Air management module and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

The invention provides an air management module and a manufacturing method thereof. An air management module for a vehicle suspension system includes a plurality of inlets, outlets, and control valves, and a manifold. A plurality of inlets are configured to receive compressed air from a vehicle air compressor, and a plurality of outlets are configured to provide compressed air to the outlets. A control valve is configured to receive compressed air from the inlet and selectively provide compressed air to the outlet. The manifold includes a plurality of wall members stacked on each other, each wall member defining a plurality of apertures, some of the apertures collectively forming a plurality of channels configured to direct compressed air from a plurality of outlets to a plurality of inlets.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle pneumatic suspension system, and more particularly to a controller housing for a vehicle pneumatic suspension system. Background Art

[0002] Certain vehicles may include a suspension air lift system that includes an air supply unit (ASU). The ASU may include a compressor assembly, a bracket, various pipes, lines and hoses, and an integrated air management module (IAMM). The IAMM may enable a user or driver to control and operate the vehicle's air springs. Summary of the invention

[0003] The present disclosure provides an air management module for a vehicle pneumatic suspension system. The air management module may include multiple inlets, multiple outlets, multiple control valves and a manifold. Multiple inlets may be configured to receive compressed air from a vehicle air compressor or compressed air stored in a remote reservoir. Multiple outlets may be configured to provide compressed air to multiple vehicle air springs or to a remote reservoir for storing vehicle compressed air for future use. Multiple control valves may be configured to receive compressed air from an inlet and selectively provide compressed air to multiple outlets. The manifold may be configured to route compressed air from multiple inlets to multiple outlets, and the manifold may include multiple wall members that may be stacked on top of each other. Each of the multiple wall members may define multiple apertures, and the multiple apertures may together form multiple channels that may be configured to direct compressed air from multiple outlets to multiple inlets.

[0004] The multiple wall members of the manifold may be secured to each other by molecular bonds.

[0005] The plurality of wall members may include an outer wall member, an intermediate wall member and an inner wall member, the intermediate wall member may be disposed between the outer wall member and the inner wall member. At least one of the inner wall member and the outer wall member may be hermetically sealed to the intermediate wall member.

[0006] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an air management module for a vehicle pneumatic suspension system is provided. The air management module may include a plurality of inlets, a plurality of outlets, a plurality of control valves, and a manifold. The plurality of inlets may be configured to receive compressed air from a vehicle air compressor or a remote reservoir. The plurality of outlets may be configured to provide compressed air to a plurality of vehicle springs or a remote reservoir for future use, and the plurality of control valves may be configured to receive compressed air from the inlets and selectively provide the compressed air to the plurality of outlets. Each of the plurality of control valves may include a first portion and a second portion. The manifold may be configured to guide compressed air from the plurality of inlets to the plurality of outlets, and the manifold may include an outer layer, an inner layer, and an intermediate layer. The plurality of inlets and the plurality of outlets may be connected to the outer layer. The first portion of each of the plurality of control valves may be disposed within the inner layer. The intermediate layer may be sandwiched between the outer layer and the inner layer. The intermediate layer, the outer layer, and the inner layer may be injection molded. The intermediate layer may include a rear surface and a front surface, and the rear surface may be opposite to the front surface. The rear surface of the intermediate layer may be fixed to the inner layer, and the front surface of the intermediate layer may be fixed to the outer layer.

[0007] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method for manufacturing an air management module is provided. The method may include forming an outer manifold layer by injection molding, the outer manifold layer may define one or more first channels and one or more holes, the one or more holes may be configured to accommodate an inlet connector or an outlet connector. The inlet connector and the outlet connector may be fluidly connected to the one or more first channels. The method may also include forming an intermediate manifold layer by injection molding, the intermediate manifold layer may define one or more second channels. The method may also include forming an inner manifold layer by injection molding, the inner manifold layer may define one or more third channels. The one or more first channels, the one or more second channels, and the one or more third channels may be configured together to form one or more flow control orifices. One or more flow control orifices may be configured to sufficiently restrict the flow to create a pressure difference between the inlet connector and the outlet connector. The method may also include fixing the intermediate manifold layer to the outer manifold layer and the inner manifold layer by friction welding. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Figure 1 A perspective view of an exemplary suspension air lift system is illustrated.

