Air suspension system, air supply unit thereof, vehicle, and control method for vehicle

Abstract

This disclosure relates to an air suspension system and its air supply unit, a vehicle, and a vehicle control method. The air supply unit includes: a compressor having an inlet end and an outlet end; a first valve, one end connected to the outlet end and the other end connected to an air spring; a second valve, one end connected to the inlet end and the other end connected to the air spring; a third valve, one end connected to the inlet end and the other end connected to an air storage unit; a fourth valve, one end connected to the outlet end and the other end connected to the air storage unit; and a pressure sensor disposed on the side of the first and second valves connected to the air spring, wherein the third valve and the second valve are directly connected to the inlet end. In the air suspension system, by configuring the two valves connected to the inlet end of the compressor to be directly connected to the inlet end of the compressor, the compressor can act as an expanded-capacity muffler, thereby effectively reducing gas flow noise.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of vehicle air suspension technology, and in particular to an air suspension system and its air supply unit, a vehicle, and a vehicle control method. Background Technology

[0002] Air suspension is increasingly used in passenger and commercial vehicles, with its installation rate growing year by year. During the height adjustment of the air springs in an air suspension system, various valves in the air supply unit need to be repeatedly opened and closed. After height adjustment, the pressure of the air springs or air storage unit needs to be checked promptly to manage the air volume in the air suspension system. In related technologies, different valves need to be opened to detect compressed air pressure during pressure detection. However, during pressure detection, the pressure difference between the valves caused by the previous inflation or deflation of the air springs results in gas flow noise as high-pressure gas flows to low-pressure gas. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To overcome the problems existing in related technologies, this disclosure provides an air suspension system and its air supply unit, a vehicle, and a method for controlling the vehicle.

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, an air supply unit for an air suspension system is provided, comprising: a compressor having an inlet end and an outlet end; a first valve having one end connected to the outlet end and the other end for connection to an air spring; a second valve having one end connected to the inlet end and the other end for connection to the air spring; a third valve having one end connected to the inlet end and the other end for connection to an air storage unit; a fourth valve having one end connected to the outlet end and the other end for connection to the air storage unit; and a pressure sensor disposed on the side of the first valve and the second valve for connection to the air spring, wherein the third valve and the second valve are directly connected to the inlet end.

[0005] Optionally, the length of the air passage between the third valve and the chamber of the compressor is no greater than 10 mm, and / or the length of the air passage between the second valve and the chamber of the compressor is no greater than 10 mm.

[0006] Optionally, the air passage length between the third valve and the compressor chamber is zero, and / or the air passage length between the second valve and the compressor chamber is zero.

[0007] Optionally, the air supply unit includes a plurality of spring valves, each of which is connected to the first valve and the second valve respectively, and is used to connect to one of the air springs.

[0008] Optionally, the first valve is a reversing valve and has a bottom port and a side port. The bottom port of the first valve is used to connect to the air spring, and the side port is used to connect to the air outlet.

[0009] Optionally, the third valve is a reversing valve and has a bottom port and a side port. The side port of the third valve is used to connect to the gas storage unit, and the bottom port is used to connect to the gas inlet.

[0010] Optionally, the second valve is a reversing valve and has a bottom port and a side port. The side port of the second valve is used to connect to the air spring, and the bottom port is used to connect to the air inlet.

[0011] Optionally, the fourth valve is a reversing valve and has a bottom port and a side port. The bottom port of the fourth valve is used to connect to the gas storage unit, and the side port is used to connect to the gas outlet.

[0012] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, an air suspension system is provided, including an air storage unit, an air spring, and an air supply unit provided in the present disclosure, wherein a first valve and a second valve are respectively connected to the air spring, and a third valve and a fourth valve are respectively connected to the air storage unit.

[0013] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a vehicle is provided, including the air suspension system provided in the present disclosure.

