LMES suspension system

Abstract

The invention discloses an LMES suspension system, belongs to the field of vehicle suspensions, and aims to improve the adjustment performance of the suspensions. Comprising a hydraulic shock absorber, a spring, a linear motor and a controller. The hydraulic shock absorber comprises a piston rod and an outer barrel structure which is arranged outside the piston rod in a sleeving mode and is vertically and movably matched with the piston rod. The linear motor comprises a stator and a rotor, and the stator and the rotor are movably matched in the vertical direction. Stators of the linear motors are connected with piston rods of the hydraulic shock absorbers, and the top ends of the piston rods are connected to an upper support of the vehicle body; a rotor of the linear motor is connected with an external cylinder structure of the hydraulic shock absorber, and the bottom end of the external cylinder structure is connected to a lower support used for being installed on a wheel. And the spring is arranged between the rotor of the linear motor and the upper support. The output force of the linear motor and the damping force of the hydraulic shock absorber are overlapped to form the output force of the suspension system, compared with a traditional suspension system, the adjusting performance of the suspension system is greatly improved, and the comfort performance of a vehicle is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the field of vehicle suspension, in particular to a LMES suspension system. Background Art

[0002] As a key component connecting the vehicle body and wheels, the performance of the vehicle suspension system directly affects the comfort, handling stability and driving safety of the vehicle. Traditional suspension systems mostly use a combination of mechanical springs and hydraulic shock absorbers. When the car is driving on an uneven road and the wheels are bumping on the road, the hydraulic shock absorber forms a damping. The elastic deformation of the mechanical spring buffers and absorbs the vibration generated by the ground or the vehicle, playing a vibration reduction role. Although the traditional suspension system can alleviate road impact to a certain extent, its adjustment ability is limited under complex and changeable road conditions, and it is difficult to meet the growing vehicle performance requirements. Summary of the invention

[0003] The object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle suspension system to improve the suspension adjustment performance, thereby improving the comfort performance of the vehicle.

[0004] The technical solution adopted by the present invention is: an LMES suspension system, including a hydraulic shock absorber, a spring, a linear motor and a controller; the hydraulic shock absorber includes a piston rod and an external cylinder structure sleeved outside the piston rod and vertically movably matched with the piston rod; the linear motor includes a stator and a mover, and the stator and the mover are vertically movably matched; the stator of the linear motor is connected to the piston rod of the hydraulic shock absorber, and the top end of the piston rod is connected to the upper support of the vehicle body; the mover of the linear motor is connected to the external cylinder structure of the hydraulic shock absorber, and the bottom end of the external cylinder structure is connected to the lower support for installation on the wheel; the spring is installed between the mover of the linear motor and the upper support of the linear motor.

[0005] Furthermore, the stator of the linear motor includes an inner shell and a permanent magnet; the inner shell is a hollow structure with an open bottom surrounded by shell side walls and a shell top wall, an anti-collision pad is arranged on the shell top wall of the inner shell, and a center hole for accommodating the piston rod to pass through is arranged in the center of the shell top wall of the inner shell; the permanent magnet is coated on the outer surface of the shell side wall of the inner shell; the mover of the center hole of the linear motor includes an outer shell, a coil and a sliding bearing, the coil is arranged on the inner surface of the shell side wall, and the sliding bearing is arranged on the inner surface of the coil; the sliding bearing is sleeved on the outer side of the permanent magnet, and is vertically movably matched with the outer surface of the permanent magnet.

[0006] Furthermore, the housing of the linear motor includes an upper top section and a lower bottom section, the top section is coaxial with the bottom section, and a limiting step surface is formed between the top section and the bottom section, which is horizontally retracted inward from the top section to the bottom section, and the bottom end of the coil is centered on the limiting step surface.

[0007] Furthermore, the hydraulic shock absorber is a built-in valve shock absorber, whose piston rod is a hollow cylinder structure, and the bottom end of the piston rod is connected to a built-in valve, and the valve coil of the built-in valve used to connect to the controller is led out from the hollow inner cavity of the piston rod; the external cylinder structure includes an outer cylinder and an inner cylinder for storing hydraulic oil, the bottom end of the inner cylinder is connected to the compression valve and is arranged in the outer cylinder, and the built-in valve is built into the inner cylinder and slidably cooperates with the built-in valve.

