Rubber spring and vehicle suspension system

Abstract

The invention provides a rubber spring which comprises at least one or more rubber spring assemblies which are connected in series, and each rubber spring assembly comprises an outer sleeve and an inner sleeve, the rubber elastic combination body is mounted in the outer sleeve; wherein the rubber elastic combination body comprises a rubber elastic body and at least one convex curved surface blocking piece, the convex curved surface blocking piece is arranged on the rubber elastic body and connected with the rubber elastic body to form a whole, the convex curved surface blocking piece is in sliding fit with the outer sleeve, and the rubber elastic combination body is subjected to pre-compression treatment. And therefore, the structure has certain initial rigidity. The rubber spring serves as an elastic element of a suspension system, impact and vibration of a road surface are effectively reduced by means of the high damping and rigidity nonlinear characteristics of the rubber elastic body, a vehicle can obtain the appropriate suspension rigidity characteristic under different loads, and the vehicle running smoothness is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of rubber spring manufacturing, in particular to a rubber spring and a vehicle suspension system. Background Art

[0002] The suspension system is a crucial component of heavy-duty trucks, generally consisting of elastic elements, guide mechanisms, shock absorbers, and other components. The suspension system's primary function is to mitigate the impact of road undulations on the vehicle frame, attenuating system vibrations to ensure a smooth ride and stable handling. It also requires system components to have high reliability and a low failure rate. Currently, heavy-duty truck suspension systems generally include leaf spring suspension, air suspension, rubber suspension, and hydro-pneumatic suspension. Leaf spring suspension and air suspension are used more frequently, while rubber suspension and hydro-pneumatic suspension are less commonly used. However, all of these suspension systems present numerous difficult-to-solve technical challenges, significantly hindering improvements in the suspension system's technical performance.

[0003] Leaf spring suspensions generally use high-rigidity leaf springs as elastic elements. The system is heavy and has a complex structure. Its stiffness is generally a constant, which makes the vibration characteristics of the suspension system show obvious linear changes. However, the axle load of heavy trucks when empty and fully loaded is very different, resulting in a serious decrease in the smoothness of the entire vehicle when empty. The multi-leaf spring structure causes serious friction between the leaves and produces loud noise, affecting driving comfort.

[0004] Air suspension uses air springs as the main elastic elements, and adopts precise pneumatic valves and electronic control systems to adjust the internal air pressure of the air springs in real time. Therefore, the vibration characteristics of the air spring suspension system can show very obvious nonlinear characteristics, which effectively improves the ride smoothness and driving comfort. However, the structure of air spring elements is complex and the precision is very high, resulting in high costs. Sensors, control valves, electronic control systems and other components are easily damaged and have a high failure rate. They are prone to burst damage under sudden impact and other working conditions. There are many sealing links, which are prone to leakage and failure, making repair and maintenance difficult.

[0005] Rubber suspension and oil-gas suspension are less commonly used and are generally only used in special scenarios. The main problems with rubber suspension are high price, heavy weight, large size, poor smoothness under heavy load, and high failure rate of rubber components. Oil-gas suspension has high cost, difficult maintenance, prone to oil leakage, easy wear of cylinder pistons, and high failure rate. It also requires an additional nitrogen energy storage system, which reduces system reliability. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of the above-mentioned deficiencies in the prior art, the present invention provides a rubber spring comprising at least one rubber spring assembly, wherein the rubber spring assembly further comprises:

[0007] outer sleeve;

[0008] At least one rubber elastic assembly installed inside the outer sleeve; and

[0009] End caps, fixed to both ends of the outer sleeve, respectively, for fixing the rubber elastic assembly inside the outer sleeve and achieving pre-compression;

[0010] Among them, the rubber elastic assembly includes at least one rubber elastic body and a convex curved baffle. The convex curved baffle is respectively arranged at both ends of the rubber elastic body and is connected to the rubber elastic body to form a whole. The convex curved baffle is slidably matched with the outer sleeve. The rubber elastic assembly has a set initial stiffness after pre-compression treatment.

[0011] In some embodiments, the length of the rubber elastic assembly before being installed in the outer sleeve is greater than the distance between the end covers, and the pre-compression is formed after the rubber elastic assembly is compressed and installed in the outer sleeve.

[0012] In some embodiments, when the external load increases, the rubber elastic body is further compressed, and the compression stiffness of the rubber spring changes nonlinearly. When the inner cavity space formed by the convex curved baffle and the outer sleeve is filled with the rubber elastic body, the rubber elastic body can no longer be compressed, and the rubber spring is transformed into a rigid component.

