WHEEL MODULE FOR A VEHICLE, AND VEHICLE COMPRISING SAID WHEEL MODULE

Abstract

A wheel module for a vehicle is disclosed including a wheel, said wheel having a wheel rim; a wheel axle, the wheel rim being rotatably mounted on said wheel axle; and a braking device for braking the wheel, said braking device comprising a brake disc and a brake pad. The brake disc and the brake pad being mutually contactable in order to transmit a braking force F1 to the wheel rim, wherein the brake disc can be axially moved to contact the brake pad and the brake pad remains axially fixed.

Claims

1. A wheel module for a vehicle, comprising: a wheel, said wheel having a wheel rim, a wheel axle, the wheel rim being rotatably mounted on the wheel axle, and a braking device for braking the wheel, said braking device comprising a brake disc and a brake pad, said brake disc and said brake pad being mutually contactable in order to transmit a braking force to the wheel rim, wherein the brake pad is connected to the wheel in a non-rotatable manner.

2. The wheel module according to claim 1, wherein the brake disc can be axially moved to contact the brake pad, the brake pad remaining axially fixed to the wheel rim.

3. The wheel module according to claim 1, wherein the brake pad is annular in design, the brake pad being arranged coaxially concentrically to the wheel rim.

4. The wheel module according to claim 1, wherein the brake pad forms a thermal insulator so that thermal insulation in a direction of the wheel rim is implemented by the brake pad.

5. The wheel module according to claim 4, wherein the brake has a friction means of made of an organic material.

6. The wheel module according to claim 1, wherein the brake pad is applied directly to the wheel rim or is connected to the wheel rim by a material bond.

7. The wheel module according to claim 1, wherein the braking device comprises an annular brake pad carrier, the brake pad being attached to the wheel rim via the brake pad carrier.

8. The wheel module according to claim 1, wherein the braking device has a concentric brake cylinder for transferring the braking force to the brake disc, the brake cylinder having an annular housing arranged coaxially with the wheel axle and an annular piston axially displaceable in the annular housing, the annular housing being supported on the wheel axle and the annular piston being supported on the brake disc.

9. The wheel module according to claim 1, wherein the wheel has a drive device for driving the wheel, the drive device being arranged radially inside the wheel rim and the drive device having a stator connected in a non-rotatable manner to the wheel axle and a rotor connected in a non-rotatable manner to the wheel rim.

10. A vehicle with the wheel module according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is an electric motorcycle or an electric scooter.

11. A wheel module for a vehicle, comprising: a wheel having a wheel rim; a wheel axle, the wheel rim being rotatably mounted on the wheel axle; and a braking device configured for braking the wheel and comprising a brake disc and a brake pad, wherein the brake pad is axially fixed to the wheel rim in a non-rotatable manner and the brake disc is configured to be axially movable to contact the brake pad to transmit a braking force to the wheel rim.

12. The wheel module according to claim 11, wherein the braking device further comprises an annular contact plate arranged on an axial end face of the brake disc, wherein the annular contact plate is configured to contact the brake pad to transmit the braking force.

13. The wheel module according to claim 11, wherein the wheel rim is rotatably mounted on the wheel axle via two bearings.

14. The wheel module according to claim 13, further comprising a drive device including a rotor connected to the wheel rim in a non-rotatable manner and a stator connected to the wheel axle in a non-rotatable manner, wherein the stator is arranged axially between the two bearings.

15. The wheel module according to claim 11, wherein the braking device further comprises a brake pad carrier fixed to the wheel rim, wherein the brake pad is materially bonded to the brake pad carrier.

16. The wheel module according to claim 11, wherein the braking device further comprises: a concentric brake cylinder configured for transferring the braking force to the brake disc, the brake cylinder having an annular housing arranged coaxially with the wheel axle; and an annular piston configured to be axially displaceable that is received within the annular housing and supported on the brake disc.

17. The wheel module according to claim 16, wherein the braking device further comprises a transmission component configured for transmitting the braking force from the annular piston to the brake disc, wherein the annular piston is supported in a first axial direction on an inner diameter of the transmission component and the brake disc is supported in a second axial direction, opposite the first axial direction, on an outer diameter of the transmission component.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Further features, advantages and effects of the disclosure are set out in the following description of the preferred embodiments of the disclosure. In the figures:

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a three-dimensional representation of a vehicle with a wheel module as an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure;

[0032] FIG. 2 shows a schematic sectional view of the wheel module of FIG. 1 as a further exemplary embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] Parts that correspond to each other or are identical are marked with the same reference numbers in the figures.