[0009] Figure 2 The example shows Figure 1 A perspective view of the integrated air management module (IAMM) of the suspension air lift system is shown.

[0010] Figure 3 An exploded perspective view of an IAMM is illustrated.

[0011] Figure 4 An exploded front perspective view of a multi-piece manifold and hold-down plate of an IAMM is illustrated.

[0012] Figure 5 The example shows Figure 4 An exploded perspective view of a multi-piece manifold is shown.

[0013] Figure 6 A detailed perspective view of a portion of a multi-piece manifold provided with mating surfaces is illustrated.

[0014] Fig. 7A The example shows Figure 6 A schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of a mating surface is shown.

[0015] Figure 7B The example shows Figure 6 A close-up schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of the mating surface is shown.

[0016] Figure 8 A rear perspective view of a multi-piece manifold is illustrated.

[0017] Fig. 8A Shown is a perspective view of a fastener configured for attachment to a multi-piece manifold.

[0018] Figure 8B Shown along Figure 8 Detailed view of a vibration-formed rivet taken along line 8B in FIG.

[0019] Fig. 9 A cross-sectional view of a check valve disposed in a multi-piece manifold is shown.

[0020] Fig.10 The electromechanical schematic of the IAMM is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] Embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein. However, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples, and other embodiments may take various and alternative forms. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show the details of specific components. Therefore, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein should not be interpreted as restrictive, but only as a representative basis for teaching those skilled in the art to adopt the embodiments in various ways. As will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, the various features illustrated and described with reference to any one of the drawings may be combined with the features illustrated in one or more other drawings to produce embodiments that are not explicitly illustrated or described. The combination of the illustrated features provides representative embodiments of typical applications. However, for specific applications or implementations, various combinations and modifications of features consistent with the teachings of the present disclosure may be desired.

[0022] The present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments and methods described below, as specific components and / or conditions may of course vary. Furthermore, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing specific embodiments of the present invention only and is not intended to be limiting in any way.

[0023] As used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. For example, reference to a component in the singular is intended to include a plurality of components.

[0024] The terms "substantially" or "about" may be used herein to describe the disclosed or claimed embodiments. The terms "substantially" or "about" may modify a value or relative property disclosed or claimed in the present disclosure. In such cases, "substantially" or "about" may mean that the value or relative property it modifies is within ±0%, 0.1%, 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, or 10% of the value or relative property.

[0025] When an element or layer is referred to as being "on," "engaged to," "connected to," or "coupled to" another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected, or coupled to that other element or layer, or there may be intervening elements or layers. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly on," "directly engaged to," "directly connected to," or "directly coupled to" another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a similar manner (e.g., "between" versus "directly between," "adjacent" versus "directly adjacent," etc.). The term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0026] Although the terms first, second, third, etc. can be used to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and / or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and / or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms can only be used to distinguish an element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as "first", "second" and other numerical terms do not imply order or sequence when used in this article unless the context clearly indicates. Therefore, without departing from the teaching of the example embodiments, the first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below can be referred to as the second element, component, region, layer or section.

[0027] For ease of description, spatially relative terms such as "inside," "outside," "below," "below," "lower," "above," "upper," etc. may be used to describe the relationship of one element or feature to another element or feature as illustrated in the figure. In addition to the orientation depicted in the accompanying drawings, spatially relative terms may be intended to cover different orientations of the device in use or operation. For example, if the device in the figure is turned over, an element described as being "below" or "beneath" another element or feature would then be oriented "above" the other element or feature. Thus, the example term "below" may cover both above and below orientations. The device may be oriented in other ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatially relative descriptors used herein are interpreted accordingly.

[0028] Figure 1 A portion of a pneumatic suspension system 10 configured for a vehicle is shown. Figure 2 A perspective view of the IAMM 12 is shown. Labels identify the external connections (not shown) of the IAMM to the compressor (BOOST and PRESS), to the remote reservoir (RES), and to the vehicle air springs (RR, LR, RF and LF). Figure 3 An exploded perspective view of an IAMM according to one or more embodiments is shown. The system 10 includes an integrated air management module (IAMM) 12 provided with a manifold 14 and a housing 20, which may be configured to receive compressed air from an air compressor 16, and the housing 20 may house one or more controllers or electronic control units (ECUs) 26. The air compressor 16 and the IAMM 12 may be supported by one or more support members or brackets 18 that may be secured to one or more portions of a vehicle (e.g., a chassis or frame member).