[0014] According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, a vehicle control method is provided, applied to the vehicle provided in the present disclosure, the control method comprising: acquiring height change information of the vehicle; controlling the air suspension system to adjust the height of the air spring according to the height change information of the vehicle; and acquiring pressure information of the air storage unit after the height adjustment of the air spring is completed.

[0015] Optionally, the step of obtaining the pressure of the gas storage unit includes: controlling the first valve and the fourth valve to close, and the third valve and the second valve to open.

[0016] Optionally, the step of controlling the air suspension system to adjust the height of the air spring based on the vehicle height change information includes: when the vehicle height is lower than a preset height, controlling the first valve and the third valve to open and the second valve and the fourth valve to close;

[0017] Optionally, the step of controlling the air suspension system to adjust the height of the air spring based on the vehicle height change information includes: when the vehicle height is higher than a preset height, controlling the second valve and the fourth valve to open and the first valve and the third valve to close.

[0018] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this disclosure may include the following beneficial effects: In an air suspension system, two valves connected to the intake end of the compressor are configured to be directly connected to the intake end. In this way, when the air pressure on both sides of the valve is different, causing the gas to flow from the high-pressure side to the low-pressure side, the volume of the compressor chamber is large. The noise fluctuations of the gas flow will be reflected and scattered inside the chamber. The larger volume can provide more space to reduce noise fluctuations, so that the noise is absorbed and dissipated inside the chamber. The compressor in the embodiments of this disclosure can act as an expanded-capacity muffler, thereby achieving the effect of silencing gas flow noise.

[0019] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a connection block diagram of an air suspension system according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the adjustment of an air spring height according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the descent adjustment of an air spring according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0024] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the detection of pressure in an air suspension system according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0025] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the connection between the third valve and the second valve and the compressor according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0026] Figure 6 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a first valve, a second valve, a third valve, and a fourth valve according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0027] Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating a vehicle control method according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0028] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0029] 100-Air supply unit, 101-Exhaust valve, 10-Compressor, 11-Inlet end, 12-Outlet end, 23-Third valve, 21-First valve, 22-Second valve, 24-Fourth valve, 201-Bottom port, 202-Side port, 30-Air storage unit, 40-Air spring, 50-Pressure sensor, 60-Spring valve. Detailed Implementation

[0030] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numerals in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this disclosure. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of this disclosure as detailed in the appended claims.

[0031] It should be noted that all actions involving the acquisition of signals, information, or data in this application are carried out in compliance with the relevant data protection laws and policies of the country where the application is located, and with the authorization granted by the owner of the relevant device.

[0032] In this disclosure, unless otherwise stated, directional terms such as "inner" and "outer" are defined according to the contours of the corresponding components. Terms such as "first" and "second" used in this disclosure are for distinguishing one element from another and do not have sequential or importance. When the following description relates to the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings denote the same or similar elements.

[0033] Reference Figure 1This disclosure provides an air supply unit 100 for an air suspension system, used to compress gas in an air storage unit 30 and supply it to an air spring 40 or vice versa. The air supply unit 100 includes a compressor 10, a first valve 21, a second valve 22, a third valve 23, a fourth valve 24, and a pressure sensor 50. The compressor 10 has an inlet end 11 and an outlet end 12, both of which are connected to the compressor chamber. One end of the first valve 21 is connected to the outlet end 12, and the other end is connected to the air spring 40. When the first valve 21 is opened, the compressed gas from the compressor 10 is supplied to the air spring 40, causing the air spring 40 to rise. One end of the second valve 22 is connected to the inlet end 11, and the other end is connected to the air spring 40. When the second valve 22 is opened, the gas inside the air spring 40 is released into the compressor 10, causing the height of the air spring 40 to decrease. One end of the third valve 23 is connected to the inlet end 11, and the other end is connected to the gas storage unit 30. When the third valve 23 is opened, the gas inside the gas storage unit 30 is input into the compressor 10 for compression. One end of the fourth valve 24 is connected to the outlet end 12, and the other end is connected to the gas storage unit 30. When the fourth valve 24 is opened, the gas inside the compressor 10 is recovered into the gas storage unit 30 for storage and future use. When the air spring 40 needs to be inflated and raised, the third valve 23 and the first valve 21 can be opened, so that air enters the compressor 10 from the air storage unit 30, is compressed, and then flows out into the air spring 40; when the air spring needs to be deflated and lowered, the second valve 22 and the fourth valve 24 can be opened, so that the gas in the air spring 40 enters the compressor 10 and then returns to the air storage unit 30.

