IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,789,178
Granted Patent B2
US 7,789,178 · App. 11/596,724 · Granted Sep 7, 2010

Wheel support device

Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha; Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,789,178
App. No.
11/596,724
Granted
Sep 7, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

A wheel support device ( 200 ) includes a spring ( 302, 304 ) fitted to an in-wheel motor ( 70 ) and damping the vibration of a motor-driven wheel ( 100 ) and the in-wheel motor ( 70 ) by extending and retracting, a knuckle ( 180 ) attached to the spring ( 302, 304 ) and rotatably supporting the motor-driven wheel ( 100 ), a center part ( 306 ) of a dynamic mass damper mechanism ( 300 ) vibrating together with the in-wheel motor ( 70 ) by a force given from a road surface when a vehicle runs, an upper part ( 310 ) thereof restricting the vibration of the in-wheel motor ( 70 ) by coming into contact with the center part ( 306 ) at a prescribed region, and a cushioning member ( 322, 324 ) fitted to a portion of the center part ( 306 ) or the upper part ( 310 ) corresponding to the prescribed region brought into contact with the other.

Claims (34)

1. A wheel support device supporting a motor generating motive power, a wheel , and a motive power transmitting mechanism connected to an output shaft of said motor and transmitting said motive power to said wheel, comprising:

a resilient member fitted to said motor and damping vibration of said wheel and said motor by extending and retracting;

a rotary support member attached to said resilient member and rotatably supporting said wheel;

a vibrating member vibrating together with said motor by a force received from a road surface when a vehicle runs;

a restricting member restricting the vibration of said motor by coming into contact with said vibrating member at a prescribed region;

a vibration damping mechanism connected to said vibrating member and said rotary support member and damping vibration of said resilient member to restrict extension and retraction of said resilient member; and

a cushioning member provided at a portion of one of said vibrating member and said restricting member corresponding to said prescribed region brought into contact with the other, wherein

said cushioning member corresponds to rubber members provided at said vibration damping mechanism, one on the side of said vibrating member and one on the side of said restricting member, spaced apart from each other.

2. The wheel support device according to claim 1 , wherein said cushioning member is provided at a region on an orbit of the vibration of said vibrating member at which said vibrating member and said restricting member come into contact with each other.

3. The wheel support device according to claim 1 , wherein said cushioning member is provided at said rotary support member.

4. The wheel support device according to claim 1 , wherein said cushioning member is a member absorbing an impact due to the vibration of said motor.

5. The wheel support device according to claim 1 , wherein

said resilient member is formed of a pair of resilient members arranged in a vertical direction,

one of said pair of resilient members is coupled to an upper part of said rotary support member, and

the other one of said pair of resilient members is coupled to a lower part of said rotary support member.

6. The wheel support device according to claim 1 , wherein said motive power transmitting mechanism is a constant velocity joint.

7. The wheel support device according to claim 1 , wherein said motive power transmitting mechanism is a flexible coupling.

8. A wheel support device supporting a motor generating motive power, a wheel, and a motive power transmitting mechanism connected to an output shaft of said motor and transmitting said motive power to said wheel, comprising:

a resilient member fitted to said motor and damping vibration of said wheel and said motor by extending and retracting;

a rotary support member attached to said resilient member and rotatably supporting said wheel;

a vibrating member vibrating together with said motor by a force received from a road surface when a vehicle runs;

a restricting member restricting the vibration of said motor by coming into contact with said vibrating member at a prescribed region;

a vibration damping mechanism connected to said vibrating member and said rotary support member and damping vibration of said resilient member to restrict extension and retraction of said resilient member; and

a cushioning member provided at a portion of one of said vibrating member and said restricting member corresponding to said prescribed region brought into contact with the other, wherein

said cushioning member corresponds to a rubber member provided at said rotary support member on an orbit of vibration of said vibrating member and spaced apart from said vibrating member to have a gap therebetween, and absorbing an impact in a left-and-right direction and a back-and-force direction of said wheel in addition to the up-and-down direction of said wheel.

9. The wheel support device according to claim 8 , wherein said cushioning member is provided at a region on an orbit of the vibration of said vibrating member at which said vibrating member and said restricting member come into contact with each other.

10. The wheel support device according to claim 8 , wherein said cushioning member is provided at said rotary support member.

11. The wheel support device according to claim 8 , wherein said cushioning member is a member absorbing an impact due to the vibration of said motor.

12. The wheel support device according to claim 8 , wherein

said resilient member is formed of a pair of resilient members arranged in a vertical direction,

one of said pair of resilient members is coupled to an upper part of said rotary support member, and

the other one of said pair of resilient members is coupled to a lower part of said rotary support member .

13. The wheel support device according to claim 8 , wherein said motive power transmitting mechanism is a constant velocity joint.

14. The wheel support device according to claim 8 , wherein said motive power transmitting mechanism is a flexible coupling.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 16, 2006
From: MIZUTANI, RYOJI; KURATA, FUMITO; SUZUKI, SHUUETSU; SAKURAI, JUNICHIRO
To: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA; AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 018624/0463 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2004-154679 · May 25, 2004 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20080017462A1 · Jan 24, 2008