[0029] As will be described herein, the manifold can provide many advantages over known manifolds, such as a reduction in cost and weight. The manifold 14 can be configured to fluidly connect the air compressor 16 to one or more vehicle air springs (not shown) or a remote storage reservoir (not shown) and control the air flow so that portions of the vehicle can be raised and lowered in a relatively uniform and consistent manner. Controlling the raising and lowering of the vehicle by air springs may require limiting or controlling the air flow through the manifold 14 to create a pressure difference between the outlets at the front and rear of the vehicle to keep it perfectly level as it is raised or lowered. As will be described in more detail below, the manifold may include or define one or more flow control orifices formed by channels and holes within the manifold.

[0030] As an example, the manifold 14 can be composed of one or more plastic or polymer materials, which can be formed by injection molding or another suitable process. Forming the manifold from a plastic or polymer material can provide advantages over other materials such as aluminum or steel in terms of cost and weight. However, the use of plastic materials presents challenges in forming the channels and holes that form the flow control orifices. Known plastic molding or forming techniques may not be suitable for forming the relatively long, deep and intersecting channels required for the flow control orifices.

[0031] In one or more embodiments, the manifold 14 can be formed by one or more (e.g., three) wall members or layers fixed and sealed to each other, the one or more (e.g., three) wall members or layers including a first or outer wall member 32, a second or inner wall member 36, and a third or intermediate wall member 34. The outer wall member 32 can include a front surface 32a and a rear surface 32b, and the front surface 32a can define one or more holes 38, which are configured to accommodate one or more inlet connectors 22a, 22b, 22c and outlet connectors 24a, 24b, 24c, 24d. As an example, the hole 38 can include a female thread configured to engage a thread formed on the inlet 22a, 22b, 22c and the outlet 24a, 24b, 24c, 24d. However, in another embodiment, the hole can be configured to accommodate a self-tapping thread formed on the inlet 22a, 22b, 22c and the outlet 24a, 24b, 24c, 24d.

[0032] The manifold 14 may include one or more (e.g., eight) control valves 42 that may be at least partially disposed or mounted to the rear surface 36b of the inner wall member 36. The control valves 42 may be fluidly connected to the inlet 22 and the outlet 24 and may be actuated by one or more actuators or solenoids 40 that may be disposed within an actuator receptacle 30 formed in the housing 20. The solenoids 40 may be configured to actuate the control valves 42 to fully open the control valves 42, fully close the control valves 42, or partially open the control valves 42 to allow a predetermined amount of air to flow between the inlet 22 and the outlet 24. The manifold 14 may also include a retaining plate 44 that may be formed of a relatively more rigid magnetic material than the inner wall member 36, the outer wall member 32, and the intermediate wall member 34, such as mild steel or another suitable alloy. The retaining plate 44 may be configured to retain each control valve 42 by pressing a flange 46 of the control valve against the back surface 36 a of the inner wall member 36 .

[0033] Although eight control valves 42 are shown, those skilled in the art will appreciate that a greater number of control valves or fewer control valves may be employed.

[0034] The housing 20 may also include or define another housing cavity, such as an electronic control unit (ECU) housing cavity 28 that may house an ECU 26 or another control device. The ECU 26 may be configured to receive a signal from the vehicle and command the IAMM 12 to actuate the vehicle air springs (e.g., raise, lower, vent, etc.) based on the received signal. The housing 20 may include one or more connection holes 21 configured to receive fasteners 23 that may extend through each of the outer wall member 32, the intermediate wall member 34, and the inner wall member 36 to secure the manifold 14 to the housing 20.

[0035] The manifold 14 may also include one or more check valves 50 that may be disposed in one or more passages defined by each of the outer wall member 32, the intermediate wall member 34, and the inner wall member 36. The check valves 50 may be configured to allow one-way gas flow between one or more passages formed within the outer wall member 32, the intermediate wall member 34, and the inner wall member 36.

