Rubber spring and vehicle suspension system

Abstract

The present application provides a rubber spring, comprising: at least one or more rubber spring assemblies connected in series, the rubber spring assembly comprising: an outer sleeve; a rubber elastic assembly installed inside the outer sleeve; wherein the rubber elastic assembly comprises a rubber elastic body and at least one convex curved baffle, the convex curved baffle is arranged on the rubber elastic body and connected with the rubber elastic body to form an integral whole, the convex curved baffle is in sliding fit with the outer sleeve, and the rubber elastic assembly is pre-compressed to have a certain initial stiffness. The rubber spring is used as an elastic element of a suspension system, utilizes the high damping and non-linear stiffness characteristics of the rubber elastic body, effectively reduces the impact and vibration of the road surface, and can make the vehicle obtain suitable suspension stiffness characteristics under different loads and improve the riding comfort of the vehicle.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

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

[0002] The suspension system is one of the important components of a heavy truck, which is generally composed of elastic elements, guide mechanisms, shock absorbers and other components. The main function of the suspension system is to alleviate the impact of road undulations on the vehicle frame, to attenuate system vibration, to ensure good ride comfort and handling stability of the vehicle, and to require high reliability and low failure rate of the system components. At present, the suspension system of a heavy truck generally has the structure forms of a steel plate spring suspension, an air suspension, a rubber suspension and an oil-gas suspension, among which the application of the steel plate spring suspension and the air suspension accounts for a high proportion, and the rubber suspension and the oil-gas suspension are less used. However, the above suspension systems all have many technical problems that are difficult to solve, which greatly hinders the improvement of the technical performance of the suspension system.

[0003] The steel plate spring suspension generally uses a steel plate spring with large stiffness as an elastic element, the system has large weight and complex structure, the stiffness thereof is generally a constant value, the vibration characteristics of the suspension system thereof show obvious linear change, and the axle load of the heavy truck greatly differs between the empty load and the full load, which causes the ride comfort of the vehicle to be seriously reduced when the vehicle is empty; the multi-leaf spring structure causes serious friction between the leaves and generates large noise, which affects the driving comfort.

[0004] The air suspension uses an air spring as the main elastic element, adopts a precise pneumatic valve and an electronic control system to real-time adjust the air pressure inside the air spring, so that the vibration characteristics of the air spring suspension system can show very obvious nonlinear characteristics, which effectively improves the ride comfort and the driving comfort. However, the air spring element has complex structure and high precision, which causes high cost, the components such as sensors, control valves and electronic control systems are easily damaged and have high failure rate, the air spring is easily damaged by sudden impact, there are many sealing links, the air spring is easily out of air and fails, and the maintenance is difficult.

[0005] The rubber suspension and the oil-gas suspension are less used, and are generally only used in a small amount in special scenes. The main problems of the rubber suspension are high price, large weight, large volume, poor ride comfort under heavy load, high failure rate of rubber components and the like; the oil-gas suspension has high cost, difficult maintenance, easy oil leakage, high failure rate of oil cylinder pistons and the like, and needs to additionally increase a set of nitrogen energy storage system, which reduces the system reliability. SUMMARY

[0006] In view of the above problems in the prior art, the present application provides a rubber spring, which at least comprises one rubber spring assembly, and the rubber spring assembly comprises:

[0007] an outer sleeve;

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

[0009] end caps respectively fixed at two ends of the outer sleeve for fixing the rubber elastic assembly inside the outer sleeve and achieving pre-compression;

[0010] The rubber elastic assembly further comprises at least one rubber elastic body and convex curved flaps respectively arranged at two ends of the rubber elastic body and connected with the rubber elastic body to form an integral whole, the convex curved flaps are in sliding fit with the outer sleeve, and the rubber elastic assembly has a set initial stiffness after pre-compression.

[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 caps, and the rubber elastic body is compressed to be installed in the outer sleeve to form the pre-compression.

[0012] In some embodiments, when the external load increases, the rubber elastic body is further compressed, the compression stiffness of the rubber spring changes nonlinearly, when the inner cavity space formed by the convex curved flaps and the outer sleeve is filled with the rubber elastic body, the rubber elastic body cannot be compressed any more, and the rubber spring turns into a rigid member.