[0013] In some embodiments, the shape of the rubber elastic body is spindle-shaped, oval, cylindrical, conical, or an irregular spindle-shaped with a hollow structure; the largest part of the outer diameter of the rubber elastic body is tightly fitted with the inner wall of the outer sleeve.

[0014] In some embodiments, the outer contour of the convex curved baffle is an arc shape, the center of the arc is on the longitudinal axis of the rubber spring, and the radius of the arc is the same as the radius of the outer sleeve.

[0015] In some embodiments, a convex column is further provided on a side of the convex curved baffle away from the rubber elastic body, and the convex column can be passed through the end cover.

[0016] In some embodiments, the convex curved baffle is a spherical baffle.

[0017] The present invention further provides a rubber spring comprising: at least two rubber spring assemblies connected in series, each of the rubber spring assemblies comprising:

[0018] outer sleeve;

[0019] A rubber elastic assembly is installed inside the outer sleeve;

[0020] End caps are fixed at both ends of the outer sleeve to fix the rubber elastic assembly inside the outer sleeve and achieve pre-compression;

[0021] The rubber elastic assembly further comprises a rubber elastic body and a convex curved baffle, the convex curved baffle is arranged at one end of the outer side of the rubber elastic body and connected with the rubber elastic body to form an integral whole, and a transition baffle is arranged at one end of the inner side of the rubber elastic body, the convex curved baffle is in sliding fit with the outer sleeve, and the rubber elastic assembly has a set initial rigidity after pre-compression treatment.

[0022] Each of the rubber spring assemblies is connected in series with each other through the transition baffles.

[0023] In some embodiments, the transition baffles extend into the outer sleeve through the end caps away from the convex curved baffles, and the transition baffles are in sliding fit with the outer sleeve.

[0024] In some embodiments, the rubber elastic bodies connected in series with each other can be made of rubber materials with different elastic properties to achieve variable rigidity characteristics.

[0025] The application further provides a rubber spring, comprising: at least two rubber spring assemblies connected in series with each other, each of the rubber spring assemblies further comprising:

[0026] An outer sleeve;

[0027] A rubber elastic assembly installed inside the outer sleeve;

[0028] End caps fixed at one end of the outer sleeve;

[0029] The rubber elastic assembly further comprises a rubber elastic body and a convex curved baffle, the convex curved baffle is arranged at one end of the outer side of the rubber elastic body, and one end of the inner side of the rubber elastic body is connected with a partition plate, the rubber elastic body, the partition plate and the convex curved baffle form an integral whole, and the convex curved baffle is in sliding fit with the outer sleeve.

[0030] The partition plate is fixed at the other end of the outer sleeve, and the partition plate and the end caps are used to fix the rubber elastic assembly inside the outer sleeve and achieve pre-compression, and the rubber elastic assembly has a set initial rigidity after pre-compression treatment.

[0031] Each of the rubber spring assemblies is connected in series with each other through the outer sleeve and the partition plates.

[0032] In some embodiments, the outer sleeve is provided with a flange at one end away from the convex curved baffle, and the partition plates and the flanges of each of the rubber spring assemblies are fixed together.

[0033] The present invention also provides a vehicle suspension system, which uses the rubber spring as described above; the vehicle suspension system comprises:

[0034] a vehicle frame and a vehicle axle, wherein the rubber spring is installed between the vehicle frame and the vehicle axle;

[0035] A guide arm support, wherein a mounting plate is provided between the guide arm support and the axle;

[0036] Wherein, one end of the rubber spring is connected to the vehicle frame via a bracket; the other end is connected to the mounting seat plate.

[0037] In some embodiments, the vehicle suspension system further comprises:

[0038] A central bracket and a guide arm, wherein both ends of the guide arm are connected to the guide arm support and the central bracket respectively;

[0039] a shock absorber and a shock absorber support, wherein one end of the shock absorber is connected to the guide arm, and the other end is connected to the shock absorber support;

[0040] The central support, the support and the shock absorber support are all fixedly mounted on the vehicle frame.

[0041] In some embodiments, the vehicle suspension system further comprises:

[0042] a frame cross member, on which a thrust rod mounting seat is mounted;

[0043] A thrust rod support is provided on the axle;

[0044] A longitudinal thrust rod and a transverse thrust rod, wherein the longitudinal thrust rod is connected to the thrust rod support and the thrust rod mounting seat respectively, and the transverse thrust rod is connected to the thrust rod support and the vehicle frame respectively.

