Air spring structure and vehicle

Abstract

The invention discloses an air spring structure and a vehicle, the air spring structure comprises a piston and a shock absorber, and a blank cap is arranged between the piston and the shock absorber; by the adoption of the air spring structure, installation is convenient, the problem of torsion abnormal sound of an air spring is solved, and the purpose of reducing noise is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of air springs, and in particular, relates to an air spring structure. Background Art

[0002] At present, the automobile suspension structure on the market is mainly divided into two categories: active suspension and passive suspension. Active suspension is mainly represented by air suspension. Air suspension is divided into open system and closed system according to the closed form. The open system is simpler in structure, lower in cost and easier to maintain than the closed system. It is also the most common and mainly consists of front / rear air spring assembly, air pump, distribution valve, air pipeline, air tank and controller.

[0003] The air spring assembly is connected to the vehicle body and control arm through the shock absorber. As one of the important structures in the air suspension, it is divided into single-chamber, double-chamber and multi-chamber structures. Currently, the single-chamber is more common in the industry and the technology is more mature. At present, the piston and shock absorber in the air spring assembly adopt rigid contact. During the driving process of the car, the two will be twisted at the joint point and produce abnormal noise; the retaining ring structure in the current air spring is also prone to slip due to twisting, resulting in abnormal noise.

[0004] The utility model patent with publication number CN216279157U was published on April 12, 2022. The name of the air spring and vehicle is disclosed. The air spring includes: a spring body, a first stopper, a second stopper and an electromagnetic controller; the first stopper is connected to the first end of the spring body, and the second stopper is connected to the second end of the spring body; the first stopper is provided with a first electromagnetic module, and the second stopper is provided with a second electromagnetic module; the electromagnetic controller is electrically connected to the first electromagnetic module and the second electromagnetic module respectively. This air spring also cannot solve the technical problems recorded above. Summary of the invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to provide an air spring structure which is easy to install and reduces the risk of abnormal noise in view of the deficiencies in the prior art.

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is:

[0007] The air spring structure comprises a piston and a shock absorber, wherein a cover is arranged between the piston and the shock absorber; a retaining ring is arranged at the bottom of the piston, and the retaining ring is a split structure.

[0008] The blind cover is arranged on the inner side of the top end of the piston, and an opening is arranged in the middle of the blind cover. The shock absorber comprises a piston rod and a shock absorber outer cylinder. The piston rod passes through the opening, and the inner side of the blind cover contacts the top end of the shock absorber outer cylinder. A flange is arranged on the inner side of the opening, and the end of the flange abuts against the opening end of the shock absorber outer cylinder.

[0009] The retaining ring comprises an upper retaining ring and a lower retaining ring. The bottom of the upper retaining ring and the upper end of the lower retaining ring are both provided with gear rings, and the upper retaining ring and the lower retaining ring are meshed and connected through the gear rings.

[0010] A limiting block is provided on the side of the upper retaining ring, and a limiting groove is provided on the bottom of the piston. The limiting block cooperates with the limiting groove, and the limiting groove is a U-shaped structure.

[0011] The inner sides of the upper retaining ring and the lower retaining ring are both provided with first reinforcing ribs, the shock absorber outer tube abuts against the first reinforcing ribs, and a piston sealing ring is provided between the top end of the upper retaining ring, the inner side of the piston and the shock absorber outer tube.

[0012] The upper retaining ring and the lower retaining ring are both provided with through holes, the inner walls of the through holes are provided with second reinforcing ribs, and the second reinforcing ribs correspond radially to the first reinforcing ribs; the through holes, the first reinforcing ribs and the second reinforcing ribs are all distributed at equal intervals along the circumferential direction.

[0013] A bladder skin is provided on the outside of the piston, a toothed section is provided on the outside of the piston, a buckling ring is provided at one end of the bladder skin, and the buckling ring presses the bladder skin; a protective tube is provided on the outside of the bladder skin, a dust cover is provided between the protective tube and the lower retaining ring, a clamping platform is provided at the bottom end of the lower retaining ring, and both ends of the dust cover are respectively clamped with the bottom end of the protective tube and the clamping platform.