[0034] In this embodiment, a pressure sensor 50 is provided on the side of the first valve 21 and the second valve 22 that is connected to the air spring 40. This sensor is used to detect the pressure of the air suspension system after the height of the air spring 40 is adjusted. During pressure detection, the second valve 22 and the third valve 23 can be opened, and the pressure sensor 50 can measure the pressure of the air storage unit 30. When the pressure is too high, gas can be released through the exhaust valve 101; when the pressure is too low, air can be added to the air storage unit 30. By managing the air volume in the air storage unit 30, the pressure of the air suspension system can be kept within a suitable range to meet the raising or lowering requirements of the air spring 40.

[0035] When the second valve 22 and the third valve 23 are opened to detect pressure, the pressure on both sides of the second valve 22 and the third valve 23 will differ due to the inflation or deflation of the air spring 40 in the early stage, resulting in high-pressure and low-pressure ends on both sides. For example, after the air spring 40 completes the lifting adjustment, the pressure on both ends of the second valve 22 and the fourth valve 24 is inconsistent. When the second valve 22 and the third valve 23 need to be opened to detect pressure, the pressure on the side of the second valve 22 connected to the air spring 40 is greater than the pressure on the side connected to the compressor 10. This causes high-pressure gas to flow towards low-pressure gas, thus generating gas flow noise. After the air spring 40 completes the lowering adjustment, the pressure on both ends of the first valve 21 and the third valve 23 is inconsistent. When the second valve 22 and the third valve 23 need to be opened to detect pressure, the pressure on the side of the third valve 23 connected to the air storage unit 30 is greater than the pressure on the side connected to the compressor 10. This causes high-pressure gas to flow towards low-pressure gas, thus generating gas flow noise. To address the issue of gas flow noise, in this embodiment, the third valve 23 and the second valve 22 are directly connected to the air inlet 11 of the compressor 10. That is, the second valve 22 and the third valve 23 are directly connected to the compressor 10. In this way, when the pressure is detected and the second valve 22 and the third valve 23 are opened, the high-pressure gas flows towards the low-pressure gas, and the chamber of the compressor 10 on the low-pressure gas side can act as an "expansion-type silencer", thereby reducing or eliminating gas flow noise.

[0036] Through the above technical solution, in the air suspension system, the two valves connected to the air intake end 11 of the compressor 10 are set to be directly connected to the air intake end 11. In this way, when the air pressure on both sides of the valve is different, causing the gas to flow from the high-pressure side to the low-pressure side, the volume of the compressor 10 chamber is large. The noise fluctuation of the gas flow will be reflected and scattered inside the chamber. The larger volume can provide more space to reduce the noise fluctuation, so that the noise is absorbed and dissipated inside the chamber. The compressor 10 in this embodiment can be used as an expanded silencer, thereby achieving the effect of silencing the noise of gas flow.

[0037] In this embodiment of the disclosure, to ensure that gas flow noise is eliminated promptly and quickly, the length of the air passage between the second valve 22 and the third valve 23 and the chamber of the compressor 10 should be as short as possible. For example, refer to... Figure 5 As an example, the length L of the air passage between the third valve 23 and the chamber of the compressor 10 can be set to no more than 10 mm. Similarly, the length of the air passage between the second valve 22 and the chamber of the compressor 10 can also be set to no more than 10 mm.

