Damping-adjustable shock absorber, suspension system and damping adjusting method

Abstract

The invention relates to a damping-adjustable shock absorber, a suspension system and a damping adjusting method, and relates to the technical field of vehicle suspensions.The damping-adjustable shock absorber comprises a shock absorber body, a piston device is arranged in the shock absorber body and comprises a piston rod and a main piston, the main piston is of a solid structure without a throttling hole, and the main piston is of a hollow structure without a throttling hole; the damper is divided into an upper chamber and a lower chamber along the axial direction; and the flow speed adjusting device is arranged outside the shock absorber, communicates with the upper cavity and the lower cavity of the shock absorber and is used for adjusting the flow speed of the hydraulic oil entering the upper cavity or the lower cavity so as to adjust the damping force of the shock absorber. A piston rod valve system which is complex, easy to damage and difficult to adjust in a traditional shock absorber is abandoned. The flowing speed of hydraulic oil between the upper cavity and the lower cavity is directly controlled through the flowing speed adjusting device independent of the shock absorber body. And efficient, accurate and rapid control of the damping force is realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of vehicle suspension technology, specifically to an adjustable damping shock absorber, suspension system, and damping adjustment method. Background Technology

[0002] In the automotive industry, shock absorbers, as key components, play a crucial role in ensuring vehicle ride comfort and stability. Their primary function is to dampen and suppress vibrations and impacts generated during driving. Traditional shock absorbers typically employ a twin-tube structure, relying on valves within an internal valve system to adjust damping and achieve the desired damping effect. However, after mass production, the damping of such structures is usually not adjustable, the valve system design is complex, the adjustment cycle is long, and the adjustment precision is limited, making it difficult to adapt to diverse driving conditions. Especially for electric off-road vehicles, due to their large vehicle weight and harsh driving conditions, traditional shock absorbers have limitations in both damping performance and reliability. They cannot simultaneously meet the comfort requirements of urban paved roads and the high-performance requirements of outdoor off-road surfaces (or bumpy roads), leading to handling instability issues such as roll and pitch during cornering and other driving conditions, affecting driving quality and safety.

[0003] To address these challenges, existing technologies primarily focus on improving the shock absorber structure, such as introducing external valve systems like solenoid valves to create single-valve or dual-valve CDC (Continuous Damping Control) shock absorbers, thereby enhancing the accuracy and response speed of damping adjustment. However, these designs still rely on a piston-rod valve system as the core adjustment unit (i.e., retaining the valve plates and throttle orifices on the main piston of the shock absorber). Their adjustment capabilities are limited, making it difficult to fundamentally solve problems like inaccurate damping adjustment and lag in response. Furthermore, under off-road conditions or on bumpy roads, the shock absorber's valve plates are prone to wear, leading to increased failure rates and internal leakage, further impacting the system's reliability and durability.

[0004] In summary, the existing vehicle suspension system's shock absorber technology suffers from insufficient damping adjustment precision and poor adjustment effect. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a damping adjustable shock absorber, suspension system and damping adjustment method, which can solve the problem of poor vehicle driving experience caused by insufficient vehicle damping adjustment accuracy and poor adjustment effect in the prior art.

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a damping adjustable shock absorber, comprising: A shock absorber, which contains a piston assembly, the piston assembly including a piston rod and a main piston, the main piston being a solid structure without throttling orifices, dividing the shock absorber axially into an upper chamber and a lower chamber; A flow rate regulating device is disposed outside the shock absorber. The flow rate regulating device is connected to the upper chamber and the lower chamber of the shock absorber respectively, and is used to regulate the flow rate of hydraulic oil entering the upper chamber or the lower chamber in order to adjust the damping force of the shock absorber.

[0007] In some embodiments, the flow rate regulating device is an electromagnetic proportional valve.

[0008] In some embodiments, the flow rate regulating device is connected to both the upper and lower chambers of the vibration damper via connecting pipes.

[0009] In some embodiments, the connecting tube communicates with the sidewalls of the upper chamber and the lower chamber, or with the top of the upper chamber and the bottom of the lower chamber.

[0010] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a suspension system including the damping adjustable shock absorber described in any of the preceding claims, the suspension system further including: In the transverse direction of the vehicle, the upper chamber of the shock absorber on one side of the vehicle is connected to the lower chamber of the shock absorber on the other side of the vehicle via the interconnecting pipe. A first damping regulating valve is installed on the interconnecting pipeline near the upper chamber to regulate the flow rate of hydraulic oil in the interconnecting pipeline, and a second damping regulating valve is installed on the interconnecting pipeline near the lower chamber to regulate the flow rate of hydraulic oil in the interconnecting pipeline.

[0011] In some embodiments, a first accumulator is provided on the interconnecting pipeline near the upper chamber, and a second accumulator is provided on the interconnecting pipeline near the lower chamber; a hydraulic oil storage chamber is provided in both the first accumulator and the second accumulator. The first accumulator is equipped with a first switching valve, and the second accumulator is equipped with a second switching valve.

[0012] In some embodiments, the end of the connecting pipe away from the flow rate regulating device is connected to the upper and lower chambers of the vibration damper via interconnecting pipes.

