive assembly further includes a differential disposed between the inner and outer wheels and responds to the drive mechanism to permit one of the inner and outer wheels to rotate independent of the other of the inner and outer wheels. That is, upon a turn of the vehicle, the differential permits the inner and outer wheels to realize different rotational speeds as the inner and outer wheels are being rotatably driven by the drive mechanism. As such, scrubbing or dragging of the tires associated with the wheels is eliminated. Additionally, the drive assembly of the subject invention can incorporate a second wheel set and tires, a second drive mechanism, and a second differential positioned at the opposite side of the vehicle to eliminate scrubbing of the tires associated with the second wheel set.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A drive assembly for independently driving wheels of a vehicle, said assembly comprising:

a first wheel set positioned at a first lateral side of the vehicle, said first wheel set including a first inner wheel and a first outer wheel;
a first drive mechanism for rotatably driving said first inner and outer wheels;
a first differential disposed between said first inner and outer wheels and driven by said first drive mechanism to permit one of said first inner and outer wheels to rotate independent of the other of said first inner and outer wheels thereby effecting different rotational speeds to said first inner and outer wheels;
and
a first controller for communicating a control signal to said first drive mechanism to rotatably drive said first inner and outer wheels.

2 more elements

A wheel set assembly for independently driving wheels of a vehicle, said assembly comprising:

a first wheel set having an inner and an outer wheel;
a second wheel set having and inner and an outer wheel;
a first electric motor having a first output shaft for rotatably driving said first wheel set;
a first differential disposed between said inner and outer wheels of said first wheel set and driven by said first output shaft of said first electric motor to permit one of said inner and outer wheels to rotate independent of the other of said inner and outer wheels thereby effecting different rotational speeds to said inner and outer wheels;
a first sensor for sensing an actual turning radius of said first wheel set of the vehicle and generating a first steering signal;
a second electric motor having a second output shaft for rotatably driving said second wheel set;
a second differential disposed between said inner and outer wheels of said second wheel set and driven by said second output shaft of said second electric motor to permit one of said inner and outer wheels to rotate independent of the other of said inner and outer wheels thereby effecting different rotational speeds to said inner and outer wheels;
and
a second sensor for sensing an actual turning radius of said second wheel set of the vehicle and generating a second steering signal wherein said first and second steering signals are compared to a desired turning radius to adjust control of said first and second electric motors.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Drive assembly for independently driving vehicle wheels

Life of this patent

Drive assembly for independently driving vehicle wheels

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14