Air suspension closed-loop air path system

By setting up multiple air circuit control units and pressure monitoring units in the air suspension system, a closed-loop air circuit system is solved, and the frequent start-up of the air compressor and system complexity are achieved, lower energy consumption, longer life and higher Reliable air suspension system.

CN119099263AInactive Publication Date: 2024-12-10辰致科技有限公司 +2

Patent Information

Application Number
CN202411508698.8
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-10-28
Publication Date
2024-12-10
Estimated Expiration
Not applicable · inactive patent

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The frequent start of the air compressor in traditional air suspension closed-loop air circuit system leads to increased energy consumption and shortened service life. The system structure is complex, large in size, and high maintenance difficulty, and lacks effective air pressure monitoring and control.

Method used

Design multiple air circuit control units to control the flow direction of gas between the air compressor and the air spring and the gas storage tank, form a true closed-loop air circuit system, reduce the start frequency of the air compressor, and monitor the air pressure in real time through the pressure monitoring unit, using The external communication pipeline and the pressure relief gas circuit control unit perform gas replenishment and exhaust gas.

Benefits of technology

It reduces the start frequency of the air compressor, extends its service life, simplifies the system structure, reduces the volume, reduces the failure rate and maintenance costs, and ensures the stability and normal operation of the gas circuit system.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

Smart Images

  • Figure CN119099263A_ABST
    Figure CN119099263A_ABST
Patent Text Reader

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of air suspensions, in particular to a closed-loop air path system of an air suspension, which is characterized in that a plurality of control units for controlling opening and closing of air paths are arranged among an air storage mechanism, an air spring and an air compressor, so that the whole system forms a real closed-loop air path system during working; the air suspension air path system has the original function of guaranteeing stable and rapid ascending / descending of an air suspension, the starting frequency of the air compressor is reduced, the air compressor does not need to be started when the air storage mechanism inflates the air spring, and the service life of the air suspension air path system is prolonged.
Need to check novelty before this filing date? Find Prior Art

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of air suspension, and in particular to an air suspension closed-loop air circuit system. Background Art

[0002] As an important part of the vehicle's active suspension system, the air suspension is mainly composed of an air compressor, solenoid valves, air springs, air tanks, various sensors, control units and pipelines. It adjusts the stiffness and height of the suspension by changing the volume and pressure of the gas inside the air spring, so that the vehicle has good comfort and passability under various road conditions.

[0003] The core component of the air suspension is the air supply system that provides the source power for the suspension stiffness and height adjustment functions. The traditional air supply systems for air suspension include open-loop air system and closed-loop air system. Since the open-loop air system frequently requires air replenishment and exhaust operations from the outside, while the closed-loop air system does not require such maintenance steps of replenishing and exhausting air in daily use, the closed-loop air system is more convenient than the open-loop air system.

[0004] However, the traditional closed-loop air system needs to activate the air compressor every time when adjusting the height. This high-frequency startup not only increases energy consumption, but also accelerates the wear of the air compressor, thereby shortening the service life of the air compressor.

[0005] The publication "An Air Suspension Air Circuit Device and Control Method" with the publication number CN118124320A proposes a solution to the frequent start-up of the air compressor, that is, adding several groups of air storage mechanisms between the air compression device and the air spring passage, attempting to directly complete the air filling and deflation of the air spring by deflation and storage of the air storage mechanism, so as to achieve the purpose of reducing the start-up frequency of the air compressor. Those skilled in the art found in their work that this technical solution has many shortcomings, such as:

[0006] 1) This technical solution does not minimize the start-up frequency of the air compressor for the following two reasons:

[0007] 1-1) There is no valve between the air compressor and the gas storage mechanism to control the on-off of the pipeline. When the closed-loop control of the gas is performed, the air compressor will still be started more frequently to make the gas path conductive;

[0008] 1-2) To ensure that the air storage mechanism for inflation has sufficient pressure and the air storage mechanism for deflation has a relatively low pressure to ensure the descent speed, it is still necessary to start the air compressor to extract the gas from the low-pressure air storage mechanism into the high-pressure air storage mechanism after the air suspension is completed. The air compressor will also be started more frequently.

[0009] 2) This technical solution does not have the function of directly inflating the air spring using an air compressor. Once the air storage mechanism fails, the working efficiency of the entire air suspension system will be immediately affected;

[0010] 3) Since the gas circuit system has many gas storage mechanisms and pressure sensors, the connection process is complicated, which increases the possibility of failure and increases the difficulty and cost of system maintenance;

[0011] 4) In the gas circuit system of this structure, the air compressor is not equipped with a pressure-limiting safety valve. When the air compressor is working, once the system pressure exceeds the safety threshold, the air compressor will be directly damaged;

[0012] 5) This device has more gas storage mechanisms in the gas circuit system, which increases the volume of the entire suspension system and requires more installation space;

[0013] There is an urgent need for an air circuit system that can truly form a closed loop when working, minimize the frequency of starting the air compressor, and at the same time, simplify the system structure and reduce the system volume as much as possible. Summary of the invention

[0014] The purpose of the present invention is to provide an air suspension closed-loop air circuit system in view of the corresponding deficiencies in the prior art, wherein a plurality of air circuit control units are arranged between the air compressor, the air spring and the air storage tank, and these air circuit control units are used to control the gas flow direction between the air compressor, the air spring and the air storage tank, so that the entire system forms a true closed-loop air circuit system when working, thereby minimizing the starting frequency of the air compressor.