[0013] Thirdly, embodiments of this application also provide a method for adjusting the damping of a suspension system, implemented using any of the suspension systems described above, comprising: The damping of the suspension system is adjusted by controlling the flow rate of hydraulic oil between the upper and lower chambers of the shock absorber and the flow rate of hydraulic oil on the interconnecting pipelines, based on the type of road surface the vehicle is traveling on and the vehicle's steering.

[0014] In some embodiments, the flow rate of hydraulic oil between the upper and lower chambers of the shock absorber and the flow rate of hydraulic oil on the interconnecting lines are controlled according to the road surface type and vehicle steering conditions to adjust the damping of the suspension system, specifically including: If the system detects that a vehicle has moved from a smooth road surface to a bumpy road surface, the flow rate control device will slow down the flow rate of the hydraulic oil entering the upper or lower chamber in order to increase the damping of the shock absorber. If the system detects that a vehicle has moved from a bumpy road onto a smooth road, the flow rate control device will increase the flow rate of the hydraulic oil entering the upper or lower chamber to reduce the damping of the shock absorber.

[0015] In some embodiments, the flow rate of hydraulic oil between the upper and lower chambers of the shock absorber and the flow rate of hydraulic oil on the interconnecting lines are controlled according to the road surface type and vehicle steering conditions to adjust the damping of the suspension system, further comprising: If vehicle steering is detected, the opening of the first and second damping adjustment valves on the control interconnection line is reduced to slow down the outflow speed of hydraulic oil in the lower chamber of the shock absorber on the side with the same steering direction as the vehicle, and slow down the inflow speed of hydraulic oil in the upper chamber of the shock absorber on the other side of the vehicle connected to the lower chamber, thereby increasing the damping of the suspension system. If the vehicle is detected to be straightening, the opening of the first and second damping adjustment valves on the control interconnection line is increased to control the hydraulic oil outflow speed in the lower chamber of the shock absorber on the side with the same steering direction as the vehicle, and the hydraulic oil inflow speed in the upper chamber of the shock absorber on the other side of the vehicle connected to the lower chamber is increased, thereby reducing the damping of the suspension system.

[0016] The beneficial effects of the technical solutions provided in this application include: This application provides an adjustable damping shock absorber, a suspension system, and a damping adjustment method. The adjustable damping shock absorber of this application includes a shock absorber with a piston device inside. The piston device includes a piston rod and a main piston. The main piston is a solid structure without a throttling orifice, which divides the shock absorber axially into an upper chamber and a lower chamber. A flow rate regulating device is disposed outside the shock absorber. The flow rate regulating device is connected to the upper chamber and the lower chamber of the shock absorber respectively, and is used to regulate the flow rate of hydraulic oil entering the upper chamber or the lower chamber in order to adjust the damping force of the shock absorber.

[0017] The adjustable damping shock absorber provided in this application features a solid structure for the main piston inside the shock absorber, without a valve system or throttling orifice. This completely eliminates the complex, easily damaged, and difficult-to-adjust piston rod valve system found in traditional shock absorbers. This fundamental change means that the generation of damping force no longer depends on the throttling orifice and minor deformation of the valve plate on the main piston, thereby eliminating internal leakage and performance degradation caused by valve plate wear and fatigue. This significantly improves the reliability and durability of the shock absorber under harsh and bumpy road conditions (such as off-road conditions).

[0018] Meanwhile, the system externalizes the damping adjustment function entirely, directly controlling the flow rate of hydraulic oil between the upper and lower chambers through a flow rate adjustment device independent of the shock absorber body. This functional separation architecture, where the main piston is responsible for sealing and separation, and the external device is responsible for precise adjustment, achieves efficient, precise, and rapid control of the damping force. The external adjustment device is no longer limited by the confined space and complex fluid flow path within the main piston, allowing for more optimized design based on requirements, thus providing a wider damping adjustment range and finer adjustment precision. This enables the vehicle suspension system to respond extremely quickly and accurately to road surface excitations, providing the most suitable damping force in real time, whether on paved urban roads or bumpy off-road surfaces, thereby excellently balancing ride comfort and handling.

[0019] This technical solution, through the coordinated design of a solid main piston and an external flow rate adjustment device, not only solves the core pain points of insufficient adjustment accuracy and easy failure of traditional valve systems, but also effectively suppresses vehicle roll and pitch through high-precision external active control, improving handling stability. It can still provide excellent driving experience and safety performance without relying on or reducing the size of the stabilizer bar. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a suspension system provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0022] In the picture: 1. Piston rod; 2. Vibration damper; 3. Main piston; 4. Connecting pipe; 5. First damping regulating valve; 6. Second damping regulating valve; 7. Flow rate regulating device; 8. Second accumulator; 9. Second switching valve; 10. First accumulator; 11. First switching valve; 12. Interconnecting pipeline; 21. Upper chamber; 22. Lower chamber. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0024] This application provides a damping adjustable shock absorber, suspension system, and damping adjustment method, which can solve the problem of poor vehicle driving experience caused by insufficient vehicle damping adjustment accuracy and poor adjustment effect in the prior art.

