Air suspension system for vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of suspension systems of vehicles, in particular to an air suspension system of a vehicle. The air suspension system comprises a guide arm assembly, the guide arm assembly is provided with an upper plate and a lower plate which are arranged in a stacked mode, and the upper plate is shorter than the lower plate and extends to the middle of the lower plate from one end of the lower plate; the air spring is arranged at the other end of the lower plate; wherein the two guide arm assemblies are symmetrically arranged at the two ends of the drive axle, a cross beam parallel to the drive axle is installed at the other end of the lower plate, and the air spring is fixed to the cross beam. According to the invention, one end of the guide arm assembly is composed of the upper plate and the lower plate, so that the guide arm assembly has the reliability of a plate spring suspension; the cross beam is arranged to connect the other ends of the two guide arm assemblies and fix the air spring on the cross beam, so that the air suspension system has the characteristic of variable rigidity, the weight of the air suspension system is reduced, the size of the air suspension system is reduced, and the air suspension system can be suitable for more types of vehicles.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of vehicle suspension systems, and in particular to an air suspension system for a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] The air suspension system is a suspension structure that uses air springs for connection, vibration reduction, and height control. It is usually placed at the connection between the frame and the drive axle, and can buffer the vibration force and torque of the road surface on the body and frame during driving. The vibration reduction effect of the air suspension system is milder and more stable than that of the leaf spring suspension.

[0003] However, in the prior art, air suspension systems are usually designed according to the frames of heavy-duty transport vehicles with large load-bearing capacity, resulting in a large air suspension structure, which is difficult to apply to light vehicles with small chassis space and small load-bearing capacity. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an air suspension system that can be applied to light vehicles. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the related art. To this end, the present invention proposes an air suspension system for a vehicle, so as to achieve the purpose of combining the comfort of an air suspension and the reliability of a leaf spring suspension in the same system, reducing weight and volume by improving integration so as to be applicable to more types of vehicles.

[0005] The present invention provides an air suspension system for a vehicle. The air suspension system comprises: A guide arm assembly, comprising an upper plate and a lower plate arranged in a stacked manner, wherein the upper plate is shorter than the lower plate and extends from one end of the lower plate to the middle of the lower plate; An air spring, arranged at the other end of the lower plate; The two guide arm assemblies are symmetrically arranged at the two ends of the driving axle, and a crossbeam arranged parallel to the driving axle is installed at the other end of the lower plate, and the air spring is fixed on the crossbeam.

[0006] According to an air suspension system for a vehicle provided by an embodiment of the present invention, the guide arm assembly comprises: a cover plate, arranged above the drive axle, capable of clamping and fixing the drive axle to the upper plate from the upper side; The upper and lower surfaces of the cover plate are arranged at an angle, so as to make the transmission shaft of the drive axle tilt to the plate surface of the upper plate.

[0007] According to an air suspension system for a vehicle provided by an embodiment of the present invention, the angle between the upper and lower surfaces of the cover plate is between 2° and 4°.

[0008] An air suspension system for a vehicle provided according to an embodiment of the present invention further includes: a lateral thrust rod, wherein one end of the lateral thrust rod is connected to the drive axle and is arranged coplanar with the drive axle.

[0009] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an air suspension system for a vehicle further includes: a limit bracket arranged above the cover plate, and the other end of the lateral thrust rod and the limit bracket are respectively arranged on the inner side and the outer side of the frame and connected to the same mounting hole.

[0010] According to an air suspension system for a vehicle provided by an embodiment of the present invention, the guide arm assembly comprises: a spring seat, arranged below the lower plate; The spring seat can be connected to the cover plate by bolts to fix the drive axle on the guide arm assembly.

[0011] An air suspension system for a vehicle provided according to an embodiment of the present invention further includes: a shock absorber vertically arranged between the air spring and the drive axle; One end of the spring seat extends upwardly and obliquely to above the lower plate and is connected to the shock absorber.

[0012] According to an air suspension system for a vehicle provided by an embodiment of the present invention, a hydraulic limiting device is provided on the shock absorber.

[0013] According to an air suspension system for a vehicle provided by an embodiment of the present invention, a pad is provided between the connecting end of the air spring and the vehicle frame to increase the strength of the vehicle frame.