[0013] In some embodiments, the rubber elastic body is in a shape of a spindle, an oval, a column, a cone, or an irregular spindle with a hollow structure, and the maximum 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 flaps is in a circular arc shape, the center of the circular arc is on the longitudinal axis of the rubber spring, and the radius of the circular arc is the same as the radius of the outer sleeve.

[0015] In some embodiments, the side of the convex curved flaps away from the rubber elastic body is respectively provided with a convex column, and the convex column can be penetrated into the end cap.

[0016] In some embodiments, the convex curved flaps are spherical flaps.

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

[0018] an outer sleeve;

[0019] a rubber elastic assembly 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 application also provides a vehicle suspension system using the rubber spring as described above; the vehicle suspension system comprises:

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

[0035] a guide arm support, a mounting plate being provided between the guide arm support and the vehicle axle;

[0036] wherein one end of the rubber spring is connected to the vehicle frame through a bracket, and the other end is connected to the mounting plate.

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

[0038] a central bracket and a guide arm, the two ends of the guide arm being connected to the guide arm support and the central bracket respectively;

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

[0040] the central bracket, the bracket and the shock absorber support are fixedly installed on the vehicle frame.

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

[0042] a vehicle frame cross beam, a thrust rod mounting seat being installed on the vehicle frame cross beam;

[0043] a thrust rod support being provided on the vehicle axle;

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

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

[0046] The application uses a rubber spring as an elastic element of a suspension system, utilizes the high damping and non-linear stiffness characteristics of the rubber elastic body, effectively reduces the impact and vibration of the road surface, and can make the vehicle obtain appropriate suspension stiffness characteristics under different loads, thereby improving the riding comfort of the vehicle.

[0047] The suspension system using the rubber spring provided by the application cancels the heavy steel plate spring, so that the weight of the suspension system is greatly reduced compared with the steel plate spring suspension; the rubber spring suspension structure is greatly simplified, and there is no electric control system and precise valve and other components of the air suspension, so that the failure rate is low, the reliability is greatly improved, and the cost is effectively reduced.

[0048] The rubber spring provided by the application can be used without lubrication and maintenance, and can be used without maintenance. Because the rubber material has the characteristic of incompressibility, the rubber spring can be converted into a rigid component when the load of the suspension system reaches the peak value, and the suspension system components and related components such as the axle and the frame can be effectively protected from damage, and the system safety is greatly improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0049] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the application, the drawings needed in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the application, and other drawings can be obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor under the premise of the drawings.

[0050] Figure 1 Structure diagram of the rubber spring shown in the first embodiment of the application Figure 1 ;

[0051] Figure 2 Structure diagram of the rubber spring shown in the first embodiment of the application

[0052] Figure 3 Structure diagram of the rubber spring shown in the first embodiment of the application Figure 2 ;

[0053] Figure 4 Structure diagram of the rubber spring shown in the first embodiment of the application Figure 3 ;

[0054] Figure 5 Nonlinear change diagram of the compression stiffness of the rubber spring shown in the first embodiment of the application

[0055] Figure 6 Structure diagram of the rubber spring shown in the first embodiment of the application Figure 4 ;

[0056] Figure 7 Structure diagram of the rubber spring shown in the first embodiment of the application

[0057] Figure 8 Structure diagram of the rubber spring shown in the first embodiment of the application

[0058] Figure 9 Structure diagram of the rubber spring shown in the first embodiment of the application

[0059] Figure 10 Structure diagram of the rubber spring shown in the first embodiment of the application

[0060] Figure 11 Figure 3 is a schematic view of a rubber spring structure according to a third embodiment of the present application;

[0061] Figure 12 Figure 4 is a front view of a vehicle suspension system according to a fourth embodiment of the present application;

[0062] Figure 13 Figure 5 is a top view of the vehicle suspension system according to the fourth embodiment of the present application;

[0063] wherein:

[0064] 1 - outer sleeve;

[0065] 2 - rubber elastic assembly;

[0066] 31 - end cap;

[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 - vehicle frame;

[0076] 502 - axle;

[0077] 503 - guide arm support;

[0078] 504 - mounting plate;

[0079] 505 - bracket;

[0080] 506 - central bracket;

[0081] 507 - guide arm;

[0082] 508 - shock absorber;

[0083] 509 - shock absorber support;

[0084] 510 - vehicle frame cross beam;

[0085] 511 - thrust rod mounting;

[0086] 512 - thrust rod support;

[0087] 513 - longitudinal thrust rod

[0088] 514 - transverse thrust rod. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0089] The technical solutions of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings and specific embodiments, so as to further understand the purposes, solutions and effects of the present application, but not as a limitation on the protection scope of the appended claims of the present application.