[0045] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages and beneficial effects:

[0046] The present invention adopts rubber springs as elastic elements of the suspension system, and utilizes the high damping and nonlinear stiffness characteristics of rubber elastomers to effectively reduce the impact and vibration of the road surface, and can enable the vehicle to obtain appropriate suspension stiffness characteristics under different loads, thereby improving the vehicle's driving smoothness.

[0047] The suspension system using the rubber spring provided by the present invention eliminates the heavy leaf spring, so the weight of the suspension system is greatly reduced compared to the leaf spring suspension; the rubber spring suspension structure is greatly simplified, and there is no electronic control system and precision valves and other components of the air suspension, so the failure rate is low, the reliability is greatly improved, and the cost is effectively reduced.

[0048] The rubber spring provided by the present invention requires no lubrication or maintenance during use, resulting in maintenance-free operation. Due to the incompressible nature of the rubber material, the rubber spring transforms into a rigid component when the suspension system load reaches its peak, effectively protecting suspension system components and related components such as the axle and frame from damage, significantly improving system safety. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0050] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the rubber spring structure shown in the first embodiment of the present invention Figure 1 ;

[0051] Figure 2 This is a schematic structural diagram of a rubber elastic assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0052] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the rubber spring structure shown in the first embodiment of the present invention Figure 2 ;

[0053] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the rubber spring structure shown in the first embodiment of the present invention Figure 3 ;

[0054] Figure 5 This is a nonlinear variation diagram of the compression stiffness of the rubber spring shown in the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0055] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the rubber spring structure shown in the first embodiment of the present invention Figure 4 ;

[0056] Figure 7 This is a schematic structural diagram of a rubber elastic body according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0057] Figure 8 This is a schematic structural diagram of a rubber elastic assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0058] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the rubber spring structure shown in the second embodiment of the present invention;

[0059] Figure 10 This is a schematic structural diagram of a rubber elastic assembly according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

[0060] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the rubber spring structure shown in the third embodiment of the present invention;

[0061] Figure 12 A front view of a vehicle suspension system according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

[0062] Figure 13 A top view of a vehicle suspension system according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

[0063] in:

[0064] 1-outer sleeve;

[0065] 2- rubber elastic assembly;

[0066] 31-end cover;

[0067] 21- rubber elastic body;

[0068] 221-convex curved baffle;

[0069] 231- convex column;

[0070] 23-transition baffle;

[0071] 24-partition;

[0072] 11- flange;

[0073] 01-Rubber spring;

[0074] 50-Vehicle suspension system;

[0075] 501-frame;

[0076] 502-Axle;

[0077] 503-guide arm support;

[0078] 504-install the seat plate;

[0079] 505-bracket;

[0080] 506-Central bracket;

[0081] 507-guide arm;

[0082] 508-shock absorber;

[0083] 509- shock absorber support;

[0084] 510-frame cross member;

[0085] 511-thrust rod mounting seat;

[0086] 512-thrust rod support;

[0087] 513-longitudinal thrust rod;

[0088] 514-Lateral thrust rod. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0089] The technical solution of the present invention is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments to further understand the purpose, solution and effect of the present invention, but it is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the appended claims of the present invention.

[0090] Certain words are used in the specification and subsequent claims to refer to specific components or parts. A person of ordinary skill in the art should understand that technical users or manufacturers may refer to the same component or part with different nouns or terms. This specification and the subsequent claims do not use differences in names as a way to distinguish components or parts, but rather use differences in the functions of components or parts as the criteria for distinction. The words "including" and "comprising" mentioned throughout the specification and subsequent claims are open-ended terms and should be interpreted as "including but not limited to". In addition, the word "connect" here includes any direct and indirect electrical connection means. Indirect electrical connection means include connection through other devices.

