An air bag suspension

Abstract

The present application discloses an airbag suspension, which includes a limiting mechanism, a starting mechanism, a spare shock absorption mechanism, an air spring and a shock absorber; the shock absorber includes a cylinder block and a piston rod, the air spring includes an upper bracket, an airbag and a lower bracket fixed to the upper part of the cylinder block, the spare shock absorption mechanism includes a positioning ring and a spare spring both sleeved on the cylinder block, the lower end of the limiting mechanism is connected to a mounting plate, the upper end of the limiting mechanism is clamped and connected to the positioning ring, and the spare spring is in a compressed state; the upper end of the starting mechanism is connected to the upper bracket, when the airbag is compressed to the limit compression height of the airbag, the lower end of the starting mechanism makes the positioning ring move upward through the limiting mechanism, and makes the positioning ring abut against the lower end of the starting mechanism. The present application solves the problem that the vehicle loses the shock absorption function when the airbag in the prior art cannot work properly. The present application can start the spare spring to filter vibrations when the airbag cannot work properly, so as to ensure the ride comfort of the vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the technical field of automotive suspensions, and particularly relates to an airbag suspension. Background Art

[0002] A suspension is a general term for the force transmission connection device between the vehicle frame and the axle or wheels of an automobile. Its function is to transmit the force and torque between the wheels and the vehicle frame, and buffer the impact force transmitted from the uneven road surface to the vehicle frame or body, and attenuate the resulting vibration to ensure that the vehicle can drive smoothly. A typical suspension consists of elastic elements, a guiding mechanism, a shock absorber, etc. Some structures also have buffer blocks, anti-roll bars, etc. The shock absorber is used to suppress the oscillation when the spring rebounds after absorbing shock and the impact from the road surface, and is widely used in automobiles to accelerate the attenuation of the vibration of the vehicle frame and body to improve the ride comfort of the vehicle. The elastic element supports the vertical load, alleviates and suppresses the vibration and impact caused by the uneven road surface. The elastic elements include leaf springs, air springs, coil springs, torsion bar springs, etc.

[0003] Air springs have the advantages of light weight, liftable, and smooth driving, so they are favored by many users. The airbag of the air spring is usually made of rubber material. However, after long-term use, the rubber material will age, deform, or be punctured by sharp objects, which will cause the problem that the airbag leaks air and cannot work properly. At the same time, when the vehicle load is large, the damage to the airbag is great, which will reduce the service life of the airbag. When the airbag is compressed to the limit compression height of the airbag, the airbag will burst, resulting in the problem that the airbag cannot work properly, thus affecting the normal use of the air spring. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The embodiment of this application provides an airbag suspension, which solves the problem that the vehicle loses its shock absorption function when the airbag in the prior art cannot work properly.

[0005] The embodiment of the present invention provides an airbag suspension, including a limit mechanism, a starting mechanism, a spare shock absorption mechanism, an air spring, and a shock absorber;

[0006] The shock absorber includes a cylinder block and a piston rod. The air spring includes an upper bracket, an airbag, and a lower bracket fixed to the upper part of the cylinder block, which are connected in sequence from top to bottom. The piston rod passes through the lower bracket and the airbag and is fixed to the upper bracket;

[0007] The spare shock absorption mechanism includes a positioning ring and a spare spring, both of which are sleeved on the cylinder block. The lower end of the spare spring is connected to the mounting plate at the lower part of the cylinder block, and the upper end of the spare spring is fixed to the lower surface of the positioning ring;

[0008] The lower end of the limiting mechanism is connected to the mounting plate, the upper end of the limiting mechanism is snap-connected to the positioning ring, and the spare spring is in a compressed state;

[0009] The upper end of the starting mechanism is connected to the upper bracket. When the airbag is compressed to the limit compression height of the airbag, the lower end of the starting mechanism causes the positioning ring to move upward through the limiting mechanism, and the positioning ring abuts against the lower end of the starting mechanism.

