IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,024,024
Granted Patent B2
US 12,024,024 · App. 17/268,355 · Granted Jul 2, 2024

Wheel drive module of modular construction

Inventors: Markus Hirt (Villingen-Schwenningen, DE); Frank Jeske (St. Georgen, DE); Joerg Hornberger (Dornstetten-Aach, DE); Manfred Bitzer (St. Georgen, DE)
Assignee: ebm-papst St. Georgen GmbH & Co. KG
B60K7/0007B60K17/043B60K17/30B62D5/0418B60K2007/003B60K2007/0084B60L15/2009B60L2220/42
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,024,024
App. No.
17/268,355
Granted
Jul 2, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A wheel drive module comprises wheel (R), speed modulation gearbox (G), first electric motor (M 1 ), and second electric motor (M 2 ). First and second electric motors (M 1 , M 2 ) jointly drive wheel (R) about wheel axis (A) by the speed modulation gearbox (G) and steer said wheel about steering axis (L). Wheel drive module comprises first motor electronics ( 10 ) for controlling first electric motor (M 1 ) and second motor electronics ( 20 ) for controlling second electric motor (M 2 ) and central electronics ( 30 ) connected to first and second motor electronics ( 10, 20 ), allowing a signal transfer. Wheel drive module comprises control logic for controlling first and second electric motors (M 1 , M 2 ), which logic is provided by first and second motor electronics ( 10, 20 ), central electronics ( 30 ), application electronics ( 40 ) connected to the central electronics ( 30 ), allowing a signal transfer, or jointly by the central electronics ( 30 ) and the first and second motor electronics ( 10, 20 ).

Claims (23)

1. A wheel drive module comprising a wheel (R), a speed modulation gearbox (G), as well as a first electric motor (M 1 ) and a second electric motor (M 2 ), wherein

the first and second electric motors (M 1 , M 2 ) are designed to jointly drive the wheel (R) by means of the speed modulation gearbox (G) about a wheel axis (A) and about a steering axis (L) orthogonal to the wheel axis (A),

the wheel drive module further comprises a first motor electronics ( 10 ) for controlling the first electric motor (M 1 ) and a second motor electronics ( 20 ) for controlling the second electric motor (M 2 ) as well as a central electronics ( 30 ) which is connected to the first and second motor electronics ( 10 , 20 ), allowing signal transfer, and wherein

the wheel drive module comprises a control logic for controlling the first and second electric motors (M 1 , M 2 ) for driving the wheel (R) about a wheel axis (A) and steering the wheel about the steering axis (L), which logic is provided by the first and second motor electronics ( 10 , 20 ), the central electronics ( 30 ), application electronics ( 40 ) connected to the central electronics ( 30 ), thus allowing a signal transfer, or jointly by the central electronics ( 30 ) and the first and second motor electronics ( 10 , 20 ).

2. The wheel drive module according to claim 1 , wherein

the first electric motor (M 1 ) together with the first motor electronics ( 10 ) forms a first motor assembly ( 101 ) which can be replaced as a module, and

the second electric motor (M 2 ) together with the second motor electronics ( 20 ) forms a second motor assembly ( 102 ) which can be replaced as a module.

3. The wheel drive module according to claim 2 , wherein the first motor assembly ( 101 ) comprises at least one first sensor for detecting motor characteristics of the first electric motor (M 1 ), for detecting a rotor position of a rotor of the first electric motor (M 1 ) and/or for detecting a rotational speed of the first electric motor (M 1 ).

4. The wheel drive module according to claim 3 , wherein

the second motor assembly ( 102 ) comprises at least one second sensor for detecting motor characteristics of the second electric motor (M 2 ), for detecting a rotor position of a rotor of the second electric motor (M 2 ) and/or for detecting a rotational speed of the second electric motor (M 2 ).

5. The wheel drive module according to claim 4 , further comprising a third sensor (S 4 ) for detecting motor characteristics of the first electric motor (M 1 ), for detecting a rotational speed of the first electric motor (M 1 ).

6. The wheel drive module according to claim 5 , further comprising a fourth sensor (S 5 ) for detecting motor characteristics of the second electric motor (M 2 ), for detecting a rotational speed of the second electric motor (M 2 ).

7. The wheel drive module according to claim 3 , wherein the central electronics ( 30 ) forms a central assembly ( 103 ) and at least the first and second motor assemblies ( 101 , 102 ) are connected to the central assembly ( 103 ) by a bus system and the bus system allows signal transfer.

8. The wheel drive module according to claim 2 , wherein

the second motor assembly ( 102 ) comprises at least one sensor for detecting motor characteristics of the second electric motor (M 2 ), for detecting a rotor position of a rotor of the second electric motor (M 2 ) and/or for detecting a rotational speed of the second electric motor (M 2 ).

9. The wheel drive module according to claim 1 , wherein the central electronics ( 30 ) forms a central assembly ( 103 ) which can be replaced as a module.

10. The wheel drive module according to claim 1 , further comprising

a sensor for detecting wheel characteristics of the wheel (R), for detecting a wheel speed of the wheel (R) about the wheel axis (A) and/or a steering angle of the wheel (R) about the steering axis (L), which sensor is connected to the central electronics ( 30 ), allowing signal transfer.

11. The wheel drive module according to claim 1 , further comprising a safety brake (B) for braking a rotation of the wheel (R) about the wheel axis (A) or about the steering axis (L), which brake is connected to the central electronics ( 30 ), allowing signal transfer.

12. The wheel drive module according to claim 11 , further comprising a sensor for detecting wheel characteristics of the wheel (R), for detecting a wheel speed of the wheel (R) about the wheel axis (A) and/or a steering angle of the wheel (R) about the steering axis (L), which sensor is connected to the central electronics ( 30 ), allowing signal transfer, wherein

the sensor and the safety (B) form a brake assembly ( 104 ) which can be replaced as a module.

13. The wheel drive module according to claim 1 , further comprising a sensor (S 4 ) for detecting motor characteristics of the first electric motor (M 1 ), for detecting a rotational speed of the first electric motor (M 1 ).

14. The wheel drive module according to claim 1 , further comprising a sensor (S 5 ) for detecting motor characteristics of the second electric motor (M 2 ), for detecting a rotational speed of the second electric motor (M 2 ).

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 9, 2025
From: EBM-PAPST ST. GEORGEN GMBH & CO. KG
To: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Reel/Frame 071643/0004 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 17, 2021
From: HIRT, MARKUS; JESKE, FRANK; HORNBERGER, JOERG; BITZER, MANFRED
To: EBM-PAPST ST. GEORGEN GMBH & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 055280/0209 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2018 126 700.2 · Oct 25, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210316606A1 · Oct 14, 2021