[0015] The object of the present invention is achieved by adopting the following scheme: an air suspension closed-loop air circuit system, comprising an air compression unit, an air spring unit, and an air storage unit, the air compression unit comprising an air inlet pipeline and an air outlet pipeline, and also comprising a first air circuit control unit, a second air circuit control unit, and a third air circuit control unit, the first air circuit control unit comprising two ventilation pipelines, the second air circuit control unit comprising three ventilation pipelines, the third air circuit control unit comprising three ventilation pipelines, the air storage unit comprising a ventilation pipeline, and the air spring unit comprising a ventilation pipeline;

[0016] The air inlet pipeline of the air compression unit is connected to the second ventilation pipeline of the first air circuit control unit, the air outlet pipeline of the air compression unit is connected to the third ventilation pipeline of the third air circuit control unit, the first ventilation pipeline of the third air circuit control unit is connected to the ventilation pipeline of the air storage unit, the second ventilation pipeline of the third air circuit control unit is connected to the first ventilation pipeline of the second air circuit control unit, the second ventilation pipeline of the second air circuit control unit is connected to the ventilation pipeline of the air spring unit, and the third ventilation pipeline of the second air circuit control unit is connected to the first ventilation pipeline of the first air circuit control unit, so that the airflow output by the air compression unit flows unidirectionally between the first air circuit control unit and the third air circuit control unit.

[0017] Preferably, a thirteenth control valve is provided between the first ventilation pipeline and the second ventilation pipeline of the first air circuit control unit, the air inlet end of the thirteenth control valve is connected to the first ventilation pipeline of the first air circuit control unit, and the air outlet end of the thirteenth control valve is connected to the second ventilation port of the first air circuit control unit.

[0018] Preferably, a tenth control valve is provided between the second ventilation pipeline and the third ventilation pipeline of the third air path control unit, and an eleventh control valve is provided between the first ventilation pipeline and the third ventilation pipeline of the third air path control unit;

[0019] The tenth control valve and the eleventh control valve each include two vents, the first vent of the tenth control valve and the first vent of the eleventh control valve are both connected to the third ventilation pipeline of the third air circuit control unit, the second vent of the tenth control valve is connected to the second ventilation pipeline of the third air circuit control unit, and the second vent of the eleventh control valve is connected to the first ventilation pipeline of the third air circuit control unit.

[0020] Preferably, the air spring unit includes a first air spring, a second air spring, a third air spring, and a fourth air spring, and the second air circuit control unit includes a first air spring control valve, a second air spring control valve, a third air spring control valve, and a fourth air spring control valve. The first air spring control valve, the second air spring control valve, the third air spring control valve, and the fourth air spring control valve are all arranged on the second ventilation line of the second air circuit control unit, and the first air spring, the second air spring, the third air spring, and the fourth air spring of the air spring unit are connected to the second ventilation line of the second air circuit control unit through the first air spring control valve, the second air spring control valve, the third air spring control valve, and the fourth air spring control valve, respectively.

[0021] Preferably, the air compression unit is also provided with an external communication pipeline, and the air compression unit is connected to the outside world via the external communication pipeline. A one-way valve is provided on the external communication pipeline, which is only used to replenish air when the air pressure of the air suspension closed-loop air circuit system is insufficient.

[0022] Preferably, the air compression unit includes an air filter and an air compressor. The air compressor is arranged between the air inlet pipeline and the air outlet pipeline of the air compression unit. The air inlet end of the air compressor is connected to one end of the air filter through a first one-way valve, and the other end of the air filter is connected to the outside world. The air outlet end of the air compressor is connected to the air outlet pipeline of the air compression unit. A second one-way valve is also provided on the air outlet pipeline of the air compression unit to allow the air flow to flow in one direction.

[0023] Preferably, a pressure relief air circuit control unit is also provided, which is provided with an air inlet pipeline and an air outlet pipeline. The air compression unit is provided with a pressure relief pipeline. The air inlet pipeline of the pressure relief air circuit control unit is connected with the pressure relief pipeline of the air compression unit, and the air outlet pipeline of the pressure relief air circuit control unit is connected with the outside world, and is only used for exhausting when the air pressure of the air suspension closed-loop air circuit system is too high.

[0024] Preferably, the pressure relief air circuit control unit is also provided with an exhaust pipeline, and a gas drying unit is provided between the air compression unit and the third air circuit control unit, the gas drying unit includes a dryer and three ventilation pipelines, the dryer is arranged between the first ventilation pipeline and the second ventilation pipeline of the gas drying unit, the first ventilation pipeline of the gas drying unit is also provided with a third one-way valve, and a bypass throttle valve is provided at both ends of the third one-way valve, one end of the bypass throttle valve and the third one-way valve are both connected to the third ventilation pipeline of the third air circuit control unit through the first ventilation pipeline of the gas drying unit, the other ends of the bypass throttle valve and the third one-way valve are connected to one end of the dryer, the other end of the dryer is connected to the air outlet pipeline of the air compression unit through the second ventilation pipeline of the gas drying unit, and the other end of the dryer is connected to the exhaust pipeline of the pressure relief air circuit control unit through the third ventilation pipeline of the gas drying unit.

[0025] Preferably, a pressure monitoring unit is further provided, the first gas circuit control unit is provided with a pressure monitoring pipeline, and the pressure detection end of the pressure monitoring unit is connected to the pressure monitoring pipeline of the first gas circuit control unit.

[0026] Preferably, a fourth air circuit control unit is also provided, the first air circuit control unit is provided with an external equipment inflation pipeline, the fourth air circuit control unit is provided with multiple peripheral connecting pipelines and a system connecting pipeline, the system connecting pipeline is connected to the external equipment inflation pipeline of the first air circuit control unit, and each peripheral connecting pipeline is respectively connected to the corresponding external air circuit.

[0027] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0028] An air suspension closed-loop air circuit system, in addition to an air compression unit, an air spring unit, and an air storage unit, further comprises a first air circuit control unit, a second air circuit control unit, and a third air circuit control unit, wherein the first air circuit control unit comprises two ventilation pipelines, the second air circuit control unit comprises three ventilation pipelines, the third air circuit control unit comprises three ventilation pipelines, the air storage unit comprises one ventilation pipeline, and the air spring unit comprises one ventilation pipeline;

[0029] The air inlet pipeline of the air compression unit is connected to the second ventilation pipeline of the first air circuit control unit, the air outlet pipeline of the air compression unit is connected to the third ventilation pipeline of the third air circuit control unit, the first ventilation pipeline of the third air circuit control unit is connected to the ventilation pipeline of the air storage unit, the second ventilation pipeline of the third air circuit control unit is connected to the first ventilation pipeline of the second air circuit control unit, the second ventilation pipeline of the second air circuit control unit is connected to the ventilation pipeline of the air spring unit, and the third ventilation pipeline of the second air circuit control unit is connected to the first ventilation pipeline of the first air circuit control unit, so that the airflow output by the air compression unit can only flow in one direction between the first air circuit control unit and the third air circuit control unit.