[0010] In a possible implementation, the limiting mechanism includes a fixed body with a cylindrical structure, a locking spring, and a locking tongue;

[0011] The fixed body is sleeved on the spare spring, the fixed body is spaced from the spare spring, and the lower end of the fixed body is connected to the mounting plate;

[0012] A blind hole is provided inside the upper end of the fixed body, the orifice of the blind hole faces the positioning ring, a locking spring is provided at the rear of the blind hole, a locking tongue is provided at the front of the blind hole, one end of the locking spring abuts against the rear end face of the locking tongue, and the other end of the locking spring abuts against the bottom wall of the blind hole;

[0013] The upper part of the front end of the locking tongue is provided with a first inclined surface, the lower surface of the front end of the locking tongue abuts against the upper surface of the positioning ring, and a limiting boss is provided in the middle of the locking tongue to cooperate with the closing structure of the orifice of the blind hole.

[0014] In a possible implementation, a plurality of the blind holes are evenly distributed inside the upper end of the fixed body.

[0015] In a possible implementation, the starting mechanism includes a moving body with a cylindrical structure, an insertion ring, and a limiting ring;

[0016] The moving body is sleeved on the air spring, the upper end of the moving body is connected to the upper bracket, the insertion ring is fixed to the lower end of the inner side wall of the moving body, the lower end of the insertion ring cooperates with the first inclined surface, the limiting ring is fixed to the upper end of the inner side wall of the insertion ring, and a limiting surface for cooperating with the upper surface of the positioning ring is provided on the lower surface of the limiting ring;

[0017] When the airbag is compressed to the limit compression height of the airbag, the lower end of the insertion ring drives the locking tongue to move into the blind hole, the positioning ring moves upward, and the upper surface of the positioning ring abuts against the limiting surface.

[0018] In a possible implementation, a chamfer structure is provided on the outer side of the lower end of the insertion ring, and the chamfer structure forms a second inclined surface that cooperates with the first inclined surface.

[0019] In a possible implementation, it further includes a casing of a cylindrical structure. The lower end of the casing is connected to the upper end of the fixed body, and the upper end of the casing is sleeved on the lower end of the moving body.

[0020] In a possible implementation, an annular groove is provided on the inner side wall of the upper end of the casing, and a sealing ring is provided in the annular groove.

[0021] One or more technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present invention have at least the following technical effects or advantages:

[0022] The embodiments of the present invention provide an airbag suspension. When the suspension is in normal use, the spare spring is in a compressed state. When the airbag leaks air and the air spring fails, or the airbag is compressed to the limit compression height of the airbag and the airbag bursts, at this time, the airbag is compressed to the limit compression height of the airbag under the action of the vehicle's own weight. When the airbag is compressed to the limit compression height of the airbag, the lower end of the starting mechanism makes the positioning ring move upward through the limiting mechanism, and the positioning ring abuts against the lower end of the starting mechanism. At this time, the spare spring extends, and the upper end of the spare spring forms a rigid connection structure with the piston rod through the starting mechanism and the upper bracket. The lower end of the spare spring is connected to the cylinder block. Therefore, the spare spring forms a new shock-absorbing spring, and then the state of the spare shock-absorbing mechanism is adjusted, replacing the scrapped air spring. At this time, the vehicle filters the vibrations of the road surface through the compression and recovery of the spare spring, and can cooperate with the shock absorber to ensure the driving smoothness of the vehicle. The suspension of the present invention can start the spare spring to filter vibrations when the airbag cannot work properly, thus avoiding the problem that the airbag fails and the vehicle loses the shock-absorbing function and causes large driving vibrations. The suspension structure of the present invention is simple, easy to implement, and has strong practicability, and can ensure the driving smoothness of the vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required to be used in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are some embodiments of the present invention. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other drawings can also be obtained based on these drawings.

[0024] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of the airbag suspension provided by the embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 2 It is a state diagram when the airbag provided by the embodiment of the present invention is compressed to the limit compression height of the airbag.

[0026] Figure 3 For Figure 2 an enlarged view of part A.