[0091] It should be noted that, in the description of the present invention, the terms "horizontal", "longitudinal", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside" and "about", or "approximately", "substantially", "left and right" and the like to indicate directions or positional relationships or parameters are all based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description content, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction, specific size or be constructed and operated in a specific direction, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0092] See Figure 1-7The first embodiment of the present invention provides a rubber spring, which includes at least one rubber spring assembly, and the rubber spring assembly further includes: an outer sleeve 1; at least one rubber elastic assembly 2, installed inside the outer sleeve 1; and two end caps 31, respectively fixed at the two ends of the outer sleeve 1, for fixing the rubber elastic assembly 2 inside the outer sleeve 1 and achieving pre-compression; wherein, the rubber elastic assembly 2 further includes at least one rubber elastic body 21 and two convex curved baffles 221, the two convex curved baffles 221 are respectively provided at the two ends of the rubber elastic body 21, and are connected to the rubber elastic body 21 to form a whole, the two convex curved baffles 221 are slidably matched with the outer sleeve 1, and the rubber elastic assembly 2 has a set initial stiffness after pre-compression treatment. The two convex curved baffles 221 are also provided with a convex column 231 on the side away from the rubber elastic body 21, and the two convex columns 231 can be passed through the two end caps 31; the two convex curved baffles 221 are both spherical baffles.

[0093] The outer contour of the convex curved baffle 221 is an arc shape, the center of the arc is on the longitudinal axis of the rubber spring, and the radius of the arc is the same as the radius of the outer sleeve.

[0094] The outer sleeve in this embodiment is a steel outer sleeve, and the rubber elastomer and the convex curved baffle are bonded together by vulcanization to form an integral component, which is installed inside the outer sleeve. There is an end cover at each end of the outer sleeve to fix the convex curved baffle and the rubber elastic combination inside the outer sleeve, and the end cover is fixed to both ends of the outer sleeve by bolts.

[0095] See Figure 7 ,in Figure 7 a is a spindle-shaped rubber body structure, Figure 7 b is a conical rubber body structure. Figure 7 c is a hyperbolic rubber body structure, Figure 7 d is a spindle-shaped rubber structure with ridges in the middle. Figure 7 e is a hollow rubber structure with straight grooves on four sides. Figure 7 f represents a hollowed-out rubber structure with four circular arc grooves. In this embodiment, the rubber elastic body 21 can be shaped like a spindle, oval, cylindrical, conical, or an irregular spindle with a hollowed-out structure. The largest portion of the outer diameter of the rubber elastic body 21 fits tightly against the inner wall of the outer sleeve 1. The size and shape of the rubber elastic body directly impact the performance of the rubber spring. Its shape can be regular, such as a spindle, cylindrical, or conical, or irregular, such as a spindle with a hollowed-out structure. In actual design, this shape can be adjusted based on the vehicle's load and dynamic characteristics.

[0096] See Figure 3In this embodiment, the two convex curved baffles 221 slide in conjunction with the outer sleeve 1. The basic shape of the rubber elastic body 21 is similar to a spindle or oval, and its largest diameter portion fits tightly against the inner wall of the outer sleeve. The length L of the rubber elastic assembly 2 before being installed in the outer sleeve 1 is greater than the distance L1 between the two end caps 31. After being compressed and installed in the outer sleeve 1, it forms the pre-compression. The pre-compression is used to achieve the relative fixation of the position of the rubber elastic body 21 and the outer sleeve 1. That is, after the rubber elastic assembly 2 consisting of the two convex curved baffles 221 and the rubber elastic body 21 is installed in the outer sleeve 1 and fixed with the end caps 31, its length shrinks, which can be called pre-compression. Due to the existence of pre-compression, the rubber elastic body will inevitably deform after being installed in the outer sleeve. The deformation will increase the contact area between the rubber elastic body and the inner wall of the outer sleeve, and the deformation of the rubber is symmetrical with respect to the horizontal centerline of the rubber elastic body. The increased contact area causes a large friction force to be generated between the rubber elastic body and the outer sleeve. In other words, the position of the rubber elastic body and the outer sleeve is relatively fixed by pre-compression.

[0097] Furthermore, in this embodiment, under the action of the increased load from the frame, the rubber elastic body 21 is further compressed. Figure 4 During this process, the relative position of the rubber spring 21 and the outer sleeve 1 remains relatively fixed due to pre-compression. As the load increases, the displacements of the upper and lower convex curved baffles 221 are equal. That is, under the compressive load F, after the rubber spring 21 is compressed, the distance L2 between the end faces of the two convex curved baffles 221 and the end cap remains consistent. During vehicle travel, vibrations caused by road undulations are absorbed by the rubber spring's internal rubber spring, providing both shock absorption and cushioning.

[0098] In this embodiment, the compression stiffness of the rubber spring changes nonlinearly. When the inner cavity formed by the two convex curved baffles 221 and the outer sleeve 1 is filled with the rubber elastic body 21, the rubber elastic body 21 can no longer be compressed, and the rubber spring becomes a rigid component.