[0030] A plurality of gas circuit control units are arranged in the closed-loop gas circuit system. When the system performs closed-loop control on the gas, these gas circuit control units are used to control the on-off of the gas circuit, thereby blocking the direct connection between the air compressor and the gas storage mechanism, thereby reducing the starting frequency of the air compressor to the greatest extent;

[0031] Preferably, the air compression unit is also provided with an external communication pipeline, and the air compression unit is connected to the outside world via the external communication pipeline. A one-way valve is provided on the external communication pipeline, which is only used to replenish air when the air pressure of the air suspension closed-loop air circuit system is insufficient.

[0032] Preferably, a pressure relief air circuit control unit is also provided, which is provided with an air inlet pipeline and an air outlet pipeline. The air compression unit is provided with a pressure relief pipeline. The air inlet pipeline of the pressure relief air circuit control unit is connected with the pressure relief pipeline of the air compression unit, and the air outlet pipeline of the pressure relief air circuit control unit is connected with the outside world, and is only used for exhausting when the air pressure of the air suspension closed-loop air circuit system is too high.

[0033] Preferably, a pressure monitoring unit is further provided, the first gas circuit control unit is provided with a pressure monitoring pipeline, and the pressure detection end of the pressure monitoring unit is connected to the pressure monitoring pipeline of the first gas circuit control unit.

[0034] In this way, by opening and closing the air circuits as needed through each air circuit control unit, the pressure monitoring unit can monitor in real time whether the air pressure of the air spring unit and the air storage unit is normal. If it is lower / higher than the normal air pressure, the air circuit control units are used to inflate / exhaust.

[0035] Preferably, a fourth air circuit control unit is also provided, the first air circuit control unit is provided with an external equipment inflation pipeline, the fourth air circuit control unit is provided with multiple peripheral connecting pipelines and a system connecting pipeline, the system connecting pipeline is connected to the external equipment inflation pipeline of the first air circuit control unit, and each peripheral connecting pipeline is respectively connected to the corresponding external air circuit.

[0036] The air circuits are opened and closed by each air circuit control unit, and the pressure monitoring unit monitors in real time whether the air pressure of external equipment (such as tires, driver's seat, passenger seat, etc.) other than the air spring is normal. If it is lower than the normal pressure, the fourth air circuit control unit is used to connect the air circuit for inflation.

[0037] The advantages of the present invention are as follows:

[0038] ① The present invention is provided with a plurality of units for controlling the opening and closing of the air circuit between the air storage mechanism, the air spring and the air compressor, so that the whole system forms a real closed-loop air circuit system when working, which not only has the original function of the air suspension air circuit system - "ensuring the stable and rapid rise / descent of the air suspension", but also reduces the starting frequency of the air compressor. When the air storage mechanism inflates the air spring, it is no longer necessary to start the air compressor, thereby increasing its service life;

[0039] ② The gas circuit system of the present invention has only one gas storage mechanism, which minimizes the volume of the entire suspension system and requires less installation space;

[0040] ③ The air circuit system of the present invention can directly inflate the air spring of the entire air suspension using an air compressor even if the air storage mechanism fails, so that the system can work normally without affecting the lifting function of the air suspension, thus ensuring that the vehicle can travel smoothly to the maintenance station;

[0041] ④ The air circuit system of the present invention adopts a small number of control valves, the structure of the entire suspension system is simple, the probability of failure is lower, and the difficulty and cost of system maintenance are reduced to the greatest extent possible. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the gas circuit principle of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the gas circuit structure of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of air circuit control for using an air compressor to extract air from the outside to replenish air in an air storage tank in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of air circuit control for using an air compressor to draw air from the outside to inflate an air spring in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the air circuit control for inflating the air spring using the gas in the air storage tank in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of air circuit control for releasing air in an air spring into an air storage tank in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of air path control for releasing air in the air storage tank to the outside in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of air circuit control for releasing the air in the air spring to the outside in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] Fig. 9 It is a schematic diagram of exhaust control when an overpressure of an air circuit system is detected during operation of an air compressor according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0051] Fig.10 This is a schematic diagram of air circuit control for using an air compressor to inflate an external device in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0052] Fig.11 A schematic diagram of gas path control for releasing gas from an external device to the outside in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0053] Fig.12 Schematic diagram of gas circuit control for releasing gas from external equipment to a gas storage tank in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0054] in, Figures 3 to 12 The dark black bold gas path represents a connected gas path, the light black thin line gas path represents a blocked gas path, and the black arrow on the dark black bold gas path indicates the direction of gas flow. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0055] like Figure 1As shown, an air suspension closed-loop air system includes an air compression unit, an air spring unit, and an air storage unit, wherein the air compression unit includes an air inlet pipeline and an air outlet pipeline, and further includes a first air circuit control unit, a second air circuit control unit, and a third air circuit control unit, wherein the first air circuit control unit includes two ventilation pipelines, the second air circuit control unit includes three ventilation pipelines, the third air circuit control unit includes three ventilation pipelines, the air storage unit includes one ventilation pipeline, and the air spring unit includes one ventilation pipeline;

[0056] The air inlet pipeline of the air compression unit is connected to the second ventilation pipeline of the first air circuit control unit, the air outlet pipeline of the air compression unit is connected to the third ventilation pipeline of the third air circuit control unit, the first ventilation pipeline of the third air circuit control unit is connected to the ventilation pipeline of the air storage unit, the second ventilation pipeline of the third air circuit control unit is connected to the first ventilation pipeline of the second air circuit control unit, the second ventilation pipeline of the second air circuit control unit is connected to the ventilation pipeline of the air spring unit, and the third ventilation pipeline of the second air circuit control unit is connected to the first ventilation pipeline of the first air circuit control unit, so that the airflow output by the air compression unit flows unidirectionally between the first air circuit control unit and the third air circuit control unit.