[0014] According to an air suspension system for a vehicle provided by an embodiment of the present invention, grooves are arranged at both ends of the upper surface of the cover plate, and U-shaped bolts are embedded in the grooves and can extend downward to penetrate the spring seat.

[0015] The above one or more technical solutions in the present invention have at least one of the following technical effects: One end of the guide arm assembly is composed of an upper plate and a lower plate, so that the guide arm assembly has the structural advantages of a leaf spring, and a crossbeam is provided to connect the other ends of the two guide arm assemblies and fix the air spring on the crossbeam, so that the guide arm assembly has the characteristic of variable stiffness, thereby combining the comfort of the air suspension and the reliability of the leaf spring suspension on the same air suspension system, which can not only greatly reduce the weight, but also improve the integration and reduce the volume, making it suitable for more types of vehicles.

[0016] In addition to the technical problems solved by the present invention, the technical features of the technical solutions constituted, and the advantages brought about by the technical features of these technical solutions described above, other technical features of the present invention and the advantages brought about by these technical features will be further explained in conjunction with the accompanying drawings or will be understood through the practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or related technologies, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or related technical descriptions are briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0018] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of an air suspension system provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a drive axle provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a guide arm assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 4 A schematic front view of a cover plate provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 5 A schematic side view of a cover plate provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 6 A partial structural schematic diagram of an air suspension system provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Reference numerals: 100, guide arm assembly; 110, upper plate; 120, lower plate; 130, cover plate; 131, groove; 140, spring seat; 200, air spring; 210, pad; 300, drive axle; 400, crossbeam; 500, lateral thrust rod; 600, limit bracket; 700, shock absorber. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the present invention clearer, the technical solution of the present invention will be clearly described below in conjunction with the drawings of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0026] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside" and the like indicate positions or positional relationships based on the positions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the devices or elements referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operate in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limitations on the embodiments of the present invention. In addition, the terms "first", "second", and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0027] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "connected" and "connection" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0028] In the embodiments of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Moreover, a first feature being "above", "above" or "above" a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below", "below" or "below" a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0029] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" etc. means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the embodiment of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art may combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of the different embodiments or examples, without contradiction.

[0030] The air suspension system is a suspension structure that uses air springs 200 for connection, vibration reduction, and height control. It is usually arranged at the connection between the frame and the drive axle 300, and can buffer the vibration force and torque of the road surface on the body and frame during driving. The vibration reduction effect of the air suspension system is milder and more stable than that of the leaf spring suspension.

[0031] like Figures 1 to 6 As shown, in the embodiment of the present invention, an air suspension system of a vehicle is introduced. The air suspension system mainly includes a guide arm assembly 100, an air spring 200, a drive axle 300, a limit bracket 600, a shock absorber and a crossbeam 400.

[0032] Specifically, the guide arm assembly 100 has an upper plate 110 and a lower plate 120 which are stacked. The length of the upper plate 110 is shorter than that of the lower plate 120. The upper plate 110 and the lower plate 120 are aligned at one end and connected to the same guide arm bracket. Then, the upper plate 110 extends from one end of the lower plate 120 to the middle of the lower plate 120.

[0033] Correspondingly, the air spring 200 is disposed at the other end of the lower plate 120 , so that the air spring 200 and the guide arm large bracket together fix the guide arm assembly 100 at intervals below the vehicle frame.

[0034] Among them, the air spring 200 has low stiffness, strong impact resistance, and variable stiffness according to the load, which can greatly improve the ride comfort of the vehicle. The two guide arm assemblies 100 are symmetrically arranged at both ends of the drive axle 300. The other end of the lower plate 120 is equipped with a crossbeam 400 arranged parallel to the drive axle 300. The air spring 200 is fixed on the crossbeam 400. In addition, the air spring 200 can also adjust the height of the vehicle by inflating and deflating.

