Mechanical Analysis and Performance Optimization for the Lunar Rover’s Vane-Telescopic Walking Wheel
Lu Yang,
Bowen Cai,
Ronghui Zhang,
Kening Li,
Zixian Zhang,
Jiehao Lei,
Baichao Chen,
Rongben Wang
Affiliations
Lu Yang
Tianjin Key Laboratory for Advanced Mechatronic System Design and Intelligent Control, School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384, China; National Demonstration Center for Experimental Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Education, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384, China; College of Transportation, Jilin University, Changchun 130025, China
Bowen Cai
Tianjin Key Laboratory for Advanced Mechatronic System Design and Intelligent Control, School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384, China; National Demonstration Center for Experimental Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Education, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384, China
Ronghui Zhang
Guangdong Key Laboratory of Intelligent Transportation System, School of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; College of Transportation, Jilin University, Changchun 130025, China; Corresponding author.
Kening Li
College of Transportation, Jilin University, Changchun 130025, China
Zixian Zhang
Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
Jiehao Lei
Armour College of Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL 60616, USA
Baichao Chen
College of Transportation, Jilin University, Changchun 130025, China; China Academy of Space Technology, Beijing 100029, China
Rongben Wang
College of Transportation, Jilin University, Changchun 130025, China
It is well-known that optimizing the wheel system of lunar rovers is essential. However, this is a difficult task due to the complex terrain of the moon and limited resources onboard lunar rovers. In this study, an experimental prototype was set up to analyze the existing mechanical design of a lunar rover and improve its performance. First, a new vane-telescopic walking wheel was proposed for the lunar rover with a positive and negative quadrangle suspension, considering the complex terrain of the moon. Next, the performance was optimized under the limitations of preserving the slope passage and minimizing power consumption. This was achieved via analysis of the wheel force during movement. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method was demonstrated by several simulation experiments. The newly designed wheel can protrude on demand and reduce energy consumption; it can be used as a reference for lunar rover development engineering in China.