[0036] Figure 4 A front perspective exploded view of the manifold 14 is shown. Figure 5 A rear perspective exploded view of the manifold is shown. Figure 6 Detailed views of the connection features formed on the inner wall member 36 and the intermediate wall member 34 are shown. The outer wall member 32 may include a front 32a arranged opposite to the back 32b, and the hole 38 configured for the inlet 22 and the outlet 24 may be a through hole extending from the front 36a to the back 36b. The hole 38 may be fluidically connected to one or more outer wall flow control orifices 54, one or more outer wall flow control channels 56, or some combination thereof. One or more first connection passages 52 may be provided on the back 32b of the outer wall member 32 and arranged to at least partially surround each of the hole 38, the outer wall flow control orifice 54, and the outer wall flow control channel 56.

[0037] The intermediate wall member 34 may include a front face 34a and a rear face 34b opposite the front face 34a. The intermediate wall member may also include one or more holes 62, one or more intermediate wall flow control orifices 58, and one or more intermediate wall flow control channels 60. The one or more holes 62 may correspond to the inlet and outlet holes 38 of the outer wall member 32. In other words, the holes 62 of the intermediate wall member 34 may be substantially aligned with the holes 38 of the outer wall member 32. The intermediate wall flow control orifices 58 and the channels 60 may be fluidly connected to the one or more holes 62 and the outer wall flow control orifices 54 and the outer wall flow control channels 56.

[0038] The front face 34a of the intermediate wall may include one or more first connection protrusions 64 that may at least partially surround the intermediate wall hole 62, the intermediate wall flow control orifice 58, and the intermediate wall flow control passage 60. The first connection protrusions 64 of the front face 34a of the intermediate wall member 34 may correspond to the first connection passage 52, such that once the outer wall member 32 is laminated to the intermediate wall member 34, the first connection passage 52 accommodates the first connection protrusions 64. As will be described in more detail below, the first connection protrusions 64 may be coupled to the first connection passage 52 in such a manner as to form an airtight seal and a fixed connection between the rear face 32b of the outer wall member 32 and the front face 34a of the intermediate wall member 34.

[0039] The rear face 34b of the intermediate wall member 34 may include one or more second intermediate wall flow control orifices 66, which may be configured to receive air from the intermediate wall flow control orifice 58 and the intermediate wall flow control passage 60. In one or more embodiments, the shape, size, and location of the second intermediate wall flow control orifice may be different from the shape, size, and location of the first intermediate wall flow control orifice 58. The second connecting passage 68 may extend around or at least partially around the second intermediate wall flow control orifice 66, and the second connecting passage 68 may be configured to receive a second connecting protrusion 70 disposed on or formed with the front face 36a of the inner wall member 36. The rear face 34b may include one or more restrictor orifices 999A and 999B of different sizes, which may intentionally create a controlled pressure differential between the outer wall member 32 and the inner wall member 36.

[0040] The front face 36a of the inner wall member 36 may include one or more inner wall flow control orifices 72 and one or more inner wall flow control passages 74 that may be fluidly connected to the one or more flow control orifices and the second intermediate wall flow control orifice 66. The second connecting protrusion 70 may at least partially surround the one or more inner wall flow control orifices 72 and the one or more inner wall flow control passages 74. The rear surface 36b of the inner wall member 36 may define a recessed pocket 76, and the base 80 of the recessed pocket may define one or more control valve holes 78 and one or more pressure sensor holes 88. The inner wall member 36 may include a lateral side 82, and the side 82 may define an exhaust or vent hole 84 that may be configured to exhaust a predetermined amount of compressed air.

[0041] The recessed pocket 76 can be configured to receive the retaining plate 44 such that the retaining plate 44 nests within the recessed pocket 76. The control valve hole 78 can be a counterbore hole, wherein the large diameter of the counterbore is configured to receive the flange 46 and the small diameter of the counterbore is configured to receive the control valve 42. The pressure sensor hole 88 can also include a counterbore, and the large diameter can be configured to receive the flange 102 of the pressure sensor fastener 100 (each at Fig. 8A As an example, the major diameter of the counterbore may include one or more flats 90 that may engage one or more flats 104 of the pressure sensor fastener 100. Alternatively or in addition, the pressure sensor fastener may include an O-ring 106 that may be disposed on the flange 104 ( Fig. 8A ) below and can be accommodated by the pressure sensor hole 88. In some embodiments, the pressure sensor fastener 100 can be referred to as an adapter.