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the state of the spare spring provided by the embodiment of the present invention when it is used as a shock-absorbing spring of an airbag suspension.

[0028] Reference numerals: 1 - limiting mechanism; 11 - fixing body; 12 - locking spring; 13 - locking tongue; 131 - first inclined surface; 14 - blind hole; 2 - starting mechanism; 21 - moving body; 22 - inserting ring; 221 - second inclined surface; 23 - limiting ring; 231 - limiting surface; 3 - spare shock-absorbing mechanism; 31 - positioning ring; 32 - spare spring; 4 - air spring; 41 - upper bracket; 42 - airbag; 43 - lower bracket; 5 - shock absorber; 51 - cylinder block; 511 - mounting plate; 52 - piston rod; 6 - protective cylinder; 7 - sealing ring. Detailed implementation manners

[0029] Next, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0030] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inner", "outer", etc. is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and is only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention. The terms "first", "second", "third" are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. In addition, the terms "installation", "connection", "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 directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it can be the communication inside two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present invention can be understood according to specific situations.

[0031] As Figures 1 to 4 shown, the airbag suspension provided by the embodiment of the present invention includes a limiting mechanism 1, a starting mechanism 2, a spare shock-absorbing mechanism 3, an air spring 4, and a shock absorber 5.

[0032] The shock absorber 5 includes a cylinder block 51 and a piston rod 52. The air spring 4 includes an upper bracket 41, an air bag 42, and a lower bracket 43 fixedly connected to the upper part of the cylinder block 51, which are connected in sequence from top to bottom. The piston rod 52 passes through the lower bracket 43 and the air bag and is fixedly connected to the upper bracket 41.

[0033] The spare shock absorption mechanism 3 includes a positioning ring 31 and a spare spring 32, both of which are sleeved on the cylinder block 51. The lower end of the spare spring 32 is connected to the mounting plate 511 at the lower part of the cylinder block 51, and the upper end of the spare spring 32 is fixed to the lower surface of the positioning ring 31.

[0034] The lower end of the limiting mechanism 1 is connected to the mounting plate 511, and the upper end of the limiting mechanism 1 is snap-connected to the positioning ring 31. The spare spring 32 is in a compressed state and the mounting plate 511 is of an annular structure.

[0035] The upper end of the starting mechanism 2 is connected to the upper bracket 41. When the air bag 42 is compressed to the limit compression height of the air bag 42, the lower end of the starting mechanism 2 causes the positioning ring 31 to move upward through the limiting mechanism 1, and makes the positioning ring 31 abut against the lower end of the starting mechanism 2.

[0036] It should be noted that as Figure 1 shown, the air spring 4 filters the vibrations of the road surface by the compression and recovery of the air bag 42. The air spring 4 and the shock absorber 5 cooperate to improve the ride comfort when the vehicle is running. Figure 1 In, the piston rod 52 is in the maximum extended state.

[0037] When the air spring 4 is working normally, the spare spring 32 is in a compressed state. When the air bag 42 leaks air and causes the air spring 4 to fail, or the air bag 42 is compressed to the limit compression height of the air bag 42 and causes the air bag 42 to burst, at this time, the air bag 42 is compressed to the limit compression height of the air bag 42 under the action of the vehicle's own weight.

[0038] As Figure 2As shown, when the airbag 42 is compressed to its limit compression height, the lower end of the starting mechanism 2 causes the positioning ring 31 to move upward through the limiting mechanism 1 and makes the positioning ring 31 abut against the lower end of the starting mechanism 2. At this time, the spare spring 32 extends. The upper end of the spare spring 32 forms a rigid connection structure with the piston rod 52 through the starting mechanism 2 and the upper support 41. The lower end of the spare spring 32 is connected to the cylinder block 51. Therefore, the spare spring 32 forms a new shock-absorbing spring, thereby realizing the adjustment of the state of the spare shock-absorbing mechanism 3, replacing the scrapped air spring 4. At this time, the vehicle filters the road vibrations through the compression and recovery of the spare spring 32. Cooperating with the shock absorber 5 can ensure the ride smoothness of the vehicle. The suspension of the present invention can start the spare spring 32 to filter vibrations when the airbag 42 cannot work properly, thus avoiding the failure of the airbag 42 and the problem of large driving vibrations caused by the vehicle losing its shock-absorbing function. The suspension structure of the present invention is simple, easy to implement, and has strong practicability, and can ensure the ride smoothness of the vehicle.