[0014] The gear ring of the upper retaining ring and the gear ring of the lower retaining ring are fixed by welding.

[0015] The second reinforcing rib is located in the middle of the through hole.

[0016] A vehicle comprises the above-mentioned air spring structure.

[0017] The technical effects of the present invention are as follows: by adopting the air spring structure of the present invention, a cover structure is added between the piston and the shock absorber, which changes the connection mode between the piston and the shock absorber, avoids direct contact between the piston and the shock absorber, solves the torsional noise problem of the air spring, and achieves the purpose of reducing noise; the cover has no effect on the overall structure and layout of the air spring while reducing the risk of abnormal noise, and does not affect other functions of the air spring; the retaining ring adopts a split structure, and the upper and lower retaining rings are meshed with gear rings, which is easy to install, improves the anti-relative rotation effect, and further reduces the risk of abnormal noise. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] This specification includes the following drawings, which show the following contents:

[0019] Figure 1 is a partial structural sectional view of the air spring structure of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of the cover of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 3It is a structural schematic diagram of the piston of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a shock absorber assembly of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 5 It is a structural schematic diagram of the upper retaining ring of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 6 It is a structural schematic diagram of the lower retaining ring of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 7 It is a schematic structural diagram of the dust cover of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 8 yes Figure 1 A partial enlarged view of .

[0027] The markings in the figure are: 1, piston; 11, limit groove; 12, tooth pattern section; 2, shock absorber; 21, shock absorber outer tube; 22, piston rod; 3, retaining ring; 31, upper retaining ring; 32, lower retaining ring; 33, gear ring; 34, first reinforcing rib; 35, second reinforcing rib; 36, through hole; 37, limit block; 38, clamping platform; 4, cover; 41, flange; 42, opening; 5, dust cover; 6, casing; 7, buckling ring; 8, bladder skin; 9, piston sealing ring; DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The specific implementation methods of the present invention are further explained in detail below by describing the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, with the aim of helping those skilled in the art to have a more complete, accurate and in-depth understanding of the inventive concept and technical solution of the present invention and facilitating their implementation.

[0029] like Figure 1 As shown, the air spring structure includes a piston 1 and a shock absorber 2, with a cover 4 provided between the piston 1 and the shock absorber 2; a retaining ring 3 is provided at the bottom of the piston 1, and the retaining ring 3 is a split structure. The cover 4 prevents the piston 1 from directly contacting the shock absorber 2, which can solve the problem of abnormal torsional noise of the air spring. It is arranged on the inner side of the piston 1 and will not affect the spatial arrangement of other parts in the air spring; the retaining ring 3 adopts a split structure, the upper retaining ring 31 is connected to the piston 1, and the lower retaining ring 32 is connected to the spring tray of the shock absorber 2, realizing the function of convenient disassembly and assembly, and the lower retaining ring 32 also provides an installation position for the dust cover 5, which facilitates the assembly process of the dust cover 5.

[0030] The cover 4 is arranged inside the top of the piston 1, and an opening 42 is arranged in the middle of the cover 4. The shock absorber 2 includes a piston rod 22 and a shock absorber outer cylinder 21. The piston rod 22 passes through the opening 42. The inner side of the cover 4 contacts the top of the shock absorber outer cylinder 21. A flange 41 is arranged inside the opening 42, and the end of the flange 41 abuts against the open end of the shock absorber outer cylinder 21. By adding the cover 4 structure, the cover 4 is located between the shock absorber outer cylinder 21 and the piston 1, avoiding direct contact between the two, changing the rigid connection property of the shock absorber 2 and the piston 1, and avoiding the risk of abnormal noise caused by friction between the shock absorber 2 and the piston 1; the cover 4 can be pre-installed on the shock absorber outer cylinder 21 through the flange 41, eliminating the positioning process and improving the assembly efficiency, and the flange 41 can limit the radial position of the cover 4 to ensure its stability. The inner and outer sides of the cover 4 contact the shock absorber outer cylinder 21 and the piston 1 respectively, and its stability is reliable.