[0099] For details, see Figure 5When the vehicle is properly loaded and driving, the relationship between the support force and compression stroke provided by the rubber spring varies within the OA range. At this point, the change in support force and compression stroke approaches linearity, meaning the rubber spring's stiffness varies essentially linearly, similar to the stiffness characteristics of leaf springs and air springs. When the vehicle is overloaded or encounters an obstacle while driving, the relationship between support force and compression stroke varies within the AB range, and the rate of change in the rubber spring's stiffness increases dramatically. When the inner cavity formed by the two convex curved baffles and the outer sleeve is filled with the rubber elastomer, it can no longer be compressed, and the rubber spring becomes a rigid component, limiting the relative position of the frame and axle from exceeding the limit and protecting the suspension system from damage.

[0100] The total distance a rubber spring compresses from its initial state to its ultimate position is its travel. This travel can be adjusted to suit the design requirements of different vehicle suspension systems. The travel can be easily varied by changing the volume of the rubber elastomer. While maintaining the outer sleeve diameter, the thickness of the convex curved baffle, and the distance L between the two end caps, a larger volume of the rubber elastomer reduces the travel, while a smaller volume increases the travel. The combination of the rubber elastomer and the convex curved baffle is confined within the outer sleeve. When the axle is free from ground support, such as when the vehicle is hoisted or encounters a deep pothole while driving, the rubber spring holds the axle in place, preventing it from separating from the vehicle or causing a rollover.

[0101] In this embodiment, the convex curved baffle has an arc-shaped outer contour, with its center on the longitudinal axis of the rubber spring and its radius equal to that of the outer sleeve. This design allows the convex curved baffle to deflect freely within the outer sleeve, acting as a universal bearing. The deflection angle depends on the thickness of the convex curved baffle; a thicker thickness allows for a greater deflection angle. In practical applications, the maximum relative motion angle between the axle and the frame is considered sufficient, with a safety margin. When the vehicle is affected by undulating road surfaces during driving, a certain angle between the axle and the frame will form. The convex curved baffles at both ends can adapt to this angle change. Even if the convex curved baffle is tilted relative to the outer sleeve, the rubber spring can maintain normal operation, unaffected by the axle angle.

[0102] In addition, in this embodiment, the end of the convex curved baffle is provided with a connecting handle and a thread for connecting with the frame and the axle. The connection method is not limited to the threaded connection in the example, and other solutions can also be used.

[0103] It is worth noting that rubber springs can not only be installed directly on the heavy truck suspension system individually, but can also be used in series. By using two or more rubber springs with different stiffness characteristics, better performance can be achieved.

[0104] See Figure 8-9 The second embodiment of the present invention provides a rubber spring. The rubber spring provided in this embodiment is similar in principle to the rubber spring provided in the first embodiment, except that the rubber spring provided in this embodiment is two rubber springs directly connected in series. Specifically, it includes: at least two rubber spring assemblies connected in series, each of which includes: an outer sleeve 1; a rubber elastic assembly 2 installed inside the outer sleeve 1; two end caps 31, respectively fixed at both ends of the outer sleeve 1, for fixing the rubber elastic assembly 2 inside the outer sleeve 1 and To achieve pre-compression; wherein, the rubber elastic assembly 2 includes a rubber elastic body 21 and a convex curved baffle 221, the convex curved baffle 221 is arranged at the outer end of the rubber elastic body 21, and is connected to the rubber elastic body 21 to form a whole, the inner end of the rubber elastic body 21 is provided with a transition baffle 23, the convex curved baffle 221 is slidably matched with the outer sleeve 1, and the rubber elastic assembly 2 has a set initial stiffness after pre-compression treatment; each of the rubber spring components is connected in series with each other through the transition baffle 23.

[0105] In this embodiment, the transition baffle 23 extends through the end cap 31 on the side away from the convex curved baffle 221 and into the outer sleeve 1. The transition baffle 23 slides in engagement with the outer sleeve 1. The rubber elastic bodies 21 connected in series can be made of rubber materials with different elastic properties to achieve variable rigidity characteristics.

[0106] In this embodiment, two rubber elastic bodies 21 are vulcanized and bonded to transition baffles 23, forming a single unit. The two rubber elastic bodies are separately installed in two outer sleeves and secured with four end caps. The transition baffles are fitted with the outer sleeves in a sliding manner, sliding only up and down within them. This ensures that the axes of the two small rubber springs remain aligned. The mating characteristics and operating mode of the two rubber elastic bodies in a direct series rubber spring are similar to those of a single rubber spring. However, the two rubber elastic bodies can be made of different rubber materials to achieve different stiffness characteristics. Using two in series can achieve more complex stiffness characteristics.