[0038] In one embodiment, the length of the air passage between the third valve 23 and the chamber of the compressor 10 can be set to zero. Similarly, the length of the air passage between the second valve 22 and the chamber of the compressor 10 can also be set to zero. In this way, the gas flowing from the high-pressure side to the low-pressure side can directly enter the chamber of the compressor 10 for noise reduction, which can quickly reduce or eliminate gas flow noise, thereby minimizing the impact of noise.

[0039] In this embodiment of the disclosure, reference is made to Figure 1 Each wheel of the vehicle can be equipped with an air spring 40. The air supply unit can include multiple spring valves 60. For example, when there are four air springs 40, the air supply unit 100 can include four spring valves 60. Each spring valve 60 can be connected to one air spring 40 to control one air spring 40. Furthermore, each spring valve 60 is connected to a first valve 21 and a second valve 22 respectively. That is, the first valve 21 can be connected to all four spring valves 60 simultaneously, and the second valve 22 can be connected to each of the four spring valves 60 individually. When an air spring 40 needs to be inflated or deflated, the corresponding spring valve 60 is opened, so that the height adjustment of each air spring 40 is independent and does not affect each other.

[0040] In one embodiment, the first valve 21 may be a directional valve, and has a bottom port 201 and a side port 202, such as Figure 6 As shown. The bottom port of the first valve 21 is connected to the air spring 40, and the side port is connected to the air outlet 12. When the air spring 40 is inflated, the gas in the air storage unit 30 enters the compressor 10, is compressed, and then enters the air spring 40 through the first valve 21. Since the gas pressure discharged from the compressor 10 is relatively high, the side port of the first valve 21 is connected to the air outlet 12 of the compressor 10, so that the first valve 21 adopts a side-in, bottom-out connection method to adapt to high-pressure application scenarios and ensure the service life of the first valve 21.

[0041] In one embodiment, the third valve 23 can be a directional valve, and has a bottom port 201 and a side port 202, such as Figure 6 As shown. The side port of the third valve 23 is used to connect to the air storage unit 30, and the bottom port is connected to the air inlet 11. When the air spring 40 is inflated or when the pressure of the air storage unit 30 is detected, the gas in the air storage unit 30 enters from the side port of the third valve 23, so that the third valve 23 adopts a side-in, bottom-out connection method to adapt to high-pressure application scenarios and ensure the service life of the third valve 23.

[0042] In one embodiment, the second valve 22 can be a directional valve, and has a bottom port 201 and a side port 202, such as... Figure 6As shown. The side port of the second valve 22 is used to connect to the air spring 40, and the bottom port is connected to the air inlet 11. When the air spring 40 is vented, the gas discharged from the air spring 40 will enter through the side port of the second valve 22, so that the second valve 22 adopts a side-in, bottom-out connection method to adapt to high-pressure application scenarios and ensure the service life of the second valve 22.

[0043] In one embodiment, the fourth valve 24 can be a directional valve, and has a bottom port 201 and a side port 202, such as Figure 6 As shown. The bottom port of the fourth valve 24 is connected to the air storage unit 30, and the side port is connected to the air outlet 12. When the air spring 40 is vented, the gas is discharged from one end of the compressor 10 and returns to the air storage unit 30 through the fourth valve 24. At that time, the pressure on one side of the compressor 10 is relatively high. Therefore, the side port of the fourth valve 24 is connected to the air outlet 12 of the compressor 10 so that the fourth valve 24 adopts a side-in, bottom-out connection method to adapt to high-pressure application scenarios and ensure the service life of the fourth valve 24.

[0044] According to a second aspect of the embodiments of this disclosure, such as Figure 1 As shown, an air suspension system is provided, including an air storage unit 30, an air spring 40, and the aforementioned air supply unit 100. A first valve 21 and a second valve 22 are respectively connected to the air spring 40, and a third valve 23 and a fourth valve 24 are respectively connected to the air storage unit 30. This air suspension system possesses all the beneficial effects of the aforementioned air supply unit 100, which will not be elaborated upon here.