[0039] As Figure 2 and Figure 3 shown, in this embodiment, the limiting mechanism 1 includes a fixed body 11 with a cylindrical structure, a locking spring 12, and a locking tongue 13.

[0040] The fixed body 11 is sleeved on the spare spring 32, and the fixed body 11 is spaced from the spare spring 32. The lower end of the fixed body 11 is connected to the mounting plate 511.

[0041] A blind hole 14 is provided inside the upper end of the fixed body 11. The orifice of the blind hole 14 faces the positioning ring 31. A locking spring 12 is provided at the rear part inside the blind hole 14, and a locking tongue 13 is provided at the front part inside the blind hole 14. One end of the locking spring 12 abuts against the rear end face of the locking tongue 13, and the other end of the locking spring 12 abuts against the bottom wall of the blind hole 14.

[0042] The upper part of the front end of the locking tongue 13 is provided with a first inclined surface 131. The front end of the locking tongue 13 is connected to the positioning ring 31 in a snap-fit manner. The lower surface of the front end of the locking tongue 13 abuts against the upper surface of the positioning ring 31. A limiting boss is provided in the middle of the locking tongue 13 to cooperate with the closing structure of the orifice of the blind hole 14.

[0043] It should be noted that when the air spring 4 is working properly, the spare spring 32 is in a compressed state. The spare shock-absorbing mechanism 3 is in a standby state. At this time, under the action of the locking spring 12, the front end of the locking tongue 13 extends out of the orifice of the blind hole 14, so that the lower surface of the front end of the locking tongue 13 abuts against the upper surface of the positioning ring 31, and further, the upper end of the limiting mechanism 1 is connected to the positioning ring 31 in a snap-fit manner, thereby fixing the position of the positioning ring 31 and keeping the spare spring 32 in a compressed state.

[0044] As Figure 1As shown, in this embodiment, a plurality of blind holes 14 are evenly distributed on the inner side of the upper end of the fixed body 11.

[0045] It should be noted that the plurality of blind holes 14 correspond to the structures of multiple sets of locking springs 12 and locking tongues 13, so as to stably fix the positioning ring 31 and avoid the problem that the spare spring 32 switches from the compressed state to the extended state when the air spring 4 is working normally.

[0046] In this embodiment, the starting mechanism 2 includes a moving body 21 with a cylindrical structure, an inserting ring 22, and a limiting ring 23.

[0047] The moving body 21 is sleeved on the air spring 4, the upper end of the moving body 21 is connected to the upper bracket 41, the inserting ring 22 is fixed to the lower end of the inner side wall of the moving body 21, the lower end of the inserting ring 22 is matched with the first inclined surface 131, the limiting ring 23 is fixed to the upper end of the inner side wall of the inserting ring 22, and a limiting surface 231 for matching with the upper surface of the positioning ring 31 is arranged on the lower surface of the limiting ring 23.

[0048] When the airbag 42 is compressed to the limit compression height of the airbag 42, the lower end of the inserting ring 22 drives the locking tongue 13 to move into the blind hole 14, the positioning ring 31 moves upward, and the upper surface of the positioning ring 31 abuts against the limiting surface 231.