[0057] The present invention is also provided with a pressure monitoring unit and a fourth gas circuit control unit, and an external device charging pipeline and a pressure monitoring pipeline are arranged on the first gas circuit control unit, and the pressure detection end of the pressure monitoring unit is connected with the pressure monitoring pipeline of the first gas circuit control unit. The fourth gas circuit control unit is provided with a plurality of peripheral connection pipelines and a system connection pipeline, and the system connection pipeline is connected with the external device charging pipeline of the first gas circuit control unit, and each peripheral connection pipeline is respectively connected with the corresponding peripheral gas circuit.

[0058] In order to ensure the stability of the air pressure in the entire closed-loop air circuit system during the use of the air suspension, an external connecting pipeline and a pressure relief air circuit control unit can also be set on the air compression unit. The air compression unit is connected to the outside world via the external connecting pipeline. A one-way valve is provided on the external connecting pipeline, which is only used to replenish air when the air pressure in the closed-loop air circuit system of the air suspension is insufficient.

[0059] The pressure relief air circuit control unit is provided with an air inlet pipeline and an air outlet pipeline, and the air compression unit is provided with a pressure relief pipeline. The air inlet pipeline of the pressure relief air circuit control unit is connected with the pressure relief pipeline of the air compression unit, and the air outlet pipeline of the pressure relief air circuit control unit is connected with the outside world, and is only used for exhausting when the air pressure of the air suspension closed-loop air circuit system is too high.

[0060] like Figure 2 As shown, using multiple two-position two-way solenoid valves, an embodiment is made according to the above method as follows:

[0061] ①Air spring unit:

[0062] The air spring unit includes a first air spring 18, a second air spring 19, a third air spring 20, and a fourth air spring 21, wherein the first air spring 18, the second air spring 19, the third air spring 20, and the fourth air spring 21 each include an air vent; the first air spring 18 and the second air spring 19 are both air springs located at the front of the vehicle, collectively referred to as front air springs; the third air spring 20 and the fourth air spring 21 are both air springs located at the rear of the vehicle, collectively referred to as rear air springs;

[0063] ② Gas storage unit:

[0064] The gas storage unit is a gas storage tank 12, and the gas storage tank 12 includes a vent, and the vent of the gas storage tank 12 is connected to the ventilation pipeline of the gas storage unit;

[0065] ③The first gas path control unit:

[0066] A thirteenth control valve 13 is provided between the first ventilation pipeline and the second ventilation pipeline of the first air path control unit, the air inlet end of the thirteenth control valve 13 is connected to the first ventilation pipeline of the first air path control unit, and the air outlet end of the thirteenth control valve 13 is connected to the second ventilation port of the first air path control unit.

[0067] ④The second gas path control unit:

[0068] The second air circuit control unit includes a first air spring control valve 14, a second air spring control valve 15, a third air spring control valve 16, and a fourth air spring control valve 17. The first air spring control valve 14, the second air spring control valve 15, the third air spring control valve 16, and the fourth air spring control valve 17 are all arranged on the second ventilation line of the second air circuit control unit. The first air spring 18, the second air spring 19, the third air spring 20, and the fourth air spring 21 of the air spring unit are connected to the second ventilation line of the second air circuit control unit through the first air spring control valve 14, the second air spring control valve 15, the third air spring control valve 16, and the fourth air spring control valve 17, respectively. That is to say, the first vent of the first air spring control valve 14 is connected to the vent of the first air spring 18, the first vent of the second air spring control valve 15 is connected to the vent of the second air spring 19, the first vent of the third air spring control valve 16 is connected to the vent of the third air spring 20, the first vent of the fourth air spring control valve 17 is connected to the vent of the fourth air spring 21, and the second vents of the first air spring control valve 14, the second air spring control valve 15, the third air spring control valve 16, and the fourth air spring control valve 17 are all connected to the second vent of the second air path control unit.

[0069] ⑤ The third air circuit control unit: a tenth control valve 10 is provided between the second ventilation line and the third ventilation line of the third air circuit control unit, and an eleventh control valve 11 is provided between the first ventilation line and the third ventilation line of the third air circuit control unit; the tenth control valve 10 and the eleventh control valve 11 each include two vents, the first vent of the tenth control valve 10 and the first vent of the eleventh control valve 11 are both connected to the third ventilation line of the third air circuit control unit, the second vent of the tenth control valve 10 is connected to the second ventilation line of the third air circuit control unit, and the second vent of the eleventh control valve 11 is connected to the first ventilation line of the third air circuit control unit. That is to say, the second vents of the first air spring control valve 14, the second air spring control valve 15, the third air spring control valve 16, and the fourth air spring control valve 17 in this embodiment are all connected to the air inlet end of the thirteenth control valve 13, and the second vent of the tenth control valve 10 in the third air circuit control unit is also connected to the air inlet end of the thirteenth control valve 13;

[0070] ⑥Fourth gas path control unit:

[0071] The fourth air circuit control unit is provided with a plurality of peripheral connection pipelines and a system connection pipeline, and the system connection pipeline is connected to the external device inflation pipeline of the first air circuit control unit, and each peripheral connection pipeline is respectively connected to the corresponding external air circuit. The fourth air circuit control unit in this embodiment includes a twenty-third control valve 23, and the twenty-third control valve 23 includes two air vents, and the driver's seat inflation air circuit 24, the passenger seat inflation air circuit 25, and the tire inflation air circuit 26 are all connected to the second air vent of the twenty-third control valve 23. The first air vent of the twenty-third control valve 23 is connected to the external device inflation pipeline of the first air circuit control unit through the system connection pipeline of the fourth air circuit control unit;

[0072] ⑦Pressure monitoring unit:

[0073] In this embodiment, the first gas circuit control unit is also provided with a pressure monitoring pipeline. The pressure sensor 22 arranged at the pressure detection end of the pressure monitoring unit is connected to the pressure monitoring pipeline of the first gas circuit control unit, and the second gas circuit control unit, the third gas circuit control unit, and the pressure sensor 22 are all connected to the pressure monitoring end of the first gas circuit control unit. In this way, the pipelines of the entire system can be minimized to the greatest extent, the complexity of the structure can be reduced, and the space occupied by the system can be reduced.