[0045] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a vehicle is provided that includes the aforementioned air suspension system and has all the beneficial effects of the aforementioned air suspension system, which will not be repeated here. The air suspension system may have four air springs, which are correspondingly disposed at the four wheels. The vehicle may be a hybrid vehicle, a non-hybrid vehicle, an electric vehicle, a fuel cell vehicle, or other types of vehicles. The vehicle may be an autonomous vehicle, a semi-autonomous vehicle, or a non-autonomous vehicle.

[0046] According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, a vehicle control method is provided, which is applied to the vehicle described above, with reference to... Figure 7 The control method includes:

[0047] In s101, information on changes in vehicle height is obtained, such as by measuring the distance between the vehicle's wheel arch and the wheel center using a height sensor and comparing it with a preset height to determine changes in vehicle height.

[0048] In s102, the air suspension system is controlled to adjust the height of the air spring 40 based on vehicle height change information. For example, when the wheel arch height is lower than a preset height, the air suspension system is controlled to raise the air spring 40; conversely, the air suspension system is controlled to lower the air spring 40.

[0049] In s103, after the height adjustment of the air spring 40 is completed, the pressure information of the air suspension system is obtained, for example, by obtaining the pressure of the current air storage unit through the pressure sensor 50.

[0050] The above control method enables height adjustment of the air suspension system and pressure detection after height adjustment to ensure appropriate air suspension system pressure. In some embodiments, the control method may further include, after s103, determining whether the air suspension system pressure meets a preset pressure, and performing venting when the pressure is too high and inflating when the pressure is too low, to accurately manage the air volume in the air suspension.

[0051] The step of obtaining the pressure of the gas storage unit may include: controlling the first valve 21 and the fourth valve 24 to close, and the third valve 23 and the second valve 22 to open. When the spring valve 60 is present, the spring valve 60 is closed when the pressure is detected to avoid changes in the gas in the air spring 40.

[0052] In this embodiment of the present disclosure, the step of controlling the air suspension system to adjust the height of the air spring 40 according to the vehicle height change information includes: when the vehicle height is lower than the preset height, controlling the first valve 21 and the third valve 23 to open and the second valve 22 and the fourth valve 24 to close, so that the air spring 40 is inflated and raised.

[0053] In this embodiment of the present disclosure, the step of controlling the air suspension system to adjust the height of the air spring 40 according to the vehicle height change information includes: when the vehicle height is higher than the preset height, controlling the second valve 22 and the fourth valve 24 to open and the first valve 21 and the third valve 23 to close, so that the air spring 40 deflates and descends.

[0054] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figures 2 to 4 The various usage modes of the air suspension system in the embodiments of this disclosure are described in detail. Figure 2 This shows the inflation and lifting mode of the air spring 40. Figure 3 This shows the deflation and descent mode of the air spring 40. Figure 4 This shows the pressure detection mode after the air spring height is adjusted to 40 degrees. Figure 2 and Figure 3The diagram shows four air springs 40 being either inflated or deflated. In practical applications, spring valves 60 can be controlled as needed to inflate or deflate the corresponding air springs 40. Figure 2 In the inflation and lifting mode, the first valve 21 and the third valve 23 are opened, and the four spring valves 60 are also opened. The gas in the gas storage unit 30 enters the compressor 10 through the third valve 23, and the compressed gas enters the four spring valves 60 through the first valve 21, thereby inflating the four air springs 40. Figure 3 In the venting and descent mode, the second valve 22, the fourth valve 24, and the four spring valves 60 are opened. The gas in the air spring 40 flows to the second valve 22 via the corresponding spring valve 60, and then enters the compressor 10 via the second valve 22. The gas discharged from the compressor 10 returns to the gas storage unit 30 via the fourth valve 24. Figure 4 In the pressure detection mode, only the second valve 22 and the third valve 23 are opened. At this time, the pressure sensor 50 detects the pressure in the pipeline between the gas storage unit 30 and the third valve 23 and the second valve 22, thereby reflecting the current pressure and gas volume in the gas storage unit 30.