[0049] It should be noted that as Figures 2 to 4 shown, during the process of the airbag 42 being compressed to the limit compression height of the airbag 42, the inserting ring 22 moves downward, the lower end of the inserting ring 22 contacts the first inclined surface 131 at the front end of the locking tongue 13, the inserting ring 22 presses the locking tongue 13 to move into the blind hole 14. When the locking tongue 13 retracts into the blind hole 14, the positioning ring 31 loses the restraint of the locking tongue 13, and under the action of its own spare spring 32, the positioning ring 31 moves upward until the upper surface of the positioning ring 31 abuts against the limiting surface 231. The spare spring 32 drives the starting mechanism 2 to move upward, that is, the moving body 21 drives the piston rod 52 to move, and the shock absorber 5 generates a damping force on the spare spring 32, thereby suppressing the oscillation when the spring rebounds after absorbing shock and the impact from the road surface, so that the spare spring 32 becomes the shock-absorbing spring of the vehicle.

[0050] As Figure 3 shown, in this embodiment, a chamfer structure is arranged on the outer side of the lower end of the inserting ring 22, and the chamfer structure forms a second inclined surface 221 that cooperates with the first inclined surface 131.

[0051] It should be noted that the inserting ring 22 can be made of self-lubricating material. The inclination angles of the first inclined surface 131 and the second inclined surface 221 are the same, that is, the first inclined surface 131 and the second inclined surface 221 are in surface contact.

[0052] A second inclined surface 221 that mates with the first inclined surface 131 is provided, which can easily press the insertion ring 22 to move the locking tongue 13 into the blind hole 14, so as to achieve the purpose of retracting the locking tongue 13 into the blind hole 14.

[0053] As Figure 1 shown, this embodiment further includes a protective cylinder 6 with a cylindrical structure. The lower end of the protective cylinder 6 is connected to the upper end of the fixed body 11, and the upper end of the protective cylinder 6 is sleeved on the lower end of the moving body 21.

[0054] It should be noted that the protective cylinder 6 can protect the airbag 42 from being punctured by sharp objects, and at the same time can alleviate the problems of aging and deformation of the airbag 42. When the piston rod 52 of the shock absorber 5 moves, the lower end of the moving body 21 is always located inside the protective cylinder 6, which can guide the movement trajectory of the moving body 21 and further improve the reliability of the suspension.

[0055] As Figure 1 shown, an annular groove is provided on the inner side wall of the upper end of the protective cylinder 6 of this embodiment, and a sealing ring 7 is provided in the annular groove.

[0056] It should be noted that the sealing ring 7 can keep the components inside the moving body 21, the fixed body 11 and the protective cylinder 6 in a sealed state, thereby further improving the safety and reliability of the suspension structure.

[0057] When the airbag suspension of the present invention is in use, the spare spring is in a compressed state. When the airbag leaks and the air spring fails, or the airbag is compressed to the limit compression height of the airbag and the airbag bursts, at this time, the airbag is compressed to the limit compression height of the airbag under the action of the vehicle's own weight. When the airbag is compressed to the limit compression height of the airbag, the lower end of the starting mechanism makes the positioning ring move upward through the limiting mechanism and makes the positioning ring abut against the lower end of the starting mechanism. At this time, the spare spring extends, and the upper end of the spare spring forms a rigid connection structure with the piston rod through the starting mechanism and the upper bracket. The lower end of the spare spring is connected to the cylinder block. Therefore, the spare spring forms a new shock-absorbing spring, and then realizes the adjustment of the state of the spare shock-absorbing mechanism, replacing the scrapped air spring. At this time, the vehicle filters the road vibration through the compression and recovery of the spare spring, and can ensure the driving smoothness of the vehicle in cooperation with the shock absorber. The suspension of the present invention can start the spare spring to filter the vibration when the airbag cannot work properly, thus avoiding the failure of the airbag and the problem of large driving vibration caused by the vehicle losing the shock-absorbing function. The suspension structure of the present invention is simple, easy to implement, and has strong practicability, and can ensure the driving smoothness of the vehicle.

[0058] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other, and the key points of each embodiment are the differences from other embodiments.

[0059] The above are only the preferred embodiments of the present invention, and do not impose any limitations on the present invention. Any simple modifications, changes, and equivalent structural changes made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention still fall within the scope of protection of the technical solution of the present invention.