[0107] See Figure 10-11The third embodiment of the present invention provides a rubber spring. The rubber spring provided in this embodiment is similar in principle to the rubber spring provided in the first embodiment, except that the rubber spring provided in this embodiment is two rubber springs connected in series internally. Specifically, it includes: at least two rubber spring assemblies connected in series with each other, each of which includes: an outer sleeve 1; a rubber elastic assembly 2, installed inside the outer sleeve 1; an end cover 31, fixed at one end of the outer sleeve 1; wherein the rubber elastic assembly 2 includes a rubber elastic body 21 and a convex curved baffle 221, and the convex curved baffle 221 is provided at the outer sleeve. One end of the outer side of the rubber elastic body 21 and the inner end of the rubber elastic body 21 are connected to the partition 24. The rubber elastic body 21, the partition 24 and the convex curved baffle 221 form a whole. The convex curved baffle 221 slides with the outer sleeve 1; the partition 24 is fixed to the other end of the outer sleeve 1, and the partition 24 and the end cover 31 are used to fix the rubber elastic assembly 2 inside the outer sleeve 1 and achieve pre-compression; the rubber elastic assembly 2 has a set initial stiffness after pre-compression treatment; each of the rubber spring assemblies is connected in series with each other through the outer sleeve 1 and the partition 24.

[0108] In this embodiment, a flange 11 is provided at one end of the outer sleeve 1 away from the convex curved baffle 221 , and the partition plate 24 and the flange 11 of each rubber spring assembly are fixed together.

[0109] In this embodiment, the rubber elastic body 21, the partition 24, and the convex curved baffle 221 are bonded together through vulcanization to form a single unit. The two rubber elastic body assemblies are respectively installed in two outer sleeves. A flange is added to the ends of each outer sleeve, and the upper and lower outer sleeves and the partitions of the two rubber elastic body assemblies are fixed together by bolts. The ends of the two rubber elastic body assemblies with the convex curved baffles are fixed with end caps. The rubber elastic body assemblies are also pre-compressed to impart a certain initial stiffness. Similar to direct series rubber springs, the elastomers of internal series rubber springs can also be configured with different rubber materials to achieve more complex stiffness characteristics.

[0110] Compared with the independent rubber springs provided in the first embodiment, the series rubber springs provided in the second and third embodiments of the present invention can vary more diverse stiffness characteristics, are more flexible in meeting the performance requirements of the vehicle suspension system, and can achieve more functions.

[0111] The rubber spring provided by the above embodiments of the present application has wide application fields and can be applied to many scenes requiring damping and buffering, such as ships, vehicles, rail transit, mine machinery, high-rise buildings and many other fields. The rubber spring provided by the present embodiment utilizes the incompressibility of rubber in a closed space to realize the support, damping, buffering and overload protection functions of the rubber spring assembly. Here, a complete compression working process is taken as an example for description. Specifically, one end of the rubber spring is connected with a support fixed part, and the other end is connected with a load part. The load part applies a pressure load to the rubber elastic body. The rubber elastic body inside the rubber spring is compressed, and the load part is supported by the elastic force of the rubber elastic body, thereby playing a damping and buffering role. When the load gradually increases, the convex curved flaps at both ends of the rubber spring gradually approach each other. When the compression displacement of the rubber elastic body reaches a set value, the rubber elastic body material will fill the closed space formed by the outer sleeve and the two convex curved flaps. At this moment, the damping process of the rubber spring ends, and the rubber spring becomes a rigid body. Even if the load continues to increase, the two convex curved flaps cannot continue to approach each other, so that the two parts connected by the rubber spring will not collide together, thereby playing a protection role on the connected parts.

[0112] Referring to Figure 12-13 The fourth embodiment of the present application provides a vehicle suspension system, which adopts the rubber spring as described in the foregoing embodiments. The vehicle suspension system comprises a vehicle frame 501 and a vehicle axle 502, and the rubber spring is installed between the vehicle frame 501 and the vehicle axle 502. A guide arm support 503 is provided between the vehicle axle 502 and a mounting seat plate 504. One end of the rubber spring is connected with the vehicle frame 501 through a support 505, and the other end is connected with the mounting seat plate 504.