[0090] In the description and the following claims, some words are used to refer to specific components or parts, and those skilled in the art should understand that the same components or parts can be referred to by different names or terms by the users or manufacturers. The description and the following claims do not distinguish components or parts by name, but by functional differences. In the entire description and the following claims, "including" and "containing" are open terms, which should be interpreted as "including but not limited to". In addition, the term "connected" herein includes any direct and indirect electrical connection means. Indirect electrical connection means includes connection through other devices.

[0091] It should be noted that in the description of the present application, the terms "transverse", "longitudinal", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", and "about", or "approximately", "substantially", "left and right" and the like indicate the orientation or positional relationship or parameters, etc. based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description content, and do not indicate or imply that the devices or elements referred to must have a particular orientation, a particular size or be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, therefore, it cannot be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0092] Reference Figures 1-7The first embodiment of the present application provides a rubber spring, which comprises at least one rubber spring assembly, the rubber spring assembly further comprises: an outer sleeve 1; at least one rubber elastic assembly 2, which is installed inside the outer sleeve 1; and two end covers 31, which are respectively fixed at two ends of the outer sleeve 1, and are used for fixing the rubber elastic assembly 2 inside the outer sleeve 1 and realizing pre-compression; wherein the rubber elastic assembly 2 further comprises at least one rubber elastic body 21 and two convex curved flaps 221, which are respectively arranged at two ends of the rubber elastic body 21 and are connected with the rubber elastic body 21 to form an integral whole, the two convex curved flaps 221 are in sliding fit with the outer sleeve 1, and the rubber elastic assembly 2 has a set initial stiffness after pre-compression treatment. The side, away from the rubber elastic body 21, of each of the two convex curved flaps 221 is further provided with a convex column 231, and the two convex columns 231 can be arranged in the two end covers 31; and the two convex curved flaps 221 are spherical flaps.

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

[0094] The outer sleeve in the embodiment is a steel outer sleeve, the rubber elastic body and the convex curved flap are bonded by vulcanization to form an integral part, the part is installed inside the outer sleeve, and each of the two end covers is arranged at two ends of the outer sleeve to fix the convex curved flap and the rubber elastic assembly inside the outer sleeve, wherein the end cover is fixed at the two ends of the outer sleeve by bolts.

[0095] Referring to Figure 7 , wherein Figure 7 a is a spindle-shaped rubber body structure, Figure 7 b is a conical rubber body structure, Figure 7 c is a hyperboloid-shaped rubber body structure, Figure 7 d is a spindle-shaped rubber body structure with a convex rib in the middle, Figure 7 e is a four-sided straight groove hollow rubber body structure, Figure 7 f is a four-sided circular-arc groove hollow rubber body structure. The shape of the rubber elastic body 21 in the embodiment is spindle-shaped, oval, cylindrical, conical, or irregular spindle-shaped with a hollow structure; the maximum part of the outer diameter of the rubber elastic body is tightly fitted with the inner wall of the outer sleeve 1. The size and shape of the rubber elastic body directly affect the performance of the rubber spring, and the shape can be regular, such as spindle-shaped, cylindrical, conical, etc., or irregular, such as spindle-shaped with a hollow structure, etc., which can be adjusted according to the load and dynamic characteristics of the vehicle in actual design.