[0074] Under the control of each control unit on the opening and closing of the air circuit, the pressure sensor 22 can be connected to the first air spring 18, the second air spring 19, the third air spring 20, the fourth air spring 21, the air tank 12, the driver's seat inflation air circuit 24, the passenger seat inflation air circuit 25, and the tire inflation air circuit 26, respectively, to monitor the corresponding air pressure conditions in real time;

[0075] ⑧Pressure relief gas circuit control unit:

[0076] The pressure relief air circuit control unit includes a sixth control valve 6, which includes an air inlet and an air outlet. The air outlet of the sixth control valve 6 is connected to the outside atmosphere, and the air inlet of the sixth control valve 6 is connected to the air inlet pipeline of the pressure relief air circuit control unit, that is, the pressure relief pipeline of the air compression unit is connected to the air inlet of the sixth control valve 6, which is only used for exhausting when the air pressure of the air suspension closed-loop air circuit system is too high;

[0077] ⑨ Gas drying unit: The pressure relief gas circuit control unit is also provided with an exhaust pipeline. A gas drying unit is provided between the air compression unit and the third gas circuit control unit. The gas drying unit includes a dryer 7 and three ventilation pipelines. The dryer 7 is provided between the first ventilation pipeline and the second ventilation pipeline of the gas drying unit. The first ventilation pipeline of the gas drying unit is also provided with a third one-way valve 9. A bypass throttle valve 8 is provided at both ends of the third one-way valve 9. Of course, this bypass throttle valve 8 can also be replaced by a throttle hole;

[0078] One end of the bypass throttle valve 8 and the third one-way valve 9 are connected to the third ventilation pipeline of the third air circuit control unit through the first ventilation pipeline of the gas drying unit, and the other end of the bypass throttle valve 8 and the third one-way valve 9 are connected to one end of the dryer 7, and the other end of the dryer 7 is connected to the air outlet pipeline of the air compression unit through the second ventilation pipeline of the gas drying unit, and the other end of the dryer 7 is connected to the exhaust pipeline of the pressure relief air circuit control unit through the third ventilation pipeline of the gas drying unit. In this way, it can not only dry the gas when the air suspension closed-loop air circuit system is operating normally, but also, if the air pressure of the air suspension closed-loop air circuit system is too high, the air circuit system can exhaust the gas to the outside while using the airflow discharged to the outside to dry the dryer 7;

[0079] ⑩ Air compression unit: The air compression unit includes an air filter 1 and an air compressor 4. The air compressor 4 is arranged between the air inlet pipeline and the air outlet pipeline of the air compression unit. The air inlet end of the air compressor 4 is connected to one end of the air filter 1 through a first one-way valve 2, and the other end of the air filter 1 is connected to the outside. The air outlet end of the air compressor 4 is connected to the air outlet pipeline of the air compression unit. A second one-way valve 5 is also provided on the air outlet pipeline of the air compression unit to allow the air flow to flow in one direction.

[0080] In this embodiment, a pressure-limiting safety valve 3 is also provided at the air outlet end of the air compressor 4. The pressure-limiting safety valve 3 includes an air inlet end and an air outlet end. The air inlet end and the feedback control end of the pressure-limiting safety valve 3 are connected to the air outlet end of the air compressor 4. The air outlet end of the pressure-limiting safety valve 3 is connected to the outside through the pressure relief pipeline of the air compression unit.

[0081] like Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the control method of using an air compressor to extract air from the outside to replenish the air in the air storage tank is as follows:

[0082] First, in order to determine whether the gas storage tank needs to be replenished, the tenth control valve 10 and the eleventh control valve 11 should be opened, and the thirteenth control valve 13, the sixth control valve 6, the first air spring control valve 14, the second air spring control valve 15, the third air spring control valve 16, the fourth air spring control valve 17, the twenty-third control valve 23, and the air compressor 4 should be in a closed state, so that the air path between the pressure sensor 22 and the gas storage tank 12 is connected, and the pressure displayed by the pressure sensor 22 is the air pressure of the gas storage tank 12. If the current air pressure of the gas storage tank 12 is lower than the normal air pressure range, the air compressor 4 is started to draw air from the outside into the gas storage tank 12 until the pressure sensor 22 detects that the air pressure of the gas storage tank 12 is within the normal air pressure range, and the air compressor 4, as well as the tenth control valve 10 and the eleventh control valve 11 are closed to complete the air replenishment control of the gas storage tank 12; during the operation of the entire gas circuit system, a cycle time threshold can be set to automatically control the opening and closing of each valve to cyclically determine whether the gas storage tank needs to be replenished. Generally speaking, the value of this cycle time threshold is relatively large (for example, seven days), so that the interval between two judgments is relatively long, so as to avoid long-term and short-term opening and closing of the control valve, which frequently causes damage to the valve core.

[0083] like Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, the control method of using an air compressor to draw air from the outside to inflate the air spring is as follows:

[0084] First, open the first air spring control valve 14 and the second air spring control valve 15, and ensure that the thirteenth control valve 13, the sixth control valve 6, the third air spring control valve 16, the fourth air spring control valve 17, the twenty-third control valve 23, the eleventh control valve 11, and the air compressor 4 are all in the closed state, and then use the pressure sensor 22 to monitor the air pressure of the front air spring. If the air pressure of the front air spring is less than the normal range or the height of the front air spring is lower than the preset value, open the tenth control valve 10, start the air compressor 4, and use the air compressor 4 to draw air from the outside to inflate the front air spring until the air pressure of the front air spring is within the normal range and the height of the front air spring reaches the preset value. Finally, close the air compressor 4, the first air spring control valve 14, and the second air spring control valve 15;

[0085] Then, open the third air spring control valve 16 and the fourth air spring control valve 17, and ensure that the thirteenth control valve 13, the sixth control valve 6, the twenty-third control valve 23, the air compressor 4, the first air spring control valve 14, the second air spring control valve 15, and the eleventh control valve 11 are all in the closed state, and then use the pressure sensor 22 to monitor the air pressure of the rear air spring. If the air pressure of the rear air spring is lower than the normal range or the height of the rear air spring is lower than the preset value, open the tenth control valve 10, start the air compressor 4, and use the air compressor 4 to draw air from the outside to inflate the rear air spring until the air pressure of the rear air spring is within the normal range and the height of the rear air spring reaches the preset value.