[0008] Furthermore, the lower support is connected to the bottom end of the outer cylinder through a connecting rod.

[0009] Furthermore, a guide sleeve is provided between the top of the inner tube and the outer wall of the piston rod.

[0010] Furthermore, an oil seal is provided between the top end of the inner tube and the outer wall of the piston rod, and an end cover is provided between the top end of the outer tube and the outer wall of the piston rod.

[0011] Furthermore, the hydraulic shock absorber is a magnetorheological shock absorber, and its external cylinder structure is an oil storage cylinder, which is filled with magnetorheological fluid. The bottom end of the piston rod is connected to the magnetic flux coil mechanism and then inserted into the oil storage cylinder; a floating piston adapted to it is provided in the oil storage cylinder, and the floating piston is located below the magnetic flux coil mechanism.

[0012] Furthermore, a sealing guide mechanism is provided between the top end of the oil storage cylinder and the outer wall of the piston rod.

[0013] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: in the LMES suspension system disclosed in the present invention, the output force of the linear motor and the damping force of the hydraulic shock absorber are superimposed to form the output force of the LMES suspension system. Compared with the traditional suspension system, the adjustment performance of the LMES suspension system disclosed in the present invention is greatly improved, specifically: by combining the linear motor and the hydraulic shock absorber, active vibration reduction can be achieved by controlling the output force of the linear motor, effectively reducing the vibration and bumping of the vehicle, thereby achieving the purpose of improving riding comfort and protecting the vehicle structure from damage; it can also be determined whether the control force is output by the linear motor or by the hydraulic shock absorber according to the relationship between the direction of the required control force and the direction of the relative motion speed, thereby achieving low-power and same-effect active control; the linear motor and the hydraulic shock absorber cooperate with each other, even when the linear motor fails due to overheating or other reasons, the presence of the hydraulic shock absorber can effectively control the vehicle body, still maintain a reliable suspension function, and safety is guaranteed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the LMES suspension system disclosed in the present invention;

[0015] Figure 2 It is a cross-sectional view of the LMES suspension system when the hydraulic shock absorber is an ECDC built-in valve shock absorber;

[0016] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the LMES suspension system when the hydraulic shock absorber is a magnetorheological shock absorber;

[0017] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the ECDC built-in valve damper;

[0018] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a magnetorheological damper;

[0019] Figure 6 is the cross-sectional view of the linear motor;

[0020] Figure 7 for Figure 6 A partial enlarged view of point A.

[0021] In the figure, hydraulic shock absorber 1, spring 2, locking nut 10, upper support 11, spring upper pad 12, piston rod 13, end cover 14, oil seal 15, guide sleeve 16, limit pad 17, built-in valve 18, outer cylinder 19, inner cylinder 20, compression valve 21, connecting rod 22, lower support 23, controller 4, sealing guide mechanism 24, oil storage cylinder 25, magnetic flux coil mechanism 26, magnetorheological fluid 27, floating piston 28, linear motor 3, anti-collision pad 31, inner shell 32, permanent magnet 33, coil 34, center hole, sliding bearing 35, outer shell 36, top section 36A, limit step surface 36B, bottom section 36C, controller 4. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] The present invention is further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments:

[0023] In this specification, unless otherwise specified, the terms "vertical", "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside" and "outside" indicate directions or positional relationships based on the attached Figure 2 The orientation or positional relationship shown is only for the convenience of describing the present invention, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operate in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0024] LMES suspension system, such as Figure 1As shown, it includes a hydraulic shock absorber 1, a spring 2, a linear motor 3 and a controller 4; the hydraulic shock absorber 1 includes a piston rod 13 and an external cylinder structure which is sleeved outside the piston rod 13 and vertically movably cooperates with the piston rod 13; the linear motor 3 includes a stator and a mover, and the stator and the mover are vertically movably cooperated; the stator of the linear motor 3 is connected to the piston rod 13 of the hydraulic shock absorber 1, and the top end of the piston rod 13 is connected to the upper support 11 of the vehicle body; the mover of the linear motor 3 is connected to the external cylinder structure of the hydraulic shock absorber 1, and the bottom end of the external cylinder structure is connected to the lower support 23 for installation on the wheel; the spring 2 is installed between the mover of the linear motor 3 and the upper support 11 of the linear motor 3.