[0025] See Figure 1 As shown, in a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a damping adjustable shock absorber, comprising: The shock absorber 2 has a piston device inside, which includes a piston rod 1 and a main piston 3. The main piston 3 is a solid structure without a throttling hole, which divides the shock absorber 2 into an upper chamber 21 and a lower chamber 22 along the axial direction. The flow rate regulating device 7 is located outside the shock absorber 2. The flow rate regulating device 7 is connected to the upper chamber 21 and the lower chamber 22 of the shock absorber 2 respectively. It is used to regulate the flow rate of hydraulic oil entering the upper chamber 21 or the lower chamber 22 to adjust the damping force of the shock absorber 2.

[0026] The damping adjustable shock absorber provided in this application designs the main piston 3 inside the shock absorber 2 as a solid structure without a valve system or throttling orifice. This completely eliminates the complex, easily damaged, and difficult-to-adjust piston rod 1 valve system in traditional shock absorbers 2. This fundamental change means that the generation of damping force no longer depends on the throttling orifice and the slight deformation of the valve plate on the main piston 3, thereby eliminating the problems of internal leakage and performance degradation caused by valve plate wear and fatigue, and greatly improving the reliability and durability of the shock absorber 2 under harsh and bumpy road conditions (such as off-road conditions).

[0027] Meanwhile, the system externalizes the damping adjustment function entirely, directly controlling the flow rate of hydraulic oil between the upper chamber 21 and the lower chamber 22 via a flow rate adjustment device 7 independent of the shock absorber 2 body. This functional separation architecture, where the main piston 3 is responsible for sealing and separation, and the external device is responsible for precise adjustment, achieves efficient, precise, and rapid control of the damping force. The external adjustment device is no longer limited by the narrow space and complex fluid flow path inside the main piston 3, allowing for more optimized design based on requirements, thus providing a wider damping adjustment range and finer adjustment precision. This enables the vehicle suspension system to respond extremely quickly and accurately to road surface excitations, providing the most suitable damping force in real time, whether on paved urban roads or bumpy off-road surfaces, thus excellently balancing ride comfort and handling.

[0028] This technical solution, through the collaborative design of the solid main piston 3 and the external flow rate adjustment device 7, not only solves the core pain points of insufficient adjustment accuracy and easy failure of traditional valve systems, but also effectively suppresses vehicle roll and pitch through high-precision external active control, improving handling stability. It can still provide excellent driving experience and safety performance without relying on or reducing the size of the stabilizer bar.

[0029] This device precisely alters the damping force of the shock absorber 2 by directly controlling the resistance to the flow of hydraulic oil between the upper chamber 21 and the lower chamber 22. The faster the oil flows, the smaller the damping force (more comfort-oriented); the slower the flow, the larger the damping force (more support-oriented). This adjustment does not rely on the passive deformation of the valve plates but is achieved through active electrical signal commands, resulting in extremely high precision and response speed.

[0030] Because the main piston 3 is designed as a solid structure, it is only responsible for pushing the oil through the external pipeline to the flow rate regulating device 7 during reciprocating motion; it does not generate damping itself. This completely separates the "sealing and separation" function (performed by the solid main piston 3) from the "damping adjustment" function (performed by the external flow rate regulating device 7). This makes the adjustment of the damping force no longer limited by the small space inside the piston, making it simpler, more flexible, and more efficient.

[0031] In some alternative embodiments, the flow rate regulating device 7 is an electromagnetic proportional valve. This solution concretizes the external flow rate regulating device 7 into an electromagnetic proportional valve, achieving precise, stepless, and rapid control of damping. The electromagnetic proportional valve can linearly and precisely control the valve opening by receiving the magnitude of the electrical signal, thereby steplessly regulating the hydraulic oil flow rate. This solves the problems of inaccurate mechanical adjustment and lag in response of traditional valve systems. Its high-speed response characteristics allow the damping force to switch in milliseconds, enabling the vehicle to maintain stability even when facing continuous bumps, truly balancing comfort and handling.

[0032] In some alternative embodiments, such as Figure 1 The flow rate regulating device 7 is connected to the upper chamber 21 and lower chamber 22 of the vibration damper 2 through the connecting pipe 4.

[0033] The flow rate regulating device 7 is connected to the upper and lower chambers 22 of the damper 2 via the connecting pipe 4, forming a stable and reliable external damping adjustment circuit. This external circulation path design completely separates the core damping adjustment function from the easily worn piston assembly, significantly improving the system's durability.

[0034] In some alternative embodiments, the connecting tube 4 is connected to the sidewalls of the upper chamber 21 and the lower chamber 22, or to the top of the upper chamber 21 and the bottom of the lower chamber 22.

[0035] This application provides two ways of arranging the connecting pipe 4. When the connecting pipe 4 is connected to the side wall of the upper and lower chambers, it helps to shorten the distance of the connecting pipe 4 between the upper chamber 21 and the lower chamber 22, thus saving materials.

[0036] When the connecting pipe 4 connects the top of the upper chamber 21 and the bottom of the lower chamber 22, the piston rod of the shock absorber needs to adopt a hollow structure design so that the connecting pipe 4 can be directly embedded in the internal channel of the piston rod without the need for additional holes in the piston rod or side wall. This maintains the solid structure characteristics of the main piston without throttling holes, and achieves efficient fluid transmission through the internal flow channel of the hollow piston rod, reducing manufacturing complexity.