[0086] like Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, the control method of using the gas in the gas tank to inflate the air spring is as follows:

[0087] First, open the first air spring control valve 14 and the second air spring control valve 15, and ensure that the thirteenth control valve 13, the sixth control valve 6, the third air spring control valve 16, the fourth air spring control valve 17, the twenty-third control valve 23, the tenth control valve 10, the eleventh control valve 11, and the air compressor 4 are all in the closed state, and then use the pressure sensor 22 to monitor the air pressure of the front air spring. If the air pressure of the front air spring is less than the normal range (or the height of the front air spring is lower than the preset value), open the tenth control valve 10 and the eleventh control valve 11 to allow the gas in the air tank 12 to enter the front air spring to inflate the front air spring until the air pressure of the front air spring is within the normal range and the height of the front air spring reaches the preset value, and finally close the tenth control valve 10 and the eleventh control valve 11;

[0088] Then, open the third air spring control valve 16 and the fourth air spring control valve 17, and ensure that the thirteenth control valve 13, the sixth control valve 6, the first air spring control valve 14, the second air spring control valve 15, the twenty-third control valve 23, the tenth control valve 10, the eleventh control valve 11, and the air compressor 4 are all in the closed state, and then use the pressure sensor 22 to monitor the air pressure of the rear air spring. If the air pressure of the rear air spring is less than the normal range or the height of the rear air spring is lower than the preset value, open the tenth control valve 10 and the eleventh control valve 11 to allow the gas in the air tank 12 to enter the rear air spring to inflate the rear air spring until the air pressure of the rear air spring is within the normal range and the height of the rear air spring reaches the preset value;

[0089] like Figure 6 As shown, in this embodiment, the control method of releasing the air in the air spring into the air storage tank is as follows:

[0090] First, open the first air spring control valve 14 and the second air spring control valve 15, and ensure that the thirteenth control valve 13, the sixth control valve 6, the third air spring control valve 16, the fourth air spring control valve 17, the twenty-third control valve 23, the tenth control valve 10, the eleventh control valve 11, and the air compressor 4 are all in the closed state, and then use the pressure sensor 22 to monitor the air pressure of the front air spring. If the air pressure of the front air spring is greater than the normal range or the height of the front air spring exceeds the preset value, open the thirteenth control valve 13 and the eleventh control valve 11, and start the air compressor 4 to allow the gas in the front air spring to enter the air tank 12 to exhaust the front air spring until the air pressure of the front air spring is within the normal range and the height of the front air spring reaches the preset value, and finally close the thirteenth control valve 13, the eleventh control valve 11 and the air compressor 4;

[0091] Then, open the third air spring control valve 16 and the fourth air spring control valve 17, and ensure that the thirteenth control valve 13, the sixth control valve 6, the first air spring control valve 14, the second air spring control valve 15, the twenty-third control valve 23, as well as the tenth control valve 10, the eleventh control valve 11, and the air compressor 4 are all in the closed state, and then use the pressure sensor 22 to monitor the air pressure of the rear air spring. If the air pressure of the rear air spring is greater than the normal range (or the height of the rear air spring exceeds the preset value), open the thirteenth control valve 13 and the eleventh control valve 11, and start the air compressor 4 to allow the gas in the rear air spring to enter the air storage tank 12 to exhaust the rear air spring until the air pressure of the rear air spring is within the normal range and the height of the rear air spring reaches the preset value, and finally close the thirteenth control valve 13, the eleventh control valve 11 and the air compressor 4;

[0092] like Figure 7 As shown, in this embodiment, the control method of releasing the air in the air storage tank to the outside is as follows:

[0093] First, open the tenth control valve 10 and the eleventh control valve 11, and ensure that the thirteenth control valve 13, the sixth control valve 6, the first air spring control valve 14, the second air spring control valve 15, the third air spring control valve 16, the fourth air spring control valve 17, the twenty-third control valve 23, and the air compressor 4 are all in the closed state, and then use the pressure sensor 22 to monitor the air pressure in the gas storage tank 12. If the current air pressure of the gas storage tank 12 is higher than the normal air pressure range, open the sixth control valve 6 to release the gas in the gas storage tank 12 to the outside until the current air pressure of the gas storage tank 12 is in the normal range, and then close the sixth control valve 6; because the materials (or components) used for drying the gas in the dryer 7 will be wetted by the water molecules in the gas during use. With the gas path structure of this embodiment, during the release of the gas in the gas storage tank, the airflow formed by the gas discharged from the gas storage tank 12 to the outside has a certain air drying effect on the materials (or components) of the dryer 7, thereby extending the service life of the dryer 7.

[0094] like Figure 8 As shown, in this embodiment, the control method of releasing the air in the air spring to the outside is as follows:

[0095] First, open the first air spring control valve 14 and the second air spring control valve 15, and ensure that the thirteenth control valve 13, the sixth control valve 6, the third air spring control valve 16, the fourth air spring control valve 17, the twenty-third control valve 23, the tenth control valve 10, the eleventh control valve 11, and the air compressor 4 are all in the closed state, and then use the pressure sensor 22 to monitor the air pressure of the front air spring. If the air pressure of the front air spring is greater than the normal range or the height of the front air spring exceeds the preset value, open the tenth control valve 10 and the sixth control valve 6 to release the gas in the front air spring to the outside and exhaust the front air spring until the air pressure of the front air spring is within the normal range and the height of the front air spring reaches the preset value, and finally close the tenth control valve 10 and the sixth control valve 6;