[0042] The retaining plate 44 may include a control valve hole 96, a pressure sensor hole 108, and one or more stud holes 98. A portion of the control valve (e.g., the second portion 45) may extend through each of the control valve holes 96, and the flange 46 of each control valve 42 may be sandwiched between the retaining plate 44 and the back surface 36b (e.g., the counterbore of the hole 78). The pressure sensor hole 88 may be disposed in a relatively central position compared to the control valve hole 96. The stud holes 98 may accommodate one or more studs 86, which may extend from the base 80 of the recessed pocket 76. After the retaining plate 44 is disposed over the studs 86 and within the recessed pocket 76, the distal end of the studs 86 may be upset or deformed to form a rivet head 110 ( Figure 8B ), the rivet head can secure the retaining plate 44 to the recessed pocket 76.

[0043] Fig. 7A A schematic cross-sectional representation of a connection joint formed between one of the connection protrusions (e.g., the second connection protrusion 70) and one of the connection passages (e.g., the second connection passage 68) is shown. The flow control orifices and peripheral portions of the flow control passages of the respective wall members that engage with each other may coincide with each other to enable compressed air to communicate between the passages and orifices of the respective wall members.

[0044] Figure 7B Shows Fig. 7A. The connecting protrusion 70 may include a distal end 116 and one or more legs, such as a first leg 118, a second leg 120, and a third leg 122. The distal end 116 may taper away from the first leg 118 to a point having a substantially triangular cross-section. The second leg 120 may extend from the first leg 118 and extend in a direction substantially orthogonal to the first leg 118, and the third leg 122 may be connected to the second leg 120 by another bend. In one or more embodiments, the third leg 122 may be arranged substantially parallel to the second leg 120. The second leg 120 and the third leg 122 may be disposed on the side wall 112 ( Figure 6 ) and the second connecting protrusion 70 may extend away from the side wall 112.

[0045] One or more connecting passages (e.g., the second connecting passage 68) may include a body 128, one or more lips 126, a first arm 130, a second arm 132, and a third arm 134. The lip 126 may extend from the body and define a recess 124, which may be configured to receive the distal end 116 of the second connecting protrusion 70. The first arm 130 and the second arm 132 may each extend away from the body 128 in a direction substantially orthogonal to the body 128. The third arm 134 may extend away from the body in a direction substantially parallel to the body, and the first arm 130, the second arm 132, and the third arm 134 may each be disposed in one or more side walls 114 that surround or define the intermediate wall flow control orifice 58 and the intermediate wall flow control channel 60. A recessed portion 136 may be formed between the first arm 130 and the second arm 132 , and the recessed portion 136 may be configured to receive an engagement feature disposed within the side wall 114 to seat the second connection protrusion 70 within the intermediate wall member 34 .

[0046] As an example, one or more of the connecting protrusions 70 and one or more of the connecting passages 68 can be formed of a plastic or polymer material, such as a thermoplastic (e.g., ABS, nylon 6), and the connecting protrusions 70 and the connecting passages 68 can be formed by an injection molding process, such as over molding, in which the protrusions 70 and the passages 68 are disposed in a mold or cavity, and the material forming the wall member is injected so that the protrusions and the passages are embedded or at least partially encapsulated within the wall member. Other suitable processes can be used to form the connecting protrusions and the connecting passages, including two-shot molding, in which two different materials are injection molded substantially simultaneously or before one of the two materials cools and hardens to a desired size and shape.

