A suspension and drive mechanism for a steerable wheel of a vehicle, comprising a wheel support assembly supporting the wheel having a rolling axis and a wheel width defined by inner and outer wheel edges. Front and rear upper control arms coupled between a chassis and the wheel support assembly, and front and rear lower control arms between the chassis and the wheel support assembly. The front and rear upper control arms being coupled to the wheel support assembly above the rolling axis and inboard of the wheel inner edge, and front and rear lower control arms being coupled to the wheel support assembly below the rolling axis and inboard of the wheel inner edge. The control arms are angled so as to establish a virtual steering pivot axis for the wheel support assembly, the virtual steering pivot axis extending transverse of the rolling axis and located within the width of the wheel. The virtual steering pivot axis location varies according to a steering angle of the wheel support assembly as controlled by the steering arm. An electric drive unit arranged within the wheel for driving thereof, and at least one of the virtual pivots that lie on said virtual steering pivot axis lies within the volume occupied by the electric drive unit during at least one point in the steering travel of said wheel.
VEHICLE SUSPENSION AND DRIVE MECHANISM WITH VIRTUAL STEERING PIVOT
2022-01-06
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
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