[0096] Referring to Figure 3In the embodiment, the two convex curved baffle plates 221 are in sliding fit with the outer sleeve 1, the basic shape of the rubber elastic body 21 is similar to a spindle or an oval, the part with the largest diameter is closely fitted with the inner wall of the outer sleeve, the length L of the rubber elastic assembly 2 before being loaded into the outer sleeve 1 is greater than the distance L1 between the two end covers 31, and the pre-compression is formed after the rubber elastic assembly 2 is compressed and loaded into the outer sleeve 1, and the pre-compression is used to realize the relative position fixation of the rubber elastic body 21 and the outer sleeve 1. That is, the length of the rubber elastic assembly 2 composed of the two convex curved baffle plates 221 and the rubber elastic body 21 is contracted after being loaded into the outer sleeve 1 and fixed by the end cover 31, which can be called pre-compression. Due to the pre-compression, the rubber elastic body is deformed after being loaded into the outer sleeve, the contact area between the rubber elastic body and the inner wall of the outer sleeve is increased, and the deformation of the rubber elastic body is symmetrical relative to the horizontal center line of the rubber elastic body. The increased contact area causes a large friction force between the rubber elastic body and the outer sleeve, that is, the relative position of the rubber elastic body and the outer sleeve is fixed by pre-compression.

[0097] Further, under the action of the increased load from the vehicle frame, the rubber elastic body 21 is further compressed, and the two convex curved baffle plates 221 are in sliding fit with the outer sleeve 1. Figure 4 In this process, the relative position of the rubber elastic body 21 and the outer sleeve 1 is relatively fixed under the action of the pre-compression, and the displacement of the two convex curved baffle plates 221 is equal when the load is increased, that is, the distance L2 between the end face of the two convex curved baffle plates 221 and the end cover is consistent when the rubber elastic body 21 is compressed under the action of the pressure load F. In the process of driving the vehicle, the vibration caused by the ups and downs of the road surface can be absorbed by the rubber elastic body in the rubber spring, thereby playing a role of shock absorption and buffering.

[0098] In the embodiment, the compression stiffness of the rubber spring changes nonlinearly, and the rubber elastic body 21 cannot be compressed when the inner cavity space formed by the two convex curved baffle plates 221 and the outer sleeve 1 is filled with the rubber elastic body 21, and the rubber spring changes into a rigid member.

[0099] Specifically, referring to Figure 5When the vehicle is normally loaded and normally travels, the support force provided by the rubber spring and the compression stroke relationship changes in the OA range, at this time the support force and the compression stroke change is close to linear, that is, the stiffness of the rubber spring is basically linear, which is similar to the stiffness characteristics of the steel plate spring and the air spring; when the vehicle is in an overload state or encounters an obstacle during travel, the support force and the compression stroke relationship changes in the AB range, at this time the stiffness change rate of the rubber spring increases sharply. When the inner cavity space formed between the two convex curved flanges and the outer sleeve is filled with the rubber elastic body, the rubber elastic body cannot be compressed again, the rubber spring becomes a rigid component, limiting the relative position between the vehicle frame and the axle to not exceed the limit value, protecting the suspension system from damage.

[0100] The entire compression distance of the rubber spring from the initial state to the compression to the limit position is the stroke of the rubber spring, which can be adjusted to meet the design requirements according to the requirements of different vehicle suspension systems. The stroke can be easily changed by changing the volume of the rubber elastic body. In the case where the diameter of the outer sleeve, the thickness of the convex curved flange, and the distance L between the two end covers remain unchanged, the larger the volume of the rubber elastic body, the smaller the stroke, and vice versa. The combination of the rubber elastic body and the convex curved flange is limited inside the outer sleeve. When the axle is separated from the ground support, for example, the vehicle is lifted, or a very deep pit is encountered during travel, the rubber spring will pull the axle so that it will not be separated from the vehicle or cause problems such as overturning.

[0101] The outer contour of the convex curved flange in this embodiment is a circular arc, the center of the circular arc is on the longitudinal axis of the rubber spring, and the radius of the circular arc is the same as the radius of the outer sleeve. This design allows the convex curved flange to deflect arbitrarily within the outer sleeve, equivalent to the function of a universal bearing, and the deflection angle depends on the thickness of the convex curved flange. The thicker the thickness, the larger the deflection angle. In practical applications, the maximum angle of relative movement between the axle and the frame is taken and a certain safety margin is left. When the vehicle is affected by the road surface during travel, a certain angle will appear between the axle and the frame. The two ends of the convex curved flange can adapt to the change of the angle, that is, even if the convex curved flange and the outer sleeve are in an inclined state, the rubber spring can also work normally and is not affected by the angle of the axle.