[0031] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the retaining ring 3 includes an upper retaining ring 31 and a lower retaining ring 32. A gear ring 33 is provided at the bottom of the upper retaining ring 31 and the upper end of the lower retaining ring 32. The upper retaining ring 31 and the lower retaining ring 32 are meshed and connected through the gear ring 33. The split retaining rings 3 are meshed and connected by the gear ring 33. It is convenient to match the reinforcing rib structure and the through hole 36 at the upper retaining ring 31 and the lower retaining ring 32 during assembly. The meshing connection of the gear ring 33 expands the contact area between the two retaining rings 3 and the fit is tight. After assembly, it is difficult for the two to rotate relative to each other, and the anti-rotation effect between the retaining rings 3 is achieved. Since the upper retaining ring 31 and the lower retaining ring 32 are respectively connected to the piston 1 and the shock absorber 2, no slippage will occur due to the torsion of the piston 1 and the shock absorber 2, thereby preventing the occurrence of abnormal noise.

[0032] like Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, a limit block 37 is provided on the side of the upper retaining ring 31, and a limit groove 11 is provided at the bottom of the piston 1. The limit block 37 cooperates with the limit groove 11, and the limit groove 11 is a U-shaped structure. The limit groove 11 is provided at the bottom opening end of the piston 1, and cooperates with the limit block 37 on the outer wall of the piston 1 to achieve the anti-rotation effect of the piston 1 and the upper retaining ring 31. The two will not rotate relative to each other, reducing the risk of abnormal noise caused by torsion, and also improving the sealing performance of the piston sealing ring 9; the limit groove 11 and the limit block 37 are each provided with a pair and are arranged relatively along the circumferential direction, eliminating the positioning process of the piston 1 and the upper retaining ring 31, and improving the assembly efficiency. The limit groove 11 is U-shaped, and an arc transition is also made at the top of the limit block 37 to adapt to the limit groove 11, so as to avoid damage to the structure caused by excessive contact stress between the two.

[0033] like Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the inner side of the upper retaining ring 31 and the inner side of the lower retaining ring 32 are both provided with a first reinforcing rib 34, the shock absorber outer cylinder 21 is in contact with the first reinforcing rib 34, and a piston sealing ring 9 is provided between the top of the upper retaining ring 31, the inner side of the piston 1 and the shock absorber outer cylinder 21. The first reinforcing rib 34 on the upper retaining ring 31 is in the same height as the upper retaining ring 31, and the first reinforcing rib 34 and the shock absorber outer cylinder 21 are fitted with interference to improve the installation stability. The reinforcing rib structures on the two retaining rings 3 correspond axially, so that the reinforcing ribs contact and form a whole after the upper retaining ring 31 and the lower retaining ring 32 are matched, and the reinforcing ribs are evenly distributed to improve the structural strength of the upper retaining ring 31 and the lower retaining ring 32. The first reinforcing rib 34 is a convex structure, and a uniformly distributed ventilation groove is formed between it and the outer wall of the shock absorber outer cylinder 21. Since the piston sealing ring 9 forms a seal between the top of the upper retaining ring 31, the inner side of the piston 1 and the shock absorber outer cylinder 21, the ventilation groove is used to detect the sealing performance of the piston sealing ring 9 in the subsequent air tightness detection process.

[0034] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, both the upper retaining ring 31 and the lower retaining ring 32 are provided with a through hole 36, and the inner wall of the through hole 36 is provided with a second reinforcing rib 35, and the second reinforcing rib 35 is radially corresponding to the first reinforcing rib 34; the through hole 36, the first reinforcing rib 34 and the second reinforcing rib 35 are all distributed at equal intervals along the circumferential direction. The second reinforcing rib 35 of the upper retaining ring 31 and the lower retaining ring 32 are also arranged axially correspondingly, and the second reinforcing rib 35 on the upper retaining ring 31 extends from the through hole 36 to the middle of the upper retaining ring 31. The through holes 36 at the upper retaining ring 31 and the lower retaining ring 32 are connected, which is used for ventilation inside the dust cover 5, eliminating the cost of opening a ventilation structure on the dust cover 5, and reducing the difficulty of assembling the dust cover 5 considering ventilation when arranging; the through hole 36 is located in the inner area of ​​the first reinforcing rib 34, so that the second reinforcing rib 35 is arranged radially corresponding to the first reinforcing rib 34, further improving the structural strength, and the second reinforcing rib 35 not only fully utilizes the structural area of ​​the through hole 36, but also has an air guide effect.