[0096] Then, open the third air spring control valve 16 and the fourth air spring control valve 17, and ensure that the thirteenth control valve 13, the sixth control valve 6, the first air spring control valve 14, the second air spring control valve 15, the twenty-third control valve 23, the tenth control valve 10, the eleventh control valve 11, and the air compressor 4 are all in the closed state, and then use the pressure sensor 22 to monitor the air pressure of the rear air spring. If the air pressure of the rear air spring is greater than the normal range (or the height of the rear air spring exceeds the preset value), open the tenth control valve 10 and the sixth control valve 6 to release the gas in the rear air spring to the outside and exhaust the rear air spring until the air pressure of the rear air spring is within the normal range and the height of the rear air spring reaches the preset value, and finally close the tenth control valve 10 and the sixth control valve 6;

[0097] like Fig. 9 As shown, in this embodiment, when an overpressure of the air circuit system is detected during the operation of the air compressor, the exhaust control method is as follows:

[0098] When the air compressor 4 is running, if the air pressure at the outlet of the air compressor 4 is greater than the return spring force in the pressure-limiting safety valve 3, the pressure-limiting safety valve 3 opens, so that the air outlet of the air compressor 4 is directly connected to the outside world for exhaust to ensure the safety of the air path, until the air pressure at the outlet of the air compressor 4 is less than or equal to the return spring force in the pressure-limiting safety valve 3, the pressure-limiting safety valve 3 closes, and the air outlet of the air compressor 4 is isolated from the outside world.

[0099] like Fig.10 As shown, in this embodiment, the control method of using an air compressor to inflate an external device is as follows:

[0100] First, open the twenty-third control valve 23, and ensure that the thirteenth control valve 13, the sixth control valve 6, the first air spring control valve 14, the second air spring control valve 15, the third air spring control valve 16, the fourth air spring control valve 17, the tenth control valve 10, the eleventh control valve 11, and the air compressor 4 are all in the closed state;

[0101] Then, the pressure sensor 22 is used to monitor the air pressure of the external equipment (i.e., the driver's seat, the passenger seat, and the tire) through the driver's seat inflation air path 24, the passenger seat inflation air path 25, and the tire inflation air path 26. If the air pressure of the external equipment is lower than the normal range, the tenth control valve 10 is opened, and the air compressor 4 is started to allow the external gas to enter the external equipment for inflation until the air pressure of the external equipment is within the normal range, and finally the air compressor 4 and the tenth control valve 10 are closed;

[0102] like Figure 11 to Figure 12 As shown, if the air pressure of the external device is too high, there are two ways to exhaust the external device in this embodiment:

[0103] First, open the tenth control valve 10 and the eleventh control valve 11, and ensure that the thirteenth control valve 13, the sixth control valve 6, the first air spring control valve 14, the second air spring control valve 15, the third air spring control valve 16, the fourth air spring control valve 17, the twenty-third control valve 23, and the air compressor 4 are all in the closed state, so that the air path between the pressure sensor 22 and the air tank 12 is connected, and the pressure displayed by the pressure sensor 22 is the air pressure of the air tank 12.

[0104] ① If the gas pressure in the gas storage tank 12 is greater than or equal to the normal range, the gas can only be released to the outside in the following ways:

[0105] First, open the twenty-third control valve 23, and ensure that the thirteenth control valve 13, the sixth control valve 6, the first air spring control valve 14, the second air spring control valve 15, the third air spring control valve 16, the fourth air spring control valve 17, the tenth control valve 10, the eleventh control valve 11, and the air compressor 4 are all in the closed state;

[0106] Then, the pressure sensor 22 is used to monitor the air pressure of the external equipment (i.e., the driver's seat, the passenger seat, and the tire) through the driver's seat inflation air path 24, the passenger's seat inflation air path 25, and the tire inflation air path 26. If the air pressure of the external equipment is greater than the normal range, the tenth control valve 10 and the sixth control valve 6 are opened to connect the inflation air path of the external equipment with the outside world, and the external equipment exhausts air to the outside world until the air pressure of the external equipment is within the normal range, and finally the tenth control valve 10 and the sixth control valve 6 are closed;

[0107] ② If the gas pressure of the gas tank 12 is lower than the normal range, the gas can be released into the gas tank 12 in the following manner until the gas pressure of the gas tank 12 is within the normal range:

[0108] First, open the twenty-third control valve 23, and ensure that the thirteenth control valve 13, the sixth control valve 6, the first air spring control valve 14, the second air spring control valve 15, the third air spring control valve 16, the fourth air spring control valve 17, the tenth control valve 10, the eleventh control valve 11, and the air compressor 4 are all in the closed state;

[0109] Then, the pressure sensor 22 is used to monitor the air pressure of the external equipment (i.e., the driver's seat, the passenger seat, and the tire) through the driver's seat inflation air path 24, the passenger's seat inflation air path 25, and the tire inflation air path 26. If the air pressure of the external equipment is greater than the normal range, the thirteenth control valve 13 and the eleventh control valve 11 are opened, and the air compressor 4 is started, and the external equipment exhausts air to the air storage tank 12 until the air pressure of the external equipment is within the normal range, and finally the thirteenth control valve 13 and the eleventh control valve 11 are closed;

[0110] It is worth noting that during normal driving of a vehicle equipped with this system, the entire air circuit system is a closed-loop system. Only when air needs to be replenished or exhausted, that is, when it needs to be connected to the outside world, the air circuit system will be changed from a closed-loop system to an open-loop system for a short period of time. That is, most of the operating mechanisms of this system still rely mainly on the gas in the gas storage tank to perform closed-loop control in the air circuit. The air compressor 4 will only be used if the air circuit leakage causes insufficient gas in the air circuit system itself, thereby greatly reducing the frequency of use of the air compressor 4.

[0111] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modification made to the present invention by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An air suspension closed-loop air system, comprising an air compression unit, an air spring unit, and an air storage unit, wherein the air compression unit comprises an air inlet pipeline and an air outlet pipeline, and is characterized in that: It also includes a first air circuit control unit, a second air circuit control unit, and a third air circuit control unit, wherein the first air circuit control unit includes two ventilation pipelines, the second air circuit control unit includes three ventilation pipelines, the third air circuit control unit includes three ventilation pipelines, the air storage unit includes one ventilation pipeline, and the air spring unit includes one ventilation pipeline; The air inlet pipeline of the air compression unit is connected to the second ventilation pipeline of the first air circuit control unit, the air outlet pipeline of the air compression unit is connected to the third ventilation pipeline of the third air circuit control unit, the first ventilation pipeline of the third air circuit control unit is connected to the ventilation pipeline of the air storage unit, the second ventilation pipeline of the third air circuit control unit is connected to the first ventilation pipeline of the second air circuit control unit, the second ventilation pipeline of the second air circuit control unit is connected to the ventilation pipeline of the air spring unit, and the third ventilation pipeline of the second air circuit control unit is connected to the first ventilation pipeline of the first air circuit control unit, so that the airflow output by the air compression unit flows unidirectionally between the first air circuit control unit and the third air circuit control unit.