[0025] LMES is the abbreviation of Linear Motor Electromagnetic Suspension, which is a linear motor electromagnetic suspension. The hydraulic shock absorber 1 can be an ECDC shock absorber, a magnetorheological shock absorber, a conventional non-adjustable double-tube shock absorber or a single-tube shock absorber, etc., but is not limited to an ECDC shock absorber, a magnetorheological shock absorber, a conventional non-adjustable double-tube shock absorber or a single-tube shock absorber. In the LMES suspension system disclosed in the present invention, the output force of the linear motor 3 and the damping force of the hydraulic shock absorber 1 are superimposed to form the output force of the LMES suspension system. The spring 2 is a straight spring, which plays a vibration reduction role by buffering and absorbing the vibration generated by the ground or the vehicle through the elastic deformation of the spring 2.

[0026] In the LMES suspension system disclosed in the present invention, the linear motor 3 is one of the core components, which controls the magnitude and direction of the generated force by adjusting the magnetic flux, thereby realizing active control of the suspension system. When the current interacts with the magnetic field of the air gap, an electromagnetic thrust is generated, which drives the mover of the linear motor 3 to move linearly, thereby realizing the adjustment of the suspension. Figure 7As shown, the stator of the linear motor 3 includes an inner shell 32 and a permanent magnet 33. The inner shell 32 is a hollow structure with an open bottom end surrounded by the shell side wall and the shell top wall. The opening at the bottom end of the inner shell 32 is used for the outer cylinder of the hydraulic shock absorber 1 to pass through. An anti-collision pad 31 is arranged on the shell top wall of the inner shell 32, and the anti-collision pad 31 prevents the outer cylinder of the hydraulic shock absorber 1 from directly hitting the top wall of the inner shell 32 of the linear motor 3 during the upward movement. A center hole for accommodating the passage of the piston rod 13 is arranged in the center of the shell top wall of the inner shell 32. The center hole not only penetrates the shell top wall of the inner shell 32, but also penetrates the anti-collision pad 31 at the shell top wall, which is used for the passage of the piston rod 13 of the hydraulic shock absorber 1. The permanent magnet 33 is coated on the outer surface of the side wall of the inner shell 32; the mover of the central hole 3 of the linear motor includes an outer shell 36, a coil 34 and a sliding bearing 35, wherein the coil 34 is arranged on the inner surface of the side wall of the outer shell 36, and the sliding bearing 35 is arranged on the inner surface of the coil 34; the sliding bearing 35 is sleeved on the outer side of the permanent magnet 33 and is vertically movable with the outer surface of the permanent magnet 33. The relative movement between the coil 34 and the permanent magnet 33 is realized by installing the sliding bearing 35 between the inner side surface of the coil 34 and the outer side surface of the permanent magnet 33, which not only meets the linear motion requirements, but also reduces the gap between the coil 34 and the permanent magnet 33, thereby reducing the size of the linear motor 3 and making the structure of the linear motor 3 more compact.

[0027] like Figure 7 As shown, the housing 36 of the linear motor 3 disclosed in the present invention includes a top section 36A at the top and a bottom section 36C at the bottom, wherein the top section 36A is coaxial with the bottom section 36C, and a limiting step surface 36B is formed between the top section 36A and the bottom section 36C, which is horizontally retracted from the top section 36A to the bottom section 36C, and the bottom end of the coil 34 is aligned with the limiting step surface 36B. The limiting step surface 36B plays a limiting role at the bottom end of the coil 34 in the vertical direction to prevent the coil 34 from falling vertically.