[0113] The vehicle suspension system in the present embodiment further comprises a central support 506 and a guide arm 507, both ends of the guide arm 507 are connected with the guide arm support 503 and the central support 506 respectively. A shock absorber 508 and a shock absorber support 509 are provided. One end of the shock absorber 508 is connected with the guide arm 507, and the other end is connected with the shock absorber support 509. The central support 506, the support 505 and the shock absorber support 509 are all fixedly installed on the vehicle frame 501.

[0114] Further, the vehicle suspension system in the present embodiment further comprises a vehicle frame cross beam 510, a thrust rod mounting seat 511 is installed on the vehicle frame cross beam 510. A thrust rod support 512 is provided on the vehicle axle 502. A longitudinal thrust rod 513 and a transverse thrust rod 514 are provided. The longitudinal thrust rod 513 is connected with the thrust rod support 512 and the thrust rod mounting seat 511 respectively, and the transverse thrust rod 514 is connected with the thrust rod support 512 and the vehicle frame 501 respectively.

[0115] In the suspension system provided in this embodiment, the guide arm, thrust rod, and transverse thrust rod play the role of guiding and transmitting the driving load. The rubber spring bears the longitudinal load and plays a role of vibration reduction and buffering. It can adapt to the posture changes of the axle, that is, adapt to the ups and downs of the road surface, and maintain the stability of the suspension system. The transverse thrust rod controls the lateral displacement of the axle and plays a role in stabilizing the position of the axle. The shock absorber and rubber spring are matched to better suppress the transmission of vibration to the frame, thereby improving the smoothness of the suspension system.

[0116] As described above, the various components of this embodiment combine to form a typical heavy-duty truck suspension system with rubber springs as its core components. The application of rubber springs in suspension systems combines the advantages of leaf springs' high load-bearing capacity with the nonlinear stiffness of air springs. Furthermore, they are significantly less expensive than air springs and significantly lighter than leaf springs. Furthermore, they offer the added functionality of converting rubber springs into rigid bodies under heavy loads. Therefore, a suspension system equipped with rubber springs not only ensures ride smoothness and load capacity, but also reduces production and maintenance costs and protects the vehicle frame and axles. This present invention achieves multiple goals at once, resolving the problems previously encountered with leaf spring and air spring suspension systems.

[0117] The working principle and basic application method of the present invention have been explained above through the application of the rubber spring assembly in the heavy truck suspension system. The application of the rubber spring assembly in other fields is also based on the above working principle. When the rubber spring assembly is used in other fields, the shape, connecting parts, outer sleeve and end cover of the rubber spring will inevitably be adaptively modified according to the actual application scenario requirements to meet the performance requirements of different occasions. However, its basic working principle is derived from the content described in this specification, that is, the above adaptive modifications cannot affect the protection of the content of the present invention.

[0118] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not constitute any other form of limitation to the present invention. Any person skilled in the art may utilize the technical contents disclosed above to change or modify them into equivalent embodiments with equivalent changes for application in other fields. However, any simple modification, equivalent change, and modification of the above embodiments made in accordance with the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the technical solution of the present invention shall still fall within the scope of protection of the technical solution of the present invention.

Claims

1. A rubber spring, characterized in that: At least one rubber spring assembly is included, and the rubber spring assembly further includes: outer sleeve; At least one rubber elastic assembly installed inside the outer sleeve; and End caps, fixed to both ends of the outer sleeve, respectively, for fixing the rubber elastic assembly inside the outer sleeve and achieving pre-compression; Among them, the rubber elastic assembly includes at least one rubber elastic body and a convex curved baffle. The convex curved baffle is respectively arranged at both ends of the rubber elastic body and is connected to the rubber elastic body to form a whole. The convex curved baffle is slidably matched with the outer sleeve. The rubber elastic assembly has a set initial stiffness after pre-compression treatment.

2. The rubber spring according to claim 1, characterized in that: The length of the rubber elastic assembly before being installed in the outer sleeve is greater than the distance between the end covers, and the pre-compression is formed after the rubber elastic assembly is compressed and installed in the outer sleeve.

3. The rubber spring according to claim 1, wherein: When the external load increases, the rubber elastic body is further compressed, and the compression stiffness of the rubber spring changes nonlinearly. When the inner cavity space formed by the convex curved baffle and the outer sleeve is filled with the rubber elastic body, the rubber elastic body can no longer be compressed, and the rubber spring is transformed into a rigid component.