2. The air suspension closed-loop air circuit system according to claim 1, characterized in that: A thirteenth control valve (13) is provided between the first ventilation pipeline and the second ventilation pipeline of the first air path control unit, the air inlet end of the thirteenth control valve (13) is connected to the first ventilation pipeline of the first air path control unit, and the air outlet end of the thirteenth control valve (13) is connected to the second ventilation port of the first air path control unit.

3. The air suspension closed-loop air circuit system according to claim 1, characterized in that: A tenth control valve (10) is provided between the second ventilation pipeline and the third ventilation pipeline of the third air path control unit, and an eleventh control valve (11) is provided between the first ventilation pipeline and the third ventilation pipeline of the third air path control unit; The tenth control valve (10) and the eleventh control valve (11) each comprise two vents, the first vent of the tenth control valve (10) and the first vent of the eleventh control valve (11) both being connected to the third vent line of the third air path control unit, the second vent of the tenth control valve (10) being connected to the second vent line of the third air path control unit, and the second vent of the eleventh control valve (11) being connected to the first vent line of the third air path control unit.

4. The air suspension closed-loop air circuit system according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that: The air spring unit comprises a first air spring (18), a second air spring (19), a third air spring (20), and a fourth air spring (21); the second air path control unit comprises a first air spring control valve (14), a second air spring control valve (15), a third air spring control valve (16), and a fourth air spring control valve (17); the first air spring control valve (14), the second air spring control valve (15), the third air spring control valve (16), and the fourth air spring control valve (17) are all arranged on a second ventilation pipeline of the second air path control unit; the first air spring (18), the second air spring (19), the third air spring (20), and the fourth air spring (21) of the air spring unit are respectively connected to the second ventilation pipeline of the second air path control unit through the first air spring control valve (14), the second air spring control valve (15), the third air spring control valve (16), and the fourth air spring control valve (17).

5. The air suspension closed-loop air circuit system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air compression unit is also provided with an external communication pipeline, and the air compression unit is connected to the outside world via the external communication pipeline. A one-way valve is provided on the external communication pipeline, which is only used to replenish air when the air pressure of the air suspension closed-loop air circuit system is insufficient.

6. The air suspension closed-loop air circuit system according to claim 1 or 5, characterized in that: The air compression unit comprises an air filter (1) and an air compressor (4). The air compressor (4) is arranged between an air inlet pipeline and an air outlet pipeline of the air compression unit. The air inlet end of the air compressor (4) is connected to one end of the air filter (1) via a first one-way valve (2), and the other end of the air filter (1) is connected to the outside. The air outlet end of the air compressor (4) is connected to the air outlet pipeline of the air compression unit. A second one-way valve (5) is also arranged on the air outlet pipeline of the air compression unit to enable air flow to flow in one direction.

7. The air suspension closed-loop air circuit system according to claim 6, characterized in that: A pressure relief air circuit control unit is also provided, which is provided with an air inlet pipeline and an air outlet pipeline. The air compression unit is provided with a pressure relief pipeline. The air inlet pipeline of the pressure relief air circuit control unit is connected with the pressure relief pipeline of the air compression unit, and the air outlet pipeline of the pressure relief air circuit control unit is connected with the outside world, and is only used for exhausting when the air pressure of the air suspension closed-loop air circuit system is too high.

8. The air suspension closed-loop air circuit system according to claim 7, characterized in that: The pressure relief gas circuit control unit is also provided with an exhaust pipeline. A gas drying unit is provided between the air compression unit and the third gas circuit control unit. The gas drying unit comprises a dryer (7) and three ventilation pipelines. The dryer (7) is arranged between the first ventilation pipeline and the second ventilation pipeline of the gas drying unit. The first ventilation pipeline of the gas drying unit is also provided with a third one-way valve (9). A bypass throttle valve (8) is provided at both ends of the third one-way valve (9). One end of the bypass throttle valve (8) and the third one-way valve (9) are both connected to the third ventilation pipeline of the third gas circuit control unit through the first ventilation pipeline of the gas drying unit. The other ends of the bypass throttle valve (8) and the third one-way valve (9) are connected to one end of the dryer (7). The other end of the dryer (7) is connected to the air outlet pipeline of the air compression unit through the second ventilation pipeline of the gas drying unit. The other end of the dryer (7) is connected to the exhaust pipeline of the pressure relief gas circuit control unit through the third ventilation pipeline of the gas drying unit.

9. The air suspension closed-loop air circuit system according to claim 1, characterized in that: A pressure monitoring unit is also provided. The first gas circuit control unit is provided with a pressure monitoring pipeline. The pressure detection end of the pressure monitoring unit is connected to the pressure monitoring pipeline of the first gas circuit control unit.

10. The air suspension closed-loop air circuit system according to claim 1, characterized in that: A fourth air circuit control unit is also provided. The first air circuit control unit is provided with an external equipment inflation pipeline. The fourth air circuit control unit is provided with multiple peripheral connecting pipelines and a system connecting pipeline. The system connecting pipeline is connected to the external equipment inflation pipeline of the first air circuit control unit, and each peripheral connecting pipeline is respectively connected to the corresponding external air circuit.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Air suspension air path device and control method

    CN118124320A

  • Air supply system of air suspension

    CN116353277A

  • Air spring high-pressure gas recycling device, control method, air spring system and vehicle

    CN116653516A

  • Air suspension system and method for controlling air suspension system

    CN118665093A

Cited By

  • Electric control air suspension system and control method thereof

    CN122354141A