[0028] It can be seen from the above embodiments that the hydraulic shock absorber 1 can be an ECDC shock absorber, a magnetorheological shock absorber, a non-adjustable conventional double-tube shock absorber or a single-tube shock absorber, etc. This specification takes the built-in valve shock absorber and the magnetorheological shock absorber in the ECDC shock absorber as examples for explanation as follows:

[0029] like Figure 2 and Figure 4As shown, when the hydraulic shock absorber 1 is a built-in valve shock absorber, the piston rod 13 of the hydraulic shock absorber 1 is a hollow cylinder structure, and the bottom end of the piston rod 13 is connected to a built-in valve 18. The valve coil of the built-in valve 18 for connecting with the controller 4 is drawn out from the hollow inner cavity of the piston rod 13, that is, the valve coil of the built-in valve 18 is drawn out from the hollow inner cavity of the piston rod 13 and then connected to the controller 4. The external cylinder structure includes an outer cylinder 19 and an inner cylinder 20 for storing hydraulic oil, and the bottom end of the inner cylinder 20 is connected to a compression valve 21 and then arranged in the outer cylinder 19, and the built-in valve 18 is built in the inner cylinder 20 and slidably cooperates with the built-in valve 18. The lower support 23 can be directly welded to the bottom end of the outer cylinder 19 according to actual needs, or it can be connected to the bottom end of the outer cylinder 19 through a connecting rod 22.

[0030] When the piston rod 13 of the hydraulic shock absorber 1 retracts vertically in the outer cylinder structure, the hydraulic oil in the cavity surrounded by the built-in valve 18, the compression valve 21 and the inner cylinder 20 is compressed. At this time, the compression valve 21 will open, allowing part of the hydraulic oil to enter the low-pressure chamber inside the hydraulic shock absorber 1, thereby adjusting the compression resistance of the hydraulic shock absorber 1. After the valve coil of the built-in valve 18 is energized, the opening of the built-in valve 18 can be changed according to the instructions of the controller 4, thereby adjusting the flow rate of the hydraulic oil. The change in the flow rate of the hydraulic oil leads to a change in the damping force of the hydraulic shock absorber 1, thereby achieving real-time adjustment of the vehicle suspension system. By adjusting the damping force of the hydraulic shock absorber 1 in real time, the best damping effect can be provided according to different road conditions and driving conditions. When encountering bumpy roads, the vibration from the road surface and the rebound of the spring can be greatly weakened to keep the vehicle body stable. During intense driving, the damping of the suspension can be increased, sufficient support can be provided, and the chassis response can be faster, thereby improving the vehicle's handling.

[0031] In order to play a guiding role when the piston rod 13 moves relative to the inner tube 20 , a guide sleeve 16 is provided between the top of the inner tube 20 and the outer wall of the piston rod 13 .

[0032] An oil seal 15 is provided between the top of the inner cylinder 20 and the outer wall of the piston rod 13, and the oil seal 15 plays a sealing role. An end cover 14 is provided between the top of the outer cylinder 19 and the outer wall of the piston rod 13, and the end cover 14 covers the top of the outer cylinder 19 to play a role of isolation and dust prevention.

[0033] A circle of limit pads 17 are mounted on the bottom of the piston rod 13. The limit pads 17 are located above the built-in valve 18 along the vertical direction. They are used to limit the upper limit of the vertical movement of the piston rod 13 to prevent the built-in valve 18 from directly hitting the guide sleeve 16 and causing damage to the built-in valve 18.

[0034] like Figure 3 and Figure 5As shown, when the hydraulic shock absorber 1 is a magnetorheological shock absorber, the external cylinder structure of the hydraulic shock absorber 1 is an oil storage cylinder 25, and the oil storage cylinder 25 is filled with magnetorheological fluid 27. The piston rod 13 of the hydraulic shock absorber 1 is a hollow cylinder structure, and the bottom end of the piston rod 13 is connected to the magnetic flux coil mechanism 26 and then inserted into the oil storage cylinder 25. The coil of the magnetic flux coil mechanism 26 is led out through the hollow inner cavity of the piston rod 13 and then connected to the controller 4. A floating piston 28 adapted thereto is provided in the oil storage cylinder 25, and the floating piston 28 is located below the magnetic flux coil mechanism 26.