[0035] In the present embodiment, one end of the guide arm assembly 100 is composed of an upper plate 110 and a lower plate 120, so that the guide arm assembly 100 has the structural advantages of a leaf spring, and a cross beam 400 is provided to connect the other ends of the two guide arm assemblies 100 and fix the air spring 200 on the cross beam 400, so that the guide arm assembly 100 has the characteristic of variable stiffness, thereby combining the comfort of the air suspension and the reliability of the leaf spring suspension on the same air suspension system, which can not only greatly reduce the weight, but also improve the integration and reduce the volume, making it suitable for more types of vehicles.

[0036] Based on the above embodiment, in another embodiment of the present invention, an air suspension system is introduced.

[0037] like Figure 3 and Figure 6As shown, in order to reduce the distance between the driving axle 300 and the vehicle frame, the driving axle 300 is installed on the upper plate 110 of the guide arm assembly 100. The guide arm assembly 100 includes a cover plate 130. The cover plate 130 is arranged above the driving axle 300, and the driving axle 300 can be clamped and fixed to the upper plate 110 from the upper side.

[0038] Furthermore, the upper and lower surfaces of the cover plate 130 are arranged at an angle, so as to make the transmission shaft of the drive axle 300 tilted to the plate surface of the upper plate 110 .

[0039] In addition, in order to make the transmission shaft have a better elevation angle, the angle between the upper and lower surfaces of the cover plate 130 is set to be between 2° and 4°. Preferably, the angle between the upper and lower surfaces of the cover plate 130 is set to be 3°.

[0040] In order to allow the driving axle 300 to rotate relative to the guide arm assembly 100 to adjust the elevation angle of its transmission shaft, the guide arm assembly 100 is provided with a cover plate 130 and a spring seat 140. The cover plate 130 is installed at the upper end of the driving axle 300, and the spring seat 140 is arranged below the lower plate 120, and the cover plate 130 and the spring seat 140 correspond to each other in the extension direction of the guide arm assembly 100. The cover plate 130 and the spring seat 140 are provided with corresponding through mounting holes.

[0041] In one embodiment, the mounting hole can be fixed by screws to ensure the reliability of the connection. In another embodiment, the cover plate 130 and the spring seat 140 are connected by U-bolts. The spring seat 140 is arranged on the lower side of the lower plate 120 in the horizontal direction. The spring seat 140 is provided with a screw hole that passes through from top to bottom. The cover plate 130 is arranged above the drive axle 300 in the horizontal direction, and the cover plate 130 is provided with a screw hole that passes through from top to bottom. Therefore, the U-bolt passes through the screw hole to connect the cover plate 130 with the spring seat 140 and clamp the drive axle 300. Therefore, the distance height between the drive axle 300 and the guide arm assembly 100 is reduced by the U-bolt, and the weight and cost of the components of the air suspension system are reduced.

[0042] Based on the above embodiment, in another embodiment of the present invention, an air suspension system is introduced. The air suspension system also includes a lateral thrust rod 500. The lateral thrust rod 500 is used in conjunction with the guide assembly. Among them, the front end of the guide arm assembly 100 is connected to the guide arm large bracket, and the rear end is fixedly connected to the air spring 200, which mainly transmits the force in the up and down and front and back directions, while the lateral thrust rod 500 mainly transmits the lateral force.

[0043] Specifically, the lateral thrust rod 500 is connected to the driving axle 300 at one end and connected to the inner side of the frame at the other end. The lateral thrust rod 500 is located above the driving axle 300 and below the frame. Moreover, the lateral thrust rod 500 and the driving axle 300 are arranged coplanarly.

[0044] Such an arrangement can reduce the space occupied by the air suspension system, thereby enabling the air suspension to be installed in a limited space of a low-load vehicle.

[0045] Based on the above embodiment, in another embodiment of the present invention, an air suspension system is introduced. The air suspension system also includes a limit bracket 600. The limit bracket 600 is arranged above the cover plate 130.

[0046] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the other end of the lateral thrust rod 500 and the limiting bracket 600 can be respectively arranged on the inner side and the outer side of the frame. In addition, the lateral thrust rod 500 and the limiting bracket 600 can be fixedly connected to the same mounting hole.

[0047] In this embodiment, one end of the lateral thrust rod 500 and the limiting bracket 600 are installed on both sides of the frame and connected through a common hole, which can not only improve the connection strength with the frame but also save layout space, so as to achieve the purpose of arranging the air suspension system in the limited frame space of a light vehicle.