[0037] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a suspension system including any of the aforementioned adjustable damping shock absorbers, the suspension system further including: The interconnecting pipe 12 connects the upper chamber 21 of the shock absorber 2 on one side of the vehicle to the lower chamber 22 of the shock absorber 2 on the other side of the vehicle in the transverse direction of the vehicle. A first damping regulating valve 5 is installed on the interconnecting pipeline 12 near the upper chamber 21 to regulate the flow rate of hydraulic oil in the interconnecting pipeline 12, and a second damping regulating valve 6 is installed on the interconnecting pipeline 12 near the lower chamber 22 to regulate the flow rate of hydraulic oil in the interconnecting pipeline 12.

[0038] When the vehicle is turning, by dynamically hydraulically connecting the upper chamber 21 of the shock absorber 2 on one side of the vehicle with the lower chamber 22 of the shock absorber 2 on the other side via the interconnecting pipe 12, body roll can be effectively suppressed. For example, when the vehicle turns right, the vehicle tilts to the left, and the left side of the body sinks (the right side of the body moves up), causing the piston rod 1 of the left shock absorber 2 to move down, pushing the main piston 3 down. The space inside the lower chamber 22 of the left shock absorber 2 is compressed. Since the main piston 3 of the shock absorber 2 in this application is a solid structure without a throttling orifice, hydraulic oil enters from the lower chamber 22 of the left shock absorber 2 into the upper chamber 21 of the right shock absorber 2 through the interconnecting pipe 12. The hydraulic oil in the upper chamber 21 of the right shock absorber 2 increases, which drives the main piston 3 of the right shock absorber 2 to move down, thereby causing the right side of the vehicle body to move down, thus achieving anti-roll.

[0039] When the vehicle turns left, it tilts to the right, causing the right side of the vehicle to drop (and the left side to rise). This causes the piston rod 1 of the right shock absorber 2 to move downwards, pushing the main piston 3 downwards. The space inside the lower chamber 22 of the right shock absorber 2 is compressed. Since the main piston 3 of the shock absorber 2 in this application is a solid structure without a throttling orifice, hydraulic oil enters the upper chamber 21 of the left shock absorber 2 from the lower chamber 22 of the right shock absorber 2 through the interconnecting pipe 12. The increased hydraulic oil in the upper chamber 21 of the left shock absorber 2 drives the main piston 3 of the left shock absorber 2 to move downwards, thereby causing the left side of the vehicle body to move downwards, thus achieving anti-roll. This dynamic process, through the adaptive flow of hydraulic oil in the interconnecting pipe, reduces the roll angle of the vehicle body when turning, improving steering stability.

[0040] The shock absorbers 2 on both sides of the vehicle (the upper chamber 21 on one side and the lower chamber 22 on the other side) are connected by interconnecting pipes 12, and independently controllable damping adjustment valves are installed on the pipes, essentially constructing an active anti-roll stabilization system. When the vehicle turns, the system effectively suppresses body roll by reducing the opening of the steering-side damping adjustment valve, increasing the fluid flow resistance. This reduces or even eliminates the reliance on traditional mechanical stabilizer bars, providing dynamically adjustable anti-roll capability while reducing weight, greatly improving handling stability.

[0041] In some alternative embodiments, a first accumulator 10 is provided on the interconnecting pipe 12 near the upper chamber 21, and a second accumulator 8 is provided on the interconnecting pipe 12 near the lower chamber 22; a hydraulic oil storage chamber is provided in both the first accumulator 10 and the second accumulator 8. The first accumulator 10 is equipped with a first switching valve 11, and the second accumulator 8 is equipped with a second switching valve 9.

[0042] Traditional suspension stiffness is primarily determined by the springs and remains constant, making it impossible to dynamically balance comfort and support. This solution creates multiple operating modes by controlling the switching valves on two accumulators: Mode 1 (Basic Stiffness): Springs operate only. Suitable for regular urban roads, providing balanced comfort.

[0043] Mode Two (More Flexible Stiffness): Spring + First Accumulator 10 (Normal). When the first accumulator 10 is activated (such as a rodless chamber accumulator connected to the upper cavity), the gas chamber inside the accumulator acts as a flexible "air spring" connected in parallel to the system, effectively increasing the fluid volume and reducing the overall system stiffness. This makes the suspension more flexible when dealing with continuous minor bumps, with a stronger ability to filter vibrations, greatly improving comfort.

[0044] Mode 3 (Stronger): Spring + Second Accumulator 8 (normally closed, open under special conditions). When the second accumulator 8 is activated (such as a rod-chamber accumulator connected to the lower chamber) or both accumulators are activated simultaneously in a specific mode, different equivalent stiffness can be provided based on parameters such as the pre-charge pressure of the accumulators. For example, when the vehicle is cornering at high speed, changing lanes suddenly, or engaging in heavy off-road driving, this mode can provide greater support, effectively suppressing body roll and pitch, ensuring wheel contact with the ground, and significantly improving handling stability and passability.