[0035] After the coil of the magnetic flux coil mechanism 26 is energized, the current of the magnetic flux coil mechanism 26 can be changed according to the instruction of the controller 4, thereby changing the viscosity of the magnetorheological fluid 27, which is an oil containing magnetic powder, so as to adjust the resistance of the magnetorheological fluid 27 flowing through the valve cavity in the magnetic flux coil mechanism 26. By adjusting the magnetic field strength, the purpose of adjustable damping force is achieved, thereby realizing real-time adjustment of the vehicle suspension system. Electromagnetic adjustment is controlled by the controller 4, with a fast response speed, and it can respond to vibration in a very short time. The structure of the magnetorheological damper is simpler and the maintenance cost is lower.

[0036] In order to guide the movement of the piston rod 13 , a sealing guide mechanism 24 is provided between the top end of the oil storage cylinder 25 and the outer wall of the piston rod 13 .

[0037] Regardless of whether the hydraulic shock absorber 1 is a built-in valve shock absorber or a magnetorheological shock absorber, a spring upper pad 12 is installed on the upper support 11, and the top end of the spring 2 is pressed against the spring upper pad 12, and the bottom end is pressed against the top end of the stator of the linear motor 3. In this way, the spring 2 is arranged at the top of the linear motor 3 in space, so that the spring 2 does not occupy too much space, and the structure of the LMES suspension system is more compact.

[0038] The control system where the controller 4 in the present invention is located includes external sensors such as an acceleration sensor, a height sensor, and an original vehicle sensor (vehicle speed sensor, radar, camera, etc.). These external sensors collect and analyze data. The control commands after calculation are transmitted to the vibration reduction systems at different positions. The LMES suspension system disclosed in the present invention controls the magnitude and direction of the generated force by adjusting the internal magnetic flux of the linear motor 3 according to the command signal of the controller 4, thereby outputting the corresponding electromagnetic force and speed to actively control the suspension system. The action of the linear motor 3 will directly lead to the adjustment of the suspension parameters, such as changing the stiffness, damping coefficient and vehicle height of the suspension to adapt to different driving conditions and road conditions. Thereby, the LMES suspension system can have the following functions:

[0039] 1. Active vibration reduction function: The linear motor 3 is powered on and the output force of the linear motor 3 is controlled to be the vibration reduction force output, and the direction of the force is opposite to the resistance direction of the hydraulic shock absorber 1, thereby effectively reducing the vibration and bumps of the vehicle. This active vibration reduction capability improves riding comfort and helps protect the vehicle structure from damage.

[0040] 2. Hybrid thrust function: Determine whether the control force is output by the linear motor 3 or the hydraulic shock absorber 1 according to the relationship between the direction of the required control force and the direction of the relative motion speed, thereby achieving active control with low power and the same effect.

[0041] 3. Variable resistance function: When the linear motor 3 is not powered, the output resistance of the damper is controlled by controlling the damping of the hydraulic shock absorber 1 (ECDC, magnetorheological fluid), especially to achieve low-energy vehicle body control under conditions such as downhill, cornering, and stable handling.

[0042] 4. Lifting function: LEMS suspension also has a short-term lifting function, which can lift the vehicle to a certain height and adjust the vehicle's body shape. This can not only improve the vehicle's appearance and posture, but also increase the vehicle's ground clearance and improve the vehicle's ability to pass through complex terrain and obstacles.

[0043] 5. Safety function: Even when the linear motor 3 fails due to overheating or other reasons, the hydraulic shock absorber 1 can effectively control the vehicle body and still maintain a reliable suspension function.