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

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

[0104] Referring to Figures 8-9 The second embodiment of the present application provides a rubber spring. The rubber spring provided by the second embodiment is similar to the rubber spring provided by the first embodiment in principle, but the rubber spring provided by the second embodiment is directly connected in series by two rubber springs. Specifically, the rubber spring comprises at least two rubber spring assemblies connected in series. Each rubber spring assembly comprises an outer sleeve 1, a rubber elastic assembly 2 installed in the outer sleeve 1, and two end caps 31 fixed at both ends of the outer sleeve 1 for fixing the rubber elastic assembly 2 in the outer sleeve 1 and achieving pre-compression. The rubber elastic assembly 2 comprises a rubber elastic body 21 and a convex curved baffle 221. The convex curved baffle 221 is arranged at one end of the rubber elastic body 21 and connected with the rubber elastic body 21 to form an integral whole. A transition baffle 23 is arranged at the other end of the rubber elastic body 21. The convex curved baffle 221 is in sliding fit with the outer sleeve 1. The rubber elastic assembly 2 has a set initial stiffness after pre-compression. The rubber spring assemblies are connected in series by the transition baffles 23.

[0105] In the embodiment, the transition baffle 23 extends into the outer sleeve 1 through the end cap 31 away from the convex curved baffle 221 and is in sliding fit 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 stiffness characteristics.

[0106] In the embodiment, the two rubber elastic bodies 21 are vulcanized and bonded with the transition baffles 23 to form an integral whole. The two rubber elastic bodies are installed in two outer sleeves and fixed by four end caps. The transition baffles are in sliding fit with the outer sleeves and can only slide up and down in the outer sleeves to ensure that the two small rubber springs keep the same axis. The two rubber elastic bodies of the directly connected rubber spring are in the same working mode as the single rubber spring, but the two rubber elastic bodies can be made of different rubber materials to have different stiffness characteristics, and the two rubber elastic bodies connected in series can achieve more complex stiffness characteristics.

[0107] Referring to Figures 10-11The third embodiment of the present application provides a rubber spring, which is similar to the rubber spring provided in the first embodiment in principle, but differs from the rubber spring provided in the first embodiment in that the rubber spring provided in the third embodiment is connected in series inside two rubber spring assemblies, and specifically comprises: at least two rubber spring assemblies connected in series with each other, each of the rubber spring assemblies further comprises: an outer sleeve 1; a rubber elastic assembly 2 installed inside the outer sleeve 1; an end cover 31 fixed to one end of the outer sleeve 1; wherein the rubber elastic assembly 2 further comprises a rubber elastic body 21 and a convex curved baffle 221, the convex curved baffle 221 is arranged at one end outside the rubber elastic body 21, one end inside the rubber elastic body 21 is connected to a partition plate 24, the rubber elastic body 21, the partition plate 24 and the convex curved baffle 221 form an integral whole, and the convex curved baffle 221 is in sliding fit with the outer sleeve 1; the partition plate 24 is fixed to the other end of the outer sleeve 1, and the partition plate 24 and the end cover 31 are used to fix the rubber elastic assembly 2 inside the outer sleeve 1 and realize pre-compression; the rubber elastic assembly 2 has a set initial stiffness after pre-compression treatment; and the rubber spring assemblies are connected in series with each other through the outer sleeves 1 and the partition plates 24.

[0108] In the embodiment, the outer sleeve 1 is provided with a flange 11 at the end away from the convex curved baffle 221, and the partition plates 24 and the flanges 11 of the rubber spring assemblies are fixed together.

[0109] In the embodiment, the rubber elastic body 21, the partition plate 24 and the convex curved baffle 221 are integrally formed through vulcanization bonding. Two rubber elastic body assemblies are respectively installed in two outer sleeves, a flange is added at the end of each outer sleeve, and the upper and lower outer sleeves and the partition plates of the two rubber elastic body assemblies are fixed together through bolts. The end of each rubber elastic body assembly with the convex curved baffle is fixed with an end cover, and the rubber elastic body assembly is also pre-compressed to have a certain initial stiffness. Similar to the directly connected rubber spring, the elastic body of the internally connected rubber spring can also be made of different rubber materials to achieve more complex stiffness characteristics.