[0047] The connecting protrusion 70 and the connecting passage 68 can be connected by a molecular bond or a molecular intermix, which can be formed by friction welding. Friction welding can involve the use of relative motion and relatively high forces to generate friction heat to form a welding interface or welding zone 138. The side of the distal end 116 can form an angle α that can range between 81 degrees and 121 degrees, and the distal end 116 can be inserted into the groove 124 so that the distal end 116 overlaps with a pair of lips 126. The size of the welding zone 138 of the distal end 116 can be set so that it is between 20% and 25% of the cross-sectional area of ​​the protrusion 70. Before welding, the distal end 116 can have a peripheral distance ranging between 5.5mm and 6.6mm and a cross-sectional area ranging between 1.6mm and 2.6mm. After welding, the distal end 116 can have a peripheral distance in the range between 3.1mm and 4.7mm and a cross-sectional area in the range between 0.4mm and 0.6mm.

[0048] The overlap O between the distal end 116 and the lip 126 may be in the range of 0.8 mm to 1.6 mm. The distal end 116 or the non-tapered portion of the distal end may be spaced apart from one of the lips 126 to form a gap G that may be in the range of 0.06 mm to 0.1 mm, and the base of the tapered portion of the distal end 116 may have a first width W1 that may be in the range of 0.71 mm to 1.1 mm, the groove 124 may have a second width W2 that may be in the range of 1.63 mm to 2.03 mm, and the non-tapered portion of the distal end 116 may have a third width W3 that may be in the range of 1.46 mm to 1.86 mm. The base of the groove 124 can be spaced apart from the non-tapered portion of the distal end 116 by a first overlap distance D1, which can range between 0.15 mm and 0.25 mm, and the tapered portion of the distal end 116 can have a second distance D2, which can range between 0.30 mm and 0.46 mm.

[0049] Figure 8 A rear perspective view of the manifold 14 is shown with the retaining plate 44 disposed within the recessed pocket 76. As shown, the stud 86 extends through the stud hole 98, but the end of the stud 86 has not yet been upset or formed into a rivet head. Figure 8B The distal end of the stud 86 is shown formed into the rivet head 110 to secure the retention plate 44 within the recessed pocket 76 .

[0050] Fig. 9A cross-sectional view of an exemplary check valve 50 disposed between a pair of wall members (e.g., the intermediate wall member 34 and the inner wall member 36) is shown. As described above, the manifold 14 may include one or more flow control devices, such as the flow control orifice 72 and the flow control channel 74. The flow control device may also include one or more check valves 50, and the check valve 50 may be disposed closer to the edge or transverse wall of the manifold 14, and the flow control channel and the flow control orifice may be disposed closer to the center or middle of the manifold 14. The check valve 50 may include a first ball 140, a second ball 142, and a spring 144 disposed between the first ball 140 and the second ball 142. As an example, the spring 144 may be configured such that once the air pressure within the inner wall flow control orifice 72 exceeds the air pressure within the second intermediate wall flow control orifice 66, the second ball is displaced toward the first ball 140 and the spring is compressed and / or the first ball 140 is displaced to allow air to flow into the inner wall flow control channel 74.

[0051] Fig.10 A schematic diagram of an IAMM 12 according to one or more embodiments is shown, which shows the pneumatic and electrical connections of the IAMM 12. The IAMM 12 includes a boost outlet 22a, a reserve inlet 22b, and a pressure inlet 22c. The outlets of the IAMM may correspond to the suspension air springs of the vehicle, such as a right rear outlet 24a, a left rear outlet 24b, a right front outlet 24c, and a left front outlet 24d. The boost outlet 22a may be operably connected to a boost valve 42d, and a check valve 50a may be disposed between the boost valve 42d and the boost outlet 22a. The pressure inlet 22c may be operably connected to a pressure control valve 42a. The boost valve 42d may be connected in series with a first reserve valve 42b and a second reserve valve 42c, and the boost outlet 22b may be directly connected to the first reserve valve 42b. The reserve inlet 22b, the first reserve valve 42b, the second reserve valve 42c, the boost valve 42d, and the boost outlet 22a may be connected to each other in a first circuit 148.