[0044] In the description of this specification, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "provided with", "connected", etc. should be understood in a broad sense. For example, "connected" 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 it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0045] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, and that the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. LMES suspension system, characterized by: The invention comprises a hydraulic shock absorber (1), a spring (2), a linear motor (3) and a controller (4); the hydraulic shock absorber (1) comprises a piston rod (13) and an external cylinder structure which is sleeved outside the piston rod (13) and vertically movably cooperates with the piston rod (13); the linear motor (3) comprises a stator and a mover, and the stator and the mover are vertically movably cooperated; the stator of the linear motor (3) is connected to the piston rod (13) of the hydraulic shock absorber (1), and the top end of the piston rod (13) is connected to the upper support (11) of the vehicle body; the mover of the linear motor (3) is connected to the external cylinder structure of the hydraulic shock absorber (1), and the bottom end of the external cylinder structure is connected to a lower support (23) for installation on a wheel; the spring (2) is installed between the mover of the linear motor (3) and the upper support (11).

2. The LMES suspension system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The stator of the linear motor (3) comprises an inner shell (32) and a permanent magnet (33); the inner shell (32) is a hollow structure with an open bottom end surrounded by a shell side wall and a shell top wall, an anti-collision pad (31) is arranged on the shell top wall of the inner shell (32), and a center hole for accommodating the piston rod (13) to pass through is arranged at the center of the shell top wall of the inner shell (32); the permanent magnet (33) is coated on the outer surface of the shell side wall of the inner shell (32); the mover of the linear motor center hole (3) comprises an outer shell (36), a coil (34) and a sliding bearing (35), the coil (34) is arranged on the inner surface of the shell side wall (36), and the sliding bearing (35) is arranged on the inner surface of the coil (34); The sliding bearing (35) is sleeved on the outer side of the permanent magnet (33) and is movably matched with the outer surface of the permanent magnet (33) in the vertical direction.

3. The LMES suspension system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The housing (36) of the linear motor (3) comprises a top section (36A) at the top and a bottom section (36C) at the bottom. The top section (36A) and the bottom section (36C) are coaxial. A limiting step surface (36B) is formed between the top section (36A) and the bottom section (36C) and is horizontally retracted inward from the top section (36A) to the bottom section (36C). The bottom end of the coil (34) is aligned with the limiting step surface (36B).

4. The LMES suspension system according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The hydraulic shock absorber (1) is a built-in valve shock absorber, wherein the piston rod (13) is a hollow cylinder structure, the bottom end of the piston rod (13) is connected to a built-in valve (18), and the valve coil of the built-in valve (18) for connecting to a controller (4) is led out from the hollow inner cavity of the piston rod (13); the external cylinder structure comprises an outer cylinder (19) for storing hydraulic oil and an inner cylinder (20), the bottom end of the inner cylinder (20) is connected to a compression valve (21) and then arranged in the outer cylinder (19), and the built-in valve (18) is built in the inner cylinder (20) and slidably cooperates with the built-in valve (18).

5. The LMES suspension system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The lower support (23) is connected to the bottom end of the outer cylinder (19) through a connecting rod (22).

6. The LMES suspension system according to claim 4, characterized in that: A guide sleeve (16) is arranged between the top of the inner cylinder (20) and the outer wall of the piston rod (13).

7. The LMES suspension system according to claim 4, characterized in that: An oil seal (15) is arranged between the top end of the inner cylinder (20) and the outer wall of the piston rod (13), and an end cover (14) is arranged between the top end of the outer cylinder (19) and the outer wall of the piston rod (13).

8. The LMES suspension system according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The hydraulic shock absorber (1) is a magnetorheological shock absorber, and its external cylinder structure is an oil storage cylinder (25). The oil storage cylinder (25) is filled with magnetorheological fluid (27). The bottom end of the piston rod (13) is connected to a magnetic flux coil mechanism (26) and then inserted into the oil storage cylinder (25). A floating piston (28) adapted to the oil storage cylinder (25) is arranged in the oil storage cylinder (25), and the floating piston (28) is located below the magnetic flux coil mechanism (26).

9. The LMES suspension system according to claim 8, characterized in that: A sealing guide mechanism (24) is provided between the top end of the oil storage cylinder (25) and the outer wall of the piston rod (13).

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