[0110] Compared with the independent rubber spring provided in the first embodiment, the series-connected rubber springs provided in the second and third embodiments can have more diverse stiffness characteristics, are more flexible in meeting the performance requirements of a vehicle suspension system, and can realize 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 Figures 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. 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. The guide arm 507 is connected with the guide arm support 503 and the central support 506 at both ends, 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, on which a thrust rod mounting seat 511 is installed. 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. 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 by the embodiment, the guide arm, the thrust rod and the transverse thrust rod play the roles of guiding and transmitting driving load, the rubber spring bears the longitudinal load and plays the role of shock absorption and buffering, and can adapt to the attitude change of the axle, i.e., the change of the road surface, maintain the stability of the suspension system, the transverse thrust rod controls the transverse displacement of the axle and plays the role of stabilizing the position of the axle, and the shock absorber is matched with the rubber spring to better inhibit the transmission of vibration to the vehicle frame and improve the smoothness of the suspension system.

[0116] As described above, in the embodiment, the components are combined to form a typical heavy truck suspension system with the rubber spring as the core component. The rubber spring is applied in the suspension system, which not only realizes the advantages of high load capacity of the steel plate spring, but also realizes the characteristics of the nonlinear stiffness of the air spring, and has great advantages in light weight compared with the steel plate spring and in function compared with the air spring. In addition, the rubber spring has the ability to convert into a rigid body under heavy load, so the suspension system with the rubber spring not only guarantees the smoothness and load capacity of driving, but also reduces the production and maintenance costs, and can protect the frame and axle, which is a great success. The present application solves the problems of the foregoing steel plate spring suspension and air spring suspension.

[0117] The above illustrates the working principle and basic application method of the present application 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 applied in other fields, the shape of the rubber spring, the connecting components, the outer sleeve and the end cover may be modified to meet the performance requirements of different occasions, but the basic working principle is derived from the content described in the specification, i.e., the above adaptive modification cannot affect the protection of the content of the present application.

[0118] The above is only a preferred embodiment of the present application, and does not limit other forms of the present application. Any skilled person in the art can modify or change the above disclosed technical content to equivalent embodiments applied in other fields, but any simple modification, equivalent change and modification of the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present application without departing from the technical solution of the present application still falls within the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A rubber spring, characterized by: At least one rubber spring assembly, which comprises: an outer sleeve; at least one rubber elastic assembly installed inside the outer sleeve; and end caps respectively fixed at both ends of the outer sleeve for fixing the rubber elastic assembly inside the outer sleeve and achieving pre-compression; wherein the rubber elastic assembly comprises 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 connected with the rubber elastic body to form an integral whole, the convex curved baffle is in sliding fit with the outer sleeve, and the rubber elastic assembly has a set initial stiffness after pre-compression treatment; the rubber elastic body is further compressed, the compression stiffness of the rubber spring changes nonlinearly, the rubber elastic body cannot be compressed again when the inner cavity space formed by the convex curved baffle and the outer sleeve is filled with the rubber elastic body, and the rubber spring turns into a rigid member; the rubber elastic body is in the shape of a spindle, an oval, a column or a cone; and the largest part of the outer diameter of the rubber elastic body is in close contact with the inner wall of the outer sleeve; the side of the convex curved baffle away from the rubber elastic body is further provided with a convex column, and the convex column penetrates the end cap.

2. The rubber spring of claim 1, wherein: The length of the rubber elastic assembly before being installed in the outer sleeve is greater than the distance between the end caps, and the rubber elastic body is compressed and installed in the outer sleeve to form the pre-compression.

3. The rubber spring of claim 1, wherein: The outer contour of the convex curved baffle is in the shape of a circular arc, the center of the circular arc is on the longitudinal axis of the rubber spring, and the radius of the circular arc is the same as the radius of the outer sleeve.