[0052] The left front control valve 42e, the right front control valve 42f, the left rear control valve 42g, and the right rear control valve 42h may be connected to each other through the second circuit 150, and the second circuit 150 may be in communication with the pressure and temperature sensor 146 through the third circuit 152. The third circuit 152 may extend from the pressure and temperature sensor 146 to the second reserve valve 42c, the first reserve valve 42b, and the pressure control valve 42a. The third circuit 152 may be interconnected to the second circuit 150 at one or more connection points. As an example, a first interconnection may be formed between the left rear control valve 42g and the right rear control valve 42h, a second interconnection may be formed between the left rear control valve 42g and the right front control valve 42f, and a third interconnection may be formed between the left front control valve 42e and the right front control valve 42f. Alternatively or additionally, second check valve 50b may be disposed within third circuit 152 adjacent the first interconnection, and third check valve 50c may be disposed within third circuit 152 at a third interconnection between left front control valve 42e and right front control valve 42f.

[0053] Although exemplary embodiments are described above, these embodiments are not intended to describe all possible forms covered by the claims. The words used in the specification are descriptive rather than restrictive, and it should be understood that various changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. As previously mentioned, the features of various embodiments can be combined to form other embodiments of the present invention that may not be clearly described or illustrated. Although various embodiments may have been described as providing advantages or being superior to other embodiments or prior art implementations in terms of one or more desired characteristics, it is recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art that one or more features or characteristics may be compromised to achieve the desired overall system properties, depending on the specific application and implementation. These properties may include, but are not limited to, cost, strength, durability, life cycle cost, marketability, appearance, packaging, size, maintainability, weight, manufacturability, ease of assembly, etc. Therefore, to the extent that any embodiment is described as not as desirable as other embodiments or prior art implementations in terms of one or more characteristics, these embodiments do not exceed the scope of the present disclosure and may be desirable for a particular application.

Claims

1. An air management module for a vehicle pneumatic suspension system, the air management module comprising: a plurality of inlets configured to receive compressed air from a vehicle air compressor; a plurality of outlets configured to provide the compressed air to a plurality of vehicle air springs and a remote reservoir; a plurality of control valves configured to receive the compressed air from the inlet and selectively provide the compressed air to the plurality of outlets; as well as a manifold configured to direct the compressed air from the plurality of inlets to the plurality of outlets, the manifold comprising: A plurality of wall members are stacked one on top of the other, each of the plurality of wall members defining a plurality of holes, some of the plurality of holes collectively forming a plurality of channels configured to direct the compressed air from the plurality of outlets to the plurality of inlets.

2. The air management module according to claim 1, wherein: The plurality of wall members of the manifold are secured to each other by molecular bonds, and wherein the bonding area is 20% to 25% of the cross-sectional area of ​​the protrusion.

3. The air management module according to claim 1, wherein: The multiple wall components include an outer wall component, an inner wall component, and an intermediate wall component arranged between the outer wall component and the inner wall component, wherein the intermediate wall component is fixed to the outer wall component and the inner wall component so that a first airtight seal is formed between the intermediate wall component and the outer wall component, and a second airtight seal is formed between the intermediate wall component and the inner wall component.

4. The air management module according to claim 1, wherein: The plurality of channels form a plurality of flow control orifices configured to minimize a pressure differential between one or more of the plurality of inlets and one or more of the plurality of outlets, and wherein at least one of the flow control orifices is a flow restrictor orifice purposefully sized to produce a specified pressure differential between at least two different outlets.

5. The air management module according to claim 4, wherein: The multiple wall members include an outer wall member, an inner wall member and an intermediate wall member arranged between the outer wall member and the inner wall member, the intermediate wall member includes a first mating side and a second mating side, the second mating side is opposite to the first mating side, and the inner wall member includes a third mating side placed along the second mating side of the intermediate wall member, wherein the second mating side defines a first flow control orifice among the multiple flow control orifices, and the first mating side defines a second flow control orifice among the multiple flow control orifices, wherein the outer periphery of the first flow control orifice substantially coincides with the outer periphery of the second flow control orifice.

6. The air management module according to claim 4, further comprising: A check valve is disposed between a pair of wall members or the plurality of wall members, the check valve being configured to selectively allow compressed air to flow between respective wall members of the pair of wall members.

7. The air management module of claim 6, wherein: Each of the pair of wall members includes an edge region and a center region, wherein the check valve is disposed in the edge region of the pair of wall members.

8. The air management module of claim 6, wherein: The plurality of flow control orifices are formed in a central region of the pair of wall members.