[0055] Other embodiments of this disclosure will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of this disclosure. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this disclosure that follow the general principles of this disclosure and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of this disclosure are indicated by the following claims.

[0056] It should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the precise structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of this disclosure is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A control method of an air supply unit of an air suspension system, characterized by, The air supply unit includes: A compressor has an inlet end and an outlet end; The first valve has one end connected to the air outlet and the other end connected to the air spring. The second valve has one end connected to the air inlet and the other end connected to the air spring. The third valve has one end connected to the air inlet and the other end connected to the air storage unit. The fourth valve has one end connected to the gas outlet and the other end connected to the gas storage unit; and A pressure sensor is installed on the side of the first valve and the second valve that is connected to the air spring. The third valve is directly connected to the second valve at the air inlet end. The control method includes: when the detected pressure opens the second valve and the third valve, and the high-pressure gas flows towards the low-pressure gas, the compressor chamber on the low-pressure gas side is used as an expansion-type silencer.

2. The control method of the air supply unit according to claim 1, characterized by, The length of the air passage between the third valve and the compressor chamber is no greater than 10 mm, and / or the length of the air passage between the second valve and the compressor chamber is no greater than 10 mm.

3. The control method of the air supply unit according to claim 2, characterized by, The air passage length between the third valve and the compressor chamber is zero, and / or the air passage length between the second valve and the compressor chamber is zero.

4. The control method for the air supply unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air supply unit includes a plurality of spring valves, each of which is connected to the first valve and the second valve respectively, and is used to connect to an air spring.

5. The control method for the air supply unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first valve is a reversing valve and has a bottom port and a side port. The bottom port of the first valve is used to connect to the air spring, and the side port is used to connect to the air outlet.

6. The control method for the air supply unit according to claim 1 or 5, characterized in that, The third valve is a reversing valve and has a bottom port and a side port. The side port of the third valve is used to connect to the gas storage unit, and the bottom port is used to connect to the gas inlet.

7. The control method of the air supply unit according to claim 1, characterized by, The second valve is a reversing valve and has a bottom port and a side port. The side port of the second valve is used to connect to the air spring, and the bottom port is connected to the air inlet.

8. The control method for the air supply unit according to claim 1 or 7, characterized in that, The fourth valve is a reversing valve and has a bottom port and a side port. The bottom port of the fourth valve is used to connect to the gas storage unit, and the side port is used to connect to the gas outlet.

9. An air suspension system, characterized in that, The device includes an air storage unit, an air spring, and an air supply unit. The air supply unit is controlled by the air supply unit control method described in any one of claims 1-8. The first valve and the second valve are respectively connected to the air spring, and the third valve and the fourth valve are respectively connected to the air storage unit.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that, Includes the air suspension system according to claim 9.

11. A vehicle control method, applied to the vehicle of claim 10, characterized in that, The control method includes: Obtain the height change information of the vehicle; The air suspension system is controlled to adjust the height of the air springs based on the vehicle's height change information; and After the height of the air spring is adjusted, the pressure information of the air storage unit is obtained.

12. The vehicle control method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The step of obtaining the pressure of the gas storage unit includes: The first valve and the fourth valve are closed, and the third valve and the second valve are opened.

13. The vehicle control method according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that, The step of controlling the air suspension system to adjust the height of the air spring based on the vehicle's height change information includes: When the vehicle height is lower than a preset height, the first valve and the third valve are opened, and the second valve and the fourth valve are closed.

14. The control method of a vehicle according to claim 11 or 12, characterized by, The step of controlling the air suspension system to adjust the height of the air spring based on the vehicle's height change information includes: When the vehicle height is higher than a preset height, the second valve and the fourth valve are opened, and the first valve and the third valve are closed.

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