[0048] Based on the above embodiment, in another embodiment of the present invention, a guide arm assembly 100 that can be more stably connected to the drive axle 300 is introduced.

[0049] like Figure 3 As shown, the guide arm assembly 100 includes a spring seat 140 disposed below the lower plate 120. The spring seat 140 can be connected to the cover plate 130 disposed above the upper plate 110 by bolts to fix the drive axle 300 on the guide arm assembly 100.

[0050] Furthermore, the air suspension system further includes a shock absorber 700 which is vertically arranged between the air spring 200 and the drive axle 300 .

[0051] Furthermore, one end of the spring seat 140 extends upwardly and obliquely to the upper side of the lower plate 120 and close to the end of the upper plate 110. Thus, the extended end of the spring seat 140 is connected to the shock absorber.

[0052] In this embodiment, the spring seat 140 and the lower end of the shock absorber are movably connected together, and the shock absorber can be integrated on the spring seat 140, which not only reduces some connecting parts, but also saves the installation space of the air suspension system, so that the air suspension in the present invention can be applied to more types of light vehicles.

[0053] Based on the above embodiment, another embodiment of the present invention introduces an air suspension system. In the air suspension system, the shock absorber is also provided with a hydraulic limit device, which is used to provide a strong supporting force when the shock absorber is extended to the limit length, thereby playing a buffering role on the vehicle frame and improving the reliability of the vehicle and the safety of the driving process.

[0054] Based on the above embodiment, in another embodiment of the present invention, an air suspension system capable of strengthening the connection between the vehicle frame and the vehicle frame is introduced.

[0055] Specifically, if Figure 6 As shown, a pad 210 is provided between the connecting end of the air spring 200 and the frame to increase the strength of the frame. The pad 210 can reinforce the upper bracket of the air spring 200 and the frame, reduce the risk of frame cracking, and improve the reliability and driving safety of the vehicle.

[0056] Based on the above embodiment, another embodiment of the present invention introduces an air suspension system. Figure 3 and Figure 5 As shown, grooves 131 are provided at both ends of the upper surface of the cover plate 130. The U-shaped bolts are embedded in the grooves 131 and can extend downward to penetrate the spring seat 140.

[0057] In order to ensure the connection reliability between the drive axle 300 and the guide arm assembly 100, the U-bolt passes through the screw hole and cooperates with the cover plate 130 and the spring seat 140 to clamp the drive axle 300. When the U-bolt cooperates with the cover plate 130 and the spring seat 140 to clamp the drive axle 300, the U-bolt may wear the cover plate 130 or the spring seat 140 due to force transmission and vibration. In one embodiment, a groove 131 is provided on the upper surface of the cover plate 130. The U-bolt includes two screw arms and a bent connection portion connecting the two screw arms. The bent connection portion is clamped in the groove 131, which can limit and buffer the cover plate 130, and at the same time, it can protect the cover plate 130 and the U-bolt from relative movement and reduce wear while enhancing the fixing reliability.

[0058] In addition, in another embodiment of the present invention, the air suspension system is also equipped with an ECAS system (electronically controlled height control system). It uses a height sensor to detect the swing arm to obtain vehicle height and change information. In addition, the ECU controls the inflation and deflation of the air spring 200, so that the air suspension system can perform height adjustment and other control functions, thereby increasing the use conditions of the air suspension system.

[0059] Specifically, the air suspension system is arranged below the vehicle frame and includes two guide arm brackets, two air springs 200 , two guide arm assemblies 100 , a drive axle 300 and a transverse thrust rod 500 .

[0060] The frame includes two longitudinal beams that are arranged with a relative spacing in the transverse direction. The upper ends of the two guide arm brackets are respectively connected to the side ends of the two longitudinal beams that are separated from each other in the transverse direction. Two air springs 200 are arranged on the lower sides of the two longitudinal beams. Two guide arm assemblies 100 are arranged to extend in the longitudinal direction. One end of each guide arm assembly 100 is rotatably installed on the lower end of the corresponding guide arm bracket along the axis extending in the transverse direction, and the other end is connected to the lower end of the corresponding air spring 200.