Claims

1. An airbag suspension, characterized in that: It includes a limit mechanism (1), a starting mechanism (2), a spare shock absorption mechanism (3), an air spring (4), and a shock absorber (5); The shock absorber (5) includes a cylinder block (51) and a piston rod (52). The air spring (4) includes an upper bracket (41), an air bag (42), and a lower bracket (43) fixedly connected to the upper part of the cylinder block (51) that are connected in sequence from top to bottom. The piston rod (52) passes through the lower bracket (43) and the air bag (42) and is fixedly connected to the upper bracket (41); The spare shock absorption mechanism (3) includes a positioning ring (31) and a spare spring (32) both sleeved on the cylinder block (51). The lower end of the spare spring (32) is connected to a mounting plate (511) at the lower part of the cylinder block (51), and the upper end of the spare spring (32) is fixed to the lower surface of the positioning ring (31); The lower end of the limit mechanism (1) is connected to the mounting plate (511), the upper end of the limit mechanism (1) is snap-connected to the positioning ring (31), and the spare spring (32) is in a compressed state; The upper end of the starting mechanism (2) is connected to the upper bracket (41). When the air bag (42) is compressed to its limit compression height, the lower end of the starting mechanism (2) causes the positioning ring (31) to move upward through the limit mechanism (1), and the positioning ring (31) abuts against the lower end of the starting mechanism (2); The limit mechanism (1) includes a fixed body (11) with a cylindrical structure, a locking spring (12), and a locking tongue (13); The fixed body (11) is sleeved on the spare spring (32), the fixed body (11) is spaced from the spare spring (32), and the lower end of the fixed body (11) is connected to the mounting plate (511); A blind hole (14) is provided inside the upper end of the fixed body (11). The orifice of the blind hole (14) faces the positioning ring (31). A locking spring (12) is provided at the rear part inside the blind hole (14), and a locking tongue (13) is provided at the front part inside the blind hole (14). One end of the locking spring (12) abuts against the rear end face of the locking tongue (13), and the other end of the locking spring (12) abuts against the bottom wall of the blind hole (14); The upper part of the front end of the locking tongue (13) is provided with a first inclined surface (131). The lower surface of the front end of the locking tongue (13) abuts against the upper surface of the positioning ring (31). A limiting boss is provided in the middle of the locking tongue (13) and is matched with the closing structure of the orifice of the blind hole (14); A plurality of the blind holes (14) are evenly distributed inside the upper end of the fixed body (11); The starting mechanism (2) includes a moving body (21) with a cylindrical structure, an inserting ring (22), and a limiting ring (23); The moving body (21) is sleeved on the air spring (4). The upper end of the moving body (21) is connected to the upper bracket (41). The insertion ring (22) is fixed to the lower end of the inner side wall of the moving body (21). The lower end of the insertion ring (22) is matched with the first inclined surface (131). The limiting ring (23) is fixed to the upper end of the inner side wall of the insertion ring (22). A limiting surface (231) for matching with the upper surface of the positioning ring (31) is arranged on the lower surface of the limiting ring (23). When the air bladder (42) is compressed to the limit compression height of the air bladder (42), the lower end of the insertion ring (22) drives the locking tongue (13) to move into the blind hole (14), the positioning ring (31) moves upward, and the upper surface of the positioning ring (31) abuts against the limiting surface (231).

2. The airbag suspension according to claim 1, characterized in that: A chamfer structure is arranged on the outer side of the lower end of the insertion ring (22), and the chamfer structure forms a second inclined surface (221) for matching with the first inclined surface (131).

3. The air bag suspension according to claim 1, wherein: It further includes a protecting cylinder (6) in a cylindrical structure. The lower end of the protecting cylinder (6) is connected to the upper end of the fixed body (11). The upper end of the protecting cylinder (6) is sleeved on the lower end of the moving body (21).

4. The air bag suspension according to claim 3, wherein: An annular groove is arranged on the inner side wall of the upper end of the protecting cylinder (6), and a sealing ring (7) is arranged in the annular groove.

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