9. An air management module for a vehicle pneumatic suspension system, the air management module comprising: a plurality of inlets configured to receive compressed air from a vehicle air compressor; a plurality of outlets configured to provide the compressed air to a plurality of vehicle air springs; a plurality of control valves configured to receive the compressed air from the inlet and selectively provide the compressed air to the plurality of outlets, each of the plurality of control valves comprising a first portion and a second portion; as well as a manifold configured to direct the compressed air from the plurality of inlets to the plurality of outlets, the manifold comprising: an outer layer, the plurality of inlets and the plurality of outlets being connected to the outer layer, an inner layer, wherein the first portion of each of the plurality of control valves is disposed within the inner layer, A middle layer, the middle layer being sandwiched between the outer layer and the inner layer, wherein each of the outer layer, the inner layer and the middle layer is injection molded, wherein the middle layer includes a rear surface and a front surface, the rear surface is opposite to the front surface, and wherein the rear surface of the middle layer is fixed to the inner layer, and the front surface of the middle layer is fixed to the outer layer.

10. The air management module of claim 9, wherein: At least one of the outer layer and the inner layer is secured to the intermediate layer by friction welding.

11. The air management module of claim 10, wherein: The rear surface of the intermediate layer defines a connecting passage, and the front surface of the inner layer includes a connecting protrusion, wherein the connecting passage accommodates the connecting protrusion, and wherein the intermediate layer and the inner layer are fixed to each other by a friction welding joint formed between the connecting protrusion and the connecting passage.

12. The air management module of claim 9, further comprising: A retaining plate secured to a rear portion of the inner layer, wherein a control valve of the plurality of control valves includes a first flange disposed between the first portion and the second portion, wherein the retaining plate clamps the first flange to the rear portion of the inner layer.

13. The air management module of claim 12, further comprising: a pressure sensor disposed at least partially within the inner layer; and an adapter member secured to the pressure sensor and including a second flange sandwiched between the retaining plate and the rear portion of the inner layer.

14. The air management module of claim 13, further comprising: An O-ring is disposed between the second flange and the rear portion of the inner layer.

15. The air management module of claim 12, wherein: The rear portion of the inner layer defines a recessed pocket, and wherein the retention plate is disposed in the recessed pocket.

16. The air management module of claim 15, wherein: The recessed pocket includes a base, wherein one or more studs extend from the base, and wherein the retaining plate is secured to the base by upsetting distal ends of the one or more studs to form rivet heads.

17. The air management module of claim 9, further comprising: a retaining plate secured to a rear portion of the inner layer; A housing, the housing comprising a first accommodating chamber and a second accommodating chamber; An electronic control unit, wherein the electronic control unit is disposed in the second accommodating cavity; as well as A plurality of actuators are disposed in the first housing cavity, wherein the plurality of control valves are operably coupled to the plurality of actuators, and wherein the retaining plate is sandwiched between the first housing cavity and the inner layer.

18. A method of manufacturing an air management module, the method comprising the steps of: forming an outer manifold layer by injection molding, the outer manifold layer defining one or more first channels and one or more holes configured to receive an inlet connector and an outlet connector configured to be fluidly connected to the one or more first channels; forming an intermediate manifold layer by injection molding, the intermediate manifold layer defining one or more second channels; forming an inner manifold layer by injection molding, the inner manifold layer defining one or more third channels, wherein the one or more first channels, the one or more second channels, and the one or more third channels are collectively configured to form one or more flow control orifices, the one or more flow control orifices being configured to minimize a pressure differential between the inlet connector and the outlet connector, and wherein at least one flow control orifice is a flow restrictor orifice purposefully sized to produce a specified pressure differential between at least two different outlets; as well as The middle manifold layer is secured to the outer manifold layer and the inner manifold layer by friction welding.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the steps of: The middle manifold layer is hermetically sealed to the outer manifold layer and the inner manifold layer.

20. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the steps of: One or more control valves are secured to the inner manifold layer by riveting a retaining plate to the rear portion of the inner manifold layer, wherein the retaining plate is configured to clamp a portion of the one or more control valves to the rear portion of the inner manifold layer.

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