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a three-dimensional representation of a vehicle 1, wherein the vehicle 1 is designed as an electric motorcycle, electric pedal scooter or electric scooter, also known as an e-scooter. The vehicle 1 has a wheel module 2 with a wheel 3, which forms a front wheel of the vehicle 1. The wheel module 2 is used in particular to electrically drive the vehicle 1. In addition, the vehicle 1 has a rear wheel 4, in particular a non-powered rear wheel, which is rotatably mounted on a vehicle frame 5 of the vehicle 1.

[0035] The vehicle 1 has a wheel fork 6, wherein the wheel module 2 is rotatably mounted in the wheel fork 6. The wheel fork 6 is pivotally connected to the frame 5 via handlebars 7, so that the wheel module 2 can be pivoted via the handlebars 7 to steer the vehicle 1.

[0036] FIG. 2 shows a schematic sectional view of the wheel module 2 of FIG. 1 as an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. The wheel 3 of the wheel module 2 has a wheel rim 8 and a tire 9, the tire 9 being arranged on the wheel rim 8. For example, the wheel rim 8 is designed as a steel, aluminum or plastic rim. For example, the tire 9 is designed as a rubber tire filled with air.

[0037] The wheel module 3 has a wheel axle 10, which defines an axis of rotation D with its longitudinal axis. The wheel 3 is arranged coaxially to the axis of rotation D on the wheel axle 10. The wheel axle 10 is fixed to the wheel fork 6, wherein the wheel rim 8 is rotatably mounted on the wheel axle 10 via two bearing devices 11, e.g., rolling bearings.

[0038] To drive the wheel 3, the wheel module 2 has a drive device 12, for example an electric motor, integrated into the wheel rim 8. The drive device 12 has a stator 13 connected to the wheel axle 10 in a non-rotatable manner, which is arranged between the two bearing devices 11 in the axial direction with respect to the axis of rotation D. In addition, the drive device 12 has a rotor 14 that is connected to the wheel rim 8 in a non-rotatable manner. In driving operation of the vehicle 1, a driving torque is generated between the stator 13 and the rotor 14, so that the wheel rim 11 is driven by the drive device 12 and the wheel 3 rotates around the axis of rotation D.

[0039] The wheel module 1 has a braking device 15, which is used to transmit a braking torque to the wheel 3. The braking device 15 is designed as a friction brake and is arranged on one side of the wheel rim 8 and/or is operatively connected to the wheel rim 8.

[0040] The braking device 15 has an annular brake pad 16, in particular one encircling the axis of rotation D, and a brake disc 17, wherein the brake pad 16 and the brake disc 17 are arranged coaxially with respect to the axis of rotation D. The brake pad 16 is mounted in a non-rotatable manner with respect to the axis of rotation D on an axial end face of the wheel rim 8, so that the brake pad 16 is carried along by the wheel rim 8 during driving operation and rotates about the axis of rotation D. The brake disc 17 is movable in an axial direction AR towards the brake pad 16 and in an axial opposite direction GR away from the brake pad 16. In the direction of rotation about the axis of rotation D, the brake disc 17 is coupled to the wheel axle 10 in a non-rotatable manner.

[0041] The braking device 15 has a brake pad carrier 18, which carries the brake pad 16 on the wheel rim 8. For example, the brake pad 9 is materially bonded to the brake pad carrier 10. The brake pad carrier 19 is annular in shape, e.g., in the form of a sheet metal ring, and is fastened to the wheel rim 2 by fastening means 19, in particular by a plurality of screws. The brake pad carrier 19 is arranged on the wheel rim 8 in such a way that it is coaxial and/or concentric with the wheel rim 8.

[0042] Further, the braking device 15 includes a concentric brake cylinder 20 for transferring a braking force F1 to the brake disc 17. The brake cylinder 20 can be actuated hydraulically, for example, wherein the brake cylinder 20 is designed as a so-called slave cylinder for this purpose and is fluidically connected to a master cylinder, not shown, via a hydraulic line.

[0043] The brake cylinder 20 has an annular housing 21 and an annular piston 22, wherein the annular piston 22 is received in the annular housing 21 in an axially displaceable manner. The annular housing 21 is mounted on the wheel axle 10 and can be connected to the wheel axle 10 in a non-rotatable manner, for example, by means of a spline or an interference fit. The annular housing 21 has a pressure chamber 23 surrounding the axis of rotation D, which is filled with a fluid, for example with a hydraulic oil. The pressure chamber 23 is delimited in the axial direction AR by the annular piston 22 and sealed by a sealing means 24, e.g. a grooved sealing ring, arranged on the annular piston 22. In addition, the annular housing 21 has a radially inserted hydraulic connection 25, in particular a brake line, for connecting the master cylinder.