[0045] Under special operating conditions (such as high-intensity continuous off-road driving and steep inclines), the suspension will experience extreme impacts and thermal loads. Accumulators play a crucial role in buffering and depressurization here. They can instantly absorb and store oil far exceeding the capacity of the shock absorber body, smoothing out pressure peaks in the pipeline, preventing the system from being damaged due to excessive pressure, thereby protecting the safety of the entire suspension system and extending its service life.

[0046] In some alternative embodiments, the end of the connecting pipe 4 away from the flow rate regulating device 7 is connected to the upper chamber 21 and the lower chamber 22 of the vibration damper 2 via the interconnecting pipe 12.

[0047] This approach achieves functional integration and structural fusion by allowing the connecting pipe 4 (used for damping adjustment of a single shock absorber 2) and the interconnecting pipe 12 (used for hydraulic interconnection and anti-roll of the left and right shock absorbers 2) to share the same physical pipe section. This makes the layout of the entire suspension system more compact and streamlined.

[0048] This application solves the vehicle roll problem through the hydraulic interconnection of the coaxial shock absorbers 2. During cornering, the flow of hydraulic fluid in the shock absorbers 2 applies an anti-roll force, thereby reducing vehicle roll. By eliminating the internal main piston valve plate of the shock absorber 2 and connecting the upper and lower chambers of the shock absorber 2 externally via an electromagnetic proportional valve, the upper and lower chambers of the shock absorber 2 can be opened or closed according to the vehicle's usage requirements, effectively improving the vehicle's pitch control. In addition, after the left and right shock absorbers 2 are interconnected, the front and rear stabilizer bars can be eliminated, reducing the overall weight and manufacturing cost of the vehicle.

[0049] The damping of traditional shock absorbers 2 primarily relies on the main piston valve plate structure. Its damping curve is linear, meaning that once the damping force is calibrated, the damping remains the same regardless of the piston rod speed. This method of damping cannot effectively adapt to vehicle driving conditions, resulting in a limited and monotonous damping performance experience for the user. It fails to meet the varying damping force requirements under different road conditions and loads, which is particularly incompatible with the performance positioning of high-end electric off-road vehicles. Furthermore, the valve system on the piston rod of shock absorber 2 and the oil reservoir are connected by an interference fit with a sealing ring. The valve system contains multiple valve plates, and after a certain period of use, the sealing rings and valve plates are prone to varying degrees of wear or failure. This not only reduces the service life of shock absorber 2 but may also lead to decreased adjustment accuracy, thereby increasing the system's failure rate. Especially for vehicles that frequently travel on bumpy roads (such as electric off-road vehicles), which are under harsh conditions, the internal components of shock absorber 2 age and fail more quickly and severely. The damping of existing shock absorbers has two or more channels, which not only requires the adjustment of the basic valve system, but also the adjustment of the new valve system, as well as the adjustment of the damping effect of multiple valve system combinations. Because the main piston valve system needs to be trial-produced and replaced with different valve plate combination structures, the adjustment cycle is long, which takes a lot of time and effort and increases the adjustment cost.

[0050] The damping of the shock absorber in this application is adjusted by an external valve, and its damping curve is non-linear, meaning that the damping is not positively correlated with the piston rod speed. Regardless of the piston rod speed, the damping can be adjusted according to the needs of the vehicle. This damping can better fit the vehicle's driving conditions, providing users with a richer experience of damping performance and meeting the changing requirements of damping force under different road conditions and loads, which is especially in line with the performance positioning of high-end electric off-road vehicles.

[0051] The shock absorber assembly offers faster, more precise, and attenuated damping response: By eliminating the valve system on the shock absorber piston rod, vulnerable components such as seals and valve plates are removed. This eliminates the risk of wear and failure of seals and valve plates, preventing internal leakage and damping issues, thus extending the shock absorber's lifespan and reducing the system's failure rate. The internal valve system is replaced with an electromagnetic proportional valve connecting the upper and lower chambers. This electromagnetic proportional valve provides more precise control over oil flow and offers a faster response time.

[0052] Furthermore, the valve system on the shock absorber piston rod was eliminated, and the structure was optimized into an electromagnetic proportional valve at the outer end of the shock absorber. During the tuning process, only the external electromagnetic proportional valve needs to be adjusted according to the overall vehicle damping requirements. This avoids the need for trial production and replacement of valve blocks and valve plates in different main piston valve system structures, reducing the difficulty of damping tuning, shortening the tuning cycle, and reducing tuning costs.

[0053] The upper and lower chambers of the shock absorber in this application are connected, closed, or quantitatively opened as needed via an electromagnetic proportional valve. This electromagnetic proportional valve is a normally closed valve (i.e., normally closed when de-energized). Depending on the vehicle's requirements, the valve is energized when connection between the upper and lower chambers is needed, and de-energized when connection is not required. Furthermore, based on the vehicle's driving conditions, the controller can send pulse signals to the electromagnetic proportional valve to quantitatively open it, thereby reducing the total damping of the shock absorber. Because the electromagnetic proportional valve has a fast response time, the entire adjustment process, from connecting / disconnecting the upper and lower chambers to quantitative opening, can be controlled within 5ms, significantly shortening the damping response time and improving overall vehicle performance.