[0035] like Figure 1 As shown, a bladder skin 8 is provided on the outside of the piston 1, a threaded section 12 is provided on the outside of the piston 1, a buckling ring 7 is provided at one end of the bladder skin 8, and the buckling ring 7 presses the bladder skin 8; a casing 6 is provided on the outside of the bladder skin 8, a dust cover 5 is provided between the casing 6 and the lower retaining ring 32, a clamping platform 38 is provided at the bottom end of the lower retaining ring 32, and the two ends of the dust cover 5 are clamped with the bottom end of the casing 6 and the clamping platform 38 respectively. The cross section of the threaded section 12 is a sawtooth structure, and the buckling ring 7 is used to press the bladder skin 8 on the threaded section 12 to improve the sealing performance of the air spring air chamber. The bottom end of the casing 6 is clamped with the top end of the dust cover 5 and fixed by a pressure ring structure, and the clamping platform 38 clamps the bottom end of the dust cover 5, so that the dust cover 5 is fixed as a whole. During installation, the top end of the dust cover 5 can be fixed in advance, and after the upper retaining ring 31 and the lower retaining ring 32 are matched, the bottom end of the dust cover 5 is fixed.

[0036] The gear ring 33 of the upper retaining ring 31 and the gear ring 33 of the lower retaining ring 32 are fixed by welding. When the air spring has been used for a certain period of time, the gear ring 33 is damaged and cannot provide the limited rotation function. In order to avoid abnormal torsional noise between the upper retaining ring 31 and the lower retaining ring 32, the meshing part of the upper retaining ring 31 and the lower retaining ring 32 is hot-melt welded, with a total of 8 welding points around the circle to eliminate the problem of abnormal noise at the gear ring 33 of the two retaining rings 3. Since the contact area of ​​the gear ring 33 is large, it can provide greater connection strength. The upper retaining ring 31 and the lower retaining ring 32 are welded to form an integral part. This operation method can be operated on the upper and lower retaining rings that have been put into use to further extend the service life of the retaining ring 3.

[0037] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the second reinforcing rib 35 is located in the middle of the through hole 36. The first reinforcing rib 34 is located in the middle of the through hole 36, which can guide the airflow and reduce abnormal noise caused by the airflow.

[0038] The vehicle includes the above-mentioned air spring structure. In the vehicle adopting the air spring structure, through the use of the cover 4 and the cooperation between the piston 1, the upper retaining ring 31 and the lower retaining ring 32, the air suspension will not produce abnormal noise when twisting, thereby ensuring the service life of the air spring and the shock absorber 2 and ensuring the driving safety of the vehicle.

[0039] During the assembly of the air spring: during assembly, first install the lower retaining ring 32 on the spring tray of the shock absorber 2, and then install and mesh the upper retaining ring 31 with the lower retaining ring 32. Then install the cover 4 on the shock absorber 2, and then install the semi-finished parts after the piston 1, the bladder skin 8, and the upper air chamber are pressed onto the shock absorber 2 and the cover 4. After the air spring is inflated, clamp the dust cover 5 with a special tool, mesh the upper retaining ring 31 and the lower retaining ring 32 gear ring 33, and then fix the lower end of the dust cover 5 to the lower retaining ring 32 after the matching is completed. If it is necessary to hot-melt weld the upper retaining ring 31 and the lower retaining ring 32 gear ring 33, cancel the fixation of the lower end of the dust cover 5, and after the upper and lower retaining rings are integrated through 8 welding points, fix the dust cover 5.