[0044] The braking device 15 has a transmission component 26 for transmitting the braking force F1 from the annular piston 22 to the brake disc 17. The transmission component 26 is designed as an annular disc arranged coaxially to the axis of rotation D, wherein the annular piston 22 is supported in the axial direction AR on an inner diameter and the brake disc is supported in the axial opposite direction GR on an outer diameter of the transmission component 26. For this purpose, the brake disc 17 is designed to be annular in shape and arranged coaxially and/or concentrically with respect to the axis of rotation D relative to the transmission component 26 and/or the brake cylinder 20.

[0045] In the exemplary embodiment shown, the braking device 15 additionally has an annular contact plate 27, for example a steel plate, which is arranged on an axial end face of the brake disc 17. The contact plate 27 is used to make contact with the brake pad 16 and, as a wear part, can be replaced in a simple manner. For this purpose, the contact plate 27 is detachably connected to the brake disc 17 via a plurality of securing means 28.

[0046] When the braking device 15 is actuated, a fluid column is displaced from the master cylinder toward the brake cylinder 20, wherein fluid flows into the pressure chamber 23 through the hydraulic connection and fluid pressure is applied to the annular piston 22. The annular piston 22 then performs a stroke in the axial direction AR and transmits the braking force F1 generated by the fluid pressure to the brake disc 17 via the transmission component 26. This causes the brake disc 17 to be displaced axially in the direction of the wheel rim 8, to be applied to and/or pressed against the brake pad 16.

[0047] In the actuated state of the braking device 15, the brake disc 17 contacts the brake pad 16 so that the braking torque is formed by a frictional connection to brake the rotating wheel 3 by friction between the brake disc 17 and the brake pad 16. During heavy braking, high temperatures develop, especially at the brake pad 16, which can lead to overheating of the drive device 12. In addition, the service life may decrease as the materials in the drive device 12 age more quickly at high temperatures.

[0048] In this regard, it is provided that the brake pad 16 and/or the brake pad carrier 18 are formed as a thermal insulator to insulate the wheel rim 8, and thus the drive device 12, from incident heat generated by brake friction. For this purpose, the brake pad 16 may, for example, comprise a friction means made of an organic material, such as glass, rubber or carbon fibers.

[0049] When the braking device 15 is released, the fluid column is displaced again in the direction of the master cylinder so that the brake disc 17 is moved or is movable away from the brake pad 16 in the axial opposite direction GR. The braking device 15 has a plurality of return springs 29 distributed in the circumferential direction, which apply a return force F2 to the brake disc 17 and thus to the annular piston 22 in the axial opposite direction GR. The return springs 29 are supported in each case in the axial direction AR on the annular housing 21 and in the axial opposite direction GR on the brake disc 17.

[0050] Because the brake pad 16 and/or the brake pad carrier 18 is/are arranged on the wheel rim 8, the braking device 15 can advantageously be designed to be particularly space-saving and particularly slim and narrow. Moreover, due to the concentric design of the braking device 15, the braking device 15 can be adapted in a simple manner to a size of the wheel 3, in particular to a size of the wheel rim 8.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0051] 1 Vehicle [0052] 2 Wheel module [0053] 3 Wheel [0054] 4 Rear wheel [0055] 5 Frame [0056] 6 Wheel fork [0057] 7 Handlebars [0058] 8 Wheel rim [0059] 9 Tires [0060] 10 Wheel axle [0061] 11 Bearing devices [0062] 12 Drive device [0063] 13 Stator [0064] 14 Rotor [0065] 15 Braking device [0066] 16 Brake pad [0067] 17 Brake disc [0068] 18 Brake pad carrier [0069] 19 Fastening means [0070] 20 Brake cylinder [0071] 21 Annular housing [0072] 22 Annular piston [0073] 23 Pressure chamber [0074] 24 Sealing means [0075] 25 Hydraulic connection [0076] 26 Transmission component [0077] 27 Contact plate [0078] 28 Securing means [0079] 29 Return springs [0080] D Axis of rotation [0081] AR Axial direction [0082] GR Axial opposite direction [0083] F1 Braking force [0084] F2 Return force