[0054] During the design phase, an initial control strategy and algorithm are developed based on the vehicle's performance requirements and the controller's HIL (Hardware In-Loop) testing. During vehicle damping calibration, the vehicle is calibrated to cover almost all user operating conditions. Sensor systems collect signals such as road conditions, vehicle speed, and acceleration at different vehicle positions. These signals are filtered and transmitted to the controller. The controller, based on its internal control strategy and algorithm, as well as the required damping force, upper and lower chamber connectivity, and other requirements under the corresponding operating conditions, synthesizes the target damping force and upper and lower chamber connectivity definitions. Evaluation is then performed based on actual vehicle performance. This process is repeated until the final controller strategy and algorithm are determined.

[0055] Once the controller's control strategy and algorithm are determined, the opening and closing degree of the electromagnetic proportional valve under different operating conditions of the vehicle are also determined. For example, on urban paved roads, when the road surface is relatively smooth, the controller controls the electromagnetic proportional valve to be fully open. When transitioning to slightly rougher road surfaces, when the system damping force needs to be increased, the electromagnetic proportional valve is opened to 80%.

[0056] In off-road conditions, the controller responds in milliseconds to close the electromagnetic proportional valve, increasing the overall vehicle damping. When the vehicle turns, the controller can close the electromagnetic proportional valve, completely closing the upper and lower chambers of the shock absorber. This not only improves anti-roll capability through hydraulic interconnection but also further enhances anti-roll performance by preventing the flow of oil between the upper and lower chambers through the closure of the electromagnetic proportional valve.

[0057] When a vehicle accelerates or brakes suddenly, the solenoid valve closes, preventing the shock absorber piston rod from moving due to sudden acceleration or deceleration, thus improving the vehicle's pitch performance. Because the solenoid valve can flexibly control the oil flow rate, it allows for stepless adjustment of the shock absorber and enhances the vehicle's anti-roll and anti-pitch capabilities, improving damping adjustment accuracy.

[0058] In practice, this invention can enable the damper to be adjusted in two ways: when the electromagnetic proportional valve is closed, the damping is adjusted through the interconnection channel of the first damping adjustment valve 5 and the second damping adjustment valve 6; or it can be adjusted in three ways: when the electromagnetic switch valve is open, the damping can be infinitely adjusted in three ways, so that the damping adjustment speed and adjustment size can meet the needs of different scenarios for electric off-road vehicles.

[0059] The first damping regulating valve 5 and the second damping regulating valve 6 are connected in the interconnecting pipeline of the left and right shock absorbers. Depending on the vehicle's driving conditions, the controller sends different pulse signals to the two solenoid valves. The solenoid valves generate different fluctuating currents through their internal coils based on these pulse signals. The smooth fluctuations in the internal coil inductance produce an average current proportional to the duty cycle. This average current generates a magnetic field, which drives the solenoid valve core to move, changing the size of the oil flow port and thus controlling damping. Combined with the adjustment of the flow rate of each individual shock absorber 2 via the flow rate regulating device 7, precise damping adjustment is achieved. While the coaxial shock absorbers are interconnected, the interconnection of all four shock absorbers in the vehicle can also be realized. The interconnection between the front and rear axles is controlled by electromagnetic proportional valves. This better suppresses vehicle pitch and improves vehicle comfort and stability. These technologies effectively solve the problems of traditional shock absorbers in terms of adjustment precision, response speed, structural complexity and high cost, large vehicle body roll, and poor handling, thereby improving vehicle comfort and stability.

[0060] Thirdly, embodiments of this application also provide a suspension system damping adjustment method, implemented using any of the suspension systems described above, comprising: Depending on the type of road surface the vehicle is traveling on and the vehicle's steering, the flow rate of hydraulic oil between the upper chamber 21 and the lower chamber 22 of the shock absorber 2 and the flow rate of hydraulic oil on the interconnecting pipe 12 are controlled to adjust the damping of the suspension system.

[0061] The basic method for damping adjustment of the suspension system provided in this application achieves its technical effect by simultaneously collecting two key operating condition information types: "road surface type" and "vehicle steering condition," and accordingly controlling two actuators separately and collaboratively: one is the flow rate regulating device 7 that adjusts the flow of oil inside the shock absorber 2, and the other is the damping valve of the interconnecting pipeline 12 that controls the flow of oil in the hydraulic interconnection system between the left and right wheels. This design enables the system to independently and precisely manage the vehicle's vertical vibration (comfort) and lateral roll (handling). For example, on a flat and good road surface, the system can prioritize comfort; while when the system detects that the vehicle is about to enter a curve, it can intervene in advance, maintaining vertical comfort while separately enhancing anti-roll capability through the interconnecting pipeline 12. This collaborative control strategy based on comprehensive perception ensures the accuracy, foresight, and global optimization of damping adjustment from a top-level logical perspective, completely changing the passive situation of traditional suspension systems that are inconsistent in their considerations.