4. The rubber spring of claim 1, wherein: The convex curved baffle is a spherical baffle.

5. A rubber spring, characterized by: It comprises: at least two rubber spring assemblies connected in series, each of which comprises: an outer sleeve; a rubber elastic assembly installed inside the outer sleeve; end caps respectively fixed at both ends of the outer sleeve for fixing the rubber elastic assembly inside the outer sleeve and achieving pre-compression; wherein the rubber elastic assembly comprises a rubber elastic body and a convex curved baffle, the convex curved baffle is arranged at one end outside the rubber elastic body and connected with the rubber elastic body to form an integral whole, the other end inside the rubber elastic body is provided with a transition baffle, the convex curved baffle is in sliding fit with the outer sleeve, and the rubber elastic assembly has a set initial stiffness after pre-compression treatment; each of the rubber spring assemblies is connected in series with each other through the transition baffle; the rubber elastic body is further compressed, the compression stiffness of the rubber spring changes nonlinearly, the rubber elastic body cannot be compressed again when the inner cavity space formed by the convex curved baffle and the outer sleeve is filled with the rubber elastic body, and the rubber spring turns into a rigid member; the rubber elastic body is in the shape of a spindle, an oval, a column or a cone; and the largest part of the outer diameter of the rubber elastic body is in close contact with the inner wall of the outer sleeve; the side of the convex curved baffle away from the rubber elastic body is further provided with a convex column, and the convex column penetrates the end cap.

6. The rubber spring of claim 5, wherein: The transition baffle penetrates into the outer sleeve through the end cover away from the convex curved baffle side, and the transition baffle is in sliding fit with the outer sleeve.

7. The rubber spring of claim 5, wherein: The rubber elastic bodies arranged in series with each other are made of rubber materials with different elastic properties to achieve variable stiffness characteristics.

8. A rubber spring, characterized by: The rubber spring assembly comprises: at least two rubber spring assemblies arranged in series with each other, each of the rubber spring assemblies further comprising: an outer sleeve; a rubber elastic assembly installed inside the outer sleeve; an end cover fixed to one end of the outer sleeve; wherein the rubber elastic assembly further comprises a rubber elastic body and a convex curved baffle, the convex curved baffle is arranged at one end outside the rubber elastic body, the other end inside the rubber elastic body is connected to 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; the partition plate is fixed to the other end of the outer sleeve, and the partition plate 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 pre-compression treatment; each of the rubber spring assemblies is connected in series with each other through the outer sleeve and the partition plate; the rubber elastic body is further compressed, the compression stiffness of the rubber spring changes nonlinearly, the rubber elastic body cannot be compressed when the inner cavity space formed by the convex curved baffle and the outer sleeve is filled with the rubber elastic body, and the rubber spring turns into a rigid member; the rubber elastic body has a shape of a spindle, an oval, a column or a cone; and a maximum part of the outer diameter of the rubber elastic body is tightly fitted with the inner wall of the outer sleeve; the convex curved baffle away from the rubber elastic body side is further provided with a convex column, and the convex column penetrates the end cover.

9. The rubber spring of claim 8, wherein: the outer sleeve away from the convex curved baffle side is provided with a flange, and the partition plate and the flange of each of the rubber spring assemblies are fixed together.

10. A vehicle suspension system characterized by: The rubber spring assembly of any one of claims 1, 5 or 8 is used in a vehicle suspension system, wherein the vehicle suspension system comprises: a vehicle frame and a vehicle axle, the rubber spring is installed between the vehicle frame and the vehicle axle; a guide arm support, a mounting plate is arranged between the guide arm support and the vehicle axle; one end of the rubber spring is connected with the vehicle frame through a bracket, and the other end is connected with the mounting plate.

11. The vehicle suspension system of claim 10, wherein: The vehicle suspension system further comprises: a central bracket and a guide arm, two ends of the guide arm are connected with the guide arm support and the central bracket respectively; a shock absorber and a shock absorber support, one end of the shock absorber is connected with the guide arm, and the other end is connected with the shock absorber support; the central bracket, the bracket and the shock absorber support are fixedly installed on the vehicle frame.

12. The vehicle suspension system of claim 10, wherein: The vehicle suspension system further comprises: a vehicle frame cross beam, a thrust rod mounting seat is installed on the vehicle frame cross beam; a thrust rod support arranged on the vehicle axle; a longitudinal thrust rod and a transverse thrust rod, the longitudinal thrust rod is connected with the thrust rod support and the thrust rod mounting seat respectively, and the transverse thrust rod is connected with the thrust rod support and the vehicle frame respectively.

Images