4. The rubber spring according to claim 1, wherein: The shape of the rubber elastic body is spindle-shaped, oval-shaped, cylindrical, conical, or an irregular spindle-shaped body with a hollow structure; the largest part of the outer diameter of the rubber elastic body is tightly fitted with the inner wall of the outer sleeve.

5. The rubber spring according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer contour of the convex curved baffle is an arc shape, the center of the arc is on the longitudinal axis of the rubber spring, and the radius of the arc is the same as the radius of the outer sleeve.

6. The rubber spring according to claim 1, characterized in that: A convex column is further provided on one side of the convex curved surface blocking piece away from the rubber elastic body, and the convex column can be passed through the end cover.

7. The rubber spring according to claim 1, characterized in that: The convex curved surface baffle is a spherical baffle.

8. A rubber spring, characterized in that: include: At least two rubber spring assemblies connected in series, each of the rubber spring assemblies comprising: outer sleeve; A rubber elastic assembly is installed inside the outer sleeve; End caps, fixed to both ends of the outer sleeve, respectively, for fixing the rubber elastic assembly inside the outer sleeve and achieving pre-compression; The rubber elastic assembly further comprises a rubber elastic body and a convex curved baffle. The convex curved baffle is provided at one end of the outer side of the rubber elastic body and is connected to the rubber elastic body to form a whole. A transition baffle is provided at one end of the inner side of the rubber elastic body. The convex curved baffle is in sliding engagement with the outer sleeve. The rubber elastic assembly has a set initial stiffness after pre-compression treatment. Each of the rubber spring assemblies is connected in series via the transition baffle.

9. The rubber spring according to claim 8, characterized in that: The transition baffle passes through the end cover on the side away from the convex curved baffle and extends into the outer sleeve. The transition baffle is in sliding cooperation with the outer sleeve.

10. The rubber spring according to claim 8, characterized in that: The rubber elastic bodies connected in series may be configured to be rubber materials with different elastic properties to achieve variable stiffness characteristics.

11. A rubber spring, characterized in that: include: At least two rubber spring assemblies connected in series, each of the rubber spring assemblies comprising: outer sleeve; A rubber elastic assembly is installed inside the outer sleeve; an end cap fixed to one end of the outer sleeve; The rubber elastic assembly further comprises a rubber elastic body and a convex curved baffle, wherein the convex curved baffle is provided at one end of the outer side of the rubber elastic body, and one end of the inner side of the rubber elastic body is connected to the partition plate. The rubber elastic body, the partition plate and the convex curved baffle form a whole, and the convex curved baffle is in sliding cooperation with the outer sleeve; The partition is fixed to the other end of the outer sleeve, and the partition and the end cover are used to fix the rubber elastic assembly inside the outer sleeve and achieve pre-compression; the rubber elastic assembly has a set initial stiffness after the pre-compression treatment; Each of the rubber spring assemblies is connected in series via the outer sleeve and the partition.

12. The rubber spring according to claim 11, characterized in that: A flange is provided at one end of the outer sleeve away from the convex curved baffle, and the partition plate and the flange of each rubber spring assembly are fixed together.

13. A vehicle suspension system, characterized in that: A rubber spring according to any one of claims 1, 8 or 11 is used; wherein the vehicle suspension system comprises: a vehicle frame and a vehicle axle, wherein the rubber spring is installed between the vehicle frame and the vehicle axle; A guide arm support, wherein a mounting plate is provided between the guide arm support and the axle; Wherein, one end of the rubber spring is connected to the vehicle frame via a bracket; the other end is connected to the mounting seat plate.

14. The vehicle suspension system according to claim 13, wherein: The vehicle suspension system further comprises: A central bracket and a guide arm, wherein both ends of the guide arm are connected to the guide arm support and the central bracket respectively; a shock absorber and a shock absorber support, wherein one end of the shock absorber is connected to the guide arm, and the other end is connected to the shock absorber support; The central support, the support and the shock absorber support are all fixedly mounted on the vehicle frame.

15. The vehicle suspension system according to claim 13, wherein: The vehicle suspension system further comprises: a frame cross member, on which a thrust rod mounting seat is mounted; A thrust rod support is provided on the axle; A longitudinal thrust rod and a transverse thrust rod, wherein the longitudinal thrust rod is connected to the thrust rod support and the thrust rod mounting seat respectively, and the transverse thrust rod is connected to the thrust rod support and the vehicle frame respectively.

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