[0062] In some alternative embodiments, the flow rate of hydraulic oil between the upper chamber 21 and the lower chamber 22 of the shock absorber 2 and the flow rate of hydraulic oil on the interconnecting pipe 12 are controlled according to the road surface type and vehicle steering conditions to adjust the damping of the suspension system, specifically including: If the system detects that a vehicle has moved from a smooth road surface to a bumpy road surface, the flow rate control device 7 will slow down the flow rate of the hydraulic oil entering the upper chamber 21 or the lower chamber 22 (by reducing the opening of the electromagnetic proportional valve of the flow rate control device 7) in order to increase the damping of the shock absorber 2. If the system detects that a vehicle has moved from a bumpy road to a smooth road, the flow rate control device 7 will increase the flow rate of the hydraulic oil entering the upper chamber 21 or the lower chamber 22 (by increasing the opening of the electromagnetic proportional valve of the flow rate control device 7) to reduce the damping of the shock absorber 2.

[0063] When the system detects the vehicle transitioning from a smooth road surface to a bumpy one, the flow rate regulating device 7 slows down the oil flow rate and increases the damping. This precise control provides sufficient support before or during an impact, effectively suppressing excessively rapid piston movement in the shock absorber 2, preventing suspension failure, and ensuring the wheels maintain maximum contact with the ground, thus precisely guaranteeing handling stability and safety under adverse road conditions. Conversely, when the vehicle returns from a bumpy road to a smooth road surface, the flow rate is immediately increased and the damping decreased. This precisely and quickly restores the suspension system to a state focused on vibration filtering, achieving optimal isolation of minor vibrations on smooth roads and instantly improving ride comfort. This on-demand, timely dynamic adjustment resolves the inherent contradiction of traditional fixed-damping shock absorbers 2 having to compromise between two factors, achieving precise and optimal damping characteristics under different road conditions.

[0064] In some alternative embodiments, the flow rate of hydraulic oil between the upper chamber 21 and the lower chamber 22 of the shock absorber 2 and the flow rate of hydraulic oil on the interconnecting pipe 12 are controlled according to the type of road surface the vehicle travels on and the vehicle's steering condition to adjust the damping of the suspension system, and the method further includes: If vehicle steering is detected, the opening of the first damping regulating valve 5 and the second damping regulating valve 6 on the control interconnection pipeline 12 is reduced to slow down the outflow speed of hydraulic oil in the lower chamber 22 of the shock absorber 2 on the side with the same steering direction as the vehicle, and slow down the inflow speed of hydraulic oil in the upper chamber 21 of the shock absorber 2 on the other side of the vehicle connected to the lower chamber 22, thereby increasing the damping of the suspension system. If the vehicle is detected to be straightening, the opening of the first damping regulating valve 5 and the second damping regulating valve 6 on the control interconnection pipeline 12 is increased to control the hydraulic oil outflow speed in the lower chamber 22 of the shock absorber 2 on the side with the same steering direction as the vehicle to increase the hydraulic oil inflow speed in the upper chamber 21 of the shock absorber 2 on the other side of the vehicle connected to the lower chamber 22 to decrease the damping of the suspension system.

[0065] During vehicle steering, by dynamically hydraulically connecting the upper chamber 21 of one side of the shock absorber 2 to the lower chamber 22 of the other side of the shock absorber 2 via the interconnecting pipe 12, body roll can be effectively suppressed. For example, when the vehicle turns right, it tilts to the left, causing the left side of the body to sink (and the right side to rise), which in turn causes the piston rod 1 of the left shock absorber 2 to move downward, pushing the main piston 3 downward. The space inside the lower chamber 22 of the left shock absorber 2 is compressed. Since the main piston 3 of the shock absorber 2 in this application is a solid structure without a throttling orifice, hydraulic oil enters from the lower chamber 22 of the left shock absorber 2 through the interconnecting pipe 12 into the upper chamber 21 of the right shock absorber 2. The increased hydraulic oil in the upper chamber 21 of the right shock absorber 2 drives the main piston 3 of the right shock absorber 2 to move downward, thereby causing the right side of the vehicle body to move downward, thus achieving anti-roll. This dynamic process, through the adaptive flow of hydraulic oil in the interconnecting pipe, reduces the roll angle and improves steering stability when the vehicle is steering.

[0066] When the system detects vehicle steering, it precisely controls the opening of the first damping regulating valve 5 and the second damping regulating valve 6 on the interconnecting pipe 12, reducing their openings. This action directly increases the resistance to the flow of fluid between the lower chamber of the non-steering side damper 2 and the upper chamber of the steering side damper 2 (because when the vehicle turns to one side, it will lean to the other). This resistance is efficiently converted into a damping force to counteract body roll, and this force is directly related to the roll speed, resulting in an extremely rapid response. This means that in corners, the system can sense changes in vehicle posture in real time and apply precise counteracting torques, thereby effectively suppressing body roll and improving cornering stability. When the vehicle straightens, the valve opening is immediately increased, quickly releasing this additional interconnected damping, allowing the suspension system to seamlessly return to its default comfort-oriented state. Without affecting vertical comfort, the system can independently, precisely, and powerfully control vehicle posture, ultimately achieving precise vehicle handling and improving the ride experience without relying on or with the reduction of mechanical stabilizer bars.