[0040] The air spring structure adds a cover 4 structure between the piston 1 and the shock absorber 2, which changes the connection mode between the piston 1 and the shock absorber 2, avoids direct contact between the piston 1 and the shock absorber 2, solves the torsional noise problem of the air spring, and achieves the purpose of reducing noise; the cover 4 has no effect on the overall structure and layout of the air spring while reducing the risk of abnormal noise, and does not affect other functions of the air spring; the retaining ring 3 adopts a split structure, and the upper and lower retaining rings 32 are meshed with a gear ring 33, which is easy to install, improves the anti-relative rotation effect, and further reduces the risk of abnormal noise.

[0041] The present invention is described above by way of example in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the specific implementation of the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned methods. As long as various non-substantial improvements are made using the method concept and technical solution of the present invention; or the above concept and technical solution of the present invention are directly applied to other occasions without improvement, they are all within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An air spring structure, characterized in that: It comprises a piston (1) and a shock absorber (2), wherein a cover (4) is provided between the piston (1) and the shock absorber (2); a retaining ring (3) is provided at the bottom of the piston (1), and the retaining ring (3) is a split structure.

2. The air spring structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The blind cover (4) is arranged on the inner side of the top end of the piston (1), and an opening (42) is arranged in the middle of the blind cover (4). The shock absorber (2) comprises a piston rod (22) and a shock absorber outer tube (21). The piston rod (22) passes through the opening (42), and the inner side of the blind cover (4) contacts the top end of the shock absorber outer tube (21). A flange (41) is arranged on the inner side of the opening (42), and the end of the flange (41) abuts against the open end of the shock absorber outer tube (21).

3. The air spring structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The retaining ring (3) comprises an upper retaining ring (31) and a lower retaining ring (32); a gear ring (33) is provided at the bottom of the upper retaining ring (31) and the upper end of the lower retaining ring (32); and the upper retaining ring (31) and the lower retaining ring (32) are meshedly connected via the gear ring (33).

4. The air spring structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: A limiting block (37) is provided on the side of the upper retaining ring (31), a limiting groove (11) is provided on the bottom of the piston (1), the limiting block (37) cooperates with the limiting groove (11), and the limiting groove (11) is a U-shaped structure.

5. The air spring structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: The inner sides of the upper retaining ring (31) and the lower retaining ring (32) are both provided with first reinforcing ribs (34), the shock absorber outer tube (21) abuts against the first reinforcing ribs (34), and a piston sealing ring (9) is provided between the top end of the upper retaining ring (31), the inner side of the piston (1) and the shock absorber outer tube (21).

6. The air spring structure according to claim 5, characterized in that: The upper retaining ring (31) and the lower retaining ring (32) are both provided with a through hole (36), and the inner wall of the through hole (36) is provided with a second reinforcing rib (35), and the second reinforcing rib (35) corresponds to the first reinforcing rib (34) in the radial direction; the through hole (36), the first reinforcing rib (34) and the second reinforcing rib (35) are all distributed at equal intervals along the circumferential direction.

7. The air spring structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: A bladder skin (8) is provided on the outside of the piston (1), a toothed section (12) is provided on the outside of the piston (1), a buckling ring (7) is provided at one end of the bladder skin (8), and the buckling ring (7) presses the bladder skin (8); a protective sleeve (6) is provided on the outside of the bladder skin (8), a dust cover (5) is provided between the protective sleeve (6) and the lower retaining ring (32), a clamping platform (38) is provided at the bottom end of the lower retaining ring (32), and two ends of the dust cover (5) are respectively clamped with the bottom end of the protective sleeve (6) and the clamping platform (38).

8. The air spring structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The gear ring (33) of the upper retaining ring (31) and the gear ring (33) of the lower retaining ring (32) are fixed by welding.

9. The air spring structure according to claim 6, characterized in that: The second reinforcing rib (35) is located in the middle of the through hole (36).

10. A vehicle, characterized in that: The air spring structure comprises the air spring structure as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

Images