[0061] Furthermore, the drive axle 300 extends transversely and is disposed below the two longitudinal beams. Both ends of the drive axle 300 can be rotatably mounted along the transversely extending axis at the middle position of the corresponding guide arm assembly 100. One end of the transverse thrust rod 500 is rotatably mounted along the transversely extending axis at the upper end of the middle of the drive axle 300, and the other end is mounted at the inner end of the longitudinal beam.

[0062] In this embodiment, the drive axle 300 can transmit lateral force, thereby increasing the service life of various components in the air suspension system and also increasing the reliability of the air suspension system.

[0063] In order to further improve the transmission of lateral force, the longitudinal beam is provided with a plurality of transverse through-going mounting holes. The transverse thrust rod 500 and the limit bracket 600 are arranged on both sides of the longitudinal beam and share the same mounting hole, which not only optimizes the transmission of lateral force, but also avoids the situation where the frame is easily torn due to unilateral force, thereby improving the reliability of the air suspension system and reducing maintenance costs.

[0064] In addition, during the driving process of the car, the frame and the body vibrate due to movement. In order to improve the driving smoothness of the car, the air suspension system is equipped with two shock absorbers. The two shock absorbers extend in the vertical direction and are respectively arranged on the lower sides of the two longitudinal beams.

[0065] The present invention also provides a vehicle. The vehicle is provided with the air suspension system in any of the above embodiments. Since the vehicle adopts the technical solution in any of the above embodiments, it has at least any beneficial effect brought by the technical solution in the above embodiments. No further details will be given here.

[0066] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some of the technical features therein. However, these modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0067] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An air suspension system for a vehicle, characterized in that: include: A guide arm assembly (100) comprising an upper plate (110) and a lower plate (120) which are stacked, wherein the upper plate (110) is shorter than the lower plate (120) and extends from one end of the lower plate (120) to the middle of the lower plate (120); An air spring (200) is arranged at the other end of the lower plate (120); The two guide arm assemblies (100) are symmetrically arranged at two ends of a drive axle (300), a crossbeam (400) arranged parallel to the drive axle (300) is installed at the other end of the lower plate (120), and the air spring (200) is fixed on the crossbeam (400).

2. The air suspension system for a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The guide arm assembly (100) comprises: a cover plate (130) disposed above the drive axle (300) and capable of clamping and fixing the drive axle (300) to the upper plate (110) from the upper side; The upper and lower surfaces of the cover plate (130) are arranged at an angle, so as to make the transmission shaft of the drive axle (300) tilt toward the plate surface of the upper plate (110).

3. The air suspension system for a vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that: The included angle between the upper and lower surfaces of the cover plate (130) is between 2° and 4°.

4. The air suspension system for a vehicle according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: Also includes: A transverse thrust rod (500), wherein one end of the transverse thrust rod (500) is connected to the drive axle (300) and is arranged coplanar with the drive axle (300).

5. The air suspension system for a vehicle according to claim 4, characterized in that: Also includes: A limit bracket (600) is arranged above the cover plate (130), and the other end of the transverse thrust rod (500) and the limit bracket (600) are respectively arranged on the inner side and the outer side of the vehicle frame and connected to the same mounting hole.

6. The air suspension system for a vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that: The guide arm assembly (100) comprises: a spring seat (140) arranged below the lower plate (120); The spring seat (140) can be connected to the cover plate (130) via bolts to fix the drive axle (300) on the guide arm assembly (100).

7. The air suspension system for a vehicle according to claim 6, characterized in that: Also includes: A shock absorber is vertically arranged between the air spring (200) and the drive axle (300); One end of the spring seat (140) extends upwardly and tilted to above the lower plate (120) and is connected to the shock absorber.

8. The air suspension system for a vehicle according to claim 7, characterized in that: The shock absorber is provided with a hydraulic limiting device.

9. The air suspension system for a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: A pad (210) is provided between the connection end of the air spring (200) and the vehicle frame, and is used to increase the strength of the vehicle frame.

10. The air suspension system for a vehicle according to claim 6, characterized in that: Grooves (131) are provided at both ends of the upper surface of the cover plate (130), and U-shaped bolts are embedded in the grooves (131) and can extend downward to penetrate the spring seat (140).

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