[0067] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the terms "upper," "lower," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application. Unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installed," "connected," and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication between two elements. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0068] It should be noted that in this application, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0069] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, enabling those skilled in the art to understand or implement this application. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this application. Therefore, this application is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features claimed herein.

Claims

1. A damping adjustable vibration damper, characterized in that, include: The shock absorber (2) is provided with a piston device, which includes a piston rod (1) and a main piston (3). The main piston (3) is a solid structure without a throttling hole, which divides the shock absorber (2) into an upper chamber (21) and a lower chamber (22) along the axial direction. A flow rate regulating device (7) is provided outside the damper (2). The flow rate regulating device (7) is connected to the upper chamber (21) and the lower chamber (22) of the damper (2) respectively. It is used to regulate the flow rate of hydraulic oil entering the upper chamber (21) or the lower chamber (22) to adjust the damping force of the damper (2).

2. The damping adjustable vibration damper as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The flow rate regulating device (7) is an electromagnetic proportional valve.

3. The damping adjustable vibration damper as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The flow rate regulating device (7) is connected to the upper chamber (21) and lower chamber (22) of the damper (2) through a connecting pipe (4).

4. The damping adjustable vibration damper as described in claim 3, characterized in that: The connecting pipe (4) is connected to the side wall of the upper chamber (21) and the lower chamber (22), or to the top of the upper chamber (21) and the bottom of the lower chamber (22).

5. A suspension system, characterized in that, The suspension system includes the damping adjustable shock absorber according to any one of claims 1-4, and further includes: The interconnecting pipe (12) connects the upper chamber (21) of the shock absorber (2) on one side of the vehicle to the lower chamber (22) of the shock absorber (2) on the other side of the vehicle in the transverse direction of the vehicle. A first damping regulating valve (5) for regulating the flow rate of hydraulic oil in the interconnecting pipeline (12) is provided on the interconnecting pipeline (12) near the upper chamber (21), and a second damping regulating valve (6) for regulating the flow rate of hydraulic oil in the interconnecting pipeline (12) is provided on the interconnecting pipeline (12) near the lower chamber (22).

6. The suspension system as described in claim 5, characterized in that: A first accumulator (10) is provided on the interconnecting pipe (12) near the upper chamber (21), and a second accumulator (8) is provided on the interconnecting pipe (12) near the lower chamber (22); a hydraulic oil storage chamber is provided in both the first accumulator (10) and the second accumulator (8); The first accumulator (10) is provided with a first switching valve (11), and the second accumulator (8) is provided with a second switching valve (9).

7. The suspension system as described in claim 5, characterized in that: The end of the connecting pipe (4) away from the flow rate regulating device (7) is connected to the upper chamber (21) and lower chamber (22) of the shock absorber (2) through the interconnecting pipe (12).

8. A method for adjusting the damping of a suspension system, characterized in that, Implemented using the suspension system according to any one of claims 5-7, comprising: Depending on the type of road surface the vehicle passes through and the vehicle's steering, the flow rate of hydraulic oil between the upper chamber (21) and the lower chamber (22) of the shock absorber (2) and the flow rate of hydraulic oil on the interconnecting pipe (12) are controlled to adjust the damping of the suspension system.

9. The suspension system damping adjustment method as described in claim 8, characterized in that, Based on the road surface type and vehicle steering, the flow rate of hydraulic oil between the upper and lower chambers of the shock absorber and the flow rate of hydraulic oil on the interconnecting pipelines are controlled to adjust the damping of the suspension system. Specifically, this includes: If the vehicle is detected to have moved from a smooth road surface to a bumpy road surface, the flow rate control device (7) will slow down the flow rate of the hydraulic oil entering the upper chamber (21) or the lower chamber (22) in order to increase the damping of the shock absorber (2). If the vehicle is detected to have moved from a bumpy road to a smooth road, the flow rate control device (7) will increase the flow rate of the hydraulic oil entering the upper chamber (21) or the lower chamber (22) to reduce the damping of the shock absorber (2).

10. The suspension system damping adjustment method as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The damping of the suspension system is adjusted by controlling the flow rate of hydraulic oil between the upper and lower chambers of the shock absorber and the flow rate of hydraulic oil on the interconnecting pipelines, based on the type of road surface the vehicle traverses and the vehicle's steering. This also includes: If vehicle steering is detected, the opening of the first damping regulating valve (5) and the second damping regulating valve (6) on the control interconnection line is reduced to control the hydraulic oil outflow speed in the lower chamber (22) of the shock absorber on the same side as the vehicle steering direction to slow down, and the hydraulic oil inflow speed in the upper chamber (21) of the shock absorber on the other side of the vehicle connected to the lower chamber (22) to slow down, thereby increasing the damping of the suspension system. If the vehicle is detected to be straight, the opening of the first damping regulating valve (5) and the second damping regulating valve (6) on the control interconnection line is increased to control the hydraulic oil outflow speed in the lower chamber (22) of the shock absorber on the same side as the vehicle's steering direction to increase the hydraulic oil inflow speed in the upper chamber (21) of the shock absorber on the other side of the vehicle connected to the lower chamber (22) to decrease the damping of the suspension system.

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